The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly!

Russ and I went to Portland over the weekend to See Bekah perform with the Portland Girl’s Rock N Roll Camp.  Didn’t take the motorhome as it seemed easier to stay at the Marriott for just one night.

The Good:  Poppy went with us and was just as good as gold.  We left her at our son’s house while we went to the performance.  John has two cats and they were both still alive and kicking when we got back two hours later.   I thought maybe the animals had all had a fight in Bekah’s room but her parents assured me the room always looks like that – I think she gets it from me.  Hate housework!! 

More good -  Bekah did excellent on the drums.  She gained some confidence and learned a few fills and wrote the drum part for her band’s performance.

The Bad:  The venue for this performance was McMenemin’s historic Bagdad Theater in Downtown Portland. UGH!!  A huge facility and NO PARKING.  We were lucky enough to get a spot on the street only about half block away so it was okay.  Then we stood in a long line in direct sunshine and it was hotter than – well, use your imagination. 

The theater was dark and crowded and the noise level was about to drive me to distraction.  Trying to find a place to sit and trying to find Russ, who had stayed behind in the restaurant to finish his meal.  Mass confusion, hoards of closely packed strangers, some of them TOUCHING me(!) – not my cup of tea.

Then the performances started.  This Rock N Roll camp is for girls only and it takes all comers.  No musical experience required!  On the first day they turn the girls loose to make their own groups and no one knows anyone else or what they can do.  Bekah was lucky in that she got a girl who played some on the keyboard and one who could carry a tune.  I give these girls a lot of credit.  From complete strangers of all skill levels, they had one week to WRITE THEIR OWN SONG and learn it well enough to perform in front of about 500 people on a live stage.  They all had fun and they all did their best.

I have to admit some(most) of it was pretty painful but like I said, ya gotta give 'em credit for trying.  I have to show off Bekah laying down some pretty good licks on the drums.  I edited most of the singing out so there are some skips.  Bekah only had about 6 months of drum lessons about two years ago so I thought she did great,  Here’s a short clip.  Her drum “solo” is a little more than halfway (52 seconds) through.  Bekah wrote the drum part and taught herself the beats.



Now, THE UGLY:  I think that would be me.  I had a really bad weekend.  Besides sitting through two hours of “music” that only a parent (or grandparent!) could love, I spent the weekend on an emotional roller –coaster.  Maybe it was just the stress of the weekend but I just could not control my emotions.  It seems like I have been getting better and then this weekend I just crashed.  Don’t know why.  I haven’t been able to read blogs or comment or write for several days.  Have no interest in much of anything.  Maybe it’s normal, I don’t know.  I’ve never lived through anything quite like this double whammy before. 

I felt physically ill all weekend, and got so dizzy in the theater I thought I was going to black out.  This is NOT normal for me.  The hotel bed was like sleeping on a sheet of plywood and then I fell and bruised my hand coming out the hotel door.  Luckily Russ was there to keep me from going all the way down or it could have been much worse.  I really hate staying in hotels!!!

Tomorrow, we are going with Laila and Brian over to the coast.  They want to buy us an early anniversary dinner.  The real date is the 21st but they want to celebrate with us before they leave on a little trip.  Perhaps the beauty of the coast will somehow temper the “ugly” that I am feeling inside right now.  I certainly hope so.

Russ at Yachats on the Oregon Coast, July 21, 2010, Our 37th Anniversary.