Blastoff!

It was rather intense leaving Sonoma County for four months. I have a knack for cramming way too much shit into a slim time slot and preparing for this trip was no exception. In the frenzy of a week I bid a forlorn farewell to the faces I love, smashed together all my belongings, stuffed them in my fathers old hermit shack and drank a cappuccino stout just in time to catch a ride from my beautiful homies Christine, Andrew and Taylor to the Oakland airport at 3:30 AM (an ungodly hour). I was under the stony haze of sleepiness as I gave them all goodbye hugs, one by one, and awkwardly shifted my belongings toward the check-in line just as the pissed-off morning crew was turning on the lights. I somehow made friends with a group of church goers who were on their way to New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras and spread the Good Word. I thought that was a funny itinerary. We sat around the boarding area telling sleepy stories from the Bible. On the plane, I got to sit next to a business man from Silicon Valley who told me he had "some real smart software people" working under him and that he was on his way to Cleveland to sell "the next big thing" to some "rich motherfuckers". I fell asleep as I told him about my trip to Europe and all my intentions. He made me feel young and my dreams were whimsical.

I called my mother during the long, long, long lay over in Cleveland to help me not fall asleep. She kept saying "I have to go" and I kept saying "no please don't I'll fall asleep" over and over again. The back of the airplane to New York was empty and easy to sprawl out in, so sleep was easy to obtain.

It was nighttime when I arrived in New York and called Mr. Gabriel Green. He gave me the directions to his place via subway. I had never ridden the subway before. I felt like I was in a movie. I looked like such a fucking granola with my backpack and guitar, nearly falling over every time the train accelerated through the underground labyrinths. I arrived in Crown Heights and was greeted by Good Gabe. What a dope guy. I unloaded my stuff in his hallway (oops, I mean apartment :) ) and we kicked it old school until sleep was like an anxious light at the end of the tunnel. We hit the hay and I sprawled out on the amazing air mattress he graciously arranged for me. I loved him and was excited for the New Yorkian adventures we would have over the next week.