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.
Bowl of Honey Crunch n Oats with Banana, Strawberries, and Almond Milk. Irish Breakfast Tea.
Basketball at the Rec.
Scrambled Eggs. Toast with Vegan Cream Cheese and Jam. Potato Chips. Oolong Tea.
Watching American Made (2017).
Teaching lessons at Music Makers.
We got a couple of new 16x20 canvas prints in the mail. After nailing a bunch of them up I comment to my mom about how beautiful and wonderful it looks in here now compared to a year ago when we were planning what we would do inside the store. And now it’s an enriching environment.
Picking up a few groceries.
Back home. Brown Rice Quinoa Spaghetti Noodles with Onions, Red Peppers, Mushrooms, and Marinara Sauce. Salad and Naan Bread.
Preparing homemade Christmas cards downstairs while Ana looks up gifts online – mom lends me a hand.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Strawberries, Maple Syrup, and Kefir. English Breakfast Tea.
Catching up on business.
Tuna Salad Sandwich with Tomato and Avocado. Tomato Soup with Croutons and Parm. Oolong Tea.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers.
As soon as I get done teaching Ana and I head to Norfolk to join friends for dinner at Chris, Aaron, and Ken’s apartment in Ghent. Bianca, Josiah, and Julia join as well. It’s a wonderful Filipino style dinner: Red Snapper, Shrimp Curry, and Oxtail with Rice.
We all gather in the living room sipping on Red Wine and snacking on a special Filipino dessert, some kind of custard filled sponge cake. Reminiscing about old local bands and music projects from back in the day. I get absorbed in this 3-D labyrinth sphere game called Perplexus.
Back home.
Chamomile Tea.
Playing with the cat in Ana’s room while she gets ready for bed.
Waking up at 11:27 a.m. Feeling a bit better but still achy.
Steel Cut Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Blueberries, Maple Syrup, and Kefir. Irish Breakfast Tea.
Ana and I watch an episode of Mindfield.
Running a few errands – repairing her black Epiphone guitar at the studio – picking up tea at The Heritage.
I’ve decided to cancel most of my lessons so I can rest.
Tuna Salad Sandwich with Tomato. Creamy Tomato Soup with Croutons and Parm. Potatoes.
Watching Marvel’s The Defenders (2017).
At Music Makers teaching 3 lessons.
Back home.
Japanese Style Fried Rice with Kale, Peas, and Carrots.
Teaching an online lesson to Katelyn.
Orange.
Finishing up this Music Makers newsletter I’ve been working on. It takes a lot of time to construct and input good content.
Ana arrives home from work. She puts on some mellow dancing music and we enjoy a much needed lovemaking session. Sometimes, well actually all the time, I look at how beautiful and attractive she is and think how grateful I am that she’s mine.
At a Baptist church on a Sunday morning. I’m under the impression I was hired to play either bass or keys with the church band. Up on stage I try to ask some of the band members what’s going on but nobody gives me any clear answers. There already seems to be music playing but it’s almost as if the band is not plugged in and it’s just a recording. I sit at the end of a pew on stage – the sanctuary is packed. I’ve got my bed blanket and I’m reclined. Other people seem to be in their bed clothes.
▬☼
Waking up officially around noon.
Sharing breakfast and videos with Ana.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Strawberries, Maple Syrup, and Kefir. Irish Breakfast Tea.
Time to run errands together – taking the recycle out and getting groceries from Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s.
Scrambled Eggs. Sourdough Toast with Butter and Jam. Corn Tortilla Chips with Avocado and Tomato. Oolong Tea.
Watching Marvel’s The Defenders (2017).
Catching up on business.
At the studio with mom. While she arranges ginger bread cookies into little baggies for the students I print Christmas cards.
Back home. Making leftovers for dinner: Black Beans with Onions, Celery, Snow Peas, Carrots, and Quinoa.
Suddenly I feel feverish and achy. I try to stay productive on the computer.
Later on, Ana arrives home. We talk about how we shouldn’t lash out at each other and probably shouldn’t stay up late anymore cause it might be affecting her/us emotionally.
Bowl of Honey Crunch n Oats with Strawberries and Almond Milk. Irish Breakfast Tea.
Chores. Business.
Scrambled Eggs. Sweet Potato Biscuits with Butter and Jam. Green Tea.
Teaching all my in-home lessons.
Black Beans with Kale, Carrots, and Brown Rice.
At Hoss’s in Newport News for the DEJA show. We’re breaking in our new bass player last minute. Jimmy couldn’t make it so we’re giving Wade the “trial by fire”, as John calls it. Wade is familiar with most of the tunes but not note for note. Still amazingly, with a couple of pointers we break through the set like kings.
Sipping on a couple beers. At some point the guitar player from Strictly Bizzness steps up and performs a 10 minute solo while the band jams on “Stranglehold”.
On the way home. Love playing Hoss’s but I hate the drive. It seems to never end. The rain patters consistently on top of the car – it’s cold but I’m safe inside. This always reminds me of times when I was younger riding in the passenger seat or backseat while my mom drove us through nasty weather. I could just fall asleep...
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Strawberries, Maple Syrup, and Kefir. English Breakfast Tea.
Watching an episode of Mind Field.
Catching up on business.
Buying a digital piano from somebody off OfferUp.
Grilled PB&J. Plantain Chips. Grapes. Green Tea.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers.
During a piano lesson with Antonio, a spritely and energetic kid, I call him out on something. He asks, “Did I just get roasted?”
“Roasted?” I question.
“Yeah!”
“What do you mean by roasted?” I ask.
He looks at me with conviction and amazement, “Wake up! It’s 2017!”
Back home. I decide to order Chinese food from the former China Wok now called Jane House. Enjoying Tofu in Garlic Sauce with Broccoli, Snow Peas, Onions, Carrots, and Rice.
Hazelnut Cookies.
At the studio with Ana. She draws out some sketches for handmade Christmas cards and tinkers at the piano playing Christmas songs. Meanwhile, I organize guitar picks amongst other things.
Waking up at 12:14 p.m. Sleeping off this mild sickness.
Bowl of Oat Flakes with Banana, Strawberries, and Almond Milk. Irish Breakfast Tea.
I’ve got the entire day off from whatever. Helping mom sell her furniture on Craigslist. Errands.
Scrambled Eggs. Sourdough Toast with Butter and Jam. Potatoes. Green Tea.
Watching Daredevil (2016).
Catching up on business. I’ve got a to-do list a mile high it always seems.
Getting groceries.
Transporting a drum set to a student’s house. Jonna, the mom, is in the middle of giving a massage session in another room while I set up the drums in the bedroom. Meanwhile, Sophie, an 8-year old voice student, is a true socializer – she makes sure to stay in the room and help any way she can.
Mom makes dinner: Peas, Broccoli, Carrots, and Vegetable Fried Rice. Peroni.
Hazelnut Cookies.
Helping mom move all these sewing machines in her room. She’s been assessing stuff that’s been in her storage unit forever and trying to sell.
Waking up around 9:30 in the morning to love with Ana.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Strawberries, Maple Syrup, and Kefir. Irish Breakfast Tea.
At the studio doing the accounting for the month – writing checks, documenting expenses, etc.
Errands.
Sardines and Mustard. Everything Bagel with Vegan Cream Cheese. Salt n Vinegar Chips with Avocado. Green Tea.
Watching Daredevil.
Teaching all my in-home lessons.
Honey Crisp Apple.
Mom made White Chicken Chili. I sprinkle on some Slaw and toast some Rosemary Bread to go with.
It’s Felix’s birthday and he’s having a “civilized rager” at his house. It’s a bit of a reunion from my perspective with Chris Remaley, Josiah, Bianca, Ken, Danny Rogers, and Aaron all under one roof. There’s a ping pong tournament, beers, Donkey Kong, karaoke, bon fire, and a “dance garage”. It’s nice talking to the people I know and catching a glimpse of my old band buddy/friend’s state of life. Towards the end of the night I get caught in nostalgic conversation between Danny and Aaron about 90’s Christian alternative music and growing up during this time.
Steel Cut Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Strawberries, Maple Syrup, and Kefir. Irish Breakfast Tea.
Basketball at the Rec.
Scrambled Eggs. Everything Bagel with Vegan Cream Cheese. Potatoes with Avocado. Green Tea.
Teaching lessons at Music Makers.
Banana.
Back home. Making dinner for mom, Ana, and I: Egg Noodles with Chestnuts, Onions, Broccoli, Carrots, Tomatoes, Peas, and Naan Bread. Sharing a couple Mind Field episodes on YouTube, a sort of reality show for science done by that Michael guy from Vsauce.
At the studio – while Ana practices bass and piano I organize things around the store and put together a drum set to sell.
Steel Cut Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Strawberries, Maple Syrup, and Kefir. Irish Breakfast Tea.
Basketball at the Rec.
Scrambled Eggs. Sourdough Toast with Butter and Jam. Potatoes. Green Tea.
Watching The Punisher (2017).
Teaching lessons at Music Makers.
Off work. I treat mom and I to Panda Express, a new franchise Chinese food joint down the street. Honey Walnut Shrimp with Chow Mein, Broccoli, and Spring Rolls.
Back home. Catching up on emails and business.
Orange.
At the studio working on things – mainly fixing my Kasino Snake Eyes bass amp. All it took was some contact cleaner on the knobs and now no more crackling sounds. It takes more time to unscrew everything than it does to spray the actual cleaner.
Honey Crunch n Oats with Banana, Strawberries, and Almond Milk. Coffee.
Lisa, one of our voice/piano instructors at Music Makers, hired me to sub in on drums for her church band at Prince of Peace Lutheran. Rob Oliver, an old music buddy of mine from back in the day, plays guitar for it. It’s an interesting gig for me – recalling some of these contemporary songs from back in my days of going to church. The electric kit doesn’t have the same feel as the real thing but it’s fun.
Scrambled Eggs. Sourdough Toast with Butter and Jam. Salt n Vinegar Chips with Avocado. Green Tea.
Teaching in-home lessons at the Kuz’s house to make up for missing last Friday.
Then, my hunt for keyboards and guitars continues – OfferUp and Craigslist is a goldmine – driving all over the city and picking up three acoustic guitars and a digital piano.
Back home.
Mom helps make dinner: leftover Red Beans with Rice, Beet Greens, Carrots, and Kale.
Watching The Punisher (2017).
At the studio organizing instruments and other things.
Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Strawberries, Maple Syrup, and Kefir. Irish Breakfast Tea.
Teaching afternoon lessons at Music Makers.
Banana.
Sardines. Sourdough Toast with Vegan Cream Cheese. Salt n Vinegar Chips with Avocado. Oolong Tea.
Watching The Punisher (2017).
This weekend I’m making it a point to shop around on Craigslist and OfferUp for keyboards and acoustic guitars to keep on hand at the store for my students.
Back home.
Making dinner: Tofu with Onions, Celery, Kale, Carrots, and Quinoa.
At the studio organizing all the purchases today, a nice Yamaha keyboard and acoustic guitar. Later on, a guy from Chesapeake shows up to trade me. I give him the 7 string Raines guitar in return for an Ibanez Artcore hollow body bass in near pristine condition.
Sharing the last of the Sweet Potato Pie with Ana.
Dad knocks on the guest bedroom door waking us up at 7:27 a.m.
Snacking on a Grapefruit before we say goodbye to dad. Gotta scrape off all the early morning frost from the car windows and warm it up. 35 degrees out. But it’s a beautiful part of the day we rarely get to experience. On the drive to Grimesland to scoop up mom we admire the fall colors on the trees and the farmhouse landscape. Red House Painters, a lofi folk rock band from the early 2000’s, creates the soundtrack.
Stopping by a Hardee’s along the way for Egg Biscuits and Coffee.
Ana takes us the rest of the way home – arriving with just enough time for her to get ready for work at 1 p.m.
Nap time.
Grilled PB&J. Oolong Tea.
Practicing drums and bass at the studio.
Japanese Style Fried Rice with Kale, Peas, and Mixed Vegetables.
Taking mom with me to the rock show at Toast featuring Slow Growl, fellow storage unit mates Broken Beaches, and LADADA. It turns out to be a packed house – everyone crowded up inside the garage hall with the giant monster of a heater blasting above us. All our friends are here – sipping on Rum Apple Ciders.
Ana, mom, and I hit the road in route to Grimesland, North Carolina for Thanksgiving.
Coffee and a Breakfast Bar. Navel Orange.
Upbeat music and upbeat conversation abound. Mom in the passenger seat, Ana in the back, and I at the wheel.
At one point mom spots a dead deer on the side of the road.
“That was a deer and it was dead,” mom explains what we just drove past.
“Oh dear!” Ana adds, entertained by her sudden use of homonym.
After some backtracking from a bathroom stop we eventually make it to Aunt Delores’s house on Mobley’s Bridge Road. Everyone’s here that we usually see around the holidays. The Thanksgiving spread includes Chicken, Collard Greens, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Rolls, Broccoli, Cauliflower, mom’s Sweet Potato Pies, and Delores’s famous Seven Layer Chocolate Cake. Burning off the calories outside with Vikki’s boys and Ashley’s little one throwing the football around and climbing the trees. Spirits are high and we’re thankful. Dad brought the acoustic guitar. I lead us all into song after song.
Ana drives us to Goldsboro following dad. It’s quiet in the house. His wife, Patty, is in Honduras visiting her mom. And the girls that were living here moved to NY.
Sipping on Red Wine. Talking with dad about things – politics – sports – health insurance – life. Meanwhile, the Redskins and Giants football game is on the TV. I don’t normally watch football but it’s nice sharing it with my dad nonetheless.
Deviled Eggs. Sourdough Toast. Sweet Potato Pie.
Ana and I go to bed at an earlier than usual sleep time around midnight.
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