Trip Cancelled. Movies & BBQ instead.

It's New Year's Eve and damn if my private jet isn't having maintenance so I have to forfeit my Paris trip. I'll slide over to my sisters instead and munch on BBQ, slaw, & chips perhaps down a beer or two and watch Harry Potter.  Paris would've been nice but time with family and Cerberus.  Priceless.

Another one bites the dust

goodbye 2009.  Damn that decade went by quick.

Dallas Fort Worth Snow

Doc rearranged the cardio meds again and when I came out of his office big puffy snowflakes were falling out of the sky.  Beautiful.  Wet roads weren't slippery so I could enjoy the ride.  Went right to Diana's and let Cerberus, her Doberman out so he could frolic which he did.  Diana got off early and brought Sonic burgers.  I love North Texas snow!

Back to the Grind (thank you God)

It's so very nice to have a day job to go back to even though I'd love to have another week off to play.  My boss didn't have such a great holiday and hurt his back and had to leave early today and may not be in tomorrow.  I have such empathy for him as I've a herniated L5 and bulging L4 and am on a pain management regiment myself.  Boss called (he had taken a couple of codeine and was feeling no pain , his words).  Not to busy in any case I told him to rest easy.

2009 Christmas

It will be a Christmas to remember until the end of my time.  Despite having some major health issues, Ma and Pa were in pretty good shape this holiday season.  Diana planned and executed the entire holiday menu to perfection.  The house was beautiful.  All of us were there and we understand this might not happen again.  And knowing that, we all reveled in fellowship.   The ride home was a trip to remember also but that's another story for another day.  But probably not.

NYT The Music They Made

NY Times Magazine Today



The Lives They Lived, 2009
A look at some notable people whose lives were worthy of appreciation this year. Audio Slide Show: The Music They Made

Rebel with a Straw Stetson

Diana, my sister, was tired of looking at my old wore out straw so she replaced it this year for Christmas.  I've worn a Stetson Blackberry  for years and tend to wear em past their prime.  I was thrilled to get it.  Mark bought me a snazzy new hat band to go on it.  They both wanted to buy me a felt because it's bad form to wear a straw in winter.  In pissy Dallas your in danger of getting a ticket from the fashion police if you don't doff it after Labor Day.  But it's easy to see by just looking at me that I'm not one to follow fashion edicts.  Isn't it great to get gifts from people who know you well?  Thanks Diana and Mark for a well thought out gift.  Merry Chrstmas everyone.  Hope ya'll are as lucky.

Christmas Eve

Some kind of North Pole Cold front is making it's way across Texas.  Forecast even mentions snow, imagine that.  The ground is too warm for snow to stick, isn't it?  We celebrate Christmas on it's Eve.  Well soon be sitting down to a wonderful seafood  feast(a new family tradition) before gathering around the tree to open gifts.  No kiddos in the family.  Wish there was.  But I shouldn't lament because it's great to have another Christmas with Ma and Pa relatively healthy.


Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve Eve

My older brother David and his wife and daughter Sarah and my older sister Diana and her two boys Mark and Jeffery are here in E. TX  at Ma and Pa's.  Most everyone is around the television playing Wii tennis.  My brother David opened his Wii present early so we could get the sports on.  Fun.  I suck at bowling.  Great fun though.  Fun.

GOP NOW concerned about Debt?

Much has been said by the Republicans about President Obama and the Democrates saddling the country with debt and the weight of a bloated and overly intrusive government.  But wait.  Let's look back fifteen months .  As of September 2008 the national debt had grown by more than $4 trillion during George W. Bush's presidency.  It's the biggest increase under any presidency in U.S. history.  On the day President Bush took office, the national debt stood at 5.727 trillion.  By September 2008  the debt stood at more than $9.849 trillion.  Instead of paying down the debt with a budget surplus in 2000, the Republican's had championed a tax break to give it back to the American people. Then came the Afghanistan and Iraqi wars.  Did the Republican's ask tax payers to make a public sacrifice with higher taxes to pay for these wars so as not to burden future generations with debt.  No they did not.  Where was their concern with saddling the country with trillions in debt then?  They had no such concern.  They championed further cuts.   Republicans were once the party of fiscal conservatism, but their own recent governance shows their monetary concerns under the current administration are nothing more than political maneuvering and their words are hollow indeed.

Bad Cold Good Dream

I still feel like crap with this cold but last night's rest was far better than the night before.  As a matter of fact I got up only once for benadryl and ibuprofin.  I dream every night and remember my dreams.  Last night I was in a boat on the lake catching huge catfish.  These cats would swim right up to the boat and I'd stick my line in the water and they take of with it.  And my line never broke.  

I'm on my way now to pick up some breakfast.  Wanna join me? 

Common Cold

It was bound to happen.  I had skated through October and November without the hint of a sniffle while my friends and family blew their way through gigantic mounds of Kleenex Tissues.  I knew better than to gloat. My immune system hasn't been all that exemplary in recent winters past.  And good thing too as  I this minute find myself with bodily fluids flowing out of my eyes and nose in a deluge.  I feel like crap.  I've taken my ibuprofin and benadryl tablet and I'm waiting for them to kick in.  Ugh.

Wonderful Muse (today)

Ltely, I've been puttering around with a few chords on the keyboard trying to find a song.  Today I added a few more chords and a chorus of  lyrics and what is emerging is my first Christmas carol.  It's very beautiful (I tend to love the song I'm working on the best of all my songs).  I am not a very prolific songwriter so when one comes along it's very exciting.  No name yet.  But I'm hoping the inspiration continues.

It's a Groin Ache, Nothing but a Groin Ache.

My cardio cath procedure went well today.  I was the first in line so I was prepped in plenty of time and everything went like clock work.  No plaque has broken off or plugged a cardio artery but there are a couple of places where the narrowing of the heart vessel when constricted causes the angina.  Doc changed my med regimentation to help with keeping the blood/oxygen flowing as needed.  Only residual problem right now is the groin aches.  Yikes.

It's a heartache, nothing but a heartache.

Saw the cardiologist on Friday.  He scheduled a heart cath first thing Monday morning to see what
s going on with unstable angina.  Some people say I'll do anything for a Monday off.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let it...Damn

http://www.weather.com/multimedia/videoplayer.html?clip=10827&from=hp_main_tab2

Storm Watch

Blizzard conditions around the Great Lakes

The major winter storm will depart into Canada but cold winds will howl over the Great Lakes resulting in heavy snow.Storm Watch.
Dramatic pictures of cars in ditches and people with snow shovels and a landscape under a blanket of snow, makes me so glad I'm in N. Texas.  I miss the seasons here.  I miss them very much.  But I turn into a paranoid schizophrenic mad man behind the wheel driving in ice.   

Interview with Steven Fedrick [fedrick] on Whohub

Interview with Steven Fedrick [fedrick] on Whohub

Read the lurid details of a life gone bad. Shockingly scandalous. Intensely wicked. Who Knew.

Animoto.com

Zombie Shopping

I"d rather cut off my demon possessed hand with a chainsaw than Christmas shop at the mall.  I haven't set foot in a mall in awhile and I hope to never again.  See, I graduated college during the last great recession and had to take employment as an assistant manager at American Eagle.  Not even manager.  Can you imagine how hard that sucked.  I had five college graduates under me as part time sales associates.  It was harsh.  And it did more than destroy my ego, it almost ruined Christmas forever.  So I'll be here on line instead of in line with my butt parked in my comfy chair instead of in my car circling the parking lot.  Good luck to all you old fashioned retail freaks.  Happy Shopping.
steven fedrick on iLike - Add iLike to your MySpace

JOEL PETT CARTOONIST

Black Friday: God Bless Technology

On my way to work this morning, I passed Wal-Mart at 5:30 am.   The parking lot was over flowing.  I  accelerated past.  Economic theory 101 coming to life.  I like to think I'm above such base instincts but I don't have kiddos so I'd better forgo my superior attitude.   I am not a mall shopper any time of year so it won't be hard to stay away.  I'll probably do all my shopping on-line.  God bless technology.

Thankful

One dreadful Thanksgiving day a few years back, I found myself working out of state in the Jacksonville FL area.  The hotel had catered a delicious T Day Turkey Dinner the day before including all the fixin's.  The next day, actual Thanksgiving, I got out of my lonely hotel room & found a restaurant/bar open near the hotel/airport and spent the day watching football with a bunch of other displaced travelers.  It did little to alleviate my self pity.  It made me really appreciate being able to spend Thanksgiving with my loved ones.  And my heart goes out to all those folks who find themselves away from loved one on this holiday.  A special prayer goes out to you.  And to all you whom I count as friend, I'm sending a big hug.  Thanks for being there today and every day.

I have to admit it's getting better

Dad is home from the hospital.  We picked him up at noon yesterday.  Doc will only have to do some med adjustments to keep the old ticker ticking along.  He was happy to be home.  To celebrate his homecoming mom and sister cooked the most delicious Roast dinner (my ultimate comfort food).

Today soup was made from the leftovers and it was incredibly delicious (more comfort food).  Dad looks great and is gaining strength hourly.  Mom is doing well too.

Dad update

Drove into Tyler after work.  Talked to Dad on the phone (he's been hospitalized for angina).  Dye test results came out great (no blockages) but Dr. failed to mention leaky valves which we know is a problem.  Dad sounded great and wants to be here instead of there.  Hopefully I'll get to pick him up tomorrow.

Ebb and Flow

Sis is greatly improved from the throat and lung infection aftermath of the swine flu.  She had me worried there for awhile.  

My Uncle took Pa to the hospital after three nitro's.  He is feeling weak.  His doctor is running test today to see what's happening with his ticker. 

"Too Horny"

Yesterday's I blogged about "Who Knew" making Garage Band.com Jazz Track of the Day.  Garage Band is an interactive site which allows member (presumably other musician) to join a contest wherein reviews are given by other members.  These reviews determine a song's ranking in a particular genre.  I've entered four tracks from Fedrick not Fred.  It's early but thus far I've received glowing reviews for "Hello", good reviews for both "Train Wreck" and "Hold on To Love".  And I just entered "Who Knew" a couple of days ago.  I  received it's first review yesterday, the title of which was  "Too Horny" supposedly in regards to the Big Band horn arrangement.  I'm thinking it was the reviewer's "pun-y" way of being "clever".  Wanting to understand more about the reviewer, I went to his Garage Band site.  He's a musician from Sherman Oaks CA.  Perhaps the best way to understand him is to read one of his glowing reviews

"METAL RULES---

Great mix.  Everything is big and clear.  Great tone on the guitars.  I know I'm listening to pro metal.  Grovy riff.  It sounds like the devil is singing--I'm head banging."

Hmmm. Perhaps not the best person to rate a 1940's Big Band Swing Number.

"Who Knew" gets Jazz Track of the Day

  
My song, "Who Knew" received the Jazz Track of the Day at Garage Band!  

Still Crazy After All These Years

I admit Facebook surprised me.  I was way behind the social networking curve.  I joined FB a few months ago.    The reason I'm in hog's heaven is because my family moved around a lot.  I attended five grade schools and two high schools so I was constantly disconnected by virtue of relocation.  We didn't land in one place long enough to feel 'homey' until Evansville Ind  (age 10 to 15) and when I re-connected with those mates on FB, I was thrilled. Mostly those folks were just vague  but happy memories from a distant past. But the place I count as my 'home town' is Versailles, KY (age 15 to 25). relationships during those formidable years make an indelible impression.  Seeing those folks is great.

Charmed at first sight

I met Olivia at Borders today. Almost immediately I was laughing. Her brimming confidence and her extravangent imagination grabbed me. I was hooked forever.  Let me introduce you.  2001 Caldecott Honor

winning, New York Times Best Seller, Book Sense Book of the Year Award winning OLIVIA, is also a

New York Times Best Seller, and a Book Sense Book of the Year Award winner!  If you don't already know her, meet and greet this charming piglet at her website http://www.oliviathepiglet.com/ .  

 Garage Band announced Train Wreck will be their Americana Track of the Day tomorrow,    I also received my first review there which didn't suck.

H1N1 Flu

My nephews Jeffrey (left) sister Diana (middle) and Mark (right) .  .  I visited Diana after work today.  She looked like hell, like death warmed over.  She went to the doctor today and diagnosed with H1N1 and was given massive doses of antibiotics and therma flu.   She is taking ibupofin ever four to six hours.  She is sleeping alot.  She feels like hell when she's awake.  She had plenty of fluids and  soup.  She didn't need anything.  I felt helpless to ease her suffering.  God speed Diana.  Jeffery too (who seems to be shedding it at this point as is Mark).  It's bad and I'm concerned.

Thank you Veterans. We honor you for honoring us.

Happy Birthday Sesame Street (google style)

Free is good.

Google's new Discover Music Service is a Win/ Win/ Win. 

1. First winner has to be
2. Second winner has to be the indie musicians who are going to share equal billing with the big bands (that's me)
3. Third winner is the consumer who gets to choose from a wide variety of free promotional mp3s & exclusive tracks.

Oh hell - Steven Fedrick's MySpace Blog |

Oh hell - Steven Fedrick's MySpace Blog |

It's getting close to the middle of November 2009.  2010 is around the corner.  At this rate, I blink & it'll be 2015.  Oh, those pivotal junctures in my life like high school graduation when old fart relatives would tell me to enjoy the ride because it was short and sweet and needed to be savored.  I blew them off, of course.  It'd taken forever to get to that point and I could only imagine it would take several more lifetimes to reach forty (the age of my parents) much less sixty the age of my grandparents.  Youth is wasted on the young I've heard tell.  Ahh, but it was sweet, even as I accelerated through it. 

These Are Those Days

In sweltering, sizzling, oppressive August days when oxygen itself seems a rare commodity, we Texans know better days are coming. We understand that when much of America begins to hunker down for the coming winter & a foreboding chill permeates the ever shorter days, we will be luxuriating in temperatures as close to perfect as humans can know.  These are those days.  

Tonight Increasing Clouds Lo 60 °F

Sunday Slight Chc Showers Hi 75 °F

Sunday Night Chance Showers Lo 58 °F

Monday Partly Sunny Hi 76 °F

Monday Night Slight Chc Showers Lo 55 °F

Tuesday Mostly Sunny Hi 71 °F

Tuesday Night Mostly Clear Lo 52 °F

Veterans Day Sunny Hi 68 °F

Wednesday Night Mostly Clear Lo 53 °F

It's a sad day.  My heart go out to those in Kileen, TX and Orlando FL.  What makes a man go mad?

Attitude is everything - Steven Fedrick's MySpace Blog |

Attitude is everything - Steven Fedrick's MySpace Blog |

Who Are You?

I've had my first international sale.  It was a download of Hold On To Love from itunes Australia.  I can't tell you how happy that makes me.  I wish this Aussie would contact me.  I'd love to send a signed complimentary copy of  Fedrick not Fred..   It gives me such satisfaction to connect with someone a world away.  I'm in awe at the incredible response the CD has generated.  Frankly, it's hard to believe.  I'm having more fun that is legal in 32 states.     

Cowboy Steven Yep - Steven Fedrick's MySpace Blog |

Cowboy Steven Yep - Steven Fedrick's MySpace Blog |

We celebrated Halloween at work yesterday. I wore my beat up Stetson. That's about the extent of my creativity. Although I did have a real tumbleweed to use as a prop which got laughs and an A for originality. Some people do it up right. My friend Greg came as Billy Idol and pulled it off beautifully. Another friend came as Rick James. Cool costume. We had a group contest too. Legal dept. won with a movie theater theme showing of Thriller (even served popcorn). They performed the whole dance sequence. It was hilarious seeing a bunch of middle aged attorneys in full horror drag dancing Thriller. Wish I had photos.

Global Distribution Update for Fedrick, not Fred

You can now purchase Fedrick, not Fred at the following websites: CD Baby, tradebit, cd universe, great indie music, Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk (England, buy it in sterling pounds, ha) answers.com, allmusic.com, AOL Music, Napster and Napster Japan (buy it in yens!) Swat A CD.com, and imusic. .

Big news broke this week with Google. They added the Discover Music Search Engine. It's sure to give music and musicians a much needed shot in the arm. I'm in the mix! The two primary sites Google directs consumers to for purchasing are ilike and LaLa. You can findFedrick, not Fred at each location.

I like Google

I gotta say that I've been seduced. Google does all sorts of neat-o stuff for me like tracking all kinds of various cool stats on Fedrick Not Fred website. It even tracks stats on this site but I don't remember how to check. I use igoogle a lot. I use Chrome. I use gmail. They are by far the best at what they do. And who doesn't love freebies. This looks like an advertisement for google and maybe it is. An unpaid commercial to one of my favorite web places. If your listening Google (or crawling, whatever the case may be) you can pay me for the endorsement if you want. :)

Rainy Mondays and Mowing Always Get Me Down

I hate people who bitch about the weather. You know who you are. But rain has been steadily falling for this entire month and it's even wearing me down (although I am loving these unseasonable autumn temperatures). See, the season here in DFW usually go something like this: July all lawns not watered for three hours a day turn from lovely green to yellow. August turns lawns brown and by October the trees are withering and the whole landscape is a hazy shade of dead. Because of this unseasonably wet weather I am going to have to get my lawn mower out of summer storage. See, my grass is waist high and my neighbors are starting to make threatening gestures when I get home from work. Rainy Mondays and mowing always get me down.

Tender Mercies/ Calling all Capitalist

I'm in E. TX visiting my brother who is in E. TX visiting my Ma and Pa. You might know Ma is having some medical and dementia issues. It's hard to see the ravages of time play out on the ones we love. It helps to be near and see it unfold so as to make it easier to process it all.

On a much lighter note, I have joined the i-like community of artist. I completed an i-like song promo for Train Wreck. The website allows me to track the number of listeners and the number of people who add me and/or my song to their i-like profile. I've been amazed at the number. If I had a marketing budget who knows what might happen. Calling all capitalists!

Fedrick Not Fred - Steven Fedrick's MySpace Blog |

Fedrick Not Fred - Steven Fedrick's MySpace Blog |

These days I don't hate nothin'

Where's my passion? The only thing that gets my blood up these days is Sunday Morning political talking heads. But mostly I avoid talking heads any day of the week.

Highs and Lows

"highs and lows

it's how life goes

when little moments shine

hold them close they should never be sold

they just get better with time

"Highs & Lows"Mindy Smith from Stupid Love.

East Texas Cool

The cold front which has descended upon the U.S. has made it's way to N. TX. What is normally a tepid October has turned into a more traditional fall month. Usually, by now the summer sun has baked the landscape to a crisp dead brown. With inches and inches of rain the landscape is prettier at this time than I've ever seen it. Cool and lush. Wonderful.

Fedrick Not Fred World Wide Distribution!

I just found out that Napster Japan and Amazon.UK.Co. (Britian) and AOL Music and Answers.com & Great Indie Music & CD Connections all have my CD Fedrick Not Fred on sale! How cool, right? Now if only I could push out some international publicity. If anyone has any ideas on how I can master the media please let me know. I'm proud of the CD, distribution is there. Just need to get the word out.

Fedrick's = Food

Diana and I are cooking up a bunch of sirloin steaks that are threatening to go bad in Dad's freezer. Diana made some excellent smothered steak and I grilled in the pouring rain. They will have food for the coming week with yesterday chicken and dressing left overs. We will leave as soon as lunch is over and the rain lets up. It was a comforting trip. Ma seems the better for it, Pa too.

Weekend Update

Got up at 6am and rushed to Brookshire's and grabbed a bag of green peppers, bag of yellow squash, bag of red pears, and a couple of bags of seedless red grapes. The price $1.00 per bag and $5.00 total. All these fruits and veggies at the peak or ripeness (hence getting them off the shelves). Then at 8:00 Diana (sister) and I met Donny & Fay and we were off 'rummaging' (garage sell-ing). I got an 8 piece glass dinner ware free, shower radio free, cat bookends free, some potting pots for ma an 50's Betty Crocker Cookbook, almost identical to the one Ma has. Diana got a love seat (like new, $50.00) and other assorted junk. We are home now and Diana and Ma are making Chicken and stuffing for dinner and Pa is watching CNN. I may have previously alluded to the fact I am boycotting news as it tends to make my blood boil with all the postering and name calling and general uncivility. Where are our statesmen?

Anyway. Having a good time and enjoying this time with the folks.

Times to Remember

Ma has had several mini strokes this week. Dad says it has devastated her emotionally. She is having great difficulty seeing out of her right eye which makes it extremely hard for her to read. She is an avid reader so this is a major blow. Our visit seems to be cheering her considerably.

I'm still enthralled with Mindy Smith

Who can blame me?

I went to the High School Football game that was L.D. Bell vs. Central somebody. The quarterbacks were 10 feet tall. They executed. The game was exciting and the half time show was implicit. What? Good Tx Friday NIght Lights.

To Do before my end of time

We are supposed to compare notes on our Bucket List tomorrow. I went to lunch with Brie on Monday and she had two pages already and wrote three more while we ate. I have two (and even that's an exaggeration.) I want & plan to go to Europe but besides I don't have anything pressing.

This goes directly to my lack of imagination.

If you have suggestions please send them right away. It's embarrassing.

30 years in a Night

Bob Millby called me from Danville KY last night. I haven't talked to him in 10 or 20 years. He was my across the hall dorm neighbor when we were going to Transy in Lex. KY. We shared our stories. The highs and the lows. Dug up some buried memories. Gossiped. He still llives in the town he grew up in. Dad moved us all around my entire childhood but we landed in Central KY and stuck there about ten years (high school/ Transy) so it feels most like home. I'm living in Dallas Fort Worth about a thousand miles away from there. We talked and talked and talked until I realized it was late. It was fun. I getting great joy out of reconnecting.

Bucket List

She's half my age but insists were both going through a mid-life crises. We've decided to create our own bucket list. Well disclose it on Friday Night when we go see L.D.Bell Highschool play at Penington Field. She wanted to see a TX FrI NIght HS Football game. I haven't started my list and she has two pages. I gotta get started. On my list is to get rich so I can hire an assistant to help create bucket lists.

"I can't for the life of me remember a sadder day

I know they say let it be. But it just don't work out that way".--P. Simon

It's a good reason not to live in your head. Sushi with Brie for lunch helped clear the crap from my "Monday is hell & life sucks" brain. Thanks Brie. Were going to a Friday night Texas HIgh School Football game cause she's from MN and wants to experience the Texas religion which is HS Football.

Fish not Biting: HOme Early

Came home with my nephews last night. The two hour trip back to Mansfield was a hoot. We played at making up our own super heroes. I'd clue you in but this is a family blog. Yeah, we turned into adolescents. I'm back home and slept through church. Now' I'm on my way to Waffle House for 2 greasy eggs swimming in oil over easy, dry wheat toast and hashbrown scattered. I have 5 stints and take two cholestral meds. I'm covered.

I hope.

September Morn.

Beautiful morning here in E. TX. Got up at 5:30 am so I could be at the local grocery store when they open the doors. The produce manager bags up all the fruit and veggies at the height of ripeness and sell it for a $1 a bag. I managed to beat the local old man who buys it all up if he gets there first (he was a second behind me, HA!). In a couple of minutes Diana and I will meet my Uncle and Aunt and we start garage saleing cause my house isn't filled with enough junk yet. But it's fun and with gas prices lower it's fairly cheap entertainment.

Then this afternoon we'll try our luck at the fishing spot. It rained again last night so I'm not expecting to catch much.

Crappie Fishing: Fall Schedule.

The grilled b'day dinner for Diana last night was awesome. I needed that garden salad too.

NOw I"m on my way to E. TX to visit my Ma and Pa and my uncle is back in town so we'll be going fishing. I hope those crappie are biting. NOthing like catching a slab. I'll keep you posted.

Cloudy Cool, not Fancy

Mark's supposed to be grilling a birthday dinner for Diana. I'm invited but Mark runs on a 3rd shift schedule so this dinner may come off at about my bed time. Hmmm.

Happy Birthday Sis

Diana, my sister turns 55 today. It's not exactly an iconic birthday like 50, or 40 or 30 or 21 or 16 but it is sorta. She is taking this well as far as I can determine. I sent her Border Song's by Lynch via mail order and she got it about a week ago. Border Songs received good reviews in the NY Times Book Review I read the first chapter as the link was provided by the review. I liked it. I'm anxious for her to finish so I can read it. My Dad and Mom are avid readers also. We often buy books and pass them around and discuss them. Actually, I buy books and pass them around. I love books. And sharing them makes it all the more fun. Our own book club.

I also bought her white socks. She loves socks. I got them at Tuesday mornings cheap. Don't tell that though.

Beer and Publicity

Bear Tooth Pass Productions marketing people (Diana Lackey) are pestering me about not referencing Fedrick, not Fred enough. So, being the compliant 'what-the-hell' what-ever-you-say guy that I am: have you heard about my first CD Fred, not Fred.

No.

But, let me do one better. Let me reference the site where you can stream it for free:

http://www.myspace.com/stevenfedrick

but dont' tell Lackey. I don't think it's about free in her world. Don't tell her but the CD was a labor of love and NOt about money at all. NOt that money is bad. Buy 20 copies and I'll love you forever.

Rain

More rain. This makes about 20 inches. I know I was complaining about the heat. I know I was whinning about the damn Texas sun burning a hole in my brain. I know the temperature has dropped about 20 degrees these last three rain drenched days. I know sometimes it's a pain in the ass to get what you pray for. I know.

Damn.

Warning: This Game is addictive

Just got back from playing Guitar Hero with my nephews. Some of my old fart co-workers have been telling me about their GH parties which last all night and in to the next day. Really? Yeah. For some reason time goes into this wierd accelerator mode and you look up and it's been more than a couple of hours.

At one point I felt liquid on the 'strum' part of the 'bass' I was playing and was wondering what the hell....Here's the deal: I had worn and burst a blister on my thumb. Talk about a rock star.

HA!

Re-occuring Dream

I dream every night. They say everyone does. Even though dreams are in the temporary memory part of your brain I awake every morning and place them in the extended memory brain part.

The problem with this is when I go through my nightmare phase. I dread going to sleep.

Often I have re-occuring dreams with slight variations so they're not exactly reruns (but close). One of my most re-occuring dream is the one where I am exploring a huge older home with my family and we are determining who's room will be who's. To tell you the truth I love home tours so this is not a bad or boring dream to me. These houses usually have hidden rooms which enclose working kitchens and separate facilities. This make it nice since if we all have our own living space then we don't have to live too close since we are family and tend to get on each others nerves.

I had a variation of this dream last night. I dreamed me and my brother were looking a places to live in for college. He was getting his masters in psychology and it seems I was just tagging along. Anyway it was kind of cool because the rooms were fully furnished and had piles of antique stuff like clothes piled about.

Springsteen to be Kennedy Center Honoree

Congradulations Bruce. Well deserved.

ReMastered Beatles: Genius

Beatles on my door step.

Welcome to TheBeatles.com!

I pre-ordered the Beatles re-mastered box set (stereo) a couple of weeks ago. It was at my front door when I arrive from work today. I just finished listening to 'Please Please Me',. I'm listening to 'with the beatles --their second. Fantastic. I can't believe how pure the sound is. "It won't be long now 'til I belong to you". Beautiful. Inspiring. Makes me miss John. And George. You gotta love technology. Got the mania. Right here. Right now.

old acquaintance

I dont' mean to embarrass anyone. Especially Diana Frazier etc. We were in the same homeroom in 5th through 8th grade. We just reconnected on Facebook. You gotta admit that's cool. C'mon. Cool stuff. Well, I'm new to this social networking stuff so to me it's novel and cool. I always liked and respected Diana Frazier. Now I get to hear about her interesting life. All the while Wall Street Journal and other mass media outlets are demoaning the fact that social networking is passe. Hmmm. I guess. but I think it's awesome. So, let me be impressed just for a little while.

Angel & the Bad Man

He lived only for revenge...She lived only for his love!---so says the movie trailer.

Watched the 1947 John Wayne classic last night. Gail Russell's beauty is almost beath taking. Sad story though. She became addicted to alcohal very young and it ended up killing her at age 36.

Today, Sunday is talking heads. The country is polarized and the political discourse is marred by lies and fear tactics. It's almost unbearable to watch.

Idle Labor Day

New York City June 2009

Click on the picture to see the NYC Picture Album. Fell in love witn NYC

Facebook: Let's face it

NYTimes is lamenting the exodus of of Facebook.
IN the last couple of months I've just become initiated into the social networking stratus, of Facebook and MySpaceMusic. It's awesome. I've reconnected with most of all my highschool and university friends. For some reason (probably pathetic) this seems important to me at this time with all my recent history. All those smiling faces and reassuring--just to know.

DCist Photo of the Day-Peter Heywood

This was the August 31, 2009 DCist photo of the day taken by my friend Peter Heywood. Great shot. Got an artist's eye. Way to go Pete!

enough about Mindy ...Meet Joe

Joe Henry Loves you madly. awesome. Blood from Stars. yep.

I'm not obsessed. Just impressed/ arrested.

Have I mentioned Mindy Smith's Stupid Love? Oh, once or twice. Hmmm. Just saying haven't heard anything this soulful and mournful and joyful in a long long time. She makes my heart ache.

http://www.pastemagazine.com/action/paste_station?station_track=track_10902_1907&mode=standalone

Front Yard Grilled Steaks w/ potatoes and salad.

and cold beer. Can't get better.

Ma's Medical Update

Damn doctor. Said that her coradic artery 2 years ago test was clean as a whistle and thinks the mini strokes are due to very tiny blockages. But they will do another coradic artery test again and send her to the eyes ears nose specials to look into the calcification behind the left eye because the DOC HAS NO IDEA WHAT THIS IS ABOUT, HUH? And as far as the shrinking brain the doc again has no idea? I think my folks must not be getting the details right. But it's possible they are. So sad.

Full frontal

Full Frontal Soul: Mindy Smith http://www.mindysmith.net/

I "discovered" Minday Smith on Paste Magazine. And now I'm losing weight and feeling goofy and straight.

"Mindy, this is Steven. I love your music."

Enough said.

jalepano poppers

My ride home from work was hot. I stopped off at On The Border and had a frozen margarita (with salt) to cool down. And since appatizers were half off for happy hour I ordered the jalepano poppers. Damn if they didn't burn my lips clean off. Now I'm hot again and lipless. Lipless and hot. Damn. Life sucks sometimes.

Putting our eyes on Ma

After the test results showed some discouraging news for ma (mini strokes, calcified place behind eye, shrinking brain) we ran to Tyler. She looks and is acting like her pre-test self although maybe a little weaker. She is taking the news in stride and we are all lending quiet support as needed. No matter if we think life is in a rut and how comfortable that rut may feel life has it's own agenda..

Beautiful Morning Noon sizzles

Such a cool crisp morning, almost shocking. Garage sale-ing with Donny & Fay and Diana. As the day wore on the sun intensified and beat us down by noon. I bought a box of pulp western paperbacks for Dad. Bought Ma a serving spoon. Bought crystal candy dish and ....dang, already forgot what. ON the way home, we stopped at Brookshire's for sirloin steaks. Diana has them marinating. Marks will grill shish-kabobs for dinner. I bought a seedless watermelon and it's slightly green.

going East again Hey Ma

going to E. TX this weekend. Normally go every other weekend but Ma got some news and got to lend moral support.

My Favorite Beatle (second)

Paul McCartney is in town. He's playing the new Cowboy Stadium (Jerry's World) which is about 30 minutes from where I live. Damn, I wish I was there. I did see Paul in his Wings Across America Tour in 1976. I'm an old fart. It was my first concert at Riverfront Colosseum in Cinncinati (where a year or so later those people got stampeded at the Who Concert-I think). He was amazing. I shaint forget him sitting alone on a bar stool with his guitar singing "Yesterday" . Ended with "Band on the Run". I missed the encore 'cause I was young and dumb.

Break a leg Paul.

Sorry I missed you.

hard core

NYTimes Sunday Book Review.

"This is not the worst novel I've ever read". Yikes. Read the full review. Love the snarkiness.

I gotta get motivated

I be'friended' Alan Menken on both MySpace and Facebook and sent ingratiating comments about the effect he's had on my music. I'm still waiting on his response. I wouldn't have done this accept on the advise of CC who said it would be a good idea to let Mr. Menken know the profound influence he's had on me and send him a link to the CD. I was skeptical. But I followed through.

Hot days and cold beer. That's what I'm talking about.

Happy Birthday David & Donald Fedrick

Happy Birthday to my older brother David. He's in Kentucky so I'm sending my wishes long distance. He's not old. He's just grayer and wiser.

(------above)Uncle Donny's birthday is tomorrow. He lives in the Tyler area (where I am today) so we'll celebrate today with T-bones and Pineapple upside down cake. Get out the fire extinguisher. Seventy candles!

August In East Texas

It's greener but still hotter than hades. Great to see my folks. Ma had that big pan of enchalades waiting for us. They were better than I remember.

Heavy Sigh (feels good)

Deep breath. I didn't make my own self imposed deadline (I had to run Frye's Electronics to get more printer ink) but I'm officially done now and can turn it in tomorrow at 7:00 am and hopefully they will fax it soon there after as the official deadline is 10:oo pm tomorrow night. But besides the faxing it's done!!!!!yeah!!!!

Tomorrow after work Diana (sister) and I will travel to Tyler Texas to the see our folks. I talked to Mom and Dad just now and they are doing good. Mom is making enchalades. Her TX-Mex enchaldas are something spectacular so I'm especially looking forward to tomorrow night.

Yeah. LIfe is good.

Mission (almost) Accomplished

I'm proud of myself. I've done most of the major project I had to complete by tonight done yesterday. I must finish by 2:00 pm today to get submitted. Wish me good thoughts and send a prayer.

12 step program for procrastonation needed

I've taken two days off work to try to hobble together a document which may impact the rest of my life. But no pressure. So why am I here making an entry on this blog instead of buckling down to the task at hand? The deadline is Friday, I must be waiting for Thursday night. It's times like these I can't stay away from my Yamaha keyboard. Fact is I'm composing a lovely orchestrated piece which is coming along nicely. Perhaps it will impact the rest of my life. HA! Not kidding myself. Just saying.....

Got a lot Done, Much more to do

Some of the many chores I've ignored for too long finally were done this weekend. And now I'm trying to get motivated to get more done. It's hard for me to stay on task. Being single and beholdin to no one has me spoiled worse than a first grandchild. But I'm on a roll and I've got to maintain some semblence of self control.

No Depression Member Badge - Steven Fedrick's MySpace Blog |

No Depression Member Badge - Steven Fedrick's MySpace Blog |

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Washington Square Park NYC

Our last day in NYC we visited the park which was a block from the start of the Heritage Parade. We arrived minutes before the parade began and got curb side seats. We moved to explore West Village and ended up at Christopher street at the Stonewall Inn and watched part of the parade there. Imagine. Us Texans seeing the 40th anniversary of Stonewall at the Stonewall Inn on Christopher street in NYC. Amazing.

Agent/Attorney wants to talk about Fedrick, not Fred

I heard from an attorney today who said he handles a group and has heard Fedrick, not Fred and wants to schedule a meeting. I wish I knew more about the business side of the music business. We didn't set up a specific time but I let him know I'd be interested in talking.

Today at the federal agency where I work came an announcement that tomorrow several cadre positions are supposed to open up, several meaning about twelve. I think there are many hundred people which are interested, including me. Gotta keep my day job until the residuals from Fedrick not Fred start pouring in, HA!

I can't help but mention the heat. August 4, so it's redundant I know but it's so in your face.

Yen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

I finally bought it at Borders. I think I'm going to love this book.

NYPD to the Rescue.

Sizzling hot.

Church this morning. Early service. Then brunch with Phillip at this old diner off Harry Hines. Phillip was right about the restaurant's retro ambiance. Natalie was our waitress. She appeared to be in her early eighties with hair piled high, high, high, and shmears of lipstick around her pretty mouth. I had megas and and Phillip had the voluminous breakfast burrito. I caught Phillip up about the New York trip. I told him about our arrival at the La Guardia airport and how the pencil thin pimp-looking chauffer in a purple velvet high waisted jacket and afro hat offered us a limo ride to our hotel which we accepted until NYPD's finest stopped him and forced him to return our bags because he wasn't a licensed limo or driver. How the officer cautioned us to look for transportation with the proper identification and directed us to the yellow cab stand. As he said, unlicensed drivers don't have the proper insurance if anything happens in route. We thanked him and realized this guy could have kidnapped us and robbed and killed us. We knew we'd have to be more careful going forward.

Not Doing Chores

I had pancakes for breakfast and eggs and hashbrowns. Since then I have done an excellent job of avoiding chores. Chores that I must do...

Must Do Chores Must Do Chores

I've had an abundance of free time. Months. I used a block to complete Fedrick Not Fred. Even at it's most frustrating I would think to myself what joy it was to be doing something so joyous as making music. Then the CD was complete. Finished. The end left a hole of time that I got lost in. Then NYC happened. We used every second. Savored every minute. We fell in love with the city and were present to each moment. Then home to realize that the extravagance of free time has come at the price of ignored chores. There's always a price for everything. As I look around, the time has come to pay the piper. Must Do. Must Do. Must Do Chores.

Car Rain

I don't have a working a/c in my car so I drive around with four windows down. It's not been horrible lately with cooler than average temperatures. The point being that all four windows were down and it rained last night. Poured. Yeah. I sat on towels this morning and still got wet.

hump

Wednesday. I felt healthy enough to get my butt back to work. I like my day job. I'm early morning guy and like getting up in the dark. I'm a regular at the QT where I get my coffee each morning from James. I usually stop and grab a 99 cent breakfast burrito fromVictor who works in the back a the fast food place I go. I'm a regular so we've got to know each other, give each other hell for fun. He stuck his head out the drive thru window this morning and asked where I'd been. He a good guy. Then I park it and read the paper. Sometimes I do the cross word. I'm addicted to the crossword. It's the only reason these days I subscribe to the Ft Worth Star Telegram. It's a crying shame how the content of the newspaper has diminished. I loved that newspaper. It's only a matter of time before it goes under like all the rest.

Day Off

Home Alone.

Sunday Morning Coming Down

I made the Tyler Morning Telegraph yesterday in regards to the Song of Faith Contest: http://www.tylerpaper.com/article/20090725/RELIGION/907240371

This weekend sister and I are here in Tyler visiting Ma and Pa. Mom's memory has improved with the altimeter's medication and Dad is now taking a calcium supplement because the doctor's found his hip bone density is low. Even though we try to make it here every other weekend sometimes the short term changes from one trip to the next can be surprising.

Yesterday we traveled to Jacksonville TX for a big box full of vine-ripened tomatoes (the last of this summer season). Wow. These tomatoes are incredibly delicious. We eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Today for lunch we'll have them on homemade tacos. MMMmmmm good.

Jaida Dreyer

jaida dreyer asked me to be her friend on MySpace Music. Before her request I had four friends and one was a radio station. Yes, you can be friends with a radio station. My radio station friend is KNON. It's a cool community radio. Jaida Dreyer has a pretty face and Parton-esque voice. Do you think her name sounds sorta like a stripper's? I like her songs too. She's seems to be a straight shooter. She lives in Nashville. I became her 57,141st friend. She has a lot of friends. With Jaida Dreyer I now have five friends. It's not a lot. I should get out more. But it's nice to have a friend with a Barbie face and Dolly Paron-esque voice. I hope she likes me.

http://www.myspace.com/jaidadreyer

July 2009 almost history

Zoom zoom zoom.

I'm on my way to Tyler to see the folks. It's fun if only because they are so thrilled to see us even as we make the trip every other weekend.

New Day

The most beautiful gray clouds filled the sky. The parched Texas earth cooled. I went to the Doc today. He is young and has perfect teeth. He wears large square-toed black shoes with jeans. He listened to my complain and ran a test. He loves to run tests. This test result will take a week. I gave him a copy of Fedrick, not Fred. He promised to listen to it on his way home. I had a spare copy of Fedrick not Fred in my car. I hope it's not the blank one. I'm thinking it is. I told him also that I've recently had a days when my l5 disc reared it's ugly head. He advised more pain meds. Sounds like a plan.