Category: Generic

Still With Us

There used to be a little Italian restaurant on route 28 in Salem, NH that I liked going to. It wasn’t anything special, really, but everyone in the family liked it so it was a nice go-to for us. It was called Polcari’s and it closed.

Yesterday I was driving to work and Waze took me all over the friggin’ state. The route was ridiculous. It avoided all of route 128 (95 to you foreigners) via Oklahoma and Mars.

Just off of the Montvalle (sp?) ave exit on route 93, I saw this:

Untitled

I didn’t know Polcari’s was a chain (call me clueless? Like I care) so I had no idea that there was another one. It’s close too! This weekend is a kid weekend for us. Think there’s a chance everyone will want to go?

My Future

I took this Saturday night while trying to drive on route 28 in Salem, NH.  It shows a small section of the mile+ traffic jam that started at about the MA/NH border.  

  
I share this now out of fear.  You see, I have to drive into Salem, NH tonight.  The closer you get to Christmas, the worse 28 in Salem gets.  

Be afraid.

Be very afraid.

The Professor Calls it Quits

In 2009 English prog rock/jazz drummer Bill Bruford was about to have his 60th birthday and he did something unexpected. He retired.

Neil Peart, a well known Bill Bruford fan, was probably sitting at home reading the news and thinking: Life goal. Retire at 60. I don’t know whether or not that actually happened, but I’ve always imagined that’s how it went down.

That was six years ago. Neil Peart is now 63. It’s about three years late, but it’s finally happened. The Professor has announced his retirement.

I’m happy for him without actually being happy, if you know what I mean. It pleases me very much that we got to see Rush on the R40 tour as it now pretty much looks like Rush is done for good.

I am sad. Very sad. But also pretty happy that I got as much great music and as many great shows as I did.

Thanks, Professor.

DSCN0700

DSCN0078

Untitled

Untitled

Untitled

2010-09-14 - Rush at TD Garden 986

Rush @ Manchester 7-11-08 038

Rush 7-5-08 Saratoga Springs, NY 021

Nevins Library

Every town should have something it can brag about. Something that is better there than in all the neighboring towns.

For Methuen, that thing is the Nevins Library. I can say with all honesty that my town’s library is better than yours. (huge city libraries are excluded from that statement)

2015-12-06 - Recitals in the Nevins Library

2015-12-06 - Recitals in the Nevins Library

2015-12-06 - Recitals in the Nevins Library

2015-12-06 - Recitals in the Nevins Library

2015-12-06 - Recitals in the Nevins Library

3.67 Years

It was April 27, 2012. That was my last full day in San Diego, CA. Three years and slightly less than eight months. That is way too long. I’ve been there three times. On my honeymoon in June of 2009, then with the kids in August of 2011, then with the kids and Jen’s folks in April of 2012. We haven’t been back since. No wonder it feels like it’s been an eternity since last I dipped my toes into the Pacific… it has been an eternity!

2012-04-27 - Cove and Sunset 215

See the dude with the guitar? Just make him a lot taller, a lot heavier, give him a mop of glow in the dark red hair, and give him a much, much cooler guitar. That is what I’ll look like when I’m living on the beach, busking for change, and playing music to the largest swimming pool on the Earth.

Make it so!

Too Soon for Cabin Fever?

Is it too soon to start showing signs of cabin fever, or seasonal affected disorder or whatever it’s called?

I’m getting that time-to-move-to-California-and-spend-my-days-busking-on-the-beach frame of minds. The traffic, the weather, the feeling run down, the cold and flu, and general blah are all conspiring against my sanity right now.

And it’s not even officially Winter yet.

2012-04-27 - Cove and Sunset 401

Just photoshop a picture of me sitting on the sand strumming my 12-string.

Please?

DC TV

I’m trying to get into the DC Comics television shows.  It’s not really working.  Maybe I’m not giving them enough of a chance, but I’m struggling to get into them.  Arrow… It’s okay but the family stuff plus the flashbacks plus the nearly constant voice overs make me want to scream at the screen before shutting it off… And I’m only on the third episode.  The Flash is better, but it feels like I’ve come into the story halfway through, what with the Arrow tie ins.

With the Batman vs Superman movie coming, I really want to get into DC’s stuff… I just don’t know if I can stomach it for long.

Why is the Marvel stuff so good while the DC stuff is so… meh?

It was Bound to Happen

December 6, 2015. It was bound to happen.

I just started my Christmas shopping. One name checked off the to-buy-for list. One tiny sliver of holiday success. Only about a million more things to get.

I’ve also made a Christmas list of my own for those around me to use for ideas. I sent it to my wife. She told me she’s already done buying for me. It’s only Decmeber 6th? I’m not that far behind, am I? Well… maybe I am!

HoHoHo and all that happy crappy. Christmas time is here.

Revenge (Sort of)

Remember when you were a kid and you did something wrong. What was one of the things your parents might have said to you? “I hope you grow up to have kids that are just like you!” Today is an example of that particular mother’s curse coming true. Sort of. Not really, but sort of.

My sister is three years older than me. My brother is six years younger. Starting from my sister’s 5th or 6th grade year and carrying through in an unbroken line until my brother graduated high school, my parents were subjected to at least one but sometimes two school Christmas concerts per year.

As band geeks, we thought they were pretty cool. As parents… it must have been no less than the tortures of the damned. Every year the same small group of Christmas songs over and over and over again. The only differences being the slight changes in interpretation made by the band directors from elementary school to junior high to high school. My poor, poor parents. It must have been unbearable.

Now they get their revenge. Sort of. Between my two step kids there will be more Christmas concerts this year than you can possibly imagine. One kid has a concert with his guitar teacher. Both kids have concerts with their piano teacher. One kid has a concert with the middle school. The other kid has concerts with the high school. Oh my sweet goodness there are four (4) (FOUR!!!!) Christmas concerts this year alone!

Now I make no attempts to hide the fact that after all of my Christmas concerts, I pretty much hate Christmas music. I’ll tolerate it for a brief period leading up to, and immediately after Christmas itself, but otherwise? It makes my skin crawl and my teeth ache. Really.

Having said that though, I can say that the mother’s Christmas concert curse doesn’t really bother me the way it should. Why? Because while I hate Christmas music with a burning, undying passion, I love listening to the kids play. I’ll grit my teeth and struggle through the agony of listening to everyone else’s kids have their turns at the various recitals, but when my step kids are on the stage? Well, that is one of the greatest things ever. Guitar, piano, chorus, choir, concert band, jazz band. I love it all. I love hearing them strut their stuff on the various instruments they play. It helps that they are so much better than I ever was, but it’s not just that. I love to see them enjoying it.

Music is near the top of the list of the greatest things humans can do with their time, and it is such a thrill to see the two kids loving it as much as I do.

Sorry mom and dad, but this particular revenge isn’t so bad.