A fight with the roommate. Groggy morning words that shouldn’t have been said.
Apology to roommate.
Morning pages.
Text to further apologize to roommate.
Oatmeal squares.
Allergies constantly making nose run.
Music.
Email.
A bit of work.
Phone call from Pat.
A bit of other work.
Searching Adobe website.
Phone call to Adobe. Impatience.
Sister coming over.
Grocery store.
Shredding cheese.
Sister rolling dough.
A bit more work.
Epic pizza.
Phone call to Adobe.
Phone call to Pat.
Phone call to Adobe.
Internet problems. Sitting outside to get better signal. Inside. Outside. Inside. Out.
Adobe document that must be printed, signed, scanned back in. What year is this? 1999? Why don’t they ask me to fax it?
Exhaustion.
Realization that my printer’s scanning capabilities must be set up using the CD.
Irritation.
Cannot find the CD in desk, closet, basement.
Helpless.
Oh, look. Faxing is an option.
Faxing definitely needs CD … and also a landline. And a time machine.
Much whimpering. Maybe a mini-fit.
Sister is calming.
Will use sister’s scanner.
1990s document sent. Relief.
Sister’s cat making allergies worse.
A bit of work.
Friend: There are Bon Iver tickets left. Get People to come.
People and Me: Him. Haw. Should we go? $40. Him Haw. Yes.
Tickets gone.
Friend: Sold out in front of your eyes? Bummer. I will try to get you tickets. Plan on going.
People and me: Oh, well. Saved $40. Let’s play frisbee.
Friend: Can I use your printer to print my ticket?
As long as it doesn’t involve scanning.
Show up at frisbee.
Friend calls: I think I have tickets. I will call you back.
Me: Woohoo!!
People: Uh. I would be fine not going. I mean. I don’t know. Him. Haw.
Friend: I got ’em!
Me: Uh. I don’t know if People want to go anymore. You bought them? Oh. They’ll go.
Friend: $25!
Me and People: WOOHOO!
Friend: I need to use your printer again.
Four accidental pages of half tickets printed.
More chaos about timing of departure and dinner and Friend’s friends arriving from out of town.
Driving to Council Bluffs.
Arrive.
Friend forgot ticket at home.
8:00. Friend makes it back for the opener.

And suddenly, nothing else matters. Here we are.

Soon, Justin Vernon is 20 yards from me. I’m standing. The weather is perfect. The bass makes my pant legs bounce against my shins.

Within the first four bars, this is the best concert I’ve been to. Maybe because it’s the freshest. Maybe because it was redemption for a day of start-stops and misfires and putting out fires. Maybe because I really love Bon Iver and I was willing to spend money to enjoy this incredible music, because I really really love myself.