Well, it has been quite some time once again, and the reasons for that are many. I don't know how much longer I'll be blogging here; part of this has to do with how long it takes to get my website together.
My intrepid graphic designer friend "Edgar Alice Croe" (see her blog here in my favorites) is helping me with that, but it's been a slow process, because we both have, like everyone else...wait for it...REAL LIVES.
That does tend to knock down a whole bunch of the stuff that's a damned sight more important, but you do what you have to. Tonight...Alice is running spot at the Van Halen concert! So Dave's looking good is because of her talent and skill!
I have so much to go on about...
iTunes mania...sick and tired of the canned, overplayed stuff at the new Office, so back to it. After some John Cale live material, into Jimmy Nail's "What Might Have Been?" It's on the Still Crazy soundtrack...Nail was also the opera singer in "Evita." The Madonna one.
The wonders of Facebook...I am extremely happy to report that an old and dear friend has resurfaced. Sunny (not her real name) had been a Facebook friend 2 years, and didn't I know it was her? No.
Sunny has been a friend, a voice of reason, and the one who inspired me to get to writing a long, long time ago. Her own photo works are showing up on her site, and her eye is a gimlet one.
Let's see...writing...yes...I have been working like mad the past few weeks on a new story, "Time the Healer." It is another set in Japan deal, but this one, while a YA type of novel, could hit others hard, too. I'm going after yet another part of my personal life, which is still pretty difficult to deal with. Not myself, but seeing how others are being handled and mishandled.
"An Original Man," the Yardbirds next. A great song for Keith Relf.
Had a few weeks of heavy work, which is welcome. WITF got me in while Tim Lambert was off and about Italy with his Missus; he had a blast. My sister and bro-in-law went there a few years back, and they quite enjoyed themselves too.
So there has been a lot of bouncing around the radio dial, ITF, the Radio PA affiliates, KYW and the Ticket. The spring and summer are lookin' pretty grim, though.
Learned an old friend is headed back to Boston; I've been looking back that way for employment, but the radio business is a dying thing. Survivors like me must take what we can get and prove we can still make a difference. I'm certainly happy for what I'm doing.
Great to see another of my friends and colleagues today; David Payne dropped in to talk to the Radio PA boss...he looks great, and he is a man I love and admire. It is a small world as well, when I trained a new guy for KYW. Keith Rice is on 101 the Rose, and he's coming to help us now. Another native New Englandler (and Red Sox fan!)...he was trained for Top 40 radio back in the day by a dude named Ben Hamilton. The architect of 95XXX in Burlington, VT, Ben has worked quite a few people into shape. I knew him in 1984...another colleague and girlfriend knew him from VT in the mid to late 80's, and we're all still alive and well. Small world.
"Across the Line," Robert Cray Band...nice.
Okay...I've been doing my best to stay current in the pool, the gym and all that. My body is still not 100% geared to the additional meds, but I can at least maintain some schedule. I do feel much better, definitely lost weight and feel more as I should.
Oh yes...new Office. Well, I'd been waiting for this one for a while now...it is equidistant between my house and the gym. Go figure. Larger, more tables, more power points and less people who hang out and treat the place like a Royal Navy wardroom (anybody who remembers the old Office knows what I mean). No disrespect meant, just another world away.
Some old friends are here, which is nice, and I do find it comfy enough to write and get things done.
All the same...while I continue to try and find work, I realize that leaving may be what I'm forced to do. Change is inevitable, even though I don't want to think of it. My landlord passed on recently, a damned fine man, but again we all knew. The Mrs. is holding up well; she was faced with the reality and knows how to deal. But yes, change.
"Think for Yourself," the Beatles...ah, Yellow Submarine stuff. Neat.
There are not a lot of options for me. While we are working to put the Sweet Dreams Series out there, and trying a new plan of attack, I do have to consider some hookup in radio in order to make a living till this one works out. Which it will.
The climate of the world around me, especially in PA is becoming more heated as we carry on through the election cycle. It's getting difficult for me to remain on the middle ground, but I have to for my job and also for my sanity.
Ah wouldn't you know..."Enter Sandman," just as I wrote that!
The climate of fear, misinformation, clinging to old beliefs and outright hatred is toxic beyond measure. I am no longer amazed by anything politicians, so-called religious figures and media people say or do.
I have told more than one person who has views far out on the astral planes than there's no point in freaking out and trying to change things that cannot be changed. Some need to get over their own self-centeredness, that feeling that the bogeyman (who or whatever it is) is out to get them, personally.
Whatever. We need to deal with our own situations, day by day, moment by moment. It's not worth it to freak out anymore about every little thing.
Interesting topic on NPR this morning, while I was doing "Morning Edition." Facebook is not a good thing for those with low self-esteem...really? Not much for those who know people with low self-esteem, either.
They were going at the idea that some people get down when they put up a link or a view that is not shared or is disliked. Okay...and that should upset you how?
And why?
Or people put up photos and you're not in them? So?
Rather an immature take, isn't it? Then, some folks have a deal where it takes longer. I know it did for me...it gets better as you get older.
I was going to add more about the "Hatewar" as I call it toward certain folks, but I think I'll pass on it for later. Things are not too bad, not now and I do feel very optimistic.
"Since I've Been Loving You," Led Zep III. Hmmm...
Anyway, fellow blurkers, do enjoy...I'll have more eventually about this weird little part of the world I'm in, and maybe I'll know about other stuff as well.
