"Wake up, Paul," whisper clouds rolling by and the seeds

Yesterday was one of the best days.
On the train going to South Station the sky was covered in gray and had this gritty look that I think was really one of the most beautiful things. There is something about trains, they are all so battered looking inside. When I try to recreate the scene of the train in my head I see a grainy image of light flashing by the smudged windows, with the soft voice of Lou Reed's Walk on the Wild Side serving as the soundtrack.
I love how open we were on the train and I felt such closeness and it was one of those experiences that makes you value people. I felt happier and more alive than I had been for weeks yesterday. I know this is on another blog but I wouldn't feel this post is complete unless I added it here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu-wd_5Pp24. The lightness and freedom in the video shows how we all felt, I can safely say.
We arrived into Boston at about 6:00 and since the show didn't start until seven we decided to wonder around, specifically for dinner and a trip to urban outfitters. This wasn't our original plan, but the the independence, and our spontaneous tendencies of the afternoon of just getting up and going somewhere was so gratifying. The truth is I really miss living in a city. The bustle, the smells, and the raw life of cities is so refreshing. After a successful bite to eat and visit to urban, the sun came out and we enjoyed blue skies. Walking around a place you don't know is always an adventure. After a brisk walk along the harbor, with a light and refreshing breeze, we reached a giant tent. There were hundreds of people swarming around it and it is so fascinating to look at people you don't know and picture what they are like or what they dream about in life. When the warm-up band finished (they were nondescript), Nina arrived! The night would not have been the same if anyone else was there apart from her and the four of us sitting there was marvelous. Then Andrew Bird came on. He is the best live performer I have ever seen. His voice is stunning when you hear it in person and his violin flies through the air, so strikingly. He sounds completely very different live than recorded, and his music has such a depth too it that seems to sweep you up with it. During his first few songs all the things that have been stressing me out recently were gone and I became totally immersed in the music. It reminded me of when you are listening to a song over and over again on a long car ride, its raining, and your eyes start to close. Limitless Bliss. Every song had different emotion to it but they were all moving in different ways. He is probably one of the most dynamic musicians. His whistling, so piercing, gave me the image of a hawk flying in a clear sky, above a series of mountains. Just flying. Flying for the sake of flying. I think time became less important during the show, or at least Andrew Bird seemed to control it, embarking on songs that felt unbounded by any ticking clocks. One thing that stays in my mind is when he was talking to the crowd. He told us the most quirky little things, like that we should all imagine the 'feelings of bread' before we toast it or eat it. I laughed and felt invigorated that I had got the chance to really be myself during the day. I didn't have to fake anything or feel the pressure of being judged. That's why when the girls started shouting random names at guys when they walked by I felt like they all knew exactly how I felt. It was effortless being with them and I love them all. Concerts can really being transformational events. I guess what I mean by that is that they can really make you look inside yourself and appreciate the things like friendship, happiness, joy, music, and love that make life worth living. I'm not sure where I am going with that, but it's true. The encores during the concert where something else. I vividly remember one moment after we had moved up closer to the stage, where I felt so connected to my friends, the music, and just at peace with the world. It was the greatest concert I could imagine, and every aspect of the day was perfect. I wish it hadn't ended, and right now, as I listen to Andrew Bird on my computer, I know that last nigh is already one the great memories that will stay with me.


The freedom and simple beauty is too good to pass up...