Parkers Mood

And I'm sick.

Again.

And I am so fed up with being sick. It drives me insane. I just want a few days at least where I can feel better. It's three weeks now that I've been non-stop sick, and three months that I've been on and off sick / never feeling 100%. It is driving me up the wall... and not in a good way either.

But onto bigger and brighter things.

I got my drivers license on thursday. I went in my spare and did my test. It proved not hard, and I passed. Aparently I forgot a mirror check (and yes, I slapped my wrist for it), but other then that, it went fine. The guy was a realy jerk, and you could tell that he didn't want to be there. Again, I also find it ironic that the one skill that everybody should have (driving), is always taught and examined, by people who do not speak english. It's really weird. Oh well. I passed. That night, I drove my sis and her boyfriend, and Elliot to Cochrane, where we enjoyed a nice coffee. It's really nice to have that freedom. Today, Josh, Elliot, Duncan and I, all pilled into my car, and we drove off to Canmore, for a delightful breakfast at a cute little french restaurant. It's cool. And it's really nice. And it's fun to be the car on the road, with the windows all rolled down, and four teenagers sitting in the car, listenting to John Coltrane, Stan Getz, and Charlie Parker, blow the speakers out. I would imagine that that was a funny sight to some. In anycase, it was rewarding to us.

And there's a chance that I'm going to Ottawa this summer. Only for a week, in fact, it's while exams are still in, I just don't have any that week. Just a short little jaunt down there. In anycase, the chances of me going are about 1/1000, so perhaps I shouldn't have even mentioned it.

And Amscos gone, for two weeks. This is going to not be fun. I'm two days in, and miss her quite a bit. I think I'd survive a lot better if school were in, but because it's spring break, and I have no homework, it's particularly lonely. Just me, my cats, and Jimmy. Who is quite due for a cleaning... time to scrub out the viruses of my plague.

So, that's the evening news, thanks for tuning in, and I'll talk to you later.

Until the next gig,

John

So What

And again, here we find ourselves sitting at the computer on a beautiful day wondering what to do. So, lets blog.

Since I last posted, much has happened in my life. As in, Choir Camp, and I caught the plague. Seriously, I thought that I missed it, and then, on thursday, I woke up with a slightly sore throat, and didn't think anything of it. Then, geeze... friday, Mr. Waters walked into the room to wake us up... And I could litterally not move. It was god aweful. Not only could I not move, but my head hurt, my stomach was off, and I felt totaly wasted. And not only that, but I was wearing next to nothing (key word being next), and had to figure out how to get from the top bunk to the bottom (where all my stuff was), without letting the other boys see what I actually look like without many clothes on. (I can think of a few people who will gladly tell you just how hideous it is) I sat in the hot shower for sooo long that morning. I don't care if I was wasting water. It helped. It sorta helped my muscles start moving. The worst though, I had to sing... all day. It was terrible. Sectionals in the morning, full choir rehersal in the morning, and then a few hours of packing / going home, and then a performance at the vocal jazz festival that evening. I was late for All Cities, so I just didn't go. It was convienient. But, being the trooper that I am (not), I still mannaged to find the power from somewhere within me, to go to the university, and meet up with a certain someone, and spend the night with them. It was really nice to see them again. We went for a really long walk... from dalhousie to the cheesecake café, and then from there, all the way to confederation park, and from there to her house, dropped her off, and then I walked home (over 20 blocks). To say the least, I was totaly beat. I don't regret it, in fact I had an excelent time, and I only started feeling sick again later in the evening (around 1045), at which point we went our seperate ways. I totaly gave up on the next day, which was supposed to be filled with rehersals and all sorts of stuff... not anymore. I just slept. Until 3.

And that has been my entire last week. I took monday off (as did Amsco, who caught it as well), and slept, until 3. And the rest of the days have been filled with just general worrying about school / my failings at music / my general health / being late for WE again... and having today off. It's so nice. In the middle of bloody nowhere, we get thursday off. I have to go to school tomorrow again, but it's a short day... despite the fact that I'm going to be there until 8 'cause of the MOAB... geeze-niculas. Anyhow.

And that has been my life. Today Amsco and I were supposed to get together. But we're sick, and she's leaving for portugal soon, not to mention she has about a billion things on her plate right now, so she needs to be in good health. So we didn't. Which sucks, 'cause it was our last chance to see each other alone in pretty much three weeks +... but whatever. We'll find another time to make breakfast I'm sure (which is what we were going to do today). Not to mention we have the almost entire next week of classes.

And there is SEVEN DAYS UNTIL I AM FREE FROM THE RESTRAINTS OF MY INCAPABLE WALKING ABILITIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But that's another story for another day.

I must now go soak my worries into a nice warm bath, and then off to bed. LOOOONG day tomorrow.

And such.

Until the next gig,

John

Boogie Stop Shuffle

G'Day all,

Here I sit, at my computer, on this absolutly beautiful beautiful saturday afternoon. I am waiting to meander over to my hair dressers to get my hair cut. The only problem is, I don't know where this guy is.... Small issue. I got home at 1230 this afternoon, expecting my mom to give me a ride over there, and then, it turns out that oh, they've taken the dog to Bragg Creek, and that I have to get myself there. I have no bloody idea where it is. Should be fun trying to find it.

Yesterday was excellent. In fact, way up there on my list of good days in my life. I would in fact, rank it quite near the top. I woke up (which is never fun), and made perogies for breakfast. Yes yes, I know Breakfast? It was good in any case. Then, over to her house for 11:36. And in fact, I mannaged to knock on her door at exactly 1136, so I got a Lindor chocolate as a prize. I love lindor chocolates. They say chocolate is a girls best friend, well, perhaps I'm a woman. (considering that I'll never be a man) In anycase, Lindor is the way to my heart. We gave up on pie, and made cake instead. Apple spice... it was really good. And it didn't explode as I had predicted. Excellent. All cities was sorta lame, 'cause we were missing a bunch of people (coughhornscough), and the other tenor player (and may he kindle jesus enternal bonfire) has the only tenor part for this one song. So I get to play the bass drum. Excellent. How to count rests. Hundreds of bars, or at least, that's what it seems like. It's really lame.

We were going to go to a Dexter Gordon tribute concert as well that night but during all cities I was all like "man, the last thing I want to do right now is sit though a concert (despite the fact that it would have been amazing)" so we went for a VERY long walk, in search of food, which we eventually found. It was excellent. And such has been my life as of late.

Well, I need to go find out where this hair dresser is, so I had best be off.

Until the next gig,

John

Ladybird

Hello all,

Today was a beautiful day.

I was late for wind ensemble, and felt like a total retard, 'cause I missed my alarm. Bloddy ficken technology.... *mutters further under breath* and the physics test that I wrote shortly after that did not go overly well, 'cause it was based on theory that he had only very barely taught us, and so I did most of it the way that I was thinking it should be done. I hope to have at least not failed it. The rest of the school day was pretty good I guess. Relaxing if nothing else. I went home in my spare, which I have never done before. Came back, and then there was a fire drill in english, just before the day ended, which was a welcome relief. (and a nice little jaunt outside in this beautiful weather).

Choir sucked. And that's all I have to say about that. I'm not doing either vocal groups next year, 'cause I'm way way way to busy. I will however be able to tell my sisters grandkids that I was once in every single bloody band that the school had to offer my grade. Big woop. Yay band... except not.

Jazz on the other hand, is most excellent. The bones and saxes had this sweet SfzP cres., with this massive slide in the first bar of the solo section in I've found a new baby, and after just a few goes at it, it was mind blowing (all thanks to alistair, who still leads the bone section, despite the fact that he plays second.) I was just sitting there in astonishment, 'cause I've never heard the band do that. See... we can be as good as Beaverbrook... who cares if they've got all the money. Not to mention that I've heard some interesting runors about next years happeneings with the jazz band. However, I am not to disclose them here, 'cause I'm not sure who reads this, and who doesn't.

And I went for a long drive today with my mom. Some excellent bonding time. It was a really relaxing way to end a hectic week. Overall, today was beautiful. Very much enjoyed. Learned something about a horn player today... should like to see how that plays out. Again, I'll just keep my mouth shut, or in this instance, my fingers still....

And I must now be off, 'cause I'm up early tomorrow to buy reeds, and practice perhaps, and then the pièce de résistance: going to her house to make pie..... oh mon dieu do I like pie. It shall be excellent, particularly 'cause I've never made it from scratch before.

She makes me sooo happy....

Until the next gig!

John

Cherokee

Wow, it has been months and months since I last posted.

So much of my life has changed since my last post in september, or november or something rediculous like that.

I need to be not so long, 'cause I've got some stuff to get done, but here's the rundown of my life, and how it's changed since my last post:

It's a new semester, new classes, new teachers (except physics), finished math forever (merci dieu), got my diploma results back, signed up for next years courses, and am on my long and winding (sp) road, to the end of my public school career.

My musical life has changed a lot as well, since my last posting. I am still studying with Richard and Pat, and occasionally Brent (when he's in town). My combo is still together, and we still rehearse twice a week (which has become much less "rehearse" and much more "fun, jamming of music, 'cause we almost have a vague conception of what jazz is"). I was contacted by Pat to play a gig with the Edmonton X-Band, a latin band from, you'll never guess where, who needed a tenor player for the weekend. Two night gig, 10PM-2AM, at a spanish restaurant/club downtown. 80$ a night... so very excellent. I didn't play overly well, 'cause I was sightread the whole first performance, and my reading is terrible, but I learned sooo much about music, and what it's actually like in the real world. Thanks to Pat, and the band for that experience!

As well, one of the best nights of my life happened this month... February 8th, 2007... my combo did a live gig at the Beat Niq jazz and social club. I have never ever in my life, had so much fun on stage. And I really dug the night. Very much positive feedback came from it. There were a few people that I wish had been there (rich, pat, etc...) but whatever, we pretty much sold the place out as it was, and all got paid for it... that's the life.

I do believe that when I last posted, I was in a relationship. To put it bluntly (and to spite the way that she talked about it in her blog) that's over. Things started getting really rough in early november (like, late october more like), and then we managed to stick it out for a few weeks, until I finally gave in, 'cause I wasn't having any fun anymore, and her and I just didn't click anymore. We broke up somewhere in mid november (the exact date eludes me at this moment)... and after a week of contemplation, we got back together. I gave it two weeks, josh gave it one. Josh was right. (when I say that I gave it two weeks, it just means that I really wasn't sure that anything had changed... and something said... this isn't going to work)

And life continued. I was single again, as of Dec. 10. I thought that I was going to stay that way for at least a year.
And then.. she came along.

One night, a bus ride home, my head on her lap, and I had never felt so, protected/cared for... and we were just friends. Then, new years eve, she, among a bunch of other people came over, and we watched O Brother Where Art Though (sp), which is fantastic. I don't know if it was a mistake or not, but I just layed my head against hers, and as we watched the movie, I knew, at that moment, that I had totaly fallen for her.

The next day, she called me, (and that's rare... a girl calling me?!?!) and asked if I wanted to go see Blood Diamond. I said sure, and it was great. Both the time, and the movie. (very very violent, but good none the less) Then we went for coffee, and again, those same thoughts. We met several times over the next few weeks (we were off for exams/christmas) and spent a LOT of time together. Enough, that she can blame any mark that she's not happy with on me (for her diplomas). We went for HUGE walks, and long hours spent in cafés. It was spectacular. Nobody ever talked to me quite so much. Nobody had ever really arranged to do things like her. She was quite a "first" for me. (as in, not first girlfriend, but, you know what I mean) Then, one night, I had e-mailed her, and asked her if we wanted to go out for coffee (again), and then she didn't respond for quite a while, so I called her, and she picked up, and was all like "sure" and we met. We grabbed coffee from Oolong tea house, and then went for another one of our eternal walks. From there, to the lazy loaf and kettle, for those of you farmilliar with this city. And then we went for a walk down the river path a bit, and sat on a bench for quite some time, and chatted. My cell phone rang (yesyes, I have entered into the evil world of cell phones... not by choice though), and it was a drummer who was calling about a jam the next day. When I shut it off, it was eight thirty. Moments after that, she asked me what a particular look that I had given her a few times over the last few days meant. After several moments of deliberation, I asked her out. the date was Jan 28. It's been a month and a day now, and life has not ever been quite as good as it is now. I'll stop there, and probably go on about this in other posts, however I have a physics lab calling.

So, that's what's new in my life. I have another gig tomorrow... yay. Corparate parties!!!!!

Well, thanks for taking time out of your day to read that.

Until the next gig,

John