So, as you all know, I’ll be returning to Pasadena tomorrow.

I’ve had quite a few interesting months here in the Midwest.  Things started off pretty rough:  As you may have read, I had an annoying job I couldn’t stand, I almost got mugged, and I got in a car accident.  I also had to deal with racist people (on both sides of the coin), stupid people who like to say “Git R Done”, and anything else crazy that happens in the nationa’s most dangerous city.

I got some minor press in the Riverfront Times because of my “bitter blogging” at the time.  After the article came out, I met some people in the “scene” named Che and Stayci.  They invited me to hang out in quite possibly the coolest part of St. Louis, the bars down on South Grand.

After hanging out at South Grand and making some fast friends and acquaintances, I learned that although St. Louis may be full of the opposite ideals as, say, California, and although things are a little bit more “rednecky” in a whole and there’s just tons of political differences - people are still the same and people all have the same struggles and roadblocks and detours to deal with.  Just because a place like Pasadena (and California moreso) makes me happy doesn’t mean it will make someone else happy.  And hey - I’m really going to miss those cheap cigarettes at Dirt Cheap.

I really enjoyed hanging out at the bar CBGB on South Grand & Juniata as well as the Alternative Music Pub on Manchester & Boyle. 

I can’t say I’d ever want to spend too much time in the Midwest or that I’d choose to live here but I’m happy to know I met some very friendly and honest people who didn’t mind showing me around town or showing me the cool things to do while I spent my time here.

So - to Joe (DJ Blublood), Kristelle, Che, Stayci, Randy a/k/a The Mayor of South Grand, Michelle X, John Hartrich, Ninaz, Terry a/k/a Wanda’s nephew, Anna, Mark, Kaelyn, Bruce a/k/a Mark McGwire, Jeff, and all of the other really cool people who made my time in “Misery” a little less miserable - thank you.

Here’s hoping our paths cross again under much better circumstances.

Finally - and most importantly - a big thank you to my Mom and Dad whom I haven’t seen in years.  They made my stay here very happy, comfortable, and fun.  I hope to see them more often than every 5 years.

Stand & Deliver.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx3Sp0gplw4

- AP