Thursday, April 29, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Happy Post - Flying Dog
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
My Old Friend
"Hello, old friend? How have you been?"
So goes the conversation I had with my old Toshiba laptop this morning. Why "old friend"? Well, since Monday my much-relied upon MacBookPro
-BFF fell ill with a hardware failure (logic board) and has left me adrift in the sea of [ Insert your word here - I couldn't find the right one because I don't have my pre-installed Mac thesauras available ] for "seven to ten days".
(My sad story - Skip down to picture-that-says-a-thousand-words if you'd like) I was just getting ready to lay down a guitar track which would hopefully bring me a whole lot closer to having a song (with lyrics) done, when the screen in front of me started a wild bit of flickering. This led to an emergency re-boot which left with me NO boot at all, and no chance of a quick fix-by-phone-solution with the Apple Care rep. In-store intervention was my only hope.
(Just for fun, I'll add this to my sad story) I've been calling in for jury duty ever since Sunday night, with my badge number continually being rescheduled for the following day. (Mr. Court Clerk, if you're reading, just call me in and let's get it over with! I've got some time for fulfilling my civic duties it seems).
I'm venting. I'm feeling better. I find the humor in the frustration. I'm going to work out and work it off and then go find some paper and a pencil - songwriting "old school" (I'm a fan of Masterwriter
). Oh, and get passed my " ? " attitude and thank God for another day.
How's your day, dear reader?
So goes the conversation I had with my old Toshiba laptop this morning. Why "old friend"? Well, since Monday my much-relied upon MacBookPro
-BFF fell ill with a hardware failure (logic board) and has left me adrift in the sea of [ Insert your word here - I couldn't find the right one because I don't have my pre-installed Mac thesauras available ] for "seven to ten days". (My sad story - Skip down to picture-that-says-a-thousand-words if you'd like) I was just getting ready to lay down a guitar track which would hopefully bring me a whole lot closer to having a song (with lyrics) done, when the screen in front of me started a wild bit of flickering. This led to an emergency re-boot which left with me NO boot at all, and no chance of a quick fix-by-phone-solution with the Apple Care rep. In-store intervention was my only hope.
(Just for fun, I'll add this to my sad story) I've been calling in for jury duty ever since Sunday night, with my badge number continually being rescheduled for the following day. (Mr. Court Clerk, if you're reading, just call me in and let's get it over with! I've got some time for fulfilling my civic duties it seems).
I'm venting. I'm feeling better. I find the humor in the frustration. I'm going to work out and work it off and then go find some paper and a pencil - songwriting "old school" (I'm a fan of Masterwriter
). Oh, and get passed my " ? " attitude and thank God for another day.How's your day, dear reader?
 |
| Demonstration of my sad face somewhere in Kentucky - 2009 |
Thursday, March 25, 2010
And Now a Song from Jim Messina
To go along with my Kenny Loggins post below, it just so happens on the same day (today), Jim Messina
posted a working copy of a new song on his Facebook page. I am impressed with his interaction with the fans there and really enjoyed listening to something fresh out of his studio! He's another huge musical influence for me (Loggins and Messina, as well as solo).
Blacktop Cowgirl by Jim Messina
posted a working copy of a new song on his Facebook page. I am impressed with his interaction with the fans there and really enjoyed listening to something fresh out of his studio! He's another huge musical influence for me (Loggins and Messina, as well as solo). Blacktop Cowgirl by Jim Messina
Warm-up with Kenny
Just found this cool, short behind-the-scenes clip from Kenny Loggins
, one of my musical inspirations (unbeknownst to him). Some of you singers out there can maybe relate - when you're younger and you try to sound like your favs and then you realize it would behoove you to get past that stage (not that it's a bad thing!) to find your own "voice". Yeah, Kenny was one of those guys for me.
PS. (about a week later as to "finding your own voice") Of course, if you get PAID to sound like some of your musical heroes, like I do in Hotel California (Henley, Frey, etc.), that's a different story!
, one of my musical inspirations (unbeknownst to him). Some of you singers out there can maybe relate - when you're younger and you try to sound like your favs and then you realize it would behoove you to get past that stage (not that it's a bad thing!) to find your own "voice". Yeah, Kenny was one of those guys for me.PS. (about a week later as to "finding your own voice") Of course, if you get PAID to sound like some of your musical heroes, like I do in Hotel California (Henley, Frey, etc.), that's a different story!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Pick One!
I was reflecting after that last show we did at the Desert Diamond Casino in Sahuarita how I didn't have to use any extra picks that I always have placed in waiting on a guitar stand specifically for "emergency-drop" situations. I played the whole show with one pick! (with the exception of course of my customary pick throw during a rousing rendition of Joe Walsh's
"Rocky Mountain Way" in which said flying plectrum is quickly and ever-so-slight-of-handidly replaced by it's waiting replacement just underneath the guitar pickguard). Not one pick fumble during the show! Wow, I was ON! << (not verbose bragging, but a hint of the quasi-humor you could only expect to read more of on this site).
Now on other shows, man, my butterfinger-edness in is full effect! The plastic is FLYING!
Hmmm, interesting. One show I'm batting (or "picking") a perfect game and others, a fumbling fool! Whatever the case with a smile, ALWAYS with a smile. That's show biz!
Photo Note: I found this photo of myself with an actual, heavy gauge pick in my mouth in Albany, NY, 2009. A big yearly show ("Alive At 5" I think they call it) they do there was moved under a huge highway underpass due to weather, hence the strange location.
If there are guitar player/performers out there please feel free to share your pick fumbling stories!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Tucson To Home
Just got home this morning from about a two week stretch on the road. Last night's rockin' performance in Tucson (Sahuarita, technically) was a great send-off. I was hearing that it was a sell-out crowd at the Desert Diamond Casino. Thanks for the smiles dear audience members!
The professor hard at work somewhere in Tucson in the sanctity of his lonely room.
The professor hard at work somewhere in Tucson in the sanctity of his lonely room.
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