Saturday, Aug. 30, 2008 12:08 pm
Three days begin
I guess I'm procrastinating, too, because Mark hasn't decided if he is going to go to Dallas or not. He will go alone if he goes, he decided, which is fine with me. His stepdad is back in the hospital with a bladder infection now, after a week in rehab. It is nearing the end and it is sad. Mark needs to talk (he feels) to his mother about why there is a distance between them. It is mostly there because that was just the way they were raised, without closeness or fun or affection. But then his mother went into depression in his teens and quit taking care of him and that developed a chasm that just won't be overcome at this point. She is not a cold woman at all, but she just isn't affectionate and doesn't really know how to talk to her sons. It is sad. I think Mark blames her for a lot that isn't her fault either--you can't help that you become depressed--but that is his reality so I just stand clear.
My shows this week were big and I was glad they were over. Roger had a big crowd, but I didn't think the money was that big in the end. I still don't see M&M "raking it in" or making enough to pay for her business AND her lifestyle. I know she's got oil wells, too, and things like that, but I think I would be concentrating on making the business pay for itself if I could (and thrive).
The drama between her and the station and the venue and this other booker/manager (Dave L) is still there. Dave L wrote her a nice letter that was the right thing to say, saying he didn't mean to step on her toes or misrepresent, etc., but she talked to a booking agent that told her that this guy certainly was trying to mislead booking agents and appear as if this were the same series she has. I don't quite know what to think.
Thursday's show was a good show because I love Radney, of course, but there was more things going on there, too. She wants vengeance so much that she "decided" on Thursday to have Texas music at this venue on Thursdays in October. Of course, she doesn't hardly think it through when she springs it on the manager. He is always so easy-going and amiable and he never gets mad, but I knew he didn't want to do this and doesn't like her making him feel forced. He says "my kids" meaning his staff, don't make any money on Thursdays and the venue doesn't either and he's told them that there are just four weeks to go and he doesn't want to upset them. The place's best income is on weeknights in the fall and this would kill four of those. And he doesn't want to upset the neighborhood by having four big shows. He has valid reasons. He was also unhappy with all the extra expenses for the show we had with Radney.
I got to work Thursday to find messages from Radney's tour manager that they couldn't do a full electric show with the sound system we were providing and they needed all this other stuff. I was stressing out and call M&M and she's already talked with someone and it is all cool...but, of course, the venue pays for all of that extra. This band is large and has a large entourage that ate for free, they ask for drinks, etc., that he picks up the tab for. It all adds up and there was, I'm certain, very little return on that investment because Obama was on TV speaking at the same time and it was a small to medium show. Plus the four hotel rooms...he knew that would be coming off of his bottom line, too. And M&M continued to plan her new little series and said she knew she could go over his head and get it if she wanted it. She didn't say that to him, of course, but I know that would not make him happy if he HAD to do it because the boss said. All of that swirled around Thursday night and just as I was ready to bail and get out of there, they needed a ride for their bus driver back to the venue, so I continued to work and went and got him and brought him back. I didn't get home until 1130 and then I had to type for two hours.
I did do a lot of typing this week and I do like that. But I am so busy right now. I look forward to the series' slowing down, but I guess that is going to cut out a lot of my income, too. The typing won't be making up for that.
Today I may be talking to Brian H though about doing some radio promotion for them. I still don't know if that is something I can do, but I guess I should try and I'd rather do it with a name like theirs than with a newcomer. We'll see.
I don't know if I wrote about the $100 I made for critiquing an album. I really enjoyed that, though the hours I put into it were a LOT. I probably listened to it 8 times and Mark listened once and we discussed it for an extended amount of time. I'll charge a lot more next time, but they appreciated the critique and thought it was valid. I liked doing that a bunch.
We are waiting and watching Hurricane Gustav down by Cuba. Yesterday was the 3rd anniversary of Katrina. This one could hit New Orleans again, sadly. It now looks more like Port Arthur and Beaumont, though. There are evacuations and preparations going on like there was NOT 3 years ago, so that is good. I hope we get some rain out of it (even canceling a Wednesday show wouldn't bother me), but I hope no one loses a home or a life.
My website needs work today. My projects need work. The sheets need to be washed and changed. The house is a wreck! At least it is a 3 day weekend. I hope I don't squander it!