July 25, 2025

Yesteryear
One year ago today: July 25, 2024, keeping busy.
Five years ago today: July 25, 2020, Google copies my format.
Nine years ago today: July 25, 2016, 77% of the electricity.
Random years ago today: July 25,2013, that always-asthmatic kid.

           The banks jump in to hammer silver [prices] down as it nears the $40 breakthrough point. For the first year in a century, net immigration is a negative number. Saying “I’m getting therapy” just plain sounds funny. But I fell asleep for the best part of 18 hours and later today is slated for band practice. The kind of schedule a real retiree is supposed to have. I’ve been cheated! That doesn’t mean I have nothing for you, as I felt chipper enough y’day to stop at the used tow-trailer lot on the way home. Lots of walking but sadly, they had no mini-campers. The smallest unit had a double bed and a kitchenette at $10,499.

           This lot is for people who want to live in a camper. My needs are only for overnights and rest stops. There were some real beauties for sale, though I never quite get the design that has the kitchen outside under a fold up lid. It must be a successful item. Myself, I like the teardrop format. If I want to sit around, there is always a convenient library or bookstore for my needs.
           As for cooking on the road, meh, give me a coffee and a sandwich and let me pocket the $5,000 I save. Facilities? Wal*Mart and most rest stops are all you need. My longest trips ever are five days (four nights). But, when I was younger and broker, I’ve lived in campers and don’t forget my ten years in a trailer court which resulted in this place. Where I just know is my final destination, and I like it. But I’d also like another similar setup in Tennessee.

           Forgive the short morning. I got half-way through the home therapy moves, then crawled right back in the sack until noon. The rest of today all I have is more random photos but I did go take them special for you. Here that missing sparpack of the brass-colored screws. Well, pretty close to brass, anyway. There is also a view of the bush I knocked down to make a corridor to the back yard. You can see the fence way back there. All that jungle has to come down or I have no back hard. Any of you want to hike back there, you can have any cutting tool of your choice from the shed.

           And I’m moving the hillbilly’s church bench inside soon as I put up a small work counter in the front bedroom. It will take just one wall, so if anybody wants to crash in there, they can sleep with my printers and a few tools. If they complain, go sleep in the shed, there’s a spot made up. Hey, I’m the boss around here. The reason for that bench is how sturdy it is. You’ve looking at it a bit weather-beaten from being stored in the scooter lean-to. Trust me, it is more solid that the picture says.

           In other news that makes any difference to me, 4 of 5 top headlines that survived my filters today were from Gab. Time maybe to pay them more attention, more so as the mainstream outfits are restorting to outright lies to spark readership. They are now announcing Trump's downfall on a weekly basis. This week it was by a failed talk show host, but displayed as a headline. I'm called away so alas, I'll miss this excellent workday. You'll have to do double-duty to meet this blog's quota.

Picture of the day.
Bastei Bridge, Saxony.
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           Our rehearsals are beginning to draw a small crowd. It’s an open pavilion and a zero-dollar way to get some Friday live music. Steve is truly a rookie at this form of playing but he is learning fast. Our lack of consistent practice is now a factor, but his work schedule opens up in mid-August. Good, that means he’s got a better background than most guitar players in this crazy society. I admit after the Hippie, I watch for gaps in their backgrounds and this time I’m hoping it was just a stint in the military. I’m just saying I’ve learned caution in Florida.

           We systematically went through some of the list, focusing on intros and instrumental breaks. He lacks theory, this is not uncommon in guitar players, but I gave him the practical ways to follow and he was dismayed none of this was ever mentioned in any lessons he took. Me neither. Practical theory is just not something that sells lessons. I gave him the demo of how the bass can change the character of a single guitar strum into country, rock, blues, and pop.

           Once again, I’m obliged to mention his natural guitar style is very workable. He will play what he hears rather than opting for technical perfection. He does not yet know that is a better deal. But he does know people are now approaching us with compliments of how well the music “fits together”, a telling sign that many have not heard arranged music before. Good. You know how I worked for years to make sure two guitar players could not show up and eclipse the show.
           Progress. Nope, it will take us too long to reach gig-ready at the rate we are moving. The cure for this is a practice gig. Not so easy. I’ve learned how ineffective advertising and promotions word. I leave it up to establishments to provide a crowd and in Florida that means clubs and pubs. We’ve been over this, the plan is to keep an existing crowd longer, not to draw them in the first place. You’ll get plenty of argument over this from guitar players but it is all talk. They’ve never seriously tried it.

           Steve mentioned a nearby Karaoke spot and it was getting dark. So we met up over there to find a quiet rural audience. The all-female staff took an instant liking to us. We stuck around and sang two songs each which I gather was quite a departure from their usual fare. Steve’s style is Broadway tunes, which makes sense with his Elvis show. Remind me to get some photos of that, you know, see if he went broke buying all the costumes, ha-ha. He sings “big-voice” tunes contrasting with my “boisterous country” presentations.
           This was the first instance we’ve observed stage work and I’m happy there is a real synergy to our audience appeal. Ha, he was quick to spot how my stage work is almost completely geared to the women in the room, I guess it’s amusing if you’ve never seen anyone who doesn’t even pretend otherwise. We did not sing our duo material, that remains an open question. But the staff sure liked it and took our contact info. The downside is that club is 33 miles from my place. I also see the stage is set for larger bands, something I no longer do.

           That’s your customary analysis of this evening. Other blogworthy mentions are I finally have the video disk from our last rehearsal with the Prez. An impressive sound that would win anybody over. It’s not a balanced recording as the camera was a bit too near the bass amp. For the most part, the quality is there and I will edit it down to some demos for my own people. For example, Mitch, Marion, and LizJohn have never heard me sing in a band, yet I’ve known them more than forty years each.
           I coaxed Steve to chat about his Elvis years, he’s promised pictures. He’s entered competitions, thusforth we can expect some dramatic material It is clear this was a formative time in his career, much like rock was to me before I chose country music. The Prez reports he’s found a jam session not far from his new place in Pennsylvania. On the way home, I stopped at the old club and I can’t say I told you so without saying I told you so. Utterly dead except a few at the bar, all non-regulars. Mind you that included one babe who caught my eye. Slim upper thighs.

           That club cannot endure without regulars. Fridays used to be a hopping night regardless of the economy. A factor I don’t recall if I said, but the specter now arises that the very people who made these changes may themselves have to move on. No regulars and no live music means no business. No, I’m not buying the place, it’s ten years too late for that. Two people who work there are very aware I called the situation two years ago and will remember I also told them outright what it would take to get the place back in order. In fact, me showing up there on Mondays makes me the only regular in the place.

Last Laugh