Travis James Humphrey:

I had originally planned to mention the incredibly annoying social tic of party invitations that start with "Come on over, it'd be great to see you guys!" and end with "And have Travis bring his guitar!  It'll be fun!"  I wanted to mention that specific tic because it's a tic that doesn't translate to other professions.

I've never heard an invitation to an accountant phrased that way.  "And bring your calculator!  It'll be fun."  Or a carpenter.  "We've got pizza!  And bring your tools, so you can tackle this deck remodel."  I've just never heard it go down like that for other people.  Photographers, maybe, but generally speaking, no.

If it didn't happen so often, it wouldn't be as bad.  And to be clear, if family or friends needed entertainment for a gathering and he wasn't already booked, Trav would probably say sure.  He's nice like that, and if he could add a musical element to a party, he would.  He'd agree to perform if it was important, but it would be a performance.  He wouldn't be chatting, or sampling the buffet at his leisure, or enjoying the music, or playing in the pool, or dominating at horseshoes.  Travis would be working the gig.

I'd originally planned to talk lots about that annoying tic, and how it's never meant with malice-just ignorance.  I'd originally planned as much, but the reality is that right now, at this exact moment, Travis is off exploring a lagoon with his snorkel.  He's exploring a little lagoon on an island outpost, just off the coast of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. 

The island outpost is, aptly, Water Island, and we are so very fortunate to have use of a home on the island for a week.  So, given that we're anticipating a move this Fall and our bathroom needs some work if we want to put in on the market, and the exterior needs painting-badly, and any smart-thinking person would be saving pennies in anticipation of all the impending flux....we checked out for a week.

We checked out to the most pristine, remote, achingly beautiful island location in the Caribbean. Travis left his Blackberry on our kitchen table.  He left his Blackberry, but he brought his guitar.  (His new carbon fiber guitar from Composite Acoustics that he can talk more about, but I'm told that it can withstand any amount of abuse.)  He wanted to test it out for airline travel, and he reports much success.

So instead of complaining in that tortured artiste (douchebag) way about how nobody understands him, I will instead have another little chunk of the fresh pineapple Travis cut me before he went off on his snorkel adventure and share a little video moment from last night.  The sky was clear, the sun was setting, and Travis brought his guitar to the courtyard to sing....just for the pleasure of it.

(And for those seeking intimate details about the Travis and Shonna dynamic, he's singing our song.  Jimmy Buffett's "Tin Cup Chalice."  It just fits.)  Enjoy!

Next up:  Trav's Water Island Gig at Joe's

For more on Shonna, visit www.shonnahumphrey.com