Gonzai Gallery

I have failed once more. Every month, Hectic Red has one gig. Always on a Saturday. Usually on a Saturday I have free and at a bar not far from me. Every month, I decide I'm going this time, darn it. Every month, I don't go.

Did it again tonight. And they couldn't be playing any closer, less than a mile away. In my defense, I at least have a couple of semi-reasons for not going tonight - it's starting to sleet, my knees have been absolutely killing me all day and I'm so wiped I wouldn't stay awake through a set. Most of the time I just don't feel like it, tonight at least I feel like crap. But still, fail.

The good news: it didn't rain all weekend. Sunday, in fact was spectacular. The bad news: I've been going to the Towsontowne Spring Festival for over 20 years and it's never been this disappointing. None of the vendors I intended to buy from attended; my mother asked me to get her an azalea but instead of the usual half dozen plant vendors, there were NONE. The vendors who were there weren't interesting. My artist buddy Connell was moved from his usual spot and placed next to a gyros stand. His art was acquiring a nice coating of grease :/  All of the stages were made into 'beer gardens' - fenced off, ID and admission required. This was new. They were also busily trying to be louder than a Who concert. It was too loud outside the garden, so I wasn't about to pay to go inside and get my eardrums blasted. So no Hectic Red. But at least I got to see the Derby. On the one hand, I was the only one in my Derby pool to pick any horse right - I picked Eight Belles to place. And we know what happened next. I quit watching horse racing 20 years ago because I couldn't take seeing another horse die. I may be finished for good now.

Sunday was absolutely gorgeous. Game time temperature in Bowie: 70. Got plenty of sun (too much on my left foot; knew there was some spot I forgot to sunblock), renewed acquaintances with folks I hadn't seen since last year and in the case of Ryan Keefer, a few years. (An Orioles pitching prospect, Ryan is one of the friendliest people I've ever met in my life, in any walk of life.) Got to hang with my usher buddy, Henry, who has worked for the Baysox every year they've existed. He lets me sit in the box seats regardless of my ticket. He's the man. It was dog day at the park; few humans there, but they all brought their dogs. A 220 lb bull mastiff won biggest dog of the day, smallest was a 2 lb chihuahua puppy. A couple of golden retrievers endeavored to wash all the sunblock off my face. That tickled. Then headed up to the barbeque for more dogs (six of them), two bands and a ton of people to go along with the good food. All in all, a most excellent day.