Weekend rewind (all the leftovers)

I hope everyone who reads this blog had a lovely and happy Thanksgiving with whomever you spent it with. Liz and I did our usual pick-up at Boston Market and enjoyed ourselves no end. Peaceful, quiet and just the two of us. It's something we're thankful for and I'm happy to report that there were no leftovers!

Friday was spent running a few minor errands and watching an awful so-called horror movie; met Bobby in the early evening for a boy's night out at Maxwell's (our first in ages!) and had a great time talking, drinking good merlot and laughing. Saturday, the usual--Starbucks, groceries (and I have to say Stop & Shop RULES!), Target and lunch with a quick stop in one of the malls (!). Yesterday was laundry, more minor tasks and relaxing for today, which was nothing short of draining and to a minor degree, irritating.

Heard from Chris during the weekend; hopefully we can get together and tweak some of the song levels on 3 tracks and then master the album next weekend.

Okay--enough for now. I'm wiped out and have a few checks to write before Liz comes home. More later.

Thankful

Much to be grateful for this year. My health is good (even though my weight constantly goes up and down); my marriage is happy; I have 3 beautiful cats; I have a good job and an even better band, plus wonderful family and friends, whom I love dearly. I have all the necessary elements in life to be thankful for. This has been a year in which you would expect a lot of the opposite, but I'm happy to be here and to be able to keep on chooglin'.

Liz and I are spending this holiday (which is our favorite) alone together. Can't ask for better than that. A little peace and quiet and good food.

Everyone have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving with your loved ones.

Weekend prewind

Great week at work--busy but getting things done and moving forward at breakneck speed. I love it; I feel like I'm thriving in a job for the first time since my earliest days at Atlantic. Spoke to Bob about upcoming Punch Line business; got to get in touch with Chris to set up some band time--mastering first, since it can be done quickly, then immediately set up a location shoot so the artwork can be done.

While the creative juices are flowing, the physical energies are up and down. A dietary shift and I'm not feeling 100%. Not going to harp on not being in gym shape (or in shape, period); time enough once we've moved. Speaking of which, the packing supplies have arrived and reality begins to set in. Two months left here and that's all, folks. No regrets nor recriminations.

Another relaxing, chill-out weekend (or should that be "frost-out", since the temperatures are now 40 or so?) to do the chores at leisure and enjoy each other. Starburcks, Target and then to try out this new barbecue buffet... That portends to be the highlight of the weekend.

Off I go to wash the breakfast dishes.

One shot of prevention

I consider myself (and Liz) to be amongst the lucky ones -- managed to get flu shots for the first time in two years. Thanks to the apologetic nurse at the Stop & Shop pharmacy (where the shots were supposed to be distributed but weren't since the program was cancelled), who told us the Visiting Nurse Service of New York would be distributing them this morning at a different location. Went down to the South Beach area, where she told us the caravan would be and 20 minutes later, we were done. Sigh of relief. Still, I blame this government for the lack of flu shots available, especially when they've gone out of their way to warn us of the devastating effects of this years' flu strain. Hmmm... my bullshit detector says this is just another ploy to keep people afraid of something/anything.

Good week. Busy; between work, more moving details to be smoothed out and the usual Punch Line business. I feel a sense of renewed energies and a calm that I haven't felt in a very long time. Looking foward to another rehearsal with the band and focusing more on getting packed and making the necessary calls before we actually move. The next two months are going to fly by. And we need to find more necessities around Union, just so we'll know what and where everything is without scrambling.

One harrowing moment; on Tuesday night, while driving home on this dark, narrow road, there was a delay of traffic moving at a green light. A bus was at the head of the traffic line; after a few beeps, we started moving slowly -- I looked to see why everyone was suddenly swerving as they approached the intersection -- a body was lying in the road, just off the curb. I thought the bus might have run him over, but no less than a dozen police cars passed me by when I got to the main drag at the intersection -- on the news the next day, it turned out this man was the owner of a barbershop across the street from where he had collapsed. He'd been shot by (apparently) two men who robbed and destroyed his shop. Surreal.

One of my co-workers applied for an apartment at that same place we'd been to in Roselle Park. Guess what the super of the aforementioned building said to him? "Are you going to take care of me?" -- this to the tune of $200. Now it's time to launch a formal complaint. This guy is one criminal scumbag. Period.

Back on a proper diet plan. Now all that's left to do is start working out... but that won't happen until March, when we're settled in Mill Run. Speaking of which, the lease renewal for this apartment came today. Bye-bye, after 10 years. And good riddance.

Time to leaf through some of the magazines that are piling up.

Once upon a time

Did some music shopping for the first time in ages. Went with the ever-hard rockin' Le Fig, who makes a formidable companion for musical discussion and all-around hanging out. After much time spent doing laps around Vintage Vinyl, I started to settle into what the store has deemed the "classic rock" section -- WARNING: you may become queasy when you see what I am about to list under their definition of classic... Paul Weller/The Jam, The Undertones, The Buzzcocks, XTC, Squeeze... You get where I'm going. Keep in mind, these aforementioned artists would be found amongst the likes of Slade, Gary Lewis and The Playboys, etc., but I digress. The one album I was looking for and couldn't find was E.L.O.'s "A New World Record", but I scored some real treasures (at least in my taste and mind).

Finally got "Band On The Run" on CD; this was the 25th Anniversary Edition and was cheap; comes with great packaging and finally am able to put to rest my incredibly battered vinyl copy. Also got Todd Rundgren's "Something/Nothing"; a brand new compilation of Orange Juice's Postcard-era singles; a new Squeeze compilation, which has their B-sides (one of which, "Elephant Girl" has been a long-standing favorite of mine) and best of all, a comprehensive "Best Of The Move", which if you don't know who The Move were--they spawned Roy Wood and Carl Wayne's solo careers. More widely known, however, Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan (along with Wood at the outset) created the Electric Light Orchestra. There's your history lesson. Also got "A Hard Day's Night" on DVD and a video compilation of Declan MacManus. A good day's shopping and more importantly, a wide spectrum of good sounds, most of which harken back to my childhood, but hey--who says you can't go home again?

Still loving both Paul Weller's and Bob Mould's recent albums. Time to start listening to today's goldmine.

New additions

Saw this new idea on another blog, so I thought "why not"? Seems like a very cool concept and a fun way to connect. Please check it out and let's link up!

Fabulous

Sorry I haven't posted all week. Work has been incredibly busy and hectic (and I'm enjoying every minute of it) and things have been happening. We were officially approved and signed papers for a two-bedroom garden apartment in a community called Mill Run, in Union, New Jersey. At the beginning of February comes the end of the lifetime I spent in Staten Island. I feel absolutely nothing except for the desire to actually get the moving underway. Once we completed the business side of things, we drove around Union to find places and it looks just right for us. Train not too far away, a nice cafe, plenty of restaurants, shopping, vet and best of all for me, a gym. Home sweet home.

The band has more rehearsals planned and at last, we're making serious inroads to doing a formal photoshoot for the album cover.

This looks like an amazing weekend, weather-wise. Best of all, Liz and I have no plans. This would be the perfect chill-out weekend.

Saw this headline on Yahoo News this morning. If this was another time, I would have cringed, but now I just chuckled. Once I turned 40, I turned a corner. Don't have time, desire or inclination to be aligned with any kind of "youth subcultures". I have nothing against Mods; I just don't care anymore. "Quadrophenia" is still my favorite movie, though.

Surprised and very happy to hear that one of my all-time favorite bands will be issuing no less than three albums that have been M.I.A. since they had been recorded. Tragic, but at least a joy for me.

All you gotta do is let go.