Can You Hear Me Now?

Last night Michelle picked me up and we went for dinner at my favourite Vietnamese restaurant. I am hoping the one across the way from me is good, because it is closer, and as much as I love the food at this place (and it’s the only restaurant I have found that serves the dish I go there for – a spicy chicken satay over rice vermicelli), the owner is GRUMPY McGrumpypants. And he’s getting worse. His service is terrible, and I usually get stuck with him. My mom doesn’t even want to go there anymore because of him.

After dinner we made our way to Mount Royal College and the Leacock Theatre where the beautiful Johanna Sillanpaa was holding her debut solo CD release concert. I brought my walker because a) my ankle is still in pain and every step is owowowowow; and b) I wasn’t sure how far the walk would be from the MRC doors to the theatre and I’d rather be safe than sorry. When I called in advance they said it was all accessible with ramps, and it sounded like a bit of a walk from the main doors. It was, so I’m glad I had that thing. The ramp up to the doors of the theatre was so steep! I would not want to be pushing someone up that thing in a wheelchair. Never mind going down it!

Michelle carried my walker down to the front of the theatre (there were some stairs in the actual theatre) so we could grab front row seats. That worked perfectly, there was lots of room for my walker and I could even put my leg up. Plus, we had a great view.

My buddy Jason was the MC, so he came out first to introduce Johanna and her band. Most of the musicians are also members of her band Sillan & Young, so they were all familiar faces. And I’m a little more familiar to all of them than I realized… after the show when Jason was introducing me to people, I heard a lot of “oh, yeah, I’ve seen your blog!” “Yeah, me too”. “Oh, yeah, I’ve seen it!” Hehe I think they had all read this entry when they went searching the ‘net for Sillan & Young. So, hello Johanna and Al and Kodi and Aaron and everyone else because I know you’re reading this too! Aaron’s wife asked me “what’s a blog?” We all hear it, I know… some people don’t know they exist, and even more don’t “get it”. I’m not sure I “get it” all the time either, I just know I like to talk about myself and write, and if others want to read it, so be it. Cool.

Maybe I need to be careful about what I say in here from now on and not be so out there. HA!

Anyway, the show was fabulous, and when Johanna sang “Calling You” (from Bagdad Café) for the encore, you could hear a pin drop in that theatre. Shivers. She is amazing.

After the show there was a little reception, so I bought her CD and got it signed and hung out with Jason and drank his beer. I met a new client in person last night, the one who owns that recording studio and called me last week. He’s coming by with his work next week, but we knew we would both be at this show so we were sure to say “hi”. Jason warned him, as we were hugging and smooching goodnight as usual, to “keep it business, man, or else you end up all over that blog…” Hehe I heart Jason.

Everyone who crosses paths with me sooner or later ends up in my blog! Especially if I like you, so take it as a compliment.