Renewed Love for Jazz

I am addicted to iTunes.

There: I said it. The first step toward recovery is admitting ones' addictions. I have many addictions, but iTunes is, by far, the most severe right now. For a while, I was addicted to World of Warcraft, buying woodworking tools, flying airplanes, but these addictions have mostly subsided. Of course, as we all know, addictions don't disappear, but they do recede and fade. I don't think my addiction to iTunes will fade quickly. There's just too much music out there that needs to be explored, and now that I'm not working 70 hour weeks, I have way too much idle time on my hands--a dangerous thing for any confessed (or otherwise) addict.

Right now, I'm listening to some truly outstanding jazz of Scandinavian origin (Denmark, Sweden, etc.); artists such as E.S.T., People Are Machines, Phronesis, Jazz Kamikaze, and others. Who knew that Scandinavia would be an exporter of awesome, straight-up and honest jazz? I should have known: I was intimately involved in the NYC jazz scene in the 90s; I just kind of lost touch. But my interest has gone from practically dormant to "on fire" in just about no time at all. This new-found interest in an old love has also awakened other feelings.

I have spent too much work time reminiscing about my musical past and thinking about ways in which I can once again make music and play. Sadly, I'm just not up to the task physically anymore (damn arthritis). This is a shame, for I was once a very good drummer and an excellent dog-house bass player. I would love to take up bass again, but I have way too many instruments as it is, and I think that if I were to come home with a new bass, or worse, a drum set, Emily would make me move into my workshop with the spiders. (Don't worry honey, I won't entertain that fantasy.) She's lucky, though, because more often than not these days, men my age are usually interested in re-living their 20s by buying fast red cars, and hooking up with loose young women. A bass or a drum set is hardly threatening when you think about it!

That's all for now. Back to iTunes surfing and daydreaming about jazz.

Peace.

~David

Monday

I am so glad today is over!  It means I am one day closer to the coming weekend, and that makes me happy.

I am sitting here watching this weeks new episode of Dirty Jobs and Mike Rowe is getting ready to castrate a horse.  Eeep!

Time to grab some hot chocolate...

~Emily

Ever So Happy To Be Home!

We are home safe and sound.  We had a really pretty drive home-the weather cooperated with us and let us see all the various mountains on our drive back.  We arrived home to a very happy to see us cat.  She scolded us pretty good with a series of very sad, mournful meows but we made up in no time.  I think she'll be happy to get back into our normal routine (even though David and I will be bummed about the return to work).

My David is the bestest David in the world.  He came and suffered through this weekend with me.  It was really nice to have him there, he was a support I very much needed even though it may not have seemed that way.  I don't think I could have handled/survived the weekend without him and I very much appreciate that he gave up his time to come be with/near me.  I'll figure out a way to make it up to him I am sure.

So here it is, Sunday night and I don't want to go to bed because it means Monday morning will arrive.  I like to do what ever I can to delay/postpone the inevitable, but I realize it is still going to happen.  I should try to go to bed at a decent time, but I am stubborn and I am going to stay up and watch The Soprano's.   

Hopefully tomorrow will not be too painful. 

~Emily 

Almost Home

So the work part of my weekend is over.  Today was the last day of our retreat.  All that remains is the group dinner at La Rosa, and then tomorrow morning we will be heading back home to our dreamy bed and our fuzzy cat.  I miss that fuzzy cat.

The meetings have been good, and I'm glad I was able to be a part of them this year.  I feel like I came away with a better knowledge of what needs to be done moving forward, and some things that I would like to do/work on to help the firm progress technologically.  Last night we had a group dinner at Merenda.  It was First Friday in Bend (all the business were open and doing everything they could to draw people in, there was local art and music around every corner) so down town was kind of crowded.  The dinner was very good.  There was good wine, and yummy chocolate cake at the end.  I'm sure tonight will be fun, there is a margarita (or two) in my future.

~Emily

Where Are We Now?

David and I are just the busy little travelers.  Just as we recover from our whirlwind trip to Nebraska we find ourselves in Bend.  I have a work related function here the next few days and David kindly agreed to accompany me.  We are staying at the lovely Mt. Bachelor Village Resort.  Puppy is staying home and holding down the fort for us while we are away.  We just had a find Bacon Blue Cheese burger at the Deschutes Brewery and now as I digest my lovely meal I am thinking about the cookies we brought.  I am such a chocoholic!  Tomorrow means an all day meeting, but at least I get to enjoy my evening with my sweetie.

~Emily

Mmmmmm

I love Jamba Juice!  One finally opened near our house and we just visited it for the first time this afternoon.  Mango-a-go-go makes me happy!  Thank you my David for taking me! ;)

~Emily

So... ?

Sew buttons on your underwear, as my Grandma Hermann used to say. In other words, I don't really have all that much to say, but my far better half was chiding me for not posting, so...

I have really been enjoying my time off. This is only the second time I've had this much time off, and it's the first time I haven't felt guilty about it. I really haven't had a single lingering thought about work, and I don't imagine I will until Sunday night. I haven't even had a single urge to log in and read email. Doing so would mean having to boot my hateful Winblows machine; and why would I do that when I have this pretty silver MacBook to play with?

So what have I accomplished? Well, I visited Emily's Nebraska kin and had a great time (modulo the tornado scare, but you can read more about that below); I played some WoW--nothing significant, just some fooling about; with Emily's help, I hung one of the four cabinets I purchased for my violin-making workshop; and I did a whole lot of nothing--blessed, sweet, nothing. :) I am a man at peace.

Tomorrow might be a bit more productive. I need to get my truck detailed (yes, I'm lazy, get over it), and I need to finish hanging the remaining three cabinets. I'm sure I'll squeeze a nap (or two) into that hectic schedule. :)

Peace.

~David