On a whim.

With 30 minutes to kill before today's call time, I felt the impulse to come update my blog. Normally, I'll write up a post, edit it, and spend a day or two thinking about it before I finally post it, just to make sure it's exactly the way that I want it (sometimes perfectionism is so inhibiting!). But even though I still need to post about last week's birthday happenings, that's just going to have to wait until another day.

Yesterday was a remarkable day on the road, notable for the weird series of occurrences it presented.

Firstly, I went on a really long run in the morning on a gorgeous trail here in Longview, TX, near our hotel. It was refreshing to run on a paved path, surrounded by incredibly tall pine trees and flocks of various birds I'm not used to seeing in Arizona. I've been struggling with some leg issues and minor injuries the past week, so I'd also been very much feeling the urge to get out and exercise. [Plus, I'm running a half marathon in 9 days, which means I'm feeling the pressure to squeeze in a few more long runs before I race!]

After my long run, though, I was quite exhausted. Never before had I run 9 miles on a show day, so the rest of the afternoon proved to be an experiment in stamina. Would I make it through the show? Would I be able to jump? Would I keel over in exhaustion during some strenuous number? Only time would tell.

Just prior to last night's show, I wasn't really in the mood to get out and perform. I was tired, exhausted, and just wanting to be home. (For what it's worth, I've had the intense desire to be home for about a week now--I only have to keep going till late Sunday night!)

As the show started, I began feeling a little bit more energy and enthusiasm. By the time I nailed my Ghost Riders solo (which is among my more stressful solos just because it's so unbelievably fast), I was pretty much feeling on top of the world. Out of seemingly nowhere, I was able to conjure both energy and an intensity in focus that I hadn't felt for quite some time. Combine those things with a good audience and I actually thought to myself during the show, "THIS IS WHY I LOVE BARRAGE."

Something about last night's show just really clicked for me. I have no idea how other players felt (we usually all have drastically differing opinions about the show when we discuss it afterward), but for me, it was everything I strive toward.

Then, after the show last night, it came up in discussion that tonight's show is in Murphy, TX, where we performed in November 2008. That performance in Murphy, TX, still ranks in the top few greatest days I've ever had on tour. And, at that point, I even referred to it as "The most wonderful day ever" in an e-mail I sent to my former teacher after the show.

Though I have no idea if the specific people who made it so wonderful last time will be there tonight, all that matters is that they made it so wonderful for me once before.

Funny how life reminds you how good it can be when you don't expect it.

Home on Sunday.