A twofer day to be sure. I got to hang with a friend who was in town and go to a major piping contest all in the one day. How many people would kill for a pal and pipes!
My friend Sam was in town for the Kidscreen conference and we met for breakfast by my flat. I was waiting for him outside the restaurant and there he appeared in all his glory dragging his wheely suitcase. It was such a pleasure to see him. He made me feel like I was homesick and hadn't realized it. I admire him greatly. He is the guy who is forever with the ideas and the angles, but listens to you and your ideas as well. He always has an obsession/passion thing going like golf, tennis, collecting French village ornaments to bring home to his wife. Right now it is yoga. He taught me many things professionally but also about taking photos and truly enjoying life, especially while travelling. He took me to Brasserie Lipp in Paris when we were working there. Fantastique. I love that he loves his kids so much and encourages them to become their own people. He always has photos of them, but not in an annoying way (this time a video news clip of his son Cavan shirtless in the college cheering section with his chest painted for the team that landed on Fox Sports.) He has been a great mentor to me and a friend. Merci, Sam.
We had breakfast at this place by my house on Amsterdam that was excellent. It is now on my roster of local places. Then we took a long walk in the park and talked politics of the day. That's what people do in parks. They stroll, take it in and talk about items of the day. Not to elevate to such levels, but it is like the Seurat painting I was talking about earlier. Okay, I elevated.
This evening my new pipe major Byrne and another band mate Paul picked me up at my flat and we drove to the swanky Newark, New Jersey Airport Holiday Inn for the Metro Cup contest. This is a professional invitational solo piping contest put on by the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association. Some of the best players from Scotland, Canada and Ireland were there. It was great to be able to listen to some of the best. Willie McCallum won the overall and Jack Lee won the Piobaireachd contest. It was good to see Jack. I went up and said hello. He wondered what I was doing all the way across the country. I was especially impressed with Alastair Dunn in the light music. He is going to be a major dude!
So as I see friends, walk in the park, listen to pipes and get home safely to my own bed I have to be grateful no matter what.
Damn.
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