The Daily Daniel

The Daniel Daily
Wednesday, June 5th

Money
I have weathered the past 7 days with no money on my food card, and managed to get by with the amount of cash that I made busking (plus the money I got for renting the Jasmine guitar to the Swedish guys) as well as put a set of Elixir strings on the Yamaha, and would have gotten my laundry done yesterday, but procrastinated on it until the money was spent upon other things.
Things are going to slow down here soon.
I am certainly in the best condition for making money now (cool new hat, better sounding guitar, "20 dollar" strings on the better sounding guitar, plus I am playing better because of jamming with Tanya and Dorise, basically put) than I have been since coming to New Orleans.
I seem to make *something* every night now...

My next "raise" will come after I add a harmonica to my act, to replace the one that the police in Baton Rouge made disappear from my backpack.

Sports
Consistency On Levee Run
I got up and ran the 2/3 mile to the store in the same time (4:56) for the third day in a row!
Travel
I am entertaining the notion of making a trip to Massachusetts this summer to see old friends and family. It would be good for the soul, perhaps...
I might try to make a stop in Atlanta, to maybe try to find Karrie, whom I haven't seen since May 31st of 2010...
Romance
Don't ask.
Health
I have a swollen gland or somethinng in my throat; perhaps from eating out of the hand of a cute little kid that was feeding me at a party.
That night, I had a sore spot; when I swallowed;  in my throat on one side.
It has persisted and feels like it has migrated to under my jaw.
I wonder if an adult can get tonsilitis....
Doing yoga type stuff and exercises, to include the Levee Run each morning, seems to be helping...
Career
I have been wavering back and forth amongst a short list of songs that I might play on Thursday night with Tanya and Dorise at Caseys IntheQuarter.

• A funk jam where I make up lyrics "Everybody's Doing The Daniel?" or something...
• "It Was A Very Good Year," the Frank Sinatra song...
• "Don't Worry Baby," the Beach Boys number
• "Crazy About A Crazy Girl," my original
• "The Bum Song," another original
• "The Carcass Song," ditto
• "My Favorite Mule," yet another of mine...

Each one has it own virtues and drawbacks.
How The Second Round Went
Last week, I got up and started to play a simple melody around the chords of "You Are So Beautiful," ala Dorise on a lot of their songs; where she will start off solo and Tanya will join in later.
Dorise recognized the song at about the time I was switching from melody to chords (a small credit to my ability to make a melody recognizable; but as much to Dorises ability to recognize almost anything) and she hopped into the middle seat and began to play along.
It crossed my mind that she either joined in because she knew the song and could add to the whole; or because she thought that I was going to direct the song at Tanya and make it "mushy" and cause her embarrassment.
However, rather than serenade Tanya with the actual "heartfelt" lyrics, I did my "send up" of that song and sang verses like:

"You are not bad...to me.
You are not bad...to me...can't you see
Your not exactly Angelina Jollie, but when the lights are out; you could be.....
You are better than nothing....to me...."

Then, I was able to take a solo over Dorises chords, and Tanya was able to play a supporting part (just the root notes et al) which came out to my satisfaction.
When the end of a section came, Dorise turned and said "Let Tanya go," and so, I jumped back to playing chords and Tanya did indeed go.
Her first note startled me (it just sounded so...good...what can I say?).
But then, I was trying to spice up my chords (i.e. get too fancy for my britches) and not paying attention to the number of bars going by and went into the verse when Tanya went into the "You're everything I've hoped for" part.
Dorise leaned over and said "Follow her. You're not following her..."
I then paused and indeed heard the bridge melody coming from the violin, and was able to jump back to the right spot.
What I Learned About Tanyas Music
I learned that Tanya plays each song precisely according to measures and bars and it is up to Dorise to change the chord at the right time.
Once, when I was sitting by them and Dorise played one of her (trademark) chromatic-sliding-chord-style things and I had asked: "Do you ever throw her off with your rhythms?" she exclaimed "No, she's not listening to me!" in a tone that added ...Are you kidding?...
She's Getting The Melody Now...
This point was emphasized on Saturday after someone had requested a Stone Temple Pilots song.
Rather than go to Google, Dorise went to myself and the Swedish guys because we all knew the song and "It wil be faster to pick it up from you guys..."
She learned the chords in good time; but was very insistent upon getting the exact form of the song, as in how many times the "A" section repeated before going to the "B" and exactly where the "C" section came in (exactly).
Tanya, meanwhile had layed down on her back on the carpet which they put in front of them so people don't trip over their cables, and was holding some kind of phone to her right ear.
She was contorted into an attitude with her arms and legs at odd angles and, by the look on her face, she could have been in labor; eyes closed; the other ear blocked; and an expression as if she were trying to lift a tremendous weight...or was in labor.
"Tanyas getting the melody now," said Dorise, as she punched into her own some kind of phone the exact order and length of sections and how many times they repeated.
Because that was how Tanya was going to play it when she was done listening to a Youtube version of it 2 or 3 times.
The people who had requested the song (and probably sweetened the tip basket) lounged in lawn chairs patiently, meanwhile.
So, I learned that Tanya plays each song precisely according to its form; and would forge on, regardless of weather Dorise was even in the same key....