My first night

Last Thursday night was filled with several "firsts" for me. After the excitement of the election (a first for the nation), I needed an energy outlet. I wanted to get out among humanity, so I set out alone to hear some music

The first "first" was attending a concert at the Duck Room - an intimate venue located in the basement of world famous Blueberry Hill. This renowned room has hosted many celebrities and even more up'n'comers. Tonight Hayes Carll was playing and my boot scootin' boogie mode kicked into high gear.

Carll is a talented young musician whose music is what I would call Country Blues with a big splash of Honky Tonk. As his star rises, opportunities to see him in a cozy setting could be dwindling.

It was a fun show. Good toe tappin' tunes, a great view of the action and close proximity to the iconic Beatle Bob. Being in the same room as Bob was my third "first" of the evening. (Carll was the second, in case you lost count.) Beatle Bob is legendary in St. Louis. To say he is an avid music fan is a vast understatement. He takes in hundreds of shows a year and has become quite a barometer for where you should be hangin' if you want to hear great bands.

The Beatle moniker stuck with him because his hair got stuck in the '60s.....still styled very similar to George Harrison from the Rubber Soul album. His dance moves haven't improved much either. But he's in the groove and that's all that matters.

I headed home after the show re-energized and turned on TV before turning in. Conan O'Brien came on and he was interviewing Elvis Costello. Yay, definitely my night for good music. I headed to the lavatory to wash up and when I returned to the TV, Elvis had been replaced by Madeleine Albright. Tres yay. With her amazing political experience, an insider take on the election would be interesting.

As the chat wound down, the camera pulled back and revealed that Elvis was still sitting on the couch next to Madam Secretary. Clever Conan said, "You know, there's something about the two of you that just screams duet". Ha, that Conan.

Well, Elvis reached behind the couch, pulled out his guitar, and before you could say "Ah 1, ah 2", they were crooning a tune. What's wrong with this picture!?! Elvis Costello and Madeleine Albright in a duet. That was my fourth "first" of the evening.

I think Ms. Albright is quite inspirational. She has multiple degrees, speaks six languages, but put her career on hold after graduation and marriage to raise three daughters. It wasn't until the late 70's that she jumped into public service, almost twenty years out of school.

Basically, she reinvented herself. She took all the knowledge that had been simmering and went from mother/wife to Secretary of State in a relatively short period of time. As I struggle to find my "passion," she impresses with her accomplishments. As a late bloomer, I see her life as an affirmation that I can still carve my niche in the world.

But then I had my fifth "first" of the night.....and it was a revelation. I realized I don't want to emulate the success of Ms. Albright, I want to be Beatle Bob.

Earlier in the evening as I watched him sway and jerk to the music, jab his finger at the musicians and groove blissfully in the moment, I found myself envious of how completely comfortable he was with himself. He has found a passion and he lives it righteously.

Visit Bob's MySpace page and you'll see that he has a wide variety of interests outside of music. You will learn that kindness and consideration are also very important to him. And you will find that he has over 2,100 registered friends! (I've got two and they are both spam.)

Where does this take me from here? Who knows. Even with a night of "firsts" and a major revelation, I may be no closer to finding my groove, but the living righteously part is a good place to start.