The Pink Stuff

I SWEAR I am not really that nervous about our gig tomorrow at Mills College. It's just a gig. Not expecting much in the way of audience. It's more of a practice session with people watching. But today I came down with the worst stomach ache ever. Well, maybe not the worst, but pretty bad. I think it had to do with the giant handful of sugared/salted almonds I ate for a snack today on my ravenous, empty stomach. When I was an undergrad I had a case of what the doctor called a "pre-ulcerous" condition. It felt like getting punched in the stomach by a very big man, continuously. That's what it felt like today, but in great debilitating waves. Not nausea, just pain. While a wave would be hitting me, I'd be thinking, what in the world is causing this? And then I'd try to think of the reasons why, and I would ask myself, is it because of the show tomorrow? And that would make me stress a little and it would hurt more, but really, I am so NOT stressed about the show. Jangly nerves, a little. But I'm not the type of person to fold themselves in half when I get stressed. If I'm stressed, I clean.

It was the almonds. Right? Bad almonds. I was downing the pink stuff all afternoon.

Tonight we practiced a little. We messed up here and there, but in general, none of us were that worried. I need to practice a bit more. Just polishing. Go over my Mokuyobi solo. Run through the sequence of Heiya a bit. It's all good.

Except for those darn almonds.