Well I Did It. I Took Early Retirement

Congrats Bear. I wish you many, many years of health and happiness.

Welcome to geezerhood.Ill be down on thuirsday AM and we can go to the MAcdonalds ,play Bingo and annoy everybody.

K& W Cafeteria.... we need a soft diet at our age.

Congrats, Bear.

I wish I had the courage to do the same.

This is dinner at 3:30 PM, right?

Love to ya -- and enjoy this phase.

jespah, It's not a phase; it's permanent. LOL

Well, I don't believe it.

well you never know, I'm a musician therefore I'm flaky... but I'm pretty resolute about this.... if I were in a bigger market I might not be so ready to quit.... but people here don't get that an 80's tribute is SUPPOSED to be over the top cock rock. the spoof and excess is part of the fun. People around here think I get up on Tuesday morning, rat my hair, put on eyeliner and get into spandex to go to the damn grocery store. It's just gotten tiring.

you at least apply foundation, don't you...?

and wax my bikini area

I just have a hard time believing you can walk away from the stage. Any stage. It's not just a money thing to you. You love performing. And your voice is still strong. I'll give this "retirement" thing three months. Four, tops.

Go ahead, prove me wrong!

Eva this will shock you even more. I've decided that unless squinney and I reconcile yet again (unlikely) or I fall in love again (REALLY UNLIKELY) I'm going to be celebate.

BVT? I got your chunk of iceberg here in the NYC harbor when you're ready to be set adrift.

I'll need you to put a crater in the middle, fill it with premium vodka and supply a large straw. and then some good Tawny port to take the edge off.

Well hell, why not? You've tried everything else, right?

(For the record, I don't think that'll last either, but have fun trying. Or don't have fun trying...whatever...this is confusing.)

Got a good laugh at your spelling, though. It's "celibate." You spelled it a lot like "celebrate."

Living at the beach sounds wonderful. (Especially to someone in OK.) Do it!!!

Have fun blueveinedthrobber! Me...I basically quit my solo act due to the simple fact that well paying local gigs are as rare as hen's teeth. The Lower Mainland area of British Columbia simply does not have very much live music any more. For the last three years I've been teaching full time and you might want to consider teaching as well. I teach the four year electrical apprenticeship however, so it's not directly musically related, but with your background you might like teaching music. Do you have any formal musical training that might help you land a teaching position? I have been considering performing at hospitals and old folks homes and chartable events but not for the income (what there might be of it). If you revamp your repertoire you might give these venues some consideration as well.

Well now I suppose I have to re take English 101 and relearn how to spell. that's going to cut into my biking time.

Chum, I don't have the patience for teaching. I'm afraid. I wish I did. I am planning to satisfy my musical jones by getting around finally to seeing bands I didn't see because I was working all the time myself. I saw Bon Jovi Monday for the first time and I'm going to see that YES tribute band (they'll never again be YES without Jon) on the 24th of March. I've seen YES many times but never this watered down version, so I'm curious. I've got dj work starting to come in hot and heavy for spring and summmer, and I'll never part with my acoustic guitar.

I hope all fares well! Musically I would be happy just to regularly play with people better than I am...that's not intended as a boast on my part...but there are so many people where I live that claim they are "musicians"... but in truth have simply memorized some tunes and patterns...that's simply not the same thing as knowing your instrument (or at least working on it).

CONGRATULATIONS!
WELCOME to your Golden Years!





David