Stacked Crooked

Buuuuuuuh...

2006-04-24T19:19:00.000-07:00

This is my friend Rocco's dog Tonka...

So it has been raining since Saturday and I've had enough. It's cold and wet and I'm sick. I refuse to take the high ground, I'm going to complain instead.

Luckily I didn't have to work all day today. I got someone to cover for me and I went back home to bed.

On the subject of music, I've discovered Silver Jews. Apparently they've been around for fifteen years, who knew? They're quirky alt-country I guess. If I was stuck on an island with only one album, Tanglewood Numbers would be the one...Sorry Belle & Sebastian, Spoon, New Pornographers, etc., but David Berman's songwriting rocks my world...

"andre was a young black santa claus. he didn't' want to be like his daddy was"

"from a corner window I watch the falling white flakes, god must be carving the clouds into animal shapes"

"like a brown bird nesting in a texaco sign I've got a point of view"

"I've been working at the airport bar, it's like christmas in a submarine"

I could go on to quote the rest of the entire album (Tanglewood Numbers) but you might as well just pick it up yourself.

David Berman's prose has inspired me to put pen back to paper. I just hope the sun comes back out soon...I guess those two things have nothing to do with eachother...ah well, who really cares?

My Last Gig

2006-04-10T19:55:00.000-07:00

Mother of six, it's been a long time since I posted. Since January I've...well I'm not even going to try to summarize two months worth of my life, so I'll skip to present day.

Saturday I performed with some friends in Athens Ontario. The show was hosted by Shawn Barber who performed several songs with his current musical partner Sarah Sorensen. Their material included folk, rock, and showtunes all done in their own signature style.

I performed three songs, "House of Gold" by Hank Williams Sr., "Jockey Full of Bourbon" by Tom Waits and "Dirty Old Jeans" by me. The evening was a huge success.

Also in the line up were Angus Rennie with Heather Parsons, Beth Lorimer, Scott Davies and Maryanne Weinman...forgive me for any spelling errors or ommissions...it's getting late.

The show has inspired me to focus more on writing songs I can perform on my own. It's time to pare down the instrumentation and harmony while beefing up the lyrics and melody.

Okay, that's it. I'm tired. G'Night!

Victory is MINE!

2006-01-24T19:01:00.000-08:00

Lets get to the point. I got my $$$ back for the mug. The damn thing is out of my hands and back on the shelf at Sugar Mountain. GOOD RIDDANCE!

I called head office and haggled with the manager until he just didn't want to talk about it anymore. No matter how I explained the situation to him, he still didn't see why I was so leary of a mug that could cause cancer and or birth defects. Is it a prerequisite that all Sugar Mountain employees must have no fear of producing three eyed babies? Or three one-eyed babies?

For god's sake, put the bloody sticker on the bloody box and avoid situations like this one. I'm going to say right now that the producer of this mug purposely placed the warning INSIDE the box in order to make my otherwise breezy life just a little intolerable. I will also thank them for giving me material for my blog. For this I have invented a word which combines F*** you and thank you. The word is Thack You.

Maybe it's time to check up on my New Year's resolutions. Okay, I've kinda left a few songs unfinished...I'm still not convinced that this is a bad thing. I'm waiting for the inspiration to move me toward finish them.

I've remembered all but one of the four agreements. I'm doing my best to live by the three I can remember. I'm sure the fourth one is unimportant...like, "don't combine pop-rocks and soda"

I haven't updated my bloc at all. Actually, I think I meant to write blog. That I have updated more than I used to, which was never.

As for learning French I am absorbing all I can. I've subscribed to a French podcast and I've picked up some good instructional books. In addition to this I am taking a Stott Pilates class with Audrey Tautou.

Avoid These 2 Evils

2006-01-15T19:04:00.000-08:00

This morning I made my second attempt to return the poisonous mug. Since I had business to take care of on Elgin St. This morning, I figured I'd bring the mug back after I had finished.

Have you ever locked your keys in your car on a REALLY cold day? Well I hadn't. Being a person who enjoys new experiences, I tried that one.

First things first, I called my fiance so she could cab over with her set of keys. Not thinking ahead, I asked her to meet me at the store. It wasn't until I walked over there that I found out that they didn't open for another hour. Now I had to wait outside so she'd see me. It was about -20c this morning.

If I had been thinking clearly I would have told her to meet me at the Bridgehead coffee shop two doors down, but who's thinking clearly when they've just locked their keys in the car and are walking around town in -20 weather without gloves carrying a ticking time-bomb of a mug.

So I waited. For fifty minutes. I couldn't feel my nose.

It was then that the store manager showed up. Get this...She didn't have her key and had to call someone to bring the spare...I shit you not. So I asked about the mug and she told me that they didn't do returns and that I'd probably have to call the head office in Toronto. She didn't seemed bothered by the fact that this seemingly harmless decorative mug, which her store is currently selling, may cause cancer and or birth defects. Nor did she seemed surprised. Am I missing something here?

Okay, so there's evil #1.

Here's #2

The reason I had to wait so long for Erika was that SHE had to wait over half an hour for a cab. What the hell????? It wasn't twelve-thirty on a Saturday night, this was ten in the morning on a Sunday. This is was not our first bad experience with BLUE LINE taxi. Since it's getting late, I don't care to go into the times they have simply failed to show up. The obvious solution? Just don't call them anymore. Too bad their number is the only one I can remember.

At present time I have regained all feeling in my nose, fingers, and toes. My faith in humanity has also been recharged by an altogether excellent Sunday afternoon and evening.

sleep now.

thanks for listening.

That Sore Throat-y Feeling

2006-01-09T17:35:00.000-08:00

Lucky me, I wound up staying home today. The tickle in my throat I had woken up with was turning into something distinctly sinister. So, in order to recuperate, I planned a preemptive strike on the germs that were gathering in my body.

Before heading home I made a stop at Sugar Mountain (confectioners extraordinaire) to return a mug which was purchased as a Christmas present. It's not a mug, there was no problem in it's general construction. There was an adequate handle and lots of room for coffee or juice, or what have you. The graphic printed on the side was sharp and showed no signs of discolouration and I assumed by it's quality construction that it would hold up for years to come. However, since the product was sold in a box, I did not notice the warning label stuck to the bottom of the mug.

Apparently this Breakfast at Tiffany's mug contains an ingredient that is known in the state of California to cause cancer and or birth defects...buh?
I immediately looked out the kitchen window to make sure our apartment had not been transported to Mexico while we were sleeping.

Before we know it mugs will be sold with a picture of an oozing lung on the side, or a sad looking child, pleading with you not to infect him with your reckless coffee consumption. As far as I know it's still legal to drink from a mug in most Ottawa bars and restaurants, but that law will soon change if I have my way.

Now, for some reason Sugar Mountain isn't into that whole "return" business. I'll just have to have a word with head office.

That New Years-y Feeling

2006-01-08T18:46:00.000-08:00

I've got that optimistic post New Year buzz. A great feeling that is, if only it could last all year long. YES!!! Maybe that should be my resolution? Can one resolve to feel a certain way all year? Well, I could at least add it to my list.

1, Don't leave a newly written song unfinished (already broke that one)
2, Be more organized
3, Live by the Four Agreements (see Don Miguel Ruiz)
4, Update my bloc more frequently
5, Keep in touch with friends and family, even if I have nothing to say
6, Learn to speak French

Can I have 5 resolutions? Heck yes I can, and I'm going to add to that list. YES!! There's another one, I'm going to resolve to add to my resolutions all year long.

This is the season when I feel unbeatable. An entire year of hope, promise and new experiences laid out before me and I have NO IDEA what they will be. INCREDIBLE, really.

The Avant Garde and Tree Cutting

2005-12-11T13:36:00.000-08:00

So, the Avant Garde gig was a huge success in my mind. The crowd may have been lean, but that didn't stop us from giving one of our best performances yet.

Two weeks before the gig, a few of us got together to just listen to recordings of our past performances. We made notes on what we liked, what we didn't and where the tunes sound like they're supposed to go. Then, at the next practice we made the necessary tune-ups.

The tunes have room to breathe now. We're learning to communicate with each other on stage...without shouting!

On stage communication is one of my weak points. With enough experience I'll know how to end a solo so that the entire band knows it's wrapping up. This means I need to know where the solo is going to begin and end. It also involves eye contact and good timing.

Ron's drum solos where inspiring. He really knows how to fill in all the right gaps, and the crowd always responds well. Kevin's solos really cover the entire bass spectrum. One of his strong points is incorporating chords with melody lines and being able to wrap it all up so we know when he's about to finish. Mike never ceases to amaze me. I can't even wrap my head around all the notes he stuffs into his sprawling solos. He always gives me new ideas. Ken's proficiency on three wind instruments is worth the price of admission. And, our special guest John really pulled of an impressive feat. With only one practice with us, he jumped into it like he had been playing these tunes for months.

HUGE THANKS to our gorgeous doorperson Erika for making sure that everyone paid their $7. I commend her for sitting right at the front by herself. In a skirt, by the front door in December. She is the official seventh Cohorter.

On the matter of good old fashioned family Christmas fun...

Today Erika's family and I cut down the Christmas tree....well.....I never touched a saw....or even saw the tree being cut. I was too busy making snow balls to throw at her father and brother. I got a few good ones thrown at myself, so don't gang up on me!

Snow fell, we laughed, it was cold. At the end of the day my lungs burned and my legs were useless. AND I'd do it all over again.

Tonight's the Night

2005-12-09T15:37:00.000-08:00

Tonight The Capcity Cohort will be performing live for the first time since our last devastating show at The Bayou...Which was also our last show EVER at the Bayou, considering it is no more.

What's this??? You say you may not know who or what the Capcity Cohort is? Well, we're a jazz band consisting of Drums (RON) Keys (MIKE) Bass (KEVIN) TRUMPET/FLUTE/CLARINET (KEN) and Guitar (ME). Tonight's special guest will be JOHN on tenor sax.

The Cohort plays original material with one or two covers thrown in for fun. The material spans a vast fjord of musical madness. I can't describe it too well myself, so just check out our link that I've got up here on the right of your screen.

This morning was a little tough at work. I tried to keep my thoughts in a good place, but it's hard to understand the senseless violence that cut Lee's life so short. I just hope something good will come of it in the end. I know a scholarship is already being established in his name. Also, this terrible crime is furthering the awareness of Canada's burgeoning hand-gun plague.

The only people who should have such weapons are the ones trying to keep the public safe, not the public themselves. We need much stiffer penalties for anyone caught carrying one of these things around. Maybe we should also have a look at who and what may be inspiring people to get one in the first place.

Well, I need to get ready to tonight's performance.

Like the kids say..."keep on truckin'"

I never really got to know Lee...

2005-12-08T19:51:00.000-08:00

As I was about to leave work today, Mo told me that a regular client of ours was shot in Vancouver. Mo didn't know the guy's name, but was able to describe him. A couple of faces came to mind when he mentioned the beard and long hair, but I never thought it might be Lee.

Half an hour ago I googled a few key words and was stunned to find out that Ottawa School of Art graduate Lee Matasi had been murdered in Vancouver on December 3rd. I only knew Lee on a customer basis and it was just this evening that I learned his last name. Little did I know that he was planning to move to Paris with his Girlfriend in January. Lee also helped to establish a skate park in Vancouver.

What I came across on most websites reporting this terrible crime was the fact that Lee was a promising young artist and an incredible person. I work right across the street from the OSA. Thought I hadn't seen him in a few months, Lee would come in at least twice a week for lunch. A bit disheveled, occasionally hung-over, always hungry and jovial without fail. His singular style (sideways flat-top Yankees cap and brightly coloured scarves) and welcoming demeanor set him apart.

Kindness is a powerful thing. It's the kind people that get remembered and it's the kind people that make a difference in all of our lives. Being a nice person doesn't cost a cent, it doesn't take any of your time. All it means is that you treat others the way you'd like to be treated. Lee treated me with kindness every time I served him. And I know that's the way he wanted to be treated.

Lee was a friend I never got to know.