andrea s-k

Phew.

My slot at the 160 Workshops went well. Really well. I can see where I did okay, and where I could have done better, both in terms of planning and presenting. But all in all, I'm satisfied I did a decent job. I didn't make a fool of myself, and no one got hurt.

I also attended Heal Thyself, a workshop on herbal remedies, where I met quite a few people interested in foraging. Foraging for food is something I've become a little obsessed with lately, and hopefully I'll get around to posting about why sometime.

The energy swirling around the place was just amazing. For those of you not yet lucky enough to know, the 160 Workshops are put on by the Yes People.

Who are these mysterious people, you ask? The Yes People are the people who say yes! to sharing their knowledge, who say yes! your knowledge is worth sharing too, who say yes! to opening their home and their kitchen and their warm warm hearts to friends, acquaintances and strangers.

And one of the Yes People is the Smokin' Hot Mae Callen, with whom I managed to steal a snuggle at the end of the day.

Before that though, before even my meltdown on Saturday, Andrea and her BH came over to take a gander at my apartment, and decided that they would really like to take it. Not that it's mine to give, of course, but what landlord wants to go looking for someone when a tenant he's really liked for 2.5 years hands him one on a silver platter? Not my landlord, it would seem.

That was another thing stressing me out that I didn't realize was stressing me out. I finally got up the nerve and called him to tell him that I'd be breaking my lease and moving out. Even though it's illegal and I knew I could get out of it, my lease runs yearly, ending September 30. I've always really liked my landlord, who is an efficient, kindly, paternal Frenchman with a wife about 20 years younger than he is.

I didn't want him to be mad at me. I didn't want to cause trouble.

But you can't waver on buying a house because someone you only speak to when there's water in the basement might be upset. And you can't carry a mortgage and rent for that reason either. So I dialed. He answered. Fuck.

"'Allo?"
"Mr. [Redacted]?"
"Oui? Megan?"
"Yes, it's Megan. How are you?"
"Oh, very well, thank you. Very well. And yourself?"
"Good, thanks. In fact. Umm. Well. I've bought a house."

My shoulders were up around my ears, and it wasn't until he responded that I realized I'd bitten my lip.

"Oh! You have! Oh my! Congratulations! You know, for young people, with a steady income, it is the smart thing to do. Many people, they cannot do it, maybe with their background, or some hardship, you know. But if it is possible, it is really the best idea. Such good news!"

And we talked details and everything was fine, and I felt just a little more tension drain out of my back.

In other home front news, I've started going through my books and cds to figure out what to sell, made plans to hang out with the Smokin' Hot Girl who's moving to Montreal on Wednesday, have almost finished the book I'm reviewing for the Venus Envy Newsletter, updated my financial spreadsheets and paid my April bills, I've had a good chat with Jennifer, a good long chat with Shelley. Now all I need to do is write a story and get caught up with the k,g,r,f, and I'll be sorted out completely.

And both about to bike off again soon. To Andrea's CD release party, in this instance.

It was a fabulously well-organized event, which I always appreciate very much. And man oh man, does Andrea have a beautiful voice. And well-written lyrics. Those are two other things that I appreciate very much.

I agree entirely with Jennifer's prediction that we will be able to say I knew her when. Besides the good musicianship, Andrea knows how to work a crowd, and I mean that in a very nice way. I've been in front of a crowd often enough to know how hard won that apparent ease is.

The funniest part of the evening for me was a conversation I had with J. The singer of the first band* was introducing the other members of his band, one of whom had just come up on stage.

"And if you're wondering who just came up on stage, his name is David Ger[????]."

I did a double take and leaned over to whisper in Jennifer's ear. "Did you hear what that guy's last name was?"

She shrugged.

"'Cause it sounded like 'Gerbilly.'"

She threw her head back and laughed, and then rocked forward again when the mouthful of beer she'd just taken threatened to choke her.

"And on the drums, David's brother..."

We leaned forward expectantly.

"...Paul Ross."

"What?!" Jennifer said, "They don't even have the same last name!"

If my last name were Gerbilly, I might change it too.

*Okay, singer of first band, some hard love. Back off the mic. Just an inch. When you make love to the mic with your lips, your quite nice voice distorts and isn't quite so nice as when you are teasing the microphone by being two fingers away from it.