Broadcasting via the journalism room... all chaos has broken loose. Papers and people are darting in all directions. A random pen zooms by my forehead. Yes, welcome to the final days of newspaper staff where laziness, quirkiness, and liberating pandemonium mean 25 pages of headaches, nasty nail-biting habits, and gnashing of teeth. Currently as I clickety clack on le clavier, I reek of cigarette smoke and candy canes. Now that's a unique combination. Love me, I'm a noncomformist. Sorry, I'm tongue and cheeky today because I've been deprived of a full nights rest. Last night Suus and I drove to Rock Hill to meet up with Floortje and Annika at Manchester Tavern to see you know who. Those marvelous musicians that have won my ceaseless admiration. The one, the only JUMP (little children). We got there an hour early so we could reserve four prime location seats, front row, center... close enought to pick up the sheen of Matt's red coiffure and smell Jay's Guiness. Perhaps it was our persistence that won them over because we were definitely under age. I had not checked the age limit for the show. A bouncer, in baby-blue jeans and shirt, let us in because 1. we were dressed very cutely 2. we spoke in accents- German, Dutch, and (moi) French. How could he say no? Annika confessed to me while we were drinking water at the bar that she was only sixteen. The bouncer had told us to be on our best behavior and inquired how old we were... ja vole! Waiting for David Mead to open, we grabbed something more to drink and played a tv quiz show. Floortje and Suus won almost every round.. alas the theme? European colonies... 3/4 of the questions were about Dutch exploration! Annika and I gave ourselves handicap points. So, considering that I think we are the real wiiiiiiiners. So, the show went on with us in the front row, soaking up every minute. The place was packed, there were fifty or so people in the back and about 25 seated on the hardword floors near the stage. We actually sat down- butt to floor. Floorjte towered above us (she's 6') but every couple of minutes excused herself so she could fetch her Coke. Susanne got tired midway through and rested her head on my shoulder. I feel we're bonding all over again, where something went wrong. After Matt sang body parts as he was testing the PA system, Annika swore he was gay. I disagreed then taught her a new word: metrosexual. There were all sorts of warm colors- the amber-colored floors, red lights, sienna-colored cellos, Johnny's caramel bass and violas being played by a trio. One, being a lively guy from Panama to whom I spoke with after the show. He was wearing a shirt that said "I'm Big in Europe" that I later discovered, his aunt had sent him while she was studying in Britain. We had a small bonjour/ca va conversation in French. Oh lala. I introduced Floortje to Ward. She thought he gave the best on-stage performance... and he DID! When Matt blew his tin whistle for Dancing Virginia, Ward took the cello bow and mimicked him... and later as Matt strummed his mandolin he imitated a Gondola boat captain, paddling through Venice. Oh, what a barrel of monkeys. Aside:Nikki, I like your outfit today. Very AndyWarhol-esque.