Jamming with the Stones

I received a call yesterday from Sara around 1pm. "How would you like to see the Rolling Stones tonight at PNC Park. Pearl Jam is opening." I'm not the biggest Stones fan, but you can't really turn down the opportunity to see living legends at a concert that has been sold out for at least a month. Also, both Sara and I were more interested in Pearl Jam, given their lack of 1) touring and 2) large venue performances. I guess when the Stones ask, you don't say no.

Pearl Jam was great. They played for an hour, intermingling some new, but mostly older stuff. Sara would say the trip was worth it for that alone. The Stones played a 2-hour set and all of my preconceived notions of old rockers showing up and milking nostalgia went right out the door. The musicianship was unreal and Mick Jagger remains a true rockstar. It was truly an experience. And the highlight of the evening was when Vedder joined in on Wild Horses. Pretty sweet.

Sara found a slick Pearl Jam with a Pittsburgh theme shirt for sale at the merchandise stands. However, getting one turned out to be impossible. It's not that the cost was prohibitive, but the people waiting in line (if that's what you call it) were way to pushy - drunk - and created an all around carnival atmosphere that made getting hold of any seller impossible. When we finally make it to the front - the shirt sold out - at every station. I guess you "can't always get what you want" (yeah, it's cheezy, it's cliché, but true).

A Welcome / Wake-Up Message

Welcome. It's now nine years since I have lived anywhere (beyond several months) outside of a wonderful region of the world known as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. And after some gripes from people outside (and inside) the 'burgh, it's high time I provide some indication that I'm alive, well, and hopefully have some interesting things to say.

For those of you that missed part of the Pittsburgh experience, the following is a quick recap:

1. To attend college in Pittsburgh is one thing,
2. To remain in Pittsburgh to do a graduate degree is quite another,
3. To commit to Pittsburgh to complete your PhD is pretty much indescribable.

And that about brings us up to date. Oh yeah, in the middle of it all, I met and married an amazing girl named Sara. Any questions?