And a splendid one at that.

After loading in production gear for this weekend’s shows with Zegg (featuring former members of Harrisburg jamband-pioneers Into The Woods) I got dropped off back at da crib and checked some more email- and decided to purchase yet another copy of Boys and Girls in America (my iBook shit the bed on me and I had purchased it on that thing…and have been unable to listen to the best record of the last ten years for the last month or so.)

I popped in my earbuds of my freshly washed iPod Shuffle with a brand new ones-and-zeros copy of BAGIA (yes, washed…it got absorbed in the trenches in a pocket of a pair of pretty perfect cargo shorts about two weeks ago…and after drying out, it’s in mostly perfect working order…minus the fact that I can’t turn down the volume now).

I have to say that the walk down Third Street from Calder was quite encouraging today…minus all of the vacant storefronts.

Third Street from Reiley-ish down to Forster absolutely has the potential to become a desirable place to hang out- walking past all of the empty storefronts, it’s not hard to envision small specialty retail shops, a coffee house, deli, bagel store, bike shop, maybe a little music venue…

But a tide needs to turn for that to get rolling.

You see, unfortunately, this section of Midtown has been largely ignored and overshadowed by the stumbling, fighting, drunken whore otherwise known as “Second Street” or for the politically correct- “Restaurant Row”-

Continuing along Third, I stopped into Java’s Brewin’ for an icy cold summer coffee drink – settling on a large iced-mocha-coffee-with-whipped-cream-thing that cost just as much as a pack of cigarettes. Four fifty five, to be exact.

Somewhat pricey for what’s ultimately just a fluffed up coffee- but who am I to complain? If people are buying it, more power to ya. But I’m more of a medium with milk and sugar kind of guy. Dollar forty nine.

I stopped with my costly energy booster and sat on the ledge of the Federal Building at Third and Walnut- almost invisibly watching the state workers and office dwellers scurry through their hour of lunch- name tags swinging over freshly pressed khakis; a guy with dreadlocks carrying a folding chair strolled by yelling for us all to repent- and to praise a guy he referred to as “Jesus”.

After a smoke (which I put the butt of into a trashcan) I continued on to Second Street. This time sitting on the ledge of the Sovereign Bank directly across the street from Dragonfly.

City Council is about to review proposed legislature limiting the amount of time which diesel powered trucks may idle in the streets of residential neighborhoods.

I’d say we should tack onto that bill something to ease the congestion caused by the army of food and beer delivery trucks which often line BOTH sides of Second Street during the day- especially Fridays before a big weekend catering to feisty fighting fratboys-

Coors Light! Sysco! BUDWEISER! As already congested traffic squishes through- narrowly averting a big game of bumper cars- yapping on cellphones and yelling at eachother-

It’s odd…even during the daytime Second Street seems dirty.

I continued the trek down to State Street- stopping into Roxbury’s place for a quick pow-wow. (Spoiler: keep your eyes out for the big white tent on State between Second and Third and some pretty revealing interviews with some of the most influential people making things happen in our city…)

The walk wrapped up with a quick stroll from State back to da crib at Calder. And the Citgo station seemed like an oasis- considering how little exercise I normally get- I was parched and needed a water…this boy did a lot of walking today.

All thanks to Officer Johnson, Badge 39, for so courteously reminding me that I need to get my car up to snuff. I brought the faded-red jalopy (as it was referred to on PennLive) into Strictly Swedish yesterday and will be walking and hitching rides for the next week or two.

Which is good…I could use the exercise.

Have a great weekend, Harrisburg.