Paulie's World

Maybe I'm dreaming

2009-04-17T15:12:00.002-04:00

I started a new blog call Tao and the Art of Bass on here. Reading a friend's blog about her life has made me think about seeing if this finally takes me anywhere.

ok... 3 minutes to write something

2009-03-26T18:22:00.003-04:00

Hrmph... that's all I have really. I'm busting my ass and taking care of bidness. I am worn out. Evan has slept some in his own bed lately but he still likes to sleep in bed with us. I don't mind except for the whole I-miss-touching-my-wife thing.

*Sigh*

Some exciting things are going on at work. I'm really enjoying myself, even though I do grumble and bitch about things in my head. I love watching the people interact, I love the conversations I have with customers. I love the conversations I have with friends at work... the weirder the better. I love how people apologize and think they will offend me when the things I have going on in my head would make most people blush, if not right cry a little. I'm a sweet guy, I just have a very twisted mind. w00t!

Helping the big guy sleep or "Take me to the pickles!"

2009-03-15T01:11:00.003-04:00

Evan has been having trouble the past few nights with waking and screaming his head off. Woo and I are starting to get concerned for him. These aren't the normal whiney cries in the middle of the night but I'm pissed, I might have a belly-ache, I might be gassy, or I'm just pissed off cries.

I've been watching a friend of mine, whose blogs are some of the best I've read, try the cry-it-out method. I've also read about the no-cry method. Woo and I are trying to decide which one to go with or if we just make up our own. What we've been doing is that if he wakes up in the middle of the night he just gets to come to bed with us and stick his feet under my ribcage while pulling Woo's hair all night. I guess the ribs keep him warm.

I like that he sleeps with us sometimes. Sometimes it does bother the hell out of me, but I kind of miss him when he's not there. We love him and want to show him how loved he is every minute of the day. I think the reason I want to try the short quick solution is because I'm selfish and want some time to myself. I suck for that. Oh well, onto the pickles....

Woo and I were shopping one night at the new Krogers here in Farragut and I announced to her that I want the ingredients for tuna fish salad (which she hates!). We got the tuna, we got the mayo and I, again, announced, "Take me to the pickles!" Not a long story but something that makes us giggle like children.

-PC

Home is where your Hat is... isn't that how it goes?

2009-03-12T17:58:00.004-04:00

*****Warning: Some cussing at the end of the post*****

House hunting so far has sucked for the most part. The first house we found was in Powell. A nice little Cape Cod style house with a HUGE back yard. It was so tiny inside it was a no-go.

The next house we found was in Fountain City, close to where I grew up and on my old bus route to school. It looked like an Old English village house, very charming. It was kind of small and there were issues with the basement, but I think they could be over come. So we looked on down the road at another house the reminded us of that last one. The basement was tall enough for a hobbit to only have to slightly bend and none of the outlets were grounded!

Two houses down was one that was called "The Handyman's Dream." Ugh. The front room looks like the type of place where you would be giving a tour and announce, "This is where grandma died." *Shudder* Not for me. It would also need a new roof soon.

Then the realtor, Rob the Realtor (I think he had his name legally changed to that) showed us one that was at the very top of our budget. We loved it, it was perfect except with childcare issues and a one car wide driveway it wouldn't work either.

Tomorrow we're going to go and look at some more houses and have fun. One is on Azalea (which I love to say) and it quite charming. There are a few more in West Knox that I have found that are great but they don't meet our quirky personalities.

Woo is very particular about the garage. (The garage cannot take up a third of the house) I'm particular about the size. (I want to be able to fit that big ass garage in the living room) We love some of the neighborhoods we've found but want people our age with kids that are the Big Guy's age.

I want a place for my musical equipment and to practice with my band when I can. Or maybe one day I'll give lessons... who knows?!? I want a good sized room for our millions of books and dvds and cds. That easily numbers in the thousands. I would love a garage that both of our cars can fit in. I would love a big back deck so we can host parties. (We're both basically hermits, but we do love our friends)

*sigh*

We'll find it. With each and every trip I feel like we get closer to our home. We definately learn more and more what we don't want, what we can live with, and what we can't live without. I think between all the websites on the internet I've seen every house for sale in Knox county, most of Anderson, and most of Blount.

Who knows, maybe we'll just say, "Fuck it, we'll do it ourselves and build our own dream."

The last few weekends

2009-03-09T12:19:00.003-04:00

So last Saturday (the 28th) my dad and I got invited to play on the Ciderville Farm and Home hour. What a blast! It immediately took me back to being 9 and watching my dad on Saturday nights at Ciderville playing some of the most old school country ever. Well that Saturday I got to be a part of that as I took over playing bass for a song and Rowdy (the bass player) decided to keep me up for the rest of the show. All of these people singing and walking around in cowboy boots, cowboy hats, and/or overalls and here I am in a collared shirt, jeans, and my sandals. What fun!

Last night (Sunday the 8th) my dad had an acoustic gig at Two Doors Down. I know my dad well enough to know to bring a guitar. I brought my new Hofner Beatle bass and he immediately told me to hook up. The gig was from 6-10 with two breaks. We ended up playing the 6-10 and then for another 50 minutes until we were just shot vocally and mentally.

I love playing with my dad. I tell everyone that I get my musical insanity from him. He would start a song, not tell me the key, and tell me to sing lead. We went back and forth all night. Doing the Beatles, the Zombies, some Stones, and lots of random songs. I look forward to the next time I get to play with him.

Tragically Unhip

2009-03-02T20:59:00.002-05:00

Maybe I'm feeling old... but I am so unhip my torso keeps slipping.

I've been looking at pictures of my friends and they have tattoos, they seem to be in the right, cool place at the right, cool time, and they get my generation and the one after. I never got my generation. I certainly don't get the one after mine. I barely understand the one before mine.

I'm patriotic, but I have a cynical sense of distrust for the government. I love to hear new and exciting music, but I tend to lean towards older music. I enjoy Hiphop, but sometimes I miss Young MC. I believe the only good new composers are film composers. I'm a 20th Century artist but dislikes 20th century art. I have lots of things in common with many different types of people but I rarely relate to anyone.

Is it because I'm feeling old? Lonelyish? Who knows. At least I'm talking about my favorite subject.

PC

I'm gonna do it.

2009-02-18T17:40:00.002-05:00

So I decided I'm going to reinstall WoW. For those of you who don't know that stands for World of Warcraft. I haven't really played since my son was born and now that he wants to play by himself some I decided to reinstall.

Believe it or not this is kind of hard to do. I want to spend as much time as I can with him but I also want to relax and play. I'll probably end up playing after he goes to bed.

The kind of gamer that I am is odd. I love storylines but I don't feel the need to get too involved. I used to play Star Wars Battlefront as I could drop in to the middle of a battle, get killed, rez, and then turn it off when I had to. WoW does take a little more time than that. Between all the running around, questing, and gathering.

We'll see how it goes, I decided to change my frequency to monthly so if I do decide to quit it can be a lot quicker.

Wow and some updates

2009-02-05T01:30:00.002-05:00

I'll do some updates first.

Squirt is great. He is a fun, sweet, funny young guy. Woo is awesome and the most supportive wife ever. I'm no longer a mac user. Mine pretty much died on me so I decided to buy a PC laptop. It was so nice I bought one for Woo also.

I can't believe I haven't posted anything since the 28th of November. I was so pissed that day.

I'm sleepy so all of these sentences are coming in short bursts.

I'll close with this...

Sometimes responsibility is a bitch. Some people that read this will wonder what the hell is going on and may never find out. Others, will find out agree. I think that whatever happens I'm probably the only one (save one person who has read my blog) that who will read this and go, "Yep."

Corporate phrases

2008-11-28T14:16:00.002-05:00

There is a phrase they use here at work that says, "Perception is reality." I love to quote that phrase because it is absolutely untrue depending upon your point of view.

Let's say that I pinch you. I mean I pinch the hell out of you. I bruise you. According to this phrase it did not hurt. My perception is that you reacted like it hurt, but it did not. So my reality is that it did not hurt and you acted weird.

There more I hear the phrase my first thought is, "I wonder who's perception we are using today?" In the previous scenario, with my perception it did not hurt. Your perception is that it hurt and I'm a jerk. The reality is that I'm sadistic and it really, really hurt!

So, I got to thinking more and more about this phrase and the arguement I have against it and wondered what the opposing view point would be. Say that I'm sitting here at work, I've finished all my work, and am tryin to go home early by winning as many games of solitare and writing in my blog. Your perception and your reality would be that I'm not doing anything useful with my time.

So again the opposite scenario, I've finished everything that I set out to accomplish today. Now I'm spending my time doing busy work and making myself look busy. Your perception and reality are that I'm working hard and should get a raise. (HA!)

So I submit to you that either your perception becomes your reality or reality, as a whole, does not exist. Personally I like to think I'm the center of the Universe, but in the same way that you (whoever) is the center of the Universe.

Not that anyone reads my blogs or anything but I would like some feedback and thoughts.

Yesterday

2008-10-18T17:21:00.002-04:00

Last night Woo sent me a picture message of Squirt saying that he didn't feel well. I get home that evening after work he seems to be feeling somewhat better. So, I go on to the gig at Baker Peter's Jazz Club. It was a pretty good night and all I can think of is getting back home to Woo and cuddling with her.

Well, that is until I get home. Squirt is bawling. Except for about 3 or 4 half hour periods where he sleeps between 1 and 6:30 in the morning. The rest of the time he is crying his butt off! At 6:30 we decide to take a car ride to see if that'll get him some rest. It worked! He slept for about 2 hours and woke up in a great mood. It allowed Woo and I to take turns napping.

Well end of the story so far is that he has been a happy, happy boy today. He has been hungry but feeling much better. We may get some sleep tonight.... and hopefully some cuddle time.

Paulie

Midnight Ramblings

2008-10-15T00:36:00.003-04:00

You know, this next post is going to make me sound overly dramatic. So be it.

I feel like I have been exiled. I saw what I felt was an injustice and acted. Here's the story:

The year was 2005 and I was playing music in a theater in Pigeon Forge. Hell it's closed now, I was at American Jukebox. Some of our regulars were there. The crowd was loud and into the show, it was wonderful. Then I see an usher hand the regulars a note and they look sad and hand it to the couple next to them. From there on out the crowd is dead. No life at all. After the show I ask the usher what the note said. He told me, "It asked if they could keep the noise down as the singers are having a problem hearing themselves."

I know who sent the note, but I go ahead and ask. My suspicion is confirmed. After meet and greet I walk back to the dressing rooms with the singer. For the next 20 minutes I proceed to read him the riot act. I lay into him with a tirade question his professionalism and his ability. I cuss alot. ALOT! I never call him any names or anything like that. I just use the words to add emphasis to my point.

The next day the owner flies in to have a talk with me. He asks me to apologize. I inform him of what happened, thinking he'll see my point and agree. After I get through he tells me to apologize. I refuse until he apologizes to the audience.

I felt justified, I felt I had done the right thing. That night it was like it had never happened between him and regulars. I'm crushed. My boss decides after three years of employment that he doesn't like my bass playing, singing, or entertaining and I am let go.

From the one act of self righteousness I lose the career that I had made for myself. I learn my reputation means nothing. I begin to wonder if entertaining people is worth it.

I try to sally forth to new gigs, new adventures to be shot down at every turn. I honestly feel like I have been exiled because I stuck up for the audience. My penance? A corporate job that I can honestly see no future in as no matter how qualified I am and how much I show that I can do the job I cannot get promoted. How long will this last? I expected a year. We'll see.

-Paulie

My First One

2008-10-07T23:39:00.003-04:00

Well, my first blog on this new website. We'll see how it does and have fun with it while it exists.

I guess I should introduce the main players in this blog. There is me, of course, Paulie. My wife Woo, and my son Squirt. I'll probably talk about our cat Babygirl and the band I'm in, the Doug Harris Band.

I'll probably post some stories about Squirt and Woo. Blog about some gigs I have. Who knows?

Paulie