This used to be way easier - and a lot more fun!

[DonH]

It gets a bit different on the other side of the stage. Now, I'm not like some super-star or something but do a fair share of larger things complete with "green room", back stage "security", sounds companies, etc. That said I also do a fair share of random bars with 50 to 200 people hanging out, corporate events where we somewhat blend into the background, some table to table or expo hall or what have you "strolling" things - that's usually on upright string bass rather than sax which is what I do mainly. I also play a pretty decent variety of styles. I don't think I've done Nine Inch Nails all though I have to tell you, many of these I know more by tempo/style and what key it's in - ie, "that slow ballad in F" LOL. One of the bands I do a lot with does a few Johnny Cash tunes.

Anyhow, what I'm trying to get at here is after being in this industry since I was 15, having done, I'm guessing at least 2,500 "gigs" in my lifetime perhaps over 3,000? it really does become a "job" of sorts. Now that said, it's also one of my chief social outlets as how many jobs do you get to drink on the job, socialize, etc.? It is sort of the ultimate in combining "work" with "fun."

You would think I'd meet more people this way, and honestly I do. Again, like so many things in my life, I used to meet many of those women I dated through bands. But again like the rest, not as much these days although it was on a band road trip that I met V - which, BTW, I left her another message and shot her a text earlier this week with no response. Not sure what's up with that as it's not like her. But, there you go.

I continue to be in and out of a funk. I am having to push myself to stay busy and do things. I've got a slow weekend here - only one gig at a bar Sunday evening. Meeting a female friend for dinner and drinks on Saturday. She's about 10 years younger than me, never married, a lot of fun, but we've not taken things anywhere even though it's sort of like a date when we go out - well a date without much physical contact anyhow - which LOL is how some of my other dates go, so what's the difference? She has not had a BF in several years, just like me with a GF. I need to contact a few other friends as well and catch up. Then I'm off back to Cleveland again for the Thanksgiving holiday for again fun with some music thrown in - including something I rarely get to do, be part of a show band for an awards event. I've not sight read music in a while but that's exactly what I'll do when I get to rehearsal on Friday. I'll meet the other musicians, many of which I know, some of which I've never performed with, they will throw the music at us for the various components of the show and we'll play it. It's fun to have it all come together in 24 hours and then we'll perform it in front of nearly 1,000 people on Saturday. I'm going out there with the husband, very soon to be ex-husband, of the woman I spoke about a few weeks ago. Talk about a crazy story - they were separated three years then got back together and have been since February 2014. Rather quickly this time they have split again only they are on a very fast track to D. He's my age, she just turned 40. Wild. He is an awesome wingman, however, so....

And that's my life for the next week or so.