Long pause

So, a few things that have happened since I last wrote forever ago-

- I haven't gone out very much after 6:30PM since moving to NYC. Other than the nights I go to the theatre with Michael, I've been in bed by 10, unless I've started on the downward spiral of New Girl episodes, in which case I'm up until the writing gets bad again.

On a Friday a few weeks ago, I was planning my night- deciding whether to read Vanity Fair's profile of Nicole Kidman or sleep, when an acquaintance from Regina, Natalie, emailed me. Would I like to hang out with her tomorrow night? In the time since I'd seen her, she said, she'd married the bassist from Arcade Fire. They were playing a secret (but sold-out) Williamsburg gig that night. Would I like to come backstage and have a drink? Yeah sure why not. The one night I go out, might as well spend it backstage at the show of one of my favourite bands.

Natalie and I grabbed beers from the corner store (which made no sense since there were tubs of them backstage) then found our way through a makeshift curtain. We were standing by the snack table (Heineken on ice! Fresh carrots!) when the band gathered and slid their arms onto each other's shoulders to form a circle for their pre-show salutations. Natalie and I awkwardly looked away and around the room. It felt like we were witnessing a very intimate moment and we were the only two non-band members in the room. So off to our chairs we went.

The audience, which was a mix of Pitchfork-reading 20-somethings and oldies like me, was dressed up in tuxs and ball gowns. The band played new tunes for the most part, and it felt a little like a rehearsal for the tour they were about to embark on. After the show, the backstage area filled up and I stuck beside Natalie and Tim.

A very dapper looking gentleman, his curly hair greying, walked up and gave Tim a hug. "Hi Mac," Tim said.

"I have a couple things for you,"said Mac. He handed Tim the yet-unreleased new Spanish album from Destroyer.

"Do you like Destroyer?" Mac asked me.

"Hell ya,"I said. "Is the new album any good though?"

Pause from everyone. "Yes, I think it is," Mac finally said. Of course this was Mac McCaughan from Superchunk, founder of Merge Records. Who produces Destroyer and Arcade Fire. He better think it's good.

At this point I actually saw someone I kinda sorta knew - John Cameron Mitchell, creator of Hedwig and Hannah's boss on Girls. I excused myself from the awkward and approached him to say hi. He grabbed my arm and slurred "come have a smoke with us." I'm not sure if he knew who I was, but out I went. He pushed open the emergency exit and pulled me into the alleyway. And there, waiting by a garbage bin, was Owen Pallett. I remember him standing in a wisp of smoke, but that might not be accurate.

"Caaarrriie, do you know Owen? Have you heard of Final Fantasy? That's him."
"Of course, I love your work. In fact, I saw you in Regina once. I asked you to come join us for drinks, and you said no."
Again, pause. "Well, that was a tough tour. We were all really tired..."
"You said it was because you'd drank so much in Saskatoon!"
"Oh...I'm sorry.... if that offended you." He looked quickly at John.
"No, no! I don't care! I really don't! I'm just...talking." John quickly changed the subject to Obamacare.

It was a super fun night, but mostly because Natalie and I hid in a corner, drank beer and talked. Even in the midst of backstage craziness, nothing beats girl time.

Also,

- Still waiting for Green Card. Wondering if I'll ever be allowed entry into the work force again.

- Alice does a little dance every time she hears the word "robot."