Saturday, December 29, 2018

Gonna smoke a cigarette that's nine miles long

If you follow this blog you've noticed how little activity there has been. You're not the only one. It's been a struggle to keep up with this simple place when a silly tweet or Facebook post is faster to release into the online world.

To be honest I'm barely writing anything, and reading slightly more so, although that's been making a small, positive, return.

I did not even watch as many movies. Sure I'm going through MST3K episodes, watching hockey and almost through with Taggart but to go out to a movie is rare. Even hanging on TCM occurs with less frequency. And ooh, St. Elsewhere is streaming on Hulu, and it's great!

The Westgate Cavern has been my solace in 2018. And it's not necessarily for the cocktails, but the north end where the action is. The Supro, the guitars, the records and the rug. I do spend a lot of time there, and I consider it work and joy - a feeling that has been hard to hand on to in the craziness of our current times.

I've also been listening to more music. In a dramatic shift of life I also stopped doing illegal downloading and made a vow to stop, which I have done. In its place I promised myself I would buy a new record every week of 2018, and I have done so.

And here is what I purchased, legally.


Counterfeit Madison - Opposable Thumbs
Pugwash - Silverlake
Shame - Songs of Praise
Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ - TajMo
Greta Van Fleet - From the Fires
Livingmore - Ok To Land
Belle & Sebastian - How To Solve Our Human Problems Pts. 1-3
Amy Rigby - The Old Guys (V)
Finn & His Rustkickers - Leave You Nothing To Squander
The Breeders - All Nerve
Tracey Thorn - Sister
David Byrne - American Utopia
Howlin’ Wolf - The Chess 50th Anniversary Collection: His Best
Stevie Wonder - Inner-visions
Broken Records - What We Might Know
Sakert! - Daggdjur
Mastersystem - Dance Music
Wreckless Eric - Construction Time and Demolition
John Prine - The Tree of Forgiveness
Janelle Monae - Dirty Computer
Leon Bridges - Good Thing
Reckless Eric and Amy Rigby - A Working Museum
Aidan Moffatt & R.M. Hubbert - Here Lies the Body
Chvrches - Love is Dead
Traceyanne & Danny (V)
Neko Case - Hell-On
You Better Run - The Essential Junior Kimbrough
Tony Hadley - Talking to the Moon
Sloan - A Sides Win
Buddy Guy - The Blues is Alive and Well
The Posies - The Best of the Posies: Dream All Day
Donnie Fritts - Oh My Goodness (V)
Erin Rae - Putting on Airs (V)
Dylan LeBlanc - Cautionary Tale (V)
Florence + the Machine - High as Hope.
Fantastic Negrito - Please Don’t Be Dead
RVG - A Quality of Mercy
She Ben Tzur, Jonny Greenwood, Rajasthan Express - Junun
Pram - Across the Meridian
Teenage Fanclub - Songs of Northern Britain
Amanda Shires - To The Sunset
Ruby Boots - Don’t Talk About It
Berlin - Animal
Idles - Joy as an Act of Resistance
Francois and the Atlas Mountains - Fleur du Mal
Prince - Piano & a Microphone, 1983
Lilly Hiatt - Royal Blue (V)
Sam Phillips - World on Sticks
KT Tunstall - WAX (V)
John Hiatt - The Eclipse Sessions
Elvis Costello and the Attractions - Look Now
Rosanne Cash - She Remembers Everything
Vera Sola - Shades
Teenage Fanclub - Grand Prix
You Tell Me
Jeff Tweedy - WARM
Kasey Musgraves - Golden Hour
Teenage Fanclub - Thirteen (V)
Stax compilation (V)
Scott Walker - Scott 2 (V)
Freddie King - Getting Ready
Aidan Moffat & R.M. Hubbert - Ghost Stories of Christmas (V)

Not all of the list was a new release, obviously, but it is new to me. Most of it was purchased from iTunes, some bandcamp and there were a few vinyl only purchases as you can see by the "V".

I also bought a bit of used vinyl, which I did not keep track of this year but will in 2019.

So what was good? After all the buzz and hype the Janelle Monae did not quite hit me at first but it is growing on me. I love the craft of the Rosanne Cash record, there is some stellar songwriting on her latest. The RVG was recommended by the staff at Monorail and it's a jangly project of joy and hope. Tracey Thorn created an in joke between my wife and I. John Prine may have put out my favorite song of the year with When I Get To Heaven. Amy Rigby showed us her beauty and humanity with The Old Guys. Hearing Traceyanne Campbell's voice again was inspiring. And John Hiatt returned to exceptional form.

Junior Kimbrough in the car is a great thing and Tony Hadley is still in good voice.

I did not hear what others did with Idles, unimpressed. The Belle and Sebastian EP experiment did not go over well and that Prince record, interesting as it is, never would have seen the light while he was alive. Chvrches lyrics need to dig deeper than high school journaling.

Nothing really knocked me on my ass, except the effects on my Supro Comet with my Ibanex. That was the best joy in the basement in 2018. More of the same in 2019.

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Beggars Night, Redux

Beggars Night, Redux

(Email subject headings in order, from Ohio Democrats, on Election Day eve 2018)

This race is about Ohio, not Trump
We don’t fear the future, we shape it
Trump, Hannity, Pence, and DeWine
Mobilizing the state of Ohio to get to the polls
Trump is about to take the stage in Ohio
Tomorrow, we hold Trump accountable.
More empty name-calling from Mike DeWine and Donald Trump - Let's show them what we're made of
The strongest ticket in my lifetime

Final poll alert - last snapshot before Election Day
Join us on election night in Columbus
Last chance before Election Day

Saturday, October 20, 2018

The View From West George Street

We're staying on the first floor of an apartment/hotel. The ceilings are super high and the bedrooms are set back far enough that we do not hear much of the street noise. It's a busy one way street that goes straight into Nelson Mandela Place to one of the large shopping areas of the city. It's central, and we have not stayed anywhere this close to anything in over ten years. We were in one of my favorite bars the other night, at night, which was a first. I do not know if the city takes on a different pace at night, but it's cool to walk an abandoned Buchanan Street at 11PM, knowing that the way to bed is about six minutes away, instead of having the rush for the late train to Lenzie.

Spent some money today, and not necessarily on whiskey. Bought a shirt at a shop I would have have considered even entering five years ago, but here we are now in our new financial reality.

We've been to a few events: Ian Rankin and guests talking about murder cases, Vic Galloway reading about the wonderful Rip It Up exhibit on Scottish Pop in Edinburgh, followed by club night of music by said musicians on vinyl with Galloway, Divine and Stephen Pastel DJing. Tomorrow night its the Posies at a legendary club I've only read about. It's my first concert in Glasgow and I wonder if I'm worthy.

This was my best visit to Edinburgh, the people were actually pleasant this time about. All the while I lamented to my sister-in-law about a city being loved to death by tourists (yes, I know) we went to the blissfully quiet Oxford Bar where I used a toilet that Ian Rankin has surely used a couple of times, at least. Edinburgh was crowded, busy, now with a tram, and took away a lot of the unpleasantness of previous visits. Cheers!

The buses and taxis move behind me, there are occasional drunken shouts late at night. We're in the middle of this city, the energy, activity and screw the front of house at Mossa who were not capable of seating us let alone look at us after they finally got us a table, this has been a good stay.

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Around 4:30AM

My Mother died five years ago this December. Last night I had what I believe is the first dream I've had with her in it, at least what I can remember.

It was in flashback, my son was small, and I was trying to get some rest in the basement of her house on Long Island. All I remember was my son running around in the living room, and a group of people coming in the house, including my mom.

She came downstairs to check on me and asked how I was doing. I told her exhausted but I am not going through chemo the way you are. She could not stay, had to go back to the hospital. I could not kiss her goodbye because of her condition.

Then she left, and I woke up.

Monday, September 10, 2018

The tone I've been looking for

When people are looking through over 40 years of your life on one side of the room, and you are on the other - holding forth and making gin cocktails, it can get a bit stressful.

The Westgate Cavern was festive on Saturday night. We had a very nice party and everyone hung out in the basement this time out. People were looking through my record collection without me hovering over them, judging my life's work. I'm sure all the cool stuff they liked was added by my wife. In the end, it all worked out. The worst thing was one record being misfiled - I hope a librarian did not do that. Got to add some new vinyl as my brother's partner came to the party, gifting me of his record collection. I spent some time yesterday weeding out the duplicates and what will move along and added some cool stuff and things he had that I lost in the flood to Discogs. That Lloyd Cole Rattlesnakes record is damn good.

There's a new member of the family also. Finally bit the bullet and got a new amp. The Supro Comet is a little tube dynamo. A ten inch speaker powered by six or fourteen watts of power, and it cranks at both. Good reverb and a smooth tremolo makes it what will be the last amp I ever need.

It was a bit of adventure getting the amp. I had bought from the company before and thought I put in my new address. I did not. Saw that it was shipped to the old address and races over there right away. When I got there, the guy had his laptop open and said, "You work for Ohio State." He was googling me to find some contact info as he suspected I'd need this, and he was right. And he is an honest man, this renter of my old house. Also, apologies to all the people I spoke with at UPS over the past week. My tone was not appropriate.

So it is good, a solid party turn out despite steady rain that ranged from a hard drizzle to near biblical. The puddle in the downstairs bathroom held off forming until after everyone left.

Sunday, August 26, 2018

When I'm not attempting to burn the house down

Went to see a friend spin some records last night. Yes, it was real vinyl, playing on two turntables. None of this digital laptop deejaying. We brought in our own records, carried them into the bar and we liked it! Made me nostalgic for the old days, as such events tend to do. I miss the slip-cue, it was a lot of drunken fun.

In line at the grocery, a guy mentioned my Guitar House Workshop t-shirt. He asked my what guitars I had. Mentioned my Ibanez first, then he asked me if I played jazz. Told him I was taking lessons. Did not mention that I sucked so that's a positive.

We're having a party in two weeks, today may have been the last time I try cooking burgers in cast iron, as the house has a good amount of smoke. It should clear out in time.

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Hugs and handshakes

It's a rare time when I can say I saw two of the best concerts I've seen in the past 18 years in less than a week, but it happened.

We took a road trip to Dayton to see David Byrne last Saturday. It had been over thirty years since I saw him with Talking Heads during the infamous Stop Making Sense tour in Buffalo. I was excited to see this tour as friends of mine had seen him earlier this year and had glowing reviews.

This was my first visit to the Rose Music Center and I was very impressed with the venue. Good sight lines, very good sound, friendly enough staff and the facilities were clean. Very classy.

The Sway Brothers in front of me, who stood the whole show despite having no one in front of them, were not classy at all. They were That Guy.



Despite the Dude Bros being Dude Bros, I managed to enjoy the performance. The staging was the boldest I'd ever seen - a bare stage surrounded by a grey beaded curtain on three sides. No amps, no drum risers, no cords. Just a troop of 14 musicians in synch with each other. It was magnificent. The lighting was awesome.



Byrne is still fit and in fine voice. The set was about a third of well chosen Talking Heads material and the theme was rhythm and joy. There is an underlying message though, during one song the entire band took a knee and the last song was Janelle Monae's Hell You Talmbout in which the band chanted the names of African Americans who have been murdered by police. It was a very powerful show that is just below that old Talking Heads show if I was ever to rank concerts I've been to.

It was with reservations five nights later that we went to the Basement, a venue I really do not like. When Nicole Atkins is coming through town though, you have to make the sacrifice. There was not that big of a crowd, so we managed to find a spot near the stage to see the opening band Ruby Boots. I was not familiar with her at all, but she made a more than a few fans with her strong voice and poignant songwriting. Best Australian opener I've seen since Kasey Chambers so long ago. We talked to her after the show and my wife and her bonded about Glasgow, where she's going for the first time later this year.

The Basement has this pit in front of the stage, where I have not been for a show due to my claustrophobia and not wanting to be where it's loud, but a friend of ours was down there so we gave it a shot.

We had very good stage proximity, so close that Nicole urged us all little closer after the first song.



The sound was not overpowering, there were no dude bros invading people's space or sight lines. It was a great show. It was wonderful to see Atkins after wanting to for so long. When I saw her perform the first time, on Letterman years ago, I was a fan then and there. Her voice is a gift and in a decent and kind world she should be better known.

So go out and get Goodnight Rhonda Lee.

After the show we hung out and talked to Scott, her guitarist. Very good dude who played with Ruby Boots her whole set so he pulled double duty. I have not mentioned the place was a freaking sauna and much respect for the bands to get through it.

The guitarist went for a drink and I left my wife for a moment, when I got back Nicole came out and went right toward her. She said she saw us dancing and they bonded over Scotland, I did not know her husband was Scottish. She's really cool, and genuine. Emma got the hug, I got the handshake. It helps to have a mad hot wife with a killer accent.

It was a fine, albeit an exhausting week.

Thursday, August 2, 2018

The day of the day

It's been an active and at times exhausting summer. There's been travel to Buffalo and in my wife's case, Denver. Future travel to plan, along with another party.

We've seen a few concerts; Sloan and Radiohead, with a few to come - David Byrne, Nicole Atkins, John Prine, The Posies.

Been watching Taggart.

We put the teenager in underwear a couple of months ago and there have been few accidents although poop remains a mystery.

Still trying to write. Took part in a poetry slam and had a short reading that may or may not have stirred up some creativity. There's also at least one song I need to write by late September.

I strongly urge a visit to the Temple of Tolerance in Wapakoneta, Ohio if you ever have the chance.

Friday, July 27, 2018

My email turns her on

Hi chaptal, I saw your email in a dating website, And You turn me on like no other man ever has.

My name is Erica, I have 24 years. Can I have your number?



I suspect she has a lot more than 24.

Monday, July 16, 2018

Now if she said, have a blessed day

Dear beloved one in the Lord

i contacted you after my fasting and prayer to my good God to give me a honest man or woman that will handle this Assignment, and after my fasting and prayer to my good Lord you was review to me by God and it is my desire of going into relationship with you. I am Mrs. Anna Babayeve i am a Farmer/gold and diamond dealer I am a merchant of Russia nationality but presently residing in Australia, I have been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer. i am currently admitted in a privet hospital,and I have some funds I inherited from my late loving husband Mr. John Steel Babayeva, the sum of US$4.500.000 which he deposited in BANK OF AMERICA, and I need a very honest and The Lord fearing Christian that can use this funds for The Lord work and 20% out of the total funds will be for your compensation for doing this work of The Lord I found your email address from the internet and decide to contact you. Please if you would be able to use these funds for the Lord's work kindly reply me Thank you and May The Lord bless you. Your Sister In The Lord

Saturday, June 23, 2018

Not the Mets, but something good

Finally had the time to watch this zeitgeist video segment last night. My son was on the couch, lying down and working on falling asleep. I was on the other end of the couch and put the video up on the laptop. He heard the start of it and opened his eyes a little bit. I noticed him looking and asked if he would like to watch it with me. He immediately bounced up and sat next to me. He intently watched the whole thing. It was quite the experience watching this video with him, instead of him just being in the room in his own world. We were doing something together, which has been rather rare.



It continues to be a mystery what he knows and pays attention to. Once thing is clear to me, he is Team Paul. He used to be obsessed with a Silly Love Songs video of his and pays more attention to the McCartney songs on a Beatles DVD he likes to watch. Never really been a fan of James Corden, but this is a very sweet segment.

Sunday, June 10, 2018

Anything but the Mets

Anthony Bourdain's death was a blow on the bruise of Scott Hutchinson's. Both less than a month apart. Both had the signs, but many (myself included) thought they had gotten through the really bad stuff. I keep forgetting that depression does not just go away. It does not go away like putting Visine on red eyes. It can return at any time, they way a powerful wave at the beach can knock you into the undertow. The way you can be doing well one minute but a thought, a couple of bad thoughts can enter your head and flood it to the point where the body is incapacitated. It all sucks, so much, and plodding on while all this nonsense is happening around us becomes increasingly difficult.

Had two beers with friends last night and woke up feeling absolutely lousy today. Been trying to cut back on the alcohol because it's really not helping me tolerate the daily chaos the administration creates every day. Still paralyzed by all the grief though. Unable to focus on reading, what gets written down is garbage and confidence remains low.

A couple of weeks ago we said the heck with it and put my son in underwear. If he pees or shits in it we'd deal. So far he has not had one accident. His underwear has been dry. Been peeing in the toilet this whole time. He will with more frequency go into the bathroom unprompted. As for the poop though, it's a mystery sometimes. There have been instances he has used his hands to put the poop in the toilet. Sometimes he does not use this extra step, sometimes he does. It is a profound improvement.

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Thursday, May 24, 2018

Fewer keys now

The old house on Eakin was finally sold a couple of weeks ago. Took a bit of a bath on its initial asking price, but what can you do? The house had some issues and it was not in a desirable neighborhood, on a busy street, etc.

That's where I lived the longest. The first house my son came home to. He must have loved it because he did not want to sleep there. It was the scene of a lot of good and bad memories. Life happened there, and it's happening in the new place too.

No longer having a mortgage is a good thing, and we're down to one set of bills. Naturally that money moves to paying my son's caregiver this summer, a necessary expense.

Friday, May 11, 2018

I've got this disease I can't shake and I'm just rattling through life

The news that Scott Hutchinson of Frightened Rabbit succumbed to his demons and took his own life has struck me rather hard.

It’s not the same grief as when an icon you never met died, either suddenly or by natural causes. Frightened Rabbit were far from a household name, but they have a niche of very devoted supporters.

I’ve been following the band for over ten years, almost as long as they have been in existence. They had a good social media presence, you knew what they were working on, and where. Hutchinson wrote so eloquently and honestly about the human condition, flaws and all. He really put himself out there, to the point of a twitter meltdown a couple of years ago in which he asked us to not buy his records. The disease was speaking.

I saw them live in 2013 here, and the band delivered the goods as promised. It was a catharsis for both band and audience as we all got to yell scream and shout for a couple of hours.

The band came through town again in 2016, and tweeted that they were looking for a bar where they could watch the Leicester City soccer match. Several of us recommended a place.

The morning of the match I was there, along with other soccer fans, waiting for the game to statr. The band came in. I have to say there were very approachable, even when people wanted to give them their privacy, to let them watch the match in peace - they were very cool about it.

I got to talk to Scott briefly, to thank him for the good work he was doing. Handed over a couple of bottles of Irn-Bru, which they gratefully accepted. Grant cracked open a bottle right on the spot. They signed my CD, took some names for Monday’s guest list and that was it.

Did not get to go to the show, figured I’d catch them next time. You know how that goes.

See ‘em while you can, there may not be a next time.

Scott spoke openly about his condition, his depression and dark side and put them in his music.

Whatever he was listening to when he put out those two last, cryptic, tweets was lying to him so hard. The beast lies. Depression lies. As the band said today, he’s no longer in pain, may he have finally found some peace.

Saturday, May 5, 2018

The bridge I torched

So many seem to do everything to cling to their childhood. I think my problem (or one of) is that I wanted to distance myself as far away from it as possible.

Even after having a child, and the experience of autism, it's been so hard to reach and relate to it all.

Monday, April 9, 2018

I hope he passes by the 91 Club

The drollest man in history. The greatest musical satirist of all time. Tom Lehrer turns 90 today!

Sunday, April 8, 2018

That three throw closeout

Events this past week have brought my head space back twenty years in some ways. A lot of thinking where I was, where I went and why, and where I am now. Somewhere in all that is the how.

And it's such a horrible tragedy, that accident involving the hockey kids in Saskatchewan. Communities are devastated, social lives are centered around those junior leagues on the prairies. They were good kids, I met a few like them, back in the day.

Last night one of our new neighbors invited us over to their place for beers and an outdoor fire. We had a very good time, a beer too many in my case and walked two blocks home. I have not been able to do that for years, maybe since when we lived by the Crest Tavern, when it had real dartboards.

A British dart throwing legend died last week. I was not familiar with him, but my wife was, and friends of mine. I have a board, a good one, waiting to be set up on a bare wall downstairs. I just can't find my darts right now. So I've put a set on my Amazon list. I'm one click away.

There are a lot of things I'm missing right now: the address on a water bill, my concentration to be able to read a freaking book, let alone write anything coherent or meaningful. Some days, when you're under the stress of finally finding a summer caregiver for your son, or selling a house that has a nice personality but some real problems underneath, it's all you can do to be able to get up in the morning with not quite hangover but a bloated uneasy feeling in your gut. I'm so grateful and lucky to have the space to go to and try to get through it all.

Saturday, March 31, 2018

What could possibly go wrong?

ON BEHALF AND AUTHORIZED RIGHT OF PRESIDENT DONALD JOHN TRUMP.

I'M MRS.MELANIA TRUMP AND THE CONTENT OF BELLOW MESSAGE IS SIGNED AND APPROVED BY UNITED BANK OF AMERICA.

moreover,in respect of fact the sum of $50 million united dollars was instructed to transfer on your favor through Check ,And i wish to let you know that every

necessary things has been accessed by IMF on the economic recovery program done by united state embassy in government house of Benin for victim who lost fund to con

African artist ,And you have nothing to be worried about.

Below is the required information i need from you so that the delivery of your check will commence immediately today

Home address:...........................................
Cell phone number:......................................
City:..............................................
valid Email Address................................
Email password ........................
We advice you to prohibit any other transaction you are having with an unknown source to avoid regret there after.And we urge you to comply fast with the managerial

demands so that you can have your legit check book with immediate effect as instructed from White house(Washington DC)
Email (mrsmelaniatrump04@gmail.com)
Thanks and always be bless

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Rest in Peace, Le Grand Orange

You had to close down on opening day





The fight left you as the team you inspired as children
took their positions on the field
Your poster on their parents walls
Baseball card in back pockets
Never flipped for luck
Saw you almost hit .400 in the World Series
You could not carry your team on a broken shoulder
The Shea Stadium outfield fence took away your arm
as you made the catch, but not your bat
Never your bat
Later in your career you were called on in the seventh, eighth, ninth inning
to do one job
The crowd chanted your name, knew you’d come to the plate
You’d pinch hit a single, double, never a triple
(foot speed was never your top skill)
or the tip your hat to the crowd encore home run
When your career ended you cooked
You fed the hungry, the first responders
Anyone
You gave back to a city that embraced you as one of its own
Now, Rusty, we say goodbye, au revoir, thank you

Thursday, March 22, 2018

My wife said I should write her back, I think she's a keeper

From: Tanechka Delightful

Ciao, my friend from the Internet! I haven't written you for a long time.

I was frightened to write you. I believed that you wouldn't reply. I have never meet people in the Internet.

It is my first test. I think that you will reply. I think you didn't forget me. We saw each other on the dating-site. It is Tanya. I am 29 y.o..

I am very funny and blithe. I am fond of planting flowers, pets, music. My favoured films are comedies and love stories.

I look up staid relationship. I need a man who will love, respect, cherish and protect me.

I look up a real man with whom I feel convinced that he will never betray me. I am exhausted of playing in feelings.

I look up only sincere love but not flirt and simple touch.

If you fancy me and want to go on our touch, you are to write me and tell me more about yourself.

We might go on our touch in Columbus. Anyway it will be exciting to know you better and closer.

I will wait for your response. Tatyana



I mean, she's funny AND blithe. What more could a man want?

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Spring, yeah right

First day of spring my ass. Rain, ice, snow. Fifty degrees is a pipe dream. You suck, weather.

Friday, March 9, 2018

The other pitch is not greener

I am not a Columbus Crew supporter.

I am a Columbus Crew fan.

I am not, nor have never been a season ticket holder but I have been to a few matches here and there.

I do watch the matches on television, and had Time Warner Cable when it was the only local way to see them. This season though, unless ownership changes its mind, or changes so the team remains in Columbus, I will not be watching any of the Columbus Crew matches.

I have an old, 2009 edition jersey. I got a t-shirt with the latest logo on it for my son.

I am not invested in the team the way many supporters are. They are followers in a way that determines some of their social lives, good for them.

If the team were to leave Columbus, I would not be happy about it and I understand a lot of lives here would be effected by the move. Yet, my life would go on.

If the team were to leave Columbus, my small interest in Major League Soccer would end. Completely.

I am not a supporter of a sports franchise holding a city hostage to get what it wants.

I am not a supporter of a franchise whose owner is a liar and whose league commissioner is complicit in the moving of the team. This is not about Austin, although they should be warned it can happen to them.

This is about honesty, and the ownership of the Columbus Crew is not honest. Nor is upper management of Major League Soccer.

I’m not a supporter, but a casual fan on the couch, who has watched this team for about ten seasons.

Until now.

Keep the Crew in Columbus.

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Coming for you, Trebek

Took the online Jeopardy quiz tonight. I know a few questions were missed but I feel good about it over all. Just because I feel confident does not mean I'll get the call. Watch this space.

Monday, February 26, 2018

Spy stuff with a long subject line.

Sub: Your diplomat John Malvin just arrived John.F.Kennedy international airport New York Usa, contact him now with your full details and also your valid phone number at (j.malvin3@aol.com or call +1 (914-205-1044) for the delivery of your cash consignment box to your home.

This letter will definitely be astonishing to you because of its realistic value. Sorry for the inconveniences that was rendered to you in your line of your payment transaction with some impersonators some while ago. I know that this letter will hit you as surprise, but firstly I will like to introduce myself to you, I am Mr Godwin Emefiele the Executive Governor Central Bank of Nigeria. It was agreed that to retain the good image of Nigeria and the rest of African countries, all the victims who lost his/her hard earn money to these faceless thieves will be compensated. Note that We have received the instructions from the president of Nigeria to commence the immediate release of your fund because we know that you have been expecting to receive it long time ago. So you have 24hrs to Contact John now with your full information, also the name of the closet airport to you via email (j.malvin3@aol.com) also you can call or send him sms with your details at +1(914-205-1044) and will wait for your call or email for him to enlighten you more on how to receive your fund.



Airports and intrigue. I've seen the Fort Wayne airport mentioned. Truly an international fiasco!

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

To distract myself from the violence

I first saw this band during Holler last March. A couple of things impressed my about this Columbus band: they write their own songs, play no covers, and they do not suck.

What I thought was missing was one key song. The arrogant A&R guy in my wondered where the hit was.

They're getting closer, a lot closer.



Good stuff here.

In other music news I bought an Ibanez AS73 on eBay a couple of weeks ago on a very good auction win. Took it in to my guitar teacher and he went nuts over the instrument. He was very impressed.

Had my lesson tonight and the luthiers in the shop told me he bought an Ibanez they brought in this week. Not the model I have, but an upgrade. I went to the practice room, saw it on the stand and asked him if I should get a referral fee from Ibanez.

Then we worked on Downtown. Yes, the Petula Clark song.

Had a blast tonight. Needed it.

Saturday, February 10, 2018

From 10 years ago, not much has changed.

Have not really been talking politics. Probably because other things have been going on and I have not been able to, or wanted to, pay attention. What I want most is positive change, and I have no idea what or who is going to do that. Back in '92 I wanted a change from the 12 years of Reagan/Bush and voted for Clinton. The past 16 years have certainly brought about change. A change in our culture into such an apparent split and void in our thinking and beliefs. There is a great divide out there, greater than the one Studs Terkel uncovered in the 80's. The culture of fear has risen. The questioning of patriotism has risen. Dissent is seen as a terrorist act instead of an act of questioning decisions and the accountability of our leadership. It's gone crazy, and it's infected the core of our society.

The media has abused our language, deliberately, providing programming that does not report, but exposes and celebrates the divide between us. It is not fair, balanced, or intelligent, but appeals to the lowest common denominator - our base emotions and knee jerk reactions to hot button issues and other cliches that I'm spewing out.

Celebrity culture has become the easy story. It's cheap, easy to put a camera on, and does not ask important questions. Why pay someone to dig out a story on city hall when Britney's entourage is speeding by?

So I'm left out here, along with, I suspect, many others, who feel lost, powerless, tired of knowing they are being lied to, and unable to do anything about it because they do not have the savvy, be it political, social and most importantly, financial - to get anything done for themselves. We continue to go to work, and try hard to be satisfied by that, but it's not enough. It's not even close when our infrastructure has fallen apart.

My head remains in the sand, coming out from time to time to notice the stink, and feeling quite unable to provide anything to remove it. Is November going to bring about four more years of the same, a shift into an improvement, or a further decline?

Thursday, February 8, 2018

A crowded room is a burning battlefield

No one has captured my recent mood more than Jason Isbell. I first heard this it really hit home. Then he opened his show with it.



It's been rough since the accident. A lot of post trauma. Looking at every corner for the car that I was. I struggle with confidence and break out in rashes.

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

From ten years ago

Samuel Beckett's New York City Cabdriver

he looked like someone from a black and white horror movie
but i needed the fare and stopped at that east village corner
he wore a black overcoat and had wild white hair
he did not say much
just the address he wanted to go
i tried to talk to him
about the yankees
the hot dog and yoo-hoo i had for lunch
that it was january and it's only snowed once
he may have grunted, or swore at me under his breath to shut up
but in my mirror i noticed all he did
was stare out the window
don't get me wrong
i can talk your ear off about the assholes
who sat back there
this guy was far from the worst
you say he was a writer?
did he write for the papers?
did he make a lot of money?
because he wasn't a horrible tipper

Thursday, January 11, 2018

The spying internet

I mention on Facebook that I may be going to Paris and this showed up in my spam folder.

Hi - Chaptal ,

My name is Veronica, I'm from Paris. Last week i Bought an old book from street here in Paris and i found your email inside of it, i'm curious to know if this is a real person, and what relate you with this book! Looking forward to hearing from you! Thanks
Please reply to this email today To Either

Taping over your camera isn't going to do shit.

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

To those who give unsolicited advice on the internet

I am going to place A and will stay in place B with a view of place C
I am not going to take into account that I stay in place D with no view
Or that I go into the countryside, outside of the city limits of A to see a sheep farm
I can go to the Ohio State Sheep Center, anytime I want
And I do not want

A vineyard, sure. That’s the only farm I want to see
If I wanted to see riots from the fifth floor, I would find a room with a view of E
But I do not want to see riots, smell tear gas or witness Gendarmes beating people up
I will take into account bakeries, as food is in my wife’s wheelhouse and I will need food
to soak up all the drinking I plan on doing
Do I want to stand in a crowded room of people in the Louvre, cell phones out, taking pictures of the Mona Lisa?
Not really, but I would not mind skipping through the room Anna Karina did in Bande a Part
Catacombs, ancient skulls at night, Pere LaChaise even without Jim Morrison’s grave are right in if you knew me,
giver of unsolicited advice

I’m going to eat chocolate, croissants, baguettes, drink wine, drink coffee, be claustrophobic in crowds of tourist attractions that are being loved to death, people watch, speak awful French, be insulted and scorned by the residents
and make love to my wife
In a hotel
That has a view
Of the Eiffel Tower
And none of your projections are going to stop me

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Ten more things I'm already tired of in 2018

Other people’s diets
Other people’s pets
Naming winter storms
Sanctimony
Twitter threads
Star Wars revision and criticism
Curated anything
Forced positivity
People who tell you to let it go
Historical negationism

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Ten words I'm already tired of in 2018

Magic
Onboarding
Unpacking
Fake news
Deep state
Bitcoin
Blockchain
Vlogger
Rob Portman
Conversation