I’m in Montana this weekend, a state I have never before set foot in until now. A performing songwriter’s work day is neither glorious nor all that laborious, and it can at times be exhausting and tedious, proving that travel makes up 90% of the job, 9% of the time is spent waiting around, while 1% actually involves singing and playing. This was my Friday:

- In bed at 10pm the night before.
- Wake up at 1am.
- Fall asleep (again) at 2am.
- Wake up to a 4am alarm clock.
- Arrive at the Nashville airport at 5:06am.
- Check one bag, no guitars. “That’ll be $15 for the checked bag, sir.”
- Board plane to Charlotte and depart at 6:05am CST. Am amazed to discover that this airline charges for snacks and beverages in addition to the luggage fee. Take 2 Advil.
- Board plane to Denver and depart at 9:26am EST (terrible sinus headache for the first hour of 3 hour flight. Gulp 3 more Advil).
- Wish I could call in sick today.
- Say thanks to God I am on terra firma again (think to self, “Just one more leg of this trip”).
- Race through DIA trying to find gate for my connector.
- Scarf down incorrectly prepared McDonald’s cheeseburger while racing.
- Board plane to Kalispell, MT and depart at 12:20pm MST.
- Land at 2:45pm MST (think to self, “This is a great airport.” Marvel at nearby Glacier National Park and surrounding mountains).
- Wait at baggage claim for checked luggage (a brand new heavy duty travel case I purchased 3 days prior — clothes, music gear, guitar strings, merch, toiletries inside).
- Continue waiting as everyone else claims their luggage.
- Watch as placard on moving conveyor belt passes by: “This is the last of the checked luggage”. (think to self, “What’s so great about this airport?”).
- Proceed to Lost Baggage to file claim.
- Assuming the case is tracked down, am told I will not receive it until this time the following day. Airline employee churtles out a “sorry”.  (think to self, “I paid your company $15 to LOSE my luggage, and you don’t even offer me a common courtesy refund of that money??”). By now, me dislikes this airline very much.
- Get in friend’s car empty-handed and somewhat dejected. Proceed to Qdoba for taco dinner. Dr. Pepper is a nice beverage.
- Arrive at place I’m playing at on Flathead Lake. Stunning vista.
- Am taken to guest room. Nice. Private bath. No linens. Request linens. Receive linens. Make own bed.
- Want a nap. Lie down. Cannot sleep. Get up.
- Tune (borrowed) guitar. Try to sing. Sound like Linda McCartney. Too much head cold remnant. Gonna be a long night.
- Am told the place is overbooked. Would I please move to a new location, a cabin down the path? “Sure.” No private bath. No linens. Request linens. Receive linens. Make own bed again.
- Good thing I travel with a headlamp; Montana is dark at night.
- Am to sing one song tonight at first meeting. 11:33pm MST, sing song. Voice is shot. Finagle way through it. Impress no one.
- Listen to speaker. Speaker must dart off stage in the middle of talking to go puke. New person finishes speech. Not awkward at all.
- Speaker part II says prayer to end night.  Quietly rejoice — I can finally go to bed.
- 1:27am MST. Climb into non-hospital-cornered bed. Sleep. SLEEP.