Another week has ended. Now you go out and drink. I’ll drink too, but a little less than you because even though it’s a holiday weekend, I still have to work tomorrow and Sunday. When is Labor Day? Was that today or is it Monday? I guess it doesn’t really matter. I worked today and I’ll work Monday, too! Here’s to only getting Holiday’s off if one of the three “big ones” (Christmas, New Year’s, July 4th) happens to fall on a day I’m scheduled to work. Oh well. Speaking of Monday, Nicci is going away for six weeks to act on a stage in front of an audience! I’m very proud of her, but at the same time I’m sure going to miss her. I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking these past few weeks about how I’m going to keep myself busy while she’s gone. Since I don’t really have any other way to express myself, I guess I’ll share my ideas with you in the form of a new top ten list.
The Top Ten Ways To Stay Busy While The Girlfriend Is Out Of Town
10. Music – I’ve moved all my gear and various toys up from the garage in anticipation of having much more time on my hands to twiddle knobs and record weird sounds. Considering I haven’t strummed a guitar continuously for more than an hour or two in a couple months, it’ll be a good chance for me to gain back some dexterity and skill that I’ve surely lost over time. Hell, I might even write a tune or two. They’ll suck, but it’ll be better than just playing the same 15 or 20 songs I’ve written over the past three years whenever I pick up my guitar.
09. Concerts – I was really excited about the possibility of seeing some cool shows in LA while Nicci is gone, but then I did all the research and it turns out there are only six concerts I might want to attend during the six weeks she’ll be away. Nicci can attest to the fact that I almost broke down crying as I rattled off 8 concerts in New York I could see during the first 10 days she’ll be gone. When I mentioned possibly moving to New York she did not appear to be amused. It’s a shame LA is such a vacuous wasteland as far as cool bands are concerned.
08. Poker – Nate and Shaun convinced me to sign up for one of those online poker sites, and I’ve deposited maybe thirty dollars into my account since joining. I played in three tournaments last night ($3 / $0.30 KO) and my best finish was 22nd place out of 90 entrants. I figure if I play in three tournaments a week I’ll be spending the same amount of money as one meal, and I can definitely go a couple days without eating…so I don’t see a problem putting that money towards potentially making money. And if I lose, oh well, that’s one meal I probably wasn’t going to eat anyway!
07. Golf – Tom wants me to join his Tuesday morning golf game. Although it’ll be rough waking up at 6am to play golf before going into work for a full day shift, it will help ensure I get a good night of sleep on Monday nights, and it will tire me out sufficiently on Tuesdays that I’ll probably sleep-in often on my Wednesday days off from work. Although I haven’t swung a club since the golf range closed in 2007, I’m pretty sure it’s just like riding a bike, and all my skills will come back to me really quickly. Or, I’ll make a complete ass out of myself to the amusement of some friends.
06. Books – I have a few books set aside that I’d like to read, and quiet nights alone should help me finish them. If you want to recommend me a book, by all means, do. My stack of stuff to get through is pretty small at the moment, and I have a Borders gift certificate laying around somewhere…
05. Softball – Thursday night softball returns in two weeks (as in, the week after next). The games should be followed either by drinks at a local bar or drinks back at Nate and Pat’s place with the Wii or some other time waster. Hell, if I could get into more than one league I would, but I just don’t think I know enough people to make that happen.
04. LOST Re-Watch – Tuesday nights are the LOST re-watch parties, and that takes care of yet another night where I have somewhere to go and something to do. Actually, come to think of it, Sunday mimosas and HBO should still be in effect, so that makes two nights a week I can watch some TV in the company of good people, drink, and otherwise forget all about the wonderful time Nicci will be having with her new friends.
03. Day Trips – You’d better believe I’m going to be taking a large number of day trips while my babe is gone. I’ve got brewery tours already lined up, I’ve got my mom coming to town for a weekend, and I’m sure I’ll find some brave souls in the area with whom I can venture out into the vast Southern California wilderness. There will definitely be at least one trip to Joshua Tree next month, because I haven’t been in ages and the weather is probably getting better there soon. Mostly I’m looking forward to the brewery tours.
02. Drinking – Speaking of which, there will be a lot of nights out drinking. I’ll probably join Nate and Shaun for their Wednesday night routine at the local bars, and I’ll always have a bottle of bourbon at home to keep me relaxed instead of worrying about what my girlfriend is doing and who she’s with. I’ve already promised myself one extraordinarily expensive bottle of booze to keep me company, which I’ll probably order after I get my next paycheck. Hey, I can afford it, I won’t be paying for two most nights for the next six weeks. Hmm…maybe another boys night out trip to Morton’s is in order. Yes, that sounds like a stupid waste of money plan!
01. Book(s) – Different from reading books, I’m talking about writing books. I’ve got to put the final nail in the coffin of that book I’ve been working on for almost four years now, because I have an idea for a second book that I’m very anxious to get started on. In fact, there’s a good chance it could become a documentary if I play my cards right (and I probably won’t!). I figure it’ll only take a week’s worth of nights devoted specifically to writing and editing for me to have a new finished manuscript (less mopey personal shit, more streamlined interviews, etc.). After that, I can spend the rest of my time making contacts for book number two. I already have a couple people waiting for me to meet with them, which is very exciting, I just need to get the idea down and hopefully get some money together to take a nice long trip to visit ’em all. No further details until I’ve got the money and the schedule.
So, that’s about it. I’ve got Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays scheduled. If you know of something cool that happens in LA on Mondays, Fridays or Saturdays, be sure to let me know. Or maybe I’ll just spend those nights at home alone working. I don’t give a fuck.
More importantly, what the hell do you do when your significant other leaves town for a while? I’m open to any and every suggestion, so long as it doesn’t entail me cutting off my penis and running it through the garbage disposal. Also, don’t suggest suicide. I’m not interested in that either.
TWEEDS – I Need That Record
Gore – Fear
John Fahey – Bicycle Built For Two
