Good Lord. My mind has been drifting these past couple days. I'm bored at work. I don't know how many other people have this sort of problem, but it's driving me nuts.

I guess I should have known better. I'm doing the same thing I was doing in my previous job: web site and network maintenance. I thought that because this new job is in the context of something I love, that I could be happy doing the same work. WRONG! It almost makes it worse. Now I know for sure that I don't want to do this kind of job, anywhere.

The problem here is simple. A lobotomized spider monkey could manage to do the work I do on a regular basis. Sure, it would need a little training. If it read a few "HTML for DumbMonkeys" or "Windows 2000 for Half-Wits" books, it would be right up to speed.

I sit and stare at my computer, my brain cells slowly dying-off from atrophy. I must check my e-mail about a thousand times a day. But the root of the problem here isn't that I don't have anything to do, because I have several things I could work on to keep me busy. The problem is knowing the work that lies ahead will not challenge me.

With all that in mind, I found myself perusing the Army Recruitment site again. I had nearly forgotten about my goals for fitness, enlistment and law school, which generally tends to happen to me when I get overwhelmed by my day-to-day life. My only concern is that this is becoming a cycle of frustration, escape, relief and then complacency. I definitely need to find a way to keep that cycle from repeating itself.

Posted 11:44 AM by Jackson Cooper |

WOOO HOOOO! It's Wednesday. And you know what that means: Bluegrass at The Lighthouse.

I think I'll take my bass tonight. I'm a little out of practice, but if I put it off any longer I'll forget how to play all together.

Posted 3:46 PM by Jackson Cooper |

I mentioned this is the first post on this blog, but it is worth repeating. I owe a big debt of gratitude to Ken Layne, Matt Welch, Tony Pierce and Glenn Reynolds. Their sites inspired me to start putting my words down in a weblog. Those guys have so much good content, every single day, that I was almost discouraged to even start. But then I decided to not compete in their respective arenas. Mr. Reynolds has the consummate news analysis site. Misters Layne and Welch have the market cornered on the journalistic side of things. Mr. Pierce's site defies categorization, but is consistently funny, thoughtful and fresh.

I have a unique perspective on this town, and the music therein. So that's all I want to bring to the table. I don't know if anyone is going to be interested, but I'm certainly going to enjoy documenting it.

Posted 10:21 AM by Jackson Cooper |

I managed to do a fair amount of relaxing over the long weekend, only to blow it all by going out Monday night. Friday was an amazing show at the Rudyard Kipling by one of the most talented new bands in Louisville, Fire the Saddle. They are a group of young music students from the local private university who play an endearing mix of bluegrass and other rootsy, mountainish music. And despite whatever prejudice I may have about music students from an expensive college playing mountain music, these folks get it.

They are honest and sincere. There's no gimmick, no pretense. They just play music they love, and are damn good at it. They closed with a killer John Hartford tune, but for the most part did original material. I signed-up on their mailing list, so I'll keep you updated on your next chance to see these guys.

Saturday was errand day. Nothing exciting happened, just lots of running around town. That evening I drove across the Sherman Minton bridge to New Albany for my friend's birthday party. Like a fair number of my friends, everyone at this party was at least ten years older than me. This normally doesn't create many problems. But occasionally, when they're talking about some record that came out in 1981, they are surprised to find that I don't remember it. So, I gently remind them that I was only two years old in 1981. This is typically followed by many groans and rolled-eyes.

Sunday, I felt young again. I went over to my dad and step-mom's place for a cookout. My dad had also invited a couple of his friends, who also happen to be amazing guitar players. So I brought my guitar along as well. After a filling meal, we all grabbed our guitars and headed for the deck to do a little picking in the beautiful weather. The part that made me feel young was the song selection for the evening. It was pretty wide-ranging, but consisted largely of Jethro Tull, Journey and other similar bands who had their best days before I was old enough to care.

Monday found me out at my mom's place for laundry and another free meal. My mom worries that I'll never come visit her if I buy a washer and dryer. But she has to know that I can't pass up an excellent, free, home-cooked meal.

Monday night I was back down at the Rudyard Kipling for a show my friend LeeAnn booked. The line-up was Lucero at 9:30 and Richard Buckner at 11. I volunteered to help out working the door, and had a great time talking to all the fine folks that came down on a Monday night for the show. I even ran into the guitar player from my old band. He's started to get into a lot of the same stuff that I've been listening to, and we have big plans for a possible new band. And if not a new band, at least I've got someone on the same level to jam with on a regular basis.

I also ran into Dave Bird, the drummer for Fire the Saddle and former singer in one of my favorite bands from my high school days, Hedge. And then I saw the venerable Jason Lowenstein, who was enjoying the show immensely. All in all, it was a winner of a night. I think LeeAnn managed to pay full guarantees, bar tabs and accommodations for both bands, with a little left over. And for a Monday night at the end of a long weekend in Louisville, that's a major accomplishment.

I shouldn't have to say it again, but Louisville is an awesome place for music right now.

Posted 10:56 AM by Jackson Cooper |