The Gig & The Dugout

The day dawned cool and clear. The sky blue and even a few clouds dotting the horizon.
After a brilliant lunch at this little outside courtyard I went home to get ready. The nerves started a bit, but they were held at bay by excitement as the elevator rose to the 50th floor of the Capital Mansion, the tallest building in Beijing! The night was clear and a carpet of lights and moving neon swam below me like something out of BLADERUNNER. The Englishman was on guitar, the Frenchman on Bass. We toasted with champagne then I went to the mic.

so, i wish i had some more romantic imagery for you, but basically, we were background music and when i went up to the mic it shocked the heck out me because of all the dry air and static electricity! :) It was a great first event, so I was relaxed and had a great time with the singing, even though we had only had one rehearsal. One of the big sponsors and club members came up to me and said what a good job we did and he loved my voice (Whew!). he bought us a bottle of champagne at a club we ended up at. It was a great night.

Needless to say, I was a little bit groggy the next day when Lidia and I had to get up wicked early to get to the hotel where Gan (her husband) was staying. But after the queasiness died down, a sense of disbelief came over me which I just couldn't shake for the whole day!!!

I grew up on American League Baseball, but Major League Ball just the same, and here I was, on a bus with the coaching and medical staff for the San Diego Padres. oh my god. i couldn't believe it. We came in through the team clubhouse and basically we got to hang out in the dugout while the Dodgers then Padres warmed up. HOLY COW. I mean, Treavor Hoffman was two feet away from me, and Joe Torre was about 20 yards away. wow.

So, Lidia had her big camera, and when the game started, she slipped around the side, and I followed, to a little on field press box. Oh wow. I still can't believe I watched a good part of the game from the field- right at 1st base. I was positively giddy. and to make it a completely surreal day- you'll never guess who threw the first pitch!!!! **** JET LI **** !!!!!!!!!! I mean, I've had a crush on him for about 10 years! he was like, 10 feet away practicing his "first pitch" and I still can't believe it. What an incredible day.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Blue Betty Rides Again

Image
My dear friends who are sweet enough to read this blog, I have just had one of the most amazing days of my life! If you were to just look at it on paper, it might seem rather ordinary, but it was/is pure magic. You know that feeling when you get your first apartment after college? Or that first job? I feel like this is the first time in my life that every single aspect of my life is my own, and absolutely new. It's just brilliant. Maybe because basic things are challenges here, but yesterday I got a phone (for $20 yeah!) and today I got a bike and an apartment!!!!! Whoooo Hoooo! Thank god my friend Tommy was with me for the bikes, because my Chinese is totally Bu Hao! He got a black bike and I got a powder blue bike with a sticker that says, "Betty". So, I took Blue Betty out on the town and rode for miles (i LOVE that Beijing is flat :) and it was truly amazing. I really felt like I was part of this town today, riding around either dodging cars like Frogger, or cycling ...
Read more

Black Coffee

Image
So the sore throat was indeed tonsillitis! But, happily, my gig went great last night, and I am working for a hospital. some of my best friends in Beijing came to hear me sing last night, and it made it that much more special. I learned a new song called "Black Coffee" and man, does it throw down the blues. There just isn't anything like being onstage singin' that song with a trumpet, sax and stand-up bass behind you (and having on fabulous new shoes!!!). It was great. I rode Blue Betty to and from the club through the warm Spring night and it was just magical. Now I have to go take my antibiotics and get to bed. But this weekend is a train adventure to some new town...so, more soon!!!! xoxoxo
Read more

Our Welcome to Country

Image
After 36 hours of traveling (three planes and lots of layovers) we have arrived at Uluru.  The tiny Ayers Rock airport was the last vestige of air conditioning before stepping out into the 98 degree heat.  The stillness of the landscape is juxtaposed with a palpable vitality and living history, and our first stop from the airport was Anangu homelands of Uncle Bob Randall and his family.  Driving along the red track Uncle Bob was telling us the hopes and dreams for his family's land.  "The marker starts here, and then goes for as far as your eye can see." We then arrive at the spot where I learned how to cook a kangaroo tail three years ago, and now they've added to toilets and a little shelter for Grandmother Barbara to use when she comes out to teach.  Johnny, Uncle Bob's son, has been clearing  insidious non-native grass and the place looks amazing.  This is the spot where hopefully more groups will have the chance to experience the Anangu stori...
Read more