She was a hottie. (Yes, in case you are wondering, I knew about the birds and the bees by then. And so did she. In fact, it wasn’t long after that I found out just how much I did know compared to all the misinformation that still exists in society to this day.)The crucial follow-up practice is set for this Friday. If you feel this band is getting special attention, that’s right. It is a shortcut to stage work after six years of continual duds and disappointment. Even disunity could be parlayed, as I could practice independently with either the drummer or the guitarist, both of whom (it turns out) are multi-banders. The defensible assumption here is that a singing bassist who can carry 2/3 of the show himself is too rare an asset to ignore.
Then I’m downtown a bit and this lady walks up and talks like we are old friends. I’m scraping my mind, who is this? She knows Fred, the old shop, everything a close buddy would know. Short, curly dark blonde hair, green eyes, 5 foot 3. My best guess is she is a singer that auditioned with me several years back and has since gained a solid 130 pounds. Edgy personality, mildly outgoing, definitely working class. But you got me. I’ll dwell on it.
Stand by for a report on my real estate research this week. I say again, do not buy. Sit and wait. The foreclosure rate is being held low by using total houses as the denominator rather than only houses with mortgages. Foreclosed properties on the market for a year lose 38% in value, in two years they lose 61%. Around two million houses will reach those points between now and December. Face it, there are millions more somewhere that should be for sale, but are being held back to keep prices high. (The few houses being sold are to investors and first-time buyers. The smart money is sitting things out.)
Who recalls my warnings about not keeping some assets concealed? What is vulnerability? For starters, your car “registered”, your house “titled”, your every bank account, investment, and business transaction on file somewhere. Now we have the Ex-Patriot Act. If the IRS rules a person left the US for tax purposes, they can prevent them from returning.
Worse, the feds can go back ten years looking for who has already left, the first major instance of ex post facto law in America. Hmmm, the IRS acting as immigration. It is only a matter of time until anyone who leaves is deemed a criminal. Sad, because the only ones that will thrive are those who had the wisdom to start a taxi company in Venezuela back in 1989. When they were traveling on a Mexican passport.
Cowboy Mike was on the blower, I’m invited to stand in next Saturday at Willy’s. That place is not the venue for a Blues band. But, he says their target is the Intercoastal (as the locals call the beachfront). He likes the better money, I like the better crowds. As far as Willy’s, Mike says, “There ain’t a woman in there with a full set of teeth.”
What do these watches have in common? Aside from being overpriced and sold as status symbols to beta males who must, ergo, be convinced a watch is part of their manliness. Well, these watches are used, pardon me, “pre-owned”. This shop near the theaters has a lovely selection, none with the prices marked. “Say, Gaylord, is that a new Hamilton? Ducky scrollwork.”Off to see “Dictator”, the newest Borat follow-on. I don’t know it was worth the $9 bucks, but I like hanging out at Aventura. It’s full of well-dressed, educated-sounding people who know exactly how and when to mind their own business. The movie, compared to Borat, has about 10% of the humor. It’s a sad day when even comedy movies start casting third-rate actresses to cater to the feminist audience. I would not watch this movie a second time.
