Amanda Palmer is one ballsy m-f'er..

W00t! Stay for the pout at the end!! As far as I can tell, that's her, through and through, no pretense. She's insecure and rabid and ballsy and theatrical and her blog says basically that.. and she's my age (I'm now getting a special thrill from "being-the-same-age-as-really-amazing-cool artists'. As a kid, they were all older. And I can appreciate the younger ones. But oh man... You find someone kickass who was born in the mid70s, and it just makes me giddy.)

And OH NO!!!!

This weekend was crazy. And silly. It was legend - waitforit - dary, but at the same time it was very sweet and simple. Also... I might be making it up. I'm still processing it.

The Chicago road trip that was supposed to begin on Thursday night perhaps wasn't going to happen, as Partner In Crime got a call from the Man. The Man told him (in a semi-threatening tone) to be in town Friday afternoon. Fish need to swim, people need to eat. The Man's threatening tone was not to be ignored. Which left us staring at each other at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.. what do we do?

WE GO!!

We drive 5.5 hours to the beautiful Madison, WI (stopping only at Baldwin, WI for Hardees)

Things I learned #366: Wisconsin wants to make us all fat. (Delicious!)

We purchased Hardees from a man named Bob and a woman with amazing violet eyeshadow up to her brows. We drive into Madison around 10:30 p.m., and rumble our way to the lovely Genna's.

Genna's was honestly aces - - we met two guys named Jack, and decided that this is where we would drink if we lived in Madison, despite the rest of the service being craptacular. Sweet feel, all a mix of grad students and young professional hip types. One of the Jack's gives us directions to State Street. Begin adventure part 2 and the Douchebag parade.

Mannn... there are a lot of douchebags in Madison. And girls with really really really short skirts. In really really really cold weather. We wander, lost amongst the screaming girls and sweatshirted boys, feeling surreal and old.

But that's Okay! ...As the awesome Scott and Danny at BW3's (the one place we stopped to gather ourselves) told us about Paul's Club.

Paul's Club has a tree in it! A FULL SIZED TREE!!

Paul's Club also had the amazing Adam and Nick. And Vicky and Andrea. We made friends with these strangers. We bought a 21 year old (who knew Andrea) a birthday drink. We talked to insanely-drunk girls on the street, with maracas sticking out of their tops (literal maracas, not figurative boobs). I get the hiccups. We shut down Paul's Club.

We then go to Perkins. With Adam and Nick and Vicky and Andrea, strangers no more, at 4 a.m..

The beautiful Andrea offered up her futons and recliners (we were planning on crashing at a hotel.) We woke up on said futon, next to a passed out guy on a couch, in the living room of a college house, to a NWA poster and a twelve pack of Pabst.

We were so friggin' lucky. We had such a good time. Madison, we thank you.

Next stop, a speech tournament! Annnnndddd CHICAGO!!!

Day two (otherwise known as Saturday) on the next post. Will it stack up to Madison? (possibly!) Will I lose my debit card? (yes!) Will my driver's side front door open? (umm.. no. Not yet. My Kia is all, unexpectedly, Dukes of Hazzard).

Onward.