January 08, 2004

9:35 p.m.

A Little off the Sides

It's happening. Just like they said it would. I didn't believe them, but they were right...

I'm getting addicted.

A few notes here, a little contact there, a laugh or two...

...and I've wasted the last two precious hours MERELY looking at the diaries of people who have very nicely left me messages, trying to get to know them a little so I can write back, organizing myself to be a part of this cool community...

...when I was supposed to have been working on

a) revising our Tech Rider for this weekend's showcase conference;

b) cleaning the apartment so it won't look like a bomb site when Will stops by tomorrow morning;

c) packing to leave tomorrow for a couple of days;

d) finding that set list from First Night so I can enter it into the archives;

e) researching fly cases for my bass;

f) maybe doing a little yoga, as I haven't worked out in a couple of weeks;

g) packaging sheet music for a fan who sent me twice what I charge for it, so I'd get it to him asap;

h) mapping our entire Florida itinerary (it's going to be a BEAR) with directions & mileage to every venue, lodging, and radio station;

i) giving myself an overdue haircut (this alone takes an hour!!); and

j) organizing the laundry so I can do a load at the band's house tomorrow during rehearsal, after Will stops by, and before we drive to New Jersey.

To be honest, I did the tech rider bit. And now I'm going for that haircut. But my downstairs neighbor, who has deplorable taste in music, is playing his stereo AGAIN, just loud enough for me to hear it a little bit, just the bass, just the repititious bass and drums, and it makes me feel like not being out here in the main part of the apartment where all the action is. This morning for at least two hours it was some techno crap that convinced me he was trancing out on something. But no, it's a family with little kids down there, and jobs, and they seem pretty responsible except when he's irritable and yelling at them all and the kids are screaming. Anyway I don't think it's a drug issue at all, just poor taste in music, and my lifestyle of choice which has hitherto forced me to live in apartment buildings, NONE OF WHICH IN THE WORLD IS SUITABLE for people who like goddamned peace and quiet. And THIS is why I have that whole house issue going on with Darwin.

Now for that haircut.