Thursday, 7/31

First things first.

Last night, I do believe, was a success--

I don't know the exact number yet, but I'm guessing we had somewhere in the neighborhood of 300-ish people joined us last night for “Happy Hour—The Legendary Bars of Marquette and the Stories You May (Or May Not) Remember”. To a person, they seemed to have a good time, and I spent probably half an hour afterwards listening to even more stories that people didn't seem to mind sharing.

That was cool. I think we should do it again, if I must say so myself. Especially because they were actually people who took advantage of the fact that the entire stroll was within Marquette's Social District, and they could get into the spirit of things.

And yes, that pun (probably) WAS intended.

8-)

And second things second—for a tour about bars, especially old ones that were usually filled with a dim haze of cigarette smoke, we had the perfect sky--

Photo courtesy Doug Garrison

Yesterday was probably the second worst day of haze & smoke we've had here this summer (just after the one in June where the smoke was actually rolling in the streets).  I'm hoping the haze & smoke (with an Air Quality Index in the red) didn't cause some people to stay home last night. I mean, I wouldn't blame them. After leading the tour and talking non-stop last night in the haze I woke up in the middle of the night with a bunch of gunk in my throat, and even now my voice sounds kind of raspy.

So, you know, it can go away any day now. Really, it can. Especially because I have a whole...what, day or two with nothing on the schedule? That's rare, and if the smoke would allow me to enjoy the day or two, that would be great.

I mean, I realize it probably won't happen, but a boy can dream, right?

(jim@wmqt.com), dreamer