"Nobody knows you, when you're down and out."

I started my classes yesterday.

I am not nervous, just excited. The classes and people are great! A myriad of people all there for the love of music. The workload seems a little overwhelming, but nothing a little organization and elbow grease can't handle. After all, I am just starting.
Okay, I am a little nervous about finances. I still feel selfish for going back to school, when I should be killing myself working to support my family. Well not killing myself but being a better provider than what I am now. I have not quit my job to become a full time student, I just took a small cut in pay. That doesn't mean I don't want to be a better provider, it's just taking me longer to get where I want to be. Working and fighting to realize one's aspirations is not easy...ever, but I implemented this plan months ago and will see it through to it's long, arduous end. Thank a seemingly omnipotent yet ambiguous personification of all our doubts and fears (GOD?, come on people it's not funny if I have to explain...) for Pixie's support, you are great baby!

Needless to say the old purse strings are going to be drawn even tighter. Living puts a strain on our income. Do you know how much money I could save if I didn't have to buy anything? Who really needs to purchase frivolous merchandise like deodorant, toothpaste, or toilet paper right? I just won't sweat, use my teeth to eat and wipe with my hand. Adding a child strains the income further; now I have to buy extra food and water and deodorant, not to mention diapers, wipes, lots and lots of milk and more diapers. Now throw a smaller budget and the inevitable mountain of student loans into the mix.
We don't mind staying at home eating a nice meal as opposed to going out to an upscale eatery like Del Taco, but because of my selfish acts, my family will have to cut out some of our lavish lifestyle, like eating generic brand everything—is there a generic brand for generic brands? We already eat Happy Circles instead of Cheerios, what's next Complacent Eclipses? And as far as me not eating lunch, I will have to skip breakfast and dinner as well.
Also no more turning on the lights at night. This might also make our eyes stronger which could led to a savings at the optometrist. Or we could make candles out of ear-wax—which, if we run low, might be a good way to met the neighbors.
And "If it is yellow let it mellow, if it is brown flush it down." will have to be changed to "If it is yellow or if it is brown, dig a hole in the ground." Not only would we not owe a huge $50 water bill four times a year, we could fertilize the front yard.
Showers will be reduced from every third day to every other week. I'm on the water saving kick. This might prove tricky if I stop buying deodorant.
In an effort to save electricity, I will no longer be using the Internet to post my blog. I will send out carrier pigeons every third Friday to keep you all informed of my happenings. You might be shocked that I would increase the frequency of my posts, but I have ulterior motives. Please feed them well and send them back, as I will eventually eat them.
I thought about becoming a gigolo, come on Fab, you know you want to.

In all seriousness though, my pay cut and G-man needing daycare, we are strapped. My only hope is to win the lottery....or slip and fall in one of the anchor stores of the area's new upscale mall. It's a long way to the mall, I better start thumbing.

What ways could you save money?

"All your compliments and your cutting remarks are captured here in my quotation marks "

I just realized that I have not been updating my Ten Books in 12 Months list. Well, I have thought about the list before but I am finally getting around to posting about it. I have not, however, forgotten about reading the books that I set out to read in order to accomplish my goal of ten books in twelve months, ya know like I had stated in the opening sentence of this paragraph, which depending on how fast you read was probably only a few seconds ago, or not as you very well might have grown tired of this blog and hit that little next button at the top of the page, in which case you are not here any longer and this sentence has become obsolete, course you would not know because you are not here anymore, so your loss. Okay now that we have that run-on out of the way here is a re-cap of my list:

1. George Harrison Biography/ Order of the Phoenix
I counted these two books as one, because I felt the Biography was a little too short to count as a book and the Potter book was—I thought at the time—a child's novel.
2. Half-Blood Prince
3. Deathly Hallows
You can see I changed my mind about the merit of the Potter series. They ended up being extremely entertaining. I will own these one day so that G-man can enjoy them as much as Pixie and I did.
4. Animal Farm
I think the last time I mentioned this list of books I was half-way through this book. Animal Farm was good the first time I read it, but better the second time. I said it before, but I will say it again...poor Boxer.
5. 1984
Same as Animal Farm so far as enjoyment factor. Also very scary when you think at how close these novels came in representing modern day government and society.
6. Journey to the Center of the Earth
Not as good as I thought it was going to be though it was a welcome break to the totalitarian theme of the past two books.
7. Fahrenheit 451
Okay, back to the future with another scary government-controlled-utilitarian-society novel. If you have never read this novel before, I implore you to give it a chance. Try and get the fiftieth anniversary edition that contains the afterword, coda and interview with Bradbury. He has some very poignant quotes.

I have no idea what the eighth book is going to be. I want to visit more classics, maybe even another Verne book—hey, I'll give him a second chance. If anyone has a favorite classic they wish to recommend then bring it on. I will entertain all ideas.

"Baby it's the guitar man"

Yesterday I went to a bar about twelve miles south of Toledo, in the quaint little town of Waterville for a bi-weekly open mic night. The bar was mostly empty save a few friends of the DJ/Guitar player there to sing and take turns playing. After consuming a pint of liquid courage I stepped up to the mic and performed the demo version of "Mystical One" from the George Harrison album Gone Troppo.

I was still to shy to sing, but the song is pretty and went over well. It was slightly odd not playing on my guitar—this guitar had very low action which I don't care for—so I went out to my truck and retrieved mine.

I quickly lost my nerves and paitently waited for my next turn. This time I did one of my songs, which recieved a pretty good response from my peers. I only have two verses to that particular song at this point but it felt good to play my music in public for people who are not personal friends of mine. That was to change quickly though as the two other guitar players, three singers and I hit it off. I sat in on every song after that. It was an interesting experience and a great exercise in some of the many areas that I need to work on including but not limited to: networking, playing outside of my comfort zone, putting my music out there (even if only to a mostly empty bar), and playing new-to-me music. Some songs I had never heard of, some I had never played, others I haven't played in a long time, but all the songs were fun. We went an hour and a half past the alloted time, but no one seemed to mind.

By the end of the night we were a little tipsy, a little from the drinks but mostly from the high of having fun playing music. Everyone was glad that I played and sang and seemed to be excited at the prospect of having a new person to jam with every other sunday. I felt very welcomed by the crowd and will most likely go back for the next jam. This has given me the motivation to try and find other open mic nights to play.

Living the dream.

"We're gonna have a good time"

Happy Birthday Pixie!

Over the years I have learned that one must be sensitive when discussing a woman's age. Therefore, I am not going to crack any jokes about how extremely old she will be. Nope, not even going to compare her age with that of soil. I do not want to be that person who takes a very serious matter like being "youthfully challenged" and drives the joke over the hill and into the ground.

So I will simply say many things become better with age: wine, investments, cheese. You are wise and tenured. Aged like a stinky cheese. And you know how much I love me some stinky cheese.

Wishing you all you would wish yourself. I love you baby!

"The wheels of fiction run in my mind"

The rusted cogs of a
Silent machine,
Have polished silver
Hidden beneath.

Screeching, squawking
And foofing smoke—
Now it works—that
machine ere was broke.

The squeaky wheel
That wanted grease now
Has sibilant slang sliding from
Its cheeks.