OK, so I had this experience in Maine over July 4th weekend where this woman behind the counter in a store during a really busy period reacted to my asking if I’d done something wrong when she completely ignored my engaging “Hi!” and then, responding to the sign on the register asking for singles with “I think we’ll be able to pay you in all singles” with a mean spirited diatribe so filled with anti-tourista vitriol that all potentially clever and biting retorts from yours truly were jammed up my fat Ohio with a skunk stripe of Yankee fan ass as I fled, very sad and hurt and angry.
I had planned a really clever blog about it with catchphrases and pix and a likely out-of-blog experience to tell about, writing the store to complain. I mean, I worked retail in Woodstock NY, so I know what it’s like and blah, blah, blah… but I’d never blah, blah, blah…
But I had so much fun eating lobster and crab rolls, wild blueberry everything, playing mini-golf, petting a little shark, the annual Boothbay Rock Skipping Championships (likely seen on ‘The Ocho’)and hanging out with Dolli, Debbie and Eddie, an ex- wife I really like, her mom and a healthy dose of ‘Two and a Half Men,’ that the inspiration left me.
So no blog. Too bad. So much opportunity.
I might have gone on about how between June 21st and July 9th I drove 4000 mile
s in a car that I was assured very likely had no heat shield over the gas line recall problem, then upon my return I opened the mail to see the recall had actually come while we were gone. Ahhhh!! An angry rant about how Volkswagon put my family in danger!!! Lawsuits, high powered rifles, dusters , and the evening news, folks!!
But I became loggy from all that driving (and slotting in a mere 1000 miles in air travel over a 40 hr. period in the middle of all this), and we didn’t, after all, blow up or catch fire, the fix was done, the car really is a good, good car and VW does pay attention and fix things as they seem to present themselves and… being loggy and all, I didn’t blog about this either.
There was the Orthodox Bar Mitzvah in Detroit (and more driving) where my Shiksah wife and I had a great, great time! The saga of my recovering my long lost family, my brother and sister-in-law, their 5 kids
and 13 (so far, many more to go) grandchildren. Such a tender, tragic, moving and hilarious saga… but so incredibly important to me and SUCH a story with so little time to write it.
Would I mention on the drive home that Dolli and I went back to our childhoods in the 50s. driving on country roads with no A/C, windows open, stopping at a flea market, a n
ature preserve, a photo op at a nuclear power plant, lunching on BBQ beef and malts from a custard stand near Cedar Point? Well yeah, if I were to blog it, I’d write it, of course!!!
Is there more, involving raccoons, ex-spouses, failed software loads, crazy assed negotiations with clients, new patios, non-gigs featuring electric bass trios, and spectacular weather?
Of course, but none of that is really writeworthy.
Here’s what’s writeworthy for any gentle reader who hasn’t seen or heard about this:
THE MARK PRICE FUNDGreetings,
Many of you know that Tin Huey bass player and lifelong friend Mark Price was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer that moved into his liver a few years ago. We held a wonderful benefit for him (as well as Huey Michael Aylward who had to have a heart valve repair done around that time), called the "Nicked-up Hueys Benefit."
Everyone turned out, manned- and womaned-up, played some extraordinary music and did really good work thanks to the organizing efforts of Bob Ethington. EVERYONE came, paid admission and contributed a lot to help Mark and Michael, in both money AND S
PIRIT!!
Mark has survived this longer than his oncologist predicted, but has now gone through all 5 accepted protocols for the treatment of colon cancer, has been in and out of a study group for a new treatment that initially looked incredibly promising until his body said "no"...and now there's been new tumor growth as his tumor tracking numbers have gone on the rise.
Mark has embarked on an alternative protocol and we hope, of course, that he'll be one of those about whom we can tell the stories. Actually, the way HE can rant and roll, it will be a story HE'LL be telling us all about.
However, with all that said, Mark is in serious need of financial assistance. His will to work is there but he isn't in shape to sustain a 40 hour week. Previously, he had been receiving some financial assistance from his mother who, sadly, passed on a few months ago. And now, Mark is about to sell a bunch of gear he had acquired in the hopes of starting a new recording studio, but these are tough times and we know not what this will yield.
Some of Mark's friends in northern California are throwing a benefit for him in September. While another benefit in our small town would be great, the last one was coordinated weeks in advance and benefited from a Harmonic Convergence of sorts (The Black Keys were in town and at least 3 historic Akron bands were able to reunite) but time is of the essence! So, after talking with a few of you, as well as speaking with Mark, here's a plan:
THE MARK PRICE FUNDI have the number for an account Mark has here in Akron. I'm going to look into doing a Paypal link but am not sure if that's something Mark has to set up himself--which may yet happen , in which case I'll send you the info. But in the meantime, whatever you can send will greatly provide assistance to Mark: if you can send a lot, how wonderful!; if a little that can
be managed every week or so, wonderful! Everything will help and be deeply appreciated.
Make your check out to Mark R. Price.
If you're local, call me, or send your donation to me at:
PO Box 13560
Fairlawn, Ohio 44334
and it will get deposited immediately;
or
send your check directly to Mark at
54 Mission Ave.
San Rafael, CA 94901
On behalf of Mark, I thank you with all my heart,
Harvey Gold
914-841-5457
it" After working in the yard and doing some other assorted things, as Dolli and I were about to do yet something else, this appeared on my TV. Dolli (a Buchtel High Grad so something of a sista to start), I think, fascinated by Eddie Murphy as a fat bitch, me finding it interesting to watch Thandi Newton clearly follow her Director's orders, "Be cute and give me a ton of energy. Nothing but!," plus Eddie wearing pretty much the exact same make up he wore as an old Jew in 'Coming to America, ' this time being a Chinese character, along with my co-dependent approach to leisure time of "I'm With Her," we gave in to gravity and actually watched it. I'm sorry. Just wasn't myself. Truly a Godawful movie.
ol" genius. In a slightly less stellar film, his character in "Zoolander" made me wonder if he's safe to be around in real life and his turn in an even lesser film, "Night at the Roxbury" was also pretty damned funny, creating something where there was mostly nothing. "Emilio!!!"
... pisses me off and now, that Ive thought about it, gets a resounding NAY!
