I'll get you, my pretty...

...and your little Mercedes, too.

Where the hippies meet

More from our dinner at Z Harvest. Les (far right) told me a lot about his days as a music copyist in New York during the 60s, before notation software or even photocopiers.

The facilities

I had dinner with the local musicians at Z Harvest, a gourmet hippie restaurant. Leslie told me that the decor in the women's room was interesting, so I asked her to take a picture. That's on the right. I discovered that the paint job in the men's room was much more pedestrian, but they did have a candle on the urinal and ice (from the icemaker) inside it.

No atheists in Fox holes?

The televisions in the public areas of the hotel are always tuned to Fox News. If you try to change the channel they write your name on a list.

Barna bucks

These bills were used in the temple scene in Jesus Christ Superstar.

Curiosity shop

I found an antiques store in Green Bay that has player pianos, Victrolas, Edison cylinder players, old radios, even a Tesla coil. It has narrow aisles loaded floor to ceiling, and is very dark, to save electricity. The store is called Ralph's Old Tyme Piano Co., because the first thing he bought was a player piano.

A hero

The oboist Leslie said of this woman, "Linda is a hero." Linda didn't want to tell her story, but finally told it: a couple of years ago she developed focal dystonia and lost the use of the middle finger of her left hand. Instead of giving up on the flute, she went to a flute maker and had her instrument modified and then re-learned the instrument.

Everyone calls me Urban Cheese

These are the wireless microphones for various actors. The one that says "Mrs. D" is for Tracy Lore, who plays Mrs. Darling. Hardly anyone calls her Tracy; everyone calls her "Mrs. D."

Urban Dain Bramage

The Weidner Center at U of Wisconsin at Green Bay. After setting up the pit today I went out to dinner at Subway with Henry, the drummer, and Julie, the stagehand. Henry was having problems pronouncing his order, and said he was "dain bramaged." He later said there was a band called Dain Bramage. Subway has a type of bread called Herb and Cheese, but when you say it, it sounds like Urban Cheese, which would also be a great band name.

Glass and glasses

There is a Chihouly glass sculpture hanging over the lobby where we had our orchestra read. The sun was so bright some of us wore sunglasses inside.

Let's re-feng shui this S & M squaredance

Setting up the pit at the Weidner Center, U of Wisconsin at Green Bay.

The Bob & Ray theme song

On the way to Green Bay, we passed through Sheboygan. Patrick (see Smee, below) started singing "Mention My Name in Sheboygan" and dancing in the bus aisle.

He sails the ocean, blue

At one point in "Hook's Waltz," Howard interrupts the song by firing a gun and saying, "That's enough!" and then one of the following:
1. "...you saucy schoolboys."
2. "... you saucy eunuchs."
3. "...you kings of codpieces."
4. "...you pirate queens."
5. "...you poncey schoolboys."
and everyone's favorite: "...after all, you are but pirates."

I own a Dell computer...

...and I drive a Toyota, because I have no soul.

That fabulous face

Bruce cannot let go of his deer-crossed Mercedes. I told him he should do like James Stewart in Vertigo: find another woman who looks just like Kim Novak.

What all musicians strive for

From backstage at the Greater Des Moines Civic Center.

Another happy reunion

Keith came back from his other tour to fix Anne's computer, and it seems to have worked this time. Anne and Keith have a special bond; they are closer than most married couples.

The key to happiness

Jennifer sent me my earplugs. They make playing the show so much more pleasant. I can listen to Henry's excellent drumming without my left ear bleeding.

For $25 less we could have stayed at the Un-Savery

The Renaissance Savery Hotel, where most of us are staying, is a fine hotel that offers free treats like Hershey's Kisses, Dove chocolate, and doughnut holes.

They've got your back

Davenport, IA, is the birthplace of chiropractic.

Reunion

Today I drove to Davenport to see Rosanne(my old friend from Peace Corps) and Van. First I went to their house and Van showed me around. Then we had lunch with Rosanne at Centro, a lovely Italian place. Then Van drove me around town and showed me the houses they almost bought.

Van is from a small town near Green Bay, and he told me some great stories about Packer fans. The stadium seats about 75,000, and they do not sell single tickets -- only season tickets. Every one is sold, and the waiting list is, by most estimations, approximately 50 years. People have been known to keep a dead relative's checking account open and sign his name to checks to hold on to a season ticket. Also, people put the names of not-yet-born descendants on the waiting list in the hopes that during their lifetime they will get to the top of the list.

A word of caution

So please, rape and pillage responsibly.

Ugh-a-Wug, continued

Our consultant at the Smithsonian helped create these authentic Native American wigs.

They make those loud noises

The other side of the orchestra.

They make the pretty sounds

The strings and reeds of the Des Moines orchestra.

How many cumbersome machines does it take to change a light bulb?

One.