The Real Memphis Mike (don't settle for imitations)

Weird dreams...we've all had them.  Possibly the most disturbing dream I've ever had was a recurring nightmare that I had throughout my 20s and 30s involving killer, man-eating vampire penguins. I might add, this was also during my better living through chemistry years. Usually, like most, no matter how odd my dreams might seem, they dissipate throughout the day; usually before I've had my 2nd or 3rd cup of coffee. Maybe the caffeine zaps them out of my conscious brain...who knows. But, this morning, I awoke from a particularly weird dream. It wasn't scary...it was just weird. It's been said that we don't dream about strangers. Every face in our dreams is one that we have, at some point, seen in our waking lives. This morning's dream was a veritable Who's Who of faces from my past, present, and faces we've all seen on TV/movies/media. My friends Rob, Gary, and myself were playing a pick up gig. This, unto itself, is not weird. We've done ...

I once lived every working person's worst nightmare. I got snowed in at work. For 3 days. Oh sure, I got paid overtime for it, and was given the rest of the week off...but still, 3 solid days at work with no way to escape. Ugh... I was working in a group home for adults with retardation at the time. It really wasn't too bad. One of the residents was away at the time, so it was just 2 guys, in their 50s. Pretty laid back gents really. The one guy, his life revolved around coffee and cigarettes...so he was pretty much set. We had food, we had coffee, and we had smokes. The never-ending snow never phased him in the slightest. The other guy, he was pretty high functioning and felt that keeping the walk and the driveway clear was his own personal responsibility. No easy feat during a blizzard. Yet, he managed it. Every few hours, he went outside, grabbed his shovel, and dug in. It was pretty hilarious, really. Over 3 feet of snow on the street and in the yard, and ...

I've lost over 40 pounds, and yes, I'm pretty proud of it. None of my clothes fit. I have to force myself, at some point, to go clothes shopping. I hate clothes shopping. But, everyone keeps asking how I've done it. It's pretty simple really. I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and took it seriously. I don't want to lose a foot or go blind or anything like that. It's a real motivator for me. Fear is good for that. I've known a lot of folks with diabetes in my life. My great aunt had it...and lost a leg to it. Her mother had it, and went blind from it. A few different friends have lost legs from it. I don't want to join that particular club, thank you very much. So the choices were pretty simple: Feel sorry for myself and risk all of the above, or do something about it. I chose the latter. I had to completely change the way I think about food. An ex girlfriend often pointed out that I'm obsessed with food. You know...she's right. I am. ...

It's a new year...same ol' me. Well, pretty much... New job, life is getting better, health seems to be under control. That said, last year was a bitch. But, with every cloud there is a bit of sunshine behind it...at least I usually look for it. If nothing else, 2014 was a good year for me musically. I didn't do a large number of shows...didn't care to. I was too busy writing! And write I did! Musically, I was all over the damned place! I was writing rock and roll, country, blues, jazz, singer/songwriter crap, and avant garde stuff. Hell, I even took a stab at writing some classical sorta stuff. I think most of it came out well. And yep, you guessed it...I'm putting links to some those songs right here! Why? Probably the only way you'll ever hear them. I'm taking 2015 by the short hairs and refusing to play the music industry game. I no longer give a shit if anyone buys my records, or asks me to do a show. I just really no longer care. New web site is ...

Howdy Y'all & Happy Holidays! I'll say that as I know people of many faiths...not everyone celebrates Christmas. Deal with it. If you've been following my saga, then you know that life has taken an upswing for me lately. It's been a really rough couple of years...but it's all working out. Whew! Over the past year, my typically crappy health took yet another turn, and I was diagnosed with diabetes (aka...The Beetus). That was all I needed to hear! Aside from the physical complications that come along with it, it's a damned expensive disorder to have...especially for the poor and uninsured...like me! Luckily, my broke ass had found the Birmingham Free Clinic, down in Pittsburgh's Southside. WOW! What a great bunch! I contacted them last spring. I was broke, just about to run out of my heart medication, and really didn't know what to do. (For you Fox News lovers out there, NO...going to the ER is not a viable option. An ER visit costs, usually, $1...

"I can't breathe!" If you've never experienced this, then you don't know what scary is. I've experienced it a few times. Twice, due to using too many drugs, a few times due to reactive asthma, and once when I was literally choking to death. (I was clinically dead for 7 minutes, followed by a week in a coma) I've had guns in my face. I've been stabbed. I crashed a car at 120mph. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is as terrifying as not being able to breathe. Now imagine that the reason you can't breathe is because another person, another human being, is causing this. Worse still, imagine the person causing you to NOT BREATHE is someone you should be able to trust. Someone you should be able to trust to NOT kill you. How fucking scary would that be? Think about it. I won't go into the details. Sadly, it's all over the news...and it should be. Sadder still, it never should have happened. Justice is not being served. Just imagine, if only ...

I'm an AC/DC fan. If you're 'of a certain age', and enjoy rock & roll music, chances are you are too. But here's the thing...as great as the Back In Black album is, I was sick of it within weeks of it's release. Yeppers, even back in 1980, radio stations were killing music by putting certain songs into heavy rotation. Sure, these were, and still are, GREAT songs...but damn, enough was enough. It wasn't the only album available but you'd think it was. It was everywhere. I don't know many of my contemporaries who didn't have a copy...whether it be on vinyl, cassette, or (gasp!) 8-track. Many updated to a CD copy 10 years later. Why? The record is just that good. Yes, I dig the album...but pretty much ignored it for years...because I just couldn't get away from it. Eventually, I'd hear one of the tracks on the radio and crank it up...giving it it's due. BIB is really one of those records every band wishes they could record. Song ...