For My Fellow Friends of the Bottle

The first quarter of 2008 was full of binge drinking for me: New Years, LSU's National Championship Victory, Post Houston Marathon Party, Super Bowl, Mardi Gras, Sunday Funday's, kickball rainouts, PARIS, any event involving the video game Rockband, relationship drama and other forms of unnecessary stress.

So 2Q08 is off to a new start for me....I started yoga and I love it (www.joyyogacenter.com Joy is the owner and an ex-engineer who promotes fitness, wellbeing, and living stressfree..fantastic), I'm going to cutback on the binge drinking considerably (no worries Jazz Fest companions...I said considerably, not completely), and I'll start my marathon training in the next couple of months!

I did find this article for those of us who find ourselves sitting around the table on Saturday/Sunday afternoons saying one or more of the following:

• "Gawd, my head is pounding"
• "Bloody Mary please"
• "I'm never drinking that much AGAIN...and I mean it this time"
• "Should I get a burger, pizza, or fried chicken fingers to settle my stomach?"
• "Ugh"
• "How did I get that wine stain all over my shorts?"
• "I can feel my pulse in my toes"
• "Who's idea was it to buy those shots?"
• "I can't believe I was dancing with that Rastaman! He was diiiiiiiirty!"

This article is for you friends: http://www.slate.com/id/2187387

My personal remedy for the hangovers-from-hell are a BC Headache powder, bloody mary, sleep, and lots of carbs and grease! Works like a charm...EVERY time. Things that don't work include water and driving from New Orleans to Houston.

Please feel free to share your personal remedies!

Time Won't Let Me Go

Last night my kickball team, Balls & Dolls, had just lost our first two games of the season and since I had to wake up early to drive back to New Orleans, I opted out of drinking away my sorrows with pitchers of beer. I had fully intended to go home, walk the dog and go to bed...when I received a text message saying "Bravery isn't going on until 10:30". I had already accepted the fact that any Thursday night concerts would not be possible during kickball season (it's a serious sport....trust me) so I just sent back a "No thanks". Then the reply was "No drinks and straight home...you only live once"...a couple more convincing texts later, I was in the shower getting ready to rock out.

Rock out I did...thanks again to my concert buddy for dragging me out of the house!! The Bravery did not disappoint and, as always, Warehouse Live was a terrific venue. I was a little surprised that the crowd was not so big, but then again I'm the same person who was in total shock over a showing of about 40 for Albert Hammond, Jr. (I am such a huge fan...surely I thought everyone else was too) So I’ll admit that I am not the biggest Bravery fan, since I totally thought they were from England. With the accents and all in their songs, it's easy to make that assumption...but when the lead singer started talking about the election (points are always docked for this sort of behavior...if you're not Barack, I don't wanna hear it), he was definitely American. Is this a new movement? The Killers have this same thing going on...not that I'm complaining, since everyone knows I'm a sucker for a British accent. Do we think the Brits are pissed about the North American Scum ripping off their style? I'm gonna say, probably not...I mean, I'm totally cool with Christian Bale and Hugh Laurie playing Batman and House. Sorry for going off on a tangent...I had six hours in the car with the puppy and plenty of time to ponder such ridiculous things.

I had not made the I-10 Houston to New Orleans journey alone in months...and I forgot how enjoyable it can actually be. I get to spend six hours in the car, listening to XM and jotting down new songs along the way...I don't think Mallory the pup enjoyed my singing, but she does seem to be a big Peter Bjorn & John fan. Maybe it's all the whistling... Here are some highlights of the trip:

• I found my New Pornographers Challengers album!! It had been misplaced for a while...god I forgot how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE that CD!!
• The City and Colour song Waiting kept coming on XMs The Verge....kind of a depressing ditty, but still so good.
• I may have attempted to practice my "Superman" dance somewhere around Lake Charles...
• Mallory appears to get car sick...I'll spare the details, but I did have to line the seat with garbage bags in Vidor, TX. Does anyone know if Doggie Dramamine exists??
• Seeing all of the LSU fans still driving around like its football season...we don't get that in Houston. GEAUX TIGERS!!!

Well now I'm back home in my beautiful New Orleans and ready for an amazing crab boil tomorrow!!