Month: June 2010

Friday Fill In #182

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1. On vacation, I like to operate with a very loosely defined set of plans; I like to make sure there’s plenty of room to improvise.
2. I really don’t swim very much in the ocean. (Though I’m a Mainer, brought up so close to the ocean you can smell it, I don’t swim in very much. The north Atlantic waters are just too cold!)
3. One of my favorite vacation spots involved me snorkeling in crystal blue waters. (Any vacation spot that involves snorkeling is ok in my book!)
4. The great watch my Mom bought me has a moon phase dial; I can tell you how soon until the full moon.
5. Up, up and away in the Governor’s plane. (My first plane ride was given to me by my cousin Floyd. The plane was this really decked out twin prop job. He claimed it was the plane used by the Governor of Maine. True? I don’t know for sure, and Floyd is prone to storytelling.)
6. Bananas have made many appearances in my new “snacking more health-ily” diet.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to playing a swing gig for the Downeast Dancers, tomorrow my plans include meandering to Portland with my wife, and Sunday, I want to snorkel in Aruba! (I want to, but I won’t be!)

My Wife and Daughter

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Yesterday, Rachelle posted on Facebook about some old photos of  a Christian summer camp she attended, and that there were some shots of my beloved wife Susan in there, too. After some digging, I found this photo and I literally said “Holy crap!” This photo is of my wife back in the day:

susanorjulia

This is a photo of my daughter from last year:

juliaorsusan

I see a resemblance!

Friday Fill In #181

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1. On weekdays, I’m usually about to hit the shower around 6:58.
2. It was the reason, of course, that the entire house fell in; it appears removing that lally column wasn’t such a hot idea.
3. Driving around late at night dressed as a ninja and standing in graveyards waiting for someone to show up so I can jump out and scream is something I no longer feel the need to do.
4. I have another errand to run, then maybe I’ll be able to hit the hay.
5. I have absolutely no idea where your batman underpants are! Nor do I have a clue where your shoes are, or your Eyeore …just go find it
6. What were once vices are now the ok thing to do–heck, elicit drug use is even accepted in presidents now.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to playing a gig with Steelin’ Thunder, tomorrow my plans include a Father’s Day hike with my kids and a wedding gig, and Sunday, I want to enjoy Father’s Day at my in-law’s house!

Joe Morello’s Left Hand

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In another installment of “Bill’s Youtube Videos He Watches Over and Over,” I bring you Joe Morello:

Joe was Dave Brubeck’s drummer for years and years. Here, Joe takes solo in the Brubeck classic “Take Five.” The original recording is fantastic; one might even say monumental. Like Miles Davis’ “Kind of Blue,” Brubeck’s “Time Out” album is a Jazz album for people who aren’t into Jazz. You don’t have to be to dig this album. Anyway, here Joe offers a different solo than the original recording. Dig the one handed roll at about one minute in. Joe is a big proponent of what’s called the “Moeller Technique,” a way of snapping the drumstick and using the stick’s natural rebound to turn your arm into an engine, cranking out hit after hit after hit. Here Joe shows his tremendous finger technique, coupled with Moeller, to give us those super tasty one handed yummies. For non-drummers, it probably doesn’t look like much. No flash flailing, no rolling around tons of toms for days and days. But for those of us who know what he’s doing, well, we can tell you that little one handed drum roll is crazy hard to pull of.

Friday Fill In #180

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1. Being married to the same person for 16 years feels great.
2. The solution is to put the relationship of husband/wife before parent/children.
3. My beloved wife is always next to me before I fall asleep.
4. How about going into marriage with the idea that it IS going to last, and divorce is NOT an option?
5. Marrying your best friend is something I highly recommend!
6. Imagine living with the same person for 16 years; imagine looking forward to coming home to the same person every night, and actually wanting to be there; imagine a lifetime of being in love.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to celebrating my anniversary with the woman I love, tomorrow my plans include starting year 17 of a fantastic marriage, and Sunday, I want to sit in church beside the woman I love, and listen to her sing alto against my bass!

Friday Fill In #179

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1. I’m not sure I could tell you what is my favorite place to travel to. (I’m not much of a traveler. I CAN tell you I HATE driving in Boston. Take the T.)
2. When I think about my childhood, I often remember how much fun I had during the summers, being allowed to roam free all over Spruce Head Maine. I could tell my mom “bye” in the morning, and she could let me go anywhere, pretty much, without worry.
3. A good wife makes for a good friend.
4. The wind in the trees, the rain on my skin, and thus does my cheesy couplet begin.
5. I’m not sure I could tell you what is so exciting! (Seems like I haven’t been excited in a while.)
6. My best friend knows everything there is to know about me. (I’m so thankful I married her!)
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to seeing my jump/swing band on TV, tomorrow my plans include working at the Rockland Kiwanis “Bike Rodeo” (if it doesn’t rain), and Sunday, I want to attend biker Sunday at church, and hopefully it won’t be raining so we can go to The Blessing of the Bikes!

The Profitability of Bankruptcy

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At work, I’m the guy who deals with accounts payable. I’m the guy that gets the letters from the bankruptcy court that says: “This person is filing for bankruptcy. How much do they owe you?” I then tell them the relatively small amounts that are owed. Then, I’ll get a letter back, saying (in a sense) “The debtor can pay this much. He owes a metric butt ton to these other people. They’re going to get a pittance payment. You’re getting nothing.”

Today, I received a follow up letter regarding a business that went belly up. They owe my company $266.00. Though nothing is final, I’m sure I won’t see a penny of this. The follow up letter is letting me know of an upcoming meeting. The accounts for the company are asking for a shade under $409,000! The attorneys are asking for $575,000! And we’ll get nothing. I wonder how much the attorneys and accountants “wrote off” for this company…