Good start to the new year

I'll get to the rest of what's on my mind in a minute, but I must first announce that I am creating a guitar teaching studio!!!  If you or your friends/relatives/co-workers/etc. would like or know someone that would like to learn or become better at guitar, I am offering guitar lessons at a very reasonable price in my home.  Lessons will be 30 minutes, and I have available times on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.  All ages 6 and up are welcome.  Now for the rest of the blog...

I'm not letting up.  I usually do.  What usually happens is I'll have this sudden burst of productivity, and then it drops off drastically after I think I've done enough.  This time seems different.  The things I'm doing differently aren't necessarily related to my career but do affect it.  These are new habits I'm creating for myself - taking much better care of my teeth, keeping up more with hygiene, making sure the little things don't get overlooked.

Lately, my new interest has been in learning how to sell.  It doesn't matter what you sell, but if you are going to try to convince someone to invest in you or your product, you have to have the skills.  I've bought a few self-help books in communication, sales, and effective organization.  Kerri thinks I'm an idiot for buying them, but I feel they, if nothing else, are great reminders of things I might've been taught before but have forgotten in the last few years.

Parties and More and Main Line Affair are on hiatus right now for me.  MLA has no scheduled gigs until our showcase in a couple weeks and then nothing until May.  I have since starting working with an original band called Southwork that plays around the region, from Ohio all the way up to NYC.  My first show with them is March 12 in Greenwich Village.  

Howard of MLA has helped me with a temp position at his insurance company doing data entry stuff.  This will actually be my first office job.  I'm not sure what to expect, but I'm excited to start.

Finally, Panama Rock Machine is returning to Garage Door Saloon on February 12.  Show is from 9-12, and there are alllllways a ton of specials, and they actually have some awesome pizza in the shop connected to the bar.  We are premiering some new stuff like "F___ You" by Cee Lo Green.  As always, you will puke with excitement - I promise.

Summary of weekend events

This was the absolute longest weekend of my life...and has turned out to be just as long of a blog.  I'm pretty proud that I made it to the end relatively unscathed.  It could've been much more taxing if I hadn't been smart.  Thursday was the Triplets' 21st...success.  Friday was the New Year's Eve shindig...relative success but draining.  Saturday was Mummers...I'm now a champ.  Today was a miserable Eagles game...no way to fail on this one.  Details of these events are as follows:

Thursday was quite busy for everyone.  Kerri and I were busy all day cleaning the house for the surprise dinner party for the kids.  So many people showed up!  I would guess there were about 50 people in this house at one point, and there certainly was plenty of hot, warm, delicious food thanks to the culinary expertise of Mrs. Gatti.

Round 2 commenced in Old City at Finnegan's wake.  Surprisingly to only me, I guess, there weren't that many people there in the bar, but that didn't stop everyone from having a great time.  On a side note, I asked my cousin, Denny Dodd, to be the final groomsman in my wedding.  When I asked him if he wanted to, he said, "I don't know...you tell me."  Sweet.  So now my party is complete, and it's not a shabby group of dudes.  That night wasn't a shabby way to begin the weekend, either.  Let us continue.

On Friday, I was higher than anyone else in Philly.  Main Line Affair (www.mainlineaffair.com) played at the Pyramid Club on top of the BNY Mellon building in Center City.  It was such a cool view.  Imagine being face-to-face with Billy Penn on top of City Hall...that's what we saw.  Our view was of the eastern part of the city and across the Delaware River into NJ.  They let off fireworks at midnight in Camden, and while our view was obstructed by the guests standing right in the windows, we could see some of the show.  It was a marathon, and I didn't get back to my friend's house until 3 a.m.

Speaking of marathons, Saturday was one of the longest days of my life, and I won't give many reasons.  I will say that the Mummers Parade is one of the coolest things in the country, and I know that people either love it or hate it here, but if you, like me, aren't originally from here, it's something worth seeing.  Last year was an abbreviated version of it for me because I was a baby and had to leave early to go watch the Mountaineers lose to Florida State in the Gator Bowl...pathetic.  This was long and arduous.

The day started, luckily, at 11 a.m.  I don't think I would've gone the distance if we started at 9 like we did last year.  We got to Engine 1 Ladder 5 in time to see the end of the Comics, the first group of Mummers.  If you don't know Mummers, the Comics are the people sloppily dressed in ridiculous costumes that drink lots of beer during the entire parade.  Also, there were brass bands from New Orleans playing in truck beds.  They were hired guns.  Next were the Fancies - the guys with large feathers and plumes.  Their costumes weigh about 100 lbs. each.  Finally, the String Bands arrived at the starting point.  The String Bands are the main attraction.  They rehearse year-round for this parade and are extremely serious about the event.  It shows, and they certainly don't drink during the parade like the Comics.  My horn partner in MLA is in the Avalon String Band...they made top 5 this year out of 17!  Check them out at http://avalonstringband.com/.  Also, check out the Mummers at http://mummers.com/.  

Once the last String Band completed its performance, we regrouped and traveled to "2 Street," which is 2nd St. in South Philly.  All of the Mummers relocated to this area, and they basically had a second parade on 2 Street.  It felt like Mardi Gras with all the New Orleans brass bands still performing.  The Comics led the way and were mixed among the crowd.  Beads were flying, and the suds were, um, sudding?  Anyway, this presumably lasted all night.  I wouldn't know; we relocated again to a house party.  Here is where I will end this story...

Kerri and I just got back from the Eagles loss to the Cowboys.  It was a terrible game; cold, rainy, and miserable.  Both of us were exhausted from Saturday, and because we couldn't sell the tickets, we couldn't let them go to waste.  It's still the NFL...you would think the quality of play would be pretty good, right?  Yeah...me too.

Thus concludes the longest weekend ever.  I have tomorrow off, but I have to write out a lesson plan for my lessons tomorrow night.  I'm teaching rhythm and need to be prepared.  I also need to find another source of income since Parties and More is turning into a slumbering bear.  Until next time.