For employee use only

I'm sitting on the floor in a barnes and noble and apparently I'm not allowed to use their outlets. What kind if crap is that. Of course I'm going to charge my phone because I really don't care what that guy says but that's just straight ridiculous. I'll tell you what guy, if you need this plug to vacuum the floor I something I'll get out if your way. Otherwise give me a break.

I'm taking a coffee break off of route 18 in new jersey. I was supposed to spend most of the week in Philly writig songs and working on my book, but a good buddy's father passed away and there's no way I was going to stay in Philly when it is just a short drive back to jersey to pay my respects and show my friend I love him. Regardless if the circumstances deaths are never easy, though to be honest, I feel like I'm rarely quickly affected by them. This might be, however, because I've never lost anyone I'm super close with. Of course I have been lucky and hope I never do. In many ways I want to go before anyone I truly love does. Either way my heart goes out to my friend and I hope he knows how much we all love him.

I'm feeling kind of ridiculous dressed in my brothers clothes typing in B&N because I don't like wearing clothes like these (I didn't bring any in my trip with me for a reason) nor do I like the reason I'm wearing them. In a lot of ways I don't like any situation where you have to dress nicely mainly because most if them gave negative connotations. Work, funerals, court, and weddings without true love. To my brothers I'll probably wear a beard and a smile, the cloth draping my body not representing how much I care. Also, the way in feeling right now is expounded by the fact that I think mist chain stores like this suck and the adults who work in them even more so. What did these people do to be fifty years old working in a chain book store? And is that why they're such miserable fucks? I'm not normally so actively against chains but my current experience is mainly dredging up negative feelings. Sure I love being able to steal their electricity but otherwise I feel empty in here.

In a little bit I'll head to the second wake where i'm sure I'll see most of my friends from this circle. Say what you will about our pack of bar fly punks, we have heart and are loyal. We know who our friends are and so do they. And despite what some may think, it's not hard to get let in. Just be a good person, have a good heart and like to have fun. If you're already like that then you're one of us. After the wake we'll either go out for beers or I'll head back to PA.

Over the last year or so I've developed a great affinity for PA and Philly more specifically. Sure there's times I don't feel safe and sure I never sell records there but man are they sweet. It's rare to find such open eared open hearted folk. Maybe I'm just lucky or maybe I'm that good but man oh man I can play the quietest saddest songs and a room full of people will listen silently. That's amazing and I'm not sure what I did to be so blessed but it's incredible.

After my show the other night I went back to my buddy jon's house where we'd grilled earlier and went to sleep. I was woken up by one of my new roommates yelling about how he was pissed that all his beer was gone. We at the grill out were the culprits. Whoops. This kind of scared me and it's not my first time in Philly being woken up by yelling. That's one part if Philly I don't like. Eventually he went upstairs and I fell asleep. In the morning Jon and I shot the breeze over multiple cups of coffee and schemes about maybe going to Europe. I then caught up on emails and then went to murph's to play some music. I'd found out in the morning about the wake so I knew I'd only have one more day to play with murph. We wrote a cool song and then I left to meet jeff for a beer and some food at scotty's bar. They have a great grilled cheese, arguably better than mine, and an amazing beer selection. Also the staff totally rules so as far as I'm concerned the south Philly tap room is one of my favorite bars. Sure for a kid like me it's a little pricey but for a normal human it's great.

Jeff and I talked about everything that's going on with my music and tried to figure out my touring schedule as he's going to help me with that aspect. I then met his lovely girlfriend and we shifted topics to art. By the way if you've never read the childrens book "the hungry caterpiller" your doing yourself a disservice. Scotty hung with us after his shift and then left to go hang out with his girlfriend and their mates. I was going to go to jeffs cause I had nowhere else to sleep but before I could finish my beer Scotty came back and said his friends wanted me to stay with them.

By the way quick interruption. This drunk kid just came over to talk to me. It's six pm. He introduced me to his friend who works at the cafe here and apparently thinks I'm cute. She was so embarresed and very sweet. I felt bad for here to feel that way but I thought it was incredibly nice and told her I really appreciated it. The drunk friend was just trying to help and applaud both if them. It's a great compliment and I fully support people ignoring social constructs. Well done both if you.

Ok I need to go back to the wake. More later. Hope you're wonderful.

(27/365)