nashville - so much to report!

weeeeellll, this town is just so cool! mir took me all around to some cool areas, including east nashville (where apparently, no one ever goes - it's a little rougher, but up and coming now, because it's cheap). live music is everywhere. even in the sweet shop.

walked into a coffee shop on tues to use the bathroom and miriam ran into someone she knew! JAKE BRENNAN. apparently, worked in our office at harvard just before i arrived there. he's a musician, and super into the music scene in boston (rockabilly), and was dressed like a denim warrior, with hair gelled up into a punky pompadour. retro-cool.

well, we told him we were planning on going to the lucinda williams concert at the ryman that night, and he knew the opening act!!! (a rockabilly band - cc adcock). CRAZY connections from boston run deep.

the concert was amazing. cc adcock and his band were amazing. and seeing it all in the ryman auditorium - original home of the grand ol' opry and stage for countless country legends - was almost a religious experience. and it wasn't just the stained glass windows or the pews that gave us the feeling (well, maybe a little bit). the energy of that place was full, and warm, and raw, and made you smile just by the feel of it. people of all ages, and definitely all political persuasions were there to hear some stories, harmonies, and killer guitar. it was unbelievable (the bassist - this is a base cello he was plucking - for cc adcock at one point leaned the cello upright and slightly to the side, and STOOD ON IT, while plucking. not sure i can describe it very well, but it was so cool).

other cool things:
1. i bought a killer pair of brown and pink cowboy boots that i absolutely cannot afford, but also absolutely love.
2. apparently all around the south are these things called "meat and three"s, which is where you get one meat plate and three veggie side plates (mac and cheese is a veggie)
3. churches here are HUGE. and there are alot of them. each one is practically a cathedral, and has a school attached to it - monstrous, large buildings. like nothing i've ever seen. and they're everywhere. one huge complex after another. is that all really necessary? couldn't we use the space and timber for something like....houses for people without houses?

still. love this town. and love miriam. so, another person i will miss very much. then again, she says if i don't find a job in ca, i can always come back to nashville. hmmmmmmmm.