a little birdie

hello... hello... something something something vertigo!! I can still sing. I haven't been singing out much lately, but I can still carry a note and a half. how's the summer treated you? me? well not so bad. anyone who had met me back in '02 or '03 knows that I don't tour much in the summer. it stands true, it doesn't really work out for me economically. if there are any logistics or economics majors out there, feel free to send me some insight on how to be more efficient.

well what have I been doing you ask? same thing I do most summers. I've been hanging out at the lake, getting some sun, being hot and humid in the uncomfortable confines of Detroit weather. but it could be worse, the weather I mean. I've got a bunch of new tunes I've been working on... including some piano tunes, so I roughly taught myself and there are two that I'm pretty fond of right now. also I decided to act on all of my censored language urges that I've had for the past few years. Anyone who has the Low Carb lp and has heard some of the outtakes knows what I'm talking about. I have written about 5-6 songs which would appear on something more of a comedy-type cd, with one of those "adult content" labels on the front. amidst that collection would also be a little parody of an ashlee simpson song, called "smaller on me." and originals, such as "driving through the ghetto," "(somebody please kill) my lady", "baseball players," "subtlety," and a couple others. the content varies, but the humor is consistent and appears conveying themes that virtually anyone can relate to. I think I would have to release it under a different "act" cos it doesn't really fall into the 'jimmyatto' category of past releases.

also I've played more golf in the past 4 weeks than I had for the previous 3 summers combined. I used to golf about once a year. the past 4 weeks I have golfed 4 times. it's pretty fun, and initially I dreaded the fact that I had to get up before 8am for a tee time between then and about 8:30 on a sunday morning (when most people sleep in or go to church.) however, I have consistently been at the course and ready to go in time, unless I was dragging some slackers with me. I even made it two weeks ago, when my good friends got married the night before and I didn't get home til about 4:30am and I woke up at 7, the next morning to meet up with my bro for the round. the highlight of my new hobby was last week. we only play 9 holes usually, (1) cos some of us don't want to use up our entire mornings golfing, because we usually go out to breakfast afterward anyway, and (2) cos we play public 9 hole courses, so there are no more holes. so last week I hit my first tee shot into the fairway (for the first time this year including 3 prior rounds) and I thought, "GREAT!" Little did I know that my second shot, a 4 wood would also be hit straight and although short of the green, was only a few yards short and right in front of the pin. my short game is iffy at best, but I made a nice pitch about 8 feet from the hole and sunk it for my first par that I could remember in many years of scarce and sporadic golfing. now that 1st hole made my round. it was the first time that after any number of holes I was playing "par golf." little did I know that after a couple of 7s and 8s on some wicked bad holes, I would approach a par 3.
While I was on the tee, my brother made a comment that he didn't think I'd even get the ball off the ground, let alone hit it on the green. well after I struck the ball, he must have just been thinking, "touche.... touche... " cos it landed within ten feet of the hole. and I sunk the birdie putt somehow. it was amazing. a birdie and a par for me in the same round of a 9 hole course was just miraculous. the golf gods were shining down on me last week. hopefully I have some more in me. cos this is among my proudest of athletic achievements. i still love tennis, volleyball and hockey, but this was a memorable day for me and I just wanted to share it with the internet... yes, the entire internet.

speaking of hockey, another way to occupy my time has been the new task of coaching a ten year-old travel hockey team. i got a call from a guy who knows a mutual friend of ours, and he heard that I was interested in coaching, and I told him I'd be happy to help him out. we had our first practice last night and I hadn't skated in almost a year, so my feet were killing me, cos my skates were as stiff as ever. it really hurt, but I hid it well. I want the kids to look up to me, and not see a weakling, who was weeping inside as his feet went numb half way throught the practice. anyway it was great, and that's the story of "what's jimmy been up to?"

there's a little more but I don't know if it's any of the "internets" business... personal inquiries only...

have a hot one...

JA