Weeknight adult fun, the Great Big Sea Concert

Wow, what a fantastic concert last night! Jim and I had front row seats and the view in these photos is our actual view taken with my cell phone -- no zoom or telephoto lens. They played at Lupo's in Providence right downcity on Washington Street near Trinity Rep. It's a great venue. It reminded me of what the Georgia Theatre could be like (and might be now that they are renovating after the fire). The basic set up is the same with a stage and an open floor area by the stage with a bar/club area behind.  There were 3 bars open -- so very short lines for drinks as well as lots of unreserved seating on couches and benches.  Then above there's a large balcony with fixed seating.  For this concert they put some chairs and reserved seating on the floor by the stage which is where Jim and I were sitting.  Note: the ladies room was huge, clean and had doors on the stalls!! No line during the band's break.

All this -- and we only bought the tickets on Saturday for yesterday's show.  They are a great group and have a definite following, but are still accessible and affordable too! Only $35 for each seat!  Also, I much prefer to listen to this type of music in a casual setting with a drink in hand -- rather than in a huge concert hall where you can't get up and dance.  It was a real treat to be out just with Jim, on a weeknight, in the big city.  We were sitting/standing next to a couple in their thirties. They reminded Jim and I of us when we went to our first Great Big Sea concert at the Paradise in Boston in 1999.  She was pregnant just like I was at the concert in 1999 -- and they just seemed to be a younger, more energetic version of us.  For one of the encores the band dedicated a song to the youngest member of the audience -- my front row neighbors unborn baby. It was very sweet.  Plus -- the lead singer is just plain FUNNY -- and entertaining.  So cool to see all the instruments they play up close: fiddle, recorder, tin whistle, accordian, bodhran, guitar, bass guitar, drums and some other percussion instruments I didn't recognize.  My favorite thing is the acappella bits they do where they stop playing instruments and sing in close four part harmony -- with maybe just the bodhran.  Then when they've lulled you with that they will break out all the instruments and pick up the tempo and start in on what I guess is called celtic folk rock?

Now I want to go out and have adult fun again soon -- only it would be better if it were a Friday or Saturday so I don't have to get up in the morning.  This morning was a bit rough -- even though we were home by 11pm, I was too keyed up to go to bed until midnight which is a couple hours past my normal bedtime!

Sean playing the bodhran, Alan on guitar and vocals

Not Waiting for Perfect

Another great post to meditate on -- at least for me.

Not Waiting for Perfect: "

Photo by Krikit ♥

When I was in college, I always carried the idea that “next semester would be better.”

Next semester I wouldn’t have this class with such a heavy reading schedule.

Next semester I wouldn’t be bothered by a work-study job grading papers where the professor would call me at home early in the morning asking me to come in for a half-hour of work. I can hear her now: “Rachel…?” (I would still be in bed.)

There was always something wrong that I would be able to fix “next semester.”

Finally one day it occurred to me that there would always be something to fix, something I wouldn’t like, and something that couldn’t be fixed. I didn’t need to have something be “just right” for it to be good.

Now when I see something about my appearance, my home, my circumstances, my job, my family, or really anything at all that I want to be different, I know that’s part of this life. Even though I keep goals, hopes, and plans, I’ve learned not to let “perfect circumstances” be a condition for my contentment.

How about you?

See the comments for this post: Not Waiting for Perfect



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What to do when you are addicted to complaining

It's just a banner day in the blogsphere today. I also want to keep this in mind -- I know that it can be one of my downfalls.

What to do when you are addicted to complaining: "

Not too long ago, I caught myself in a conversation with a friend where we spent our whole time together sharing complaints about our lives. In fact we were purposefully seeking out ways to connect through negativity.

You know, commiserating on the difficulties of raising toddlers, the terrible heat, the extra expenses of school season beginning, the monotony of having to clean the house and cook dinner every day.

All too often, if I’m not watchful, I find myself in these kinds of conversations…when my husband comes home, when I drop the kids off to my Mom’s for a visit, when I strike up a conversation with the cashier at a store.

The tendency to focus on the negative and keep ourselves in a constant state of complaining is rampant in our society.

I think it has an addictive quality. And I also think it is destructive to our health.

Read the rest of the article at Steady Mom (where I’m guest posting today!)

I’ll meet you in the comment section

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