Notes_Norton

The 4 basic food groups that the government taught to the children long ago are wrong. Here is the correction: The four basic food groups Coffee (or tea) because life does not really exist before this beverage Chocolate Becan All other foods fall into this category. There you have it. Try to eat from all 4 basic food groups every day to live a happy life.

Kiss Me Deadly - Lita Ford

Here is another very different take on a classic song by my favorite jazz vocalist: Eleanor Rigby - Mark Murphy

Leilani and I have self-imposed dietary restrictions. It's an anti-inflammatory diet and it's very low in sugars, carbohydrates and foods with high arachidonic acid. Before the diet my inherited bursitis was so bad I couldn't walk 2 blocks without sitting and resting and I couldn't drive for more than 15 minutes or so without an ice pack on my hip. Now I walk 4 miles a day with zero pain and driving for hours doesn't bother me at all. It's worked just as well for a sports injury in my hand where arthritis set in. It's not an easy diet to follow, but it's better than being in pain or taking drugs which for these conditions have unfortunate side-effects. I got the diet from a doctor who told me to try it before resorting to anything else and it works. Notes PS as a side effect, I never get sick. This year I went off diet when I was in Vienna for a week, ate a bunch of desserts. I must have caught a cold on the plane. A few days later I got a cold that consisted of; one day runny nose, one day mild cough. That was it. I think the last time I caught anything was 15-20 years ago. I read something in Scientific American a few years ago explaining why, but I really don't remember exactly what it was. It's about some immune system cells that reside in your mucus membranes that inflammatory foods, especially sugars and starches suppress.

"Back In The Saddle Again" - Gene Autry

But not the pork barrel as long as it's full of becan

True, and if you are a happy sort, it'll buy you a lot of fun!

A company called Clarion offers instrument insurance - of course it's late for that - but for next time perhaps. https://www.clarionins.com/

As they say, money doesn't buy happiness, but then it doesn't buy unhappiness either. The two are neither mutually inclusive nor mutually exclusive. There are happy rich and unhappy rich, happy poor and unhappy poor. I suppose if I didn't make enough money to scratch out a living, the lack of it would make life unhappy, but I've always managed to get by. Back when I was in a group that was the warm up band for headliners in concert and they were negotiating us for a record deal I had a lot of money, and I was happy. When the deal fell through, the band broke up, and I went back to working night clubs I was still happy. When I was a field engineer working for a manufacturer of Cable TV equipment, the money was excellent, I had a company car, and only worked 3 days a week, but I wasn't happy. I could do the job but didn't like the way the company was run and therefore the situations they placed me in to do my job. Fortunately I could still gig on the weekends, and after a few years when the lay-off/downsizing came around, I was in the first group to go. I went back to playing music full time for a living and never looked back. I'm living life on my own terms. Nobody is telling me what to do. I don't punch a clock. In other words, I'm free. I accept the gigs that I want, and turn down ones I don't. When I book a gig, I have to show up, but that's not bad because I want to show up - can't wait to get on stage and play. I live by my good business decisions and hopefully learn from bad decisions. I get to play music and make a decent living at it. I'd make more if I was still with the CATV company, but I wouldn't be as successful in life. You spend the majority of your waking hours at work. If you do at work what you would do for free, you are a lucky person. I'm lucky that way. I'm of retirement age, but I have no plans to retire. Gigging is the most fun I can have with my clothes on. Some people wake up to an alarm and say "I have to go to work today". I wake up when I want and say, "I GET to go to work this evening!!!" and that is a big difference. As far as I'm concerned, life is too short to be in the "I HAVE to go to work today" group. Add to that I'm married to my best friend who is a fantastic singer and my duo mate. We could spend 24/7/365 together and it wouldn't be enough. I'm a very, very lucky man. Some people define success differently, but this works for me. Notes

Well it looks like Christina has a theme going Christina Aguilera - The Beautiful People (from the Burlesque soundtrack)

Definitely, and be sure to eat it in a grilled cheese sandwich.

Lunch in a grilled cheese sandwich sounds good to me.

IMO, that's success.

Craig, I wouldn't want to be in Chicago today either, I think Key West would be better. The Weather Is Here, Wish You Were Beautiful - Jimmy Buffett

I know it's only an outside chance: Cruise pawn shops, if you see your gear there, don't say anything, step outside and call the police. You'll get that gear back, and with a surprise visit perhaps the police can find out who pawned it.

I was in a hired horn section for a band called "Becen And The Shells". But that had nothing to do with Becan. It's not just for breakfast anymore.

I am a career musician - I never grew up. I am a successful musician - I guess that's rare. The mortgage is paid off and I take vacations every year, but that's not a measure of success. This is: I get up in the morning and go to be at night; In between I do what I want to do. That's success. Notes

"Wishing You Were Here" - Chicago

Surfin' Bird - The Trashmen Consistently on the list of the top 10 worst rock and roll songs ever recorded. We actually do this as a goof if the crowd is right and it goes over well. And after all, seagulls are birds that have a food connection with the surf.

I've never been bothered by being weird. I always thought it came with the territory of being a full-time musician. Or perhaps the other way around.

I’d Rather Not - Emeli Sande

That's tragic Keni. I hope they find the thieves and you get your gear back. Notes

I told you I was weird :D

Barroom Hero - Dropkick Murphys

That will be difficult to un-see. Dream On - Postmodern Jukebox ft. Morgan James