Twisted Acres

as it's been two or three forevers since I've visited this beautifully-decorated place. I reckon that, at this point, 90% of you are saying "who the f is this saying hi?" Well I'm saying hi to you as well, and to the 10% who remember me, let's take another ride on the ferris wheel at Navy Pier. And let's take a carpet from the Golden Nugget Diner. I hear that Detective Ron Tugnutt has retired.

Guess I've got a new favorite Jeff banter bit.

Here's to the second half, folks... except for a small handful of teams, everybody's got a shot!

Definitely bittersweet. Massive kudos to the law enforcement folks, but all I can think of are the victims and their loved ones and all of the hurt that they're just starting to process.

Glad you're having fun over there, Paul! xo

Today's mood: soundy. And gardeny. And maybe a bit beery in an hour or so.

I think it's only been, like, a decade since I've posted here at VC? I just wanted to say hello to you guys, tell you that I hope that all is well in your world, and to enjoy your day to the fullest extent possible without a prescription (or with a prescription if that's your thing). xoxoxo -mart

Happy birthday to everyone born in the past 365 days!

That would be fantastic!

he did.

...and for those of you keeping score, that's a 1953 Gibson J-185 that Jeff played on this lovely evening. He said it needed a bit of love after he purchased it, but he also said it is pretty much the only acoustic guitar on the new album. Lovely tone, very focused. He called it a "very forgiving" guitar... one of those rare ones that sounds good even if it's slightly out of tune.

Just heard this on CNN, don't see anything on the web about it... Before he began speaking this morning, President Obama (I still love writing that) said something to the effect of... "Before I begin, can I make a quick comment? My daughters' school was closed today because of the snow. In Chicago, they wouldn't even call this snow. My daughters both said, 'In Chicago, school is never cancelled because of snow.' And my 7-year-old said, "If this much snow fell in Chicago, we'd still be going outside for recess!' "We're gonna need to apply some flinty Chicago toughness down here."

wishing you a marvelous birthday, mchris! -mart

Happy happy Birthday, Donna Dearest, with lots and lots of love from Patti and I! xoxo -mart

Aw, that's sad news... rest in peace, Mr. Newman.

When my life is through And the angels ask me to recall The thrill of it all Then I will tell them... I remember you

The pimpage has to continue just for one more brief mention: Twas a fun night, thanks to Paul bbop as always for hanging with us... lots of fun with great and mighty talented folks... a concertgoer filmed it and put it up at youtube, so here are the links if anyone, anyone at all is remotely interested in having a look (don't forget to click view in high quality"): The players from left to right: Dan Weiss, Organ (hidden)... Chris Kuffner, Telecaster (that's Jenny Owen Youngs' Tele for anybody who knows her stuff, she was nice enough to lend it to Chris)... Craig Meyer, drums... me, acoustic

SOOOOO looking forward to Rickey Henderson's HOF induction speech this July... we're going to run a pool at our usual viewing spot to guess how many times he refers to himself in the third person during his speech... It's Rickey time! Can't remember where I saw it, but there's already one writer who left him off his ballot, so he won't be going in unanimously, although he certainly deserves to.

Thanks fellers... gonna be a fun night. We did a rehearsal/performance with Dan Weiss and Chris Kuffner at the Red Lion tonight, bbop was there, I think it went well, so all systems are go for tomorrow night at the Bitter. If you're in the NYC area, I hope you'll say hi to a fellow VCer. -mart

Hope you don't mind me sharing a bit of info on an upcoming show of mine in balmy New York City... I'll be at the Bitter End this Monday, January 12, at 9:30pm, playing a handful of songs of mine, along with my dear friends: Craig Meyer on drums Brian Killeen on bass Eric Katerle on guitar Chris Kuffner (Ingrid Michaelson) on guitar (Chris plays bass with Ingrid and used to play bass with me, but he's back in town and we've dubbed him our personal Jonny Greenwood) Ryan Vaughn (Joshua Radin, Jeffrey Gaines) on percussion Daniel Weiss (Joan Osborne, Jill Stevenson) on organ/piano. PLUS we'

yep, and now Patti is completely hooked. She's wondering where the mother is.

i am screwed. I'll be watching this until they grow up

Have a fantastic birthday, Brianne, and welcome home (though I bet you still wish you were away )

love love LOVE that album