2004-05-17 - 8:43 a.m.

on friday night i managed to sprain my foot. i wasn't drunk, but i did fall down in a bar. missed a step, tripped over my big shoes, and went down like a house of cards in a hurricane. i could feel my foot beginning to swell immediately. it's now the lovliest shade of purple on each side. i wish i had been drunk, it wouldn't have hurt so damn much.

those who have met me in person know that as well as being a tall drink of water i'm just a hair clumsy. my companions were of course concerned and got me a bag of ice. i elevated my foot and tried to act cool. its not like i haven't hurt myself before. i limped home and swallowed ibuprofren like candy.

so saturday was shot. i moped around the house, watched videos, actually hobbled around on a cane. d came downstairs and killed two bottles of wine with me. i was meant to be at the psy.geo.conflux, but not being able to walk was going to severely limit my participation.

by sunday, i could hobble around without the cane. i woke at 6a to finish the t-shirts for the human scale chess game. most of the trains that are convenient to my neighborhood were out for the weekend, and i was concerned about everyone being able to find game HQ. the first one to arrive was a reporter from the LA times.

eventually everyone collected and costumed and we started about an hour late. the chess players played a very interesting game. we were short several pawns and a rook, but many captured pieces came back and got redeployed onto the board as different pieces. everyone who did show up was kind, enthusiastic, fun, and really supported the project. we repaired to the bar around the corner after the carnage was over. the bar owner was the black king.

my band played the closing party for the conflux, which i helped to organise. unfortunately, i was too tired and strung out to enjoy myself much. for the first time in memory, i got really nervous before going on, and i had a take me around the corner so i could have a good cry before taking the stage. we sounded pretty good, but we still need more practice playing out. i thought my guitar sounded out of tune and funky, so i didn't play it much during our set. the next band's lead guitar sounded funky in the same way, though, so i decided it wasn't me.