Encore!

I am the recipient of the "World's Lousiest Blog" award for the months of May and June, graciously donated by myself to myself. The award is for "excellence in apathy, lethargy, and procrastination, resulting in a lousy blog with a dwindling readership". I was too lazy to attend the ceremony and accept the award, so I accepted it on my behalf.

I have written so little these last two months, that something green and ugly began growing between the keys in my keyboard.

Something happens to me every spring, and it seems that every year it gets worse: It's the result of taking on too many commitments and responsibilities. When summer rolls around, and my schedule begins to open up, all I want to do is nothing.

At the turn of summer this year, I hit burnout. I often spend my [spare] evenings in front of the computer, hoping that the music that blares through my speakers will awaken something creative in my belly.

It hasn't been happening.

What has been happening, is a furious spending spree; all kinds of new cool gadgets now reside in my house, as I slowly and steadily build my recording studio in my basement. I could tell you about my purchase of eMagic's Logic software (now owned by Apple), or I could tell you about the large-diaphragm condenser microphone I purchased last week in Calgary. Furthermore, I could tell you about my new drum equipment, or the new notebook computer that will fuel my future mobile-recording business. But why should you be interested in those toys?

As for my super-hero-rock-star alter persona, and my illustrious teaching career, well, summer is here, and that means no students for two months, and no gigs for a while. As I have likely mentioned before, the Savoys take summers off, and honestly, I don't mind the break.

What I find interesting is how things come full-circle, and I realize the importance of never burning bridges once you have crossed them. After nearly seven years, I found myself being invited back to re-join ZanZee in a short-term reprise.

Yes, in four weeks time, I will be making music with the first band to take me across this beautiful country. Since Dave and Arleen spent a number of years playing the Cruise Liner circuit, I managed to lose touch with them, as you never know when they are back in town.

How happy I was when I heard from them a few weeks ago. Imagine how flattered I was when they asked me back to play August long weekend with them. One. More. Time.

And so what if its not going to be in Minnedosa this year? A gig is a gig. It doesn't make any difference if you play for 20 people or 20 thousand -- as long as the people you play for like the music you make.

So if you can stomach the Cecil Hotel on August Long Weekend, that is where you'll find me.