Yep I've started chasing rodents around. Clearly it's time to get back home to fostering kittens and rescuing what I rescue best. I spent three days at home in NJ where I taught songwriting to the urban youth at the Kidsbridge Arts Camp. I've been working at this camp for the past five years and have acquired the loving moniker of Miss Skittle, which is great because they don't need to know my name and start looking for my YouTube videos. The ages range from 5 to 14, so the songs range from sharks and snacktime to racism and heartbreak. I really do enjoy working with the kids, but boy do they wear Miss Skittle out. I spend a lot of time during the day yelling and wrangling, but when it comes time to perform for the parents at the end of the week they know how to ham it up and perform. It makes me so proud.

Don't let that blonde kid fool you. He is MY NEMESIS.

I had four days of no shows and limited WIFI at a cabin in the woods with the family. I had no choice but to eat a lot of s'mores and spend quality time with them (them being the family-there was no quality time with s'mores). They like to play games, sing songs, and be adorable. See that lady in the red shirt? That is my mom. She taught me everything I know including how to cheat and get away with it by looking cute. Don't get caught in a game of rummy with her. Or Scrabble after her bedtime. She just gets downright silly.

That's my sis Rachel, Aunt Tammalamma Ding Dong, Uncle David, Mom, and Pops

Then it was off to a handful of shows down south! I saw my first Dragon Con in Atlanta and saw the shit show that was Athens GA the day before the homecoming football game. I will never understand the sports ball games. Below are two lovely fans who brought me their custom made bear-o-dactyl to bless. I baptized it with my thumbs up and promise to put it on the blog. We were at Mystery Brewing Company in Hillsborough NC, where I got a sweet tour of the little brewery making big hoppy waves in NC. I was even trusted with the naming of this fall's Oktoberfest!! Now I have to go back to drink it because they don't distribute to NJ.

Now I am in the homestead scooping poop again. I don't try to kid myself into thinking my cats actually love me, but I'm pretty sure they do give me the bro nod. I'll take the fact that they are steadfast users of the box as a sign that I'm am still welcome and possibly forgiven. Speaking good things about not touring, it's amazing what a pound of kale and a couple trips to the gym will do for my mental health. At the end of tour I can feel the bloating when I sit for hours in the car. Admittedly I don't help the situation by eating at Wendy's, but it is the lesser of the fast food evils in my opinion. They have a food. It's the potato, and it is glorious. But greens, I MISS MY GREENS. I've been for a few runs, and they are full of pain. They usually are, but this is a pain mixed with guilt that knows I brought it on myself. Still in the words of my friend The Oatmeal, BEAT THE BLERCH! And I shall, until I let it win next year.