9/05

Summer is over and that makes me sad. And September is always an insanely busy month for me with my tutoring gig - it's back to school time, so I'm always completely overextended. This month was no different. I've been so stressed out and hyper all month, my energy could probably power all of Jersey City! But I had a bad time on the night of the 12th - I was SO stressed out about various issues, and I was depressed, and when I get depressed I don't eat (I wish I was one of those people who eats a lot when depressed, but I'm the opposite.) Anyway, I fainted and hit my head, hurt my neck and my butt - it was pretty bad... low blood sugar. Stupid.

Our first engagement (what a snooty word) this month was an appearance on Bumpskey's radio show on September 3rd. (www.bumpskey.com.) Jerry, the extremely cool and fabulous DJ who runs the show was doing a weekend telethon. His goal was 72 hours straight (I think... i have to confirm that. I have a bad memory for such things!) We didn't have Morgan all weekend, unfortunately. Camari flew in from Columbus, Marco & I picked her up at LaGuardia Airport, picked Luca up near the Holland Tunnel and met Jack at the radio station's headquarters in Bayonne. A fine singer named Karli Bonne was on the air before us. Jack was sitting there with headphones on, chiming into the discussion when we arrived. We then set up and played a set's worth of material. Karli sang a few songs with us, even though she didn't know them... she did a great job. Thanks so much to our new pal Steve for interacting with us instant messenger and to everyone else who tuned in! We'll let you know if the show will be rebroadcast or not. I think we did a good job - the cops came at one point due to a noise complaint! The drums... can you believe that? Fortunately, they came after we had finished! So it was no big deal.

The next day, we played the first annual Frenchtown River Festival in Frenchtown, NJ. Amy Leeds did this show with us. It was a beautiful day and the turnout was decent. We sold quite a few CD's and got booked on the spot to play a private party in Bridgewater, NJ, next June, so that was very exciting! We also met some guys with a cool t-shirt design company, and I'm contemplating having some really nice t-shirts made, but I don't know if you guys will buy them or not. Merchandise is only smart if it sells. The things with t-shirts is that large amounts of money must be paid by me upfront. I have to think about it some more.

On the 8th, Morgan was back with us, when we returned to the Alphabet Lounge in NYC. Bless these people's hearts - they are so nice, no attitude, very laid back, but the sound system is just not good. I was told people couldn't hear me. I had major feedback issues at one point. I am SO CRAVING a great sound system. It makes things so much more fun. Aside from that, thank you to everyone who came out, especially Nick's family. And major thanks to Doreen Younglove (www.doreenyounglove.com), who got up and scatted on "Love The Beat". It was so much fun and she is an excellent vocalist. Check out her website (designed by me!!)

Speaking of the Alphabet Lounge, don't forget that Aaron Strebs shot video of us there in July and edited it into a nifty DVD. If you're interested in getting a copy, go to our MERCHANDISE page. We're only charging to cover the costs of making it (DVD itself, envelope, shipping.) And while you're on that page, be sure to pick up your copy of our latest CD, LIVING IT UP IN THE NEW WORLD!

Camari had to go back to Columbus. :-( Amy Leeds joined us again on the 14th at our show at the Whiskey Bar in Hoboken. The 14th was two days after my fainting spell. My neck was killing me. Thank you Greg from Buzz Universe & the Zittelli sibs for coming. The place was quiet that night... not a very big turnout and that's never a pleasant feeling, espeically with a stiff neck and a gloom and doom attitude about life (which is what I've had all month!) Marco and I are focussing on next year at this point. Not much more that can be worked on for 2005, so I'm looking forward to a busy 2006 with a cooperative group of hard working excellent musicians who are ready, willing and able to tour several times next summer. If you are a musician and you fit this bill be in touch! We are making serious plans for next year, and when things start moving for bands, that usually when the resistance starts cropping up. I'm optimistic about blue number nine for this reason, but we need the right team! (I wonder if my bandmates read this "Dear Surfer"... !! I guess I'll find out after what I just typed. Nothing wrong with keeping it real, that's how I see it. People know where they stand - and so do I!)

Finally, the band was going to play at the Stone Pony in November, but now it looks like I may be doing my first debut Stefanie Seskin show... i'll keep you posted. Not sure yet. Tonight, I'm going to a rally at City Hall in Jersey City - the cause is preserving all 13 acres of the reservoir, which is basically this really cool, open space right near my house. It used to be JC's water supply, but has since become wild, complete with a lake and wildlife. http://www.jcreservoir.org/ is the website... check it out, it's pretty cool!

I'm very much into nature nowadays, especially organic farming. I've been growing vegetables in my garden for 3 years now. My favorite thing to grow is garlic. It's easy! It only takes a little bit of care intially, getting the soil ready. Homegrown garlic is so much more flavorful than any supermarket garlic, it's just incredible stuff! In case you don't know this, track 4 on blue number nine's "Living It Up In The New World", a song called "Dig My Hands" came to me while I was out in my own garden planting seeds. I was thinking about how much I enjoy planting a seed and months later, eating a tomatos or beans or cucumbers! Then, I thought, "If only I could plant a seed and grow a new America, a new planet Earth!"... one without war and greed and other nastiness. Well, obviously, this is not possible, but I've been thinking about it ever since I wrote the song. One area in which human beings are really screwing up is FOOD PRODUCTYION, and it enrages me because we MUST eat. I don't want anyone genetically modifying my food. Who knows what repercussions this will have on me, on the planet. I could go on and on about the politics of food because I am passionate about it. So I decided I needed to do something about it and recently emailed a group called the Northeast Organic Farmer's Association, after linking to their site from my food co-op's website. I've begun looking around for other career opportunities, or at least volunteer opportunities, becuase I need to DO something important with my life and my time. So anyway, it looks like I'll be doing a workshop at NOFA's summer conference next year - a music workshop for 5 to 7 year old kids. I'm already so excited about this, and it isn't until August 2006! What a cool way to combine my interests. I'll keep you abreast of my progress.

peace,

stefanie

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