Wow! What a week…#2!!!

First, I’d like to report that I’m doing quite well all things considered.  I spoke to my oncology team last Monday to report on my side-effects status.  When I explained about the “bone-crushing” ache the PA was like, “Yeah, and?”  Turns out what was new and unbelievably painful to me is a normal part of chemo.  The “ache” was to be expected and I reported that I hadn’t suffered from most of the projected side-effects.  So, “nyah, nyah, chemo, ppppbbbbbbbbbbbbbt”!  [...knock wood]

In my last blog I was writing about looking forward to teaching a songwriting class.  I’ve been teaching private lessons in guitar and mandolin and even co-taught a songwriting camp last summer but this week was different - a class of my own.

A handful of tweeners ready to learn and I can tell you they taught me a few things, too.  When asked about their musical tastes I was told; EDM, Broadway, Pop, Scream-core, Luke Bryant and Gospel to name a few.  I had to look up a couple of genre definitions cuz I didn’t want the kids to think I wasn’t “hip” to current music.  (Truth be told I haven’t been hip since ’78.)

We did writing and word exercises, talked about rhymes and rhythms, prosody and scansion and even did a “Mad-Lib” style exercise to demonstrate extemporaneous songwriting.  They had a great time learning and I had a great time teaching them.  I hope I get to do more of this… perhaps I’ll add, “Songwriting” to my private lesson offerings… Woot!

My week was capped off with 2 shows performed without the aid of a stool or a roadie...   it was both liberating and exhausting.  The first one was on a great big outdoor stage with full sound and lighting and the whole shebang :)  I love it when my suitcase drum sounds like a real bass drum…kick, BOOM!  My my “chemo-brain” was getting the best of me during part of the show and I lost my internal lyric sheet more than once but otherwise I think it went well.

 The next afternoon at the Mississippi River Distillery went much better, more like my old self.  A little stumble at the open but I found my “beat” soon enough and the only thing missing was the appalling lack of their fine local distilled whiskey in my glass.  (The chemo is doing a number on my liver so I’m opting to do without the brown water.)

And now, for my “Week 2” indulgence.
Susan and friends took me to Iowa City Friday night.  IC was throwing a shindig for the RAGBRAI riders and the public was invited to crash the party.  I was still pretty worn out from my StreetFest gig but seeing the riders, street vendors, hearing the music and a scoop of edible cookie dough from Molly’s Cupcakes made it all worthwhile.  The warm-up acts were pretty good, including a band from Oregon called, Blitzen Trapper, but the highlight of the evening was the Minneapolis band from my youth, The Jayhawks!  They sounded great as ever and it was cool to hear a few songs I even recognized. ;p

Here’s me and Susan with our friends, Tracy and Molly, and if you look real close there’s The Jayhawks in the background.