NASFiC So Far: Sunday

[filkertom]

Got packed up and over to the Marriott in time to catch most of Juanita's concert. (Somehow I thought I was opening for her; she was opening for me. Go fig.) She sounded great -- she apparently didn't want to strain her voice going for high notes, and the lower notes she chose were in their own way even more dramatic on a few songs in particular. She got a standing O and an encore from the thirty or so people there.

I went about an hour twenty. There was nothing in the room after me, and I asked, and everyone said, yeah, go long. It was fun. Several newbies, who seemed to be enjoying themselves a lot. Gary and Sheryl and Terri and I can't remember who else dancing during "Illuminati Polka". Rob was in the back, with his lady who I haven't met yet. I took a few requests, and did "A Boy And His Frog." Sigh. It all went very well, I thought. Harold made sure I had copies of the concerts, and we'll see how that audio is in a couple of days.

Afterward, I had a little personal drama, or more accurately the breaking down and sweeping aside of some personal drama. There is a guy, Gerald Bliss, who filks by the name Harry Smothers. Very short form, a long time ago I had a huge problem with him. What I did not realize was that this would eventually cause him great pain. It's been seventeen years since I last saw him, and he's been carrying around grief that the two of us built together when we were both young and stupid, and he wanted to bury the hatchet. And I'm far too old to carry grudges like that anymore, so we did bury the hatchet, and talked, and even hugged, and I wish him well.

A few more nice people on the way out. Blind Lemming Chiffon. Fritz from LibertyCon. Lenny, showing me some of his photographs. Chris Barkley, whom I hadn't seen all weekend, didn't know he was there.

In the middle of all that, I called The Pit. Carryout. A very nice lady named B.J. took my order.

And I got my native Raleigh BBQ.

Pulled pork, with that incredible vinegar sauce. Brisket you could cut with the back of a spoon. Sweet potato fries with just a bit of brown sugar on 'em (and oh man do those go well with the vinegar). Wonderful baked beans, with smoky chunks of ham and jalapeno. Hush puppies to die for. I sure would like to try that Holy Smokes (apparently truly closed) that a few people said was better, because damn.

Oh. Yeah.

And now I'm about to get on the road again. I should be home tonight. After that, I have to work on commissioned songs, upload some concerts, and clean my house, which I have neglected a bit the past few weeks 'cause I've been dang busy.

In two weeks: Pi-Con.

How's your week looking?

ETA: Holy Smokes still does catering. So if anyone wants me for a house concert in Raleigh.... ;)

Comments

[scifantasy.livejournal.com]

This is the last week of my summer associateship. This time next week, I'll be prepping for 3L year (and afterward; I need to do a bunch of clerkship-application-related stuff soon).

And then, like you said, in two weeks: Pi-Con.

[elektra-h.livejournal.com]

It went very well indeed--you were stellar. So sorry we were late, but prior obligations ran over and we were really, really, really bummed to have missed the first half. So glad you ran late, too, so we actually got to hear you for a while.
Looking forward to seeing you again at Pi-Con.

[hms42]

Glad to hear that you did get your Pitt order. It was wonderful to see you again. (Check your email for other, I am forwarding a message incase you did not get it directly from Lenny.)

I look forward to seeing you in two weeks.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Great to see you too, Harold. :) I got that e-mail, thanks. And I'll check all the audio tomorrow or Wednesday. be sure to give Lenny a hug for me.

[danceswthcobras.livejournal.com]

Sorry for my perpetual "Boy and his Frog" requests; I just freakin' like that song, because it rocks.

It would not be difficult to put a house concert together in Raleigh. This area hosts a *lot* of Wizard Rock shows, and there are some good venues and reasonably experienced organizers in the area, as well as a very strong SCA, gamer and fannish community. I would suggest contacting Scott Vaughn aka Master Efenwealt Wystle and discussing what you actually need in terms of bottom line hard return to make it worth your while. He'll be able to tell you how (and whether) you can get that in this area, and also give the heads-up to the impressively large and faithful NC Wizard Rock crew with some crossover publicity.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

No prob; it was a good time for it.

Bottom line return is pretty easy: It's a two-day drive, so I'd need three cheap hotel nights and three full gas tanks. Around $300. Presumably, any CD sales would make up for the actual time spent. ;)

[purpleranger.livejournal.com]

Obviously, someone finds "A Boy And His Frog" utterly ribbiting.

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

[purpleranger.livejournal.com]

Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

Old custom from elseNet -- throwing a handful of virtual peanuts at the punster. Consider it a mark of appreciation.

[poltr1]

Next time you make it near or through Dayton, let me know and I'll take you to City Barbeque.

[roman-mclaze.livejournal.com]

I like City (even if it is a chain), but if you want the best BBQ in Dayton, I recommend Smokin Bar-B-Que (http://www.smokinbarbque.com/) in downtown. The meat is dry-rubbed rather than sauced, the side dishes are tasty, and the owner is a really neat guy who has been in the restaurant business for years.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Part of why I love Red Hot & Blue so much is their dry rub. Much more flavorful and not as harsh as Famous Dave's. Their biscuits are sweet and tasty, their baked beans spicy and garnished with pulled pork, and their excellent banana pudding comes complete with real bananas and real vanilla wafers.

As far as Dayton goes, the only BBQ I've had there is the Smokey Bones (regional chain) at Exit 59 on the I-75. Convenient to the freeway, pretty tasty, with decent Northern-style corn bread served with very good pecan butter. Not the best ribs ever by a long shot, but good for a quick fix. Although the one down in Kissimmee did somethin' a couple of years ago, and made a quantum leap into Very Good BBQ Even If It Is A Chain.

[billroper]

We used to have Smokey Bones around here (and up in Madison), but they closed down in this area shortly after Katie was born.

[mneme]

Gencon was great; indulged myself and jawed about board games and rpgs, played some D&D, and played a lot of my favorite CCG.

Pi-Con is over my birthday; I should probably get myself (and Lisa) up there.