Welcome, 24

Happy Thursday! I'm so so soooo so full right now. It's disgusting. !! What a crazy and interesting and nice birthday.

So let me tell you about my car. She's a pleasant old boat that my brother used to drive, and before he did, an old lady didn't. She's got a sparkly blue paint job, a real character.

For the past ...forever, she's also made this lovely terrible screeping sound in the engine. It's the belt! people on the street shout to me. I know, I know, I say. So put a pin in that.

My dad's car was in the shop, so we drove my car into LA to go see Eric Clapton yesterday. My dad had a meeting in the afternoon, so I drove out to Chatsworth and lounged in my car listening to the LP concert I had attended (the free download became ready just that morning). Finally it was time to head towards City Walk and see what there was to see before the show.

We got... two miles, and at a stop light something fell out of the engine. !! Lost power steering and the fan, the battery light started blinking because the alternator wasn't running. The needle on the temperature gauge started rising steadily. We limped into a Shell station that seemed to have a mechanic, and got it sorted out:

The screeping sound had been caused by a pulley that had been drifting out of place, pulling the belt out of alignment. This rubber bit inside the pulley had finally melted or snapped, and the pulley itself and just fallen out of of the belt system, just hanging out in the engine. So he ordered a new pulley and we ordered a rental car, and we left my sweet baby in Woodland Hills overnight.

The rental car was a massive minivan with satellite radio and automatic sliding doors on both sides. Meh. It got us to Universal Studios just fine.

Ohhhh Eric Clapton. Where do I start? The Gibson Amphitheatre was a classy venue with nice seats and great sound. Here's a picture. I would guess I was sitting right to the right of that aisle where the shot was taken from. Possibly another section over? Not bad, though. And what with those giant screens, there weren't really any bad seats.

I don't have as much to say about Clapton as I did about LP, because the day had started so early and been so distressing. But I mean, the man can play the guitar. I mean, in case you didn't know. I would say he's just as good now as he's ever been. And in my opinion, the strength of his voice last night was even better than any track or youtube performance I've heard. Maybe it was the sound system? Either way it was amazing.

He was wearing these old jeans with holes in the knees and a green pukka shell necklace, and he looked very sleepy. But he rocked the house. Played Layla unplugged style, played Old Love and Badge and I Shot the Sheriff and two songs from the new album. Before the encore of Crossroads, he finished with Cocaine. It ended like this:

Eric Clapton: She don't lie, she don't lie, she don't lie...
Crowd: COCAINE
Eric Clapton: *smiiiiiiiiiiiiiiile*

It was really great, he's a master. Definitely worth it. Thanks for going with me, Dad!

So today I had to drive the rental car back and pick up my car, and that went okay (as okay as could be expected, but whatever, at least there was a bank within walking distance). Carolyn went with me! And then we swooped by and picked up Jacqi and then my mom from my house and then my dad from VC and we went to the Greek at the Harbor.

Cake and ice cream at my house, and presents! That's why I'm sooo full. From the cake, not so much from the presents. Although Jacqi did bring me cookies. Thanks everybody, for your thoughtful gifts! It was nice to spend the evening with you.

And thanks to everyone else who wrote on my wall and all that, and to my sister who sent me like a million texts. And if I hadn't been on the road all day, I would have talked to more of you on the phone. I'll call you tomorrow!

Right now I think I'mma go pass out in a food coma. Happy 24, everyone!

-Steph