SML…Gotcha Day…Live Comedy…Anxiety Blues

Sorry. Been a little quiet this week. Lots of busyness the last few days, starting last Friday.

Last Friday the wife and I headed east 3 1/2 hours to Columbus, OH to see the improvisational jazz/experimental band SML at the Wexner Center For Performing Arts. SML consists of Jeremiah Chiu(electronics), Anna Butterss(bass), Josh Johnson(saxophone), Gregory Uhlmann(guitar), and Booker Stardrum(drums). These are top tier musicians with more creativity in their pinkies than most musicians create in a lifetime. All heavily part of the LA underground music scene, as well as regulars with Chicago record label International Anthem Records.

I have been a huge fan of their stuff ever since their debut Small Medium Large back in 2024. Their 2025 record How You Been might be one of the best records I’ve heard in the last decade. Imagine Remain In Light-era Talking Heads mixed with some Fat Albert Rotunda-era Herbie Hancock, with a heady twist of experimentation and you’re close to understanding what these cats are cooking up.

Driving 3 1/2 hours to see an hour of live music might seem excessive, especially when you’re turning around and driving back home right afterwards. But I knew I had to see this band live as I don’t see them coming any closer to me. It was worth it, even as I was driving home on the highway at 12:30am(and possibly pulling over at a rest area just outside of Indiana to catch a couple zzzzs.) They were incredible. One hour of spontaneous, improvised music. Chiu would get things going with his modular synths and start a pattern for the rest of the band to jump off from. Bass would come in, guitar, a rhythm would begin to surface from Booker Stardrum, then Josh would follow with his heavily-effected saxophone.

It was a theatre in the round kind of set up. Stage was in the middle of the room and then people just filled in and took a seat. We were about 5 feet from the drummer. There’s no hiding when you’re that exposed and intimate in a live setting. It was an hour of being in a hazy-like trance, watching these musicians make magic before our eyes.

We didn’t get home till 1am, but damn it was worth it. Once in a lifetime performance.

Saturday my daughter had a “Gotcha Day” party for her dog Celeste. It’s been three years since she adopted her from the Animal Welfare League. There were decorations, a doggy cake, lots of guests including friends of our daughter and family. There were also doggie guests. My son and his girlfriend brought their dog Zuko, and my daughter’s friend Liv brought her dad’s dog Hank. Hank looks like the perfect mixture of an English Bulldog and a Beagle. He was the best and made himself right at home. Unfortunately Celeste didn’t care for Hank for some reason, so they needed to be separated. On a positive note, Zuko and Hank got on like gangbusters and were chasing each other into exhaustion in the backyard.

I’m not much of a party guy. Anymore I don’t like hosting things at the house as it’s just too much mentally and physically. I like the quiet of just us at home. But for Celeste I’ll make an exception. I did up some meatballs, walking taco salad and some cheese and crackers for folks to munch on, while my daughter did some cookies, scotcharoos, cake pops, and a cake for Celeste.

I was exhausted, but it was still fun. I can get behind dog parties.

Sunday we headed to Fort Wayne to see David Cross live at the Clyde Theater. This is the second time we’ve seen Cross and it was hilarious as usual. His opener was Sean Patton and he was great as well.

I decided to take Monday off last minute. I got a bunch of work done outside, as well as starting a painting. It was a good day off.

My anxiety hung around for about a week. Up till Tuesday I was still having the pit in your stomach feeling. Like I was waiting for something bad to happen. It was the feeling I had back at the beginning of the year every time I came into work. I was starting to question whether the Prozac had lost its power in me. I had a really good cardio rehab session, burning some of that angst off. By the end of the session my BP was back into normal range. Wednesday morning my BP was back at 112/78, and this morning it was 109/73.

Yesterday morning I just felt different. Like some great malaise had lifted. I felt back to my old “new” self. My Alfred E Neuman “What, me worry?” vibes had returned. I guess I just ran into some old mental ghosts and had to wait for them to stop haunting me. When you go feeling as well as I have for so long this summer, the slightest sour vibe puts me in a mental tailspin. I know now that this can happen, even on the SSRIs. I just need to keep moving, keep exercising, and count my damn blessings.

Okay, you guys are caught up. I’m back to my old “new” self and feeling great. This weekend my wife is heading to Indy on Saturday and will be spending the night at our oldest kid’s place while they and their partner go somewhere overnight(maybe a concert?) so she can dog sit their pooch Dot. Dot is a tiny wonder. Six years old but she looks like a tiny dog toy. She’s wonderful, and full of middle-aged sass.

While my wife is gone I’ll be doing some yard clean-up, as well as working on some painting and music. I’m sure there will be a horror movie or two watched. And plenty of walks with Celeste.

Happy Thursday ladies and gents. More music reviews to come, and next week will be my interview with the great and powerful Isaiah Mitchell.