Yeah, welcome to Arizona: “It’s a dry heat.” That line in itself evokes enough reason to build a time machine. Why? To go back in time and fong the shmo who first uttered that phrase, preferably just before the uttering.
I’m occasionally asked why I live in Arizona if I’m not terribly fond of the excessive heat. Apart from the majority of my family being here, please keep this in mind: I moved down here from Chicagoland in the late 80s, the summer following a major blizzard, in fact. A blizzard in which we were nearly snowed in save for our truck, snow chains, and the well-established protocol of going out to shovel or snowblow the driveway every couple hours. As hot as it’s been in Arizona, it’s never been so hot I couldn’t get in the car and drive to go get provisions.
And on that topic, you guessed it folks, summer is indeed upon us. Put up those sun shades, crack the windows, and for the love of all things you wish to not be sizzling, put light-coloured towels across your steering wheels and seats.
What does that mean for Open Beta? Well as Brian mentioned a couple weeks ago, this is the weird slow month or two we get each year in Phoenix. There’s a few of our favorite venues that don’t actively book during the hotter months, and whereas we miss those opportunities to perform, it does allow for the chance for us to get away as we wish. Brian’s off to Frostbite Falls or some such, and apart from some video production and website maintenance, Erin and I will be working on some much-needed and planned weekend projects around the homestead and arranging for some getaway time ourselves. Conveniently, this will also give me a chunk of time to adapt to the new dental work. It’s almost like we planned this out for a change.
After everyone’s had their summer break, we’ll be jumping right back into rehearsals and shows out again. So remember to work on your zils while we’re gone, m’kay?
Seriously, everyone please stay safe this summer, and have fun!
Much Love,
Paul
(Image of The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali 1931 is public domain, but if you ever find yourself in the area, it is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s (MoMA) collection in New York City, and is located on the fifth floor in the Alfred H. Barr, Jr. galleries.)
I didn’t know you were from Chi town, that’s so cool! Enjoy the hiatus and remember to hydrate, my love to all!
Seriously that monster blizzard lasted one whole week. 5-7 foot drifts. I vividly remember when I asked you and your sister about moving to Arizona you both shouted YES! I think we all got a bit of frostbite while shoveling. And the clincher was when the power went out in most of the county. Stoked the fire place for two days straight. No regrets in moving here. Dry heat or not, no shoveling required….just oven mitts in the car.