Daily Blog

Sitting at Colton & Tiffani's apartment - Vanessa and I are having a visit with the kids and Andrew. Had fun making him laugh.

I'm trying to do some writing daily - either song writing, blog writing, or both. Unless I get home and get some song writing done tonight looks like it'll just be the blog today. :-)

I have yet to make it to an X-Wing Store Championship this season, and doesn't look right now like it's going to happen, but maybe. I am planning to make it back to Henderson Family Dance Saturday night though. If you're in the area (or want to make the drive), you'll enjoy the music and the dance floor.

Nothing else to report on right now, gentle reader, but happy to at least say hello. :-)

Gonna leave you with this little thing my sister and I did on Facebook...

New Lyrics

While Vanessa was preparing supper last night (that's dinner to you city folk), we were talking about different things. I was looking at Timehop and there was a note from several years ago where I mentioned I had played a 1943 Gibson Flattop. We were trying to remember where that was and Vanessa said, "Bobby Stallcup?" I said I wasn't sure - then we remembered the guy at the Baptist Men's music thingy we used to go to. There was one night I passed my Takamine off to another guy and played his old Gibson most of the night. :-)

Minutes later my cell rings - Caller ID? Bobby Stallcup. :-)

He said he had a phrase that was going through his mind and he can't get it out. Having co-written two songs with him for my CD Homegrown, I knew that when he has a phrase it means something, so I grabbed some paper and wrote it down. I then wrote down the notes he had in mind.

We ended our call with a promise that I would work on it. We had supper, did some laundry, etc. and all the while I'm humming a tune and muttering some words. No, it's not a complete song and it's not even a complete chorus, but I like it...

One last thing - Bobby DOES have a guitar I would love to own. He has an Alvarez Missouri Nine String. It's basically the top half of a six string and the bottom half of a 12 string, so you get the true bass licks and runs of a six while the 'ring' of a 12.

Future plans

Future plans...

Thinking back on Gencon 2014, one of the best parts was the cosplay. There were people dressed in all sorts of outfits - sci-fi, super hero, video games - you name it. A recurring theme was Steampunk, and on the last day we even saw a Steampunk Han & Chewie.

One of the first things we saw was a wonderful Vader costume. He proceeded to Force Choke Vanessa... :-)

Even Vanessa got into the action with her ears and tail -

Fast forward to a few weeks ago... Vanessa and I attended the Jackson Comic Con. Had a great time - saw some WONDERFUL cosplay, especially in the Star Wars theme.

They had other things as well, like several movie cars. This one was actually outside -

And then there were other 'props' that were on display...

I was particularly impressed with this lady's makeup and costume and the custom crafted saber she held!

There was a booth in Jackson that had some 'cosplay guns' for sale. We noticed they were nerf and water guns and decided we could do that...

The next weekend we went to Memphis Comic Con and saw more of the same! So we decided to check out Goodwill the next time we were in Jackson. We found the following items and the total price for ALL of it was less than seven dollars!

Brought them all home - cleaned them up good - and as far as 'future plans' go they will be sanded & painted and 'sci-fi'd up' & steampunkified up for cosplay. Very exciting. :-)

And yes, I will publish work in progress pics... I bought some 'star washers' today on a plumbing run to Lowe's to help with the work...

Post Birthday

Now I can talk publicly about the party yesterday. :-) It was Vanessa's 50th birthday and I had wanted to give her a surprise party. Our friend Hope had wanted to help, so she supplied the decorations and the cake. Another friend Heather wanted to help as well so she took care of the snacks and agreed to help decorate. Another friend Lisa was there early so she helped with last minute decorations. Thank you - ALL THREE of you! - for a wonderful job.

Angela was not able to attend but brought cupcakes, which were GONE in no time. :-)

But the biggest thank you of all was to the MANY wonderful friends that took time out to come and help celebrate and show Vanessa just how much she is loved. It touched her heart, I know, but it also touched mine! There are some special friends that were, due to last minute sickness or other issues, unable to attend, and we both understand that completely! NO hard feelings at all.

To the special friends from pretty far out of town that meant their round trip travel was as long or longer than the party was planned for, that touched my heart in a completely different and special way. THANK YOU! Some even stayed around after and we had a very nice dinner at Applebees with a table full. And then, of course, the talking into the later evening on the parking lot.

A truly wonderful day!

Cracker Barral

I'm sitting across the table from the birthday girl! Yep, Vanessa is growing more beautiful and precious by the day, even on her birthday!

Yesterday was a rough one, so I didn't get a post made. We buried a dear friend and it hit me pretty hard - worse than I thought it would. 

There are people we lose that we notice are gone and then there are the ones we actively miss. The latter I can count on one hand, and Max is definitely on that hand. Make it the right hand with ginger picks - or the left hand and we'll lick the slide. :-)

I did work on some lyrics the night before. No, I didn't complete a song, but I did work on an idea that Vanessa had for one sometime back. If music is a muscle then writing is too, and I flexed it a little. 

Well - breakfast is over and it's time to take care of some errands... Vanessa knows we have a reservation at 3 so Wally World here we come...

Back in the swing of things...

Okay, I'm way WAY behind on blogging. This will just not do. :-)

This blog is a place to save my thoughts, yes, but I also find it's a place to spur on more and more writing. It's been just too long since I've written a song, and that has to change.

So - what's on my mind right now? Well, some guys on a Yahoo Group have gotten a little butt hurt, and it's made me chuckle. :-)

Just had a long weekend but it turned into a doctor visit and staying in bed for the whole thing. Not fun. Vanessa and I did have a VERY nice away trip to Nashville, though, and we're looking forward to going back in March!

And, on a down note, a dear old friend of the family and the BEST steel guitar player I have ever shared a stage with passed away. RIP Max Winchester - we love you and you will be missed!