Full Circle

Back in 1999/2000, I decided to join or start a band. I got together with three other guys and we started muddling through songs. Somewhere along the line, three of us decided that the fourth guy didn't fit so we mercilessly kicked him out of the band -the band that he thought he started.

We practiced and practiced and tried to get gigs as best we could. We decided on a name "SlipMickie" that our drummer, McGee, said came to him while he was sitting listening to some live jazz. The band never went too far, but we did perform for my CD release party and it was a great night. After that we all sort of drifted apart.

It wasn't until recently that the three of us connected on Facebook. The drummer, McGee, lives in Virginia and is a master at video production/editing (much like he was when we played together), the bass player, Matt Batarseh, continued playing in bands - first it was "Another Lincoln" and now it is "Fiction 20 Down". I got to open for that band tonight at Armadillo's in Annapolis. I played a solo hour set of originals and I thought I did pretty good. I got to catch a lot of Fiction 20 Down's music. Honestly, I wasn't impressed, but it was good to see and hear Matt play again. I was anxious to catch up with him. I wondered how he and his wife were doing and if they had any kids. They did. A three-year old daughter. But Matt and his wife are divorced and, because of this recent development, he's quitting the band so it'll be easier to arrange visitations. That's sad. I always liked Matt and I always thought his wife was a quiet and sweet person.

I never asked exactly what went wrong because that would've been an involved answer, I'm sure. But it really left me with a sadness in my heart. And then I looked over at my wife and, again, I was grateful to have found her. I think we'll be together forever. I think it's destiny. No one can say for sure, but I know her and she knows me -at least we both think so. And, the important thing -- WE FIGHT. Often. Not the knock-down, drag-em-out fights, but we disagree, debate, and argue all the time. And when one of us unknowingly pisses off the other... well, let's just say it doesn't go undiscussed. That's a good thing.

Back in 1999/2000, I decided to join/start a band. I also met a girl and decided to take a chance on love again. Tonight all that came full circle and made me grateful for how things work out.

Dogfish Head

Never name a beer such a complicated name. Because after a few of the said beers, it's likely you'll be unable to pronounce it.

I got to hang out at the Dogfish Head Ale House in Gaithersburg tonight. Friends of ours were holding an MS Fundraiser there and I was in charge of entertainment. I managed to get the very talented Doug Segree (http://segree.com) and Angie Miller (http://angiemiller.com) to come and each play a solo set. Then, me and "the band" played for an hour.

Tonight, "the band" consisted of Terry, Zak, and Ken. Ken is the drummer of an up-and-coming Baltimore-based band, FALL BACK PLAN. He has sat in with us before in a pinch. Good drummer and a nice guy. Zak looks tired these days but his joy and exuberance really comes out after playing live with the band. It was a good time for a good cause and it was the first real band outing in a LONG time.

Charles Funk came out too and shot some cool pictures. I haven't seen them yet, but I just know they're cool. Because Charles is cool and he's great photographer and a great friend.

My only regret? It was a Tuesday night. That means work in the morning. Ugh.

Passage

Today was unseasonably warm. March 8th and it felt like April or May 8th. I was looking forward to this weather... this warmth and sunshine. I hate the cold. It makes me edgy and -at times- miserable. I can't get warm and it's hard to feel the sun even though it blinds me on the way home from work almost every day during the cold, short days of winter.

Another change of seasons is about to dawn and although I'm happy about the passage of winter, I'm sad about the overall passage of time. The older you get, the faster the moments fly before your eyes. The older you get, the less you can enjoy the "here and now" without worrying about tomorrow. I'm always worried about tomorrow these days. Not just mine, but my family's. And many times of late I find myself disappointed in today. Disappointed about what I did with "today" and just afraid that -as they say- tomorrow never comes.

Today was unreasonably warm.