Cleared for Take-Off

Well, it's on the books. I'm cleared to take Friday, July 22, off from work to drive to Nashville for two amazing concerts. Now I just have to figure out the logistics of all this. [Edit: To alleviate confusion: The concerts are both Thursday, July 21. I'm driving up there after work (hopefully leaving early?), staying the night, visiting Dan & Co., probably meeting up with Mattie, shopping, drinking with Andy, staying the night again, then coming home.]

• The Ben Folds/Weezer concert starts at 7:30 p.m. There is one opening act (The Frey). I'm hearing differing reports as to whether Ben Folds or Weezer will play first.
• The gates to Dancin' in the District (the Cake concert) open at 5:30 p.m. There are three opening acts (Tegan & Sara, Copper and Harsh Krieger).

I've got to estimate how long each opening act will play and see if I can manage to see half a concert at each place. They're a little less than a mile away from each other, so I think I'm going to wear my walking shoes and trek on foot. Or not. Depends on weather, etc.

Kelly Clarkson (like, omigod, American Idoooool!) will be playing at the Grand Ole Opry House the same night. I will be missing this concert. I am not crying.

Now on to something completely different...

In the interest of having a post with some merit instead of merely my travel plans, I will post a poem of poemy goodness! Yippee!

Zipped
From the sidelines
I watch you wither,
slither and retreat into yourself
the way I once did
before The Fall.
Thirteen years captive
and six days of freedom
taught me
Voices are Choices
and mine was my own.
So why do I choke
whenever I talk to you,
fish for the things
I should have said long ago?
Why do I trip over words
stuck between us,
deep-rooted picket fences
through which we can see
the inevitably greener grass
and Time splayed out
basking in That Which Never Was?