welcome to slattsville
the ramblings of an artist, musician, poet and fool...
| 7/3/09 10:46 pm

Coming home on Route 2.
Dead tired.
Crap on the radio.
Then Alice Cooper spins Jimi Hendrix playing "The Star Spangled Banner."
I turn it up.
Way up!
Happy Birthday, America!
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LAST NIGHT AT BAND CAMP....

...there was more CHAT than MUSIC. That's OK. Sometimes that happens. We've got two shows in September. And maybe one at one of those places where the cool Northampton bands play. (Although, we're probably what you would call a cool Holyoke band, if that). We've got vacations coming up. We've got rehearsals to schedule. We had to move a basketball hoop.
And someone mentioned Michael Jackson died.
http://www.myspace.com/thewaltermittys
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| 6/30/09 05:51 am
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rain and Special events... Remember the graduation? In my last post?
We came home from that in a downpour. But the rain held off until the special event was done.
This weekend we attended another special event. A wedding. The wedding of a very special person.
"An almost-daughter."
We headed out Saturday morning in a downpour. But as we neared our destination, the rain ceased. The sun came out. Saturday remained that nearly perfect day.
Sunday. The actual event day. It was more cloud-filled but nothing threatening. And actual wedding ceremony was beautiful. Sun playing hide and seek behind billowy white and light gray clouds.
This morning we came home in the rain.
If the weather is going to play this game of "No Rain for Special Events," I hope it considers my upcoming trip to Maine such a special event.

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| 6/26/09 10:23 pm
graduations, Vermont, TV... Driving through Vermont on 91 and 89, you know why they call this the Green Mountain State. Well, at least this time of the year--after all that rain--it is green!
Those roads weave themselves through up and over some great mountainous territory. Some beautiful vistas.
My four-cylinder car was not as excited about the trip.
And trees. I think Vermont provides most of the oxygen for New England.
Little children and babies do not understand why anyone would want sit in a stuffy, hot room for a couple of hours or more and listen to one hundred and fifty names called out. They just don't understand and their misery makes us adults who do understand miserable.
Yes, we understand "Commencement."
Only a university that began as military history school would allow a commencement speech of a then pilot now lieutenant-governor's tale of swallowing his own vomit as to not reveal his air sickness wrapped up in this profound quote: "Swallow hard and go forward!"
Jacko buys the farm.
Usually, I'd be a day late or more learning this tragic news. Maybe I'd catch it one of your blogs, possibly, sooner than I'd read in it some days old newspapers. For you all know, I never watch TV.
Except when I'm in a motel room. That's where I was last night. And that's where I heard the "Breaking News" as I flipped through the channels like a little kid who's discovered the remote.
Poor Farrah having to share the exit-date with the "King of Pop." She'll never get the top billing on "This Day in History."
Speaking of History, I am. Good night!

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| 6/24/09 10:37 pm
some randomness... I've been staying away from Live-Journal...
That's right. Oh, I'd sometimes take a quick glance but I couldn't leave a comment or open a cut. It's been tough. I miss you, all! I'm an addict.
But I needed to stay focused.
I've been very busy with a very tight deadline at work. It's an illustrated booklet, so, it's fun but very draining working this fast...
And these "so many hours"
I drank three cups of coffee today at work. I never do that!
But I'm doing alright with this deadline. I'm gonna make it.
I've got a wedding and a graduation to attend this weekend. One's in Vermont. The other's on the Cape.
We had a blast at Band Camp on Monday. We starting working up a medley. It started with two songs. Now, it has four!
Funny, how many songs are based on that minor to fourth riff.
I enjoyed listening to the playback so much on my ride home that I drove past my exit. That wasn't fun. I did not want to be in Brattleboro at midnight.
The Walter Mittys are collecting friends on MySpace. Tom Waits is one of them. And so is Taj Mahal.
But Jesus H. Christ and the Four Hornsmen of the Apocolypse refused us.
You should friend us.
I've been thinking about doing a Summer Show that combines July and August.
It's a lot of work setting up that show monthly.
And I MUST finish "Ringo" for the JULY (or Summer) Show.
Well, it's ten-thirty. Early morning tomorrow. My L-J time is up. We'll catch you soon!

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| 6/21/09 11:05 pm
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| 6/20/09 12:04 am
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YESTERDAY was Paul's day.
But I found some time to work on RINGO.
( HERE's an UPDATE. )
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| 6/18/09 05:35 am
"You say it's YOUR birthday?"
PAUL McCARTNEY IS 67 TODAY!

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 I had a strange dream before I awoke yesterday. It was more of a nightmare. I found the guitar (I'm playing in this photo) inside it's case: destroyed! It was very strange. Like it was damaged by "monsters." For example, there were parts of the wooden neck of the guitar that looked eaten by termites.
The most literal interpretation could be the premonition that band rehearsal was going to be cancelled. Though, this on occasion has been disappointing, it's never that devastating! And yesterday's cancellation actually worked out rather smoothly.
So I'm still perplexed by this dream.
The guitar reappeared again in a dream last night. It was a very minor role but it was very much in tact.
A musician friend from a band long ago was going to spend the night at my house. It was very late and I was tired and preferred not to give him a ride home in this state. He was not tired and said he had something he "wanted to invent" and could he borrow my guitar. I offered this electric as when it is unamplified, it's quieter than the acoustic and wouldn't wake anyone.
I expected he was "inventing" a song but it was an actual guitar-invention. When he explained it, I actually wasn't very impressed as it seemed like something already invented. Though I didn't tell him this opinion of mine.
And that ended the dream.
I do hope this guitar decides to stay out of my dreams for awhile. Maybe it wants me to play it more often. Before I go to bed. As I had done up until recently.
Yes. I'll try that.
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