Notes_Norton

I did a pool party this afternoon. It was way too windy so I need something soothing to listen to.

"Kissin' Cousins" - Elvis Presley (No need for a video on this one. Elvis was a great singer, but this wasn't one of his best IMHO)

He/She will lose insight.

Just don't pick your azz

Roof is too tall - and made of the wrong material. It's not well built for a 'cane area. But it is very picturesque. It looks like a hobbit could live there.

Cousin Kevin - The Who

How to make a living playing music: 1. Play what the people want to hear 2. Pace the audience. Play the right songs at the right time so the audience has the best possible experience 3. Play at the volume that is appropriate for the gig 4. Never-ever, cancel, call in sick, show up late, or take long breaks - the show must go on 5. If the place is jumping play a little extra, skip a break, and even play a little late if it's OK with the owner 6. Play for the house or the entertainment purchaser. Put yourself in his/her shoes and do what you would want the band to do if you hired the band 7. Dress appropriately and be friendly and easy to work with 8. Do your best whether there is 1 customer or 10,000, and always strive to be better than your competition This has worked for me since 1964. I've never been out of work unless I was between bands or turning down gigs for my annual vacation. Insights and incites by Notes

Oh, don't harp on us S.L.I.P.

If it's well built, it should withstand a hurricane.

I have some battered cables :D

A few heavy roof tiles cracked and a scratched storm awning where part of the Mango tree hit the house. It was a CBS (Cement Brick Steel reinforced) house, built in the 1950s, before the developers bribed the commissioners to water down the building codes (to increase their profits). We lived 26 feet above sea level, and inland about 1/2 mile from the ocean, so the storm surge wouldn't get is. Water is often a bigger problem than the wind. The big problem with hurricanes are (1) building codes that are not sufficient to stand up to a cat 3 storm (2) too many northerners living on reclaimed swampland which will flood during a hurricane. And the human factors. (1) not buying storm awnings, shutters, or panels and having to rely on plywood -- if you can get it at the last minute (2) not preparing the property for a storm. I've been in a dozen hurricanes and have never been more than inconvenienced by them. Of course that's no guarantee of the future. The Climate Crisis is breeding stronger than ever storms. My current house is 32' above sea level and was built in 1950. I have storm awnings and panels, and will probably ride out the next one here too. Insights and incites by Notes

Some of us "Emily Post" rebels already do. I must admit, the European style is far superior.

This fred would have to include Hello, Goodbye - Beatles

If something in the rig isn't working: Rule #1 - it's always the cable.

Jeff Beck - Live At Ronnie Scott's The cameraman must have been a guitarist because when Jeff does something super-human the camera is in the right place at the right time. This video convinced me that Jeff is the rock guitarist with the most awesome technical chops living today.

"It's So Easy" - Buddy Holly & The Crickets

We get the occasional hurricane. When I was a child I was in one with gusts over 200 mph but other than some minor exterior damage we were OK. Notes

When the vast majority of climate scientists say if we didn't start it we are "throwing gasoline on the fire" and scientists have been caught taking multi-million dollar bribes to deny that we are the problem, and you choose to believe the deniers, what else can I say? My dad was a printer and got an order for one of those inspirational posters you see in some businesses. This one said: My mind is already made up Don't confuse me with the facts. Choose: 1) The world's scientists are in a conspiracy with no profit gain for that conspiracy 2) The fossil fuel companies are in a conspiracy with trillions of dollars profit to gain from that cospiracy I think it's only logical to come up with the right answer. Notes

"The Waters Of March" - Mark Murphy (an Antonio Carlos Jobim song sung by many)

"Fire Down Below" - Bob Seger

Probably not. Because enough people won't do it. But that's no reason not to try.

The way I figure it is this: If 97% of the peer-reviewed, published climatologists in the world, from over 100 different countries that don't speak the same language, don't have the same political philosophy, and are ever economic rivals agree that humans are either the cause or are greatly accelerating the climate crisis, plus when a couple of the peer-reviewed climatologists have been caught taking $2 million bribes each from the oil companies, it's a good bet we are the problem. That's better odds than a lot of other things we bet our lives and livelihoods on. Anyone can call themselves a scientist and come up with all kinds of "alternative facts" but if they aren't published and peer reviewed they aren't worth anything. Peer review is the evidence of the concept. Sometimes it's best to err on the side of caution. Besides, in this overly polluted world, it just makes sense to pollute less. And the way I figure it is that if enough people do a little bit each, the impact will be a lot. Insights and incites by Notes

"Goin' Down Slow" - blues standard by St. Louis Jimmy Oden And covered by hundreds of others

Anytime. I have the most fun job in the world. I get on stage with my wife/best-friend who is a great singer and a good guitar and synth player. I play sax, wind synth, guitar, flute and sing to tracks that I make myself (I also play bass, drums and keys). Then we play popular music to the yacht club / country club / resort / and retirement development crowds. They dance, sing with us, play along with our corny running gags, come up and hug us, tell us about their lives, and send tons of love our way. Now I know I'm not playing "art music" but it's still a lot of fun. I look at the pop music I play as the 'junk food of music'. It may not be very nutritious but it sure is a lot of fun to play. It's like potato chips for the ears. I moved into this market from the singles bars as DJs took control of the youth market and bars started paring down their entertainment budgets. An older musician said to me that once I go into the adult market, you'll never turn back. He was right. Now I'm the older musician. Not that there isn't work involved. Every night is a one-nighter so there is a lot of gear schlepping. But people pay big money to go to the gym to lift heavy things. I have my own weights (PA speakers). We consistently have to learn new songs, but although it is time consuming and sometimes frustrating, especially since I make my own backing tracks, it's not really work. And when the track turns out well, it's a delight to play on top of it. The worst part of this job is being the "band salesman", but we've been a duo since 1985 and we have so many repeat customers, I haven't done a cold call in decades. I'm not a wage slave to some faceless corporation. I don't take orders from anyone. I live by my good decisions and hopefully learn by my bad ones. I wake up in the morning, go to bed at night, and in between do what I want to do. In other words, I'm free. I guess I'm livin' the dream. Insights and incites by Notes