Today felt like August. Maybe it’s because the hot, oppressive humidity came out in full force this afternoon. It could also be the electric buzz of energy permeating downtown after the annual tribute to Elvis. I’m pretty sure it’s the heat lighting flashing in the northern sky tonight. Either way, I’m ready for September. *sigh* As Mr. Frost says, there are certainly miles to go before I sleep.
I started the weekend off with yet another wonderful Spillit Slam experience at Amurica studio. The theme this time was competition. With many interpretations of that theme, every storyteller brought their own verve to the stage. Leah Keys and Josh Campbell hosted the evening and took the time to share their own stories right at the end. They also encouraged anyone that’s interested to email Spillit if they have a story for the Center Stage event in September. The theme is Redemption.
After a winner was declared in Crosstown everyone scattered into the Memphis night. I saw them all take off toward the many different parties and events available on Friday night and found myself directionless. I’m not sure if it was lack of motivation or simply exhaustion from the intense competitive redundancy of the Spillit theme, but I couldn’t get myself to go downtown. Instead I headed toward Cooper-Young for the free Low Society show at Black Lodge. Apparently my spidey sense is worth a damn, because downtown essentially blew up that night.
Midtown was a much calmer atmosphere and the late evening was pleasantly cool for Memphis summer. The party at the Lodge had a great vibe going when I showed up and it didn’t take me long to get with the rhythm. Snagging a front row seat I got some pretty decent video of the band putting it all out there for the audience. When Ms. Lemons gets going it’s impossible to tear your eyes away. I’m glad I made it there in time for the show and I feel like I’ll be seeing this band again in the future. As usual, Guerilla Stone was serving up some absolutely delicious food on the front lawn for anyone in need of late night dinner.
Saturday, Memphis blew up once again – but this time with Elvis fans. The tail end of Elvis Week is a little like the last few days of Mardi Gras; you can feel the impending closure of the event and most people want to go out with a bang. Maybe the blackout Friday night was intended to add extra sparkle to the annual Candlelight Vigil? Anyway, there were Elvis-themed things happening on all corners of the city. From a movie screening at the Orpheum to the Time Warp Drive-In Elvis tribute, everyone was getting their nostalgia on.
Given the amount of activity, I decided it was a perfect night for me to do nothing. It had been nearly 3 months since I did nothing and I can sometimes forget how important it is to check in there. In general, people don’t typically do nothing. Drinking at your usual watering hole still takes enough effort to get dressed and go into public. Staying in to watch movies still has a ritual element that connects you to the outside world. When I do nothing, I mean it. I sit down, close my eyes and try not to hear or feel anything. Eventually, I relax into myself like a giant papason chair and turn a blind eye to everything else in existence. It’s a pretty exclusive place to get in, but if you visit nothing for just a moment you will leave refreshed and easy. I should sojourn there more often.
After that little detour, I ventured back into Midtown for some low key company at an exclusive party. The venue specialized in back porch chic and the food was exactly what everyone wants – something they didn’t have to make. No matter how much I encourage people to leave home and try new things, there is always a time and place for the classic house party. The people behind Saturday’s VIP get-together understand how to create a casual party atmosphere, so it was the best place to settle after doing nothing that evening.
Today I got a call from my sister. She worried about me because I hadn’t blogged in almost 6 days. That snapped me back to reality a little bit. I have been working behind the scenes to improve the overall How To Leave Home experience. The first part of that is my current GoFundMe campaign. My biggest challenge with this blog is keeping current on my posts without missing the next big event. With a Surface Pro tablet I could process photos, upload videos, and write blog posts while on the go. I believe this particular innovation of modern technology will allow me to keep bringing you new Memphis experiences without losing my job. If you are feeling charitable, go take a look and drop some change in my metaphorical guitar case.
The next part of my plan is to start an active twitter feed so you can check in to see where I am on the nights you don’t know what to do. The 180 character format is not something I’ve attempted before, but I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of haiku. So chances are I will tweet many 5-7-5 phrases. If you want to help me out with my blog growth and don’t have any money to give, you can email me some suggestions for new places to visit. I’m branching out very slowly, so it would help to sow some roots in new areas. It’s easier to identify good targets when someone tells me where to start looking. Cheers!