When I seek a respite from work mostly in and around politics (which I enjoy), I turn to sports and music.

I enjoy playing ball, with regular weekend and weeknight full court basketball “games” at my former elementary school gym.

Live music, especially from performers I’ve followed from back in the day who still got it, provides a real shot of adrenaline and more.

Occasionally, I get to enjoy both on the same day. Witness this weekend.

Almost a year ago I blogged about a making a shot in my weekend basketball game. I “ran” into that blog – Made In The Shade – this past week looking for an email to Gotham I sent on another topic around that same time. Very coincidental since it followed one of my Tuesday night games where my play stood out. My team played well (we make new teams each time we play and if we have more than 10 players, you need to win to stay on the court.) but did not sweep. Winning the last game mattered that eve; somehow I took control, called for the ball and made half my team’s baskets on the way to taking the last game; including the game winner. The weekend’s games also involved only 10. We split four games, my team taking games one and four. The rubber game left no doubt; we won convincingly and I made the game winner.

The “high” carried on into the evening with the sports drug replaced by a musical one.

Whenever you get a chance to attend a show with a musical icon in a club setting, seize that moment.

We did. We enjoyed. Jim Messina, alumnus of Buffalo Springfield and co-founder of Poco and Loggins & Messina shined at The Iridium.