over the rhine, subways, and new england

life has a strange way of coming full circle...one year i'm at over the rhine's merchandise table talking with the guy behind the counter about a thing called community house in cincinnati; the next year i am the guy behind the merch table.

this past thursday through saturday i was able to do a short 3-day stint with over the rhine in columbus, cincinnati, and lexington (kentucky) as the merch guy. setting up the table, hauling stuff around, selling t-shirts and cds a plenty. sometimes i marvel at how good life really is. it was bittersweet though because at the best western in columbus, just about all otr's gear was stolen. someone clipped the lock on the trailer and did a professional job of taking everything but a hammond organ. and then, as if that wasn't enough, on saturday the van that tawd bell and i were driving broke down on the way to lexington. though it seems i may have been some sort of bad luck charm, i'm grateful for the experience.

sunday morning i woke up early and headed out for new york city with cat, matthias, kim, and elizabeth. thanks to jim and jerolyn morrison (family friends) we had a free place to stay the night and were extremely well taken care of. in one night and the next day we naviagated many a subway trains, took the staten island ferry, walked the brooklyn bridge, wandered through central park (matthias went up the empire state building), did st. thomas, st. pat's and rockafeller on 5th avenue, ate in grand central station, marveled at the people and the lights in times square (toys r us is so fun!), and saw the former world trade center.

as of now i am in new hampshire, staying with cat wayne's family, taking it easy. i think we're going to see the ocean, hike in the white mountains, and spend some time in boston.

life is good. thanks God.