Tipping My Hand or I don't want to be the best, I just want to illuminate.

Listening: Blues Brothers


It's my first day off in a week.  I got 2 nights of unexpected silence, which was nice, but otherwise every waking hour has been spent at work, or lugging gear and playing shows.  What a drag, right?  I know, I know, I could be starving in the street or have that "born without a face" disease.  All I'm saying is I had something strenuous to do nearly every hour this week, I finally got some rest, so I feel much better about everything in general.  Where do you get off judging?

First off, new business.  I joined the American Federation of Musicians AFL-CIO Local 802 this past Monday morning.  I have gathered there is a fair amount of polarized opinions about unions, especially around here on the East Coast, where the fight of the Labor Movement is written alongside the history of the country.  All's I know is that it's probably a good idea to have a group of (apparently) like-minded individuals behind me for advice or (legal) muscle in an unforgiving and tumultuous market.  So there's that.

That very Monday night, after work, J du Breukelen stopped by our place and informed me that somebody "connected" was interested in the cocktails for the Breukelen::Rebuilt art show, and by proxy interested in me. 

As my mother would say, "Don't think you have the job until your name is on the voicemail."

Opportunities are prospering on all fronts, it seems.  Even the basil in our window is growing.  Good spring.

The band business is challenging, and I am constantly rethinking my posture to music.  I have always, until this point, put music school out of my mind as a threat to the "fun" of playing, turning it instead to a chore. 

Interesting, but I suppose I'll never know unless I try.  Perhaps just some Juilard summer courses finished off with a nice cigar and Port.  Unless my idea of Juliard is totally skewed, I'm pretty sure cigars and Port are included in the tuition.

I do know I feel like I've hit a wall as a rhythm student, and am having a hard time breaking out of a claustrophobic mold.  Maybe that's something the 'boys at my Local can illuminate for me.

Also, I realize there may be a point in my life where I may have to choose (good gosh no!) between a Music Career and a Not Music Career.  I daydream of working for a respectable Spirits company which produces a high-caliber drink and all I have to do all day is meet people and talk about cocktails, flavor profiles and processes.
I would also accept guest-mixologist status, perhaps the Jacques Bezuidenhout of my eventual settling.
I have been making Martinis longer than I've been playing drums, so it would be wrong to ignore that I was more-or-less born to tend bar.

So my Music Life and my Food&Beverage Life are growing parallel to each other like our bean sprouts.  Yes, I may have to choose between them someday soon, but in my most bleary-eyed pipe dreams I envision a career in which success at either of my skill sets resonates and magnifies the inertia of both.  So we shall see.

So in the meantime, the plan is to get better at both, or at least get better results from either.  I see the commoditisation of my skills and self - not usually a positive thing, but necessary to insert oneself into a market where skill is bought and sold.  I just have to ensure that I have better Product than my competitors.
I see resurgence of the dreaded Drum Lesson, I see dance classes to connect to rhythm in a more all-body, dare I say spiritual, way.  I see first attempts to lead in situations where I know what to do, exploration of untapped or stagnant aspects of my personality, and a whole bushel fulla who KNOWS what else?!

25 is going to be a good year.