Game changers

There are two separate schools of thought for this posting.

This past Sunday, for the first time in my life - and fourteen years after I first planned on doing it - I went for a spa day on Staten Island.  I had bought myself a "package" for a complete day last June and I finally found the right time - now that the surgery is long over, a quiet holiday weekend, etc.  I'm so glad I did it and will now do so regularly.  It did wonders for me - mentally and physically.  The staff were incredible - beyond kind and helpful.  Starting the proceedings with a warm towel and espresso to laying out the day's plans, a fantastic lunch and genuine professionalism and personality.  I couldn't have asked for better.  What made it even greater was that it was an ugly, cold, rainy day, so it wasn't wasted indoors.  Jesus - even my nails and eyebrows look great - seriously!

At the opposite end, I received very sad and upsetting news on Tuesday - the drummer for the band that influenced me the most during my teen years; the band that pointed my way forward and changed the game for me, died suddenly on Monday, after a brief illness.  Hearing this caught me off-guard and left me very shaken.  Rick Buckler was the driving powerhouse behind The Jam for the whole of their career.  After their split in '82, he was in a very good and completely overlooked group called Time U.K., who put out some great singles.  I never had the pleasure or privilege of meeting him, but he was, from all accounts, a very good person.  And I know he was appreciated by me.  Godspeed, Mr. Buckler.