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.