Less Than A Week!!

Greetings and salutations, party people…what’s up? Again, my sincerest apologies for not being around much lately. I’ve just had a lot going on and I’m happy to share some of that with you…but first:

The Eliezer Tristan Launch Party is less than a week away!!

And that means on Thursday I’ll be taking my first-ever cross-country flight from Syracuse, NY to Portland, OR. How friggin’ exciting is that? I still have so much to do to get ready for it, but I’m not stressing out about it. I’ve got a pocketful of Xanax waiting for me as I hop on a plane (I’m a terrible flyer) and I’ve got a head swimming with anticipation and wonder. I’m gonna be meeting people for the first time in person after speaking with them for so long over emails and phone convos…pretty freakin’ wild. I soooooo cannot wait y’all!

Ok let’s see…what else have I been up to? My friend Michelle from Seattle flew in to visit me last week, and that was a lot of fun! A big step for me, letting someone other than the maintenance workers and my mom in my apartment, let alone stay overnight. The big highlight of the visit was going down to the Cortland Repertory Theatre for The Rat Pack Lounge, a wonderfully entertaining play about Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. coming down from heaven to help a struggling bar owner. Don’t we look grand?

Anyway, it was good to have a nice break from worrying about life for awhile so I could spend it with someone so amazing, doing things you just can’t do when you’re by yourself. Not that I have a problem with dining out alone or going to certain places, but having such a fun and wonderful person accompanying me is something I hadn’t experienced in so long and lemme tell you, it still rocks!

And that brings me back to my upcoming travels. I’m not sure how long I’m gonna be in Portland (I arrive the evening of the 6th, and the launch party is Saturday the 8th). I do believe there may be a visit to Powell’s (a Portland bookstore) but I’m not sure when. And from there, Michelle is driving down from Seattle and we’re gonna roadtrip it back to her area for a few days. Again, no set timetable. I’ve got no agenda other than maybe hitting a few places for readings and whatnot, with tentative plans to see the greatest Beatles tribute band, RAIN, at the fairgrounds they’ve got over there. I’ve already seen them a few times in an indoor theatre setting, so it’ll be nice to see them in something different.

Let’s switch gears for a minute and pump some tires…Eliezer Tristan Publishing is doing and has been doing some amazing stuff the last couple weeks, as far as dropping new releases and hooking up different authors with plans to publish their works. That makes me hella excited for them, and to see the ETP family grow! Richard De Fino’s book just came out, and he now makes his home in my hometown of Buffalo…how cool is that, that a west coast publishing company was able to snag not one, but two Buffalonians? It’s another one of those wild unsolved mysteries, and all I can say is Buffalo is ripe for mining talent, yo. Get down there and just soak it all right in. We’re more than chicken wings, snow, and the Goo Goo Dolls.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnJpmiVgM0N/?taken-by=fivesixer

And here’s a little somethin’ for you people who need some visualization…ETP now has a YouTube Channel which you should definitely be subscribing to, not only for more info on this amazing non-profit, but for dope videos like this:

And lastly, there’s the issue of fundraising…I can’t stress enough how much ETP is doing for the mental health community in general, as well as putting peoples’ stories out there in hopes of erasing all of the many stigmas surrounding mental illness. We’re not quote-unquote crazy. We’re not the human equivalent of Looney Tunes. We’re strong, accepting, caring, thoughtful people who have been through so much that dealing with it all is like trying to peel an onion without crying, but inside the onion is more onion and suddenly all of life is onions that you can keep peeling until you learn how to make an often socially unacceptable onion salad, which you need to buy into before you can convince your locals that it isn’t that bad because it’s still a vegetable and with the right dressing it’s rather palatable. That’s my life. That’s getting to know me when you think mental illness is some contrived psychologist bullshit. While I’m usually easy to get along with, getting me to that stage of meeting and trusting someone is downright hard. I feel like I’m constantly trying to convince people I’m ok, and I have to work at least 10x harder to gain reciprocal trust. But enough about me…my man Ricky will tell you why ETP is a great organization to spread some love to. And ETP is also on Patreon with some dope hauls for anyone/everyone who donates to the cause…check it out, because it’s worth your time and energy. That’s my word.

Ok, so while I’m doing some other nonsense that means nothing to you but almost everything to me, let’s crack out an excitement and scared and thrilled playlist via my iPod, ok? Got it? Let’s go!

• The Tragically Hip, “Scared”
• Gerry & The Pacemakers, “Ferry ‘Cross The Mersey”
• Pearl Jam, “Fortunate Son (live, Buffalo 5/2/03)”
• Regina Spektor, “Edit”
• Blackpool Lights, “This Town’s Disaster”
• Mudhoney, “Pokin’ Around”
• Oasis, “Half The World Away”
• Big D & The Kids Table, “Moment Without An End”
• Tears For Fears, “Shout”
• The Tragically Hip, “Freak Turbulence”
• Arctic Monkeys, “Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured”
• Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, “Clap Your Hands!”

Ok you and your friends and your parents and their friends, I love you all but I have other stuff to do today and it’s not like I’m ignoring you but yeah, life’s a bit wild (I hate that I keep using that word) right now, and I’m trying to enjoy it while I can (before it goes away). Plus, I need to make a sandwich and eat the coldcuts that are in my fridge before I hafta leave. Peace, share me with your friends, thank you all for still being here, and, ummm, just, thanks.