Monday, December 29, 2003

I have been surprisingly busy this week, with little computer access. I can't wait until Evergreen opens back up as I rely on their fast and friendly computers.

Today is sunny and beautiful and I'm feeling okay again. Depression has had the upper-hand this winter, but with the days getting longer again, my 33rd birthday, and a new year at the doorstep I feel hopeful again. Plus, I just played a couple lucrative shows and received some birthday/Christmas cash! I wish I had more time to write about the gifts that friends and family have given me and the shows I just played... but no dice. I'll try again tomorrow.

Friday, December 26, 2003

Merry Christmas! I've been having a hard time getting to a computer of late. I'm in the downtown library right now.

My doctor told me this morning that my groin injury is probably a minor hernia. Besides that I'm healthy.

I don't have time to write more than this.

Sunday, December 21, 2003

Happy Hanukkah, everybody, and Solstice!

I have been bed-ridden for the last sixty hours. It's been seven or eight years since I've been this ill. I've spent all day today wondering if I'm in heaven or hell, but the Solstice could explain that. It's the shortest day of the year but that means the days will start getting longer, too. I truly need some sunshine. Won't someone fly me to Greece, or Mexico, or Utah?? At least I didn't puke-- it was more of a severe cold than a flu. I had feverish dreams and my body ached all over. Today is nice and warm. Friday I missed work at the UPS store. I showed up but they sent me home which was probably good, but I wanted to earn the money. Tomorrow I'll collect my paycheck of fifty-eight hours.

Thursday, December 18, 2003

"Hey ladies, Sandy Clause is back and ready to mack. I'm as single as Kris Kringle and ready to mingle. I've got balls that jingle and a mistletoe halo. I make sugar walls tingle from Missy E. to J. Lo. Grab your shopping carts 'cause I'm breakin' hip hop hearts, poppin' cherry pop tarts and callin' it punk rock Pop Art in Carharts!"
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Sorry, I just had to let Slippery out for a little jog. He's been bangin' his can on my cage for a while now. I will try to stuff him back in there soon but it may prove challenging as he "borrowed" a bottle of viagra from my neighbor, Ray, and won't stop howling!

It's weird.

Anywow, Liz and I had a wonderful dinner at Ramblin' Jack's tonight and decided to be friends. Only friends. Which is always better. Though Slippery would disagree.

Wednesday, December 17, 2003

Another day bundling gifts and stuff at the UPS store. Perhaps I should change my email to: wrappingcowboy@hotmail.com. Get it-- wrapping? As in wrapping presents?

p.s. I might be getting sick, maybe. And why is my right butt-muscle spasming?!

Monday, December 15, 2003

The world is moving faster than I can keep up with. Saddam, etc. A lot of hard-ons about that. "He didn't even put up a fight". I'm waiting for some straight-up hand-to-hand combat with Dick Cheney before I really start getting delirious though. Who'd win?! What about Osama vs. Reagan-- that would be tragi-comic 'cause Bin Laden's on dialysis or something and Ronnie's got Alzheimer's.

Cynicism aside, I've been burning the candle at both ends lately. I played a show last night and worked ten hours today with barely a break. The boss said it was the busiest day in twelve years at the UPS store. This whole week should start tapering off, but maybe not until Wednesday.

Saturday, December 13, 2003

It's 4:29 am and I am listening to The Harder They Come soundtrack. There's a party goin' on and here I am on the computer. I love computers.

Friday, December 12, 2003

I have the weekend off! Today, at work, the computer system broke down. There was mayhem. One customer threatened to sue our boss for a heart-attack she had after visiting our store. Now I'm at Liz's listening to The Police and eating chilli.

Thursday, December 11, 2003

I remembered a couple of my other favorite cds-- Joni Mitchell's Blue, Prince's Purple Rain, Randy Travis' Wind in the Wire, Ferron's Tesitimony, LL Cool J's Mama Said Knock You Out and Radio, Stevie Wonder's Innervisions, and anything by Mary J. Blige, Angie Stone, or Musiq. Half of everything by Hank Williams, Beat Happening, Lauryn Hill, and Eminem, and two-fifths of everything by Woody Guthrie, Jonathan Richman, and Greg Brown. I've only scratched the surface... (I'm not mentioning my friends, except for Bret and Calvin from Beat Happening).

I received a call yesterday from Dick at the UPS store who wanted me to come in and start work immediately. I'd checked back last week and they said I was out of luck for this holiday season, so I was surprised to get the call. I'd already told my friend Ben I'd help him move stuff for the Children's Museum yesterday, so I had to wait until today to start with UPS. I haven't asked how much they pay yet because I'm afraid to find out; I'm bracing myself for something under $8/hr. My job is helping customers which is challenging since I know nothing of this type of work; plus the lines are long and impatient. I'm quickly learning how to operate a till, a touch-sensitive computer-screen, and a credit card machine. I have to pack boxes for customers, put away mail, send faxes, and keep the store stocked with envelopes, etc. My head aches a little. I originally thought I'd be packing packages into a truck or something-- not customer service! Oh well, I like stretching my brain out now and then and hopefully I'll catch up with last month's rent. For better or worse the job ends in eight days.

I shaved my mustache today but the evil mutton-chops remain. I look like Wolverine, from X-Men.

Tuesday, December 09, 2003

The last two nights I've taken solitary baths in the basement, claw-foot bathtub. I turn out the lights and listen to Jeff Buckley's Grace album. Grace and D'Angelo's Voodoo are the two albums that I can listen to hundreds of times and never get sick of; they get better. I want to record an album like that someday. The Soul Stirrers with Sam Cooke and Blood on the Tracks (Dylan) rank just as high, but I haven't been listening to those ones lately. Play me anything by Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, Bob Marley's Kaya or Michael Jackson's Off the Wall and I'm happy as a bug in a tub.

The Portland trip got cancelled yesterday. I think we'll go Thursday instead. Instead I watched Peter Seller's The Bobo, with Andras, which is now my new, most favorite movie ever. It's about a smooth-talkin' singing matador.

I earned $115 today, chopping up trees for Greg.

Monday, December 08, 2003

Does anyone know the difference between a "diamond cd-r" and a regular cd-r? I'm about to bulk order 500 cd-r's and want to make sure that they're of highest quality. Some say 24X80, or 40X80, etc. What does it all mean?

Last night I watched Super Troopers with Liz. It's funny.

Today I'm driving to Portland with Andras to meet a big-shot record producer.

Sunday, December 07, 2003

Another wild weekend comes to a close. It started Friday at the "Wine and Chocolate Decadence Party" where I raved 'til 3 am. Yesterday was the big ABC House show. Chad and I rocked our best set yet. My friend Earl's friend, Daniel (from North Hampton), played, too, and afterwards he and I went downtown and shot pool at the East Side Tavern until closing time. Now, he and I are good pals. I'm wearing his band's shirt right now, which is called S.H.Ar.Q. Daniel is on a mega-U.S.-tour around the perimeter of the mainland and he's headed to Portland now.

Yesterday I met with a friend who is phasing out his music career and deciding to try his hand at artist management and booking. He's interested is trying me out as his first client. He feels that he has a good bead on what needs to happen to launch my career. As of now a manager-deal would stand at this-- he will get 15% of my profits as long as he is managing me. This includes shows, merchandise sales, etc. If at some point he finds me a more qualified manager who could make my career even more successful and I agree then he would continue to get 5% of my profits for up to ten more years after we end our partnership, if I decide to stay with the new manager who he sets me up with. I now need to do some research to find out if this is standard procedure. If anyone has any experience here, please share it. I've known him for ten years now and believe strongly in his integrity. Obviously, I need someone's help and with his particular expertise and guidance it's not hard to imagine that by next year this time I'll be touring steadily and making up to $1000 per gig. Another of his ideas is to re-record my best songs over the years and have a top-notch, career-defining album to peddle by spring of 2005. My life as a professional musician has a shot at shifting into overdrive within the next six-months. Am I ready? Yes, I think... better than the dance I'm doing now.

And finally, this from Canton, Ohio: "You rock, man and so does your new cd. Holy shit - Ben and I love it! As a matter of fact, I gotta say, it's one of your best yet..." R.B. She's referring, of course, to A Year in the Life of Slippery Goodstuff! Don't procrastinate people-- this cd is fresh, and you must hear it before it's too late. The holiday season will be over in the blink of an eye. Put down your egg nog, I say, and send your loose change to the sandiest rappin' cowboy west of the continental divide. (Scroll down to the November 12th entry for more info). Click here for mailing-address.

Thursday, December 04, 2003

I have upset at least two people by putting their private thoughts in this journal for all to read. I will quit this bad habit. Sorry. As for my biggest bad habit of all I returned to the poker tables, after three weeks, to play in the Third Annual Martin Apartments Poker Tournament. It's a Texas Hold 'Em freeze-out game. It lasted seven hours and when all was said and done I reigned supreme. Due to borrowing money from others to play (on the agreement that they'd get a percentage of the potential winnings) my profit was only $75. In other circumstances my profits could have been up to $150. My goal is to now phase out this past-time and spend Wednesday nights doing something better with my time.

Wednesday, December 03, 2003

I'll be playing a show this Saturday at my house with other bands (see homepage). Show starts at 8 pm... or so. You are invited!

Tuesday, December 02, 2003

My friend David gave me some work this morning doing janitorial duties at the Martin Apartments which he manages. I earned $25 for two hours of work and then spent the afternoon with my other pal, Jonah, looking for stamps and ink to apply to our respective cdr's that we are manufacturing. As of yet, I've been handwriting "Slippery Goodstuff"/ "Sandman" on the discs with a red sharpie. Hopefully, now, they will look better. The design(s) I've chosen will be a mystery...

I send my love to you all. I know that cookies or money would be better, but love is really all you need. Which reminds me... why has the song "Nowhere Man" been stuck in my head for the last twelve hours? I'm not even a Beatles fan. Which triggers another random anectdote: Apparently Bob Dylan recently called a friend of mine and asked her to be on his new cd. She hung up on him, thinking it was a joke, until he called back and explained that he was sincere. She is a great blues guitarist from Houston and her name is Carolyn Wonderland.

Monday, December 01, 2003

My mom emailed me a description of a dream she just had:

"I had a dream Thanksgiving night about finding that I owned a huge pile of beautiful multi-colored sand. The color orange predominated, but the sandpile radiated many colors. As I looked at it, I felt content and happy. I was also puzzled, because I knew the pile was too heavy to move anywhere; I knew it would have to stay where it was... As I contemplated it, I knew it was right for me. I removed a beautiful orange, gold-embroidered cloth that lay on it... But the sand was serenely beautiful even without the cloth, and I knew it belonged with me and I with it."

As for me I dreamed that Yogi Berra, the ancient ex-Yankees catcher, sent me a package of old stuff he'd been storing in his attic. Everything was dusty and his handwriting was difficult to read which made him that much more endearing.
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My rent is now two months overdue so I hope I get a job immediately. UPS let me know they won't be needing me. The brewery was closed today but they remain my best hope. This all weighs heavily on me. December settles in. In the Spring I bet I will be singing like a meadow lark, but now I grumble like a bear.