ManicRobThrill

Friday, October 19, 2012

The clarity is in the season

I looked long and hard at all that I accepted to put on my plate.  Recording an instrumental theme song for a podcast series; reviewing albums; reviewing movies; doing interviews; recording demos for the album - that's a lot.  Then there's the "normal" side of things:  going to the gym, doing the standard household chores; seeing family and friends - in a word:  life is full.  And rather than fritter away my time, idly lying on the sofa in front of the television, this weekend is going to be a "get it done" kind of scenario.

Item 1 to clear off the list:  record "Savannah Sunrise".  I've had that instrumental since the summer of 1993; I do think it would be the perfect opener for The Next Sometime Soon, but I'm both proud and honored to have been asked by the good people at Caught In The Carousel to come up with the record review show's theme.  I have been a horrific procrastinator...  No more.  This weekend, it stops.  There is no excuse to not be able to record a simple, 2-plus minute guitar instrumental; lay down the bass line, a piano part to complement the bass melody and a shaker for the rhythm.  It took me some self-induced ass kicking to write/finish/edit the story of our Memphis trip; I then completed the live reviews that I'd had lingering in my mind.  I do not want to fall back on that bad pattern.

So tomorrow shapes up as:  gym, Trader Joe's, laundry (!) and then record in the afternoon.  It's not that hard - I've just been a lazy bastard.  And it has to stop.

Saturday, October 06, 2012

Goodbye and hello

Last night was one of the most painful and difficult nights I've had in years.  I had to say goodbye to my beautiful, little 18-year old cat, Nibbles.  In the course of 72 hours, she suddenly deteriorated to the degree that she would not have survived the night and I could not bear the thought of her having to suffer for one moment longer.  At 11 p.m., I called the vet's office, who, bless them, are open until midnight.  They told me to come in and were beyond kind, helpful and gently comforting.  I stayed with Nibbles until she was gone, kissing her and telling her how much I loved her, how proud I was to be her daddy and how grateful I was to have had her in my life for so long. 

It's never easy doing this; this is the third time I've experienced this kind of pain and loss.  And although 18 years is a long life for a pet, it doesn't lessen the heartache.  I found her when she was maybe three weeks old - I didn't think she would even survive - and yet, here I was, 18 years later, not wanting to let her go yet knowing it was the only thing I could do one last time for her.  So I say:  Nibbles, my precious little baby - I love you forever; I'll miss you and I'll see you again.

All this comes as Liz and I celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary.  And after years of turbulence and uncertainty, we are together; stronger than ever and filled with more love, determination and hope than before.  So this is a truly happy and meaningful anniversary.  My only wish is for more years of this kind of mutual joy.

That and I wish it came without the tears, but so too, we will celebrate the life of a wonderful, special little girl.