Well everything changed yesterday... for the better. It started when I wrote about the discouragement, got it out of my head and onto the screen. Then I had a fantastic skype conversation with the lovely (and amazing) Julie, felt the connection and my spirits lifted in a big way. I kinda have a sense at this point that when I get a lot of negative feeling about something, that it's an opportunity to find some new truth, or maybe remember some old truth, and if I explore it enough, the truth will reveal. And the energy will turn. And it did....
Met up with the old guys for a walk around the city, this could be a daily jaunt... 6km loop, traffic buzzing by, but whatever, it's still outdoors and scenic and the body likes to move. Plus we get to catch up on the news of the day, gossip, enjoy each other's company. Then a cup of tea, a swim and for me, it's then nap time. I sleep maybe 5 hours in the night time, so I use the late afternoon as the supplementary rest period... read the book, fall asleep, then get ready for the evening.
And that was a big highlight yesterday, particularly after the debacle of the night before. (see previous post). On this day, I was going to do my first gig at a nice restaurant and we were gonna see if it was a good fit. Had some sound problems at the beginning, the cord to the guitar didn't work, had to play guitar into a microphone old school style, and it took a little time to dial it in and get a feedback free sound. Sorry to the diners who had to hear the set-up, it wasn't pretty. And I was feeling awkward, not quite knowing the equipment, wondering if I should just pack it in and forget about it. But once the sound was OK, and I loosened up, hey it's just music, have some fun, try some things, gauge the response and then try some more things.
And the more I played the better it went. There were people clapping, and singing along, a few got up to dance, many smiles, the owners were happy, it went well. One of the tables near me was really into it. Turns out that he is 84 (looks 65), a guy named Richmond Shepard, father of Vonda Shepard who used to sing at the end of the Allie McBeal show. Richard worked as a mime and theater guy, still teaches and travels the world. His wife, didn't catch her name is a prolific author who writes about the New York theater scene... books about Joseph Papp, David Merrick and others... Accomplished New Yorker old timers, I said, you guys are a couple of swells... (NY term from back in the day). They were totally into my shtick, if felt awesome. At the next table was an older Dutch couple and they were digging it too, calling out songs which I could play... so much fun. And then some girls started dancing and damn, it was perfect. Especially when the boss said he wanted me to come play twice a week (and the money is good... shhhhh it's under the table, not allowed to make money here if you're a foreign musician). And they want me to play a big party on Christmas Eve as well, so suddenly I have a chance to make some cash and have a great venue... feels really nice. shhhhh
The other good news was that I wrote a note to my buddy who I had been struggling with and I guess I took the right tack, because he heard me, responded well, and now we're good again... that's a relief... got to hang on to the good friends...
And there was even a nice late night set at the CU where I got to jam with some young Frenchmen who play well, and then we were joined by a great singer from Seattle who blew the room away on some blues... Yup, it turned and after my first week here, I finally feel like I landed.... ahhhh
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