For the first time in years I attended a concert without being encumbered by any sort of law books. Even the last time Paul Thorn played out at Rancho Nicasio I was shlepping New Jersey CLE manuals. This time my back was spared the burden of these onerous tomes, as instead all I had stuffed into my bag was a novel. (Of course, why I brought a novel to a concert is not entirely clear. I certainly didn't read it during the show; I suppose I just feared withdrawal pains if I was completely bookless.)
Seeing Paul perform is always a pleasure. He's incredibly entertaining, charming all his audiences with his extensive repertoire of songs and on-stage banter. It's interesting how he has such ethos that his audience will allow him to alternate between humorous and poignant in his songs. I think it could so easily seem jarring if someone who sings silly songs then breaks out into something serious, or vice versa. But Paul's insights and lyrical articulation are always so spot on that audiences trust him to lead them to an honest emotion, whichever one that particular song requires.
It's also always a pleasure to see Paul in person as well. He and his co-writer/musical partner Billy Maddox have been with me on my Great Change journey almost as long as Huey Lewis and the News have been. The few times a year I see them I've kept them apprised of my progress, and the other night it was nice to finally get to tell them that the Great Change had now been completed. Passing the bar was a really, really great thing, and I don't just say that because I've been on a weeks-long party as I come up with more and more people to brag about it to... In some ways though it's hard to really impress upon people just how significant it was. It's like a near-miss of a car accident. So close to utter disaster, but because it was avoided and life continued on, it's easy to become glib about it.
I myself am starting to be awfully glib, actually. Maybe that's ok, it's clearly getting to be time to move on to bigger and better things. But it's interesting that despite it being a major accomplishment, how mentally I've already moved on to thinking about some other potentially bigger and better things I may have already accomplished...
(Of course, objectively-speaking, passing the bar was hardly negligible. You see if you would have wanted to answer these questions... Also note in particular Question #2 and tell me if you wouldn't have wanted to call someone a dumbass...)