80th anniversary of D-Day. Wow, that seems like a long time ago! It was. On the news they keep showing some of the few remaining veterans, and they are all 100! It’s hard to think about what they would have been like 80 years ago. It feels like the world we live in is still being shaped by the events of way back then. Sometimes it feels like it even goes farther back. Technically we’re still being shaped by what happened to Jesus. It’s tough to think about. The war in the middle east has been going on since the Hebrews found the land of milk and honey. We’re still being shaped by that! And it shocks me still that war is an answer for some people. How can anyone want constant conflict? It makes no sense to me. I know some people get rich off war, but that hardly seems like a good way to go about it. There are other ways to get rich. How can we be this far along, and not trying to achieve peace? I’m lost. It feels like we’re on the verge of World War 3. Or is it supposed to be WWIII? I don’t know. Sometimes I think when we abbreviate or use a different numeral system, it takes the sting out of what we’re actually talking about. World War 2 was supposed to be “the war to end all wars.” Guess what? It wasn’t. How can we be sitting in this same situation again? How are people who want peace not rising through the ranks? Why are people still so enamored by destruction? Right now, Russia is destroying a land they say they wish to possess. Decimating a place you want to live? How does that make any sense?! None of it makes any sense. If the point of fighting is to stop fighting, then we can skip a step. How much more could we accomplish if our resources were put towards helping each other, instead of keeping the war machine focused on newer, better, weaponry?
Oh well, I guess
it’s easy to think those things sitting here on my couch. I’m not running for office.
I’m excited because I get to have band practice tonight. That’s right, the
drummer is coming to practice! It feels like 100 years have passed. April the 4th
was the last time he showed up. 2 months! That does not sound like someone who’s
interested. Plus, in all that time, he hasn’t used the car accident as an
excuse. Not even once. Other stuff. Oh well, I don’t want to think about that
now. Now I am excited because he will be there. Even the rest of us haven’t
seen each other in a while. It’s been 3 weeks since I had a Thursday practice.
Yikes! It’s kind of a bummer too, because our daughter has the night off, and
we were going to get together for a family dinner, which never happens. But
since practice is a go, my wife and daughter are dining without me. I feel kind
of bad, but I didn’t want to cancel when everyone else is on board. I really
would like to see her. It’s been a while. I think the last I saw her was Easter.
Her birthday’s coming up, we’ll get some time to spend with each other. Last I
heard we’re talking about a road trip to Laughlin, NV. She’s never been. It
should be fun. Hours in the car together will definitely make up for any lost
time. I think my family is going too. My sister’s, daughter’s, and father’s
birthdays are all very close together. Plus, this year is kind of a trip because
my daughter is turning 25, my sister is turning 50, and my mother is turning
75. My mom’s birthday isn’t until December, but we’re going to celebrate anyway.
That’ll be in a couple of weeks. I feel weird for choosing band over family.
But they get it. I doubt they’ll be too terribly disappointed. I hope I’ll be
missed. This better be the best band practice ever!
In other news, I
joined another band. It was kind of cool how it happened. I felt recruited. A
few weeks ago, when the Calvins played with the Ramblin’ Outlaws at the Holding
Company, a guy I know who plays violin, asked if I’d be interested in joining a
country band. It’s more like country punk, but still. I know the lady who’s
fronting the band, and she’s motivated, so I said: “If I’m needed.” He had told
me about a show coming up, so I wasn’t sure at the time if I was helping them
have a show, or if I was wanted in the band. Booking a show before there’s a
band!? That’s some next level motivation! Booking a show before songs are even
written!? That is what I’m talking about. We’re going to go from zero to 30
minutes of material in 2 months! That is motivation! Unbeknownst to me, at the
same show, Knikki, the singer, told my wife that she was going to try to
recruit me for her new country band. I thought it was odd that she didn’t say
anything to me, but then again, a lot of time, my wife seems to be the one who gets
information for me. She’s more outgoing than me. At first, I thought it might’ve
been all talk, but then I started getting texts about practice. I ran into Knikki
at a party last Saturday, and she seemed excited that I would be at practice
the next day. I still wasn’t sure what my role would be, but I’m always excited
to try new things. Especially with talented, motivated, people. She sent me
some songs they had recorded at practice. It wasn’t bad. I thought I could get
into it. So, I went and practiced with them on Sunday. It was fun. It was
pretty good. They all seemed grateful that I was there. I wasn’t sure if it was
because a bass player was there, or if it was because I was there. I was
curious why they didn’t already have one. But I didn’t ask. Here’s to new
things!
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