Guitar Circle Journals

Oh, a busy day!

AT in Austin in the morning, after the sitting and job for the day.

Came back, practiced guitar for an hour. Then to a massage: huge insight into the jaw and shoulder blade connection from this.

Then a meeting with a student.

Then home to give an AT lesson to my practice student.

More guitar. And The Wife took me out to eat and to run a few errands. Home, exhausted, right after 9:00p. Crashed and slept immediately.

Since today is a meeting at the MIH, the morning is slightly less of a hassle. The weather is up. I join in the sitting at a distance and arrive at Convention in time to meet 2 of our meeting people in the street, as well as my colleague who has had my computer since Friday.

At lunch I eat a hot meal, and then walk to the Parc George Brassens. I did live in a flat near hear not that many years ago.

In the afternoon I have access to an office, and I can do some meetings there on the phone, and all is groovey.

And I leave not too late… for a meeting with the one and only, Mr Pedro.

And then home, picking up train tickets at the gare du nord and cycling the rest of the way.

Home, packing, and sorting stuff and then guitar. I am very tired.

The ongoing birthday celebrations continue, and hey – today is actually someone’s birthday!

I missed an opportunity yesterday morning when my body woke up. I recognized a certain kind of energy, but I did not actualize it. So it goes.

My mother left our home this morning, to return to her home.

The work day has been quite difficult – all manner of technical problems, and people have somehow learned to look to me to solve them. How did we come to this point?

I have been asked to make suggestions for a radio program that will feature Guitar Craft-related music. I pulled out several CDs to listen to, but I am not in the right head space. I cannot hear the Music right now. So, I listed some long-time favorites, and if there is time this week I will make some more suggestions.

A busy day.

Drove to Austin in the morning for AT teacher training. This went until 4:30p. Then i went over to a childhood friend’s house (she’s lived in Austin 12 years and this was our first meeting!) where I met other childhood friends. Hung out the the friends and the band True Margrit, with good food and good company. Got home late, and then completed my AAD commitments.

So the last few days I have been setting the alarm on my iph0ne and then leaving it in mute so I never heard it . I went out and invested in an alarm clock that has a space for an ipod. I set it once and t did not work. Time yo read the instructions.

Today was another good day. I asked YGT sto start our rehearsal early as I was going to spend time with Gaia and celebrate my Birthday.

We started our rehearsal and ran to 2:00.  We worked on Inside the Insides and foe some reason we were having a problem with it . We worked on this a while and then dropped it for today. We then worked on Roiling and The Reprieve. After a break we put together a set list for next saturday ad ran the set.  Rehearsal ends at 2:00.

Gaia had come over early. We sat and she gave me her presents, and then had birthday cake. Gaia told me that she made the cake and that Rena helped her decorate the cake. Te cake was a yummy banana cake filled with fruit filling  - yum.  We then went to the movies to see the wimpy kid, A very funny movie.  Next we went to Il Forno Restaurant. Gaia had Ravioli and I had a linguini with mussels, clams and lobster – excellent. Then dessert. A great dinner.  Back to our home to hang out for another hour and then took Gaia home at 9:00.

A great day.

London this morning was timeless; I heard the bells, alas there were only 4 in the tower, I bought milk from the newsagents, I hummed and hawed about what to leave and what to take.

A good breakfast with my mother and then quickly away. It is hot.

On the Eurostar, phone battery having run out. The future is unclear.

And then… I get to the end of the line and the future is waiting, in a rather heartlifting and very nice way. We have time for just a quick tea, and then each his/her own way. Mine is the rehearsal of Aquarela where I play caixa encima for a while and then later have dinner with the president.

On the way to the metro I see some friends in the alley. I bid my leave of them, although they entreat me to remain “We are going too!, in just 4 minutes,” but their activities are not in line with my current endeavour, AAD to Sassoferrato, and I feel it in a bigger than usual way.

Home, finally. There is the smell of 3 days absence, and I have a soar throat. Sleep at least.

Birthday celebrations continue, with lots of family around. The weather is sunny and warm and lovely.

Well, just another busy day. Thunder and rain at day break. Then a cold front blew in: a pretty day but cold and very very blustery.

Breakfast out with our departing houseguest (highschool friend of The Wife’s).

Then to the county Democratic caucus, which worked out well (my anniversary gift to The Wife had been to volunteer her as a caucus delegate! good for a laugh later!).

Checked out tiny texas houses site in Luling.

Had a juice dinner (celery, apple, and kale and orange; yum!)

Continuing to acknowledge the course work in Italy with my own work commitment. Guitar practice still remains, now 21:49.

I would have slept longer but the hairdresser put on the boombox at 8h30 and so it was, the day began. I groove around the flat, have tea, sitting, make calls, make plans, write 3 mails, and then play some guitar.

I have a date, as it were, near Waterloo, so go down there reading the fragment of Fragments, and with Guitar and Banjo, which I have been asked to bring for tonight.

We hang about the area, passing a portuguese restaurant where, perhaps, one day, a pagode… we eat in an Italian place, but my companion makes the mistake of ordering mussels. Who orders mussels in inexpensive restaurants? Why do people look for trouble. Anyway, she is, it would appear, a natural complainer. I coast along enjoying my soup and pasta. I even had a glass of wine, which was sort of a no-no given the course, but suddenly seemed like a yes-no, and delivered.

Later, I am crossing Blackfriars Bridge alone, and looking at “a bend in the Thames” under lowering sky and wind. And rain actually. I have trouble with the buses and manage to accidentally get to 7 sisters where the road to Pagode was clear, if long.

Tonight’s London pagode, the best so far, thanks in part to the presence of Bloco de Baliza from Madrid, and many other bods, and general good spirits after last night.

We still have no mic stand. We are still singing into a box.

But every time, it is a different box. Some have the chance to hold the mic like Frank did. Others, well, one other, is tied to a cavaquinho… talking to the box.

I again over stay the get out time, and end up looking for a ride south. I find a people actually the aunt of the president of the samba school in paris, heading to Chelsea. Well, this is good. The N22 goes right past. In fact, we over take it just before Sloane Square and wait for it 2 stops later. Beats Trafalgar square, but still got home at a late time.

It’s party day!

(11 hours later) Party day was a success!