Something's Phishy 'Round Here

Thanks to my friends at HT, I have spent the last 24 or so waking hours thinking about Fall Tour 1997. (My dreaming hours were about puppies for some strange reason. Cute and fluffy puppies. I digress...) This tour was so significant in my life as I met some people that would change the entire direction of my life. I am not sure exactly what direction I was going in at the time. It's possible I was just in limbo, waiting. I was literally in Purgatory. It was my first Fall post-IU and I was living in Durango, Colorado just kind of hanging out, working in the ski rental shop at the mountain. Instead of the usual Fall plans to hit shows in, say, Champaign, Cedar Rapids, or Louisville, I was now the furthest West I'd ever been in my life so our plans revolved around Vegas, Utah and Denver. I remember the moment I met the colorful people that would quickly become my best friends of post-college life, my Phish tour family, and who three years later would become my San Francisco family... who I still love very much to this day. And of course, the Jockey.

Today, livephish.com radio has been very helpful in reminiscing about the good ol' days with their broadcast of the entire Vegas '96 show. After turning up the speakers real loud and virtually sharing in the groove with friends all over Phish Nation via IM, I can remember how Simple things were. How phun!! Not that life is not it's own kind of fun now but... it's just... different, ya know?

Anyway, thanks Phish, as always. I still love you!