You mind if I put on some music?...

Last night, we played a great show at Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York. I know what you're thinking - "Isn't that the home of the National Soccer Hall of Fame?" You bet it is. Can I offer a reasonable explanation as to why a soccer hall of fame exists in the hills of upstate New York? Absolutely not. But Jason Prince, Micah's road manager, took the tour and found it to be awesome.

At any rate, we had a blast hanging out with the folks up there before going to bed and waking up in the snow. I assure you I did not pack for this. April in Athens is practically summer - it's hot and humid and basically covered yellow with pollen. It is most certainly not below freezing. Still, we drove over the flurries and through the hills to Loch Sheldrake, NY and Sullivan County Community College. I can tell you that I have to speak slowly and deliberately when I pronounce "Loch Sheldrake", and I can also tell you that on the Flavor Scale, this show tonight rated at 8.9.

Picture yours truly (a pasty white guy) sitting at table with my two dreadlocked traveling companions, eating our delicious cafeteria food at a school in the middle of nowhere. A very nice fellow walks in and says to us, "Do you mind if I put on some music?," to which we inevitably reply, "Sure, why not?" He then puts on some Hispanic reggae club music, cranks it to 11, and then promptly leaves. We do not see him again for at least half an hour. And in that half an hour, we quietly eat our food while being pummeled by the beat. And this was after walking by some folks heatedly battling each other with Magic: the Gathering cards. And also after someone in a Shakespearean costume dress came in with yellow roses.

Needless to say, it was one of my favorite stops on the trip. I'm pretty sure when I'm old, I won't remember exactly when or where or why this all happened, but I'm equally sure that I'll remember sitting in that room listening to that music and wondering what the heck this life is all about.