The above filmed snippet occurred on my way home after working a recent Friday. The elderly woman in the seat in front of me is flipping-off the many people, both locals and tourists, men, women and children, that swarm the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard at night. What everyone did that so riled the wrinkly rider remains a mystery. Later on in our journey, when the bus stopped in front of an assisted living establishment, she began gesticulating again, only this time she waved (to no-one – there was no-one standing outside the building) and crossed herself like a good Catholic. In-between these two fits of cursing/blessing, she simply sat and sniffled into her small stash of tissue, kept clutched in her claw. Aww.

If I was a smarter writer, I would simply ride these buses daily and record the many scenes I see. As it is, I stuff my Skullcandy earbuds Eustachian tube deep (often vainly), trying to block out all external noise with sweeter sounds such as these:

Take 2 parts Sleater Kinney, plus 1 part Helium, plus 1 part Minders and you get an incredible super-group of ladies. Not to mention they had only been a band for 2 or 3 months before embarking on their first tour and they were incredibly tight together! Can’t wait for recorded material!

I have been waiting YEARS to see this band actually play live. I got into them 4 or 5 years after they had broken up and shat myself when it was announced that they were reuniting for 3 shows. It was everything I had hoped for, plus that day also saw reunions of Henry’s Dress and Boyracer as well, but nothing compared to Rose, Linton and Paul playing the most influential songs of my 20’s.

Another case where I got into The Need right after they had broken up. This was a special experience because it also involved a road trip up to the Northwest with co-workers and friends. The Need were unbelievable! Bangs, who I saw the last time at their last show in Olympia, were spot on, and CAverage and Thrones completed the throwback to the Evergreen days for me. It made me want to move back up to the Northwest, so that definitely lands it on this list, if not list of best show experiences ever.

 
Yes, please!

It’s an unfortunate reality that not everyone in the Universe can know Jaime Lefcovich. Those of us who do have the pleasure miss her awfully, as she has escaped the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave for the adventure of discovering Thailand, where she can master the art of ayurvedic medicine (which is not Thai in origin, but is what she’s practicing there) while eating all the เนื้อผัดพริก she can fit into her purdy mouth.