another new beginning ? probably not

               THURSDAY 5/30/19 9:09PM--It's possible that the 4thThursday Band may be playing it's first "real" gig at the OTWC on Saturday June 29th...that's only two days after our Monthly open mic gig...not so sure that's gonna work in our favor...oh well...I DO hope everyone can do the gig, *I* don't have anything else going on as far as I know...I just hope I'm up to it physically...I hope to be a bit healthier by then...geez, a month away, and I'm imagining how it's gonna happen...
        11:49PM--it took almost two effin' hours, but I came up with a list of  about 16 songs I could do in the new band, assuming I get the green light from the rest of the group..
       FRIDAY 5/31/19 8:35AM--seriously considering.going to GYY Monday; it's the last open mic there as far as I know...I dunno what songs I'm gonna do, but they'll likely be familiar to the audience...if I should get three, maybe I'll do one "deep cut"...when the tablet is fully charged, I'll go thru it and pick a couple of songs that I know especially well...and I think IPO is having one on Monday also...I just can't get comfortable around Ethan, and I'm not especially fond of Howard...I strongly suspect many of my so-called friends put me in the same category as Howard...eccentric, perhaps in an annoying or even dangerous way...It seems Butch had enough respect for me (or my ability) to invite me to join the 4TH Thursday Band...or maybe his first choice was not available...Alan left the band for some reason, possibly because he doesn't live nearby...I dunno how any of the other guys feel about Butch's decision...and maybe *I* seemed to eager to join...oh well...
          12:15PM--Our debut has been cancelled...because not everyone is available on the same date...it's possible, if not likely, that there won't be a day where all five of us will be available...personally, I think the Band is doomed to failure...
3:12PM--if circumstances allow, I might go to the Gazebo Jam on Sunday...we'll see...
7:25PM--wanted to put the lyrics to SAT. NIGHT'S ALRIGHT on the tablet...struggled, gave up, did it the "old way"--on the laptop...after which, naturally, I managed to get it on the tablet...
10:10PM--dunno HOW I forget to mention it, but my ears are ringing louder than they ever have...dunno what if anything I can do about it...except that the Mayo Clinic says Xanax is used to treat it...

got thru the gig, just not the way I wanted to

                SATURDAY 3/2519 1AM--I managed to get thru the ACME band gig without once thinking to myself that we were horrible...I COULD NOT get the wireless working, with the pedal board in the path from guitar to amp that is...it worked great w/o the ME-70...I'll work on it on Monday...
 9:38AM--I THINK maybe the little wireless doohickey is supposed to be into the gizmo, not the guitar, and the cable (maybe) goes from the gizmo to the amp...I guess I won't know for sure until Monday...
11:14AM---couldn't wait until Monday, set up the wireless Lab in the kitchen--PROBLEM SOLVED!!! I don't think I'll be using the wireless stuff at open mics, but I might use it at practices...HUGE sigh of relief...
10PM--still really excited about having the wireless stuff, dunno when I'm gonna get to use it though...
                         SUNDAY 3/26/19 7:12AM--my new equipment bag just might be MORE bag than I need--Murphy's Law of Luggage I guess...In spite of the fact that I seemingly don't have any gigs until August (except the 4th Thursday) that's what the wireless is for...I'm pretty sure the battery in both the receiver and transmitter will lose all their juice before I get a chance to use 'em, so I must reserve some time for them to recharge...oh well...but that's a big bummer IMO...
              8:15PM-- I need to get back into keyboard practice before what small amount of skill I have fades away...I dunno when my keyboard audition for the ACME Band is gonna be...I dunno when any of the bands I'm in are gonna practice...I usually listen to Music and stuff while I'm using the laptop, but I'm trying to give my ears a break...I can hear them ringing; it's quite loud...I think it's causing me to experience vertigo...I've been walking around like somebody who is a little drunk...it comes and goes...
            Barry says the Combustibles have got a gig--in Virginia on  DEC 7th...I think my next gig is the 4TH Thursday in June...nearly a month away...gonna have to hook the stuff up in the basement and actually practice...
       
   

for only the second time

                FRIDAY 3/24/19 8AM--one of the things that happened this evening was me having a temper tantrum onstage...quite embarrassing now...Arlene and her friend Audrey were singing Margaritaville and three members of the band went one way while I went another...for the record, I WAS RIGHT...Arlene (I think) agreed with me...I didn't know Stoney et al were gonna play it the way they did--the wrong way...a MAJOR lack of communication, wouldn't ya say?
           I also, in spite of having taken a Xanax before I left the house, had two sips of what was supposed to be a "fuzzy navel", but rumor was that it was orange juice and rum--not orange juice and schnapps...which explains why it tasted so bad...as far as I know, I'm still in the Band...
9:38AM--I'm  gonna put last night behind me; I got 60 bucks in spite of my attitude problem...
11:44AM--I was told by an employee that not using my Victor Litz credit "card" would be bad for my credit score...for that and other reasons I bought a wireless set-up...I'm considering prayer that it will work properly, no glitches, or other problems--ever...I guess I'll find out tonight at the gig with the Acme Band...If I return it in seven days, I get a full refund...fourteen days? store credit...I will need one cable to go from the Gizmo to the amp, but I won't need one to go from the guitar TO the Gizmo...

not this time

                 WEDNESDAY 5/22/19 11:17PM--I don't think I'll be spending any time in the keyboard Lab on Thursday...I've still got too much open mic homework to do...just stuff I guess I hadn't noticed...and I have to reschedule my hair cutting appointment yet again because the 3PM load-in is more important...
11:54PM--I realized that I could slow down a certain song that had me the most worried, in order to learn a guitar part...and so I did--quite quickly as a matter of fact...but I must now decompress in order to get some sleep.
                         A certain Buffet song (Fins) has a tricky guitar part as well, but all I have to do is play it incessantly...when I left practice, I kinda sorta had it...so I'll be doing that later...and I have now sung THUNDER ISLAND about four times...I'd never really sung it before tonight; it sounded good to me, because I was fairly relaxed at practice...a gig is something else altogether...of course, that's what the Xanax is for, right?
THURSDAY 7:50AM--I slowed down the Buffet song AND the John Prine song...and got 'em both on iTunes...I hope to have 'em both completely down by showtime...
9:42AM--the songs are getting tighter; it's been barely two hours since I started on 'em...I'm just taking a break, my left arm hurts a teeny bit...dunno how much of a break I'm gonna take; there's no schedule as far as I'm concerned...
1PM--still practicing, it IS getting better...BUT...
6:12PM--whatever's gonna happen will start happening in about two hours...

             

slow progress, but progress nonetheless

         TUESDAY 5/21/19 4PM--I set out to play a certain song on the keyboard and ended up playing THE WEIGHT instead...I'm not at all used to playing it on a keyboard, in fact until an hour ago I'd never played it on anything but a guitar...Using my (somewhat) perfect pitch, I accidentally found the C#min I was looking for...I DID cheat a bit when attempting to play SUPERSTITIOUS--I used the Transpose button...legend has it that open mic host John Harbison used the Transpose feature a LOT...
               The doctor I saw (the temporary Borelli) recommends not doing things that get me revved up (like practicing piano, recording, etc.) when it's time to start winding down...but I played a practice CD thru the BR1180 and it didn't sound all that bad...that's where I got THE WEIGHT from...that's when I needed the C#minor...
10:25PM--found some interesting Grateful Dead music on FB; went searching for it on the GD Internet Archive and found about a half dozen different recordings of the same show...picked the best sounding recording of the two songs I wanted...they're in the iTunes Library...tomorrow I'll get back to working on the 4th Thursday music...practice is (as far as I know) scheduled for 7:30 (?) and I'm kinda excited about it...
        WEDNESDAY 5/22/19 7:35AM--studying the vids for the Open Mic...I think I'll be plenty ready by tomorrow night...I keep coming back to THUNDER ISLAND...I'm not trying to cause trouble...I'm gonna prep with the guitar amp and gizmo later...dunno if I'm gonna get to work in the keyboard Lab today, but I'm gonna try to spend a few minutes there; I should have the piano book by Lunchtime, more or less...
10:31AM--did some work in the KB Lab...practice makes perfect...now I think it's time to focus on the 4th Thursday music...and I still plan on doing something after my attempted nap...
NOON-ITN/ACME Band leader Dave has apparently started another group, seemingly an Anne Arundel County band...suddenly, auditioning for ACME as a keyboard player doesn't seem as important to me as it was an hour ago...
12:50PM- waiting for Pritchard music to open...they open at 1 o’clock; then I’ll go in and get the piano book and go home… The dog is at the groomers so that’s one less thing for me to worry about this afternoon…I’m going to try for a nap; when I wake up I will set up the gizmo lab in the living room…
4:13PM--of course, some of that didn't happen that way at all...I'm not surprised...instead of putting new strings on Butterscotch, I put 'em on eBay instead...unusually, it was a bit of a struggle; but it's done...they should be broken in by tomorrow night...the Plan is to use the Gizmo at practice tonight...

it's all in the timing, right?

        MONDAY 5/20/19 12:19AM--It drives me crazy to get my second wind this late...started working on the open mic list...most of the songs are easy; I'm not always fond of key changes, but that's what some people do--Stoney sometimes, Arlene rather often...gonna try to decompress and go to bed, and hopefully get some sleep...
9:20PM--over the course of the day I've started working on the open mic list...I think I'll be plenty ready by Thursday night...Still STILL uncertain about the song I might do...Playing THUNDER ISLAND was fairly easy (capo 2nd fret) and fun...we'll see...
         TUESDAY 5/21/19 7:55AM--the roomie is working from home...if I'm gonna practice the open mic songs in the living room, I'll have to use Butterscotch or eBay...that's the easiest way;  the playlist is on youTube, which I have on my phone (as well as the laptop) so I could theoretically practice almost anywhere...
               I have next to nothing else to do today, so I should practice the songs...LATER--so I did, a little...as I've told Butch, I'm still not 100% sure exactly which songs we're doing...I've been brushing up on THUNDER ISLAND  just in case we do that one...and I think I'm about ready for the Zac Brown song, either of which might be easier with a capo, but not necessarily...

how did that happen?

      FRIDAY 5/17/19 1:14AM--just got home from Severna Park...I left Brian Boru at about 11:30PM...I somehow managed to miss my exit off of Rt.100 onto southbound 95...I ended up at the point where Rt. 29 ENDS...so I was west and slightly south of the Woodlawn section of Baltimore...Although it seemed a LOT further away, I was 26 miles and about 30 minutes out of my way...I turned around when I got to the end of Rt.29 and went South on it until I got to the ICC...I then went West and made it home...
         On the way to the gig, I ran into heavy traffic--THREE times...I arrived at Brian Boru at about 6:30 and skipped Dinner at McDonald's..I had a BB burger instead, which cost (including tip) about $15 dollars...Ray gave me $15 dollars for playing, although it MIGHT have been $20...He invited me to his next gig but I said I couldn't...Truth is, I didn't wanna...I feel like suddenly, I've got a lot going on--maybe too much...
         But I sure had fun tonight, aside from getting lost...oh yeah, and forgetting my f**king guitar cables...so I went "naked"--no stomp boxes...it sounded surprisingly good...and I feel like I did some of my best guitar playing, even though to me, like always, it all started to sound the same after awhile...my harmonies were topnotch...Best Male harmony singer I know of...
4:40PM--and yet today what few keyboard skills I think I have gone missing...Both the 4th Thursday Band AND the ACME Band/ITN seem to be having problems communicating...I can't handle that right now...
11:41PM--I found LOTSA backing tracks with the lead vocal missing, which isn't what I'm looking for...but there are some with keyboards missing, lucky to find those...
SATURDAY 5/18/19 11:40AM--while I DID figure out a little of the vibraphone part of LET'S GO AWAY FOR AWHILE, I fumbled thru any other song I tried, just scrolling thru the phone...maybe I should focus on tomorow's concert...it looks like Dianne is (reluctantly I think) gonna use the ticket that I haven't yet been able to give away...
3:50PM--it might be possible to run a signal from my phone into (and out thru?) the BR-1180 instead of making CDs to play thru it...maybe I'll find out on Monday...I'm gonna be busy until then...
SUNDAY 5/19/19 7:44AM--starting a day or so ago I started thinking that, in addition to polishing my keyboard skills, maybe I could work on my Bass playing skills...we'll see about that idea...and I really REALLY need to start working on my 4th Thursday stuff...I think there are 13 songs in the list, not counting mine, which I think/hope will be the reggae version of MARGARITAVILLE...
7:30PM--except the set list already includes three (four?) reggae songs...so (I guess) we'll just play it straight--how boring...

a minor miracle IMO

        WEDNESDAY 5/15/19 12:11AM--One of the guys in the 4th Thursday Band wants us to open with the theme from Hawaii 5 0...fairly quickly, I was able to "borrow" it from youTube, run the file (?) thru Audacity in order to slow it down and then feed it into my iTunes Library...but now I'm gonna try to get some sleep...
11:32AM--I have volunteered to take my 4thThursday spotlight song OFF our set list...I'm not 100% sure I would do it justice and (IMO) I have lotsa other stuff to work on, some of which IS related to the 4th Thursday show...
6:10PM--I feel as though I've got LOTSA 4th Thursday homework to do...gonna officially start on it tomorrow...
10PM--somewhat suddenly, I barely feel like participating in the next 4th Thursday gig...or at the very least I have no desire to have a slot of my own...it still feels like a LOT of homework to me...
THURSDAY 4:35PM--starting tomorrow, I have to work on my 4thThursday homework--and it feels to ME like there's a lot of it...but first, in less than an hour, I've leaving for Severna Park...

ignorance can be bliss, occasionally

              SUNDAY 10:07AM--so what I managed to do at last night's ACME Band gig was ignore all the mistakes, not just mine...I heard 'em and kept playing...and I didn't worry about whether or not the other band members actually heard the mistakes *I* heard...ignorance may not be bliss, but I bet it's good for keeping my blood pressure down...and what is it about Bass players that they don't like to hold one note longer than a measure or two? for instance, can Phil NOT hear the D in the WHAT ABOUT LOVE  that runs thru the D C Bb progression in the intro? I think he can, just desn't want to...Stoney? same problem, I just can't remember what song it was...I think it was a song *I* sang at the 4thThursday in April...
11:30AM--I put a notice on Flakebook to sell the extra ticket I have for the Jonathan Brooke show on 5/19...I bet I don't get any takers, at least not the the women (woman?) I wanna be with...I guess Dianne will use it if I can't get rid of it...I bought her (signed?) DVD earlier today; I could have it by Wednesday...
12:33PM--I have a bit of a to do list, which is includes going to Litz, but I'll likely do that tomorrow...
5:48PM--dunno what I'm doing Monday...I had an appointment to get my hair cut on Tuesday, but I changed it to the day after my birthday@ 9:30AM...
6:01PM--assuming I'm not going anywhere this evening, I'll have $145 to last two days...
MONDAY 5/13/19 1PM--so I got the sustain pedal and thought about someday getting a small amp to run the keyboard through, and maybe sooner something to carry the keyboard in...
4:04PM--now I've got $92 dollars to last until Wednesday morning...there's an open mic at GYY tonight, but I doubt that I'll go...Ray wants me to come out again this Thursday and/or Friday; mixed feelings about that...maybe it depends on what Dianne is doing, especially on Thursday...even though it doesn't look like it on a map, the two different pubs are roughly the same distance away...
TUESDAY 5/14/19 10AM or so-I’ve started to assemble a keyboard practice iTunes playlist… eventually I will make a CD out of it, and play it through my BR-1180, whatever that will sound like...but for now, I’m somewhat inhibited-at least I think I am-by the presence of Dianne working in the office… And I still haven’t decided on whether or not I want to play with Ray again this week;  if he were to pay me, that would be fine, but I don’t need the money-not yet anyway…If Dianne goes out on Thursday, maybe I will too...or I might just go do Ray's gig anyway...
              7:55PM- it kind of seems like a done deal,  but I think I’m going to do the gig with Ray on Thursday night… I don't expect much of a turn out; I hope I'm wrong...I might put new strings on the acoustic, but I might not (why bother?) and then I’ll have them ready just in case... although, as far as I can recall, I have nothing else to do tomorrow…

how can it be?

            SATURDAY 5/11/19 1:25AM--how can it be that a group of Musicians who hardly know each other can sound (to me anyway) better than either of the bands I'm in? The gig with Ray at Killarney House went pretty darn well IMO...For whatever reason, we struggled to get a good sound outta MY guitar, so I borrowed an old Gibson that belonged to Gary the Bass player...eventually it sounded better than my Fender, especially because I ran it thru my EQ and Chorus on its' way to the PA...Ray told me after the gig, that he wasn't completely happy with the performance as a whole...but it didn't matter--the audience decides...but I think I did some of my best playing last night...
            He gave me 2 $20 dollar bills...I gave one to Dianne--we used her vehicle after all...I tried to give him back a 20 but he refused it...I didn't insist, so I put it in my pocket...I'm assuming he gets paid by KH, and that the tip jar is for the rest of the Band...there were 6 of us altogether, counting the (snare) drummer and saxophonist and the fiddler...Neither Tish nor Johnny were there...neither was Cory--that was a surprise...BTW, Dianne had a good time, or so she told me whenever I asked...
    Sometimes, the more money I have, the less I wanna spend...that's where I am right now...and it always feels weird...I think tonight's gig pays $60...that works for me...

it DOES hurt, but...

      THURSDAY 5/9/19 9:16AM--looking at Flakebook often depresses me, like when I read about Bill Mulroney making an album and not asking me if I could play on it...that hurts...bastard...he's a lawyer, some of them aren't trustworthy...I guess he's one of them...
4:32PM--I discovered that there are keyboard backing tracks on youTube from the same guy whose guitar and bass backing tracks I've "borrowed"...that makes me forget the feelings of being ostracized...dunno if Butch is going out tonight, but *I* am...
7:45PM-did not expect to see LOU SESSA here...maybe he forgot my phone number or email address...
     It turns out Lou&Scott are going up after John C. which makes me feel better...and a bit less ignored...
11:53PM--so L&S went up and did three songs...MINING, LMYR, and 909...I'd say we were a 9 on a scale of ten...the open mic ended at 10, which I think is when the place closes...now I can focus on the sit-in with Ray...
FRIDAY 5/10/19 7:27AM--I don't think Dianne is going with me tonight...mixed feelings about that...the weather is predicted to be less than ideal, as in rain...but not all day/evening /night long...
9:12AM--going to Pritchard's to hopefully get a piano chord book...at some point I wanna get a sustain pedal for the keyboard, but that might have to wait a bit...

a big surprise

             TUESDAY 5/7/19 8:24PM- fiddling around with the keyboard…I think so far the most difficult thing I will have to play in the ACME Band is SUPERSTITION by Stevie Wonder...I can use the TRANSPOSE feature of the keyboard to play DESPERADO in any key they want to play it in...I think a friend of mine used to rely on it quite a bit...I can use it to play SHADOWS OF THE NIGHT, which is in F# and I think a certain String patch will be perfect for WHAT ABOUT LOVE...I have no idea whatsoever when we’re going to practice again; but my plan is to bring the keyboard with me…maybe I should discuss that with Dave first; maybe not...
      And I have a Ringo song to learn for the next 4th Thursday...and I’ve suggested a David Gilmour song for me to sing...
WEDNESDAY 5/8/19 8:24AM--the David Gilmour song may be a bit too complex to learn properly, I'm trying to think of something else...something easier to manage...still adjusting the keyboard, gonna find a way to memorize the notes for SUPERSTITION...I think I'm gonna mark them in some manner...
          1:25PM--I got some colored dots to mark the keys on my keyboard...gonna find out (probably) after my attempt at a nap if my idea is gonna work...
                 As of now, I'm doing a gig with Ray on Friday night at Killarney House...very sudden gig, like 30 minutes ago I didn't have it...Dianne might go, that would be cool...I didn't really wanna play at Brian Boru tomorrow night anyway...When I asked Ray if HE had a preference, he said Killarney House...
2:20PM--I marked the keyboard for that part in SUPERSTITION...I think by the time the ACME band practices again I'll be ready to audition for them as a keyboard player...we have a gig scheduled for 5/24 at an American Legion, where there's usually a fair amount of room "onstage"...There might be a practice before that...
     Some songs that I play on the keyboard will likely require some adjustments to be made before I can play them...I hope to work up a cheat sheet for myself...how to transpose, how to change how fast the notes decay, etc. First I'll write one out by hand then I'll  create a document on the laptop...
THURSDAY 5/9/19 8:36AM--I think I'm done making cheat sheets for the keyboard...gonna go practice and/or scroll thru dozens (hundreds?) of patches...I really didn't wanna get outta bed at 6:30, but that's what happened...I can't imagine not being back in bed by 1PM...I might go out tonight to an open mic very close by--to be a spectator...unfortunately I suggested to Butch that WE go do a song or two...

but what about what *I* believe?

            TUESDAY 5/7/19 1:18PM--I believe that the ACME Band has a LONG way to go before I can be proud of (currently) being a member...I made the mistake of telling my band mates that, to some Musicians/Bands, the only opinion that matters is that of the audience...that sounds like an excuse to me..."we suck, but if the people like us and we keep getting (paying) gigs, that's all that matters..." I think 99% of my Musician "friends" feel that way, and that makes me sad...
              Monday night after practice, Phil carried my guitar upstairs and left it either in the kitchen or in the driveway...either way sounds like Phil was making a subtle symbolic statement, as in'you can be replaced' or 'I want you outta the Band'  I know it sounds like I'm being paranoid...but that doesn't mean it isn't true, right?
     I just might go to the Acoustic open mic on Thursday...it's real close to home, a little easier on my ears and I won't be putting "mileage" on my electric guitar strings...the more I think about it, the more I wanna go...but a lot can happen between now and Thursday...
1:51PM--I just had a wild idea...I'm gonna go thru the ACME list to find out which, if any, songs I could play keyboards on...
4:26PM--in addition to going thru the ACME Band song list, I watched a couple of their videos...I do believe I could play keyboards for them...Hopefully at the next practice I can bring my keyboard....maybe not many, but at lest one song on their list (What About Love) NEEDS keys, IMO...I'll work on that starting tomorrow--hopefully...
5PM--I went downstairs and after some tweaking on the keyboard, I started attempting to play WHAT ABOUT LOVE, and it sounds pretty damn good to me already...I'm trying not to get cocky about it...I think I'll spend a certain amount of time each day practicing keyboard parts...I wanna get to the point where I don't have to think too much when I'm playing...

am I delusional?

      MONDAY 5/6/19 --if it was up to me, tonight's practice would be a band meeting...but it's not up to me...I probably shouldn't, but I keep coming back to wondering why I'm not more successful as a Musician...Am I that unattractive, physically or otherwise? do I have the image of being too "eccentric"? I don't know ANYBODY  who is "normal", by my layman's definition...they SEEM normal, but I bet if you live with them long enough, their personality quirks will reveal themselves in due time, if they weren't already visible/obvious...it would not be nice to cite examples, because those examples would just be my opinion--I'm not a psychiatrist...but it IS frustrating to think I might possibly be lumped in with them...maybe it's my imagination, maybe not...
                        Am I not a good enough guitarist? or lead singer? or backup singer? Is there a definitive definition of "good" when it comes to Music? *I* don't think so...I don't know for sure but I don't think Eric Clapton can do what Eddie Van Halen does...does that make Clapton a "bad" guitarist? There are guitarists who can do what Van Halen does...does that make those of us who can't "bad" guitarists? Exceptional ability, in my opinion, is something you're born with--or not...*I* think you could have all the determination and patience in the World and still not reach Van Halen's level...
                           But among the many Musicians in my neighborhood, I absolutely will not believe that I'm the "worst" one--however you define that...It's frustrating to look at Flakebook and feel left out...
6:45PM- practice with the ACME band starts shortly...it’s going to be an interesting evening I think…
10:16PM--practice went the way Dave said it would...we worked on the beginnings and endings of the songs...I may be the only band member who thinks we need (LOTSA) work...Cruel though it may sound, I would trade Geoff for a keyboard player...that Grateful noodling is really starting to get to me...and Phil encourages it...and Geoff apparently has no interest in even trying to get closer to the record...it sounds to ME like a terrible band...but ultimately the audience decides whether a band is good or not...Like I've said before, I'm gonna try to keep my head down and take the money...

that was the Combustibles?

           SUNDAY 5/5/19 1:50AM- considering what we normally sound like and considering the fact that we didn’t practice for this gig we were pretty damn good-I’m shocked…still not quite satisfied, but oddly optimistic...I found my guitar playing to be for the most part, pretty dammed good too...struggled with the gizmo a bit, but I didn't let it bother me...I really wanna bring the two volume levels (Manual and Memory modes) closer together...
    9:48AM--we got a request for FREE BIRD...I hollered out FIFTY bucks...the person making the request heard FIFTEEN bucks...oh well, any is better than none...apparently, we nailed it...probably better than some of the other songs we played last night... a couple of songs we usually do rather badly sounded a bit better too, frankly because *I* tried harder...but the band still has a way to go before I'll be satisfied...
   I think there's an open mic at IPO...maybe I'll go, but probably as a support player, not as a solo artist...
5:47PM--apparently there's an ACME practice planned for Monday evening...rats...no IPO open mic for me...
MONDAY 5/6/19 11AM--if it was up to me, tonight's practice would be a band meeting...but it's not up to me...

a new outlook?

             

               THURSDAY 5/2/19 7:05AM--not going out tonight, hoping to go out tomorrow...don't yet know who's playing where...SLIGHTLY LATER--turns out there's nobody playing nearby except the Marsh Bros. at the OTWC...and they just don't do anything for me...Saturday night, there's the gig with the Combustibles, oh boy...
              FRIDAY 5/3/19 10:48AM--I probably will go to the OTWC tonight...if nothing else, I can have Dinner there...and I'll try to listen to the Marsh Bros. with a moderately critical ear...and it's not about the type of Music they play...I think they play SOME covers--that's what I'm gonna pay attention to the most...
        4:03PM--I'm clean shaven, I just gotta take a shower...gonna try to be positive and upbeat...All Humans are actors sometimes...so now it's my turn...
    9:55PM-it’s bad enough that Jessica is here...Renee is here too-sitting about seven feet away...
SATURDAY 5/4/19 1:25AM--for the second time, I kissed Jessica...at first I just shook her hand, SHE initiated the hug...the kiss was my idea; I think it was a goodbye kiss...incredibly, I've already forgotten some details...the kiss itself I'll hopefully remember for a long time...and I had a wonderful time talking to Reneé...I even had fun chatting with Mike Murray...the main purpose of the visit was to hear the Marsh Brothers Band...I thought they were pretty darn good...after I watch the episode of Star Trek I recorded, I'll likely go to bed...
9:10PM-hopefully I’ll keep my head down and my mouth shut...