ManicRobThrill

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Start/finish/wash/rinse/repeat

A friend of mine jokingly said to me "so, do you plan on joining Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler when they play New York in February?" and I looked him straight in the eye and said in my most serious Paul Weller tone, "no, I will never play with The Jam again." How many times do you think I've already heard that since this tour was announced? Ye gods. Talk about being typecast! Is it any wonder I stopped using a Rickenbacker?

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Big news coming down the pike, but I reserve the right to maintain radio silence until the 1st of the year.

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This has been quite an interesting year; early on, it was slower. Getting reacclimated to working in the city again but having to take the train every day. Buying the car in April freed us up in so many ways. The office move took one month of my life and made it something of a blur. The road trips to Atlantic City and Pennsylvania to have a quick getaway were a saving grace. The decision and subsequent move back to Staten Island was the big, most positive moment and nothing less than a joy (how many people can say that about a move?). All in all, an interesting, if not, transitional year. Yes, it's certainly had its' ups and downs, like my father's health decline and Liz' job situation, but hey, that's part of yin and yang.

Looking towards '08, some immediate items on the list: rejoin NYSC, buy a new iMac for the house and keep saving money. That's really all. That and completing the album by perhaps year's end. There's no rush, no constraints and no one to please, coddle or mollify. And that's a pretty liberating feeling.

I'm sure I'll see some of you on February 9th, if not sooner.

Happy and healthy New Year to you and yours...

Monday, December 24, 2007

Sing the anniversary song and then some

I was right and it's officially three years for this blog. A pleasure of an achievement.

As I've said previously, I don't particularly feel in the spirit of the season; less so than I usually would but it's been so busy that the time has just passed and Xmas is a day away. I've barely noticed, truthfully.

I wanted to say a few things about a program I just got through watching, but I'm too tired to pontificate!

Anyhow, to anyone who reads this, have a happy Xmas with your loved ones.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Last stop on the Arlington line

I've just dropped a huge hint to anyone who reads this blog with regularity.

I'm pleased and (to some degree) surprised that I've been at this for going on 3 years. A lot of change (of the blink-and-you-missed-it variety) and a lot of being able to say what's on my mind in a clear, honest and helpful fashion. I've tried to make this blog as bullshit-free as possible. Whether it was playing at being reporter when The Punch Line was recording, or subsequently the (admittedly, a little more than veiled than it should have been) frustrations of how the band was becoming (what with the personal nonsense invading the creative process) to the changes in my own life--it's been a helpful and healthy friend to me. I hate diaries; I hate the "on-stage" pretense effect--when people act in a certain manner since they know they're being watched--I don't think I've let the blog degenerate to that degree. I've just said what I had to say, tried to be direct and not victimized, and whatever I've been thinking has been put down for the record and onward I go. A good purging system.

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Work for me has been as busy as ever, which is great since I hate the holidays. This year, no Xmas gifts, no cards--nothing. I don't have the time, patience or funds to waste on empty acts.

Liz has been amazing. That's all I have to say. She will be working again soon enough.

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Ever since we moved back, we've been more into the history of my home borough. There have been a few books I've purchased to delved deeper into the background of Staten Island; there was a recent program on public television devoted to S.I. and we've been consciously favoring local long-time establishments and businesses. Not to get falsely left-wing, I think places like Denino's or The West Shore Inn are treasures of this borough and what gives it the charm it isn't recognized for, along with the amazing parks and places of historic note. But enough of my sounding like a member of the Chamber of Commerce. If you've ever had those typically obnoxious viewpoints ("oh, you have to get there by a ferry" or "do you have hospitals?"), visit the Island, come over for coffee and we'll show you.

Saturday, December 08, 2007

Rebuttal time

Strange things will happen in one afternoon. No sooner than my last posting went up and things have changed dramatically on the home front and after 9 years, Liz is re-entering the job market. To be more than frank, I'm both pleased and proud for her. She needed, and more importantly, wanted a change, so this looks to be a good thing for her. That and the painful, but realistic, conclusion that my dad needs to live in an assisted living facility. I don't want him alone; I want him safe and tended to, so it looks like next week, I have to visit a place very close to our apartment.

Am I upset about these turns-of-events? No. You go forward at all costs. That's how you can succeed with your life. So I look at the positives coming with these changes.

Friday, December 07, 2007

Wait... I need a chance to catch my breath

This has been one hard fucking week. Not that anything tragic or bad happened--just the bitter cold swept in and with it another case of minor flu (or whatever it is I'm trying to get over); our firm's holiday party and just being mildly stressed by both work and these fucking idiot nurse services. Those bottom-of-the-barrel douchebags are finally going to start helping my father again. Christ, it only took these fuckers since April to get this thing moving forward.

Okay, I'll pull back the reins for a moment. Just wanted to spew that bit of venom.