My Little Red Car

It rained last night and this morning my car wouldn't start. It does this from time to time. It mostly happens when it's really damp out. Last night it was really damp, in fact it rained for hours.

It hasn't rained here in over 9 months, but because we live right at the beach it's always wet in the morning. Everything's green from the ocean mist. For those of you who don't live by the beach, that's the water that 'missed' inland .

              So sometimes my car doesn't start when it's really wet outside. But here's the weird part. I have found a way to get it started. I don't know how I came up with it. I guess out of desperation. One day when I was late to work I decided I could push start it by myself. HA!. I tried a few time to make it move. I couldn't get it to budge more than a few inches, then I discovered something.

Here's how it works....

       If I turn the key and nothing happens. I put the car in second gear and remove the hand brake. I open the door and step outside. I push the car forward about an inch, then backward about an inch. As the car begins to rock back and forth I continue for 5 complete motions forward and backward. I climb back in, try the key and WOW! It turns over.

        I  recently told  a mechanic friend of mine about this  and he said this was impossible. But in my experience, nothing's impossible - this from the most optimistic musician on the planet! Just a little momentum is all I need

       "Just a little momentum," my car says and everything will be alright. Sounds a little like my music career. Just a little momentum is all I need. Then I'll do the rest.

        Speaking of music. Tonight is our open blues jam at the SLO Down Pub in Arroyo Grande on the corner of Grand and Brisco. It's lots of fun. I get to host, play a grand piano, my guitar and sing with lots of great musicians. This particular jam night started last month and is held every Tuesday nite. It started  out slowly at first and I make virtually no money hosting it just tips), but it is a good time and it's building momentum.

        
Thanks for spending this time with me. Please post a comment, visit my site at www.screamingjimmy.com  or come down and give a listen. You can do it. Get up, get in your car (if it doesn't start, you know what to do) It just takes a little momentum

Rocky Raccoon vs. Hana Lulu

It's cold this morning here at our little beach house. The animals are quiet and I am sitting in front of my heater typing on my computer as one of Sally's box turtles looks on. You may wonder why he is indoors? Well, the other night at about 4AM our dog sat up in the bed and began acting weird. Shaking and whimpering, but not barking. Sally woke me up "There's someone in the front yard. go out there and see!" she said. I just laid there pretending to sleep, but listening very closely. I didn't hear anything "Seriously Jim, Hana hears something. Get up and check it out!" I turned over and said I didn't hear anything and maybe she should just let Hanna out to have a look-see. So she did The next thing you know my dog is going off on something outside and Sally's calling for help and I'm afraid we're going to wake up the whole neighborhood. 
              
One thing you should know about Hana, our dog. She is a little white poodle mix that we adopted from the dog pound. She weighs all of 10 pounds. She's a big dog inside a little dog's body. Not very menacing, but very loud. What Hana found was a raccoon about twice her size trying to pick up and steal our little box turtle from inside it's turtle run (a flower bed with tall sides). This was one big raccoon, at least 2-3 times the size and weight of Hana, but no match for her. Hana chased the raccoon over the fence and let out a few more last minute yaps as 'Rocky' ran off empty handed. Hana ran back inside, muddy paws and all, and jumped up on the bed where she sat tall and proud for most of the rest of the night, on guard. By the way, all of this was relayed to me by Sally, who witnessed these events while standing inside the front door screen in her bathrobe. I stayed in bed. Hey, my dog had it under control.

Sally went out and retrieved the poor turtle who was upside down and closed up very tightly. Now it sleeps inside every night. It likes to meet me in the bathroom every morning and follow me around as I start my day, until I put it outside.

So what else is new? This week my band is hosting a Blues Jam Night on Tuesday night at the SLO Down Pub in Arroyo Grande. This is our 5th week doing this and the response has been incredible. We've been having a great time with lots of fine musicians joining showing up. With the help of Ja-rad (Bass), Little Joe Samson( BluesHarp ), and DrummerDon and and our newest member, Charlie! on guitarly! We start at 7:30 (ish) and jam til 10:30 Oh yeah! Where is it? SLO Down Pub in Arroyo Grand on the corner of Grand and Brisco For more information you go to the slo down web site www.slodownpub.com 

And there's more... Starting this Thursday and going on every first and third Thursday of the month I will be sponsoring a singer / songwriter night at the same club. Bring your guitar. A piano and PA are provided. Bring some copies of your lyrics for interesting feedback on your song(s). This is a great place to work on your craft and network with other writers. It should be fun Finally, Please visit me at www.screamingjimmy.com and let me know what you think of my new web site, or if you are a myspace person, come and be my friend. I'm at www.myspace.com/screamingjimmy