November 2002

I was wandering around work showing people the backpacker when a woman I know called Fiona stopped me to say hello. She is a big Neil Finn fan and a bloody nice woman into the bargain.

She then told me that she had been listening to Duck Ponds and especially liked The Devil Made Eat the Last Tim Tam.

She then asked for me to play it. I was as happy as a pig in Bendigo.

Lesson for the day - flattery works every time.

Well I have gone a week so far without any coke. It’s not especially easy but it seems easier than last time I did this.

Last time I just quit for a month, to prove that I could if I wanted to.

Lesson for the day - perhaps it will be easier next week.

It’s always nice to see Tim play and I could go. But the road it both long and a difficult drive. Added to that I am a pretty ordinary driver.

So I will give it a miss. Perhaps it makes me a bad person. Perhaps all sorts of shit will happen to me. But I am pretty sure I will be fine.

Lesson for the day - you should support your friends but not beyond the point of sanity.

I picked up the prodigal backpacker a few minutes. It now has a thinline pickup in it and the action has been lowered. For the non-guitar nazis that means I can play it amplified and the strings are closer to the body of the guitar.

That was $40 well spent. Much better than the $200 I spent with Manny’s for a similar job (and they had to do it twice before it worked).

Lesson for the day - a Lewis in town is worth two Mannys in the inner suburbs.

Well the fellow from the Marriott called back to clarify my feedback. So I explained what I meant by the expression “surly and uncooperative”. He said he was sorry I had not had a good experience and thanked me from my time then ended the called.

Lesson for the day - service is a funny business.

I am working with a fellow called Marcus who plays acoustic guitar, electric guitar, banjo and some irish drum.

I think I might be his evil twin (as well as being Sean’s).

Lesson for the day - bad guys have more fun.

I thought the day before yesterday was impressive with only one stream of a song of mine.

But yesterday is a first.

No traffic at all. Not a download. Not a stream.

My dreams of total obscurity is getting more real by the second.

Lesson for the day - things find their own level.

I turns out that there is a Christmas function that has been booked in at Mayfields for the 11th. I could have moved the spot to the 18th but that is so close to Christmas so I will give it a miss.

A big thank you to everyone who said they’d be there.

Lesson for the day - December can be a funny month.

I stayed at the Marriott last time in Sydney. From the name it sounded nice but once I was the it became clear that they couldn’t organise a fuck in a brothel.

But it was just before the Gay Games and hotel rooms were like hens’ teeth and I didn’t feel like sleeping in a stable.

So when I finally checked out I filled in their little survey and clearly pointed out the four things they fucked up good and properly.

I figured that would be the end of it.

Yesterday I got a message from someone at the hotel asking me to call back to clarify my feedback.

I should have made a copy but I am pretty sure I was not being vague.

Lesson for the day - if you don’t provide a good service you shouldn’t expect positive feedback.

Since buying a mandolin I have discovered a secret world. I am not sure what this world is like but I now know that it exists.

At the core are fellow mandolin owners. Often they stay quiet until they see my mandolin. Then they sidle up, ask a few questions, then mention they the also play one. Stories are quietly exchanged about easy they are to learn and minor tricks and tips.

Quietly, of course, lest the guitar gods hear and cast scorn from the bar with the kind of dull wit that comes free with your tenth beer.

On the fringes are those who would like a mandolin. They ask questions, quietly. They don’t know about the secret world yet but I am sure they will be welcome when they finally arrive.

Lesson for the day - a little encouragement can take you a long way.