Guitar Circle Journals

My sense-of-date is still screwy. For at least the last two weeks I thought the end of the month was Monday.

Weird energy in the house today. The toddler has a major meltdown, possibly the most intense to date. A privilege is taken away, but he is given the opportunity to earn it back.To his credit, he does just that.

Both children became very tired and wanted to eat and nap an hour early. Who am I to argue?

A day off, helping a friend at a nearby chili cookoff. We did not win, but listened to The Dead, Them Crooked Vultures, Charlie Parker, Johnny Winter (1972 at the Royal Albert Hall), Zappa, etc. This brought some interest from the usual cowboy types, with their southwest and country music.

It was a beautiful sunny day, but windy and cool (low 40′s). The venue was outside at a VFW post, but they allowed smoking inside, so we stayed out of the warm until the winners were being announced (played a pinball machine for about 10 minutes waiting for them to begin, and I managed to get the ball stuck so bad that we had to tilt the machine at a 45º angle to get it out, 50 people watching with some interest to see waht these new guys were up to). It was an interesting mix of people in there: lots of bikers and biker chicks (denim and leather all over the place), cowboys and old veterans, and us two “hippies” (I am not quite old enough to be a hippie, but my friend is). I kept getting flirty compliments from the ladies about my multicolor knit cap (from the socklady, socklady.com), which was a little scary as their skull-and-crossbone wearing beaus were definitely not smiling about it. Luckily, I’m tall and big enough (and geeky enough) to be tolerated. The chili cookoff proceeds go to support six college scholarships (4 years of $1000 per year), anybody can apply from any state, no chili connection required or looked at; it’s good that there’s a good cause for what is in many respects just a rather large party.

A beautiful drive back home as the sun was going down, listening to more Zappa.

Watched videos with the still sick one and ministered to her. She is definitely near mended now, but her energy level will take several days to bounce back from this.

Saturday morning… let us give thanks for the absence of alarm clocks.

Some dithering about what to do. It is so cold. After sitting, then out to the pool and swimming, in the sun for some of the time, for it has come out.

Home, and amazingly packing manythings I might need into various pockets, preparing for my no baggage train journey.

On a bicycle up to the train station and just in time to get on the train to London. I have, in my possesion, 3 books, half a drumstick, earplugs, ipod, phone, paper, pencil, gloves, hat, passport, 2 eurostar tickets, 1 receipt for the concert tonight, and a tube of nivea and a toothbrush. And extra keys.

First part of the program, in sunny St Pancras with with ND, architect from the Bauhaus. We do coffee, we take a 91 to trafalgar Square, we hap upon a choral rehearsal at St Martin in the Fields, we cross the hungerford bridge, we sitt in the Southbank Centre, we catch some ambient music outside the Queen Elizabeth hall. During this time the sun has left, and night has fallen. And then I must sadly away.

Second part of the program.. beginning at Westminister tube with AB.. then we are looking for the St Johns Smith Sq church, for the concert of Gurdjieff music and piano.

I lose my scarf.

The concert is really good. There are in attendance about 5 GC people, including the founder, and then a whole slew of other people. The audience was very attentive.

I had never heard a violin played as the one that was played tonight.

Then, out into the cold cold night for a restaurant, finally in the pizza express.

It gets late, we get tired. Later I am on the District Line home; lots of drunk people.

Very cold.

Awake for nearly 8 hours, believing it was January 29. No harm done so far. The morning has been oriented towards family. In the late morning two of us head to the local music store. I will be lending my guitar to a friend next week, and I would like to clean and prepare it as best as I can. We are disappointed to find that it is no longer possible to play on the floor model drum kits. Even the piano department, which must have 50 or more instruments, has a touch-only-if-you-are-ready-to-purchase vibe. In a music store?

In the afternoon I do some work on the business of the future. In particular, my business and my future.

Up at 7:00-ish (the sick one in the house was coughing throughout the night, which woke me up several times). Showered, made coffee, headed up to Austin.

AT teacher training 8:3-12:30. Very good, but my arms and hands are tight from the previous two days of nonstop activity. At 12:30, I have a supervised lesson with one of my students. All of my students are progressing nicely; this one has much to overcome (had polio when a child) but even after 5 lessons, a noticeable shift is underway.

Drove straight to campus. Paperwork until a meeting at 3:30 that lasted until 5:00p, but I did get to put in a word for the CGT who have a good chance now of being one of the University’s invited artists for next year. But we’ll see, politics play heavy in this area.

Home at 6:00-ish. Tidied the house some, took care of the sick one, and watched a DVD I got for Xmas, with her. The series is “Rescue Me” and we’ve enjoyed it so far: good writing, covering both sides of drama.

I was meant to go to Rouen for 2 days with JF. But our journey got cancelled and yet it still seemed worthwhile to go there for 1 day all alone.

Swim in the morning… and almost miss the train.

A good day, beginning with a meeting, and then lunch and then the afternoon of trying to figure out just what the devil is going on in that place.

Back not too late, and then time for straightening up the place, awaiting AG for the guitar duo practice. We cover some ground.

We do EOTN, basic version.

It is very veyr cold…. I am reminded when, upon leaving, he turns, having passed through the open door, to tell me a funny tale. It is not that I don’t want to hear a funny tale, it is just that I would rather have heard it from him BEFORE he began the leaving phase of his movements.

With the door open the flat loses at least 10 degrees.

I didn’t have the heart to break his discourse… which seemed important.

An interesting blend of past, present and future: a friend I haven’t spoken with in 13 years has appeared and asked for feedback on some music; a call from Hell concerning plans for the upcoming week. Elsewhere, a heaping dose of nonsense, perhaps provided by the universe to encourage to move on in my career.

As I’m getting closer to the end of my trip, things are speeding up just like they do on a Guitar Craft course. I have been keeping a journal but have not had time to transfer the notes. What follows is the first three days as separate entries and probably finish the notes while on the plane. I will then post the remaining Journals on Feb 1 or 2.

Rise at 12:00 I thought it was about 9 or 10:00 what a surprise.

We have café Latte and Cornetto for Breakfast. Cornetto is like a little pastry somethng like a croissant.

So something happened today that for some reason  had a sense about. I had been talking to my cousn about my home situation and the difficult feelings I am dealing with. He took out a cigarrette. I said, “Give me one.” He resisted and said when did you stop smoking? I said, “1987”.  “But, why do you want to start again?”  I told him that I wanted a cigarette.  I said, “I know for sure that when I return to New York I will not smoke.”  So for now I am a smoker and loving every secod of it.

Next we go to Rome to see a special exhibit of drawings by Michelangelo.  Some of the drawings included some of the ideas he ws working on for the Sistine Chapel.  A great exhibit. There was also a portait of Michelalngelo.  We were there for three hours and by 4:00 I was getting tired . So was Franco so we went back home. Igot home and tok a two hour rest.

I was awakened in time for dinner. Gisa is a fabulous cook and everymeal is three course followed by espresso and after dinner drink. The two drinks are actually liquors one called Lemmoncello and the other called Mirto. Very soothing drinks.

After dinner I called two friends n America we spoke for a whie and had good conversation.

Again we were up until 12:00 talking and watching some videos. Franco’s daughter sings and plays guitar. They had a video of Vinci performing for a beneft fot Haiti. She sings Dylan, Joplin, Marley etc. She sings in English and has no accent. She does not speak or understand English. I asked her if she knew about the songs she was singing. She said a friend translated the meaning for her. She has a wonderful voice.

The other video was a performance with Franco. Last year Franco Joined a chours. He is a Tenor. Ths was a performance in a church. They sang music by Verdi, Bach and others. A good performance.

It is now 12:00PM and time for bed.

At 3:00 AM my cell phone rang twice. There was no message but it said it was coming from my former Abode. So I called.  Now because I am having some dificullty with one of my children the phone was picked up but then hung up. I tried a few times but no luck. I was a litle upset so I called my sister in MA and then my Friend Bob and thn My therapist. All had valuable things to say. I then became very hot and decided to go out. Now all of you that know me know that I never get cold. So I went out in my robe wth a pillow and fell asleep out side. They have a little park bench in the fron of the house. When I left I unlocked the door so I could get back in but with this door if don’t have the key the door is unlocked on the inside but is locked from the outside. I woke at 6:30 AM and I had to ring the doorbell. Gisa opened the door and became frightened to see me she was also upset that I was sleeping outside in my robe.  So far every body that sees me walking around in only my shirt has asked, “No Fredo?” (your not cold?) I say no and they can’t believe me. The weather here is about 35 degrees.

I get throught customs and get out side. I look for Franco and don’t see him. He arrives about five minutes later. We say hello and embrace.  We go for a cup of coffee and then drive to Roviano where he lives. This is a small town dating back to the early 1800’s on the outskirts of Rome.  I meet Gisa his wife and his two children Maria Vincenza (Vinci for short) and Marta. We say our hellos and embrace. We sit down for coffe and they ask about my trip.

Today we decided to stay home for the day so I could get aclameted We go into town to the post office to mail my ticket. Then we go for a walk in town. We stop at a pub and have a non alcoholic drink called Cordino – very nice. The wonderful thing about this town is that you walk around and everyone that passes says hello or wishes you well.

We go home for lunch.  We went back into town two more times today.

It’s time to go to bed and as I am falling over. I realize that I have been up for 48 hours straight except for the two naps on the plane.