Tomorrow is moving day! I have no idea where anything is. I tend to pack boxes with a terrible mish-mash of items, especially when moving day is hours away. That means that the socks, the mustard, computer cords and hard drives, dish towels and winter hats and gloves will probably all end up in the same box.
This weekend will be pure chaos as I look for all the work clothes I need for Monday. Of course, the stereo will be set up first. We’ll also try to get the kitchen going fairly quickly. Fun fun fun!
We closed on March 18, so its been tough having this great new toy and not being able to play with it. But all that changes tomorrow. Hopefully, the dog and cats will adjust quickly.
Emily did a tremendous job finishing up what will be our bedroom when we move in seven days. And I think Lucy is getting less anxious about the coming transition.
Afterwards, we were able to enjoy some quality time and amazing weather at Liberty Lands with Dorothy, Benjamin and Sadie.
The world is turning rapidly under our feet. This can not be avoided, but it need not always be celebrated.
Last Thursday we attended the successful settlement on our first home. It is a bittersweet moment because it means leaving the city limits of this glorious and frustrating town. I wish I had the money to be a stylish, bohemian intellectual with a beautiful row home in a safe neighborhood, but it ain’t gonna happen. not now, anyway. I’m taking my liberal politics and my strange music to the ‘burbs.
In the midst of preparing for closing, I left a pair of work projects for the weekend. this meant several hours at the office on Sunday, when I should have been home packing for our move 0 which is just a few short weeks away. One thing I was not working on was a trial that has been listed several times, but for one reason or another, has never gone forward. My clients grow weary of the hurry-up-and-wait approach that the Courts insist on. Because the matter had been listed so many times, I am ready. I just have to drag all my files and tech (computer, project and screen for power-point presentation and video testimony to show the jury) to Court and I’m ready.
So our latest listing for this trial was yesterday, and, low and behold, the Judge was actually ready for us. He dismissed us for the morning and advised us to come back after lunch to pick a jury.
As I pulled into the parking lot after getting my gear and a quick snack, I check email and learned that Arthur Schneeberg had died. Arthur was my Mom’s first cousin and a man I had admired my whole life. He was a gifted physician and a loving family member. He was the most unassuming man, completely unpretentious. Yet his level of scholarship about his work and religion always inspired me. I am proud to be a part of his family.
So, instead of finally putting on my trial, the case goes back into the “waiting to re-list” category and today I take my Mom to a funeral.
Tomorrow we go to closing on out first house! I can’t believe that at this time tomorrow I will actually own real estate. Yes, it means moving out of the city and that will take some getting used to, but we’re going to a really cool community with close friends nearby and the ride to my office will hardly be any longer than what I deal with now.
So we have walk thru at 8am and closing at 9. Then back to work for 2pm client meeting.
The actual move won’t happen for a couple weeks, but tomorrow is still a very big day.
I’m dealing with a minor flare-up of colitis, so I have to tread lightly, but I was still able to get in a short run this afternoon. My running iPod (yes, I have a few) coughed up some absolute beauts:
Tangerine Dream – Encore (not sure which Tree boot this came from)
Miles Davis – Honky Tonk (from the stunning Evolution of the Groove remix record – Brilliant!!)
Isotope – Crunch Cake
The last of these is a stone cold lost classic from the fusion era. The whole album is good, but this song in particular really got me going on the run.
Special thanks to el Sturg and his lovely wife for hosting me in the DC metro area. Senor Sturj and I ventured into the wilds of Columbia, MD for Progressive Nation 2009. We got treated to Zappa Plays Zappa, Dream Theater, and even a little Queensryche. It was a great night of music with a dear friend, but I’ll need some time to digest the whole deal. In short, the Zappa set was brilliant, satisfying and very much what I expected. It was a treat to see such extraordinary music played so brilliantly. Dream Theater, quite simply, was an onslaught. Portnoy might be the best in the business behind the drums. I’ve seen him before, but not with HIS band. This show was loud, abnoxious, mighty and awesome. Like I said, more on that later.
I also received a huge supplement to my music collection via Mr. and Mrs. Sturg. With the former, I have an opportunity to hear every single show Mahavishnu played between 1972 and 1974. Friday night, Saturday night, Sunday night, etc, etc. That is a deep collection. From the later, I got to continue my education in sounds from around the world, as the Mrs. has traveled widely, speaks fluent Spanish and supplemented her considerable music collection accordingly. I was only able to scratch the surface while being treated to pancakes and fresh fruit this morning, but I still managed to collect many gigs. It was a good haul; just how good, will take some time to fully realize.
Friday night (still in Philly), my friend Joe had the sense to push me to Johnny Brenda’s, where I always love what I see. In this case, it turned out top be a band I had already seen, but in a much worse venue. I previously reflected on these events over at Fretbuzz, so there’s that.
With today’s 7-3 drubbing at the hands of the Gigantos, the Phillies have now dropped a disturbing number of games on this seven-game west coast trip. I wouldn’t worry so much, seeing as their lead in the atrocious NL East is still pretty comfortable, but they will undoubtedly have to play San Francisco and/or LA when playoff time comes, provided they get there.
AND, last but not least, the new Beardfish record Destined Solitaire is yet another work of genius. Great music, lyrics, cover art, everything. More on that later too.
