Unwitting Bachelor for a Week

June 10, 2005

It's funny how I've gradually entered this underground society of middle-aged family men unbeknownst to me. There are rituals that I have started to note. One is the mandatory bachelor week. Every summer as soon as school let's out I join the ranks of other American husbands and fathers who wave goodbye to their families as they pull out of the driveway, headed to the beach, to the grandparents or other destinations.

Because we have so little vacation time, we must conserve -- take one for the team and stay home to earn while the rest of the family goes off to play. It's a strange thing to be in your house without the usual suspects around. At first it's depressing: you mope around empty rooms picking up things. Then it's liberating: you slam doors, walk around in your underwear, leave dishes in the sink and stay up too late playing music at unreasonable volumes.  Finally, it's unsettling: you begin talking to yourself and calling up everyone you know to make any kind of plan that does not involve having to sit in an empty house and pay bills.

I'm doing okay so far, it's day 3 and I'm still in the liberating stage, though I fear the unsettling stage approaching. Fortunately I have a big weekend of playing music ahead of me. Tonight Screen Door has a show at Eddie's Attic - my old stomping ground and I am looking forward to it. We play again tomorrow for a private party. On Wednesday night, my friend Kris came over to track some bass parts for three new songs I've recorded at home and am slowly working towards releasing.  He's a really nice fellow and a brilliant player. I'll post some mixes as I get them a bit closer.

For now, I must get back to my stint in temporary bachelordom.

2008

In The Morning

2007

UnAmerican

Faster Than the Speed of Documentation

Catching Up: How Many Plates Can I Spin?

Review of Eddie's Attic Show on March 30th

Meeting John Gorka

Things Lost, Things Recovered

37

Talking is Hard Work

No Snow in Moscow

Take Me To The Bridge

2006

Dylan Turns Six and Eddie's is Still the Place to Be

Sweet Release

Countdown to CD Release

Kristian Bush Lends a Hand

Charles Brings his Guitar and Plays Mine

Beyond Pat-Boone-Debbie-Boone: Gerry Hanson Rocks

"Keep it Down" is Coming Up

Musings on "The Moment"

Spoiled for a Weekend

Progress on the New CD

Screen Door Closes

Eatting, Writing, Living Large

One Fish, Two Fish

I Write the Songs

Wakeman Boys Concert Debut

Good Intentions

A Trip to Wayne Henderson's Shop

Winter for a Day

3 Dozen

Red Door Playhouse

Making a Set List

Brothers

Funny Blogs and Conversation Ticks

Infinite Possibilities at Checkout

Recording the New Screen Door Album

2005

Maybe We'll Just Be Dead

Dad's Best Game...

20 Years of Gigs

Flash MP3 Player

Thanksgiving

Dylan Makes Five and Becomes a Knight

Why I Make the Trip

Blue Ridge

New Additions to The Family

Tuscany or Heaven?

Catching Up

The Truth Can't Set You Free

A Day in the Life

Easy Like Sunday Morning

Nathan's Great Gift

Mondays and Struggle

The Ghost of an Old Friend

Endless New Beginnings

Return to the Mountains

Easter Bunny, Bacteria and Other Random Thoughts

Old Dog, New Tricks

Boy Meets iPod...

Turning the Odometer on my Universe

Jon Turns 42

2004

Dreams of Death & Transition

Autumn - Making Movies

Eddie's Solo Show

On Singing

The Nature of Struggle

The Sleeper

Old Friends and Being an Artist

A Rock Star for 24 Hours

Restored and Rejuvenated

Will it Ever Stop Raining?

Another Night, Another Show

Lost in the Woods

8 Years Old

Ian Gets Glasses

Dark Side of the Moon in Decatur

Zen and the Art of Guitar Playing

Dylan in the Morning

Smile

Minute to Minute

I Wanna Take Pictures

2003

One Month Since My Last Confession

I am Really Boring

Back Among the Living

Rock and Roll Sideburns

Balance

Sleep is not Over-rated

Rock and Roll Lifestyle

A Day at the Zoo...

And so it begins...