Joans-ing for the Weekend

This was our cover photo on The Joans' MySpace page before we went back to using just the logo. It only shows Jennifer and Davy, but more are forthcoming before our next show (July 20)!

I did not go to the Pride Parade yesterday. Does that make me a bad fag? (Probably--but so the hell what? Where do I fit into their clannish little "community," anyway?)

The Joans are coming along nicely! We have several new songs in the hopper and we rehearsed Friday and Sunday. We're getting the sound ironed out on two new ones "This Is Your Life, Joan Crawford" and my favorite new one, "Joan World," both written by Davy Joans (David Cerda). Ed Joans (Jones) is learning his keyboard parts and I was really impressed by how great it's making the songs sound (I've never been in a band with a keyboard player before--at least not since junior high). My drumming was really subpar Friday night, but I felt a lot better about it yesterday. I had more energy.

Besides The Joans, I did do other fun things this weekend. I did go to the Pridefest on Saturday to see Jennifer Joans (Connelly--pictured at left) sing with the Clark Street Band. According to her, it was the band's first gig, and I thought they were pretty decent. Many of the songs were jazzy, and the arrangements seemed sort of marching band-y. Also, Jen sang vocals on "Chicky-Chicky Boom Boom," a Carment Miranda song from "That Night In Rio." Jen's vocals were terrific, but there was no Latin percussion, which would have given it a lot more flavor. But a little tweaking can take care of those problems pretty easily.

There weren't many people there Saturday (it was about noon and slightly damp and drizzly), but a saw a few friends I hadn't seen in a while. I ran some errands, did laundry and then went out to Touche (hey, it's close and I can walk!). It was buzz cut night and my friend Charlie (another former Peorian) was working the clippers (they just called and asked him to do it, as their regular has left town). So I chatted with him and watched him work for a while, and began succumbing to the advances of a really cute bear named Frank. I was really getting into it, but something seemed strange. I think it was that he never shut up. And somewhere in his rancid stream of chatter, he mentioned his unfortunate incarceration (he was innocent, of course).

Now, I'm all for giving folks a chance, but I said to myself, "Hey dumbass (I dropped that hokey "self" thing a long time ago), is it really a good idea to just hook up with someone the first time you meet him? Especially if he has, shall we say, a 'past?' Shouldn't you at least get to know him first, to make sure that he's really a nice guy and not just blowing smoke up your ass?" I'd already heard this guy say he lived on the West Side, and I sure as hell wasn't going to do the Next Morning Walk of Shame from there, so I started trying to find a way to extricate myself from the situation. A sudden spasm of vomiting? No, too extreme. A headache? Please, they'll just make some joke about knocking into the headboard or something.

Fortunately, my problem was solved when Frank went to the back room and asked me to come back and meet him after I went to the powder room. To my credit, I did try to find him back there (I thought I could chat him up a little and find out more about him while his hand was down my shirt), but I didn't see him where he said he'd be. The only places I didn't look were in the dark corners. Of course--the wanking corners. He was clearly "otherwise occupied." Fast worker! Decision having been made for me, I went out and caught a cab home. Quickly, before some other creep glommed onto me (I never get the nice ones anymore).

This week, I'm doing a shorter week (taking Thursday and Friday off, or at least Friday) to get some stuff done, then go visit Mom, Dad and my aunt and uncle in their respective domiciles (why can't parents just get along and never divorce?). I'm hoping to get to TimeLine theatre Thursday to see "Widows Houses," because I hear it's really good and I may not get another chance to see it before it closes.

Work is really quiet today. The entire front office and half of ours are at some conference in the suburbs, so I'm covering the phones and trying to get work done (well, except for this, of course :-))

Happy Monday! (I know, I know--it's a contradiction in terms.)