Although not officially diagnosed by a professional, I think that I suffer from Seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is also known as winter depression, winter blues, summer depression, summer blues, or seasonal depression, was considered a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in the winter or summer. I feel it in winter. But I do think that I am getting better.
I always claim to have a vitamin D deficiency and need sunshine to stay happy and healthy. I am noticing recently though that I can also appreciate a cloudy day every now and again. A cloudy day seems to make me reflective on just about everything I can think of and sometimes a little more inspired. I do not like too many consecutive cloudy days though. . . vitamin D deficiency you know.
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)
. . . but it's a whole lot easier to get to now. Not too long ago, our living room was renovated, so to speak, after many years of the same, familiar, yet tasteful and welcoming decor. The furniture was comfortable, small enough to rearrange frequently, greens and rusts prevailed, one wall was papered for accent, all resulting in a quite cozy atmosphere. The new is every bit as wonderful. All new, larger furniture, beiges, dark wood and orange. Yes, orange is the accent color. Funny as is may sound, or maybe it doesn't, it is very tasteful. After the major paint, floor covering and furniture was complete, we concentrated our efforts on finding small, unique, orange items to place throughout the room.
About a month ago, I took a collection of loose papers containing original song material of a couple of artists with whom I occasionally perform and some co-written material and placed them in an old, white binder for safekeeping and easy access. Since I only use the book on a monthly basis, I neatly filed it at the edge of a bookshelf in the living room out of the way, a practically out of sight. At least I thought it was out of sight. The chief living room decorator looked up from her ipad the other day and said, "how long has THAT been up there?" which surprised me not a little. The stark white book among the carefully placed books, vases, picture frames and various items of orange and black caught the distinguishing eye of the decorator, and not in a pleasant way.
I agreed, as I in truth knew I would eventually, to move the white binder to a more appropriate location. The decorator suggested it be placed inside the piano bench, wonderful idea with which I heartily concurred. The problem with that however, was that the bench was chock full of piano tuning receipts, notebooks of original material, beginner piano and guitar publications, and various books and sheet music of popular and classical pieces.
Yesterday I actually made the time to sort through, organize and actually remove extraneous material from the piano bench and neatly file the mysterious white binder in the piano bench. After about a thirty-minute workout at the the keyboard, I leaned over to scoot the bench neatly under the piano when I realized . . . the vastly reduced weight of the newly organized contents of the bench makes lifting it much easier on my old, aching back. I suppose the entire episode can legitimately be called a 'Win - Win' situation.
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)
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)
. . . 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
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)
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.
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)
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."
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)
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.
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)
