I've got soul but I'm not a soldier...

So I haven't written anything about the bane of my existence in quite a while; Oh Crohn's Disease, how I wish I could forget you... In the past few months my Crohn's symptoms have been limited to stomach/intestinal cramps, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. Despite sleeping 16 hours a day sometimes, and not leaving my couch for days at a time, I would say this is an improvement. It's been a year since my last fistula was removed and I don't have another one forming (that I know of). I've been living with this set of symptoms long enough that I've sort of gotten used to them. (Not that one can get used to swirling carpet patterns or asking your friends to take you home because of sudden onset sickness...) However, I know it could get better. In the past two or three weeks however the phantom joint pain has returned. I say phantom because it disappears and reappears in different places with no warning. Last summer my left hip was a huge problem. It would sw...

Last night I saw The Alternate Routes at Park Tavern in Atlanta. This was my second Alternate Routes show and I must say, I was more impressed this time. My first A.R. show was in the middle of winter a few years ago. They played before Everclear at The Loft in mid February. It was freezing outside, steaming inside, and the acoustics were horrible. But the concert was memorable enough to cement The Alternate Routes as one of my favorite bands from first listen. If the setting for the first concert was bad, then last night was lovely. Park Tavern boasts an outdoor stage protected from the elements by a large white canopy. From the patio area you can see the Atlanta skyline. The weather was great and the small venue wasn't overly crowded. The Romans and Dangermuffin opened, and while both bands gave solid live performances, I don't know if I will seek out their music again. The Alternate Routes performed a stripped down set with lead vocalist Tim Warren, Eric Donnelly on ...