D L E I F H C T U R C E I T A K

this morning while driving in montana we got into an accident that was absolutely terrifying. the road conditions were just awful. ice and snow everywhere. no plows in sight. I came around a corner going about 60 and see a pickup truck ahead. I am almost immediately driving right behind it and realize that it’s only moving at about 35 mph. because the passing lane had been sparsely driven on it had a lot more ice and snow and as I swerved into to avoid the slowpoke(who was not using hazards despite driving 40mph under the limit) and hydroplaned into a guard rail that was about a foot from a huge ravine. so scary. don’t go on tour in the winter. it’s not a smart thing to do.

despite a rough morning I’m excited about playing in Bellingham tonight at jinx. you should come if you live nearby.

Grand Rapids, MI.

I spent a large part of the last two week as a fragment of myself. I’m sorry if I saw you. I’m sorry if you could tell. This tour has been surprisingly taxing on me emotionally and I really haven’t been myself. I was very depressed late last year and I dealt with it and it started to wane and actually felt like it went away for a while. putting yourself in socially demanding and physically uncomfortable situations for 9 weeks isn’t much of a safe bet that you’re going to wake up every day and feel like you can endure it or carry on with a healthy attitude or go to a show and have normal conversations without feeling distracted or indifferent or even on the verge of crying explosions. tour is not conducive to that.

i’ve been in michigan for the last three days and i’m beginning to feel much better. i’ve been knitting and not drinking as much and spending time with really close friends. i’ve been making an effort. the tour has 4 weeks left.

i’m playing in chicago tonight at the moving castle. i’m very sad/honored to play one of their last shows.

so i’d like to publicly state that i will be cutting this tour a week short for multiple reasons, mostly for convenience. it will make my tour 8 weeks instead of 9 and it will save me from having two 12+ hour drives. also, it turns out that touring for longer than 4 weeks is really rough on my mental clarity and capricious depression. as happy as i am to play in all the places and for all the people i am scheduled to, it’s an incredibly daunting endeavor and in retrospect i wish i’d thought to break it up or make it a little shorter. my last day will be (hopefully) new orleans on march 17th.

as of right now i have plans to (again, hopefully) do a tour in the summer with my sister’s band SWEARIN’. i’ll definitely post more about that when i have a more solid idea of when and where that’s happening.

Ladyfest Boston was real cool. Playing Syracuse with Shoppers was real cool too.

I’m playing in Buffalo tonight at Sugar City! Come on out.