::::::::::::Spring Break 2003:::::::::::::::::::::
(end of March, beginning of April)
was in Maine. Wooooo. So this is the first time in YEARS that I had a full week off from anything...riding competitions, work, etc. So Aurora and I had decided that since everyone else was heading south, that we would head north. I had wanted to go back and visit Boston and New Hampshire while she had family in Maine who she wanted to see.

OH WAIT, the night before Aurora, Fin, Dave, and I drove to DC to see Lloyd Dobler Effect and Jonsay headlineline at the 9:30 club. Aurora and I had been looking forward to this date as well as avoiding it for a while, since the Millenium Music Conference probably. haha nothing bad, but we thought it would be odd for both entities since so much was divulged at the MMC. But a good time was had by all. We got to see a lot of the freinds we had made at the MMC and it was a mini reunion. Ahhhh...the MMC...what a great weekend....(see blogs from mid february haha) ok, back :-) sorry , mind wandered.... So yeah, Jen and Jess were there and it was great fun near the front. Good shows all around. Thank God Aurora was DD that evening.

OH WAIT! Right before that show, LDE played at the Logan House. Good old Logan House. Logan Hosue is the second best place, right next to East End. So again, it was a reunion at the Logan House. A bunch of my friend who I haven't seen in a while came out to that show. Plus we got Aurora in. Damn, now that I look back at it, that was a crazy night. I think I utterly embarrassed myself and Melissa and Rick were asked to never come to the Logan Hosue again. Let's see, who was there....myself, Aurora, Nate, Michelle, Jason, Christina, Rick, Melissa, Ali, Gabe, Marty, Fin, Bob, Rob, Eric, Beth, Karen, and Christina (part 2).....damn, we packed the place. We pregamed at the apartment then headed up. Aurora got in, yay. Nothing like back doors :-) I had a drink that was more like a big shot and I think I should have been done there. but noooo.....not when you're with the LDE boys. Rusty bought me shots. Shots with lots of stuff in it. I think I remember dancing. i remember creepy guys. I remember having Fin and Rick and Eric save me. Upstairs downstairs upstairs downstairs. Sitting on the stage with Phil and not being able to get up. More shots. Gabe then got kicked out of Logan House for drunkeness but he escaped back upstairs for more shots, so Kamikazes all around. Then he got hauled off and Melissa and Rick and Gabe were told to never come back. (we're going back tonight! haha) I think the music stopped around this time. I dodn't remember anyone leaving. I remember being "backstage" on the "balcony". Then as we were leaving...................yeah. Aurora told me days later what i said....
And I think Mark had gotten another drunk phone call...? Oh no, Aurora had my phone and called him. OH because it was right after on stage, Phil goes to begin another song, looks over to where I was and says "I'm Mark Williams from the band Jonasay" and I think he began Gone Away. Only two of us there got it, but it was hilarious. There's this thing where the two of them, when they call me, will sya that they are the other , and I swear if i didn't have caller id I wouldn't know the difference half the time. haha. Aurora and my mother have gotten into that as well. But I can tell the female voices apart from the male voices ;-) But phil is getting more multi faceted. he has stepped into the shoes of Graham Colton while leaving me messages.

Oh yeah, so back to ...um...spring break....
So we decide to head north. and at the 9:30 club show Michael said that they were playing up in orono, which is right near where we were staying. Fancy that. So Aurora and I left on Sunday, a mere 4 hours after we go to bed from the 9:30 show. Hit a Wawa then the highway. Good tunes in the player and good times in the car. We hit up Vintage Vinyl, this really awesome record store in Jersey. Finally found a Ryan Adams album I was looking for. We almost got shot at a rest stop in Connecticut. Aurora was at the ATM then we hear a Middle Eastern man fight with some NYC kids. All you see are parent covering up their kids heads and running. It was hilarious, in a way.... Hit rain and snow. Stayed at Aurora's cousin's place at UNE. We ordered Papa johns....we were STARVING. So after waiting hours for this pizza that was way late and way expensive, we paid part in change. he wasn't pleased. The next day we hit up New Hampshire and I played photographer. Before we had left, Aurora had seen a license plate that said "Oh Maine" so we felt it necessary to shout that out every so often. OHHHH MAINEEEEE......that was Tuesdays fun. There was an inch or two of snow on the ground. And we saw steel dinisaurs in some guys yard. Oh trust me, this is all on film. Then we went to U of ME to see Jonasay play. After the show I had wanted to head home, I figured we were already up and that the 10 hour drive woul dbe more doable at night with no one on the road. Aurora had wanted to stay and wake up super duper early. We talked and figured we would head back to DE then. So we were all talking before we're leaving. And Justin is staring off iinto space. or we thought he was. (sorry , have to do it) Aurora has on this jacket. With pockets. And her hands are in the pockets. Then after Justin is silent for minutes, we hear "it's likea puppet show" as he is staring at her hands in her pockets. But it doesn't look innocent. Then we all follow his eyes and realize where he is staring. Nothing can be said. The Aurora says "yeah, they sometimes do that". Justin tries to save himself, but fails ;-) And all was saved. I missed the context of this, but Mike and Aurora apparently will always have Maine. And something about doing it like lobsters. Then we kidnap Mark and head home. We go and get gasat this place that was pretty far away from anything. Before we had left we got the lecture from Aurora's dad about losing keys and how I should have a spare set. Has anyone clued this man into how often I lose keys!?! Well, I jump out to get some coffee because its 1 am and we have 10 hours ahead of us. Aurora jumps out to smoke. Mark gets out to pump gas. After a few minutes in the gas mart thingy we come back to find the car locked. The keys are on the drivers seat. The spare set is in my bag. And Mark locked the doors to protect our stuff. Fun in Maine. So after fooling around in the mart thing, we have to call a locksmith. He saved the day. Who does that 600 miles from home??!??!?!?!?!?! So back on the road, time to head out. We stop to see Megan again at UNE. Driving driving driving. Amazingly I made it from Maine to NJ. Without getting a ticket from the hordes of cops we passed. Listen to some good tunes, had good conversation. pretty damn tired. We all hadn't showered or changed in a lot longer than what we should have. Got to DE around 11 am. Damn, we drove all night. Aurora leaves to go home, while Mark and I explored Newark. Went to Rainbow then ate lunch at Homegrown. Then we took the Cabrio out for a spin to Towson. first time this year the top was off. Word. Got to Brooke's and plpayed with the horses. then to the mall. then ate Chinese. then to a record store. Shit, we haven't slept yet!? Then off to DC then back. I slept FOREVER.
WHEW