BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Dear Milwaukee,

Canceled show, and a drive to Bloomington on the pure desperate hope that something will turn out in spite of my advancing pessimism.

Luckily an Indianapolis guy had a friend in Bloomington who owns a health restaurant, so an impromptu show was arranged. I played a set on a bamboo stage while patrons indulged in pad thai. To be honest, it was an entirely awkward situation, and I ended up only playing 3 songs because the others were deemed too loud. But to be appropriately thankful, they fed me a meal and fresh vegetable juice. It was enough to be encouraging and disappointing at the same time, that my new friends became determined to find another venue where stomping and singing would be welcome.

Scene change: House Bar. A house converted into a bar. Quirky, check, and new friend Zach knows the owners. We drove over to find that a band was setting up for an evening show (first time the place has ever had a music show!), and I became the evening's opener. The house was packed, and everyone was very involved with the stomping, etc-- it was GREAT! Passed out a million buttons, met some fascinating poets, fiction writers, musicians, artists, and sampled a local Upland Wheat Ale.

As if that weren't enough to prove, once again, that the evening was serendipitous...

I ran into a girl I met in Brooklyn, Anna -- she was the one who was at the accordion repair shop! (See video below). It was both of our first times in Bloomington, and we are both heading to Chicago next!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbWGncLuLiM&feature=player_embedded

Also ran into touring musician pal Sam Lowry, who was a surprise encounter, although I suppose it's reasonable since he's from Bloomington. However, he tours so much and I've only crossed paths with him in expected music situations like SXSW.

Bloomington is hip and arty, with a heightened respect for the bathroom as a sacred space.

Serendipity and sunshine,

Margaret