Practice Time  
I had a great practice session...   about 2 hours worth of practicing!   It's been hard for me to get some serious practice time  (I used to do 4-5 hours easy)  worked in to my schedule.   I have to be very creative and divide the practice time...   an hour here,  an hour there.   I simply work on the basics,  which are always important.   Simply practicing single and double-stroke rolls from open to close is plenty of exercise for a drummer.   One day before our November tour,  I'll have to seriously 'woodshed' some routines on the actual drumset instead of working on the practice pads. 
  
  
  
No More Soccer Practice! 
Because of Daylight Savings Time,  soccer practice for both my boys has been cancelled for the rest of the season...    just one thing I don't have to worry about now!   I don't mind taking them to soccer practice,  but it's good to know that my weekly schedule has been lightened somewhat.   And it's less for my wife to do while I'm away on tour! 
  
  
The Blue Tattoo   
Left at 4pm for Nate's house to pick him up before heading out to Palm Springs.   It took me 45 minutes to get to his house,  a trip that usually takes 25 minutes max.   The TRAFFIC WAS HORRENDOUS!! 
  
We left Nate's place around 5pm and arrived in Palm Springs a little after 7pm.   We were the first ones in the band to arrive at The Blue Tattoo. 
  
Regina arrived with some of the guys who carpooled with Warren in the BTO van.   Regina is our good friend from San Fransisco who came down to San Diego for the Roots To Zoots Dance Camp.    She had a great time last night and she got a chance to meet Bernard of Hollywood,  the Champion lindy hopper who was featured recently in Brian Setzer's 'Jump, Jive and Wail' video!!   Regina's a superb dancer as well.   One of these days I'm going to truly learn how to swing dance.  
  
The Blue Tattoo is a great venue,  with nice eclectic furnishings and a hi-tech dance floor,  a bit too modern looking for some vintage swing music.   Disco or House Music is probably more suitable for this venue.   What I truly like about this place are the plexiglass columns and walls of bubbles floating upperward.   These expensive,  large bubble machines really add to ambience,  and what I noticed about these bubble machines is that when there's hardly anyone in the place,  the movement of the bubbles makes it seem as though there are more people because of all the 'activity' the bubbles produce. 
  
After the gig,  on the way home from Palm Springs,  I guess I started to fall asleep at the wheel.   Nate took over and thank God 'cause I was 'losing it'.   I'm glad we got home safe and sound.   But after I dropped Nate off at his house,  the solitary drive home was 'rough',  but I made it. 

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