Happy new year! It's been a few days since I posted. I wanted to give that last post as much "above the fold" time as I could, because it's important.

And what's new with me? Let's see, ümberjam and I had a nice NYE - we drove out to Austin and hung with her brother and his girlfriend. Ended up going to the Continental Club to see the Damnations. They were pretty damn good. Just when I thought I had them figured, the bass player handed off her bass and sat down at a Wurlitzer electric piano and nailed some serious blues riffs for a couple tunes, right as we were about to ring in the new year. It was a good time (outrageous cover notwithstanding, and missing Stanton Moore notwithstanding).

There really is something special about Austin - I can't put my finger on it, but every time we go there, the second I get out of the car, I breathe in the air, and it just feels ... better. Cleaner? Maybe. Whatever it is, Austin is a town that attracts jam and I.

But alas, now it's back to H-Town, described recently by Craig Lindsey as a city that's like a mean girlfriend who cooks really well - you feel like you should leave, but you can't bring yourself to. Today is gray and still, calm.