July 23, 2009

Cont:

So after I blogged about the plaster boob casting being done back stage in the green room, I was asked to participate! So I did! The gal doing the casting was a fantastic ?day job? is an English Teacher at a continuation high school. Needless to say we had lots to chat about while she lathered me in gauze and plaster. Took about 35 minutes or so. Now my boobs will be painted by a band and auctioned off to the highest bidder to support breast cancer research.

The girlies were a tad bit annoyed with my enthusiasm, but seriously, when would one ever get a chance to contribute like this again? I?m so glad I did it! Jim wants me to bid on my own boobs (on his behalf) but I don?t know?. I think they are putting ?Mama Hampton? as my name; this seems to be the nick name that I have acquired.

This morning after we arrived, I fell back asleep while waiting for the daily parking dance to commence and Junior woke me up saying: ?time to move Mama Hampton!? It was funny. Then a little while ago Johnny P let me know that he had heard I was worrying some about my axels needed greasing (on Destiny you dirty-minded ones and you know who you are!) so he had checked them out for me yesterday and I didn?t ?even know it! Talk about service! I?m telling you, this Warped Family is one that I would like to be adopted by long term. I wonder how I could jump aboard next summer. It?s like Lair of the Bear only the scenery changes every day! ?

It is pretty hot right now, very muggy (had a thunder/lightening storm about 2 hrs ago) and stifling. The van guys next to us did not like my micro brew that I picked up in Virginia though; the one kid asked me what a micro brew was. Infant?.

Anyway, we?re pretty oppressed by the heat wimpy Californians that we are. Soon we will have to rally and go listen to West Bound Train. We met one of the horn players last night while we were waiting for bus call to leave and promised that we would listen today. This is a ?no film? venue though so Alec can?t record the performance.

We did get the CFF bracelets and t-shirts though; they found us! So tonight maybe around 3 AM we will swing by a Kinkos somewhere and have some signs printed up so the girls can started hawking their wares tomorrow, that is of course if they can talk some band members into wearing the bracelets. They have already mentioned the plan to several but need to seal the deal tonight at the BBQ before we head out.

Last night?s BBQ was pretty low key and I think with 7 hrs drive ahead of us, tonight?s will be as well. Tomorrow night?s in Orlando though is being advertised as already. I?m looking forward to it.

The band in the van next to us are preparing for their performance. They are yodeling or what ever you might call it?warming up those vocal cords. I?ve heard a lot of this amongst the buses. It makes me feel like a voyeur. There is not much privacy here unless you are on your bus though everyone is very aware that this is ?home? and there are lines that should not be crossed. No one is taking pictures of people brushing their teeth next to their van for example. This rock star life is a little rough around the edges.

Did I tell you that my first friend was fired? South disappeared about day 3 so I went scouting around. Come to find out that he drank too much and his band let him go. I?m sad about it. You know how when you are an outsider you can see things going on? I saw the drinking issue coming to a slow boil that first night but didn?t say anything to South about it except to mention to him that I was a Counselor. (He said he could use some counseling.) But that was it, I didn?t really get into it any deeper, so now I feel kind of sad that maybe I could have been helpful in some way. He is a very charming, funny, articulate, friendly drunk----four out of five ain?t bad. I hope he finds his path.

I?m too hot to move though I should go up to Press and give Bethany the book mark we purchased for her at Bethany Beach, Delaware. Couldn?t resist. I also have some locally grown veggies from Delaware that should be cooked but its tooooooo hotttttt!!!! Maybe later when the sun sets.

Bus call is 10 PM tonight though everyone says that the roads through Florida are smooth and easy. Yeah! New York, New Jersey?not so much. Actually it?s the work zones that are killer at night; that and the rain, makes for a challenging combo.

See you later,

MLH