Slackjaw's Forum

Fall has finally come to the trailer park. Though we spent the better part of two days this past weekend basking in what was no doubt the last 80-degree days of the year, there’s been a shift in the wind and damp fall is now upon us. Not that I mind all that much. To tell the truth I find myself starting to miss the cool damp mornings come mid August so I’ve spent the past month and a half pining for this change to come. I guess I miss the fields covered in fog and dew so heavy it looks like overnight rain. Earl and Heather have started on a remodel of their kitchen and back porch. Right now it’s in the garbage pile phase of reconstruction, where what used to be is gone, replaced by what seems to be an outsized pile of insulation and particleboard. They’ve hired a friend of Corlis’ who’s done a number of singlewide remodels and is certified by the Manufactured Home Association of America and the American Trailer Craftsmen League. Personally, I think he drinks too much, bu...

Well this morning was a first for me. It’s the first time my pictures appeared on the cover of the entertainment section of the newspaper. Yeah that’s me, furthest person on the right hand side, back in the days when I used to run power and lights for the film industry. The picture in the paper was a lot bigger…no really it was, I swear. There is not much I miss about that kind of work. Mostly it’s a lot of heavy equipment, heavy cables, heavy distribution boxes, and unbelievable boredom followed by spurts of panic. But there are also days when the sun is out in the fall or spring and the shooting schedule is light. The kind of day when you look at every car that passes by, and think “poor bastards, having to work inside on a day like today” and for a brief moment you forget the fact that you still have 14 hours to work and that at the end of the night, you’ll have to pick up all that cable and put away all those lights and instead just think about how you must have one o...

Sweetie and I packed up the boys and headed off to the fair last night. For some reason or another we didn’t make it out there last year. I always think that with a 19 day window finding the time would be a snap, but truth lies and the devil is in the details. However, I was not about to miss it two years in a row. We met up with my brother's family and in that chaotic way the under 6 crowd can spin you, spent the next few hours struggling for balance on that edge of happiness and stress. Ike, the youngest boy, wasn’t all that much interested in sitting in the stroller after a bit. I’m guessing peoples belt buckles all start to look the same after a while and if any of you know Ike, he’s more of a faces kind of guy. So Sweetie and I just took turns carrying that laughing, kicking, sack of ‘taters, and though we did just fine, I can feel it in my arms this morning I tell you what. We’re gonna have to work on some sort of papoose for next time. Come to think of it, we b...

Well it’s done! After spending this whole past weekend and all of Tuesday night, I have in my hands the new Prairie Dogs CD: Brand New Heart. Dave and I went down to Pacific Studios and together with Tony manning the board, mixed down all 15 songs. I gotta tell you, I really couldn’t be happier with the results. I’m just glad that we were able to get all of these songs down before Mike left for Portland, glad that we did the tracking ourselves and took it someplace else to mix it down. Glad that Dave was around to put in his input and stick to his guns. Glad that the tracks we brought in were clean and sounded good. Oh…and did I mention I’m glad? Cause, yeah…I am. So now I wait for the artwork to come back and once that’s done we’ll have to figure out how to pay for the printing and manufacture. If there are any rich readers out there looking to finance a CD, well just click on the email link below and drop me a line! We need to talk. I’ll try to get back to some writ...

What’s the word? I’ll tell ya in rhyme: My butt’s dragging, My legs are tired, Dogs are barkin, My date’s expired, My tank is empty, I’m outta gas, My back is aching And I’ve kicked my ass. But then again, isn’t that what the Labor Day weekend is all about? It’s the late summer equivalent of a spring clean. It’s that one last weekend to get what items you can off the honey-do list before the rains and the wind and the dark come home. The older boy starts kindergarten tomorrow; going back to the same teacher he had last year for pre-school. He’s ready, I’m ready, and for damn sure the cats are ready and could use the rest. Ike doesn’t start for another week yet so, so it’ll be one week of keeping him from being bored because his brother’s not there and then we’re all done. This Saturday and Sunday I’ll be in the studio mixing down The Prairie Dogs upcoming CD. Dave will be there to help but I’m thinking that Michael won’t be able to make it. I’ll try to get at least one so...