I'm Back!

Been awhile since I've written a post, I know. I've been a little distracted. School so far is going ok. I'm just trying to get by this summer class I'm taking. Biology is seriously no fun unless you're really into that kind of stuff. With my job and my boyfriend, now its even more hard to find time to study.
I'm not currently playing out right now except for my country band that plays on tuesdays. They're playing the community center on every other saturday now too. I'm going to hate that...lol.
I'm getting ready to get moving in a group with a good friend of mine. Its going to be great playing music together.
I really honestly, hadn't planned on blogging anymore, but my friend told me he misses my blogs (why I don't know...lol) so I decided I'd blog anyway.
Speaking of work, I was kept til 1am when I was supposed to be off at 11pm. I have to go back in at 8, which means I will be tired... I have to play at the community center tonight.
There isn't a nicer way to tell your supervisor to kiss your ass is there? lol
Oh well... at least I get paid overtime.
... I would write more, but I have to be back at work in less than six hours and I have to get some sleep in. Catch ya later!

Music?

I woke up at 7:30am this morning and it is now 8:03pm as I'm writing this. Mom and I went to both SIUC and John A. Logan College to see about registering me for school. I ended up registering for two years at John A with plans to transfer to SIU after completing my Associate's Degree. My major? Music. Whether I'll go for music business or music education, I don't know just yet. I'll let you know in a couple years... lol.
I got my books today and e-mailed my teachers... classes start monday. I'm really excited and honestly, I'm thankful to have this opportunity to fix things. I was somewhat shocked to find out that today was THE LAST DAY to register for block classes, which I did. If I had waited one more day, I would have had to wait until next fall to register for school, and by that time, I would have lost all hope.
On the way home I noticed the sign outside of a church. It said "Do your best, God will do the rest." Somehow I took it as a sign that things are going to improve. Somehow, I know I'm taking the right steps toward where I need to go.
I am determined to get that degree... I can't afford not to... I will not fail...


For now, I have nothing to do but wait until Monday when classes start. I'm here watching my Mother's friend's mother. Can't wait to go home... haven't been there very long today...and Sparky is being a pain in the butt as usual. Guess I'll watch tv until I can go home... later!

Johnson's Southern Illinois Opry, September 29th, 2007 : What has the boss gotten us into?

On the 29th of this month, Marion Illinois is having a talent contest at the Williamson County Pavillion. This idea was concieved by a man named Rick Johnson, who convinced the leader of our band (the Jackie Martin Band), that it would be a good idea to get involved in this.
Without telling us anything about this contest beforehand or even discussing it with us, Jack decided to go ahead and sign us up for the gig. We would be the house band for that night and would play behind all the talent show contestants. When I first heard talk of this show, I was excited. I thought that maybe this would be a good thing, thinking that our fearless leader would have his head on straight and that this contest would be put together correctly....

Now that I am seeing how the competition is being thrown together, I am beginning to have my doubts about this whole thing. I have participated in several talent competitions, and now that I have the chance to help put one on in my hometown, I have never seen or heard of a successful talent comptetition set up this way.

In every other talent show that I have ever been involved with, there are two different ways for songs to be showcased.

1. Contestants could either bring music tracks or karaoke tracks to back them up, bring their own instruments to play the song themselves, or sing acapella.

2. Contestants had to either choose from the list of songs that the house band all ready knew, or teach the band one that they wrote themselves. It was possible to teach the band a new song that was not written by the contestant, but they'd prefer you to pick the list of songs they knew and depending on the song it could be rejected.

For this particular Opry, we are supposed to learn all of the songs that the contestants pick for us. The problems with this could be devastating to the band and could alter the turnout of the competition.

To begin with, many of these contestants have never sang with a live band, only karaoke. This is a problem because all these singers know is what they hear on the CD and that is what they follow.

The band playing there is a local, four-piece band that is used to playing nothing but classic country. A lot of the songs that were picked for the competition are newer country by artists such as the Dixie Chicks, Jessica Andrews, Garth Brooks and Rascal Flatts, just to name a few.

I hate to say it, but as a four piece band, we do not possess the sound to complete some of these songs. We don't have enough members in the group. There are songs that I am confident that we can do, but others such as Lynn Anderson's "Rose Garden" which practically need a full orchestra to back up the singer, or Toby Kieth's "Whiskey Girl" which is a very complex song, especially to learn in such a small amount of time, I worry we may not get quite right. We were only notified of the songs on the 8th of this month. We have over 17 songs to learn, most of them new country, by the show on the 29th. There just isn't enough time for us to learn these songs correctly, if we are capable of learning them at all.

I honestly am worried mainly that our lead player is not going to be able to get his part down on a lot of these songs. He has never ventured into newer country and his technique has not stayed current. For as long as I've known him, he plays what he knows and is too stubborn to learn anything outside of his box. Any good player, even Jack, knows that this can break a musician, and a band. I also worry that he isn't taking this contest seriously. Talent contests are an ugly thing to get into... especially if the band isn't up to par that night. It doesn't matter who wins, people are going to be upset and angry because thier kid didn't win. If we mess up a contestant's song and it alters their score, we are going to have to take a LOT of anger from people, as well as the blame.

Another thing I don't understand is how the advertisement in The Review that we are a "prominent Nashville band" was allowed to run. This is turning into a bigger and bigger mess every time I hear anything on it.

We are not the only ones there to put on a show either, there is supposed to be a doo-wop group there... chances are they'll do better than we will.

A radio personality is going to be involved in this too. She's supposed to be the contest MC. I wonder what she's going to think when the band fails her.

I can only guarantee one thing in all of this. If this show flops, then I will be leaving the Jackie Martin Band.

Cats on myspace

A friend of mine and I created myspaces for our cats... don't look at me like that, he started it... lol. Today is Prince's 2nd day on myspace and wouldn't you believe it, he all ready has friend requests! They're mostly from people that have something to do with the porn industry, but he's had some normal people requests too. Of course, every single one of them are female...

even his friend Neko...


Now Prince isn't all that computer savvy and I don't even think he cares much about having a myspace, but he's spoiled enough to have one anyway.

... he's sleeping right now... guess I'm gonna go...

Almost New Guitar!! Working on New Diet Plan!!

This is a shout out to my buddy Jim. Thanks for helping me with my guitar man!

Last night he reset the action on the strings and set the neck for me... its not the same guitar I had yesterday. It plays so much better... I don't have to fight it anymore!! yay!
I also learned a lot about my guitar while he was working on it. Always good to know as much as you can about your instrument. I can't wait to take it out on the job tonight and see how it does. I'm really excited about it.

I know I haven't written in awhile, but I'm here now... so there... :P

I'm finally working out on a regular schedule again... and this time I'm not going it alone, so its a big help... and I really mean that. Its a lot more fun to exercise when there's somebody there with you. The part I'm having trouble with of course, is food intake. I have some idea of what is good and bad for weight loss, but I'm not perfect. Sometimes I mess up... and lately its like I just quit eating a lot of the good foods for my plan... I think its because I don't have a plan for eating... just for exercising... so I'm losing half the battle! That's going to bug me... I hate losing... unless of course I lose fat... lol. I'll figure out a new battle plan and post it a little bit later.

Right now I want to play my telecaster... later!

Finally Home

It was a long trip, but we finally made it back to Marion around 9pm. This past week has not only been a week to spend time with my half-sis and her family but also was a time to heal emotionally and see where I have to go to make things right in my life... I finally have a plan...
My parents must have been reading my mind or something because things here are changing too... hopefully permanently and for the better.

Well, I'm going to have to cut this one short... I'm pretty tired and we've got a bunch of stuff around the house to do tomorrow.

Crown Point Trip: day 1

My brother and I came to Crown Point, Indiana yesterday to visit our sister and her family. It was the first time that we have had to drive the long 6 hours to get here by ourselves, so of course we were tired. I have been feeling sick since last night and absolutely can't figure out why. I suspected a fever or something like that because I felt cold to the point I was shaking and also felt light headed. Everybody else swore that the temperature in the house was normal. I feel a lot better this morning but still not at 100% just yet.
Right now everybody (meaning all of us kids) are sleeping except for myself and my sister and brother-in-law are at work. Theres no sign of any of the animals, guess they're all outside.
Well, guess I'm jumping off of here for now. I've got to find something to do while they're all sleeping...