No, I’m not that singer from L.A.
It’s been stormy… I like the rain, but lately it seemed to be raining in my life harder than it was outside. Things have been a little bit off the last few days… I’ve been rearranging my life only to have plans fall through.

I changed my monthly massage and eyebrow wax appointment to meet my best girlfriend for dinner only to have dinner rescheduled because she couldn’t make it. I should have kept the appointment I thought this morning as I stood in front of the bathroom mirror tweezing my eyebrows.

I gave away free Condor tickets I had won from Terrio Therapy Fitness, (the guys I work out with there rigged the contest for me to win), only to have my Saint Patrick’s Day plans cancelled. Instead I spent a quiet evening chatting with my Irish girlfriend online and remembering a traditional Irish brunch I went to at her mother’s house a couple of years ago where blood pudding, bangors, colcannon, Irish bacon, and brown bread were on the menu.

JR tried to entice me down to Fishlips, but with the storms raging inside and out, I didn’t feel much like driving downtown on a big party night where cops and trouble-makers were sure to be out in droves. Besides my neck was hurting more than it had been all week, probably because my physical therapy appointment on Friday had been rescheduled too. I didn’t get my ‘J’ neck massage.

Rescheduled. Everything this week was being rescheduled or cancelled except work. That just didn’t seem fair.

I spent most of Saturday doing things around the house, brooding and watching movies. I missed the hailstorm. I didn’t even know it had rained. I took medication for my neck for the first time all week and met my friends at the Condor’s game. But something happened at the game. We had a new goalie, new players and Bonk was in the starting line-up.

“Bonk, Bonk, Bonk!” Chingpea and I chanted when his name was announced.

And then the Condors scored a goal within the first minute of the game. My stars were changing. I thought. And then Rocky Nash rocked the Rabobank with their hockey song Bobblehead from the Growing Up Fighting: Bakersfield Hockey Volume 1 CD (now available), and I could feel my heart pounding loudly with every beat of their drum trio leading into the song. I was alive! I knew in that moment.

By the third period I knew my life had made a turn in the right direction once again. For the Condors were winning and they weren’t coming from behind, they were leading.

After the game I fluffed out my hat hair into something that looked halfway decent and went with NL down to Studio 99 to see Rocky Nash and Midnight Panic.

“Teaser Pleaser, what’s that?” NL asked as we drove down Buck Owens Blvd.

“Looks like a strip club.” I said awed.

“I can’t believe Bakersfield has two strip clubs now.” I said in disbelief.

Saturday night was a cold night. Inside Studio 99 I stood under a heating vent with several others trying to stay warm while Marky Chavez sang on stage. A quiet crowd stood and watched Midnight Panic performing their brand of rock and roll.

“There’s a fire outside, it’s warm. Do you want to go outside?” NL asked.

I followed him outside to a fire in a metal drum that others lingered around talking. We huddled by the fire soaking in its warmth and listening to conversations. I stayed not willing to leave the fire, NL worked. He took photos, interviewed Meathead on the Buck City Podcast and migrated back to the fire every now and again.

“Hey you really rocked!” Some guy holding a beer cup standing by the fire said to me.

“Yeah, you have a great voice!” Another guy said.

“What are you guys talking about?” I asked confused.

“Aren’t you that singer in the band from L.A. that performed a while ago?” They asked.

“No, I’m not that singer from L.A.” I said smiling.

“Well you look just like her.” The guy with the beer cup said.

“There are two of you walking around here.” He continued.

Apparently I rock. I thought smiling. Or was that my Gemini twin? I wondered.

“How’s the campfire gossip?” NL asked warming himself by the fire.

“I have a blog title.” I exclaimed as if I had a secret.

“What is it?” He asked curious.

“No, I’m not that singer from L.A.” I repeated.

Then I told him how I had been mistaken for the singer from 33 Degrees that performed before we arrived.

I made small talk with others that huddled around the fire and watched Rocky Nash perform.

“I love how Rocky sings this song.” I told NL when he came back to the fire.

“The Tori Amos song?” He asked.

“Yeah. She does a good job with it.” I replied.

He agreed. We stood by the fire and watched as Rocky Nash performed their drum trio. I was entranced in the drumbeats and the orange sparks floating out of the fire. We left soon after.

When I got home, I snuggled into my electric blanket. Reveling in the warmth and comfort I found there beneath the blankets. I sighed breathing in the smell of campfire lingering in my hair. I snuggled deeper into the comfort and I forgave all that had come before that moment over the last few days.  posted by Matildakay at 11:17 PM