shout out

Get that can!

Power-washing the filth off. 

Behind the Dumpster is the worst spot. 

I'd like to give a shout out to the Nashville Downtown Partnership for cleaning up the alley behind our apartment building -- and downtown in general. It's hard, dirty work, and they do an excellent job. 

maia at the bluebird

Maia Sharp performing at the Bluebird Cafe.

Our table -- #7 -- about a foot away from the musicians.

One of Maia's turns during the round.

Bluebird neon sign on one of the walls in the venue.

One of the most famous spots in Nashville is the Bluebird Cafe, known for its extremely intimate, casual atmosphere and ability to showcase the most talented singer-songwriters around.

Maia Sharp performed on May 8 with Craig Carothers, Lisa Carver and Jonathan Kingham. The show was amazing. We got to know her music when she started opening for Bonnie Raitt.

Not only did Maia write several songs on Bonnie's last album, "Souls Alike," she also wrote "Home" on the Dixie Chicks album of that name. She is set to release her next album, "Echo," later this summer. Check her out!

big muddy

The Hernando DeSoto Bridge ... ah, Memphis. I do miss you when I'm gone.

Mud, mud everywhere. And this was taken early in the day. It turned from mud to slop.

Note the backs of their pants. Later in the day, the mud was so deep and wet, someone took a step in my vicinity, and I wound up with mud on my hand. It splashed that high! 

So serious. ... Doesn't he know what his hat looks like? 

Amos Lee performing on the Sam's Town stage. He was amazing, as usual.

This past weekend, we went to Memphis for the last day of the 2009 Beale Street Music Festival. It was solid rain all day, but we were happy. Bonnie Raitt, Snoop Dogg, Amos Lee, James Taylor and more, all on one day. And it didn't hurt that I was able to score free tickets and spots in the Memphis Flyer VIP tent. Free beer!! Free barbecue!! Clean port-o-potties!!

The mud and rain were so intense, we lined the car seats with plastic bags and made a pit stop at my parents' house before heading home so we could shower and wash our clothes. The mud in my shoes alone was about two millimeters thick. Whatever, though. We had a great time. I had never been, and I feel like a better Memphian for having experienced it. 

kidnapper or guardian angel ... you decide

The pre-story is a long story, so I won't even get into it, but at 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday the 15th -- a.k.a tax day -- I was at home, realizing that I still needed to file my Tennessee taxes.

California ones were long gone. We'd even gotten our refunds. My federal one was taken care of via e-file earlier in the day. But Tennessee -- being a little behind the curve sometimes -- doesn't allow for e-filing, so I needed to find a post office that was open late -- and fast.

I rang up the U.S. Postal Service to get a list of such locations. Her answer -- none. But she did suggest heading to the Acklen station near Vanderbilt, since they offer automated 24-hour self-service. I grabbed a manila envelope, quickly addressed it and ran out the door.

Arriving at Acklen, I had to wait on a lady who told me she had never used one of the machines before. I was a little impatient but polite, even showing her where the bin was to put her taxes once she got the label on, etc. When it was my turn, I went through the prompts, got my stamp and then took a good look at it. It said that I had purchased the stamp on April 15 but nothing about actually postmarking that date. I started to worry. I looked at the bin -- last pickup at 5. Hmm. I started the system over, looking for anything that mentioned postmark date. At that moment, a stranger walked in.

"Are you trying to mail your taxes?" he said. "The only place in town still open is off of Donelson Pike. I just got back from there. Do you know how to get there?"

"No," I began. "I just moved here from California last July. I didn't know I couldn't e-file until today."

He continued to make small talk while he wrote out directions.

"Thanks a lot," I said.

"Do you want me to show you?" he replied.

"No. I'm pretty good with the interstates. Thanks."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, thanks though."

It was only after I had left the Vanderbilt area and gotten on 40 East that I started to think back to the details of the conversation.

So, let's think about this. He had come from the post office off Donelson Pike. So, what was he doing at another post office? He said his wife was working a double shift at St. Thomas hospital, so he had nothing to do for a while. Um, what about go home instead of cruising post offices?

He also said he was waiting on AAA because his car had broken down. Um, what? ... And the kicker -- since he allegedly didn't have an operating car -- when he said he would "show" me how to get to the Donelson Pike post office, did he actually think I would invite a total stranger to ride in my car with me? None of this added up. I instinctively hit the door lock.

"Was he trying to kidnap me?" I said out loud. "Holy shit! What the hell just happened?"

Half-convinced I was going to arrive at an empty, dark post office parking lot with this guy hiding in the bushes with handcuffs and a knife, I was beyond relieved to see a cop car out front. The scene was exactly as he had described. A couple cops directed traffic. I handed my stamped envelope to a postal worker who said, "We'll get it inside for you," and I was on my way.

Regardless of what he was -- Good Samaritan? Creep? Guardian angel? Kidnapper? -- he did save the day!

serious rain

I know I'm still a Southern Californian at heart -- accustomed to sunny skies and balmy temperatures -- but I think even the Nashville natives have been surprised by the weather lately. 

This afternoon, we had some serious storms -- flooding, tornadoes, sirens and wind. Massive trees crashed to the ground. Streets were closed. Traffic was jammed. The windows were blown out of a Popeyes. And lots of cars were damaged by rocks and other debris.

These pictures are from my cell phone camera, so they don't really give the storm justice, but it was some crazy-ass weather. I was in Williamson County when I took these, and a brief run to the grocery store left me drenched like I just got out of the shower. 

I heard we're supposed to get snow flurries on Sunday and Monday. What the hell? 

The truth is, though, that as much as I'm ready to move back to California in a moment's notice, I will miss this insane, ever-changing weather. I'm a storm fan, and thunder and lightning make me happy.  Go figure. 

icestorm ... missouri

Even though it didn't get much press, Southeast Missouri was hit hard by the ice storm that swept through several states in January. People in rural areas suffered without power for a week or more, relying on generators and the kindness of strangers to get by. My father-in-law, who lives on a farm in the Missouri Bootheel, took some amazing pictures, so this is a guest photo posting. 

l.a. ... revisited

I feel like I post about L.A. just about as much as I post about Nashville, so I guess I need to get out more when I'm home. It's strange being torn between two areas of the country that are 2,000 miles apart. It's mentally and financially difficult.

That said, on Monday I was back in the City of Angels for an interview. Overall, I'd say it went well, but it's hard to tell when you interview with a "panel" instead of just one person. 

There's the moderator who gets the basics and takes notes. Then, there is the encouraging one, who asks leading questions. And, finally, the tough one who never seems satisfied. The interview was only 20 minutes, but I felt completely wiped out afterwards and ready to come home. I left L.A. at 1 a.m. Tuesday morning, connecting in Houston, arriving in Nashville at 7:30 a.m. The price was right, but red eyes can be brutal. 

So, now I wait. With competition being as fierce as it is right now, and given the 10 percent unemployment rate in the city of L.A., I can't get too optimistic. A friend told me that a recent job posting for a court clerk position yielded 2,000 applicants. It's insane. This country is going to hell in a fiscal hand basket. Credit card companies receive a lot of my wrath -- raising rates on people who are struggling to buy groceries and pay their utilities. It's got to change.