now it begins/summary

THURSDAY 11/29/18 10:19AM--getting anxious about tonight...AND Dianne's stay in the hospital...we'll BOTH be glad when she comes back home...I guess it doesn't matter too much when I go back to the hospital, but it matters when I leave...hoping for 5PM...it will be dark by then, but I think I can get home from Bethesda--during rush hour (ugh)...

7:30PM- I arrived at the 0TWC when I wanted to… And I’m finished dinner; I forgot to take a Xanax though... it might not have made any difference anyway...

FRIDAY 2:15AM--just got home from the OTWC...it was, as always an innaresting night...as you can imagine I am way too tired to elaborate...I'll be back eventually...
11AM--the house band set went well enough, maybe an 8.0 more or less...remember, we don't rehearse...Angela did two other songs besides CHAIN GANG...one of her songs and something we harmonized really well on--I can't remember what that was...Arlene was her usual self although the gtr. solo in PURPLE RAIN wasn't too bad at all...Bonnie did her two ot three songs...Sally did her three songs (sigh) and for all that work I got $50 bucks...Rockville Mike closed the show...ugh...

9:15PM--the third song Angela sang was TIME AFTER TIME...very nice harmony from me...the mic mix kinda sucked--SHE shoulda had the mic *I* was using, it was super "hot"...the guitar solo in PURPLE RAIN was pretty damn good if I do say so myself...nice harmonies from the other guys as well...Frankly Arlene's lead vocal left more than a bit to be desired, but what's done is done...nonetheless I put the performance into my iTunes Library...some weird unexplainable audio problems, I dunno what caused that...I cut the first minute out of the audio and the last few seconds of the ending surprisingly, both edits are damn near perfect...THE BREAKUP SONG went well I think and HANDS did too, although by then I was already very tired...And *I* thought TALKING IN YOUR SLEEP went well enough, but apparently Stoney had a problem with one or both of the guitar players...I nailed the hook, so his beef is with Butch IMO...

         

it's so hard to wait

            TUESDAY 11/2/18 9:16AM--A songwriter friend told me and the Internet says ANY recording of a song, no matter how primitive, will automatically copyright the song...to REGISTER the song with the Gov't is (naturally) a "gov't project"...If ever you find yourself in a litigation dispute, having the song registered more or less puts a stop to that--I think...if I can remember HOW to do it, I'll try to record the songs on my phone, mail the recording to myself, feed it into my iTunes Library, and make CDs of them...

              9:40AM--So I went upstairs to my bedroom to do my homework...now all I gotta do is practice the songs...repeatedly...and remember to put a capo in Ebay's case--if there isn't one in there already...
                 10:26AM--I had a recording from GYY on my phone that I recorded on October 18th...I mailed it to myself and downloaded it...it automatically went into my iTunes Library, which is how *I* set things up...I could, if I wanted to, spit it out onto a CD...I think this means I could record solo acoustic versions of my songs and repeating that process, copyright them...I have more than enuff blank CDs to do 'em one at a time...I think the best place to record them might be the basement; I think I'll get a slightly better sound down there...I might actually, after recording them on the phone, record them on the BR-1180...I dunno when I'm gonna actually do it...Dianne will be in the hospital for an overnight stay starting Thursday morning...I suspect I'll be at her side for most of the day, time I could spend here at home practising and/or recording...so I guess I'm gonna be fairly busy tomorrow...
                I guess I really need to summon the courage to do stuff like that here at home, even if Dianne's here...but first I should focus on the Fourth Thursday...
       3:39PM--having trouble focusing on Thursday...thinking about recording songwriting demos...gotta cut that out, the only day I have to prepare for the open mic is tomorrow; so I'll have to put the song demos on the back burner--maybe do 'em on Friday...
WEDNESDAY 11/28/18 9:42AM--it turns out, I'll have a few hours alone at home Thursday between about 9AM-1PM...Dianne has reluctantly accepted the fact that I have a gig tomorrow...I hope she'll get over it soon....I can practice while I'm watching ST-TOS this evening, that's an hour right there...Personally, I think we'll be pretty dammed good, all things considered...
     10:23AM--it belatedly occured to me that maybe the other members of the band feel the way I do-- it can't/won't be exactly like the record, so don't expect it to be...
  3:15PM--I've spent the better part of thirty minutes listening to DRIVER 8, an REM song I barely knew yesterday...someone (Stoney?) is singing it tomorrow night...I think I'll be ready for it, and hopefully, everything else we're doing...I haven't paid too much attention to TIME AFTER TIME...I should have some time tomorrow morning before I got back to the hospital...gotta get a bag of M&Ms...and some cash from the Bank...but not too much...
8:38PM- I’m getting better with the various riffs in the various songs… Oddly enough the only one I’ve really haven’t spent much time studying  is TIME AFTER TIME...not worried yet...

a very big day in fact

         MONDAY 11/26/18 11:11AM--or I"ll prep for the SAW open mic at IPO tomorrow...allegedly there is one...I oughta think about that before I make a decision...and there's an indication that there IS an open mic of some kind at Xroads tomorrow...any kind of confirmation for either event would be nice...
3:30PM--as for tonight, incredibly enough, I'm still refining THE FUNNY SONG...and I've re-alphabetised the COVERS book...If I had MY way, I'd go to Xroads tomorrow and see Jackie...but if the IPO SAW open mic is my only choice I'll do that--possibly...
6:40PM- according to Matt Holson, and he certainly should know, they’re no longer having an open mic at IPO...
8:10PM- I would give my whole set a 9.5...THE FUNNY SONG? a 9.0 I think, I stumbled once, but it coulda been worse...dunno about anyone else, but Rob’s wife said she liked it...
9:30PM-I just pulled off (by myself) HICKORY WIND!!! I’m giving myself a 9.75; I kinda sorta almost messed up some lyrics-I think...I was, after all, reading off of my iPhone fer cryin' out loud...we all got to do one more because Dan went through the list a 2nd time...he was able to do THAT because of the number of performers who were around at the time--Warner was not one of them...

gonna be a big day for me

                 SUNDAY 11/25/18 5:12PM--quite spontaneously I came up with my setlist for the GYY open mic tomorrow night...a fairly well-know song, a not at all well-known song...and a song *I* wrote...I actually did some practising while Dianne was taking a walk...when she came home to get the dog to take her for a walk, she heard me rehearsing a bit...she didn't really hear me sing 'cos I was singing to myself--I had just woken up from a nap, so I had almost NO singing voice and I wanna preserve my voice as much as I can...
            6:53PM--tried rewriting another of my older songs...hit a bit of a roadblock...that's OK, hopefully I'll come back to it...I would really like to find the song I wrote about a submarine sinking in 1963; All 129 crewmen went down with the sub...I could swear I saw it the other day, but now I can't find it...it might turn up if I give up looking for it...
             I should be cautious, I might not like the songs a few months weeks or days from now...but I still plan to do one Monday night...maybe I shouldn't, but I kinda keep going thru 'em to see if I still like 'em...and besides various typos (aaarrgh) if I come up with a lyric that I like better, I change it...
     What I need to do is, after Monday night, focus on the Fourth Thursday open mic..that's the plan...I don't think I'll have a problem with the BREAKUP SONG, unless Brian rushes the tempo--which he often does...
                   

the current obsession

      FRIDAY 11/23/18 8:07AM--Suddenly, a couple of hours ago, while lying in bed staring at the ceiling, I started thinking about songwriting...so I dug into an old book of my originals, pulled out two or three and decided that with some lyrical refinements, I could use 'em...now I'm excited by the idea that I could play a song or two of my own at an open mic...
         9:09AM--added two more songs to my covers book...both from Roger McGuinn...gonna build an ORIGINALS book shortly...
12:48PM--now I have the beginning of my originals book...
3:13PM--what I just woke up from *I* wouldn't call a nap...oh well...I think I'm going out tonight...I wanna see if I can chat with Tom Blood about songwriting...I wanna drive my cat somewhere besides Wendy's...and if Tom and I exchange not word one, that's ok too...
SATURDAY 11/24/18 1AM--suddenly I kinda feel like an actual songwriter...go figure...
9:19AM--the Plan is to leave here at 12:30, taking my acoustic guitar, the Manchester bag and sandwiches...like I said before (I think) if Lou makes it to TMC, good...if not, that's good too...
10AM--a week ago I had one, maybe two, original songs that I could possibly play in public...now I have almost ten of 'em...I wrote a new one and went back thru some of the older ones and refined them...
3:30PM-Lou and I were a 7 outta 10 IMO...
6:10PM--got home from the open mic about thirty minutes ago...I was surprised at how many people showed up, both Musicians and civilians...the weather was/is  pretty bad...at this point in time, the guitar and the Manchester bag are still in the car...I'm waiting for the rain to ease up some...
7:21PM--gonna go back out to get my guitar and bag (and phone) shortly...it has stopped raining completely for the time being...
            Looking ahead to Monday's open mic at GYY...It belatedly occurred to me that, well-known or not, I should play songs I like the most--because those are the ones I KNOW the most...for instance, I think I know Alice Cooper's  CLONES better than I know Bob Seger's TURN THE PAGE...in fact, I know some of my own songs better than TURN THE PAGE...I think I could sing/play CLONES w/o reading the lyric sheet, especially if I REHEARSE a little...I like the song therefore I know the song...I don't think anybody in the audience would be familiar with it...I would have to slow it down a bit, but that's no big deal to me...
               I'm not 100% sure but I think the guy I saw at the OTWC last night relied on his iPad/tablet more than a little...I once saw him absolutely mangle the words to GIVE ME ONE REASON--and he was USING a tablet!!! *I* think I could possibly do a halfway decent job singing it w/o any type of crutch...that is, if I had enough advance notice to give it a single listen on my phone...
            Someone I talked to today in Damascus said I could/should sneak an original tune into a three-song set, bracketed by two more well-known songs...because three originals by themselves is artistic suicide...unless yer at a SAW event...I feel NOW like I could do one Monday at GYY...perhaps my enthusiasm is causing delusionment...
            One of my other songwriter friends offered some valuable advice when it comes to writing lyrics...he said I should (generally) leave space...there's not much space in the words to SUBTERRANEAN  HOMESICK BLUES, but any rule can be broken and besides it's Dylan...Ya have to know the rules before you can break the rules...
SUNDAY 11/25/18 9AM--I asked Ray for some tips regarding songwriting; he sent me a LOT of info...
               

why now?

                     WEDNESDAY 11/21/18 11AM--lately I've been thinking about song writing, I'm not sure why...started one this morning...I was gonna give someone I know a recording of one of my instrumentals, thinking maybe she could put lyrics to it...then I started coming up with lyrics myself...as of now, it's an anti-Trump song...
             And I'm still itching to go to an open mic somewhere...gonna have to wait until (hopefully) Saturday...whatever's gonna happen, I wanna practice stuff...dunno where or when, but I really need to do that...
THURSDAY--finished the song...let's see how long it takes to NOT like the lyrics...

that’s more like it

            MONDAY 11/19/18 11:25PM-tonight I did a totally solo set at GYY...I got complimented a fair amount, and not just for a minute or two...I made up a setlist of six songs, half of which I'd done before...of the three songs I did tonight, I did one (MR. SOUL) for the first time alone...not sure why, but frankly I think I played/sang it better than the versions I've done with Lou (HE sang lead vocals)...I would actually give my set a 9.5--I struggled a teeny bit with the F# minor in DON'T CRY NO TEARS and there was a super fast boo boo in I AM A CHILD...for the first time, I talked to the audience a bit; I think I even glanced at them once or twice...I wonder if anybody shot video or took pix...
           I heard harmonies coming from the audience...it was Donate's friend and bandmate Jodie Morris...like me, she adds harmonies where there aren't any...oh no, am I infatuating again? Gotta nip it in the bud--right now...
                  The bad news? MontCo may be about to lose yet another place to play...It appears as though Xroads' days are numbered--dammit...it appears that the same may be said of IPO...
TUESDAY 11/20/18 8:35AM--still feeling good about last night's solo set at GYY...Dunno when or where I'm gonna get out again...I'm thinking maybe Damascus on Saturday, although that may mean doing that Lou&Scott thing...
      I was talking to a songwriter friend about lyrics, specifically NOT trying to fill every empty space...so I rewrote one of my songs, polishing the lyrics and possibly changing the rhythm of it, making it less "country"...
       I've just been given the green light for the trip to Damascus on Saturday...of course, a lot can happen between now and then...Lou is a maybe, he if DIDN'T make it, I would be OK...
10:25PM--really wishing I had an acoustic open mic coming up, but the next one I know is Saturday...
           

there IS a new year around the corner

         SUNDAY 11/18/18 9:27PM--Flakebook seems to be full of photos that Angela took last night...and yeah, I kinda wish I'd gone to Hershey's...but the driver's side front wheel sounds to me like it's getting worse...I'm hoping to get the car fixed on Tuesday...Dianne is (as far as I know) financing the repairs...
         Maybe the new year will bring a major change in my Musical life...I keep seeing all that Danger Bird this, Danger Bird that on FB...I know Alan is better looking than me and is the rhythm guitarist (Kennedy is, as far as I know, the lead guitarist, meaning theoretically, HE gets all the solos) but couldn't Kennedy have asked me if I wanted to join his Neil Young Tribute Band? Maybe I'm not as good a Musician as I think I am...or I'm really ugly...
      MONDAY 11/19/18 11:40AM--still listening to MY Music, and getting emotional about it...thinking about giving Angela a CD of one of my songs and letting HER add lyrics...
      Dunno yet if anything is happening tonight at GYY...I might go if there is--maybe...
2:30PM--I thought I'd be sleeping, but I'm not...the nap actually lasted about an hour...gonna go work on the deck at 3:00 after which I think I'm going to the grocery store...
   So I went to the grocery store, got some stuff...came home and dropped the gallon of milk...took two Xanax as soon as I finished cleaning up the living room floor, which the cleaning ladies had cleaned about 7 hours earlier...I charged the groceries so I was allowed to keep (as a loan) the $20 Dianne gave me...
              I think I'm going to GYY if I have to walk...don't feel like doing anything, but I'm gonna go...

if it’s not my looks then what is it?

SATURDAY 11/17/18 - I just don’t understand why I’m not in a good working band...has Stoney been bad mouthing me? Is being in a band with Barry a major handicap? and why did HE dump me from the duo? I kinda wanna know and I don’t wanna know, ya know?
       Nervously waiting for Angela...

      Angela  came in, asked me how I was...I said “I just got better...” meaning that seeing her made me feel better...then we immediately went our separate ways...I’m not sure she knew what I meant...
          3 Song Sadie absolutely needs a better lead singer...otherwise they’re OK...turns out I knew three of the members of the opening act...THEY don't need me...but 3 Song Sadie does...frankly, the lead singer was terrible...

11:10PM--as I was leaving Xroads I ran into "Rockville Mike"...we chatted a bit and then I noticed Angela seemed to be sitting alone...just as I went back inside, she got up to try to take a few pictures...suddenly, as she stood next to me she opened her jacket to reveal more than a little cleavage...I'm convinced she knew exactly what she was doing--torturing ME...I think she was gonna go to Hershey's...I feel as though I was giving her the opportunity to suggest I go there too...but she didn't...I didn't really wanna hear a blues band anyway...so now I'm just decompressing, winding down...

It may be pathetic, but I've been listening to my handful of demo recordings lately...I don't think it's just my imagination, I DO have some Musical ability dammit...the demos were done circa 2006...surely I'm a better singer and guitarist now than I was then...
                   Dianne will be outta work until February (LONG story, don't ask) and so I feel like I can't sit around strumming my acoustic much less go work in the recording lab...and I've pretty much forgotten what little I knew about recording, etc. anyway...it'll be just like starting over (sigh)

am I being selfish?

              FRIDAY 11/2/18 8AM--Lou wants to go to either GYY or Xroads...*I* vote for GYY; I kinda wanna keep Xroads to myself...and who knows, by Tuesday I might have an original song up my sleeve...I'm too wiped now to do much of anything...I've got laundry to do, groceries to buy, hair that needs cutting...and  a car that needs repairing...
6:46PM--the laundry didn't get done and the car didn't get repaired--it DID get its' first oil change since I took possession of it in August (?) 2017...If I can find the time and energy this weekend, I might work on songwriting...maybe...
9:30PM--I dunno for sure, of course, but I don't think it will be raining tomorrow morning...I think the roomie will have a green light to go to the G-town flea market...I don't think I should go...maybe I'll do some laundry...