I have stared into the gaping maw of the monster that is Phish fandom and have lived to tell the tale.

See, Phish have come to Hampton to play at the coliseum for three nights and I made the mistake of running my errands in Hampton today. See - I practically live in Hampton, so it's much easier than moseying over to Newport News or such and even though I knew the situation - Polyanna that I am - I though "well how bad can it be?"

Funny how you forget things. Like the time it took me hours to get home because of Phish. But hope springs eternal in this heart, so to Hampton I went.

Dreadlocks. Beards. Little wool hats with tassels. And lines at the grocery store that will long be remembered in legend and song. I actually resorted to the tactic of purchasing flowers so that I could pay for my groceries at the flower shop. Otherwise, my shrimp would have become quite another life form and I would have been sorely vexed.

So now I have carnations on the table.

Being a musical omnivore, you would think I would like Phish. But I don't. Maybe I haven't given them a chance, but I just don't get it.

Trey Anastasio is a nice guy I'm sure, but he surely isn't god. That's reserved for whomever has made me happy at any given moment, and the number of shrines I have built is becoming legendary. But sorry Trey, you haven't made me happy yet, so no shrine for you now. But I will enjoy the flowers - so I guess I can thank you for that.

We had lunch at Nick's Seafood Pavilion today with Jim's folks. If you've never been to Nick's - you need to get thee to a motorcar today and go there since the bulldozers are beginning to rev their engines in anticipation of knocking it down. I can't say that the servidce was stellar - I mean, the guy's not going to have a job soon, so what are they gonna do? Fire him? But the food remains good and the atmosphere is something that needs to be experienced. There are statues of Greek gods and goddesses everywhere along with 1960s style furniture and over the top lamps and paintings that would have any interior designer reaching for the Maalox. It overlooks the York river, and I guess the powers that be don't give two flips about the legendary status of the place. May they rot in Hades as that would be most appropriate.