I was house-bound all day juggling the music scenarios. Much as I want to play the duo, but I cannot neglect Live Karaoke is now my major backup plan. The band survival rate must be less than one in a thousand. Keep reading today for news on how the gig tonight went. My history confirms that I am constantly adapting my act and I don’t want that to take anybody by surprise. My last guitarist had played the same material for something like 22 years without the slightest change.My reliable source tells me the government is hiring people to handle the backlog of food stamp applications. I should take a peek. Government work, well, I’ve got experience. Just not in that department. The closest thing I’ve got to any humanities on my resume is a couple of philosophy courses (which I disliked) and a few first year psychology textbooks which were full of bunk. I’ll check it out, though, because I suspect the pundits have made a severe calculation error.
That error is the projected life-span of Social Security. I’ll just bet you their projections of “running out of money” were based on a strong economy chugging along until then, albeit with a dwindling pool of new workers. I’m asking if any of their formulas used the worst-case scenarios of permanent double digit unemployment and loss of job infrastructure. Probably not, and if not, what’s to say the money won’t last another five years? I think they’ve made some wrong assumptions.
Next, allow me to bloviate for a paragraph. It is about the equal pay for equal work issue. You know, I accept that there is an inequality. What I don’t accept is a lot of definitions about equal work. If you can do my job, fine, but prove it. Meanwhile, if you earn more or less than I do, I do not automatically assume there is a chauvinist or feminist cause behind it. My opinion is the reason I do not get paid equal to a doctor is because I am not a doctor. But when I see my doctor, I certainly do not take the opportunity to imply any of this is the doctor’s fault.
Let’s get to the fun part. I was late showing up because the new song files took 25 minutes to transfer onto the laptop. Jim arrived at the same time. We were able to carry off almost an hour and a half of material and he got a first hand look at the show I present. We need practice and with me, you get a lot of stage time. But the crowd loved it. The whole place was rocking again.
As with most guitarists, Jim has a tendency to overplay between lyrics. I’m sure this is the result of trying to get a fuller sound when soloing. I am completely pleased with the performance. Arnel showed up around 9:30 and stayed for an hour. He was off duty, but still got up on stage for the standard three tunes. This may well have been the liveliest show in town this night. I’d say we’ll be playing something within maybe two weeks. If it flies, it is certainly going to make a huge difference in my bottom line.
Last, we have some news about California Johnny. He is in Pompano Beach, according to a friend of his who recognized Jackie on the street and stopped to talk. The word is that Johnny will be dropping by Jimbo’s any time soon. I thought he was in Miami. What he would be doing in Pompano Beach is beyond me. The only thing up that way is a prison.
Another place that has gone downhill is Guitar Center. I know it is tough to get enthusiastic staff on what they pay, but it seems they’ve been commanded to sell instead of help. I bought my (excellent $60) Karaoke microphone set there two years ago, and I went to buy another. Today it was like torturing a pig to get the guy to tell me they don’t sell them any more, and no, I did not want two $375 wireless mic sets with 52 channels apiece.
I’ll lighten up a little. That gal who works the door at Guitar Center? Finally, I was able to place her. Around nine years ago, I’d noticed her at Churchill’s (A Sort of English Pub). Aha, and she was with some dude with so many tattoos he looked like last weeks funny pages. Gloria? Something like that. She knew Juicy Lucy and her brother, Kyle, the studio bass player slash telemarketer. Anyway, I went on-line and sure enough, there is a band with a washboard player at Alligator Alley next month. Later, I will check mySpace, but seriously people, if you want to get noticed, don’t bury yourself in there. Florence? Luanne? It will come back.
