Dancing. Singing. Wordless vocalizing. Last night I was moved to do all of that. (I was also moved to buy a "Notorious Salad of Doom" T-shirt, because it's cute and based on a cool, funny song.) S.J. "s00j" Tucker, Besty "stealthcello" Tinney, and Alec James Adams's band Tricky Pixie performed at a benefit for Olympia, WA's Artesian Well; yep, that's a well in the middle of a downtown Olympia parking lot, currently open for anyone who wants to draw from it. The benefit was part of the effort to make sure it can stay open. And why not celebrate water by sweating?

The benefit was called "Rock on Water!" It was held in The Loft at Cherry, on the top floor of an industrial-y building. Words and names are painted onto many of the walls, pipes, and ceiling. Handmade banners were hung all over the space, donated by a local art group.

People were happy to see my goofy blood donation T-shirt, about being a Type-O donor. Two different people said they can no longer donate, both due to the same rule. One of them just called it "the homophobic rule." We commiserated over that, and I remained glad I've never been attracted to men. In happier sharing, I found that one of the women at the merchandise table had been at Emerald City ComiCon like me, and like me had also met Jeph Jacques. She was wearing a signed "SCIENCE IS A VERB NOW" T-shirt.

I hugged all three of the Tricky Pixies, plus s00j's very significant other and all-around good guy omnisti. So shadesong's hugs wewre successfully transmitted! (I was tempted to say 'Song also wanted me to deliver a kiss, but that would've been lying and I can let 'Song do that herself when she and Sooj next see each other.)

The first act (I'm blanking on his name, sorry) brought out a grab-bag of fellow musicians for a grab-bag of gentle songs, ending with what was for me a highlight of his set, a small-ensemble rendition of George Harrison's "Within You Without You." Sinuous and gentle and dance-causing. Being that my journal is called "I Me Mine," I don't deny my fondness for George.

The Tricky Pixie set was at times gentle, moody, rocking, funny, and sexy, like the group. They really got the crowd moving, and more dancing happened, including that linking-hands-and-running-around thing. I brought up the end of that.

We also (may have!) coined a term: "Adorable hardcore" became "Adoracore." Maybe you had to be there.

This trip has already been worth it for that. I had an easy time getting back to Uncle Mike and Aunt Nancy's home here in Olympia, then I rested. This trip is also for resting, and I managed to go between resting and flat-out sleeping until about 8:30 this morning. Success!

Bless my friends for being neat musicians who work for good causes.