the first CD i ever owned was the collected works of simon and garfunkel, purchased by my dad for me, and played on repeat for many years.

i later learned that, oh yeah, paul simon did some pretty amazing stuff on his own afterward.  i stole my parents' graceland album and never gave it back.

(proof that i still have it.  sorry, mom and dad!!)

a couple months ago i found out from nora that paul simon was doing a reunion tour with ladysmith black mambazo, the south african group with whom he recorded graceland.  nora and i agreed that going to that concert would be one of our bucket list items - things you only do once in life, and after that moment you can die happily.

fast forward to last week.  i'm in a paul simon mood, i do some internet research to see where he'll be playing on his graceland tour, and i find out that he'll be playing in london while i'm in england.  tickets are about $100 for general admission, standing room only, outdoors-in-london-so-it-will-clearly-be-raining.  I DON'T EVEN CARE.  some speedy email conversations with oxford friends erupt, one friend is in, and it ends today in the purchase of two tickets to the concert.

i am beyond excited.  truly, i'm not sure i have the words to express how i feel about this.



i have had a stressful and frustrating last three weeks of work.  i'm SO READY for this year to end, as much as i love my job.  i just watched this video three times in a row, and cried through it all.  oh, the power of music.

i can't wait for this concert.  i need this concert.