I was having a rough day, but really – when it comes down to it, I was having an ANNOYING day. A number of needy clients, whiny customers in the store, picking up the slack for people who were, well, slacking – a booking that “canceled” by not replying to an email and was shocked when I followed up with them because it should’ve been obvious that the gig was canceled… people asking the same question over and over again, but formatting the question slightly differently in the hopes that I’ll baby-step them through the answers. A very frustrating day.
But plenty of people were having a TRULY bad day and my heart goes out to them. A friend’s wife just died, and unlike so many of my friends who are 50-something, 60-something or 70-something and still happily Living together – or just now facing similar tragedy – these guys were really, really young and it highlights some of the most unfairest moments of our existence – and highlights that in the grand scheme of things – I truly have no right to gripe.
Snow has come and gone and the world is brown and white and black and white and the road is grey. Interesting how the weather makes nature high contrast and sharp and the man-made features are blurred and indistinct. Today the skies are back to a crystal blue and the sun is a distant disc that’s barely bringing any warmth to the world around me, but highlighting the glare and the beauty of winter-time Maryland.
My birthday’s coming. I’m turning 40. It’s an interesting age to be in our music scene because I’m quite alone. I’m in the performance gap where everyone is younger and taking off – or their older and coming back to it. I’m at the age where most people are taking time off to have a family, or giving up to have a “real” job. There are very few people who are pushing hard in their music careers at this time in their Lives.
February 7th is shaping up to be one Hell of a show, though the weekend has proven to be stressful and is like to be stressful up to the very last second. From bands breaking up and changing their names, to bands canceling their tours or changing their bookings, all aspects of my February 7th seem to have been flux, but I’m beginning to tentatively believe that it’s all under control and that MAYBE, just maybe – it’s time to relax and stop stressing over it and instead start to eagerly and excitedly await it.
Impatiently even.
Winter wintering in Catonsville. 
I was probably two or three in the above photograph, forwarded to me for my 40th birthday. Me and my mom at what I’m GUESSING is HER mom’s house…. I viscerally remember the bean-baggie feel of that Winnie the Pooh and being able to go NOWHERE without him. It’s bad that seeing toys like that now fill me with an overwhelming wave of guilt as they’ve gone abandoned in later years. Thanks anthropomorphic toy stories….
