From my vantage point things are bright, powerful, and towering with life. The estate is throwing tantrums and the outbreak of gardens has overtaken and damn near defeated the inclemency of another passing season.

Best of all, the bike is out for another season of road rampage and summer sensibilities. The move last October has increased my trans-metropolitan commute to a healthy 12 miles, thus ensuring that I will get at least 24 miles of endurance training every day.

The coming of another summer also means music. Specifically, bands from warmer climates that have no intention of planning tours through Minnesota during our colder months (all 10 of them). Praise be. The only problem is — all these great shows come at the same time. And after going six or seven months without good gigs, one has to choose and plan carefully or else the window of national music disappears.

Springs first musical flower was the Blackalicious and Talib Kweli Quality Tour that came through town Sunday night. They both have incorporated new members into their show and are great complimentary acts.

My new favorite word is capital when used as an adjective to describe something as top-notch. As in: “Yo, that Blackalicious show was capital.” I can’t remember ever seeing the word capital used to describe something as ‘first-rate’ or ‘the best’. It strikes me as very authentic, proper and aristocratic. I discovered the usage in a terrific collection of British crime stories, starring the affable and cunning John Appleby. His use of the word capital become quite addictive, especially when referring to some cabinet for holding bows and arrows, which is called an Ascham.