Two Bits

I had a dream three nights ago that it has taken until now to process.

   It was a dream filled with amorphous anxiety - numerous details escape me but two fine points of the night remain - one moment I remember: I'm swept out to sea from the deck of a ship.  I'm in a fur coat, for some reason (apparently I have hoes to choke in my dreams).  I sink below the water, the coat welling up above me, and I watch the sky disappear in a blobs of brick red fox pelt and aquamarine murk.
   Another dream: same night, same anxiet - Apparently I am able to cast magic spells?  Thanks to Alden for planting the seed of Sorcery in my subconscious, because it makes good dream fuel.  That's a topic for an other entry because, unfortunately, in this part of the dream I had no choice in which spell I cast.  I felt the power in my fingers, but I needed to conjure water to put out a fire and all I could manage was a fruit jam of some kind.  I attempted again and again different strengths and purpose of spell but to no avail.

   For the next two days, stress dandruff rained from my scalp, stress pimples broke out on my forehead, and stress bears roamed the streets of Brooklyn in search of honey.  These are all known symptoms of extended Cotler stress bubbling under the surface.  Except for the bears.  They just roam freely here.

   Feeling out of control, powerless, stressed, angry, and frustrated, I had to do something.  So, Chetta shaved my head:

Before

After

Save Your Ass, And The Rest Will Follow

   Time for the bitchin'..

   Things aren't happening!!  I'm not perfect yet!  I don't have a professional touring band!  It's hard finding a place to practice drum set in Brooklyn!  My coffers are not overflowing with Music Money!

   /bitchin

   Harder than the long trudge toward good-ness is dealing with the fact, on bad days, that there is a long walk ahead and that I'm doing OK.  On good days the walk is nice - the trees are green and the birds are chirping.  I can take steps between sunrise and sunset, resting with another satisfying day of work under my belt.
   Good days require little impedance to to practice.  A handful of free time, few enough distractions and tools of trade easily accessible.  I make a little progress here, a little progress there - some active listening, some rudiment and speed practice and some rocking out time.

   Bad days are like all that, but as if encased in a suit of loosely mixed cement.

   I sometimes start my day poking around the interwebz on practice techniques or styles, where I sometimes find great drummers, slowed-down chops, and inspiration:

Getting Inspiration for Playing the Drums -- powered by eHow.com

   Setting goals seems to be an important part of organizing one's life.  Here we go.
Short Term

• Attain pair of matching sticks.  Somehow my set of VicFirth HD4s were lost in a shuffle of some sort.
• Attain comfy throne.  What is a drummer not on a throne but an uncomfortable stick-slapping foot flappin' doofcabibble?  I mean, I hate being uncomfortable!  I do have a thing for this bad boy:

Pork Pie Big Boy Bike Throne

• Cycle in more whole drum kit practice.  I've been extra rudiment-oriented, focusing on single practice pad, sometimes to metronome, sometimes to music, but linear.

Long Term

• Survive more comfortably with combined incomes from drum lessons and bar work.  
• Travel to locales that allows for new music discovery.  I would also accept an opportunity to play music that would allow me to travel.  

   OK, I have to get to work at Breukelen.  I will now utilize my time to actively listen to the funky funky music I'll be piping through the speaker system.  Good luck to all in future endeavors.

FUNKY DRUMMER : JIM PAYNE

FUNKY DRUMMER : JIM PAYNE: "GIVE THE DRUMMER SOME!

In July 2009, funk drumming legend, Clyde Stubblefield, whose sampled beats from his innovative recordings with James Brown have shaped the sound of hip-hop and drum & bass music, suffered kidney failure and began weekly dialysis treatment. In July 2010, The Coalition for Clyde Stubblefield - an artist & industry association of Clyde's supporters - was founded by drummers Stanton Moore, Johnny Rabb and David Stanoch to spread word of Clyde's situation and new avenues being created expressly for donating financial support directly to him. Clyde continues to work and perform regularly while dealing with the stress his kidney dialysis treatments demand. We thank you for helping Clyde and his family find some relief as he braves this journey so they may feel some of YOUR soulfulness as we come together to help out a brother, an inspiration, our friend.

Remember, no contribution is too small and every penny makes a difference. JOIN THE COALITION & SPREAD THE WORD!"

Best wishes to the legend Clyde Stubblefield.

check it: saying a little prayer for you....

check it: saying a little prayer for you....: "starring me, Jesse Reyes and Matt Bartekdirected by Christopher Stout filmed in Jesse's living room, on 24th and York St. January..."

Chetta's buddy Malwina is full of suprises!