Almost ready to hit the trail to Boston

The last couple of days have been sublime. I’m in Vermont visiting my my aunt, uncle and cousin. They’ve always been a kind of shelter for me. Whenever I make my way up here, I’m usually on the tail end or in the midst of a massive workload. So i’m usually tired and often busy on the computer, which seems strangely out of synch with the Vermont artisan lifestyle (despite the fact that they’ve got 2 macs and a wireless network). But I’ve had a lot of research to do (finding email addresses, convention info, sorting out some technical stuff with my blog and generally doing what I can to keep the momentum of launching a music career.

The flight case arrived today and became a pretty big burden. The case is 48 pounds, and with the 57 pound piano, puts it over the weight limit to fly. The “extra charge” zone for airlines is 53-99 pounds. Over a hundred pounds, and they turn you away. I checked in with my brother, who was a Delta ticket agent, and he confirmed that there was little to be done. So now I have a $500 flight case I can’t fly with. I really ordered it for keeping the piano safe for local gigs, and should I find myself asked to play shows on the east coast, I’ll have to stipulate shipping the piano ($400-$500 to overnight it). But it took all day today to secure the piano in the case (I’d ordered it larger to accomodate the legs, pedal, cables, etc..) and figure out how i was going to get it from Boston to DC, and then from DC home. Looks like I’m going to Amtrak it to DC, with an overnight layover in NYC. (I’m hoping to get a gig set up there to play in the early evening for my City friends) I’m not sure how I’m going to get a 110 lb case into the overhead compartment on the train, but i suspect Alex Hamilton will be a big help. Relative to the far more costly alternatives, I’m happy to part with a twenty to get it on board the train.

tomorrow, I head to Boston. I had a really great conversation last night with a special new friend who shared some really great persective with me about my music. One of the most satisfying facets to this whole process to me has been that I really have no idea where this is going to go. I’m remarkably calm to be completely broke and going for it on this trip. In one respect, I owe it to myself to give it everything. My point, though, is that given that this is all a huge mystery, my eyes and heart are wide open. And so every conversation feels important, and I pay attention to what people are telling me, as if there might be a message in what they say.

I just realized that it’s almost 1:30 in the morning. i’m tired and hot (I miss the cool weather of San Francisco. i’m definitely NOT looking forward to the heat and humidity of Boston and Virginia in July. Blech).

more to come…