I went out on the town Wednesday with thisendup and this event, as it is likely to do, has reminded me of how evil I am to deprive Minneapolis of my presence on a regularly basis.

Okay-not. But sort of.

Because, I met many people, and saw other people who admittedly and conveniently like me, and I worked a little of my secret mojo magic that I have when I actually totally and completely know that something is a sure thing, and that was fun.

It�s very fun to be the smouldering temptress when you are actually fond of the person who you are tempting and no one is bound to be hurt. It�s extra fun when it�s that person�s birthday and they are tipsy because you know they will be left wondering if you really were flirting with them or if it was just their drunken wishful thinking, or if it was just because it was their birthday. (It wasn�t. I have my semi-sights set on him because he is the strange combination of nice guy, talented musician, & guy who has NO IDEA of his actual stock value.)

Plus I�ve never flirted with this person before; it�s just obvious to me that he likes me. And he�s cooler than he knows, so I dig that.

All evening I was having pre-mommy flashbacks because when I was a fanzine girl I spent SO much time in this bar. (Uptown circa 1986-1992) It was the best place to see cool local bands for with no cover charge, and in the summer I turned 21 (that would be 1989 thank you very much) I saw all kinds of cool touring bands for free on Thursday and Sunday nights also. (some bands that played for no cover charge to note were Smashing Pumpkins right before Gish was released, and Nirvana. I blew off Nirvana because I was pretty worn out with Sub Pop at that moment. Sigh.)

Plus I had all sorts of great local band memories in that bar. Bands that were before their time and so fun, and no one would remember here in diaryland, but the names are so good I�ll still note them; The Strapping Daddy�Os, Sci-Fi Western, The Swinging Teens..

So you get it- it was the bar of anecdotes for sure, and it had definitely been 10 years since I had even been there, and more since I had seen a band there, because the booking agent changed and the scene shifted, and then of course, I stopped going out too.

So it was apropos when I saw a face before from the past. Not just anyone. My partner in crime and occasional nemesis. A girl I met at age 19 who was funny, and pretty, and a talented singer too, who was my friend, roommate and a kindred spirit for years. She was in a band with the Daddyman and that�s how I ended up getting to know him although I was kind of repelled by him initially, and the two of them sort of fought over me until I got exhausted and distracted by the actual infant I had to care for instead of my friends and lovers that were infantile in their need for my attention.

So it had been 8 years since I�d seen this girl, and I had thought of her often, but never really missed her, because I just don�t miss the people who are no longer part of my life. But it was REALLY GOOD TO SEE HER.

We hugged and hugged. We talked non-stop for 4 hours. (which meant I stayed out until 3 am, ON A SCHOOL NIGHT and got 2 hours sleep before I went to pick the girls up at their dad's. I worked and got a mid-year review and everything. That�s grown up right?)

She�s doing really cool things. Forever she�s loved Paris, and Henry Miller and Anais Nin and the movie Henry & June and all things similar to Moulin Rouge only spontaneously and 15 years ahead of time. She conceived and orchestrates a burlesque show in town that thisendup has talked about with me several times. In fact she and her co-conspirator from the show immediately suggested the lovely and talented TEU audition for the show. (And she should). There�s a great likelihood I will collaborate with writing and directing skits bits and pieces myself because I am so good with that. Being asked to contribute to something that actually interests me with an old friend, a dear friend, and lots of potential new friends is really exciting as well.

PLUS. I forgot to mention that my old friend who I haven�t seen in years is a mother herself now. Her son is 5. So not only can we relate as mommies now also, as well as all the other ways we were automatically as thick as thieves about, she�s a mom.

Know how many other �mom� friends I have? One. Ms. Cilla of the House of Knoll, the Queen of Bonfires and graciousness.

So anyway. I feel my stock is reappreciating. (yay I made up a word.)

I can�t really even say what it felt like to see someone who really knows me, and my history and repertoire, and have them- not even 5 minutes into the reunion, start gushing about me writing and collaborating in something cool as if I was what might have been missing from the project all along. I know it�s her main project and her passion and she talks to everyone about it, but it was like being yanked through the looking glass into some new and very familiar creative place.

Here�s the address to her website; http://lecirquerouge.com if you want to check out her endeavors. I�ve been trying to think of a nickname for her here, and I guess I�ll pick SATINE, since she would have loved to be a courtesan that swung above a riotous crowd.

There will be more to come.

That's probably the understatement of a lifetime