maybe it's over...so, what's next?

 

      

            MONDAY 9/27/21 11:37PM--just saw on FB where CJ says the Main Stage Grille open mic is done...He's not yet ready to announce the replacement venue...I really REALLY hope it's a bit closer to home...I don't know where CJ lives...I'm assuming the new open mic will be closer to him than me...
11:12PM--The CJ/Max open mic is moving to Northern Glen Burnie (*I* call that neck of the woods Linthicum, but maybe that's just me) which is not close at all...
WEDNESDAY 9/29/21 5:36PM-- just 24 hours before the open mic...actually getting excited about it...
10:02PM--still excited about going to Hershey's tomorrow...and Killarney House on Friday...
THURSDAY  9/30/21 9:13AM-- about 9 hrs.to Hershey's... I shouldn't be this excited--I've been there before, lotsa times, almost every week...and of course the sit-in with Ray is tomorrow...
11:48AM--SueEl wants to go to Hershey's...I intend to pick her up at about 5:45 or so...I'm tempted to call Jeff and find out what HIS plans for tonight are...but I won't, because if he gets there first, that's OK...I don't want him to even suspect that I don't want him around so I can play Bass all evening long...if that happens again, fine...if not that's OK too...I can just be the Understudy, or maybe do some lead singing...
9:55PM--turns out I was the only Bass player...Jeff was floating around, but he didn't land anywhere...SueEl sanng a couple, nearly stole the show...
FRIDAY 10/1/21 11:38AM--gonna try to catch some Z's before the cleaning people get here...I kinda hope they're a teeny bit late...
12:07PM--the nap is not gonna happen, I'm too excited--I'll be playing BASS tonight with Ray Weaver!!! I gotta go get a friend's amp; I can do that when the cleaning people get here...he gave me permission BTW...
1:35PM--the cleaning people are a bit late...suddenly I'm not happy anymore.
2:15PM--they've been here awhile, but I'm afraid they'll still be here when I wanna take a shower...Whether I want to or not, I might have to skip the shower and the shave...I'll put on clean clothes, though...

disappointed, whether I should be or not...

 

           SATURDAY 9/25/21 12:47AM--just got home from the Ray gig at Brian Boru...aside from the tone I was getting, I had a pretty good time...it's roughly the same tone I've been getting lately, and I'm not crazy about it...I'm a bit disappointed to be bringing home only $40 bucks..Ray led me to believe it would be a little more than that...I think worked really hard tonight...and we played about an hour past the original end time...
            Even if I didn't have a commitment tomorrow, I don't think I'd make yet another journey to wherever just for 40 dollars...Am I being selfish? *I* don't think so...
9AM--Ray texted me overnight, asking me about the money...he now says he was supposed to pay me $60...I hope to collect the other $20 next week at Killarney House...I STILL don't think I can make it to KH tonight...as always, we'll see...
7:19PM--nope, no way, not gonna happen...I'm staying in this evening...I might not sit in with Ray until Friday the first of October...and I'm OK with that...
    SUNDAY 9/26/21 7:40PM-- as far as *I* know I've got nuthin' goin on Musically until Thursday...I think the Main Stage Grille Tuesday open mic is done...hoping to go to Hershey's on Thursday (as a Bass player) and Killarney House on Friday, possibly taking Dianne along...I've been kinda fantasizing about playing Bass for Ray, but incredibly enough, I can only remember a handful of titles of songs he has played...weird...and there have been HUNDREDS of songs...
11:10PM--I think I'm not as well known (in MontCo at least) is that I don't know how to act like a local rock star...and (as I'm well aware) I have no stage presence...I just dunno how to act like I'm a big deal, or at least how to act like I THINK I'm a big deal...oh well... 
MONDAY 9/27/21 12:13AM--just saw on Flakebook where Ray calls the folks backing him up at KH earlier this evening "the ENTIRE Raybot "A" team"--*I* wasn't there...I think he gig might have been a sudden, last minute thing...it kinda hurts my feelings a bit, whether it should or not...I wonder if I'll ever see that $20 bucks he owes me for the Brian Boru gig...starting to have my doubts...
9:14AM--and now Tish, on FB, says "Like old times, the best"...I guess I'll always be "The Understudy"

Keeping a secret

 

                      WEDNESDAY 9/22/21 9AM-Ray doesn’t yet know this, but I am bringing my electric gear to Annapolis tonight, in spite of the fact that he wants to do an acoustic show… I will be more easily heard if I play the electric guitar, not because of the volume level but because the sound of an electric guitar is so different than the sound of an acoustic guitar… And Ray tends to play rather loudly… or at least, mix the acoustic guitar rather loudly…
     I’m nervous about not telling him, but on the other hand if I DO tell him he may try to talk me out of it – and I intend to put my foot down, at least a little… other than Brian the bass player, I have no idea who else is going to be there tonight… And because of the weather I want to give myself plenty of time to get there by 7 o’clock…
1:22PM--it turns out Ray doesn't mind if his "guitar heroes" are plugged in as long as we can somehow use the "acoustic approach" (whatever that is) at tonight's show...I like jamming with Johnny V, but I'm not 100% sure we BOTH need to be there...although maybe HE needs the money too...
4:31PM--At this point in time, Johnny isn't available on Friday (or Saturday) so I'm hoping to go on Friday, and (hopefully) Saturday as well...
           THURSDAY 9/23/21 2:10AM--just got in from the Ray Weaver gig...got pulled over for speeding AND the driver's side headlight being OUT...I got a warning instead of a ticket--thank you Universe...I have 30 days to fix the headlight--more work for the guys across the street...as for the gig itself, it took me awhile to get warmed up...Johnny V was there; we DO seem to connect musically...the female singers were/are pretty good...don't tell anyone, but their harmonies leave a bit to be desired if ya ask ME...but the place was packed--on a Wednesday, and a rainy one at that...
11:15AM--as much as I want to, and that's a LOT, I don't think I should go to Hershey's tonight...we'll see...it's a LOT closer and the open mic is over by 11PM if not sooner...and I DO like to play Bass occasionally, still...
3:07PM--I've said to myself if the virtual appointment with my Doctor goes right (from a technical standpoint) I'll go to Hershey's...I don't know for sure but I think it's gonna happen correctly...we'll see...
10:38PM--just got in from Hershey's...had lotsa fun, played Bass all evening long...even did some singing at the same time...Jeff was in a guitar playing mood, so everybody was happy...SueEl was there for awhile as well...I DO seem to know lotsa songs, even on Bass...
11:15PM--now I can focus on the Ray gig in Severna Park...I think he starts at 7, which means I should try to leave home at about 5:30 or so...I plan to bring the same gear I've used for the two gigs I've done so far...

Probably not worth the trouble

                    

         SATURDAY 9/18/21 1:10PM-I think I’m gonna make it a little easier on myself and NOT sell my albums at the Hershey’s flea market tomorrow… I KNOW that Litz will just give me pennies per album if I take them here to get rid of… Dianne says they don’t take up that much room, which is true; it’s physically (and maybe financially) easier to just keep them for a while…so I will…
SUNDAY 9/19/21 11:33AM-so here I am at the Hershey’s flea market… I’ve sold one copy of the nine copies of Rolling Stone magazine that I have… Dianne thinks I should hang onto the practice Bass amp; let me just say that if it doesn’t sell I won’t cry about it; if the guitar doesn’t sell, I might cry about THAT…
12:07PM—four hours to go…I guess I’ll donate whatever I don’t sell…Dianne will get the tax credit…Not looking forward to loading all this crap back into the car…
2:18PM- closed down my flea market tables…I  made $ 200…Jeff got half, Dianne got the other half…and I'm keeping the practice Bass amp...
3:35PM--home at last...hoping to nap until 6PM--
6:03PM--slept until 5:30; that'll do...went down into the basement and did more than a little straightening up ...I'm pretty darn happy with my work...

The most significant gig I’ve done in quite a while

 

                 FRIDAY 9/17/21 8PM-I always say I’d rather be there two hours early than 15 minutes late… I’m about two hours early…Both Kenny and Ray are here now… we pretty much ran out of room on stage as soon as Kenny set the drums up...
SATURDAY 9/18/21 3:30AM--Just got home from Annapolis...other than struggling (a lot) to find my way OUT of Annapolis, I'd say it was the best gig I've ever done with Ray, including the five or so years I played guitar in the LCB...For most of the night, my guitar playing was breathtaking...seriously...It was not a typical Ray gig, IF there is such a thing...For instance, *I* sang NEEDLE AND THE DAMAGE DONE, not Ray...not sure why...But I knocked it outta the Park...
8:50PM--still recovering from last night's gig...Dianne is concerned about being at Hershey's flea market tomorrow, all day long...maybe *I* should be too, but I have no choice, right? Dunno if we're having breakfast there or not...I suppose I could go either way...I'm gonna try to go to bed at 10PM...might be a bad idea, might not...I gotta get up at whenever o'clock to load Dianne's car...I made 2 nice looking (framed) signs...
9:44PM--all that time I spent making BASSless CDs--wasted I suppose...so now I'm gonna try to create GTRless CDs...starting with SPIRIT by SADE...
10:26PM--it turns out I already have a bunch of GTRless tracks, about 7 hours  on 7CDs, most of them by the ORIGINAL ARTISTS!!!...I absolutely forgot all about 'em...wow...

NOT at all easy or maybe I was dreaming

 

         THURSDAY 9/16/21 7:35PM-finally arrived at Bippy's…It was not the least bit easy to get to… I was wrong about it being easy although it looked easy on the map, and I was wrong about wanting to make this the place I go to on Thursday nights – no fucking way… maybe I’ll feel differently after the night is over, but I seriously doubt it; on the other hand, in baseball you get three strikes… Well, so far Bippy’s has one…
I’m not at all sure I wanna play anything tonight…I maybe in over my head…
11:02PM played a bunch of songs on guitar, just not as well as I wanted to…
FRIDAY 9/17/21 12:57AM--Just got home from Bippy's Pub...it was a lot easier to get home than it was to get there...right at the end of the evening, I played some Bass...I'd give myself a "9" on a scale of 10...I didn't hang around chatting TOO much...I shall return, I just dunno when...now I need to focus on the gig with Ray...
SATURDAY 9/18/21 3:30AM--Just got home from Annapolis...other than struggling (a lot) to find my way OUT of Annapolis, I'd say it was the best gig I've ever done with Ray, including the five or so years I played guitar in the LCB...

Martin & Lewis reunite (maybe)

 

         TUESDAY 9/14/21 5:08PM--to cut right to the chase, Ray apologized to me...I guess this means I'll be playing (electric) guitar with him when he comes back around...In the past I've had trouble hearing MY acoustic guitar, but not his...but an electric guitar sounds different than an acoustic, so I should be able to hear myself if/when we play together...I guess I'll always be doing some guitar work, in addition to Bass...
       But for now, I'm getting ready to go to CJ's open mic, as a BASS player...gonna try a different route to get there, fingers crossed of course...the plan is to have dinner there...
7PM-No matter which way I go to get to the Main Stage Grille I have a problem… This time was no exception; I tried going straight up Rte.97 which is, among other things, Georgia Avenue and I messed up… luckily I got out of the screw up and made it to my destination…
WEDNESDAY 9/15/21 12:05AM--apparently, the Universe wasn't done with me in terms of driving incidents...I got stopped on the way home from the Main Stage Grille open mic--because of my non-working tail lights...I got a warning...one of the officer's headlights was out as well... maybe that's why I just got a warning...it wasn't the best time I ever had there, the burger was good...I played some Bass and some guitar and sang (what else) Moondance...but now I'm really looking forward to going to Bippy's on Thursday...it's a teeny bit closer and (allegedly) easier to get to...
4:08PM--finally got to spend a fair amount of time with my other Bass...sounds good, action too high, though...I think Max is gonna do some work on it, but it won't be ready in time for the Hershey's flea market...I guess I can sell it thru FB...or just keep it...
8:01PM-I think Ray Weaver is cooking up an LCB reunion of some sort for this coming Friday… To put it mildly this is quite a surprise…Dianne is interested in going, provided she feels up to it; I’m not completely sure I’m up FOR it… I was hoping that my reunion with Ray would be rather low-key… there’s a possibility that it won’t be low-key at all…I guess some part of the Universe does NOT want me to become a bass player at this time… but I’m not giving up just yet…
8:27PM-suddenly my Life has become rather hectic…I don’t like “hectic”, I’m getting too old for that…I wanna make it thru the next four days...
THURSDAY 9/16/21 12:07PM--now I can concentrate on going to Bippy's tonight...I'll worry about the flea market on Saturday...as far as *I* know there may be an LCB reunion TOMORROW night...I''ll burn that bridge when I come to it...
4:30PM--except that Mike is unavailable...as is Ray's regular Bass player...hmm...as for tonight, I'm still hoping to go to Bippy's...I hope the weather improves more than a little before I leave, around 6:30 or so; it was really raining hard a few minutes ago...of course, a lot can happen in (roughly) two hours...

I think I'm a Bass player now

 

       THURSDAY 9/9/21  10:53PM-- I think it was an amazing night at Hershey's tonight...for the first time that *I* remember, I played first--Jeff wasn't around when the jam started, so I played first...It almost hurts to play thru Jeff's amp, I sound that good...and I played very well too if I do say so myself...I didn't overplay too much, especially once I started getting tired...my hand didn't hurt either...BTW, SueEl didn't/couldn't go...
      Even if I got an amp tomorrow, I still couldn't be in a band....and I don't even have space for an amp anyway...Maybe I'll have more space after the flea market...gottta start working on playing Bass and singing at the same time...my fantasy of joining 49 Cent Dress will likely always be just that...
         The Hershey's flea market is 10 days away...I probably should start prepping for it soon...I think I'm gonna need help getting ready...
FRIDAY 9/10/21 5:46PM--at least now I know when the flea market starts and ends...I think Dianne is gonna help with the signs...
9:10PM--suddenly, I feel like I gotta get moving on the flea market preperation...first, I'll design the signs...
SATURDAY 9/11/21 9:32PM--really gotta concentrate on the flea market, starting with counting the two crates of albums...
MONDAY 9/13/21 9:39PM--I hope to go to the Main Stage Grille tomorrow...I hope to have the albums counted by then...I DO wanna stop by Litz to see how much they're selling their albums for...If I have to pick up SueEl, I can stop there on the way to her place...If not, I'll make a seperate trip on Wednesday...

So I changed my Mind a little

          TUESDAY 9/7/21 2:15PM--a little while ago I suddenly got smart...I decided NOT to go the Main Stage Grille open mic tonight...I have a Doctor's appappointment at 9AM--so that's that...I've decided to be sensible for a change...I DO NOT regret changing my plans...The Thursday trip to Bippy's Pub in Ellicott City has been changed to a trip to Hershey's...Not sure why, but Bippy's has been cancelled...
5:25PM--very nervous about going to JVs tomorrow...SueEl suggests going as a guitarist, because I have been playing guitar way WAY longer than I've been playing Bass...so I'll wrestle with that question from now until sometime tomorrow--probably a few minutes before I leave...
WEDNESDAY 9/8/21 4PM--I'm gonna take a chance and just bring my Bass, and hope the Universe is kind to me for awhile...I think the open mic starts at 7:30...sign-ups probably begin at 7...that's when I hope to be there by...I plan to leave Home at 6PM...I'm also hoping the Universe will provide me with "smooth sailing" to JVs...I'm not as worried about the trip home--yet...
7:39PM-starting to wonder if I made a mistake…the first guy I struck up a conversation with seems  to be a bit of a jerk…I suppose I could be wrong…not having fun yet… it’s too soon to know if I will have fun but I intend to hang in until the end no matter what…glad tomorrow is Hershey’s
9:08PM-it went better than I thought it would, so I’m satisfied… Who knows, I might be back…my offstage harmonies have been really good so far..my partner in conversation messed up the middle 8 of ONE WAY OR ANOTHER…I’m glad I played before he did…kinda sounds like HE’S getting a little cocky…don’t really expect to but I wouldn’t mind playing some more…the band onstage is struggling with CLOSER TO HOME…
THURSDAY 9/9/21 12:38AM--If/when I go back to JV's, MAYBE I'll bring my guitar, amp and three stomp boxes...other than Bob, I just might end up being the best guitarist in the place...I fully admit it's an ego thing on my part...on the other hand, I'll be able to sing a song or two or three...I haven't yet got the hang of singing and playing Bass simultaneously yet...I played Bass behind the hosts Martha and Bob...we did three songs-    WHILE MY GUITAR GENTLY WEEPS, THE LAST TIME, and CAN'T FIND MY WAY HOME...as for what three songs I'M gonna sing when/if I get the chance, I have no idea...Bob and Martha are organizers, like CJ and Max...Hershey's seems to me to be looser...I THINK I like the organized open mic/jam a little better... 
10:08AM--looking forward to Hershey's, although I see no need to get there before the jam starts, like I usually do...assuming that Jeff will already be there, I guess I'll arrive closer to 6:30...I THINK Sue El wants to go, but I don't know that for a fact...

NOT quite what I expected

 

        THURSDAY 9/2/21 10:55PM--Bob gave the Bass amp and Bass to Jeff to give to me...now I know what Bob meant when he said the Bass "needs a little love"...IF it works (and I won't know until tomorrow--maybe) I'll sell it at the Hershey's Flea Market...Jeff says I'll be lucky to get $25 bucks...so be it...Gonna try the amp out tomorrow morning as well--IF I get up early enough 7or 8 AM...it got very good reviews from Amazon customers....of course, I'm assuming 1) they weren't Amazon employees and 2) they are telling the Truth...
            As for the jam itself, playing my Bass thru Jeff's amp seemed to make my playing better...I'd give myself a 9.5 outta 10...I'm factoring in the singing I did, while NOT playing Bass...I amazed myself one or twice...
FRIDAY 9/3/21-Hoping to try the amp out a little before we leave for Lancaster--fingers crossed...and unintentionally I keep finding stuff to sell at the Hershey's flea market...that's a good thing...
9:19AM--the amp works!!! and it sounds very good!!! I DON'T think I'll try it at any open mics though...but ya never know...
SUNDAY 9/5/21 6:05PM--back from Lancaster...looking forward to the open mics happening this week...I hope to go to all three of 'em...
MONDAY 9/6/21 10:30AM--taking inventory of whatever I'm gonna sell at the Hershey's Flea Market...I hope to come home with $300 bucks...Will probably come home with $200, if that much...and Jeff gets half of that...IF the only credit card bill I'll have is theBest Buy Visa, I'll seriously consider getting a Bass amp...using the BB credit card...
6:50PM--getting excited about going to (hopefully) THREE open mics in a row...I know what goes on at the Main Stage Grille and I know what goes on at Hershey's...I have NO IDEA what goes on at JV's on Wednesday...If the JV'S open mic turns out to be a bit (or a LOT) of a bummer, I'll still have Hershey's to look forward  to...

TUESDAY 9/7/21 11:33AM-still planning on going to three open mics in a row this week, although I might not really be up to that…I suppose I could skip the Main Stage tonight and go to JVs tomorrow…As for Bippy’s in Ellicott City, I haven’t quite decided yet… thinking about staying home tonight, because, if for no other reason, I have a doctors appointment at 9 AM the next day… The more I think about it, the more I think it would be unwise to go out tonight…

a curveball for sure

 

              WEDNESDAY 9/1/21 8:21AM--so, not playing ANY Bass last night was a surprise, but playing Max's guitar was fun...I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna go to JV's tonight--allegedly the weather, which is currently manageable with regard to driving, is gonna get a lot worse...I guess the Universe knows what it's doing...
2:28PM--there was a few minutes of not so good weather earlier--a preview of things to come I suppose...maybe next week I'll go to JV's...
9:48PM--it suddenly occured to me what the difference between an open mic and a jam is...Generally an open mic is more structured...usually there's a sign-up sheet or a list of some kind...the Hershey's Thursday Jam seems to me to be a lot more loose...of the two I think I prefer some structure...I made my way to a microphone Tuesday evening at CJ's/Max's open mic, more or less UNinvited...the hosts trust me I guess,,,that makes me feel good...in spite of what *I* think of as drawbacks, I'm looking forward to going to Hershey's tomorrow..
11:27PM--just added some Pomplamoose to my BASSless 6 collection..
THURSDAY12:34PM--gonna be a bit late arriving at Hershey's...gonna watch the roomie buy a fridge at Home Depot...we're taking seperate cars...I usually just hang out for the first hour anyway...I think we'll have Dinner there...I hope to be there by seven o'clock...there's a muscle in my left hand that is hurting a bit from playing my long scale Bass...Maybe MAYBE if the deal with Tim falls thru, I'll buy my own short scale bass--possibly perhaps...if Jeff doesn't mind, maybe I'll trade the long scale in for a short scale...played one at Litz...even IT hurt a teeny bit....