beautiful, funny, sad & true

I’m a bit melancholy today.

I don’t think it’s anything big–most likely caused by the myriad of small worries and anxieties that have come to the surface lately, mixed with a liberal dose of exhaustion–but it’s there nonetheless, and I’m feeling it today.

It’s been a pretty decent week, though. My friend Jeannie came to visit from Virginia last week, and we finally got a chance to have lunch together on Monday. It was great to see her, and the ‘scuttlebutt’ or whatever is that she’s planning to move back to Portland in a year, after her job contract is up for renewal. Or, I suppose, NON-renewal.

The Steph Band played a show at a park down in Lake Oswego the other night, which was filmed by two local television stations. Two impossibly chipper women from the “E-Zone” came out and introduced us, telling us to “be sure to tune in and find out when tonight’s show will be aired” and all that. There were two or three camera operators, and even a crane. We all kept smiling at each other in a ‘nudge-nudge-wink-wink’ kind of way, like we couldn’t believe all this was happening for just a little ol’ band like ours. Tony Furtado joined us on guitar and banjo, and Breanna Paletta sang harmony vocals. It was about ninety degrees outside, even before the stage lights were turned on, and it seemed that every time a camera was pointed in my direction, a larger trickle of sweat would run down my face. Yeesh. I’m sure the show will be fine, though.

Thursday I was a basket case, so I stayed home and worked on my apartment. I got a couple of little lamps to go on top of the new bookshelves, and cleaned up all the random boxes of stuff that’s been floating around, some of which has been there since I moved in a year ago. I took my chair downstairs to the basement, to make more space in here, and that made a dramatic improvement. The only thing I have left to do is decide which pictures I want to get printed and framed, now that I have the perfect places for them.

Last night was S & W’s pre-wedding party. They’re getting married on Sunday morning, so last night they had a string of events for their various friends and family members to come and hang out with them. We/they started off at Vincente’s, then moved to the Lucky Labrador, then a handful of the group–myself not included–went 80’s dancing at the Fez Ballroom. It was fun, but both places were extremely loud, especially the Lucky Lab, so I could only hear about every fifth word of the conversations, which is extremely frustrating for me. I’m an introvert by nature anyway, but I AM getting better at reaching out and paying attention, so I felt very frustrated that I just couldn’t hear well enough to stay engaged. (Get it? STAY ENGAGED at a WEDDING PARTY? Now THAT’S good comedy, and THAT’S what keeps you reading this blog.)

This afternoon I’m going to record more accordion parts for Susie Blue’s upcoming CD, then Joan and I are going to see a documentary called “Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soapbox”, which I wanted to see when I went to Seattle to see Paprika a couple of months ago. It looks really great, and Joan’s one of the few people I know who appreciates a good documentary the way I do. From there, we’re going to Ikea to check out the new store. It’s all about keeping her occupied, because the guy she’s been with for the last year just started seeing somebody else, so she’s looking for ways to be out and about and distracted from thinking about all that.

We’ll see what the rest of the weekend brings, but it’s been a few days since I’d written, so I thought I should check in with you and keep you updated.

Sunday, after my gig down in Gleneden Beach with Susie Blue, I drove the hundred-mile trip up curvy Highway 101 to Cannon Beach, where my mom, stepdad, brother, sister-in-law, niece and baby nephew were. As soon as I arrived, I made dinner for everybody. Mom made a delicious salad, and my stepdad made an amazing dessert.

After all that, we walked down to the beach. The house they rented was directly in line with Haystack Rock, so it couldn’t have been easier to get there. After driving two and a half hours to the gig, playing the gig, driving a little bit and then stopping at the factory outlet stores in Lincoln City (where–among other things–I got a new blue hoodie to replace the one I left in Salem a couple of weeks ago), then driving four more hours up the coast (stopping to take a few pictures along the way), it was an exhausting day, but completely worth it. It was great to see everybody, and here are some pictures:

Even I am amazed at the amount of stuff I crammed into one day. Here’s what today consisted of:

1) got up at 8:00 and sold my oak bookcase (you know, the one that was in my living room), then helped the buyer load it into his truck

2) did three loads of laundry

3) washed the dishes

4) took out the trash and recycling

5) transferred the files I needed from my old computer onto my new computer

6) went to Fred Meyer and bought a dining table and chairs for the kitchen, and food for the trip to Cannon Beach tomorrow

7) assembled the table and almost finished one of the chairs

8) vacuumed the living room floor and did SpiderWebRemoval along the ceiling and corners with the vacuum throughout the entire apartment

9) swept the kitchen floor

10) disassembled the old table that was in my kitchen, and took it to the basement

11) disassembled the new table because it wouldn’t fit through the hallway to get to the kitchen (Grrrr!)

12) reassembled the new table in the kitchen

13) took a shower

14) loaded my instruments in the car and made the hour-long drive down to Salem for a two-hour gig with Breanna Paletta. It was a blast, by the way. I played cello mostly, but also accordion and a little bit of acoustic guitar. My favorite songs were the ones with Breanna singing and playing guitar, her friend Karli playing violin, and me playing cello. Seriously amazing combination.

15) drove the hour-long drive home and unpacked all the instruments from the car

16) wrote this blog entry

17) probably see who’s on Austin City Limits and have a glass of wine. Words cannot express how tired and sore I am right now.

18) go to bed and sleep like an effin’ baby

Okay, it’s now Friday. I haven’t written anything since Tuesday. This is unacceptable, I know, but it’s been another busy week.

Kelly and I hung out the last couple of nights, which was great. We watched Da Ali G Show on DVD and played Tribond one night (she won), and the next night we went to the Mission Theater, where every week they play episodes of Arrested Development. For free. Then we came back and played Uno (I won).

My apartment is a total shambles. The other day I bought some new bookshelves, to match the computer desk and stuff that I got from Alyssa. I put them together, and they look great, but everything’s still kinda strewn around and disorganized until I can get rid of the old bookshelf, which I just now put on Craigslist.

Tonight I’m playing cello with Sarah Castro, tomorrow I’m driving down to Salem to play accordion and guitar with Breanna Paletta, and Sunday morning I’m driving to Gleneden Beach to play accordion with Susie Blue. From there I’m driving to Cannon Beach to meet my mom and stepdad, and my brother and his family. I may not have a chance to write until I get back, which is why I’m writing now.

So this may not be a particularly earth-shattering entry, but at least you’re all caught up now. Don’t you feel lucky and/or special?

This week is going to be completely crazy. Here’s what’s going on:

Monday: Work (one hour early), then first rehearsal with Steph and the new band members. Hip hop/jazz drummer and upright bass player. Frickin’ amazing, and it takes the band in a completely new and exciting direction.

Tuesday: Work (one hour early), then second rehearsal with the new band members. Came home, did a load of laundry, and practiced the cello while I watched a PBS show about synchronized swimming.

Wednesday: Work (probably an hour early), then leaving at 4:00 to come home, load up the car, and go to the first gig as this new incarnation of Steph’s band. We’re playing at Jimmy Mak’s, a very swanky jazz club, and we’re probably the only rock band who plays there. Oh, and my new glasses should be ready, too. I’ll post a picture as soon as I have a chance.

Thursday: Work, then I’m going to FlutistSusan’s to play cello at another sight-reading/rehearsal evening with her, myself, another cellist, and hopefully a handful of other people.

Friday: Daytime gig in Salem, Oregon with Steph and the band. Driving home, then going to work for a while. Yikes.

Saturday: Driving to Clarkston, Washington with Steph and the band to play the Rockin’ On The River Festival, and we’re driving back to Portland after we’re done with the gig. What? There are four of us; we can split the driving. It’s only four hours each way.

Sunday: Getting up early and going to work, if there’s anything left to do. Then meeting LittleBrother for lunch and a quick visit. After that, I’m packing up the car again and going to a third gig with Steph and the band at a private fund-raiser for autism research.

Monday: Work, then rehearsal with Breanna Paletta and BassistChris for our show in Salem, Oregon on the 28th.

Oh, by the way, I have two other gigs that weekend. I’m playing cello with Sarah Castro in Portland on the 27th, and accordion with Susie Blue in Gleneden Beach, Oregon on the 29th. After that gig, I’m driving to Cannon Beach, Oregon to meet Mom, Stepdad, LittleBrother, SisterInLaw, Niece, and Nephew. After they go to bed, I’m driving back to Portland to go to sleep and start the week of work.

I need to clone myself. Maybe my clone could go to work my job for me, and then I could go do all the gigs, but I have a sneaking suspicion that perhaps I should consider TWO clones.