A fabulous song from The Dave Matthews Band, off their 2018 “Come Tomorrow” album. Dave is always a personal favorite and may well be the band I have seen the most live outside of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes or Michael Stanley.

I have two personal connections with DMB. This band was a link to connecting me with my daughters, we have seen the band probably four times together. They are in their thirties now and live in Chicago, so those days are gone, but the memories fill me with pride. DMB has helped me connect them with music, my greatest passion (outside of family) and for me to connect with them. My parents are of another generation, so a connection like this was not possible. Dave, thank you for this.

Also, I was blessed to be in my gig as Rock Hall Induction Talent Escort and got to chat with his manager and say hello to the lady inducting him into the Hall (one Julia Roberts). I stood in the high-end section while I watched their induction and fabulous closing set.

She hypnotized me with her groove
She collect the stars and simple moon
She might say she don’t but then she do
She before I wake up with nothing I know

There ain’t no God or man could kill the burning fire
She is born in the middle of my soul
If you wait too long to taste the jewel
Jewel is gone, the lights are off
But you have run out of time

MIX: Island Vibes, September 4, 2026. The Cleveland Museum of Art, my monthly gift. Not my favorite music genre, reggae, but fun was had, nonetheless. I loved my outfit and got tremendous confirmation on it while out and about.

I had to work this day, which is unusual on MIX days, so I was a bit spent. On the way to the museum, I made my usual stop at Bar Italia and again, a tremendous interaction. The bartender mentioned to someone else she worked in Erie (PA). I, of course as well documented here, have killed many a brain cell in Erie. She has worked at Oliver’s Rooftop, where I have hosted many a dinner. Chat, chat, chat and then I mentioned I would be running the Erie Marathon the following weekend. A lady seated across the bar, with her girlfriend, started asking me questions, she a runner from days gone by. We went back and forth, then the bartender mentioned the town she grew up in in New York and guess what? The woman I was talking to and the bartender both went to the same high school (although a decade apart)! How cool!

My evening at MIX as always was a sensory overload! Jennifer and Sherry, our shadowy former contributor here, were there. Many other friends were there, including Shelley, Daniel and Brian. I love these people, all.

The love I got on my outfit was awesome as quite a few asked to take a picture of me. Then after my shift, as I walked around, one friend after another hugged me and we chatted. I would simply walk around and one after another said hello to me. I am beyond blessed for this gig of mine!

Here is photographic evidence that I do in fact, have friends!

---

Why?

An oldie, but a goodie!

Why does this feel so right, yet feels so wrong?

Why does it make me happy and anxious at the same time?

Why does it bring me such joy and then the desire to get all cleaned up?

Why can’t I just be the man I am all day? Why can’t I be the woman I am all day?

Why does the assembly of the perfect outfit thrill me?

Why does a picture well taken validate me?

Why does my mind spin when finalizing an outfit? Oh yeah, that’s the perfect necklace! Those shoes pull the whole thing together!

Why is a purse so important? Why does carrying one put the cherry on the sundae?

Why is every detail so important to me?

Why do I walk like a woman when dressed, without thought?

Why has this come relatively easily for me when that isn’t the case with many sisters?

Why is this second nature to me?

Why do I look forward to getting dressed and then look forward to a stretch without dressing?

Why does it fill my mind every time my mind is idle? [Now you may understand why I try to stay so busy, so as not to be completely consumed by all of this.]

Why do I crave societal acceptance? Why do I need people to make Kandi complete?

Why can’t I figure out what to do with all of “this”? Something great is possible and I’ll die before I figure it out.

Why?

The above are all rhetorical questions, no one knows the answers.