Leftover Chinese Chronicles the Last Eight Days

People ask the question: "So...what do you do?" I try to cover the bases and throw out 'music' or 'commercial real estate' or 'pretty busy most of the time' but I'm finding it harder and harder to explain to people what exactly it is I do. There are some days where I even ask myself the same question. Perhaps I throw a quick recap of the last eight days to show you what it is "I do." You know how I do.

The following is an atypical, but characteristic, recap of the past week.

March 5
Woke up early. Did some reading. Band Practice. Back home to suffer through a slight headache.

March 6
Get to work at 8am. Rushed to complete something for a big money client. Spent the afternoon getting work done for another client. Two Burgers at McDonalds. Band Practice. Read. Sleep.

March 7
Get to work at 8am. Pacified one client. Kept a process going on another issue. Helped co-worker on things to take care of in my absence. Quick dinner. Band practice. Read. Sleep.

March 8
Get to work at 8am. Finished work for one client. Met former roommate for lunch. Tied up loose ends. Left for the airport. Spent 90 extra minutes on delay time. Get to Las Vegas an hour late. Continued a conversation with an intense Las Vegas tourist from Cleveland so my parents wouldn't get too scared. Dinner 9pm PST with relatives I haven't seen since 1995. Pai Gow. Sleep 4 am CST.

March 9
Wake up at 8am PST. Swallow quick breakfast. Explain to aunts why I don't eat hard boiled egg yolks and what it is I'm doing that is causing me to miss my cousin's actual wedding.


Eighteen holes of bad golf with great laughs.

Quick snack. Nap. Pai Gow. Eventful Bachelor Party wherein the future groom earns my respect. Sleep 5am CST.

March 10


The strip. Video Poker. Brunch. Casino War. Rehearsal Dinner at Olive Garden. More gambling. 10 frames at the bowling alley. Say farewell to future groom and my cousin's roomates. Sleep 4am CST.

March 11

Wake up at 7am PST.


Take picture of sign on the way to the airport.

Land in Chicago at 3pm CST. Arrive at venue 4pm CST.


Reconnect with Band folks. Sound check. Dinner. Show. Finally home at 10pm CST.

March 12
Awake at 11am.


Drive to suburbs for Japanese all-you-can-eat buffet.

Get home at 4pm CST.


Load out 7pm CST. Venue. Late show.

Home at 1am CST. Sleep at 3am CST.

Throw in the interactions, handshakes, hugs, lessons...you've got my world. What is it I do?

Quite a bit of everything.

Lessons I've learned?

1. Strippers are dirty.
2. Never play casino war.
3. Keep in touch with similar aged cousins becuause they lead interesting lives, too.
4. I'm probably too old to be wearing a wife-beater T-shirt out in public.
5. Music is fun.

. . [~] . 0 (Grumble) Grumbles .