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. Irish Breakfast
Tea.
Workout session with Vlad.
Vega Banana Protein Shake.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Popped Chips.
Coffee.
Watching Unsolved
Mysteries (2020).
Teaching lessons at Music Makers.
Leftover Vegetable Soup with Baguette.
Fleetwood Mac rehearsal – productive and fun as usual.
Back home. Josiah texted me about a virtual live show out in
the west coast with our band friends Levitation Room. Ana and I put it on in
the living room. Enjoying the 60’s sideburn vibes with a Cinnamon Roll and
Green Tea.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Strawberries, and Almond Milk. Irish Breakfast
Tea.
Catching up on business and scheduling.
Walking over to Taylor’s Do-it Center for some supplies –
it’s a beautiful day.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Kale. Salt n
Vinegar Chips. Coffee.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers.
After work Ana and I grab some dinner at Pizza Chapel.
Sitting outside on the patio chowing down on Magherita Pizza and Garlic Knots –
sipping on beers that taste like incense (in a good way).
Practicing at the studio with Ana – going over as many songs
as we can.
Waking up off and on throughout the morning. I put on a long
rain sound video to help me sleep.
Up and about after 10:30 a.m. Down the street I find a local
coffee shop called Genesis – drinking a great 8 ounce cup of Coffee with a
Blueberry Scone. Sitting out in front of the opera house next to the WWI
memorial. It’s a beautiful day out with a slight chill.
Exploring the opera house – this place was built back in 1881
– climbing some ladders that lead to the clock tower. There’s a big old bell
too – how could I not ring the bell. Meanwhile, Jorge fills the theater with
beautiful violin sounds.
Setting up the stage for sound check. We just recently got a
whole new system for in ear monitors which makes everything go pretty smoothly.
Walking around town – finding an enormous antique shop with
endless rooms and corners full of creepy dolls, vintage signs, books, toys,
etc. Upstairs, there’s more rooms where the lights don’t work so you have to
turn on your phone light to see. The two country bumpkin dudes that seem to run
the place walk around pet talking to this Garfield cat named Pablo. The cat
purrs loudly and is very sociable. I buy an old case, a laser disc of American Werewolf in London, an old
program of The Cat and the Fiddle,
and two buttons for Reagan/Bush 1984.
Peanut Butter Protein Bar with Chips.
Talking with dad on the phone.
Green Tea.
Catering for dinner tonight is Spaghetti and Salad.
Hit time is 8 p.m. and we’re on stage playing our two 45
minute sets.
Afterwards, we do our best to pack up all the gear and
hightail it outta there fast cause we have a long overnight journey home. I
take the first shift to drive. At a gas station stop everyone tries to order
Wendy’s but there seems to be a long holdup and wait to get food. I settle on a
donut and Coffee.
...
While I drive I chat with Jorge who’s in the passenger seat
about his life story and his teaching experience. 4 hours in we stop at the
iconic South of the Border – it looks like an abandoned Las Vegas – so many
neon lights and signs – but the only thing open is a gas station and bathrooms.
I hole up in one of the back seats attempting to sleep the
rest of the way.
After all is said and done I arrive in my bed next Ana back
home around 8 a.m.
Cereal with Strawberries and Almond Milk. Irish Breakfast
Tea.
Meeting up with Nigel, Bri, Kevin, and two other guys (Chris
and Carlos) at the rehearsal spot. We’re driving out to South Carolina (about a
7 hour drive). Road trip mode!
I cramp up in the back row of the van – Bri on the end then
Chris and Kevin in the front row. Carlos, one of the roadies, is the biggest
dude of the bunch – he’s at the wheel truckin’ us along. Meanwhile, Nigel sits
in the passenger seat working his flip phone calling all kinds of people.
Whenever the phone rings you can catch him squinting real hard with one eye at
the screen to see who it is.
Stop at a Hardee’s in Emporia. I grab a “good” bad cup of
coffee to go with my Peanut Butter Protein Bar, Chips, and an Orange.
...
Laptop out catching up on business and such.
I wanna sleep but it’s hard to with the bumpy ride. Being in
the back row you feel every bridge and groove on the road.
Eventually, we arrive at The Hampton Inn, which happens to
be right across the street from the Newberry Opera House where we’ll be playing
tomorrow.
After settling in we find a Mexican restaurant about a mile
away for dinner.
Later on, I take a walk around old downtown Newberry. It
feels like any old town on Main Street with its antique shops, a barber shop, a
theater, etc. It’s a beautiful night. I FaceTime Ana for a while. I pretend
that I’m being followed or something spooky is going on to entertain her.
“You love to perform,” she exclaims.
“I’m just trying to entertain you as if you were watching a
show on your iPad!”
Running for a few minutes on the treadmill.
Sharing a room with Jorge, the head string player for the
group. He arrives shortly after midnight. Both of us go to sleep around 2 a.m.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, and Almond Milk.
Breakfast Tea.
Workout session with Vlad – working the delts and biceps
today.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Kale. Potato
Chips. Coffee.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers – pretty full day.
Afterwards, Ana and I grab some dinner at Gringo’s. The
dining room is full so we grab it to go and sit at Back Bay with some Ciders.
Right at 9 I’ve got Fleetwood Mac rehearsal. We recruited
Chris Remaley on drums for a few tunes. Elliott would’ve been a part of this
but he’s not able to this time around. Everything goes smoothly and productive.
Back home. Packing up for my trip tomorrow and taking care
of house chores. Meanwhile, Roland and Erica are hanging out watching The Great
British Baking Show.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Strawberries, and Almond Milk.
Breakfast Tea.
Catching up on all kinds of Music Makers business.
Since I got a late start on lessons I’m able to make time to
shoot some basketball.
Teaching. It’s a light day but there’s always much to do and
manage.
Picking up some groceries from Whole Foods.
Leftover Spaghetti with Kale Salad and Bread.
Watching Nocturne
(2020).
Catching up on business, emails, and chores.
At the studio organizing things. Ana comes by after work and
we practice songs.
Peanut Butter Pretzels. Raspberries.
Back home. I go into Ana’s bedroom to say goodnight and chat
a bit. She says something negative to me and I go on this tirade about
everything. It’s really frustrating cause I see it all going downhill as it
happens. All I have to do is redirect the negative comments or ignore them. But
sometimes it gets too much for me I have to speak out. In the end it’s both our
faults for these unsettling situations.
Ana made us Waffles with Blueberries. I brew some tea to go
with.
At Broadway rehearsal – mainly to chat with Carol, Haley’s
mom, who is helping us coordinate things for the big show. Meanwhile, the girls
rehearse choreography for a Chicago
tune.
At Lowe’s to buy a new night light bulb for the lamp at
Music Makers that shines on mom’s picture. While here I browse around.
Leftover Chicken Pad Thai with Broccoli for lunch. Coffee.
Watching The Next
Karate Kid (1994).
At Music Makers organizing things and cleaning.
Leftovers for dinner: Vegetable Soup with Kale, Quinoa, and
French Baguette.
Practicing music at the studio. Ana joins me after work.
Surprisingly, it’s very productive – dusting off the cobwebs of songs and
learning new things. This cover of “Oh Darling” by The Beatles is pretty good
with Ana lead singing and playing drums while I play the piano.
Finally moving everything back into the dining room. They
finished the ceiling the other day. Since then, I’ve cleaned out all the
corners and forgotten baskets. It feels good to get everything back together
again.
Catching up on business.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Kale, Cold Brew
Coffee.
Got two MMLIVE band rehearsals today – both kid bands. In
some moments we’re productive and others not.
Afterwards, Ana and I grab some delicious dinner at The Pink
Dinghy. Erica’s here working in the kitchen. It seems like we brightened her
night.
Back home. Time to vacuum and water the plants. Meanwhile,
Ana makes hot chocolate and does laundry/dishes.
Later on, we have the house all to ourselves and decide to
make fire in the living room. Then putting on this Halloween Adam Sandler movie
that turns out to be kind of a bust.
Erica comes over to hang out with us. Roland just arrived
home from playing video games at a friend’s place. We corral in the dining room
entertained by this Human Behavior book from 1974.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, and Almond Milk.
Breakfast Tea.
Workout session with Vlad.
Vega Protein Shake.
Sardines with Mustard. Salt n Vinegar Chips. Toast with
Butter and Jam. Cold Brew Coffee.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers.
Still getting Madelaine acclimated to working the front
desk. She’s doing a great job considering.
Grabbing a few Pizza slices from Whole Foods for dinner. Ana
bought me a Malasada Donut from Aloha Snacks. It’s a carb-y dinner for tonight!
Dropping by the adult band rehearsal we had to reschedule to
tonight.
Back home. Sipping on Green Tea and catching up on business.
I catch my second wind (or
is it my third?) and start vacuuming our open dining room – then cleaning
the floor with one of those Mr. Clean mops. Meanwhile, Roland is cooking rice
and beans – and I put on this Korean overdub song mix tape from 1983.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, and Almond Milk.
Breakfast Tea.
Catching up on business and things. Meanwhile, Al’z dudes
are here finishing up the dining room ceiling. It’s been a whole week since we
cleared it for them.
Ana and I team up in the kitchen to prepare a crock pot
dinner.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Salt n Vinegar
Chips. Coffee.
Watching You Should
Have Left (2020).
Teaching lessons at Music Makers.
Apple.
Quick dinner at the house: Bean and Vegetable Soup with
Quinoa and Garlic Naan Bread.
Then another productive Fleetwood Mac rehearsal. It goes a
little longer than usual. Afterwards, I drive over to the other rehearsal spot
to set up for an MMLIVE band rehearsal the next night. Goodness, it seem like every year October is stacked to the brim
with music related things.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, and Almond Milk.
Breakfast Tea.
Workout session with Vlad. Ana drops by to join in. She
hasn’t had any kind of training but seems to enjoy learning how to properly do
things.
Vega Banana Protein Shake.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Potato Chips.
Kale. Cold Brew Coffee.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers. Madelaine is working the
front desk for the second time. Sometimes it can be confusing with all the
different people coming in and out but she’s doing quite well.
Grabbing some Chicken Pad Thai with Broccoli from Bangkok
Garden.
Ana and I grab brunch at Commune. Enjoying some Waffles,
Pancakes, Bacon, and Coffee.
We decide to practice some music during the day before she
goes into work. Running through familiar tunes we haven’t played in a while.
Taking care of errands and business.
Buying a few digital pianos I found on OfferUp. A few of my
students are looking for a new piano. Over at the oceanfront I meet a surfer
guy with the whole shebang: wife, two daughters, dog, and a beautiful house
right next to the beach. One of the girls shows off her gymnastic abilities by
doing a back flip.
Shooting some basketball at the Lynnhaven courts. Nobody
really here to play with but its good exercise.
Dinner: Frozen Chili Bean dinner with Kale, Carrots, and
Garlic Naan Bread.
Watching The Outpost
(2020).
Doing the accounting finally!
At Music Makers cleaning up these pianos I bought.
The contractors are here drilling holes and cutting out
segments from the dining room ceiling.
Taking care of business.
Ana and I grab a quick lunch at Aloha Snacks. Sharing Shroom
Burgers and Fries. Iced Coffees.
Coaching three MMLIVE bands today. Still getting used to
these things happening on Fridays. And they’re jammed back to back. Some of
these kids bands are hard to facilitate. I grow a pretty severe headache
afterwards.
Back home. Ana and I
throw a simple dinner together. Sitting on chairs in the dining room sharing
conversation with Roland about movies and music. It’s kind of funny cause
there’s no table to sit at like we usually have. Everything has been cleared
out. So at some point we put on some music and they dance.
I relax in my room catching up on things and playing DOOM.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, and Almond Milk.
Breakfast Tea.
Work out session with Vlad.
Vega Banana Protein Shake.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Butter and Jam. Kale. Salt n
Vinegar Chips. Cold Brew Coffee.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers.
Rebecca and I work in Maddie at the front desk – showing her
the ropes on everything that needs to be done.
Back home. Ana and I make dinner: Vegan Burgers with Kale,
Carrots, and Corn on the Cob.
Watching My Octopus
Teacher (2020), an incredibly spellbinding documentary about a diver in
South Africa who films and forms a relationship with this octopus. It could be
a whole animated Disney story in and of its own but it’s real.
Tonight we have to clear out the dining room, essentially,
so the contractors can replace the ceiling that has water damage. I clean out
the dining booth and discover long lost artifacts in crates. Moving the entire
heavy thing into the living room.
Later on, Ana assists me in setting up the rehearsal room.
