Kia Ora--

Things have been busy and I've been trying to get back into the swing of a few things. First off, I played my first show back with Midnight Bowlers League on Saturday night at a benefit for WMNF at Skipper's Smokehouse. It's been about 2-1/2 years since I've been up on stage and a while longer since being there with a crowd that big, but to be totally honest I wasn't nervous. In fact, I didn't even realize we were playing until about half way through the second of three songs--that's how natural it felt. I'm glad to be back. All three guys (Tim, Mike, and Scott) asked me the day of the show if I'd stay and I was flattered. It's like being home. I don't want to do thing half-ass or give them only part of my time. If I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna do it fully. But I also made a promise not to neglect my time with my family, and of course by that I mean Karen, Kirk, Eric, and V (and don't misunderstand, Tim, Mike, and Scott are my family too). I sorta was torn last time but now it will work fine. I am happy to be back.

V didn't have quite as good a time this weekend. For starters, her kitten Buddha has been horribly sick with pneumonia and has spent the last 4 nights at the vet. It's going to be very expensive and I pray that her kitten makes it through. She is very attached to the cats all around her house and takes it very hard when something happens to them. But there are literally dozens now and something has got to give eventually. But she took to this kitten and brought it in. It's now officially one of her cats, cohabitating with Suites. On the other hand, her folks had to put one of their cats to sleep. Dancer was my favourite cat would come out and sit on my lap and watch TV. The thing about it is that they didn't tell us until after the fact. V was heartbroken and I was angry. We didn't even know the cat was in the vet's office. Not a good weekend for the kitties.

She did get to go out with her mom and her aunts this weekend to Ybor City. They had a good time. The show we played was a little pricey and much too crowded for them to come out so they found a good alternative--pints at the James Joyce.

I had a night off tonight with no practice or other commitments so I've been relaxing tonight. I've been taking in a bit of my new book. I purchased 120 Days Of Sodom by the Marquis de Sade. It's perhaps the most vile, offensive book ever. It indulges in every sin and libertine pursuit imaginable, a veritable encyclopedia of evil. I naturally had to get it. I never knew that much about Sade so I thought I'd find out more that they show in the movie Quills (which is quite a good film). He had an amazing, adventurous life. I was really impressed with his story and it's all true.

Aw well, The Family Guy is on so I'm out.

Keep the faith.

-N.