Friday, February 3, 2017

Three Beautiful Things 02/02/17: Aquatic Restoration, Arrogant Ale and Calamari, Mac and Mike Campbell

1.  During the early part of the day, I was out of sorts for a variety of reasons, mostly having to do with uncertainty and a little sleep deprivation. I took measures to shake the anxiety and blues. I took a nap. More important, I dragged my sort of sorry self to the aquatic center and flopped around for an hour in the pool and then slid into the hot tub for about ten to fifteen minutes. The sleep restored my better nature and the exercise delivered me from obsession. Now, I've just got to get out and about with my camera . . . and break that drought.

2. Work has been draining for the Deke and, without question, we do a smart thing when we head straight from the school to Old Line and find a couple of spots at the bar and have a couple of beers and a snack and shoot the breeze with Cameron or Liz or Kristin or James, all superb servers and bartenders. This evening I enjoyed a couple glasses of Arrogant Bastard Ale -- a favorite of mine for over fifteen years now -- while the Deke dove into a couple glasses of Flying Dog's finest Imperial IPA, The Truth. We split an order of calamari. The Deke relaxed. The demands of her day disintegrated.

3. I've been preoccupied over the last week or so with Fleetwood Mac, especially Rumours. God only knows why I would want to be transported back to the many confusions about marriage and divorce and being single I felt over thirty-five years ago, but the songs of that album keep playing in my mind and help me get reacquainted with those old confusions and to be kinder to that guy I was back in 1979, '80, '81 and forward. Usually, when the specter of me comes haunting, I berate him.  But, Rumours has helped me be more understanding of him.  Then I remembered that Stevie Nix joined Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers from time to time and I found some videos on YouTube of them and I loved their voices together. Soon my attention shifted to how much I love Mike Campbell's guitar playing with the Heartbreakers and I made sure, before I went to bed, to listen to his virtuosity on "Runnin' Down a Dream".  Good Lord. That solo.

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