be cool

I saw Yo La Tengo on Thursday night. It was a free show in downtown SLC, which was pretty nice. The Fiery Furnaces opened, which was okay. I really didn't dig on them too much. It was easily in the high 90's early on, and possibly in the 100's, but before too long my buddy Josiah and I were in the shade. The place pretty much packed out before too long, with many, many people showing up just for the scene. I always find them to be quite annoying, as I am there for the music. They talk. I listen to the band. Anyhow, Yo La Tengo, from the moment they hit the stage, absolutely rocked. They played very hard and very well for a mostly indifferent crowd. I enjoyed it thoroughly, though, and would gladly go see them again. Especially if it was free.

So Janine's mom and sister and her two kids have been here for about a week now. It has been good to have them all here, as they have been able to get out and do things and the kids have all been getting to know each other. It really looks as though they have been having fun together. They have filled their week up with things to do, most of which has involved small trips to outdoor places in the morning while it is still cool. Last Sunday we went to the zoo, which was quite fun. All the kids seemed to enjoy seeing the animals, and Juancho Panco (as he now insists on calling himself) wasn't afraid of the elephants this time. Now we only have to tackle the fear of the primates, then they will have conquered Hogle Zoo. It is always fun to take the kids out and let them be outside. We are very fortunate to have kids who absolutely LOVE to get out and do things. Anyhow, it has been a good week with family here.

Brad, Traci and Joel left early last Saturday (5 AM flight) to go to Costa Rica for five weeks. It has been odd to not have them here. The boys are constantly asking about them, wondering where they are at, and when we answer "Costa Rica" I am sure they are wondering where the heck that is. Every time I walk Pakak now, she always wants to turn toward their house before heading out around the block. She obviously misses her buddy Rufus. We miss them, for sure, but I am pretty sure that the five weeks will go by quickly. And I hope that they are having a blast with language school and the birds of central America.

So Janine and the kids will be leaving to go to PA when her family leaves tomorrow. It will be very odd to not be around her and the kids for the ten or eleven days that we will be apart. I realize my attachment to the kids is strong when I don't see them for a day (like Thursday when I went from work to the show downtown and got home at 10:45, well after the kids went to sleep) and it seems like forever since I have seen them. I know that I will be anxious to be with them when I fly over in early August. We will be having a little reception for the kids when I get there, so that should be pretty nice. It will be boring around here without my family, though. I know that Janine will be busy with many things, and I am hoping that the kids get to do a lot of fun stuff while they are there. I also hope that Juan flies a little better this time than he did in February. I don't know how many readers remember that blog, but he is not the avid airman. We'll see what happens. There will be three adults and five kids flying, so hopefully it will be fine, even if there are some apprehensions regarding flying for Juancho Pancho. It will also be a gauge to see how things will be on the way home when it just Janine and me and we have a layover in Cincinnati. Layovers + five travelers = possible trouble. We'll see.

The Rocky Mountain Revue just finished up here in SLC. It is the summer league for rookies and players trying to improve or lesser players trying to land contracts with NBA teams. I didn't go to any games, but watched a little bit on TV. I found it ridiculous that there were actually people heartily boo-ing the referees in a stinkin' summer league game! Utah fans, of course. Can we act a little more spoiled? These games don't count for anything at all! I am pretty sure that the coaches don't care about winning or losing, and any player who says he cares is lying, so why should a crowd care about summer league? I am at a loss for a reason, but there they were, boo-ing the game, boo-ing the refs, and I just shook my head in disgust. Get real. I can't stand Utah fans. Their team has never done anything wrong. Ever. Get real.

So tonight I am supposed to go see Built to Spill. I have been planning this concert in numerous ways with friends for quite some time now, but it all fell apart yesterday as anyone I was planning on going with cancelled on me. It was disheartening, but I understood all their reasons. Regardless, I am now stuck with ticket to a show that I really want to see, but have no one to go with. I feel kind of lame going by myself, but I would be extremely disappointed to not go, as I missed the band each of the last two years, and you never know when they will be back. The thing that makes it somewhat difficult is that it is downtown and starts at 8 or 9. So I wonder if I should drive or take Trax (public transport) and how that will all work out. I think I am pretty much determined to go (I already bought my ticket) so I need to figure the details out soon. That's what I get. It was bound to happen in the summer of the shows...Ryan Adams still to come on July 31...Calexico August 23....Son Volt August 26...Def Leppard Sep. 8....just kidding about that one...

I have enjoyed a couple of documentaries lately. "Our Brand Is Crisis" focuses on a campaign by twice former president of Bolivia, Goni. It is interesting to see McCarthy-ism in action in a campaign and to make the transition from another place and another culture to see how that makes itself manifest here. The other was "You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train" which was an historical account of Howard Zinn's journey from beginning to present. Certainly a good film to watch, and one that will entice one's desire to at least begin to read his writings. I would recommend this one to all.

Anyhow, I should get going. I feel the coffee drawing me in. So I better drink a cup or two.

Be cool.