Southpaw Jones

Good morning. I type with thirty-year-old hands this morning. My birthday weekend may have been the coldest April days I’ve ever seen in Texas, but I loved every minute of it. The Celebration on Friday night was 5+ hours of music and merriment, and I’d like to officially thank the following folks for making it memorable:

• Max & Henry (http://www.maxandhenry.com)
• Spike Gillespie (http://www.spikeg.com)
• Abi Tapia (http://www.abitapia.com)
• The Ginn Sisters (http://www.theginnsisters.com)
• Bill Passalacqua (http://www.billpassalacqua.com)
• David Ansel (http://www.souppeddler.com)
• Elroy (http://www.myspace.com/elroytheband)
• Owen Egerton (http://www.owenegerton.com)
• Graham Weber (http://www.grahamweber.com)
• Leatherbag (http://www.myspace.com/leatherbag)
• Brian Kremer & Tim Ashlock (http://www.myspace.com/briankremer)
• Owen, Henri, and Joe of C-Dar Fevar (http://www.myspace.com/cedarfever)
• My beautiful assistant Maggie (http://www.myspace.com/missmaggielove)
• Russ & Wendy from Austin Daze (http://austindaze.com)
• Everyone at Ruta Maya, especially Curt the Amazing Sound Guy (http://rutamaya.net)
• Everyone who came out, stayed late, and donated to the cause!

I’m still processing everything that happened that night, from Spike’s haikus to the Soup Peddler’s gift of flammably alcoholic birthday cake soup to nearly breaking my back during the C-Dar Fevar performance. Dozens of hugs and mounds of well-wishing from some amazing people. The one thing I regret is that I was running around so franticly most of the time, I didn’t get to enjoy long conversations with folks I don’t get to see often enough. Ain’t that always the way?

I took it easy with Maggie on Saturday. We watched Jesus Camp, a fascinating documentary exploring a hardcore mid-western Christian children’s camp and the children therein. I recommend it. Later on, I headed to Waterloo Records to pick up my birthday gift to myself, the new Fountains of Wayne CD, which I hope to discuss here later in the week.

When I got back to my apartment, sweet Maggie had casually hidden THIRTY birthday presents all over my apartment! Do you realize how long it takes just to count to 30? Imagine seeking out, buying, wrapping, and hiding 30 cool presents for you significant other! The highlights included some sort of new-fangled Frisbee, Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs, beef jerky, sushi playing cards, and the coup de grâce, a Magic Bullet! It was my favorite infomercial, now it’s my favorite kitchen appliance. We instantly experimented with yummy guacamole, and I see a few dozen smoothies in my future. I don’t want to make you readers gag, but I must admit that I have an amazing girlfriend.

Sunday, we spent a freezing Easter afternoon with friends at the Freyburg Hall outside Schulenburg, Texas. It was a mighty potluck of homemade food, down-home music, egg hunts, and valiant attempts to stay warm. Thanks to Bill, Tiffani, Brit, and their amazing family and friends for hosting us.

I plan to take it easy with the Gazette this week before returning to 5 Chunks of Fun, 5 Times a Week next week. I’ll have something everyday this week, just not “somethings.” Stay tuned!