We got to Athens about 8, and met up with a bunch of old friends in front of the good ol' Georgia Theatre. You gotta love that shit. Dave and Steph and I ran over to Nowhere Bar for a drink, and then we got our tickets and waited some more. It was disgusting outside. I happened to see Lauren Duffie and immediately pretended I didn't so she'd have to come over to me, and she did. She was complaining about the GA Theatre staff. They were dicks; they wouldn't let me leave Julie's ticket at the window, so I had to wait for her after doors. Luckily Manashi and her friend Anne happened to spot the car whose occupant shouted "ANNE!", and it was Julie, so once I tracked her down, in we went. We had quite a time struggling up to where Crystal and the girls were (second row), and when I went to the restroom (oh those horrible restrooms!), I was really really exasperated, because there were so many people who were apparently unable to grasp that I was trying to move through the crowd.

The show. The house lights in GA Theatre seem too bright these days, and the crowd isn't as enthusiastic as it used to be. Also, at first Jonny wasn't smiling a lot, and frankly, this concerned me. That might sound dumb, but Jonny beaming for most of a show is a mainstay. As the show wore on, though, he started grinning a lot more. I felt more at home as the show went on, as well, and the band seemed to get more comfortable, although that old jubilance wasn't there. They played an interesting-sounding new song. Everyone was also really happy (and it helped the nostalgic feeling) that they played Brooke's request, "Jump, Little Children" with the solos, the way they used to do regularly. Evan did a drum solo, Jonny did the ol' "Thermos Song" (he looked kind of annoyed, heh) (but good, in that old-fashioned outfit), Ward did a great "Julie-O", and Matt did a kind of haphazard accordion solo (complete with eye thing) and then segued into "Parents Just Don't Understand" which I'd never heard live. Jay sang a new song, which was quite interesting. I have no idea if it was a new song he'd written, or a cover he'd never done before.

After the show, we simply had to get out of there, because it was hot, and plus Brooke was thinking she'd not want to stay much longer since she felt ill. So a group of us waited outside. For quite a while (Brooke felt better). Which in retrospect was dumb, since not only was everyone else inside, it was cooler outside. Generally, by the time the band gets outside after a GA Theatre show, they are kind of blah. And it was a LONG time, so they were REALLY blah, except for Evan, who was in a really good mood. We had fun out there anyway. Like I said a lot of people were really happy about the Treats. Julie left at 2 because she said she was old. The band were spraypainting someone's "art car" and that was fun to watch. Matt put on an ugly black wig, and I dragged Crystal over and told him I had that present for him, but I wasn't going to give it to him with that wig on, so he took it off and looked embarrassed. So. Matt has a clock now and some buttons that he really liked. Just to explain, he didn't charge me for a lesson so I told him I'd get him something, and Matt Shook had suggested a clock. Which since he said he didn't have one yet, was a good idea. I'm not sure if that's a sentence. But you get what I mean. Matt also said (and I'm not sure if this is true) that Senate Park and GA Theatre turned off the A/C for those recent hot shows on purpose, because they don't like the band.

Then Lauren called me over and Crystal and Amanda and I went over to her. Oh, remember how in Charleston in July y'all were making fun of me for pronouncing bebe (the store) as "bee bee" instead of "bay bay"? WELL. Lauren does that too, and we were defiant, so kiss our asses ;) Lauren also owned a Saturn and liked it.

FINALLY we went to Nicole's, and Cha and I unfolded the couch but there was no covering of any sort. We mostly stayed up giggling anyway, in the age-old tradition, but when I tried to sleep, I had a hard time, since when cold air is blowing on me and I don't have covers, my body apparently can't concentrate on anything else. But turning off the fan would make me too hot. Oh well, it worked out. On the way home, we ran by McDonald's for breakfast. I got home about 10:30 and slept from 11 to about 2:30, I think, and then showered. I was seriously thinking I'd do some work today, but I probably won't until tonight. So I won't be hitting 40 hours this week but oh well. My dad is warning me about CNN now, since they're being investigated for accounting fraud, I believe. Sigh.

Anyway. It was a good time, although I think maybe that old ecstatic post-show high might be gone for good, since it's mellowed out. We'll see. Next show -- September 12.