This is an open and unfiltered diary-style journal
on the life of James Robert Smith.
This blog will contain sometimes graphic experiences (both beautiful and ugly),
sometimes stark insight, and all honest and factual documentation of dreams, diet, activity, and thoughts.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Strawberries, and Almond Milk.
English Breakfast Tea.
Sitting at the computer working on the scheduling and
figuring out payments. A lot of our Music Makers customers are having to pay
online for the first time so that requires a lot of help.
The whole afternoon practically goes by and now it’s time
for lunch and going into work to teach.
Scrambled Eggs. Biscuits with Butter and Jam. Spinach.
Coffee.
Teaching lessons.
Back home.
Cooking dinner for Ana and I: Fried Tofu with Broccoli,
Celery, Peppers, Onions, and Quinoa.
While eating our plates of Chinese style goodness Roland
hangs around talking about movies. He’s a little drunk and I can tell he’s
deeply upset about the falling out of his longstanding relationship.
I continue tweaking my computer and other such things.
Chilling with Ana in her room. While we stretch our
bodies out we chat about our concerns with the pandemic and everything in
between.
Cereal with Granola, Strawberries, and Almond Milk. English
Breakfast Tea.
Business and scheduling.
Continuing to configure my computer.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Salt n Vinegar
Chips. Coffee.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers. Things got a little
stressful at times dealing with all the different forms of virtual lessons on
all the different devices. Also, there are disadvantages doing lessons in this
manner – can’t play along with the students – rhythm can be a challenge to
teach.
Back home. Cooking up some Japanese Style Vegetable Fried
Rice with Snow Peas.
Watching The Invisible
Man (2020).
Continuing to work on my computer. Getting all my files
organized and copied. But man, this SSD is awesome. My computer boots in like
10 seconds flat.
At some point after midnight the power cuts out. It’s been
windy and rainy all night so I guess it was expected. This lures all the
roommates out of their rooms. I light up some candles and keep working while
they hang out downstairs playing games.
I run over to Music Makers to catch up with business stuff.
Was gonna do the accounting for the month but I get wrapped up in things.
Power’s still out when I get back home. Oh well. I’m still able to use the battery power on my laptop and
mobile hotspot to work on things.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, Maple Syrup, and Almond
Milk. English Breakfast Tea.
Catching up on chores. Doing business – scheduling.
Scrambled Eggs. Sourdough Toast with Butter and Jam. Salt n
Vinegar Chips. Coffee.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers.
Back home. Leftover Bean and Vegetable Soup with Focaccia
Bread.
Watching The Invisible
Man (2020).
I finally get my solid state drive installed on my computer.
After tearing my hair out over troubleshooting how to get the cloned drive to
boot I finally just do a clean install of Windows and painstakingly copy files
from drive to drive manually. Sometimes, I regret being a Windows supporter.
There’s so many little things that go wrong that require troubleshooting all the
time.
Meanwhile, Ana’s sharing wine with me while we finish the
last episode of The Tiger King
(2020).
Waking up shortly after noon. Elvis prances into the room
attempting to rouse us out of bed.
Ana makes Waffles for breakfast.
Catching up on chores.
Ana and I grab some Coffee and drive over to the park on
Shore Drive to shoot some basketball around. The pollen is still covering
everywhere. We get some good cardio in. Meanwhile, another couple on the other
side of the court do the same thing.
Back home. Showering. Napping. Talking with my dad.
Cooking dinner: Vegan Burgers with French Fries and a Kale
Salad. Ana and I watch another episode of The
Tiger King (2020).
At the studio practicing piano. Really trying to focus on
finishing this collection of piano songs ideas I’ve had for a while now.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, Maple Syrup, and Kefir.
English Breakfast Tea.
Teaching a few afternoon lessons at Music Makers.
Scrambled Eggs. Sourdough Toast with Butter and Jam. Spinach
with Beets. Coffee.
Watching Uncut Gems
(2019).
Our new roommate, Roland, and I drive over to Shore Drive
where there’s a neighborhood basketball court. I discovered yesterday how they
closed off the hoops at most of the city parks, but not this one. We shoot
around amidst the pine trees dropping pollen everywhere.
Back home. Ana’s mom and her brother Jeremy are here.
Genevieve, Dennis’s new girlfriend, hangs too. I put on a movie and set up
Jeremy at the computer to play all the classic Nintendo games and DOOM.
The night transpires. Tristan arrives. Turning on the
karaoke machine and letting everyone rip. Sharing Pizza Chapel slices and
garlic knots all around. Later on, it’s time to light the candles on Ana’s cake
that I made her. She wanted ultimate chocolate and that’s what she got. She
pauses for an unexpected amount of time before she blows out the candles. I can
tell she’s very grateful and so am I – the fact we can still be around family
in a safe environment. She’s 29 years old, one year closer to my decade.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, Maple Syrup, and Almond
Milk. English Breakfast Tea.
Finally, we get a warm sunny day, ripe for exercising in. I
drive around looking for some basketball hoops but the city shut down certain
parts of city parks – they took down the nets and wrapped them in police tape. Oh well. I drive over to First Landing State
Park, a hotspot for sure. I take a jog up the trail – sneezing every now and
then from the pollen in the air. Two people play violin by the water. It’s kind
of beautiful.
Chicken Sammy from Aloha Snacks for lunch. Kombucha Tea and
an Apple.
Watching Uncut Gems
(2019).
Catching up on business.
Coffee.
Picking up a few things at Target.
Downstairs, I decide to bake Ana a birthday cake for
tomorrow. She’s not expecting me to. I pull up a Vegan Chocolate Cake recipe
and have at it.
After Ana arrives home from work we watch an episode from
The Tiger King over some food. I eat a hefty Kale Salad with Sourdough Bread.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Strawberries, Maple Syrup, and Almond
Milk. English Breakfast Tea.
Catching up on business and making a trip to the grocery
store. It’s a rainy cold day. There’s so much paranoia floating around they got
the Whole Foods cashiers wiping the conveyor belts down with bleach.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Kale. Coffee.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers.
Back home. Leftover Spaghetti with Kale Salad and Naan
Bread.
Later on, when Ana gets home we watch a few episodes of The Tiger King (2020).
Bowl of Cereal with Strawberries and Almond Milk. English
Breakfast Tea.
Sitting at the computer all afternoon tweaking the schedule
for the day. The governor of Virginia officially announced that all
non-essential businesses shut down. It’s a bit of a grey area for us as to
whether or not we are non-essential. But as long as no more than 10 people are
in the building at a time we should be fine. However, I’m sitting here
switching almost all of our lessons to virtual lessons. We still plan to stay
open with limited people coming in and out.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Popped Chips.
Kale. Coffee.
At Music Makers.
The iPads, phones, computers are all in use busy with
FaceTime and Zoom lessons.
Back home. Making dinner: Leftover Jackfruit (or Sloppy
Jack’s as Ana called it last night), roasted Brussel Sprouts and Zucchini, and
Chips with Guac.
Composing an updated PSA email to Music Makers customers so
everyone knows what’s going on.
Later on, Ana and I put on this 90’s workout video we found
in the VHS collection and attempt the moves.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Strawberries, Maple Syrup, and Almond
Milk. English Breakfast Tea.
Catching up on business and computer stuff.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Kale Salad. Salt
n Vinegar Chips. Coffee.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers. Our virtual lessons are in
great numbers today! I’m glad I got that new iPad to be passed around to the
teachers. Although most of them have their phones and such.
Back home. Tinkering with installing this new SSD on my
laptop. I cloned it from my original HDD. But for some reason I keep getting a
blue screen error upon booting. It’s always something.
When Ana gets home I get to cooking. She implemented the
idea and I made it happen. BBQ Jackfruit with Meatless Meat, Corn Tortilla
Chips with Guac.
Researching and brainstorming.
Ana’s watching a black and white movie from 1934 while I
stretch my body out.
Working on Music Makers business at the computer –
planning/scheduling for the week. A lot of our students have switched to
FaceTime lessons so I have to sort it all out on the calendar and such.
Chillin’ at the house doing chores.
Sardines with Mustard, Kale Salad, Toast with Butter and
Jam, and Coffee.
Watching Human Capital
(2019).
Running errands. It’s almost apocalyptic at the stores. Of
course, Target’s toilet paper and paper towel aisle is empty. We haven’t been
hoarding much at the house except when we need something. Also, all these blue
sanitizing wipes are littered all over the parking lot. C’mon people!
Back home. I exercise and stretch in the living room to
whatever playlist I feel like listening to. Meanwhile, Roland is in and out of
the back patio.
I get an urge to clean out and organize some of mom’s stuff
I still haven’t dealt with like her shoes and personal things sitting in
drawers. It’s a process but every now and then I feel like sifting through it.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Strawberries, Maple Syrup, and Almond
Milk. English Breakfast Tea.
Teaching and managing the front desk at Music Makers.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Kale. Cinnamon
Roll. Coffee.
Watching Escape from
Pretoria (2019).
Catching up on business and doing chores.
Making dinner: Brown Rice Quinoa Noodles with Tomato Sauce,
Mushrooms, Onions, Salad, and Garlic Bread. When Ana gets off work we share the
hearty meal together.
I fiddle on the downstairs computer uploading games and
tweaking things. Meanwhile, Ana and I gobble down Lolly’s Ice Cream while the Ghost World VHS tape plays on the TV. We
dance a little.
Waking up around 11:40 a.m. The power in Chanticleer went
out for an hour. At first I thought the virus somehow mutated into the
electrical city grid!
Slurping up some Cereal for breakfast with English Breakfast
Tea.
Doing a clean install of Windows 10 on the business
computer. Finally upgraded it with a solid state drive and more RAM. Had an
issue when booting it up, some kind of error code. All I had to do was research
it and troubleshoot it. Meanwhile, setting up a new iPad to use for FaceTime lessons
at Music Makers.
Ana and I decide to take a ride down to the oceanfront
hitting up all our favorite local spots, Aloha Snacks (ate a Chicken Sammy with
Fries), Three Ships (for Iced Coffees), and Prosperity Bakery for some treats
and frozen things. All the local restaurants have reverted to takeout/drive
thru ordering. And we just wanna support.
Back home. Taking our longboard and skateboard and doing a
little riding in the neighborhood.
Then, at Music Makers. Ana’s band, Community Witch is practicing
in the drum room just for tonight. Ana made a bunch of Naan Pizzas to share. I
stick around and strategically organize all the electrical cords and cables
where the newly upgraded computer is going.
Back home. Ana and I chill in the living room watching a
documentary on the 90’s band, Half Japanese, then making love on the couch.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Strawberries, Maple Syrup, and Almond
Milk. English Breakfast Tea.
It’s absolutely beautiful outside – sun is out – pollen is
caked everywhere. Ana and I do something different and drive out to First Landing
State Park, a perfect place to run up and down the trails surrounded by nature.
A lot of other people had the same idea too.
Dropping by Three Ships for Biscuits. They’re doing a thing
where you text them orders and pick them up. Most local restaurants and such
are reverting to pickup only things. It’s all we can do.
PB&J Biscuits with Coffee.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers. Things are going okay for
us – we’ve been able to do FaceTime lessons for people quarantining themselves.
Back home. Dariel Clark gives us an impromptu visit. Ana and
I make dinner: Black Bean Tacos with Roasted Veggies, and Guac. Good times and
conversation.
Working on upgrading the computer we keep at Music Makers. I
got it all set up in my bedroom – added some RAM and attempting to switch out
the hard drive with a solid state.
Bowl of Cereal with Strawberries and Almond Milk. English
Breakfast Tea.
Catching up on business.
Chores.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Kale. Coffee.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers. Doing the FaceTime lessons
seems to be working well for all the concerned/social distancing customers.
We’re very fortunate to not be losing so much business compared to other local
businesses.
Back home. Ana and I cook dinner: Vegan Burgers with French
Fries and Asparagus.
Spending a lot of time uploading and organizing photos on
the Music Makers website.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Strawberries, Maple Syrup, and Almond
Milk. English Breakfast Tea.
Ana and I check out One Life Fitness for the first time. All
the rec centers and neighborhood gyms are closed indefinitely so we need
somewhere else to work out. We got a freebie entry just for the day!
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Kale. Popped
Chips. Coffee.
At Music Makers teaching lessons. A lot of people are still
quarantining themselves so we do quite a few FaceTime lessons.
Dinner: Tuna Steak with Baby Broccoli and Rice. Cookies.
I drive over to find out all rec enters will be closed to
the public until at least the end of March. Great!
I’ll have to find somewhere else to work out and exercise. If the weather was
warmer I’d just run outside.
Dancing and doing light exercise in the living room.
Catching up on business.
Scrambled Eggs. Biscuits with Butter and Jam. Kale. Coffee.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers. We didn’t have too many
cancellations cause of the virus today, some we used FaceTime for lessons, a
great alternative for those concerned about social distancing.
Getting some general groceries.
Back home. Eating leftovers for dinner.
Watching 1917
(2020).
Working on the Music Makers website – uploading and
arranging photos.
Chores.
Meanwhile, Ana’s trying to get rid of the hiccups.
Ana and I venture out to First Watch for brunch. It appears
to be a normal Sunday afternoon here – full restaurant. Ordering Morning
Meditation drinks with Pancakes and Coffee. I have a side of Bacon also. We
talk in depth about the threats of this Coronavirus pandemic and the correct
way to approach it.
Later on, at Target for dishwasher packs. We run into
parents/customers from Music Makers. Of course, the toilet paper aisle is
empty. I don’t know what it is about toilet paper that makes people wanna buy
more of it during a crisis.
Back home. I work on changing a headlight bulb in Ana’s car.
For some reason it’s a lot of more difficult than it should be.
Catching up on business.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Vegan Cream Cheese. Kale. Green
Tea.
Watching Dirty Money
(2020).
Ana was feeling body chills at work so she came home.
I spend a lot of time at Music Makers clearing/cleaning out
the shelf near the computer – also replacing the computer with the one we had
at the house temporarily.
Picking up some Thai food from Bangkok Garden for Ana and I.
She’s been sewing a lot lately and trying to stay low key so she can feel
better.
Cereal with Blueberries and Almond Milk. English Breakfast
Tea.
Teaching a few afternoon lessons at Music Makers.
Grilled PB&J. Coffee.
Catching up on chores and business.
Trying to get groceries at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. Of
course, it’s somewhat of a frenzy – out of essentials like eggs, toilet paper,
bread, etc. They’ve shut down schools for the next two weeks so moms are out
buying more groceries to last us through this Coronavirus pandemic.
Getting my to-do list done – composing emails and such.
Green Tea. Cookies.
Cleaning up downstairs, mainly the living room – meanwhile
I’ve got ABBA blasting on the stereo.
Cooking dinner. When Ana gets off work we enjoy our meals
over watching Queen & Slim
(2019), an African American Bonnie and Clyde rich with romance and depth.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, Maple Syrup, and Kefir.
Black Tea.
Ana and I go to the Rec. Basketball games for me.
This Coronavirus is getting out of hand. The sense of
paranoia is prevalent – all business are posting things about washing your
hands and being mindful, which is great. However, it’s getting blown up out of
proportion in my opinion especially compared to all the other viruses/diseases
like tuberculosis and SARS still out there causing deaths. Events and shows are
getting cancelled or postponed. My biggest concern is not the virus itself but
the effects it is having on the economy and everyone’s lives.
Scrambled Eggs. Biscuits with Butter and Jam. Spinach.
Coffee.
Watching Queen &
Slim (2019).
Catching up on business.
Teaching a few lessons over at the Kuzniewski’s house.
Back home. Ana and I make dinner together: Vegan Burgers
with homemade French Fries. Sitting at the dining booth enjoying our meals
together – the old radio playing some 80’s tunes – Elvis accompanies and keeps
his eye peeled for treats.
Later on, Ana and I run some midnight errands. Then, play
some drums at Music Makers – afterwards making fire.
Cereal with Blueberries and Almond Milk. English Breakfast
Tea.
Meeting at the bank to figure out how to deposit these small
checks under my mom’s name.
Taking care of business and other things.
Scrambled Eggs. Spinach. Bagel with Vegan Cream Cheese.
Coffee.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers.
This Coronavirus thing has reached pandemic proportions.
There’s a general paranoia about contracting it. They’ve already shut down two
major music festivals in light of it along with the rest of the NBA season.
It’s getting ridiculous. There’s nothing that can be done except wash your
hands more and be smart.
Kale Salad with Sourdough Bread.
Going through all the photos and video footage from Sunday’s
MMLIVE show.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, Maple Syrup, and Almond
Milk. English Breakfast Tea.
Basketball at the Rec. Good times on the courts. I keep my
reputation as a shooter alive and knock 3’s down whenever I can.
“MacBook Pro!” one of the guys yells out after I make a shot
(MacBook is my street name here).
Meeting with Richard Shurtz, my lawyer that helps me with
the business. Have to keep the corporation name in good standing but I’m also
doing a little name change.
Scrambled Eggs. Sourdough Toast with Butter and Jam.
Spinach. Coffee.
Teaching a few lessons at Music Makers.
Off work. Ana and I drive out to Norfolk to catch a show at
Chicho’s Back Stage, the former Jewish Mother back stage. Elliott asked me to
play the synth/keys on a few You’re Jovian songs. Suburban Living and Korine
also perform. It’s a nice Wednesday out with friends. Somewhere in between Ana
and I grab some food from across the street at Bonchon. Meanwhile, a lone
saxophone busker blows a few tunes our way.
Waking up around noon still feeling achy but well rested.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Strawberries, Maple Syrup, and Almond
Milk. English Breakfast Tea.
Popping a few pain killers to get me through this big night.
Meeting up with Devon to transport all the music gear to The
Bunker Brewpub for our big MMLIVE show tonight.
There, setting up the stage in the cadence hall.
Tuna Tacos with Waffle Fries and She Crab Soup.
We got three bands tonight. One of them I’m holding it down
on the drums, something I really enjoy having the opportunity to do. I’m so
incredibly proud of all these bands. I always am. Every time we do one of these
shows I see so much improvement, not just with their instruments, but with
their confidence and energy on the stage.
Breaking everything down and loading everything back to
Music Makers.
Not sure when this day has started. Haven’t slept yet. My
first flight from Tampa to Charlotte was an attempt to sleep – can’t tell if I
did or not but I definitely closed my eyes.
Quick layover and then onto Norfolk. I try to read a little
and sleep a little.
Ana picks me up from the airport. All I wanna do is go home
and crash but I have to set up the rehearsal spot for band practices today.
Doing that real quick with Ana’s help.
Napping for an hour at home.
Cereal with Strawberries and Almond Milk. English Breakfast
Tea.
Today is the final band rehearsals for MMLIVE. I show up for
the adult band – playing drums.
Then, a lunch break: Ana’s homemade Bean Chili with
Cornbread and Coffee.
Last band rehearsal goes really well. I’m so proud of these
kids – they really stepped up their game and energy. They’re gonna kill it
tomorrow!
While breaking down the gear I feel an ultra amount of
tiredness and achiness. I really need to catch up on rest and take care of
myself.
Napping while Ana makes an Indian style dish of Tofu,
Peppers, Tomatoes, Broccoli, and Garam Masala.
Hanging out with Ana here and there. Catching up on things.
Waking up around 11 a.m. Had a pretty good night’s sleep.
Jimmy Wiseman snored a little but I had plenty of ambient brown noise to ward
off any sleep interruptions.
Breakfast Bar and Green Tea.
Hanging out in the hotel room catching up on business and
various things on the computer.
Meeting up with the rest of the crew at the venue. A New
World Record is playing the Circle Square Cultural Center tonight in Ocala,
Florida. Grabbing a Cinnamon Raisin Bagel with Cream Cheese to tide me over
till dinner.
Setting up the stage. This place is fairly new and has a
clean look. The room sound is boomy so we have to adjust a lot to make up for
it.
They serve us a southern style catering tonight: Smoked
Chicken, Green Beans, Salad, and Garlic Bread. Desert is the most delicious
Peach Cobbler I’ve ever had!
7 p.m. hits and we get on the stage. And what an unexpected
night we’re about to have. Right off the bat the computer that powers the
sequences tracks and everything starts glitching. We barely make it through the
first verse without confusion. I signal to Carson to kill the tracks so we can
keep playing without having to try to sync with the track. It’s no use at that
point. But we manage to finish out the song pretty well. Into the second song
everything’s back on track!
...
Intermission.
...
Then, on to our second set. The venue is packed out with
mostly seniors. I joke with some of the crew how white it looks out there. They
dig us though. At one moment people shout out song requests – of course we have
a particular arrangement. During “Do Ya” Kevin came in a bit early on the first
chorus and we got off on the tracks. Once again, I signal to Carson to kill the
track and we make it out alive.
Packing up everything. Jimmy and I head back to the hotel. I
shower up and catch up on things. It’s gonna be another night without much
sleep cause I gotta drive to the Tampa airport and catch a few flights early in
the morning. Grabbing a quick bite and read at the Waffle House across the
street.
After an hour and a half drive I arrive to drop off the
rental car and it seems I’m the only one. In the rental car center while
walking to the tram I spot a lost red heart-shaped balloon stuck on the
ceiling. I’m very early, so early that the security checkpoint is closed until
4 a.m. so I have to wait it out along with others reclined on chairs taking
naps or charging their phones.
Not sure when my day is ending and the next is beginning but
I continue on to my gate to catch a flight to Charlotte. No sleep expected.
Waking up around noon in the spare bedroom at Jimmy and
mom’s house in Bartow, Florida.
Eating a Breakfast Bar and Black Tea. Taking care of Music
Makers business and other things on the computer.
Hanging out with Grandma Carr and Jimmy. Jimmy shows me
around the house and discusses all the plans we have to upgrade things on it to
get it ready to sell. It’s strange being here without my mom being here. She
lived here for quite some time and it belonged to her mom. Little remnants of
her I spot around especially on the lanai – all the little knick knacks and
décor.
We head out to downtown Bartow to eat a late lunch at a
Mexican restaurant. I’m grateful he and Grandma Carr are around. They’re still family.
I owe a lot to him supporting my mom all those years when they were married.
I say my adieu and take a scenic route north towards Ocala.
I pass by hilly ranges of cows and weeping willows with Spanish moss covering
the branches. For some reason I’m in the mood to make ABBA the soundtrack. The
genre and 70’s sounds remind me of my mom and the melodies and tones are so
rich.
Linking up with the ANWR crew at Fairfield Inn right in the
middle of every corporate chain imaginable. Not much going on with the group
tonight. It appears everyone started day drinking by the time I got there.
Up in the hotel room – sharing a room with Jimmy Wiseman,
the bass player. I catch up on Music Makers business – following up on things
Kay did at the studio today.
I walk across the street from the hotel – a light rain and
wind discouraging me from my venture. Waffle House is calling my name cause
nothing else was open. I wanna say the last time I was at a Waffle House
would’ve been back in the day when Becca and I spent late Monday nights here
sharing spontaneous inspirations and confiding in each other. Well, I’m here
now in need of some heavy sustenance. Brittany, a plain girl with glasses and
an attentive personality, waits on me. I order The All Star, which includes
eggs, hash browns smothered in tomatoes and onions, Toast, and a Waffle. I
politely ask to hold the bacon or sausage. She seems confused but understood.
Sipping on a Black Tea and reading this Steppenwolf book by Hermann
Hesse, a book I’ve attempted to finish over the years but can’t seem to cause
the only time I have it is when traveling. I always find little pockets of inspiration.
I underline lines that speak to me and crease the corners of the pages.
Meanwhile, Ana calls cause the breakers went out at the house but turns out
they didn’t – it was just a dead light bulb in her closet. She had a tooth
extracted today – she seems to be doing alright but it was long overdue. A few
various couples and small groups of friends walk in – no loners like me though.
I keep thinking about mom and how it’s only been a couple months since she
passed (it still doesn’t feel real sometimes). I cherish these moments of
reflection and simple reading. I need more...
It’s shortly after 5 a.m. I’m stuck on a plane to sunny
Florida! Layover in Charlotte. The flights flicker by in a haze. I thought I
could catch some Zzz’s with this new Trtl scarf thing but I can’t seem to get
comfortable. I keep my ear buds in and drown out the ambient plane noise.
Arriving in Tampa. Still no sleep. I wait in line forever to
rent a van. Jimmy and Leon meet up with me in the parking garage. The air is
humid as Florida should be. Beautiful weather. I drive us a little ways across
the water to Clearwater. Palm trees swaying on either side of the interstate
and long view of the ocean.
At The Capitol Theatre setting up the stage for a big ELO
show tonight. I somehow manage to take a power nap upstairs in the green room.
Sound check seems to take forever – setting the gains on all
the channels and tweaking our monitor mixes.
Afterwards, I take a solo walk down to the water. The sun is
about to set under this tall overpass. Boats rock side to side as the wind
blows billows of waves. Seagulls of a different breed than I’m used to seeing
crowd on the pier. This moment now is rejuvenating for me. I wish Ana were here
with me – I know she desperately needs a vacation. I’m fortunate enough to get
these little micro-ventures.
Dinner arrives from an Italian place in town. I chow down
gratefully on a Chicken Piccata with Spinach, a Salad, Garlic Bread, and
Cannoli.
8 p.m. hits and A New World Record hits the stage. We do our
two 45 minute sets with an intermission. Jimmy Carr, my former stepdad, is in
the audience. It’s nice to see him. We do quite alright. The theater is packed
all the way up to the balcony. It’s always inspiring to talk with the people
afterwards. They have only genuine things to say.
I drive out to Bartow, mom and Jimmy’s old home grounds –
about an hour and fifteen minute drive. Talking with Ana on the phone about her
day. I struggle to stay awake but manage to pull up in the driveway off Paul
Revere Road.
Jimmy and his mom both live here now along with a very
friendly and cuddly cat. I’m able to sleep in the second bedroom. So grateful
to be in a bed sleeping as long as I’d like!
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, Maple Syrup, and Almond
Milk. English Breakfast Tea.
It’s Super Tuesday! Voting over at the church down by the
interstate overpass. I think I was literally the only voter in there. We’ll see
what happens.
Catching up on business.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Potato Chips.
Kale and Beets. Coffee.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers.
Your Pie Pizza.
Packing up for the trip to Florida.
Practicing drums. Then, packing up the drums and things to
bring over to the rehearsal spot cause when I arrive off the plane on Saturday
morning we have MMLIVE rehearsals.
Ana drives me to catch my 5 a.m. flight. Not sure how I’m
gonna get much sleep but I’m gonna try.
Cereal with Granola, Strawberries, Blueberries, and Almond
Milk. English Breakfast Tea.
No gym today. I catch up on business and tasks that I need
to do. At Target buying a new travel backpack.
Egg Sandwich with Tomato. Kale and Beets. Potato Chips.
Coffee.
Watching Altered
Carbon.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers.
Quick dinner: Japanese Style Fried Rice with Peas and
Veggies.
At ELO rehearsal. It’s hectic cause we have the entire band
here. And afterwards, we have to pack up the van and trailer for some of the
crew to leave tonight.
Back home. I’ve got a major headache. Taking care of things
like changing the cat litter and taking out the trash.
