You Can’t Go Back In Time

Unfortunately sickness overwhelmed me on Friday night so I could not attend ITP-Reader Barb’s “Ugly Holiday Sweater” party. I felt well “enough” to make it to Charlotte on Saturday, but not up to the call of the Black Sheep Hash yesterday.

Five Of The One Hundred Simple Secrets Of Happy People
I am currently, and deliberately slowly, reading a super-easy read called The 100 Simple Secrets Of Happy People. Each morning I read three of these “secrets.” (Remember when I mentioned exercising my mind?)

Here are five “secrets” on which you can ponder

• Accomplish something every day. [Like writing a blog?]
• Be flexible. [I can touch my palms to the floor while standing, with any more flexibility I’d never leave the house]
• Events are temporary. []
• Be your own fan. [I am also my own heater.]
• Join a group. [You are not the first person to tell me that I need therapy.]

You may find this hard to believe, but I’m trying to live my life under the concept that it’s the only one I’ll ever have so I better enjoy it.

The “Second Show” Rule
I’ve come up with a new rule for seeing bands / performers who are doing out-of-the-blue back-to-back shows. The rule is “Catch the first show.”

A few years back I saw the two shows that Bob Mould put on at Eddie’s Attic. The first show was far superior as allergies messed with his voice for the second.

Last year (um, earlier this year?) I saw the first of two shows that The Long Ryders did at The EARL. I actually had a ticket for the second show, but decided that I enjoyed the first so well that I didn’t need the second. I heard afterward that the lead singer all but lost his voice during the second show.

On Saturday one of my 1990’s indie staples, Emmet Swimming, played their second outside-of-Virginia show in ten years….

The day started well. I drove up to Charlotte listening to the new Nick Hornby book “Juliet, Naked” as an audiobook. I made it up to Charlotte with little problem as the New Jill GPS led me directly to my hotel which sat about three blocks from I-85 (right next to a Cracker Barrel, which I would have loved to eaten in but wasn’t that hungry).

I lallygagged around my room for a little while before heading out to find food and the music venue. I suppose that I should have used the New Jill (she needs a better name) as I managed to get turned around and lost on my way to find Amos’ Southend Music Hall. As I wound my way around downtown Charlotte constantly peering at my iPhone which I was then using as my GPS I decided that I’d grab a bite of food near Amos’ so that I wouldn’t have to endure the traffic again.

Much to my surprise there was a really good bar right next to Amos’. Score! I had about an hour to kill so I went in for a beer and a bite.

As I sat there watching football, hockey, and some Charlotte cuties, I heard a familiar voice order a round of drinks. It was Todd, lead singer of Emmet Swimming. I turned and said hello and asked when they were taking the stage (although Todd is far from your standard frail indie rocker I still followed “Don’t shake the hands of guitar players.” rule). Todd answered, asked my name and the asked if I lived in Charlotte. When I answered “No, I drove up from Atlanta today.” he looked genuinely surprised, said, “That’s like a four-hour drive? Wow, thanks.” A minute or two later Todd introduced me to Tamer, the band’s drummer, who then raised his beer and cheered me. If you think that I sound like a Emmet Swimming fan-boy then you are correct. For the six-year period 1993-1999 these guys along with Dayroom were constantly played in my CD players.

Sadly, that may have been the highlight of the evening. It turned out that Scott, the band’s bass player, was feeling horrible and couldn’t play that evening. So, the band made the best of it by playing as a stripped-down triplet, not quite making the wall of sound that I remembered them bringing to their live shows. I could only imagine that he was well the night before in Raleigh and that I should had been dealt the curse of the Second Show.

I thought about hanging around and chatting up the band before listening to Gainesville, Florida’s Colourslide, but the long-day had caught up with me so I headed back to my hotel.

ITP Flickr Pic
Sorry, no shot again today.

Look for an uptick in photos in ’10. I know that I’ve probably said this before, but I have some changes in the works.

RealiTV Update: Survivor – You Are Once Again Dead To Me
I have given up on Survivor before, and after last night’s result I have again.

Clearly being the “best” player in the game is not worth rewarding. Instead, let’s reward the pretty, nice, blonde who smiled big, never created enemies, and rode the coattails of the “best” player.

Fuck that.

Catch Me In Blueland Tonight, Um Wearing Almost No Blue
With the exception of the jeans I’m wearing there is little indication that I’ll be attending an Atlanta Thrashers game tonight — but I will.

In case you see me wearing my brown hoodie, green Better Than Ezra t-shirt, blue jeans, and hiking boots sitting/standing outside of Gorin’s with a ginormous beer in hand then please say hello.

Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – sad
Current Music – listening to a KEXP live performance podcast.
Website Of The Day – If you are looking for a little “different” Christmas music go to Sound Opinion’s Christmas and download Andy Cerzin’s “The Cassette Years: Part 2”; it’s free.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – my car
Exercise (b)Log – nothing
Morning Weigh-In – didn’t check

Monthly
Foot Mileage – 0 miles, Wheel Mileage – 0 miles
Pushups – 0, Situps – 0
Consecutive Days Of Bed-Making (Longest Streak) – 7* (10)
Vegetarian Days – 1, Carnivorous Days – 19
Marta Rides – 0

December Goals
– Not get fired from my job

2009 Goals
– Reduce my weight to 190 pounds (today’s weight was 199.5 pounds)
– Completely read the book 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die
РEarn at least $150 through photography sales in order to cover the cost for the renewal of the Jalape̱o Beach SmugMug account I opened the other day.
– Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
– Attend at least one professional photography workshop

The Unmeasurable
– Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
– Become a proficient programmer in Objective-C (iPhone development) and Ruby on Rails (Black Sheep web page concept)
– Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem

Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]