A Rich Man in a Poor Man’s Shirt

“Everybody’s going home with their hands hurting, their feet hurting, their voice hurting and their sexual organs stimulated. Says so, right on the ticket. That’s my guarantee!” -Bruce Springsteen

Well, I won’t go into details of that guarantee but let’s just say Bruce rocked the house once again!

I only heard a couple songs of the new album so I was unsure how much I would enjoy this show but I shouldn’t have worried. Hearing those songs on the radio versus seeing them performed live was like night and day. Whether you agree with the message or not, Bruce will certainly communicate it with all the power and energy he and the E Street Band can muster and then some!

Start time: 8:25 p.m.

1. We Take Care of Our Own
2. Wrecking Ball
3. Prove It All Night
4. Death To My Hometown
5. City of Ruins
6. Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?
7. Talk to Me
8. Jack of All Trades
9. Atlantic City
10. Easy Money
11. Waitin’ On A Sunny Day
12. The Promised Land
13. Apollo Medley (The Way You Do the Things You Do/634-5789)
14. American Skin (41 Shots)
15. Radio Nowhere
16. The Rising
17. We Are Alive
18. Thunder Road

19. Rocky Ground (with Michelle Moore)
20. Land of Hope and Dreams
21. Born To Run
22. Dancing in the Dark
23. Glory Days
24. Tenth Avenue Freeze Out

End time 11:12 p.m.

“Does This Bus Stop at 82^nd Street?” was a great surprise! A quick story about Bruce’s small apartment on 82^nd Street in New York City led into this great song from his first album.

“Talk to Me” was another great surprise, probably for the band as well, as Bruce saw a sign in the cheap seats near the back of the stage and called out for the song. His expression was classic Bruce as he started playing the first few notes; a mixture of surprise and joy that he still remembered the chords. Some fun interaction with Patti added a comic touch to this song made famous by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes.

Bruce was in great spirits; crowd surfing through the arena, pulling a young woman on stage for “Dancing in the Dark” and letting a fan(?) “sing” what she thought were the words to “Glory Days”.

My companion who was asking for some Top-40 songs got her wish toward the end of the show and we all got our wish to express our gratitude and adulation for the Big Man during “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out”. “When the change was made uptown and the Big Man joined the band…” was followed by at least a five minute band break as Bruce held out the microphone and the whole arena exploded in cheers and applause for the sorely missing Clarence Clemons. His talent was clearly passed on to his nephew Jake who handled the sax solos perfectly!

So for all of you who have tickets to upcoming shows, I’m extremely jealous. For those of you who don’t have tickets, I suggest you beg, borrow or steal them. This is still the greatest show on Earth!

A Shout Out to My Bank

I had a great weekend with great people, starting with my favorite band, and band of brothers and sisters, on Friday night and ending with my favorite person on Sunday night. And apparently I also discovered time travel!

While I was happily enjoying my weekend, someone else was happily enjoying their weekend on my dime. It seems my debit card got hijacked somewhere along the way and the dastardly fiend was enjoying themselves in Orlando until Saturday night when my bank shut down my card.

Of course, I didn’t know about it until I attempted to pay for dinner with two acquaintances. It was quite embarrassing when my card was declined but thankfully one of my acquaintances stepped in and saved the day.

A quick conversation with my bank on Monday morning, some dispute forms to fill out and a trip to my bank for a new debit card and I’m as good as new. The money was already replaced in my account before I made it to the bank before lunch. Now that’s service!

So let this be a lesson to all you kids out there – keep close tabs on your money, you never know who else might be doing the exact same thing.

25 Posts Already?

Well, apparently I submitted my 25^th post last week and didn’t even realize it. Time sure flies when you’re having fun. I guess I should have had a party or something.

My most viewed posting is also my saddest but I find that appropriate and a testament to the love and caring of all my friends and high school classmates.

I started this blog during an unemployment period as a way to sharpen my writing skills and keep a deadline in my head for my writing. I work best with a deadline and really miss my creative writing class for that reason and for the sparks of imagination it provided. I was also toying with the idea of writing full-time for a living.

I know being a full-time freelance writer takes quite a bit of time to get established and make any kind of sustainable living but it’s all part of the dream. One of these days I will find my shithole bar in the desert, set up shop in a corner booth or table, grab the never-ending bottle of scotch and simply write. Hemingway had the right idea, minus the tragic ending.

I also have a few stories written that need to find homes. I need to get on the ball and satisfy my many fans that ask me when the next book will be published. I hear y’all!

In the meantime, I’m working my current job and enjoying the challenges it brings while continuing to search for the all-important and equally elusive muse for inspiration and motivation.

Until next week, thank you to all who follow this blog!

A Brave New World (Not For the Faint of Heart)

Aldous Huxley had his ideas on life in the future and, surprisingly, I have my own ideas on current life and relationships.

I grew up in a time where if a man wanted to find a good woman he had to have a steady job, provide a decent living, be kind and have his own place. So as we go down the checklist, I’ve met all the criteria; but sadly, the rules have changed.

Women are much more independent now than they were back in the day; damn you, Gloria Steinem! I also blame TV, movies and Hollywood. Now all the women flock toward dirty looking, long-haired ne’er-do-wells, less than savory stars and glittery, brooding vampires! C’mon, really?! The guy sucks as an actor and looks like he hasn’t bathed in years.

Also, women aren’t looking to get married anymore; or at least women who have been married before and are now single once again. I can grudgingly accept that to a point; Hell, I’ve been single for so long now, I may not even want to get married again but I like to have that option available. It seems the whole fear of commitment idea has left the male species and taken hold with the females.

“Why do you need that piece of paper to be in a committed relationship?” I hear this when I take my unscientific polls on the subject. Well, because……that’s why!

I don’t know why it seems so important to me; maybe it’s just the world I was brought up in. Whatever the reason, I need to adjust my expectations and just live in sin. Not that that’s an entirely un-pleasurable situation.

Welcome to dating in the new century; put on your game face and emotional armor and have a ball!