Perhaps It’s Time I Got Back Into This

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With the popularity of Facebook–for the world, including me–I’ve been neglecting my blog. I suppose not so much neglecting it, as choosing not to use it. Things published on Facebook get to my 600+ friends. Things published here get seen by very few. Of course, what’s published here is available to the world, and not just my “friends.” Some things I’d like to say may be very helpful to the right people, and that audience is probably not on my friends list. Specifically, I’ve been getting back into drumming. I never got away from it; I’ve been playing for the 4+ years I’ve been relatively silent here. But for the last year or so, I’ve been doing some fairly serious practicing. And some of what I’ve been learning and working on may help other drummers–and a drummer in Ontario looking for a Stick Control practice regimen won’t find my routine on Facebook; but they could find me here.

Also, I sometimes like the history of myself, and sometimes like to review it and remember. The Facebook archiving “feature” (if you could even call it that) stinks. Want to find out what you were doing in the fall of 2013 while it’s January 2016? Good luck finding that on Facebook.

So, let’s give this a go for a while, and see if I can keep it up.

The 10 Commandments of the Blues Jam

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Nine rules shalt thou follow, and ten shall be a balm unto thy health. Listen, and thou shalt not be as the heathen on stage.

1) If though calleth a tune at the blues jam, you may play of the Chicago or of the Delta.
2) Treadest thou lightly on the R&B and the R&R. Though they be of the offspring of the blues, lo they also be from afar.
3) Amy Winehouse and 4 Non Blondes are right out.
4) When thou callest a tune, thou must callest the key to thy bandmates. The key of C# is an abomination to all. Use it not.
5) If thou needest an ending, look to thy drummer who shall set thee up and lead thee. Do not just stop playing; that is most foul. Givest the bandmates the “cue” by the raising of thy hand, or lifting thy guitar neck to the heaven, and your bandmates shalt follow thee.
6) To the singer/songwriter: The open mic is your domain. You may annointest the people there. Bring not your originals to the blues jam.
7) Thou shalt play nicely with others. The jam is not for your band alone. It is not a showcase for thy group.
8) If thou bringest thy guitar amp to the jam, it shall be of the practice amp size. Thy Marshall shalt thou not bring, neither thy Twin. Turn not the gain to 10 to get “your sound.” Make not thine rhythm section’s ear’s ring; that pleaseth not.
9) If thou playest the harmonica, thou shalt keep them quiet until called to the stage. When the time comest to play your chosen harp, it shalt be in the same key as your brothers.
10) If thou listenest only at the jam, thou shalt offer a sweet offering at the tip jar.

© this day, Eleven July, in the year of our Lord 2015, William of the Rhythm

Quickbooks Won’t Print Invoices

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I know I haven’t posted here in a while. Facebook has taken the place of my blog. (Check me out over at facebook.com/billyrhythm) Today, though, I wanted to post a solution I’ve found for a particular Quickbooks problem: Quickbooks won’t print and invoice–either PDF or on paper. Receipts would print. Reports would print. Only invoices wouldn’t print.

What I tried:

  • Restart computer and printer
  • Verify and rebuild Quickbooks data
  • Back up and then restore the company file
  • Download and run the Quickbooks printer preference removal tool
  • Remove and reinstall printer drivers
  • Remove Quickbooks using the Revo uninstaller tool (which also removes all registry entries), and reinstall.

None of that fixed it. What did fix it? Face it, that’s why you’ve read this far. What fixed it was…

…switching to a default Quickbooks invoice template. Yup. The customer was using a custom template. Something there got hosed. Switching back to the default template fixed it.

If that worked for you, please leave a comment.

Dreaming About the White Ford and the Gun Range

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Last night’s dream: It started out with me selling a white Ford truck to Spike Hyssong. We were in the parking lot of Wasses, and strangely the slope of the parking lot was the other direction–it went downhill to the west. Anyway, we jump in “my” old truck, which I haven’t used in six months, and try to get it started. It cranks, but won’t catch. I put the pedal to the floor to get the carburated engine more fuel. It still won’t fire. So then I pull up the choke handle, and it still won’t catch. (Side note: Though I’ve owned a white Ford truck, it was fuel injected. I owned a carburated Ford truck, but it was blue. I’ve never owned any vehicle with a manual choke handle.) Thankfully, due to the slope of the parking lot, we start rolling away from Wasses. I pop the clutch just before we fall into a quarry (where’d that come from!), and we start driving.

Next thing I remember, we’re driving on Old County Road. It’s there I realize that this isn’t my truck at all, but it belongs to Harley Colwell. Spike asks me if there’s anything wrong with the truck, and I tell him “It needs a battery.”

Next up. I’m at a house owned by Barbara Koster Pratt Stewart. It’s a small Victorian style New England farmhouse, and James Thompson is trying to sell it for her. Barbara isn’t living there, so she’s let Jim and his family stay in the main house.

Outside the main house is a big old barn. Inside the barn is a shooting range. a bunch of people are in there shooting, but I don’t remember who other than Blaine Curtis and Spruce Head lobsterman Jim Tripp. I’m there with my M1 Garand, and I’m teaching Paula Sutton how to shoot. She claims she’s never shot before, but she loads the Garand, drops into the prone position, and fires of a string of shots all in the black with a great grouping except for one flyer. I’m impressed.

We’re sitting around talking when Jim Tripp walks up to me, points a loaded revolver at my head, and starts laughing. I push it away from me and say “That’s not an ok thing do.” He insists he would never shoot me. And while I believe him, I’m very shook up. I say something to “Look, this wasn’t some quick ‘I accidentally passed the muzzle in front of you while I was drawing from a shoulder holster” moment. You deliberately pointed that gun at me!” I walked off the range.

I went into the main house, which was small, but immaculate. I found the living room, and Jim Thompson had the complete Monty Python collection of DVDs. Every movie, every TV show, every sketch, on 40 DVDs. I decided I needed to find one particular bit, but I couldn’t remember the name of it. I was going to fast forward through 40 DVDs until I found it. Then I heard Susan in the other room.

I went up to her, and she was telling me about her bad day. I cut her off and said “Jim Tripp held a gun to my head and thought it was funny.” Then I started crying. I couldn’t stop. I wasn’t really afraid, but just emotionally spent. Susan, sensing that, didn’t say anything. She just held me and rubbed my head. Then I woke up.

30 Days of Thanks 2014

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Thankfulness, day 1. I’m thankful for chocolate chip cookies and French roast coffee.

Thankfulness, day 2. Used generator? $400. Transfer switch and cables? $150. Electrician friend who hooks it up? $100. Getting the carb rebuilt and finally, after 4 years, putting the whole system to work? Priceless! 

Thankfulness, day 3. For friends who cover for me at work. Friends who rebuild my generator carb. Friends who drive my daughter home. Friends who give my wife rides. I have loyal friends. 

Thankfulness, day 4. I’m thankful for the first snow storm of the 2014-2015 season. Many good lessons have been learned. 

Thankfulness, day 5: for coworkers who are supportive friends. 

Thankfulness, day 6 (forgot to post it yesterday): I’m thankful for toast! 

Thankfulness, day 7: I am thankful to get the last of the Dorman’s mocha chip. 

Thankfulness day 8: for Michael in St. George. He has a chainsaw, and a wood stove. He also now has the maple that came down across my clothesline. I’m thankful he came and cleared it, and glad he can use it. 

Thankfulness, day 9: I’m thankful for Sunday dinners with my Mom and my sister’s family. 

Thankfulness, day 10. I’m thankful I don’t have to work in the morning. I can use the sleep! 

Thankfulness, day 11: For Thornton Batty, Jr, Coastie who served in Viet Nam re-supplying the Brown Water Navy. For William R. Batty, Sr., who served tending buoys off the coast of Maine. And for Thornton Batty, Sr., who served as a Coastie of the Aleutians in WWII. 

Thankfulness day 11, part 2. My Mom’s side of the family has vets too. My grandfather Lewis Yattaw served, and I have his memorial flag that I fly from time to time. His son, Lewis “Rusty” Yattaw served in Africa and Germany. 

Thankfulness, day 12: Two weeks ago, I played a really good gig at The Landings. Sadly, the SD card in my portable recorder died, and I couldn’t get the tracks off of it. Today, though, I tried again, and got most of the data off of it–enough at least so I could hear what I played. 

Thankfulness, day 13: for Mike, Kate, Molly, Max, and the whole Landings crew. They asked me to play there not once, but twice this week. And they treat me better than some customer or hired hand. They treat me like family. 

Thankfulness, day 14. I’m thankful for Grandma and Granddaddy taking the kids for the weekend! 

Thankfulness, day 15: for a day of nothing but spending time with Susan. 

Thankfulness, day 16. Today in Sunday School, we talked about being a good steward with money, and how much is too much, and how much should you store up for yourself. I’m thankful for my boss of 15 years, who treats his employees well, is generous, and doesn’t have a greedy bone in his body. 

Thankfulness, day 17: VACATION! 

Thankfulness, day 18: I’m thankful for Pastor Jason Pauley. 

Thankfulness, day 19: I’m thankful for the great Christmas shopping trip I had today with my family. I’m almost done with my list! 

Thankfulness, day 20. Dad’s been on my mind today. I’m thankful I had many years to hug him, kiss his check, and tell him I loved him. 

Thankfulness, day 21. I’m thankful for emergency personnel–especially those that volunteer. 

Thankfulness, day 22. I’m thankful for my sons, who helped me pick up the debris from the maple we 1/2 lost in the storm. Sadly, I shacked my back in the clean up process, but they really worked hard. 

Thankfulness, day 23. I’m thankful for microwaves and rice socks, freezers and ice packs, ibuprofen and tylenol, helpful kids and a patient wife. 

Thankfulness, day 24. I’m thankful for my inlaws, Donna and John Dancer. Mom is always taking the kids–not because she wants to give Susan and me a break–but because she wants to spend time with her grandkids. All of them. And my father-in-law? Meek, wise, incredibly strong, and a fine example of what I want to be. Patience of Job? Ol’ John Calvin Dancer’s got him beat. 

thankfulness, day 25. I’m thankful for the members of Harmony Bible Church. 

Thankfulness, day 26… Me: “Hello?” Mom: “Oh hi. I guess you know what I want.” Me: “To know if I’m home safe? I am, and I’m in for the night.” Sound familiar Stacy Densmore? 

Thankfulness, day 27, Thanksgiving Day. I’m thankful for Jesus. 

Thankfulness, day 28 (I was tired after my gig last night): I’m thankful for my children. Special thanks to Julia for helping me lug equipment to gigs this week with my sore back. 

Thankfulness, day 29. After two really nice reunions, I’m especially thankful for my family today–both my immediate and extended family. 

Thankfulness, day 30: Last but not least, I’m thankful for Susan.