Summer?

So it's been difficult to drag myself out of the gorgeous warm sunny air to write, but it had to happen sometime. I am really not in a writing mood, so I imagine this post will be littered with typos. I'll go back and fix them some other time.

From now on (and maybe I'll go back and edit old posts), my posts will be split into three sections: stuff that happens while playing, creative updates (new songs and such), and personal updates.

I. At Work

Friday
Friday was a really good night. Lots of crazy stuff happened, and I made good money. I went out at 6:00 pm and I was shocked to get my spot. As I learned later from Matteo, he and his friends had just left when I arrived. Aha. Let the retelling commence!

1. I played for the best kids ever. Two little boys and their dad stopped to listen. The younger boy (good thing the other one called him his brother rather than sister, as I did not come to that conclusion) had adorable crazy blond hair and wore rainbow striped leggings. I asked what songs they like, and the dad suggested "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," a favorite. The kids contributed the next selections. I braced myself for the usual "Wheels on the Bus" or Justin Bieber. Instead, the kids asked for "Rocky Raccoon" and "The Big Rock Candy Mountain." Although the former was really hard to figure out, the kids danced around. I was truly pleased that these are the songs they know and love. It gives a nod to good parenting, for sure. I hope I see them again.

2. A guy named Oboe on a bike invited me to play with his Irish rock band on St. Patrik's day. Score!

3. A crazy guy asked me "Colorado?" I replied, "No." He went on about Colorado, and Kofax. Who knows what that was about.

4. I run into a lot of street solicitors, for the Sierra Club, Red Cross, etc. There was a guy working for ACLU on the same block this night. We conversed, and he said something about my job being more fun than his. I suggested he wear a funny hat. He responded, seriously, "The problem with that is that I never know where I'll be assigned. A funny hat would go over well in the Castro, but if I wear one in the Mission..." [thinks of a consequence] "...I'll get shot." Damn, tough crowd.

5. I mentioned I'm playing some songs by the band Beirut. Someone recognized one! I always like when new songs get recognized. He said that people in the Castro aren't artsy enough to recognize Beirut, that I'd have better luck with it in the Haight. The guy he was with reminded me that he was the one who, the previous time I played, said "I hate the accordion but I like your music." Quite the compliment!

6. Next in my notes it says something that looks, in my messy handwriting, like "leg feele off." I wonder what that can mean. I don't recall any of my legs falling off.

7. I had a nice conversation with a middle-aged Down's Syndrome afflicted woman. Her condition wasn't obvious at first, and she stopped to listen and said she has a German accordion at home. I've waited too long writing to remember the details, but she showed me her recent dollar store purchases, the most exciting of which was a yellow power ranger. We agreed that she's a smart shopper. This would be a more interesting tidbit if I remembered the conversation.

8. Oh yeah! My accordion leg fell off, and by leg I mean foot. There are four little rubber feet on the bottom, and one of them has been loose. I felt the spot, and found it missing. I couldn't find it on the sidewalk so I was sad. But luckily it fell off in the box on the walk up, so it is now securely fastened.

9. At this point in the evening, I really wanted pizza. I had come out at 6:00 with no food, which was a poor choice, because I was hungry. I suppose I took receiving pizza for granted after my victory the previous time playing, but it hadn't happened yet and I was sending hardcore vibes to everyone who walked by. A crowd of guys assembled in front of me to discuss their plans for the evening. I loudly suggested, "Why don't you go get pizza and bring me a slice?" [I tried to channel Pee-Wee when he, trying to blend in with a group of hell's angels, suggests, "I think we should let him go!" when members of the aforementioned group are discussing ways to kill him.] My suggestion was more successful than Pee-Wee's, but did not achieve my goal. The captain of this group said, "I'll give you money just for that suggestion!" and put a dollar in my box and corralled the group to a bar. Okay, good, but still not pizza.

10. As luck would have it, my vibe-sending proved successful. A man had just come from his pizza dinner with leftovers, which he gave me. This was wonderful news, not only was I famished but I was cold. Pizza is nice and hot. I didn't bother sneaking bites between songs like last time, but took my accordion off and sat down to enjoy it. Mmm. NOW I can take pizza for granted, since it's happened twice.

11. A man asked if I play any country/western songs. I told him I didn't. He said there's a bar that hosts a country/western open mic the first Wednesday night of every month. He assured me that a month is plenty of time to learn a song for it. Good to know.

12. Street musicians are a strange group. This guy with an out of control unibrow (which made his furrowed brow all the scarier) came up and asked if his friend could have my spot. I said I was going to quit around nine. He informed me that his friend wanted it now. I said "Well maybe I'll stop sooner." A few minutes later he came back with his friend. His friend, as it turns out, is Lily Holbrook, a total busking pro (www.lilyholbrook.com). She has CDs and gigs and equipment and everything. I was surprised that her technique for getting spots was sending a not very charming representative to get exasperated at people, since a pro should know that it's advantageous to be on the best possible terms with one's fellow street musicians. Basically the guy said, "Okay she's ready." I said, "Okay, I'm going to keep playing a bit." He got mad and said, "Well you said she could have it, we wouldn't have gotten to get her stuff otherwise!" What I should have said in response, as I realized later, was "That's why you should never trust a gypsy." Using a line like that informs people that it'll be useless to try to negotiate with you, and you'll thus get away with anything. But you can only use this line if you have a gypsy box and a gypsy sign. Preferably a cat or iguana as well. Lily herself piped up, the pro that she is, saying, "No worries, I'll wait!" It's unclear what role the friend has, since he seems to cause more trouble that is worth. I guess he's just her pack boy. Anyway, Lily knows her stuff and I should keep my gypsy trickery to a minimum with her if I want to get anywhere in this city.

Saturday
On Saturday I finally went through with my plan to play at the Noe Valley farmer's market. In addition to playing for the market crowd, I planned to pass out babysitting mini flyers, since it's a happening place for families, and babysitting in my neighborhood would be nice. I went first to the market itself where there's a bandstand set up, to see if anyone was playing. Lily, the woman from the night before, was actually due to come on soon. The woman asked if I wanted to be on the official performer's schedule, but I declined. Audiences don't appeal to me yet (in my busking life, that is). Instead, I set up a few blocks away on a corner outside a Real Estate office. I expected them to come out and ask me to move, and I planned a gypsy lie involving having been told that past the red markings on the curb was public property. Luckily this wasn't necessary, as the one time the real estate folks came out it was to compliment me. Cool! I stayed there for two hours, during which I had a steady stream of people, mostly pushing strollers. It went perfectly; I made really good money and went home with about six fewer flyers as I had come with. One woman handed it to her son, who looked at the picture I had included on it (me in my elf costume). I told him that I'm an elf sometimes. His mom asked him if he'd like if I watched him sometime. He just looked at me and announced, "You're silly." I take that as a yes. Hope they call!

1. A little boy named Carmelo came up in his dad's arms for a listen. He asked me to play Happy Birthday since his birthday is next week. He'll be two. Cute!

2. Carmelo overlapped with Zali, a 16-month old. His mom suggested Baby Beluga, which Zali and Carmelo both got into. I had forgotten about that song, and I definitely have to put it on the top of the kids songs list. Zali stayed for a long time. Sometimes he'd say "bye-bye" so he and his mom would leave, then he would do the sign language sign for more, so back they'd come. He danced a bit. Unfortunately they didn't take a babysitting flyer. Maybe because I had used the wrong gender pronoun in asking Zali's age. We really need a gender neutral one.

3. A woman named Linda asked if I teach. I might have another student on my hands!

4. I'm not used to playing this early in the day, and in an environment with so many kids (recently, that is). I omitted many songs from my set list (including the Lady Gaga medley, thank God), and played others more often than usual (such as the Wallace and Gromit theme song). As luck would have it, a man recognized it and rushed over to acknowledge it. He brought with him his son Pablo who had just bought a toy harmonica at a tag sale. Pablo played a song with me. Suuuuuper cute. I wish I had a photo of it.

5. A group of kids with their Grandma lamented that they only had a $20, so I gave them permission to take change from my box. While the younger kids counted out singles, an older (maybe 11-year-old) boy saw my student loans sign and asked me what I studied. I loved this, this is an age group that doesn't usually react to my act, so not only stopping but asking me such a grown up question made me happy. I told him, "I studied Psychology!" and he nodded. Maybe he will too, now.

6. I met Athena the parrot! A few weeks ago I saw a woman writing a moped up a hill with a beautiful parrot on her shoulder. They were on the sidewalk when I was walking home. Apparently Athena loves the moped but gets scared of wheelchairs and strollers and such, and my box on wheels fit this category so his mom had to comfort him. I stopped to talk to them and see Athena up close. She's so beautiful, mostly blue. Apparently her owner got her here, she was hatched locally. Finding a parrot in her suitcase after a trip to the Amazon would have been fun, but I guess that makes more sense. Now I know they live nearby so I can see them every day! Maybe Athena will sing with me some days.

That's all for updates!

I'll save the creative and personal sections for next time, I'm sick of writing.