Time To Jump . . .

. . . on the Joan Rivers bandwagon (I don't generally jump on them, you know), yes indeed!.  (Hey, isn't that what everyone in media is supposed to do now?)

 No disrespect intended, I assure you.  I can also assure you there will be NO Ray Jozwiak bandwagon to jump on at all when I go . . . but I digress.

Joan Rivers has been visible to me ever since I knew what a television was. I thought she was funny. She was, in fact, always funny.  Never lost it. I'm not sure what to say about all the plastic surgery. . . it's all already been said anyway.  But hey, she didn't hurt anyone.  What can I say about "E" and making your schtick criticizing how people dress.  I can say, I never watched her there.  In summary, a strain, talented woman who was successful in a very tough (and also a "Man's") business.  I respect that. I respect that in much the same way as I respect Madonna's (or GaGa's - is THAT how you spell it?) business savvy even though I don't buy their music.

On her preferences for a funeral service . . .
"I want craft services, I want paparazzi and I want publicists making a scene! I want it to be Hollywood all the way. I don’t want some rabbi rambling on; I want Meryl Streep crying, in five different accents. I don’t want a eulogy; I want Bobby Vinton to pick up my head and sing “Mr. Lonely.” I want to look gorgeous, better dead than I do alive. I want to be buried in a Valentino gown and I want Harry Winston to make me a toe tag. And I want a wind machine so that even in the casket my hair is blowing just like Beyoncé’s."
– Joan Rivers

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html

OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak

My latest solo release, '2014' of original, instrumental piano music, can be downloaded digitally at:

(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)

Also, be sure to visit:
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

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Sad . . .

On Bob McDonnell, 'Strife has formed a core of their joint defense.' Bob McDonnell and his wife of 38 years insisted throughout the trial that their marriage was crumbling and in such a state that they barely spoke enough to  be able to conspire to sell the influence of the governor's office to a dietary supplement executive in exchange for $177,000 in loads and luxury gifts. The trial was long and contentious. 

The details of the story are convoluted. In my brief and superficial summary I see a marriage which slowly failed in sacrifice to promote a political career.  Mrs. McDonnell dutifully raised the children while the ambitious Mr. McDonnell rose in political rank. The diet-supplement king enters the picture and captivates Mrs. McDonnell. She accepts his friendship and all the material and monetary accessories that accompany it.  Mr. McDonnell sees it but believes no harm nor violations of law are occurring, so he lets it continue. Justice prevails in the end.  But $177,000 and a political career?  Doesn't seem worth the gamble in the first place.

Yes, it's easy for me to sit here and analyze at a distance from it all, but sad is my overwhelming reaction to it all.

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html

OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak

My latest solo release, '2014' of original, instrumental piano music, can be downloaded digitally at:

(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)

Also, be sure to visit:
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

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Cute Little Female . . .

. . . voice

So the cute, little female voice listens to my problem attentively and asks me very politely to hold on while she finds out exactly who will be able to help me. My problem is, in brief, that the rain gutter on my house was damaged by the roofing firm (where the cute, little female voice works) when they replace the roof on the house to our immediate right for the former owner.  Our row-homes are, needless to say, connected. So after a reasonable, yet not extremely short, time another voice, female-but this time not so cute or little, joins the line and says to me, "can I help you."  Since I had just explained quite succinctly, the details of my dilemma to the previously-mentioned cute, little female voice, the entire situation, I responded to the effect of 'didn't the prior representative tell you the nature of my situation or must I begin afresh?'  (Can you detect a certain 'attitude' exuding from the second person?  I DID!) She admitted that she was familiar with my situation, but in keeping with her general demeanor, she was sure to ask certain questions which prompted a repeat of the general story anyway, to which she responded in a tone of, 'what is it exactly that you are asking' and when told an insignificant (to a roofing contractor) $200 to repair the gutter that employees of her firm damaged. In keeping with her 'professional' (i.e. money-grubbing) disposition she then informed me that since the house next door was sold by the previous owner, who contracted the replacement roof, the life-time warranty so generously provided him was now null and void- a fact in which I have no (or at least very little) interest in relation to the reason I had called.  Then the kind soul berated me for the delay between the time the work was done and the time I contacted her [the roofer] to which I wish I had responded, "If only your workmen had left me a note informing me that they damaged my gutter system and specified the exact location and extent of the damage, I most certainly would have contacted you much sooner."

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html

OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak

My latest solo release, '2014' of original, instrumental piano music, can be downloaded digitally at:

(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)

Also, be sure to visit:
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

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Passing the Bar . . .

 . . . or stopping in . . .

Tips for the bartender (from http://www.shakestir.com/features/id/571/10-tips-for-the-beginner-cocktail-bartender)

1) Focus on service, not just drinks.
You are a bartender, not an artist - you provide service above all else. If customers have a good experience from a very engaging, attentive, and accommodating service staff but the drinks aren't amazing, they are still likely to come back.

2) Taste everything.
A great chef would never serve anything without knowing that it tastes good, and neither should you.

3) Be knowledgeable.
Know everything you serve, not just the items that interest you. If you are all about cocktails, good for you, but you are still a bartender and will be called upon to serve beer, wine, and of course food.

4) Don't be pretentious.
Customers do not want to feel judged, but welcome and appreciated (because they are!). Remind yourself that you are here because of them.

5) Don't be lazy.
This covers a wide range of issues behind the bar (and every job there is). Old or store-bought juice will make a noticeable negative impact on your drinks, as will using stale vermouth.

6) Control your dilution.
Mixing too long can make your drink flabby, and it's very hard to get the balance back from over-dilution.

7) Don't adjust too much.
Once your palate develops you'll start second guessing your drinks a little bit while you look for the perfect flavour balance. Adding a dash of an ingredient for balance is fine, but making too many adjustments can lead to over-dilution and long drink times.

8) Don't shake everything.
Presentation is very important for both food and drink, and any discerning customer will not appreciate a cloudy Manhattan.

9) Measure your ingredients.
While many an experienced bartender can probably free-pour any volume very accurately, this style belongs in nightclubs and not in cocktail bars and restaurants.

10) Communicate!
Good service and good working relationships start and end with good communication. Keep everyone in the loop with what you are doing and make sure you know what is happening outside your station. Do not be afraid to ask for help, and offer to help others if you have the time. It is also important to call back orders, as restaurants and bars can get loud and miscommunication can cost time and money. If you are not talking to your co-workers behind the bar, you are not doing your job properly.

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html

OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak

My latest solo release, '2014' of original, instrumental piano music, can be downloaded digitally at:

(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)

Also, be sure to visit:
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

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Mom, Girlfriend or Army Boots . . .

I'll be your Blood Brother
By your side through thick and thin
I'll be your Blood Brother
Just as long as I don't have to bloody
My hands hands

Bar rooms sure have a funny way
Of bringing loyalty out in a man
Buy a drink and tell a joke
And buddy you've got you a friend
But keep a good eye upon that friend
Because he really doesn't give two hoots
And don't say anything about his Mom
His girlfriend or his army boots

I'll be your Blood Brother
By your side through thick and thin
I'll be your Blood Brother
Just as long as I don't have to bloody
My hands hands

Walked into an auto-mo-showroom
I need some wheels but got no money to spend
When a guy with an ugly tie
Walks out and acts like he's my long-lost friend
I said hey Buddy I've a purpose here
And if you please I will accomplish my goal
So don't you slap me on the back again
Cause if you do I might just lose my control

I'll be your Blood Brother
By your side through thick and thin
I'll be your Blood Brother
Just as long as I don't have to bloody
My hands hands

So please be careful when you meet someone
Who'll make a promise at the drop of a hat
And don't provide them with encouragement
You will regret the day you offered him that
Cause everybody needs some empathy
But just how willing
And how far will they go
To really help you when the chips are down
Can they be trusted half as far as you throw them

I'll be your Blood Brother
By your side through thick and thin
I'll be your Blood Brother
Just as long as I don't have to bloody
My hands hands


Blood Brother
Live at Johnny's, Ocean City, MD-August 2014 [field recording by OHO - Jay Graboski, David Reeve and Ray Jozwiak]




What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html

OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak

My latest solo release, '2014' of original, instrumental piano music, can be downloaded digitally at:

(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)

Also, be sure to visit:
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

Tweet

Beating . . .

. . . a dead horse. . . (also known as bitch, bitch, bitch) . . .
I really am an artist.  In most senses of the word.  I am very sensitive to everything.  But I am not however, one for melodramatics.  No false or exaggerated emotions and no pop-culture sentimentality. I find it infinitely amazing and entertaining how some folks can drivel on about the Emmys, Oscars or fartzies, or post endless arrays of kitten and puppy videos much the same as I marvel at the gullibility of some of the most intelligent people when it comes to Internet falsehoods, hyperbole or political hyper-spin. In this day and age when we all have an infinite library at our fingertips, there is simply no excuse to fall for such crap.

I also find no need to be a cheerleader.  First, I don't have the looks or the physique.  Second, I don't have the motivation.  Never did.  Never will. If a sports franchise happens to be based in my hometown I do not automatically feel a deep and immediate connection.  Guess I've simply learned through the years that my personal time is finite and I still don't have enough to expend it upon things in which I AM interested, let alone those in which I am not. I am not begrudging or criticizing those folks who do take an interest in professional athletics.  I have family members who do. But, much as in high school when the mantra of 'school spirit' was preached incessantly to my deaf ears, I simply am not feeling it (sports/pop-entertainment) and my life will be no worse off for any lack thereof.

What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html

OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak

My latest solo release, '2014' of original, instrumental piano music, can be downloaded digitally at:

(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)

Also, be sure to visit:
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

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Alternate Take . . .

. . . of Hunters & Gatherers . . .


Everyone is searching for the truth
Why and what's the meaning of this life
And are we living proof of anything
Long ago we lost our tribal ways
Centuries have passed so much has changed
But time and time again we think the same
Like hunters and gatherers
Like hunters and gatherers

Big machines and tiny circuitry
Airplanes buildings bridges fill the sky
Just look what progress brings to you and me
Scientific wonders do abound
Medicines cure many maladies
There's progress all around yet in some ways
We're hunters and gatherers
We're hunters and gatherers

And after only these few thousand years
We've ceased to look for answers in the sky
We can no longer live with all these lies
So long accepted without asking why

Whether we approve or if we don't
Everything we know and love will change
There's just no way they won't it has to be
Ours is not to run or disbelieve
Time to face the facts don't be deceived
By people clinging to the past
Like hunters and gatherers
Like hunters and gatherers


Hunters & Gatherers
Alternate Take(newly recorded music for a proposed 2016 solo release)



What do you think?
Tell me at
http://www.rayjozwiak.com/guestbook.html

OHO's "Ocean City Ditty," the CD single is now available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/oho4
(and, if you're in town, at Trax On Wax on Frederick Rd. in Catonsville, MD) OHO is Jay Graboski, David Reeve & Ray Jozwiak

My latest solo release, '2014' of original, instrumental piano music, can be downloaded digitally at:

(or you can copy-and-paste this URL directly to
your browser:  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rayjozwiak4)

Also, be sure to visit:
http://www.rayjozwiak.com

Tweet