Hello there. Been awhile.
I've been hanging out over at Facebook for the last couple years. It ain't always pretty over there. Got a few friends, a few people who follow me and seem to like what I do -- but there's a lot of petty, stupid BS over there, too.
So I'm posting this to see if anyone notices. Maybe it's time for this blog to make a comeback.
Things have changed. I'm no longer working, been unemployed since last November, before the coronavirus crisis. They worked me to death at my old job, to the point where my legs and feet were cramping up every night. Every day for three months, I complained that I needed more help, that nobody was doing their job, that everybody left all their work for me.
Finally, I came in on a Monday evening to discover that the place was a wreck, that nothing had been done during my weekend off. I had a screaming meltdown for about five minutes. Then I did my usual evening's work, putting the place back together from scratch.
I was fired the next day, after 16 years at the store. It came as sort of a relief.
My request for unemployment compensation was denied. It took the unemployment folks two months to make a decision. My appeal was also denied. My former employers didn't even bother to show up for the appeal hearing.
I started sending out resumes the first day after getting fired, but there wasn't much out there. Then the coronavirus hit and jobs practically disappeared.
There's been a slight bounceback since mid-May, when the economy started opening back up again, but there still isn't much out there. I sort of went into shock when corona hit, but since then have been fairly optimistic about future job possibilities.
I'm just grateful I had a little money stashed away when I was fired.
Know anybody who could use a decent reporter-editor-proofreader-photographer with 20 years of experience? How about a retail-sales cashier and customer-service rep with 21 years of experience? If so, let me know below. I could use a good job, even part-time. Not truly desperate yet, but getting there.
Still reading lots and listening to music some. I have maybe half the energy I did five years ago, so I'm afraid that book I was planning to write about Really Bad Prog is most likely never going to get finished.
I have a couple other book projects in the works, however. Am currently 8,000 words into a cheezy B-movie-style horror novel. God knows if I'll get it done, either. But my next completed book will go to a legitimate print publisher. My experience with selling e-books has not been good.
I am hanging in. Wish I had some more positive news to pass on.
My girlfriend had a heart pacemaker installed back in December after some fairly scary health-related stuff happened, and though she feels way better than she did before, neither of us are planning to run any marathons. I'm grateful she's around to take care of me. I do my best to take care of her.
If anybody's out there, drop me a line in the comments below. Let me know what you've been up to. We'll see if this blog is worth getting rolling again.
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2 comments:
Hi Tad. Saw your comment on my Ad Astra post. Like my reply said there, I think Facebook is evil and I wish you'd come back here, but doesn't look like anyone here missed you either. But at least Blogger isn't propping up Drumpf!
I have a couple submission ideas for you. Pitchfork does a sunday album review thing, and the only requirement is that it hasn't previously been reviewed, so there's lots of choices, especially given your eclectic taste. Worst scenario: you don't get a reply but succeed in annoying them!
The other thing is, I've been getting into the 33-1/3 series lately, same deal with them, just as long as it hasn't been done before, if you've got something long form in mind. Writing comes so easy to you. If you're unemployed anyway, you should look to see if someone will pay you for the opinions you already have. Although my progress through the volume has been slow, especially for such a small book, the Jonathan Lethem on Fear of Music has presented me with ideas on how to write about music 1) without doing interviews and 2) without being able to speak the esoteric language of musicians. I have long wanted tio write something about soft Machine's Third or Godspped You Black Emperor's F#, and maybe Lethem's book can help me write something decent.
Anyway: let me repeat fuck Facebook and take care, be well, feed yourself!
Wonderful to hear from you, Rastro! I am writing a little as I look for work, though very little about music. Most days lately I feel kind of numb, possibly due to my usual summer allergies.
I've read a few of the 33-1/3rd series -- John Niven's novella on "Music From Big Pink," Rob Trucks on "Tusk," Andrew Hultkrans on "Forever Changes," the books on the Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" and "Smile," and on Van Dyke Parks' "Song Cycle." I also have two volumes of "best-of" excerpts. My opinion is the books are usually pretty good, though I often hope for more. The only one that truly disappointed me was on "Forever Changes." I didn't expect to learn much new about the Beach Boys from those books, and I didn't.
I've talked with someone who's had a couple book proposals rejected by 33-1/3rd. But I hadn't thought about trying one myself. I think it would have to be a mix of something fairly out-there, but not so unheard-of that it wouldn't help sell some books.
I'll check out Pitchfork. Thanks for the tip!
I wish I had more energy, but I am doing much better than the last time we talked. Take care of yourself and All The Best!
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