Monday February 19 2024

Waking up around 11 or so. Having a hard time getting out of bed even though I feel well rested. Meanwhile, Elvis gives himself a bath.

 

Oatmeal. Tea.

 

Handling business at the computer. Then, errands. Installing this TV in the 104 space.

 

Eggs. Salad. Vegan Breakfast Sausage. English Muffin. Coffee.

 

Teaching lessons at Music Makers.

 

Afterwards, Rebecca and I talk in the 104 – catching up on the day. She gives me a ride to Target for some stuff I needed.

 

Beef Pasta with Tomatoes, Kale, Carrots, and Garlic Bread.

Watching Lover, Stalker, Killer (2024).

 

Catching up on chores and writing.

 

At the studio working on a few things then practicing piano.

Sunday February 18 2024

Waking up around 11 a.m.

 

Oatmeal. Tea.

 

At Music Makers all afternoon coaching MMLIVE bands with Jake and Rebecca’s help. Three different band rehearsals. Eating a PB&J Bagel with Coffee somewhere in there.

 

Afterwards, Rebecca and I grab some dinner at Old Beach Tavern – it’s always hit or miss getting food late on a Sunday but they’re one of the few places open.

...

Quick Elvis feeding then we return to the 104 space to do one of those dance workouts. These are a lot of fun – helping my body coordination and it’s a good way to spend time together. Awkward moment later on when I politely ask, “Can I steal a kiss?” and she says straight up no. I accept the boundary and kiss her on the cheek. Lately, things have been real different with her since the new year. A lot to unpack with my thoughts here but initially I feel rejected but I understand. I’m gonna take this one cultivating repairing step at a time.

 

Back home. Catching up on chores and stuff at the computer.

 

While at the computer I try to catch up on things. I also can’t stop analyzing things in my mind regarding how the dynamic has changed between her and I.

 

Popcorn.

Saturday February 17 2024

 

Waking up around 11:15 a.m.

 

Breakfast Bar. Tea.

 

Watching the front desk at Music Makers – dealing with payments, emails, etc. Mike stops by to tweak some stuff on my new guitar and talk shop.

Banana.

 

Eggs. Spinach. English Muffins. Vegan Breakfast Sausage. Coffee.

Watching True Detective.

 

Business.

 

Working on taxes.

 

Later on, Rebecca and I make use of the 104 space – she’s been doing dance workouts as of late. I set up a TV, plug into the PA, and join her. It’s a lot of fun trying to coordinate my body to match the person on the video.

 

Back home. Making dinner for myself: Salmon, Chili, Bok Choy, Carrots, Onions, Quinoa, and Garlic Bread.

Watching True Detective.

 

Catching up on stuff.

Friday February 16 2024

Waking up about 11:40 a.m.

 

Oatmeal. Tea.

 

At the Rec exercising and shooting the basketball around.

 

Running errands – bank – Target – dealing with stuff at Music Makers.

 

Eggs. Tempeh Bacon. Avocado. Spinach. English Muffins. Coffee.

 

Working on stuff at the computer – emails – prepping to do taxes.

 

Stuff around the house.

 

Ramen in Chicken Bone Broth with Veggies and Garlic Bread.

Watching True Detective.

 

Chores. More stuff at the computer. But mostly lounging.

Thursday February 15 2024

☼▬

I’m protecting a snail-like frog. My mission is to get it safely somewhere – discovering a fully blown ecosystem pond with little crevices where hermit crabs and lobsters stay hidden and cooped up. I place my creature onto a lily pad – it turns out to be two frogs as the littler one hops off the big one into the water.

...

Later on, people show up that I know – it’s understood I work with them. It’s also understood to be the end of the world, or something apocalyptic is about to happen. I start brooding and try to escape the sight of others – feeling angry I throw my fist into a wood door nearby.

...

Myah, one of my students is here for some reason – Brittany, teacher at Music Makers, appears out of nowhere inspecting for any suspicious behavior but discovers nothing. Then, she takes blood from Myah as if she was a nurse.

...

Now, Myah is driving us on the interstate – it feels like everyone on the road is evacuating the city. We witness a truck attached to a trailer (it’s completely backwards) – it disconnects and flips upside down. It causes a backup of traffic. Suddenly, everyone just gets out and sits on lawn chairs deciding to hang out and watch the world end. We’re still trying to move forward somewhere past all this nonsense.

▬☼

 

Waking up at 11:35 a.m. from these vivid dreams.

 

Granola with Blueberries and Banana. Tea.

 

Staying at the computer working on business and things.

 

Chores.

 

Eggs. Bagels. Spinach. Tempeh Bacon. Coffee. Avocado.

 

Teaching lessons at Music Makers.

 

Afterwards, we have a business meeting with Addy, Rebecca, and I. Drumming up some new ideas to raise rates and come up with new ways to protect our teachers from cancelations. We talk for hours. I appreciate the two of them putting heads together and helping push things forward with the business.

 

Pasta, Salad, and Garlic Bread.

Watching True Detective.

Wednesday February 14 2024

Getting out of bed at 11:15 a.m.

 

Oatmeal. Tea.

 

At the Rec exercising and shooting the ball around.

 

Eggs. Spinach. English Muffins. Tempeh Bacon. Coffee.

 

Teaching lessons at Music Makers.

 

Later on, Rebecca and I grab a Valentine’s Day dinner at Hearth, one of the few places open past 9. Thinking about the past I don’t think we ever did anything for Valentine’s ever – last year we were on tour. But it’s nice to be able to just hang out. We end up talking about work related things but also non-work stuff – our past travel stories and Irish lineage. While she enjoys an Espresso Amaretto I sip on an old-fashioned. Then, Pizza and Fries!

 

Later, we sip on tea and play with her cats. She ended up getting me the same brand chocolate bar I got. We hang out for a long time sharing funny videos and entertaining the cats.

 

Tuesday February 13 2024

9:30 a.m. Waking up earlier than usual.

 

Breakfast Bar. Tea.

 

I drive the bus out to this shop in Newport News, Bill Smith’s Auto & Air. This is one of the only places that specializes in repairing our particular A/C system on the back of the bus. Mike gives me a lift back to VB.

 

 

Catching up on business.

 

Pineapple.

 

Running errands.

 

Eggs. Spinach. Bagel. Tempeh Bacon. Chips. Coffee.

 

Teaching lessons at Music Makers.

 

Quick dinner: Bean Chili with Quinoa, Baby Broccoli, Carrots, and Garlic Bread.

 

Ladada band practice with Josiah and Bobby at Music Makers. Well, it turns into more of a meeting and discussion more than anything. Wes and Josiah are at odds.

 

Later on. I walk over to Rebecca’s to deliver a folding table – end up chatting for a long time while her cats run around.

 

Back home. Popcorn. Watching True Detective.

 

Chores.

Monday February 12 2024

Waking up around 11:25 a.m. Cuddling with Elvis.

 

Oatmeal. Tea.

 

At the Rec working out and shooting ball.

 

Errands – getting groceries at Whole Foods.

 

Eggs. Spinach. English Muffins. Tempeh Bacon. Coffee.

 

Teaching lessons at Music Makers.

 

Visiting with Mike at his place – he finally finished setting up my new wine purple Telecaster. We also chat forever and a day about music and the band.

 

Pasta with Salad and Garlic Bread.

Watching True Detective.

 

Catching up on things.

Sunday February 11 2024

Waking up off and on throughout the morning. Elvis is unusually antsy and I can’t seem to stay asleep. Also my mind is racing on thoughts from last night.

 

Protein Shake. Tea.

 

At Music Makers all day for MMLIVE Band rehearsals. With Rebecca and Jake’s help it’s not too much stress.

 

PB&J. Coffee.

 

After everything is over I get the room set up for a renter to make use of the space. Then, Rebecca and I grab some Mr. Shawarma’s – her first time. We spend a lot of time talking about the psychology of the students at Music Makers.

 

Catching up on chores – laundry – Elvis litter box – Elvis playtime.

 

Popcorn. Cookies.

 

Stuff at the computer.

 

At the 104 space practicing some guitar.

Saturday February 10 2024

Waking up at 11:15 a.m.

 

Oatmeal with Blueberries. Tea.

 

At Music Makers watching the front desk and teaching a few lessons.

Banana.

 

Running some errands – dropping off a keyboard to Alpha for repair.

...

Meeting with a guy at the warehouse – he’s looking for some particular cases to buy but no luck. I organize a few things here.

 

Eggs. Spinach. English Muffin. Tempeh Bacon. Chips. Coffee.

Watching Boy Erased (2018).

 

Working on some maintenance at the studio.

 

After putting on tomato sauce to simmer I link up with Rebecca – we go for a walk around the neighborhood. I wanted to get some things off my chest and talk about things between us. I’ve been feeling sad as of late. The air has that fresh after-rain scent to it. Circling up and down Reynard tackling some problems and stuff we haven’t discussed in a while.

...

Playing with her kitties Ambrose and Ewoyn.

 

Finally back home making Past with Salad and Garlic Bread for dinner.

Watching the third season of True Detective.

Friday February 9 2024

Waking up around noon.

 

Breakfast Bar. Tea.

 

Meeting with Betty the DJ – she’s gonna be renting the little private room at the warehouse – getting her settled in and signing the agreement.

 

Then, meeting Doug at the studio – he buys this Allen & Heath mixer that belongs to the Nigel. We catch up on stuff and talk shop.

 

Eggs. Spinach. Bagels. Tempeh Bacon. Coffee.

 

Teaching lessons at Music Makers.

 

Installing a new keypad lock on the 104 space door – now renters don’t need a key to get in.

 

Running errands.

 

Tuna, Black Beans, Baby Broccoli, Carrots, Quinoa, and Garlic Bread.

Watching Boy Erased (2018).

 

OJ.

Thursday February 8 2024

Waking up at 11:30 a.m.

 

Breakfast Bar. Tea. Berries.

 

At the Rec exercising and playing some 3v3 basketball – working hard on the courts.

 

Eggs. Kale. English Muffins. Coffee. Avocado. Chips.

 

Teaching lessons at Music Makers.

 

Back home. Making leftovers for dinner: Chicken with Rice, Salad, and Garlic Bread.

Watching Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023).

 

Catching up on business.

 

I drive over to the warehouse to clean up the office room for the renter tomorrow – vacuuming and such.

 

Popcorn. OJ.

Wednesday February 7 2024

Waking up like usual.

 

Cereal. Tea.

 

Running around from bank to bank trying to figure out how to get money into the ELO account ASAP so I can pay people. It takes longer than I expected cause I have to withdrawal cash to take to Chartway – it’s a whole deal.

 

Eggs. Spinach. English Muffins. Coffee.

 

At Music Makers I have to watch the front desk again because apparently it’s official sick week. Allyson is sick – I moved a few of my lessons but still teach a few. Meanwhile, I hold down the fort checking attendance and accepting payments. At the same time sending money out to ELO people and doing the accounting for Music Makers.

 

Literally been glued to computer and phone screens all day. But it’s productive.

 

Pasta with Salad and Garlic Bread.

 

Catching up on work and chores.

Tuesday February 6 2024

Waking up around 11:30 a.m. from a heavy sleep. Dreaming that I was hanging out in this apartment where 5-7 people lived there, strangers to me. Not sure why I was there. At some point it’s understood Ana lives here. I hear her have an angry fit upstairs in the bathroom. When she comes down the steps I carefully approach her and ask if she’s okay. The conversation is weird – she seems inattentive but still trying to be cordial.

 

Oatmeal. Tea.

 

There’s so much work to do. Just found out Shaunna is too sick to work front desk today. So I move my lessons to Friday and decide to come in myself.

...

Meanwhile, dealing with some stress regarding the paycheck from the gig. Nigel created a complication and the check returned. So now our whole system of paying people is put on pause. I just get frustrated cause we put all this effort in creating a good system and now it can’t be executed.

 

Eggs. Spinach. English Muffin. Chips with Avocado. Coffee.

 

At Music Makers watching the front desk – collecting payments and communication with customers.

 

Meeting at Nigel’s with Ron to go over the spreadsheets from the show this weekend. Solidifying all the numbers and debating things. In the end we come to a consensus on things.

 

Back home. Black Beans with Tuna, Bok Choy, Onions, and Garlic Bread.

Finishing the second season of True Detective.

 

Catching up on business and chores.

Monday February 5 2024

Waking up at 11:45 a.m. Slept really hard.

 

Breakfast Bar. Tea.

 

Doing some accounting and catching up on business.

 

Walking a lot to and from the studio and doing some errands.

 

Eggs. English Muffins. Spinach. Tempeh Bacon. Coffee.

 

Teaching lessons at Music Makers.

 

Pasta, Salad, and Garlic Bread for dinner.

Watching True Detective.

 

More business at the computer.

 

Pineapple.

 

Chores.

Sunday February 4 2024

The tour bus arrives at the warehouse in Virginia Beach earlier than expected – the quickest trip to Myrtle Beach and back ever.

...

Unloading the trailer and getting Rebecca and I back to Chanticleer with the bus.

 

Unpacking back in the house. I’m able to catch some good sleep till noon.

 

Oatmeal. Tea.

 

Coaching MMLIVE band rehearsals all afternoon with Rebecca and Jake’s help.

Coffee and a PB&J somewhere in between there.

 

They go by pretty painless and not too stressful. To keep the tempo slow for this one song I describe an analogy where the band is slogging through the desert while the drums blast the beats down.

 

Afterwards, cleaning up the spaces – meanwhile chatting with Rebecca for along while – reflecting on the weekend and all.

 

Back home. Warming up leftover dinner from the show (Chicken Bog).

Watching True Detective.

 

Catching up on work at the computer.

 

Ice Cream.