I was able to take Thursday off to get a few things done.

(1) I tried to get tickets to Leonard Cohen, and was unsuccessful.

(2) I was supposed to get a parcel from UPS, but they never showed up. I just learned there was something wrong at their end so they'll be making their last delivery attempt today. I guess that means I'm making a UPS run tomorrow morning. Have I mentioned that I really, really prefer to get my mail in the mail?

(3) I was also planning to bake chocolate chip cookies for Evan's birthday party at Tribeca that night and, thank God, managed to pull that off without screwing it up. I use the recipe from the Crisco package, except that instead of measuring the chocolate chips I just dump in the entire bag. It's amazing how that extra shot of chocolate cheers things up.

The party was planned (by Erin, whose organizational skills are such that perhaps she should be looking after this conference I keep going on and on about...) for Thursday evening before the regular Gloryhound show. It was supposed to be a surprise, but the guest of honour showed up earlier than expected so the surprise was not all on one side. That was a pretty minor hiccup and everyone definitely seemed to be having fun. I should have gotten a picture of the cake Erin and one of her friends made--it was guitar-shaped and such a work of art it was almost a shame to eat it.

Almost.

There was a lull between the party and the show, which was when the other birthday party showed up. They seemed confused to learn that nobody was expecting them, which I guess must have had something to do with the "Happy birthday!" banner in the doorway--"No, that's for a completely different birthday party. But come on in anyway!"

The second party was a bit rowdier than the first one, ending in a packed dance floor and a big crowd around the bar. This was a good thing for everyone, except that after a while I was unable to continue my conversation with the drunk guy next to me. Ordinarily that's not a hardship but this conversation happened after he had eaten a cookie and decided I was an appropriate person to tell all his recipe secrets to. He extracted a promise to keep them confidential so I'm afraid I can't share them, but I am definitely trying out the trick with the garlic and kiwi as soon as possible.

Set List
Set #1

Wasn't Born To Follow (The Byrds, Adam: vocals and guitar)

Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues (Bob Dylan, and in fact it was Easter time, too)

Out Of Hiding

The Shape I'm In (The Band, Adam: vocals)

"On my back"

Ohio (Neil Young)

Before You Fall

Up On Cripple Creek (The Band)

Never Really There

Revolution Blues (Neil Young)

Break
Set #2

I Wanna Be Your Dog (The Stooges)

Sure Don't Feel the Same

Where I Lie

Bright In the Dark

LA Woman (The Doors, with Scotty on drums and his brother Troy on guitar)

Lust For Life (Iggy Pop)

See You Round

Break
Set #3

Working Man Blues (Adam: vocals and guitar)

Witch Doctor (Adam: vocals and guitar)

Mr Soul (Neil Young--I've been missing this one)

Don't Do It (The Band)

Flee the Scene

The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em Like That Anymore) (Greg Kihn Band)

I'm Goin' Home (Ten Years After)

The third set actually ended a few minutes early, which is unheard-of and may have had something to do with the increasingly rowdy enthusiasm of the audience. Or possibly it was time to make another run at the birthday cake. At any rate, it looked like everyone relevant was having a pretty happy birthday.

It being Good Friday by this time, I figured it was time to go home and lie low for a while, because the weekend wasn't over yet!