I know it’s been awhile. I have been working on a new song. Tell me what you think:

League Apparel
Paralegal Pair of Shoes

League Apparel
Paralegal Parachute

It’s a work in progress…

A good friend is involved in this and asked me to help spread the word.

From the page on the Second City site:

For the fifth straight year, a group of current performers and alumni of The Second City take to the stage for an entire 24 hour period to benefit children and families in the Chicagoland area during the holiday season. Improvised scenes, songs and games are performed by the ensemble, only taking breaks when a variety of top musical acts drop by to perform and inspire the cast and audience.

As a special treat this year, Second City and Saturday Night Live alum Horatio Sanz will be flying in from New York to join the cast!

Scheduled musical acts for “The Second City That Never Sleeps: Letters to Santa” include Jeff Tweedy, Robbie Fulks, Shellac, Sally Timms, Jon Langford, The Blisters, Jason Molina and many more.

Go here for the schedule and times.

Well, I was graciously invited to see the Trail of Dead at the House of Blues with Celebration, Blood Brothers and my good friends, Brothers and Sisters. Not much to report as I needed to leave early and didn’t get to see TOD. But I have seen them before (used to play poker with them in OLY,WA) and I was really there to see old cohort, James Olsen, perform with the Bros and Hos, I mean Sis’.

I do have to say that House of Blues were the biggest pain in the ass. I had to park 3 blocks away and pay $20. I had to wait in this long line to be told to go wait in another line to get my tix for the guest list. Then, I wasn’t able to bring in some shirts and CD’s I had with me to give to Olsen. Even though people were coming in with elaborate costumes (Halloween), they wouldn’t let me in with my wee bit of merch. I had to stash it on top of some shelves and James and I came out later to reclaim them. So stupid.

Anyway, Brothers and Sisters were remarkably great. Celebration were sexy and cool. Blood Brothers were pretty lame, I thought, but the kids seemed really into it. And like I said, I missed the TOD.

I did however have a taxi back up into me (my car) on Michigan Ave after the show - totally lame. Which reminds me, I need to call that insurance guy…

The Googlebomb - Republicans and their troubles:

–AZ-Sen: Jon Kyl
–AZ-01: Rick Renzi
–AZ-05: J.D. Hayworth
–CA-04: John Doolittle
–CA-11: Richard Pombo
–CA-50: Brian Bilbray
–CO-04: Marilyn Musgrave
–CO-05: Doug Lamborn
–CO-07: Rick O’Donnell
–CT-04: Christopher Shays
–FL-13: Vernon Buchanan
–FL-16: Joe Negron
–FL-22: Clay Shaw
–ID-01: Bill Sali
–IL-06: Peter Roskam
–IL-10: Mark Kirk
–IL-14: Dennis Hastert
–IN-02: Chris Chocola
–IN-08: John Hostettler
–IA-01: Mike Whalen
–KS-02: Jim Ryun
–KY-03: Anne Northup
–KY-04: Geoff Davis
–MD-Sen: Michael Steele
–MN-01: Gil Gutknecht
–MN-06: Michele Bachmann
–MO-Sen: Jim Talent
–MT-Sen: Conrad Burns
–NV-03: Jon Porter
–NH-02: Charlie Bass
–NJ-07: Mike Ferguson
–NM-01: Heather Wilson
–NY-03: Peter King
–NY-20: John Sweeney
–NY-26: Tom Reynolds
–NY-29: Randy Kuhl
–NC-08: Robin Hayes
–NC-11: Charles Taylor
–OH-01: Steve Chabot
–OH-02: Jean Schmidt
–OH-15: Deborah Pryce
–OH-18: Joy Padgett
–PA-04: Melissa Hart
–PA-07: Curt Weldon
–PA-08: Mike Fitzpatrick
–PA-10: Don Sherwood
–RI-Sen: Lincoln Chafee
–TN-Sen: Bob Corker
–VA-Sen: George Allen
–VA-10: Frank Wolf
–WA-Sen: Mike McGavick
–WA-08: Dave Reichert

last.fm // joesepi
Have any of you out there heard of this site? It’s like internet radio, only better. You sign up (free) and download their little “audio scrobbler” (dont ask). Then when you listen to music on your computer (iTunes or whatever) it takes note of what you’ve been listening and recommends music based on that. You can also search for artists and listen to ‘radio’ based on similar artists. It’s really hard to explain, but fun and stuff.

This is where that little graphic to the right is coming from. I am on there as joesepi, feel free to look me up and add me as your friend. We can sit around and make mix tapes like the old days.

I am also adding our records up there - see Pensamplivox.

EDIT: And you know what else? I am finding this really useful as I clean out my ridiculously large music library. I can scroll through things and click on something I hadn’t heard. With the Audio Scrobbler open, it instantly gives me a brief bio. For example, I didn’t realize A Certain Ratio were right along Gang of Four and Cabaret Voltaire in pioneering the post-punk/funk stuff from the UK in the late 70’s. This last.fm, I like.

I don’t even know what to say about last week’s events. They were historic and monumental. I wish I could sit here and recount every moment of the weekend but I cannot — it would do T&G’s anniversary no justice as this was the best ‘music festival’ I have ever attended. Not just for the music, but also the venue, the attitude, the people… everything all added up to a fantastic and memorable weekend.

How do you like this?

Ok, my wonderful girlfriend bought me this stereo for my birthday. Although my birthday is next monday, she bought it last weekend and when she realized she couldn’t carry it up to our 3rd floor apartment, she had to give it to me early so I could help her get it out of her car and into our home.

I haven’t done any research on it yet, so if anyone has any enlightening info or advice (care), please chime in. Otherwise, I just wanted to share how cool this fucking thing is.

Note:
- it is a General Electric I think from 1963
- the speakers fold out and all three speakers are ‘wireless’.
- the record player folds down (it is a Garrard)
- it totally works in every way (a little dirty)
- it has 4 speeds on the record player
- the other side (opposite the record player) folds out slightly to store albums in there
- it has inputs for ‘tape’ (rca jacks - ie iPod)

These three are sorely missed.

Things are good. Got me a new job - pays well, great office, good people, benefits and close to home. Got a new apartment, still on the lake up north. Still enjoying life with my wonderful girlfriend and our zoo of animals. Getting ready to enjoy the best summer ever.

It’s been 4 months and I haven’t written a lick. Maybe it was that insane job that I thought was great and turned out to be the worst place ever - went in to quit two days after xmas only to find out they were firing most of the design staff, including me. Took it with a smile and left the bridge unburned, which turned out to be a good thing when I was trying to get my last check.

My lack of writing may also have to do with that special girl. It has been 4 months and things are still great. Just super. Thanks for asking.