Under Construction

I'm taking some time off from blogging. I haven't been as happy with it lately and am thinking of redesigning it, changing my focus and possibly moving it to another domain. I also want to concentrate on some other avenues of creativity that I hope to bring to the new blog. Thanks to all who have been readers. When I'm back up, I'll send you a email notice. So for now, in the long term, enjoy life and in the short term, have a Happy Easter.

Saturday Night

Another Saturday night and I aint got no body. That was the song that said it all. When I was younger, I would have rather died than admit that I was home watching TV alone. Even though , back then, they put good shows on Saturdays. I think the night started with All In The Family and the evening would end with Saturday Night Live. With any luck the guest host would be someone like Eric Idle with George Harrison as his musical guest. A lot of times, it was that good. This Friday night I went to a blues club with girl friends. It was a funky bar in Montclair. The kind I went to when I was in my 20s. I probably was the oldest person at this bar in age but it didn't feel like it. It just felt good being out, doing something I don't usually do. Usually, I go out with my husband or friends and we go to dinner. I love eating but it is good to do something different so you can talk about it during dinner. When I mentioned to friends that I went to this bar, they said, "Oh my, I remember Tierney's from my college days". If they were with me Friday, they would have said, nothing has changed. The place looks the same except that it is not smoky now. Nice. Where was I that I didn't go to Tierney's during my college days. Oh right, I didn't go to college. But I am going to college now - an online college, so shouldn't I get the college experience by going to a college bar. Yes. Maybe that explains why I went to Tierney's. The food wasn't bad, I had a nice time. I listened to a blues band and enjoyed the company of my friends - all for under 30 bucks. Makes sense to me. So now it is Saturday night. I made a nice dinner for both my husband and me. Had some wine and we plan to watch a video which I will probably fall asleep on well before the credits. There never is a good show on Saturdays anymore and I can't stay up long enough to watch SNL. I'm so busy during the week that I welcome the chance to be home and enjoy the time relaxing. That is Saturday night now. But it was fun to go to Tierney's. I realized, I enjoyed doing something that wasn't part of my normal routine. Why shouldn't I. It's not because I haven't grown up, I just haven't grown old.

Clapton & Winwood & Me

Anyone that knows me knows I am a huge Eric Clapton fan. I've seen him in concert about 6 times. I bought his Crossroads collection of CDs before I had a CD player. My kids would have been named Eric and Layla had my husband not put the kabash on that immediately. On Tuesday, I went to the Steve Winwood/Eric Clapton concert at the Garden. The concert was awesome. Clapton is still god. Stevie Winwood is perfect with him . I am perfect with them. I look at them playing and hear my youth come back. "Had to Cry Today" (which they opened with) was moving. "Can't Fine My Way Home" (which they ended with) turns me to mush now as it did then. I am 21 again and invincible. I have no responsibilities. I work to make money to go out. I go to concerts and see The Who and John & Yoko and so many others. There are clubs and dancing awaiting me. It is Thursday, or Friday, or Saturday, and I am at the Electric Circus on St. Marks Place. Or I am at Mother's in Greenwood Lake. I was a regular at the Back Fence in Greenwich Village. In Jersey, it was this little dive called The On Tap. Just hanging out, smoking and drinking with people, just like me. I am back in 1972 and haven't aged a bit. Fast forward to 2008. I am 36 years older and so are Clapton & Winwood. I'm still going to concerts and they are still playing. I understand the music more. I get a rush (yeah, rush) when Clapton does his blues solos or with Winwood's voice singing, "Georgia". The crowd is my age but that distinct smell has exited with the no smoking laws. We all grow up. Occasionally, I will go to a club (not often but I do). I start the night earlier than I did and leave earlier than I did. I go to work the next day or even 2 days later, exhausted. The young interns and 20 somethings in my office do this all the time. I don't. I try not to show how tired I am and struggle through the day. I'm not done yet. I heard that Clapton will play Atlantic City in the summer. I will go. I hope to go to concerts and clubs until I die. I hope Clapton and Winwood do too.