Thoughts From The Townedger-April Edition

Spring processing is gonna be the death of me yet. Got my COVID 2 shot on Tuesday and ended up sleeping two days away.  Meanwhile half of Blues Rox made it to the wed night jam with Freddy Jones and Dave Bonham.  Would have been nice to partake this jam but somehow the need to sleep won out.  There will be other chances I gather. 

Since turning sixty, I have battled my body on a lot of things.  Can't eat nothing without having the GD shits day in and day out, my blood pressure will not go under 150 and I hate the constant battle of shaving.  Every four fucking days, my brillo face returns and not amount of shaving will not get rid of the 14 hairs that get caught in my jacket zipper.  I have never looked good in a beard and the constant fighting of shaving every four days is getting tiring. Oh, but I can always cut myself shaving and still miss the fucking stubble.  Another of God's great practical joke I can do without.  Also, to add more insult, I continue to lose more hair.  The golden years doesn't seem so damn golden it seems.

But here I am still.  I managed to show up for the Sunday jams in the local area.  Due to the 12 work days, I have not played much guitar and when I do play, it's a ragged performance.   For May, it will continue to be spring processing first till the middle of the month and perhaps then I can finally get back into playing again.  But I haven't been much enthused about playing.  Music should be fun, this should be fun.  Blues Rox will be the main cause for the summer,  including playing the Jones County Fair in July, non paying of course but we'll get free admission to ride the rides.  And a August sleepover in Williamsburg.  

Spring processing has been as advertised, another clusterfuck.  Julie has been busy gardening and doing her best to plant to bring the butterflies to her yard, as well as practicing in her band and with Dave.  She's got a lot determination in the digging and planting of her seeds.  God bless her for doing her best to keep the insects around.  I haven't been much help due to my 10 hour days at work, but we had disagreements along the way.  True love travels a bumpy road.   She has once again hooked up with Ryan about playing again with Dreams Of Arcadia.  A thorny situation if there's ever was one.  The way I look at things, is that it's a choice, be it gardening or playing in bands and even being with me.  I will not tell what she should do.  Their partnership has brought some intense gigs between then.  I've been a part of some of them and some of them turned out to be one of the best gigs I've been in.  I admire Julie for her unweaving faith in negative  experiences such as Dreams Of Arcadia, but I also believe it's a toxic affair.   I want her to succeed in what she does, but so far none of her experiences has been as fruitful as they were when Kyle was alive.  I haven't done much with Ryan since last year and our political views clash tho it hasn't hampered us getting together and playing.   I think it's a lost cause, but whatever Julie wants to do with DOA, I'll support, but after spring processing.  She did get me to think about retiring in five years.  Maybe she'll get that wish....if I'm not dead by then.

My political views are mine and my own.  I will jam with folks who are as red as they can be but they will not force me to agree with their rhetoric.   I've notice that my relations with my drumming brother Rocky have cause friction between us, judging by my last conversation with him, he hightailed it after I told about getting the COVID 2 shot.  And he wasn't going to get it, nor does Sharon, who now is a part of his life.  Their life and I respect that.  But I can't change somebody who decided that since I don't agree with their Conservative views that I'm not worthy to be on their level, if that's the case, perhaps I should have left him shivering there on a New Year's Eve night when his truck failed him.   We have too many fair-weather people that want your help but when you are down and out, they'll leave you out there shivering on a cold winter's night.   I didn't care for the former POTUS or his servants such as Ashley Hinson or Joni Ernst, who are two of the most worthless congresspeople ever, but I will not bring that up to Rocky or Sharon or others.  If Rocky or Sharon show up to hear me play, I will return the favor but if he or she would rather to leave them both alone, they will get that wish. 

I am not sure what the month of May will br.  If I managed to survive the processing season and still have a girlfriend  or if I will continue the Acoustic Adventures.  Likewise, I will be all in on the Rumor's Sunday Funday jam and if time allows it, one or two of the Checker's Thursday Jams.  Promoting the new Towndger's album is done.  Maybe Jim Jacobmeyer will continue to convince me to do a Acoustical showcase but for the grand opening of the new Artisan Sanctuary in Cedar Rapids, that's not going to happen, maybe June at the very earliest.  Pat Ticklenburg will host the debut and he'll be fine.  If I can get my BP back down to normal and get some things taken care of, maybe I'll be back to help out the cause, but Blues Rox, as mentioned is number 1 on the list.  Till they find another drummer.

Maybe, I'll shave my head and get rid of the unwanted 450 hairs on top of my head.  Hopefully next month we'll be in a better frame of mind.   If I'm not dead yet.  God Bless Ed Cassidy.