Tuesday August 31 2021

Waking up around noon.

 

Breakfast Bar. Tea.

 

Working out at the gym – or rather running on the treadmill while juggling two phones dealing with scheduling.

 

Orange Dew Melon.

Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Jam and Butter. Spinach. Coffee.

 

Teaching lessons at Music Makers. I have a long break in between so I get some grocery shopping done.

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Meeting with a potential guitar/piano instructor, Peter, at the studio.

 

After a few more lessons picking up Pizza from Ynot for the second B-52’s practice tonight. We all meet up at Music Makers this time – running through “Rock Lobster”, “Give Me Back My Man”, and “Private Idaho”. This is a fun group.

 

Catching up on business. Green Tea.

 

Peanut Butter and Crackers.

 

Ana comes in my room and starts hitting me hard with an investigation into why our relationship makes her unhappy. It’s very stressful cause it feels like most nights after 3 in the morning she hits these dark places in her mind and it’s impossible to stop.

 

Monday August 30 2021

Waking up around noon.

 

Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Strawberries, and Almond Milk. Scottish Breakfast Tea.

 

Working out at the gym.

 

Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Salt n Vinegar Chips. Coffee.

 

Teaching lessons at Music Makers.

 

Japanese Style Fried Rice with Baby Broccoli and Sardines.

 

ELO rehearsal.

 

Back home talking with Ana about the recent passing of Derek Moore, a local musician – he died in a fatal car accident off 264 – the details are only known to the family. But this hits pretty close to home even though we don’t know him on a personal level. He was a fellow musician – Ana and I have even performed at some of the same places he has.

 

Later on, Ana and I practice some B-52’s songs with some Yamaha synthesizers.

 

Peanut Butter Toast.

 

Playing DOOM.

 

Sunday August 29 2021

Waking up around noon.

 

Ana and I grab Commune for brunch after seeing First Watch was super packed.

Waffles, Eggs, and Coffee.

 

Catching up on business.

 

Putting all the music gear away and organizing at the studio.

 

Stopping by the Broadway auditions at the ELO space. A small group is here reading through the script while Carol, Haley, and Rebecca take notes and make decisions on who should do what part. Reid is here helping – he’ll be officially working the rehearsals at some point.

 

Driving out to Williamsburg for the evening. My dad and Patty are staying the weekend here – they were at the show yesterday. My stepsister, Jennifer, and her 4 year old boy are here along with some other family. We all have a good time enjoying dinner. Tilapia with Spanish Rice, Salad, and Breadfruit. Doing the uncle thing with the kids – showing them tricks they can do with their bodies and playing games with them.

 

Back home. Settling down. Recapping with Ana.

 

Saturday August 28 2021


Waking up at 11:30 a.m.

 

Loading up the truck and station wagon (2 car loads) with music gear. Ana and I have a gig today at Commonwealth Brewing, our first time performing there but also first time performing in a year as Musicplayer.

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I always like to arrive 3 hours early cause that gives me plenty of time to tweak and set up the way we want. They’ve got us in the plant corner – some of the leaves hang over the drum set and PA speaker. It’s so hot that I have to stick up blankets over the windows to shade the gear.

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Enjoying some wood fired Pizza from the brewery.

 

 

Ana and I perform almost 3 hours worth of material. The sound is washed out and boomy in this room but we put on an energetic show including a diverse library of songs. My dad and his wife Patty are here along with my step-sister and her family. I say a few special words in the mic about my dad serving in the Air Force and in general being thankful for him. He requested “All I Have to Do is Dream”. Afterwards, he grabs a hug from the stage – an endearing moment.

 

 

Later on, towards the end of the show we invite Billy, my longtime student at Music Makers, on the stage to play guitar on the last three songs including Bohemian Rhapsody. Also, at random we invite a 5-year old girl, Cindy, to play drums on “Satisfaction”. She does quite well at staying on the beat the whole time. You can tell how thrilled and happy she is after. The crowd goes wild. I love the unpredictable closeout moments at shows like these. Then, some military dudes start up karaoke hour while Billy, Ana, and I hold it down on the instruments.

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Talking with a lot of people afterwards, parents and brewery patrons. Billy’s brothers and friends help load all the gear to the cars.

 

Ana and I stop by the Blue Cow to try some Ice Cream there.

 

Back home – catching up on the night.

 

Later on, I take some chairs to the ELO space and get the place organized and clean for some dance/Broadway activities.

 

Friday August 27 2021

Waking up around 12:30 p.m.

 

Cereal with Banana, Blueberries, and Almond Milk. Scottish Tea.

 

Taking care of business at the computer.

 

At the studio helping the delivery guys get this new hefty printer installed. We’re going to start leasing a printer. The benefit being we never have to worry about ink. We have a print limit but in the end it’s worth the expense.

 

Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Chips. Melon. Coffee.

 

Doing chores – watering the plants – catching up on business.

 

Organizing gear at the studio.

 

Ana and I go out to Baladi’s for dinner enjoying our favorite Mezze Platter and hefty plates of goodness.

 

Organizing more gear at the studio and troubleshooting monitors – practicing some songs.

 

Corn Chips and Juice.

 

Thursday August 26 2021

Waking up around noon.

 

Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, and Almond Milk. Scottish Breakfast Tea.

 

Working out at the gym.

 

Melon. Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Salt n Vinegar Chips with Avocado. Coffee.

Watching Nobody (2021).

 

Teaching lessons at Music Makers.

 

Cooking dinner for Ana and I: BBQ Lentils (Sloppy Lenny’s as we call it) with Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Carrots, and Onions.

 

At the studio Ana and I practice Musicplayer tunes – Billy practices with us for a few tunes early on – we’re gonna have him guest play at our show this weekend.

 

Back home. Slurping on a Mango Smoothie and catching up on business.

 

Banana Bread. Corn Chips.

 

Playing DOOM.

 

Sleeping next to Ana.

 

Wednesday August 25 2021

 

Waking up around noon.

 

Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, and Almond Milk. Scottish Breakfast Tea.

 

Working out at the gym.

 

Scrambled Eggs. Biscuit with Butter and Jam. Spinach. Coffee.

 

Teaching lessons at Music Makers.

 

Afterwards, Ana and I grab some dinner at The Pink Dinghy using a gift card we had. It’s absolutely lovely.

 

Meanwhile, the Modern Day Warrior boys are practicing at the studio. We stop in at the last leg of their practice – they were writing an original song that sounded pretty good actually.

 

After they all leave, Ana and I practice our Musicplayer tunes.

 

Tuesday August 24 2021

Waking up around 11:50 a.m.

 

Cereal with Blueberries, Banana, and Almond Milk. Tea.

 

At the computer handling a bunch of scheduling and Music Makers business.

 

Chores.

 

PB&J. Beet Crackers. Peach. Coffee.

 

Teaching lessons at Music Makers.

 

I get off early enough that I can play adult basketball at the Rec. The games are up and down – I focus more on lay-ups and jump shots.

 

Back home.

Five Guys Burger and Fries with Spinach.

Watching Nobody (2021).

 

I decide to take an Epsom salt bath – my body thanks me as I listen to my new favorite artist Perfume Genius.

 

Talking with Ana for a bit after she gets off work. She starts tapping into some uncomfortable topics about how she feels like she doesn’t want to be a part of my life anymore.

 

Later on, I’m at the studio messing around with some keyboard stuff. She drives over to continue our conversation but I don’t want to. We try to get on some level ground.