so last saturday night c + i actually went on a DATE - dinner and a movie, and then we went to one of the topeka coffeeshops we used to work at back in the day for "sam and friends"...sam billen, a few other guys, and chad performing their new songs. sam's new cd is wonderfully soothing, mellow and thoughtful. or it makes me thoughtful anyway. the other acts i mostly talked to sam's girlfriend through, but then chad went up to play the song he's been working on. it's a lot about the deep dark valley that this marriage of ours went through last year, and he's such a wear-life-on-your-sleeve, allofiteventhehardandembarrassingparts kind of guy...it made me feel a bit more exposed than i was comfortable with. but then there was conversation with present multigenerational friends about it, and the transparancy was helpful, and i was so glad that in a lot of ways we are past that time now. i left with less cynism that i had arrived with...and the take home cannoli's from paisanos the next day shared the sweet aroma of rootsy spontanious fellowship left with me.

*new and improved* addy... lisabarker72@hotmail.com . write, it's good for you. write to me, it makes me happy.