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Agriculture, skepticism, politics

The brightest star in the firmament

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I’m getting a big kick out of the book “Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them”. Funny as hell. Al Franken is very good and I’m sorry I never got a hold of this before. You should check it out.

English: Al Franken giving a political speech ...
English: Al Franken giving a political speech in Rochester, Minnesota. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Southpaw

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If you can’t make Salina on Wednesday, you should check out Wade Bowen at Shotz.

Christopher J. Deines just called. He’s thinking about buying and learning to play a bass guitar. That’d be great. Something is better than nothing, and it’d be nice to get someone I know would be a good addition. We’ll see what happens. We added Rob before he knew how to play, and look where he ended up.

Open mic nights

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Aparantly, an open mic in Sun City means that everyone can plug in and play along with anyone else.

Listen here, Buster. It’s hard enough for professionals to play along with me. How the hell can someone with experience in strictly old country, folk, and bluegrass (the adjective operates here on all three nouns) play along with music that doesn’t fit any of those genres? Hear this now: open mics mean you can have your slots. Play all night, I don’t care. I even enjoy it. When I get on stage to play my set, however, you’d better be getting paid by me to play along with me on stuff that you’ve rehearsed and are playing for me. Sorry, I had to rant. It was quite frustrating, seeing a crowd that was ready for me to play, a crowd that I could own, complaining to me that I couldn’t get after it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an open mic. I enjoy seeing the other players, guys who I genually like, perform. But playing along with me to songs they’ve never heard just doesn’t work.

Sorry, I had to rant a little more.

Rick gave me record pay and the 15th of May. Looking forward to it already.

I saw Kathy Cox again for the first time in a long time. She taught me music in Jr. High and High School. I miss those times. It was awesome to see Wes Norman and Jeff Peters again. It’d been quite a while. Thanks to everyone who hung in there until 3:00am (read: wouldn’t allow me to get off the stage until 3:00am). It really felt good.

Well, it’s going to be a wild week. Martini’s on Wednesday, Bobby T’s on Thursday, going to watch Wade Bowen in Hays on Friday, and then I get to play the Wilmore Opry in, well, Wilmore on Saturday.

Until next time.

Anothern

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It’s funny
I can go for months struggling to write a stanza or two
Then, all of a sudden, I get a song or two.
Look for my new single “The Mirror” in a [drug]store near you.

For those of you keeping score at home:
Yes, the address for Bobby T’s was incorrect on the email.
It is not in the same building as Martini’s Steak and Chop…
That’s Big Nose Kate’s.

I told Rice to call someone if I don’t wake up before Thursday.
I’m going to try some of this generic, NyQuill-style green stuff.
You know the kind that comes with a free, plastic shot glass?
I haven’t had a drink since last Friday.
I’ll probably absorb the alcohol and throw up the rest.

Here’s to chicken-noodles and orange juice…

TLC

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English: Discovery Channel logo, used 1985-1995
English: Discovery Channel logo, used 1985-1995 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What happened to the Discovery Channel and the Learning Channel? I remember when I was a kid how the networks would air specials about things like genetics, astronomy, biology and physics. Now all they can seem to find are shows about turning a car into a transformer or your house into a volcano or how to build a motorcycle while being disrespectful to your father/son. Maybe they should rename those networks to the White-trash Entertainment Channel. WEC…that’s it.

Lines of code

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I’ve been buried at work lately. Its quite refreshing, actually, after playing 10 shows last month while keeping the job.
Already nine are booked for April with the possibility of more. I’m going to have to hunker down for a while and scrape some cash to pay the wolves.

Great shows at Martini’s and Bobby T’s Wednesday and Thursday.
That’s for coming out.
Look for a Buster’s show next week.
Thanks for everyone petitioning Rick to get me in earlier than planned.

Had a good time at the Bill Perry Invitational Poker Tourneyment Friday night.
I made the final table and finished second in the Calcutta.
Good times.

Back to the trenches

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I’m sick of this melancholy news section
Everything I post seems to fit
Why do professionals have to be so dischordant
Buck at PJ’s says they’ll book solo shows
I’m going to talk to Brian about putting Blaine and me in there

“I love this song” –someone in the next room listening to Chris LeDoux’s County Fair

I called Rick today to work on getting back to Buster’s
He wasn’t there
I’m going to start going back for free on Friday nights if he’ll let me
It’s all about the music

There’s nothing like hearing a room full of people singing along to Chris LeDoux’s Look at You Girl

Sometimes I forget about quality songwriting and focus on the genre exclusively
Those were our cattle
Send me your requests

My sister’s coming up tomorrow
Going to show her the Manhattan music scene
mmclive.com

“Roll me away”
“Where’d you park your horse?”
Nothing like a house party

Thanks to Rob for the kick in the pants
I’m writing again

We’ll see what happens

As Mike would say, try to smile today

Rock and roll

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A few quotes for the weekend:

“I could probably come pretty close to that with what’s in my hamper.” —Aaron McKee, describing the popular look from all the famous bands these days

“If I wanted to eat at a [expletive] log cabin, I’d have gone to…” –Me, complaining about the decor at the Montana Mike’s in Great Bend, KS, stopping only when I realized I was getting ready to say Montana

“Should I just play some rock and roll ’cause nobody really gives a damn” — Harry Chapin, Last of the Protest Singers