While all this time-consuming process was underway, I checked out a few dozen matters on other sites. That is one of the advantages of owning a network, you rarely have to sit around while something is booting. It was also another occasion when all the senior people were in for the day, so I’d say “an easy thousand dollars” worth of information traded hands. It is a pity the shop was so quiet. That is one place where things get done right and fast when everybody is present. Fred discovered that the petition people [he has been working for] are paying him less than a fraction of the going rate. Some customer in the business came in today and told Fred he should be getting $4.00 per signature instead of around $1.25. The positive light on that amounts to how Fred would probably never have found this out without getting into it. It is the standard Florida mentality, where instead of giving somebody a fair deal so they’ll stick around, they’d rather rip you off for the short run. I know this happens everywhere; my point is that here it is considered normal.
We also took a look at the Florida job postings. There are still $9.00 jobs out there, although even a single cannot live on that in this territory. The number of non-paying offers out there is bewildering, you know, where they want you to write for free because it will “look good on your resume”. Do I detect a little irony?
I was also scrounging for new stage material, it can get scarce on the new Internet listings. By that, I mean I can be reminded of a suitable tune from the last century, but when I go to look for it, there is nothing on the Internet. The available music seems to be from 1930 onwards so if your tune is missing, maybe it is finally out to pasture. For example, I had trouble finding “Dream Dream Dream” by the Everly Bros. Nor are there any lyrics or chord charts. That means I have to figure it out on my own, dammit.
It’s a good thing the gig at Jimbo’s was fun tonight. I actually got one brat in there asking me if I “knew any Procol Harem”. They always ask as if it is some kind of challenge. I have a hard time figuring these people out, but I confess to concluding they are on the dumb side. I rate them about the same caliber as my brother, who actually believes strangers are impressed by his jukebox selections. I consider “band-specific” people to be shallow. Name the tune, maybe I can help, but name the band and except in totally obvious cases, I probably don’t know what you’re on about. Do you know anything in C-Sharp-minor? How come is that? Get my point?
My tips came to $21, but that is still four times what I was getting before. They are planning a Halloween party. Chances are that will include their Karaoke show which has always played there. I’m invited but what are the chances of me going to a bar and sitting in the audience? It just does not work that way. That will be on the 27th, the last Saturday before Halloween.
Meanwhile, Dickens has called and the new BellSouth wireless modem router contraption has arrived. For those who follow such things, I’ll publish a quick report once I figure it out. The problem was the old Westel modem, for some reason, had to be put into bridged just before being connected to a router (indicating it was really two modems, one looking either direction). When subsequently connected, the modem would snap out of bridged mode. You couldn’t win.
