stuff and things…

It was a quick and dirty trip to Expo Latino yesterday.

We’ve (America Rosa) played there 3 years now and I think this trip was one of the nicest weather wise. Generally though, it was pretty much the same old, same old …lots of hanging out, listening to music, meeting people you haven’t seen for while and of course playing. The show was fine …and the FOH sound was pretty good! However, the on-stage sound was less than adequate - but I’m not going to blame the sound people because they can only do what we want them to do. Unfortunately for us as a group, we have a difficult time expressing our ’sound’ needs in a manner that they might understand. Lol, I’ll leave it at that. Anyway, it was fun though.

My 'luli' playing congas ...with the band Bario Sound.

Getting back home though, I got word that my Uncle Bill died the other day. This is one of those death’s that is somewhat of a mixed blessing I suppose. He’s been in different hospitals for the last 2+ years now and has never really improved, save for a small spell last year when he got to come home a little bit. I saw him just the week earlier and he was somewhat ‘out of it’ - responding but then not really responding if you know what I mean. Yes, it’s sad. But at the same time it’s a relief …especially for my Aunt and Cousin who have worn themselves ragged throughout the ordeal. The frustrating thing is that the Doctors never really knew what was exactly wrong with him …at least for a long time, and as far as I was told from my family and such.

the peepers

So, after scraping the UV coating off my lenses thinking that it was some sort of spray-on conditioner that went astray and subsequently having to see things blurred when looking straight ahead for the last 6 or so months - (whew), I finally broke down and got some new peepers. Of course I had to get an eye exam, which turned out to be identical to the last one I had about 3 years ago, but the added bonus was that my eye guy gave me a trial pair of contacts for the month. Wearing contacts on route to get glasses was an interesting experience. You see, I haven’t really worn contacts ‘regularly’ for about 7 years or so. I did have a trial pair that I milked for about 2 years, then I only wore them for certain gigs and had them off as soon as I could because they became quite painful - which is to be expected for a weekly lens that gets stretched to over 5 years. Anyway, wearing the new contacts were fun - although it seems I had to relearn how to walk, bike and look at things things again as the perspective between glasses and contacts for the severely near-sighted is quite drastic …at least in my opinion. But they felt fine at least …not like ‘burning’ - which has to be a good thing.

You see, I use to abuse my contacts quite a bit when I was younger. I got my first pair in grade 7 …which was sometime in the late 70’s, and pretty early as far as contact lens history goes. I wore them constantly till university - losing and misusing them as much as any kid could. I remember losing one while at an arcade (intense concentration!) and then actually going back later that afternoon, finding it, and then putting it in my mouth and then later back into my eye. I remember having them bounce around on the inside of my goggles when racing (motocross), sleeping in them for days (that was a bad thing back then), always popping out of my eye and then adding a little saliva to get them back in, using the good ol’ ‘heat disinfecting’ machine ….and then there was the ‘going for days with only one lens because I didn’t have any money to buy another’ times. Eventually though, I had an eye exam and the optometrist decided that my cornea was scraped to about 30% - after which I was banned from contacts for 2 years. He sucked. I got back on the wagon though, but it wasn’t till the last 7 or 8 years that I just gave up on them completely. I guess vanity passed me by.

So having them on for the 5 hours that I did today was kinda nice - but I was happy to take them out while trying on my new glasses over at Lens Crafters. They did the hour thing of course, but more importantly they had some half decent selections - and I settled on a frame from Ralph Lauren. Yea ‘getting what I liked’ …booo ‘high-index lenses and my pocketbook’.  But I can see now …and do all those things that the average blurry eyed person can only dream of.

Like see

AR; acoustically reckless.

Two down, two to go.

America Rosa did the Global Connections stage at the Capital Ex (aka Klondike Days) today …and it was kinda good and kinda bad. The good was running into a few people that I wouldn’t normally see at a latin event …Phyllis, Ihor, Stephanie, Luc, Courtney, Brett, Alma, Erin et al. - add to that a bunch of food eating and tequila drinking that made things a little more festive. It was my birthday today too - and now that I think about it, I didn’t think about it till Stephanie mentioned it was her birthday tomorrow …and this happened at the end of the night. So I suppose it was a birthday party …lol, except no one, including the birthday fella, knew about it.

The bad was finishing the third set and having the local vendors/management upset because we were too loud. However, that’s not the bad part so much …but rather finding out about it after you’ve finished playing. Someone could of told me and then I could of made faces at our percussion players - that would of got their attention and I would have played softer and they would subsequently have to play quieter as well and then all would be good and nobody would say anything and everyone would be happy and my ears wouldn’t be ever-so-slightly ringing as they are now. But yeah, that didn’t exactly happen. And we’re back again mañana anyway …to do the whole thing again. And who knows, maybe it’ll be different?

Maybe.

The other good thing is that I biked to the show …which means that I gave my knee a real test for the first time since the whole swelling thing happened. I’m hoping that it’s done …the problem(s) that is. I’ll gradually start with some light 5k’s next week and see how things go from there. I’ve been favoring it for the last few weeks - so I’m sure I’ll be careful not to over-do it. Fingers crossed of course.

Pollo.  He’s still Loco.

Banff stuff…

Banff was fun.  Kinda.

It wasn’t as fun as it usually was for me, but it was still something different …and that’s always a good thing.  This trip out was of the ‘touristy’ fashion.  The problem with that is that it defeats the purpose of what Banff is supposed to be about.  I mean, why go to the mountains when all you want to do is take pictures of them?  You’re seeing something - but at the same time your not really seeing anything.  You’re going out of your way to experience something unique, but giving up that uniqueness to the comforts of home.  You’re not experiencing anything when you don’t venture off the beaten path.  You’re stuck to the regular route and you’re force fed what others have decided to feed you.  It’s sad in a way, but then I suppose they’re making money (the Banff economy) - and if that’s the rational for success …then it’s a success.

But there’s more to be seen in Banff than what you see.  There’s more to experience than what you experience behind the shelter of a bus, a gondola or an air conditioned shopping plaza.  And I suppose it’s in you to decide whether or not you want that experience.

two types

There seems to be two types of death; the one you expect and the one you don’t. The one you expect is typically drawn out, preceded by prolonged illness and visits/stays in the hospital. The one you don’t expect …well, that one is unexpected.

A few weeks ago Miguel ‘bailed’ on a gig he booked. He could of done it, but he complained about it being hard to breathe at times …which of course would impact his singing. He got Victor as a replacement and the gig went ahead as usual. He showed up at the function just to check in on us - he felt that he let us down by not being there, wanted to make sure things were alright and wanted to be a part of something that was all his doing.

Last weekend he did the same thing. He was going to go into the hospital for a few tests and some minor surgery …but small complications arose and he had to get Marco to sub for him. He still wanted to be involved of course, calling us from the hospital to make sure things would go smoothly …his wife Monica taking care of the traveling details, giving me pre-made cheques to pass out to the guys, giving me the appropriate wardrobe and sound equipment that we needed to get the job done. I called her after we finished the gig, which she had asked me to do, but I strangely only received her answering machine. I had expected someone to be home. I left a joyful message about how fine the gig went, how everyone was happy and how I’d give her a call next week after my trip to arrange a time to drop off Miguel’s stuff.

I’ve got a bunch of gigs and some rehearsals booked with Miguel throughout July and August. He also was wanting to work in a new trumpet player. I’m sure there were other things he had in mind too.

Not anymore though. I got a short email from someone saying that he had died in the hospital at 4 am a few nights ago. I haven’t talked to Monica since I left the message on their machine. I still have to get home from Saskatchewan. I still have to drop off a load of sombreros, mexican jackets and percussion toys.

His death was one unexpected.

arg and stuff…

Greetings and salutations kids.

Let me start this post with a loud and resounding ‘Arg!’ Arg is that vocal thing you say when you’re tired and you’ve only more tiredness to look forward too. But it’s all good - and I’m not complaining. I’m just saying ARG! That’s all.

The ‘Man’ is stickin’ it to me hard lately. This week has been full days (with some extra hours at times) and lots of the physical stuff as well. That’s all fine really, it’s just that the weekends are busy with music so there really is no downtime. My next respite, in the form of a complete day of doing nothing, won’t happen till ….ha, just looking at my calendar, I’ve got no break till the middle of August sometime - maybe. Groan. Or rather, ARG.

During my travels I was out around Roundhill today - so I stopped by that old abandoned farm (that I previously took some pictures of) just to see what it’s like in the summer. It’s all right. It’s not as nice as it was in the winter when I was there, or maybe it was the hard sunlight that bleached things out a bit. But it was fine.

In my last post I griped about how the city likes to tear down older buildings all the time …well, it looks like they made one smart decision to restore the old Federal Building. It’s a cool looking place that reminds of something that might have been in Gotham City. Of course, if the building was on some scrap real estate and not at all connected with the Alberta Legislature then I’m quite certain it would see the front end of a wrecking ball ..or the back end - how ever you wish to envision your wrecking balls.

Slurpees are going down fast and furious lately too. They seem to be ‘lunch substitutes’ for me while at work - and that’s not always a good thing. Sometimes it is though! Just not always. I decided to stop in and do the blood-letting at my local CBS the other day, and my iron readings were just passible. This was done at the initial screening, and it was then that I realized I hadn’t really eaten anything that day. But the body was fine none the less, and my plasma was gratefully accepted. Just for the records, my BP was 121/68 and pulse at 38. They had to retake the pulse, which then became 37 …but on the third attempt it made 40bpm - which is the minimum required to donate. Yea me. Maybe I should cut down on some cardio?

just a little photoshop

migraine? flu?

Things are a little off lately.

Yesterday at around 5 pm I got this wicked headache that wouldn’t go away at all. It was just after I ate, and I kinda thought it might be from not drinking too much throughout the day. Milk at breakfast and then a slurpee at around noon. I thought it was fine ….and it’s not like my body was telling me that I was thirsty. I had done the bike in and back from work which gets me a little tired, but that of itself felt good. Just after I ate though, it hit me. I tried the laying down thing, which worked a bit, but then I fell asleep for about half an hour, woke up and things were worse. I figured I’d get my mind off it by changing my muffler like I was hoping to do the other day ($210 for the ‘welded’ one-peice unit …don’t get me started!) but that didn’t help. I needed some real tools, so I drove out to my Dad’s to finish the change there - and all throughout the procedure he kept talking/helping and I sorta went into tunnel vision to get the job finished. He knew I had a headache, but I suppose I did a fair job of masking its effects.

So I left and started the drive home, which takes about 50 min., and I felt like puking the whole way. I’d get these bouts of sweating, then all of a sudden I was shivering. The widow was up-down-up-down and I don’t think I moved my head at all through the whole trip. I got home and decided I had to take some tylenol. I avoided it earlier because I was trying to stay away from aspirin until I could get an allergy test done, but I had to do something. So I wound up sleeping a bit more, lying there trying not to move, and wondering if I should stick a bucket or something by my bed. It was an awful feeling. I woke at about midnight, had a cheese sandwich and more fluids, then went to bed again.

This morning I awoke with a small remnant of the pain. I ate breakfast, then went for a 35 min. run - labored the first 25 min and then finally felt at ease coming home. It’s weird. Somethings not right, but all I can really do is be good to myself and see what happens. My roomie suggested it may have been a migraine - he’s had them before and and has gotten physically sick. I don’t think so. Maybe it’s a quick passing flu of sorts. I gotta ‘T-3′ it tonight and then ‘Yardbird Suite’ it tomorrow, so I hope I don’t have to feel like crap while performing. If I feel like crap, I think I have a tendency to speak my mind a little more - lol, which could be a bad thing at times - especially at a gig.

memory

Memory …either it works or it doesn’t.

For me, at least, this seems to be the case.  Some things stick while others pass along.  What makes for the ’sticking’?  I suppose it’s the interest you put in.  If something really grabs your attention, then you’ll remember it.  If it’s something casual or ‘everyday’ in a way, then it’ll appear as wallpaper …blending into the background, never to be recalled again.

What happens though, when you put a friend into that background?  Well, it’s probably not such a big deal.  I mean, if we had to remember everything about all our friends then I’m sure our brains would explode.  And besides that, who would want to remember everything!?  I suppose it’s the normal way for things to happen - you remember a few things and they remember a few things, and together you put the pieces into place.  But, for example (lol), what if your friend remembered something because they saw it as interesting, but you didn’t find it that way - and simply forgot it.  What if your friend brings up some event in your past that meant something to them, and you couldn’t remember a thing?  How would you feel?

Well, let me cut to the chase for a moment…

I feel bad.

A friend, and by that I mean someone who is in someways important to me, brought up a meeting that I can’t remember happening.  Yes, it was close to 15 years ago, but what stresses me about it is that I’ve always thought somewhat ‘highly’ of this person, and not being able to remember our encounter makes me feel like …well, crap.  Yes, it was a gig.  Yes, I often get tunnel vision of sorts when I’m playing.  Yes, I thrive on blocking out the audience when I play.  Yes, I disappear into my own little world between sets.  Yes, I get stressed out if someone I know is watching me.  All in all, I’m not myself on stage or in crowded places.  I get self-conscious and my brain runs amok with all sorts of crap that only makes me feel stranger.  If you ever want to see me …ever want to know me, then don’t do it at a gig.  At least don’t let my demeanor that night be any true indication of the type of person I am.  It’s just not me.

Fifteen years ago that was the case.  Currently, it’s still the case!  There are moments when I feel comfortable enough on stage that I can let my guard down and kinda be myself.  But it’s hard to get to that point, and for the most part, it doesn’t really happen.  It’s who I am.

But I still feel bad.

stress?

I did the plasma donation thingy the other day, and it was also time for the yearly physical that the good folks at Canadian Blood Services put you through.  It’s pretty low key, that is there’s not a whole lot to it.  Anyway, it’s the perfect opportunity to ask the Doc anything that might be on your mind - so I did.  I brought up my allergy problem that seemed to hit me hard with what I figured out on my own to be a severe case of hives.  Don tipped me off to it - and after doing the ‘online google self-medical assessment’, I decided that my rash looked more like hives than anything else.

I told the Doc this and he said it could be triggered by many different things - even something like stress! Wow.  What if that’s the case?  What if I’m one of those people who, when they run themselves down, break out in hives?  Ahhhhhh!  That’s weird.  Anyway, I’m going to submit myself to a full allergy test to see what comes up.  I know there’ll be a seasonal trigger in there as I developed some springtime allergies about 7 years ago now.  What else might come up …hard to say.  I haven’t been able to pin anything down food wise, so I guess it’s a wait and see type thing.

As for the stress - well, I’m thinking that won’t be the case.  I hope so at least.  I do lead a pretty stress-free life.  Yeah, I do get tired and develop bad sleeping patterns for weeks or so at a time …but that’s not a stress thing.  Is it?

I think I need a year off to rest for a while.  That’d be sweet.

Happy Blogiversary!

It’s been two years kids, and I’ve yet to abandon my post …er, posts. I’ve thought about it of course, but calmer heads prevailed and I just kept plugging along. “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”

It’s true though - and swimming doesn’t necessarily have to be a graceful act. There have been many horrible posts that were done for the sake of ‘a post’, or for vanity - or even for a chuckle on my behalf, but that’s the nice thing about having a blog titled ‘Stuff and Things’ …it’s pretty non-descript, and I can add whatever I like - serious or not. It’s kinda freeing in a way …being able to work on a post towards the goal of saying something important, and then the next time around tossing up the first thing that comes across the brain - or lack thereof at times. Mixing things up sort of alleviates the pressure of having to come up with ‘quality’ posts - lol. Errr …some of the time. Once in a while?

There’s been a whack of posts that I’ve either abandoned or ’shelved’ as well. Essays on subjectivity, maths, religion, traffic, democracy, morality, compromises, abortion, absolutes, environmental issues, obesity, race …just to name a few. What happens is I get all gung-ho on something, but then start to question my stance or reform my opinion on the topic. These aren’t bad things to have happen, it’s just that I put it away for a while - let it brew for a bit …but then eventually forget about it. When the mood strikes again though, I’ll consider getting a bunch of these finished.

That’s another important aspect of blogging I find …being in the right mood. You sound more convincing when you’re completely into what you’re writing about - as opposed to the type of posts I might make in advance …when I’ve finished something and feel strongly about it, but simply put it off until the right ‘mix’ of posts present themselves - then the idea is sightly deflated. Too much of one thing gets boring as well: heavy stuff …ditto for too much fluff, too much art, too much opinion. I try to pace my topics. I think that works alright …at least it keeps me motivated in different directions.

I read blogs as well. I don’t regularly visit too many, but I’ll give any blog a brief opportunity to pull me in …if they fail, then I’m gone.  I blame it on my ‘internet attention span’. The ones I read though, I enjoy - and you know who you are! They’re either honest, well thought out, inspiring or simply interesting. I like blogs that offer different subject matter too - and I tire easily when I hear about the same thing from the same person. That’s one of the pitfalls of having a blog that is too specific - unless you’re completely into that topic, you’re going to get bored rather quickly. And diverse blogs also give you an opportunity to learn more about the writer …which is a good thing on the internet where anonymity flourishes.

Future plans? Well, I think I’m going to start posting more ‘unfinished’ musical crap. I have a tendency to start all sorts of songs, but then get diverted or lose my interest - much like many posts. Then it sits there in the ‘to do’ pile and never really leaves. By posting them, perhaps I can generate other types of motivation …maybe even from you!? Hard to say …but something has to change because I seem to be falling into musical ruts - not because I’m not doing anything …but because I’m not caring enough to finish. There’s a few other things I’m wanting to do/try as well - and you’ll be the first to know as those come along.

I suppose that’s it I guess. So let me just say thanks for reading everyone! Really!! I’m not a ’stat’ watcher …most of the time that is, but I do know you’re visiting - and I hope you find something of interest when you stop by - even if you were only looking for information on Britany Spears (lol, that post continues to haunt me). And finally, what would I grade myself on my last two years of wordpress blogging? I think I’ll give myself a ‘B’ …for Blog. And in celebration of this momentous accomplishment, allow me to repost my first ever post. Ohhhh, you guys are soooooo lucky!

———————————-

This is only a test. Please do not adjust your internet. If this were an actual blog entry you would be instructed on what to do next. However, since this is not - you can freely do what ever you like. Really - cut loose