FRIDAY 11/26/21 10:15PM--I have tried to keep my Musical Life seperate from the rest of my Life, with regard to my diaries, but accidentally they seem to be merging...it would be too much hassle to edit them properly, so maybe I'll combine them...starting now...I feel like my Musical Life is over anyway, so just having ONE diary oughta be enough, right? So be it...
MONDAY 11/22/21 7:04PM--someone specifically mentioned me in a Fakebook post in the Riley's Lock Jam group...I don't intend to get involved in the conversation, if there's gonna be one...but it's kinda nice to know somebody thought of me...I think it was Beth Riley...
WEDNESDAY 11/24/21 9:41PM--so I didn't go to Dietle's on Monday and I didn't go to Willows on Tuesday and I won't be going to Hershey's tomorrow--and not just because it's Thanksgiving, although it is...SueEl has texted me a time or two to check up on me, but no one else has...kinda hurts at least a little...
THURSDAY 11/25/21 10:40AM--I don't really wanna, but I guess I should take a shower...I THINK we're leaving at 12:30-ish...in the meantime, I'm doing laundry, specifically underwear...I NEED to do that much...I'm looking forward to coming home already...I have NO idea when we'll be back...I hope we're home by 7PM, if not sooner...I think the booster shot has kicked in...I feel like I've been run over by a truck...Can't WAIT to get back home...
FRIDAY 11/26/21 7:34PM--still feeling beat up...I suddenly think my being depressed has a LOT to do with the way I feel physicaly...can't wait to go to bed...feeling less like a Musician every day...I sorta kinda in a way tried to impart that idea to SueEl at lunchtime...not 100% sure she picked up on that...I don't know when or where the next open mic is--and I don't care...
MONDAY 11/15/21 9:35AM--I don't yet feel like going to Dietle's, but a lot can happen between now and dinnertime...I don't yet know what SueEl wants to do...
3:24PM--she doesn't wanna go out tonight either, so that's that...
TUESDAY 11/16/21 7:27PM--didn't go to Dietle's and I didn't go to Willows this evening...I dunno what SueEl is up to...
11:40PM--I keep coming back to thinking about the years I wasted being a Musician...no wonder I'm depressed...I didn't go to Dietle's, I didn't go to the Willows and I'm not going to Hershey's if I can help it...
WEDNESDAY 11/17/21 11:30PM-as far as I can tell, I don't have much to do tomorrow, and I'm OK with that...I'm not planning on going to Hershey's...have yet to hear from SueEl...
THURSDAY 11/18/21 4:23PM--had brunch with SueEl...she seems to feel like she too is somewhat neglected when it comes to the MontCo music scene...neither of us is going to Hershey's tonight...
SATURDAY 11/20/21 5PM--one of the bands I WAS in is playing at Dietle's...judging from the video, *I* would say they're STILL just so-so at best...but that doesn't matter, right? it's what the audience thinks...
SUNDAY 11/21/21 6:02PM--I haven't yet heard from SueEl about going to any open mics this coming week...I dunno if she wants to go to any...I dunno if *I* wanna go to any...we'll see...
MONDAY 11/22/21--just heard from SueEl...as far as this week's open mics are concerned, she is not gonna be participating...and neither will I...and that's fine by me...
WEDNESDAY 11/10/21 8:30PM-I'm not 100% certain but I think Sue Ellen and I are going to Hershey’s… I don’t know when I’ll be able to show my face at the Willow’s open mic again… Sue Ellen says I’m overreacting… I disagree…
The good news, if you wanna call it that, is that I don’t have to put new strings on my electric guitar…
THURSDAY 11/11/21 2:35PM-if there was any doubt that I was not playing with a full deck, this might do it – suddenly I want to go to Willow’s not Hershey’s…I did contact Sue Ellen, but I haven’t heard back just yet…
5:21PM-well I changed my mind again; I’m going to take Sue Ellen to Hershey’s and she’s OK with that…for one thing, it’s closer (less gas spent) hopefully better food and what not…
9:09PM-I’m surprised at how many songs I seem to know-at least compared to the other half a dozen guitar players “onstage “…I dunno if they are drunk or high or both…or maybe they’re what they called in the old days “retarded”…I know I keep saying it but someday I WILL go to Willows again..
10:47PM--home from Hershey's...my knee jerk reaction is to not go back again...Can't wait until Monday...and for the second time in recent weeks, I embarrassed myself...I heard three guitarists playing three different but similiar songs at the same time...that's when I lost it...but shouldn't THEY have been aware of the noise they were making? And the loudest guitarist was not (IMO) very good...and there was some guy playing spoons!!! Sheesh...
SUNDAY 11/14/21 7:42PM--dunno for sure, but I plan to go to Dietle's, with or without SueEl...
9:45PM--having second thoughts about going to Dietle's...but I demand the right to change my Mind multiple times...I feel like, as far as the MonCo music scene goes, I don't exist...that sucks--a LOT...seriously leaning toward staying home tomorrow...
TUESDAY 11/16/21 8:25PM-there is an open mic going on right now at a place called the Willows Pub in Linthicum, which is my former backyard… I’ve been there once and it was OK but I didn’t go this evening because I didn’t feel like it… and I’m going to try and stick to the idea that I’m NOT going to Hershey’s on Thursday…I dunno what SueEl wants to do…
MONDAY 11/8/21 8AM-I went to Dietle’s last night to see No Part of Nothing, a bluegrass group that has Michelle in it… mandolin player Jeff, the guy who got a free telecaster outta me – unless he actually did the guitar work I asked him to do – is also in the band… He doesn’t exactly play bluegrass mandolin, not even close… But he’s a fairly good harmony singer.
SueEl and I are planning on going to Dietle’s Tavern this evening for the open mic… of the two open mics that I go to on a semi regular basis, I like the Dietle’s open mic the most…
I’m not really sure why but the open mic hasn’t caught on yet. Attendance is low, musicians and “civilians". But of course, you take what you can get…
I am trying to work out the logistics of the evening…I don’t wanna leave Gaithersburg go to Rockville, feed the cat and then go back up to Gberg and pick up Sue Ellen…I COULD leave G Burg to pick Sue Ellen up, come back to Rockville (which is where the O.M. is and then feed the cat before we go to Dietle’s… whatever’s going to happen is what’s going to happen…
12:42PM--SueEl says she's not going due to financial difficulties...it sounds terrible, but I kinda hope she DOESN'T suddenly find the money...it would be A LOT easier on me logistically...
4:33PM--I'm hoping to go back to Rville, feed the cat then have the rest of MY dinner soon, then go to Dietle's alone...kinda nervous about it actually...
MIDNIGHT- just got in from Dietle’s…I did three songs with a band…musically? the visit was fairly satisfying, socially? not all that much…
TUESDAY 11/9/21 932AM-I think I’m gonna be here in Rockville all day today and all evening and overnight… I have no plans for me to go anywhere else, and I’m OK with that…
I thought I was making some new friends last night at Dietle’s … Today, I’m not so sure about that… I suddenly found myself being left out of the conversation between two real friends, that is, I felt left out… I did run into someone I vaguely knew, but as always, he seemed rather chilly towards me…as for today, hopefully I won’t have to leave Rockville to go anywhere or do anything… and now that I’ve said that, I will probably hear from Dianne sometime this morning – oh well… maybe I can get out of doing whatever it is she has in mind;
It’s nearly impossible for me to believe it’s only Tuesday; I think I have a doctors appointment on Thursday morning, and I plan to go to the Hershey’s jam later that evening… frankly, I’d like to see what two days off in a row feels like…
Well, for starters, I’ve started thinking that, with regard to my Musical career, it’s pretty much over… I can’t be the worst guitar player in Montgomery county, or the worst harmony singer or the worst lead singer… but I think I can rightfully claim the title of worst stage presence… and of course, I can’t help what I look like…quite depressing…
5:29PM-I was thinking that theoretically I could go to Dietle’s and hear some live music…they seemingly have live music on weekdays, which is unusual…And then I heard the ringing in my ears and changed my mind…
THURSDAY 11/4/21 10:05AM--SueEl is not going tonight--like me she doesn't feel good ...and the jam isn't as much fun for her anymore either...of course, I could change my Mind--but I hope I don't...You'd think it was up to me, right? I'm not so sure that it is...
1:36PM--just heard from the guy who sorta runs the Hershey's Jam...from now on the start time is 7:30...don't matter to me, for tonight at least, I ain't going--probably...
7:36PM--I assume that the Hershey's Jam has started--without me or SueEl...I guess I could set my sights on Monday...
9:56PM--I didn't change my mind; I stayed home...*I* think it's time Steve and Craig consider using a more "traditional" approach to running an open mic...
TUESDAY 11/2/21 9:40AM--I don't understand why there's a woman in a Neil Young Tribute band, unless she's supposed to be Darryl Hannah...I don't yet FEEL like going anywhere, much less my old neighborhood...but that's where the new Max & CJ open mic is...I don't yet feel like playing Music, but I'm not driving that far to sit on the sidelines...If I go I'll bring my Bass...SueEl seems to wanna go...as of now, it's raining a little; hopefully it won't get any worse and/or stop by the time I leave--IF I go...and yes, I could be a LOT more miserable...
The open mic starts at 7:30 and I wanna get there about 30 mins before it starts...It should take 45mins or so to get there--NOT factoring in weather or traffic...that means picking SueEl at about 6:15, more or less...
WEDNESDAY 11/3/21 12:48AM--I picked SueEl up on time, but did not get to The Willow by 7 o'clock...Max got me onstage surprisingly early to play Bass...I'd give myself a "9" on a scale of Ten...I had a very good time...it woulda been better if I hadn't collapsed...But *I* think my Karma has been balanced to"atone" for my transgression last week...
I really REALLY locked in with a certain drummer...frankly *I* found it to be amazing, like we play together all the time...the songs we played were pretty much the kinda stuff we always play at CJ's open mic...I played some guitar as well, including sharing the stage with a guy I was in a band with back in 1975...IF had to do tonight again , I would...collapse included...
1:36AM--I think maybe I might have possibly impressed a few musicians at the open mic--that feels good...
8:08PM--I just found out the Hershey's Jam will be indoors...maybe that means there's no room for five or six guitar players to play at the same time...SOMEBODY needs to impose a little bit of discipline and order IMO...perhaps it's time to consider using a sign-up sheet or something...The Dietle's O.M. doesn't use one and yet it works, as far as *I* can see...
