We are not here to earn God's love, we are here to spend it!
No, I have not kept up very well with this blog. I’ve been kinda busy. Ubering more hours than I’d like, trying to find the hours most likely to make money. Trying to get ready for my wedding/handfasting to the most wonderful woman in the world. Missing article deadlines. Working things out.
Know that all is well. We’re getting married on the 27th.
Hugs,
Me
OK, based on my belief that my Passport Card will be here somewhere around the first week of October, and my belief that I need to earn my October money driving Uber, I have scheduled my trip to Canada to pick up my sweetheart, Suzanne, to begin October 25. I will take no more than 6 days, perhaps 5. No time for sightseeing, as I will have to do something or get someone to take care of my cats and will need to get back to work when I get back.
The trip is 19 hours of driving, plus stops for food, drink, peeing, and probably an overnight each way, and the holdup at the border each direction. From Blaine TN to Green Hill (aka Stanley Parish) New Brunswick. At least one night in Green Hill, so her father knows I’m not a serial killer, maybe two, and then the trip back, this time with company.
Capisce?
Things have been very odd around here. Issues with my cousin, my housing, my music, my job, pretty much everything. The waters are smoothing.
I still don’t know what’s going on with my cousin, it seems once a week she calls and leaves a screaming message on my phone that she will be leaving town “tomorrow”. So far as I know, it hasn’t happened yet. I hate that I had to pull away from her totally to preserve my own sanity, and I have also been incredibly ill from tree pollen and a resulting infection.
The illness caused me to badly underperform on my job, and I got written up for the first time in 3 years (on a major issue). But my client is more sympathetic than ever and I appear to have the support of his family.
And it’s hard to sing when you can barely breathe without coughing up a lung. But sing I will. My monthly housefilk was postponed a week — seems the major players forgot to get it on their schedule, and a week later worked better for all of us. So that will be this Saturday. Yay!
I won’t say anything about the housing issue at this time. There is a chance I may need to move, and a chance I may not. Lots of details need to be worked out first on either side. The upshot is an improvement (I think) in my financial situation, and enough in savings that I may not need to ask for help from family in the near future. Of course, the best laid mice and men seem to get other plans… or something like that…
My next performance is scheduled for ConCarolinas in June. I hope I’m in reasonably good shape by then. With the help of my friend Emmie I have found some strings which might make Arthur of the Wood sound better. I have also parted ways with Blue and Disciple (got paid for Disciple and will miss him) and have finally listed some of my extra electronic doodads for sale on eBay.
I hope everyone’s life is calm and that you are getting what you need from the Universe.
Hugs,
Me
Well, GAFilk is over for another year. I had a terrific time as I always do (that’s why I keep going, y’all) but it’s over. I have no concrete plans for any other cons this year, although there are 3 cons I’m considering (ConCarolinas, OVFF, and Chambanacon, if you’re curious) depending on funds (of which I have virtually none and have run up too much credit card debt).
Even so, I have a high point every year to look forward to, and it’s not all that expensive ($50 or less for the con, $35 for the banquet, half a hotel room, and some food and parking money). I even wrote a new song this year (not a cheerful one, sadly) and got to perform it.
There were around 160 people this year, and I know and love probably half of that number and would say the same about the other half if I took the time to get to know them. It can also be said that, of the people I know and love and/or respect, 80% of them were or had been in that room this year and/or one of the previous four.
Only 51 weeks to go…
Apparently my position is being eliminated on the 21st of this month, although the company claims they have other positions for me. Until they offer one, I have no idea how that will work out, so it’s a bit itchy.
I don’t believe I mentioned that my new coffeepot (42-cup Hamilton Beach percolator) stopped perking after only 10 weeks and they are dragging their feet replacing it even though they have already charged me for the shipping cost. So, no coffee, have to go to Pilot for a while. Which saves me money on gas…
Hugs,
Me
2015 has been a great year for me. I have a new, permanent home, a new purpose, a new confidence. My role in my Family has grown, as has my role in my various outside activities, helping the homeless and ministering to prisoners and my position as a bard.
I suppose the downside was my burgeoning debt. Some of that debt was incurred to fund my future; some of it was to move, or to fill the needs presented by the new house. Some of it, admittedly, was from poor decisions, not sure if I’ll ever completely get rid of those. 2016 is when I pay for that. So long as I keep my job, this should not be an issue. Aum shrim Mahalaxmiyei svaha!
I’m not really making any resolutions for the new year, other than to consolidate and grow the seeds already planted (and shrink the debt). This will be a very organic year for me, probably won’t be a whole lot for me to report upon other than road signs.
Blessings on all your endeavors!
Hugs,
Me
I just got my last utility bill from Blaine. I have no idea when or if they will refund my deposit but at least I will be totally paid on my end. I got one deposit back and another has promised to send it the first week of September. So I’m starting on the road to financial recovery… moving is expensive, more so when you have to keep two residences going for a couple months.
I have a job interview on Monday for a position which might be in Newport.
Going over to Emmie’s today to play with musical electronics (PA).
I have another performance scheduled at Hemlock Hollow in two weeks. Have also been booked for Wolfstock in October. Nothing on the convention side of things until GAFilk in January. I hope I can get to at least one more convention next year, with my eye on ConCarolinas and Chambanacon (aka Ironicon).
I haven’t spent nearly enough time on the trails here. Part of it has been the heat — while it hasn’t been ridiculous compared to other places, we have had several times more 90-degree-plus days than is usual. I’m expecting a very cold winter…
Have I mentioned that I’ve been reading the Demon Squad series by Tim Marquitz? This has been an exceptionally good potboiler, in my mind as good as the Garrett P.I. series and the Nightside books. The problem with pageturner books is you get done and there isn’t another book… I’m on Book 8 and he just published Book 9 last week.
Hugs,
Me
Auntie Em has a friend up in Johnson City who is fighting prostate cancer. He appears to be winning. But he misses his drums. He used to be a drummer in various bands, rock and other, and has not had a drum kit for 15 years. Emmy set out to fix that, and contacted all of the people she knows who know Bobby G.
Yesterday, Ken loaded all the drum kit parts they had acquired — a reasonably full drum kit sans cymbals — and picked me up, driving first to Greeneville to pick up a donated bass drum foot pedal (which was indeed primo), and then to Johnson City to present Bobby G with his birthday present (turned 64 on Friday).
You have never seen a happier man. We then got him in the truck and went to a large music store in JC and got a super deal on a high hat (cymbal kit). It, too, was super, and Bobby had a great time putting it together. As of yesterday evening we have promises of donations of the larger cymbals and stands. We also took him to his favorite Cracker Barrel for a birthday lunch.
Emmy’s friend Gary came over with a couple guitars and an amp, and Emmy and I had each brought one, and we provided some music and fun to get Bobby something to drum with. A fine time was had by all.
The power of music.
Hugs,
Me
I’m all moved in at Sojourn, other than the usual unpacking issues. It feels to good to be here.
I need to go back to Blaine to pick Sky up on the 4th and take her to get the moving truck she has rented. Last I heard, her plans are to go to Dayton OH and try to rent an apartment when she gets there.
Now I just have to wait for my deposits to come in so I can catch up on my credit a little. The move has been hard on my finances, as moves usually are. Melanie’s song, “What do I keep, what do I throw away?” forgets the bit about “What do I have to buy to fit my new circumstances.”
I talked to John Noggle last night. He’s in his 3rd week of chemo, something he said previously he was going to avoid. I hope it helps, he has let this go for a long time.
My cousin Maria called last night (actually twice, and both times she was interrupted by a call from her mother). It sounds like she will finally get her way and move to Japan next month, I think she said the 24th. I hope she is safe and happy there.
I have to get my articles in for Peppermint and Sage soon, and learn a new song for Harvest Festival as well as plan a workshop. So I’m busy.
And very happy.
Hugs,
Me
Some of you already know this. I have been in transition with housing, moving to Sojourn, a cabin and a livelihood in Dandridge, TN, where I will steward the new growth of Triad Bardic College. This left my temporary housemate, Skycladlilith SaintMartha, in a tight spot, as she needs a place to go or a new housemate, but she knew it was coming eventually and I gave her lots of notice (and donated some of my things to her so that she might have a bit more money – by selling them – to take care of stuff).
I am mostly at Sojourn now. We held a dedication of the site a week ago, to much joy and revelry. We moved most of my furniture (except one bookcase and the stuff being left behind) yesterday. I still have a lot of unpacking to do, and I still have a lot of stuff in Blaine to move (mostly books, and then cleaning up the place).
This could, and by design should, be my last move. I have a smallish cabin, with about 7 acres of woods with walking trails. I will be hosting Triad events here every month or four, and doing teaching from here. The site is also a beautiful place for people to get married, and we have lots of clergy from a variety of spiritual traditions available for the purpose.
As for my own music, I promise to finally get my CD published (as a physical object — the music is for sale in downloadable MP3s now). I have purchased a new guitar, which is beautiful and sounds wonderful and has a pickup so I can play more venues. I expect to be playing at many events in 2016, starting with my annual trip to Atlanta in early January.
I got a new job a few months ago; this move more than halves my driving distance. It also puts me within 4 miles of my closest friends, who are now also my landlords. I have a friend in White Pine I’ve been wanting to spend time with, and that is now only 11 miles away.
As for my personal romantic life, it’s still me and Nan, and Nan is still in Hendersonville NC and unable to leave there at the present time or foreseeable future. It has been this way for a long time. I can live with it, and also wonder how I could shoehorn her into this cabin.
So that’s about it. My health has been all right, although when I cast myself far afield for Gatherings I have not been well. A lot of that is stress, a lot of that is “sun poisoning” (I *must* remember to take a hat), and perhaps some of it is as yet undiscovered.
Special hugs to my Family, and my family. My favorite cousins know who they are and know that I love them. I tend to love everyone who lets me, which has gotten me in a lot of trouble over the years but has helped me grow into what I am today, and I expect that growth to continue.
Blessings on you all.
Hugs,
Me
I’ve been given a new task, and have been spending all my non-work time working on a Facebook page and a website for Triad Bardic College… The website is http://triadbardic.org. Things are good and continue going well. The only thing I might complain about is actually someone else’s problem.