Newsletter Vol. 2 # 90 – September 05, 2004

Welcome to the latest issue of Guitar Noise News.

News And Announcements

Today, as I write this, is Wednesday, September 01, 2004. Yes, I often kid about the time-travel mechanisms involved in writing this newsletter, but please bear with me for a while. I know that I’ve written some incredibly self-indulgent things in the past, so I guess it’s only fair to warn you that this issue of Guitar Noise News may surpass all my earlier standards in that regard.

Today, Wednesday, September 01, 2004 at approximately seven-thirty in the morning in Chicago, my mother passed away. Some of you may have already been aware that she’s been very sick with cancers of all sorts for the past eight-and-a-half years.

She’d have her good days and not so good days and, while I lived in Chicago, I’d try to stop by just about every other night or so on my way home to sit and listen to what kind of a day she’d had. It wasn’t at all out of my way as she lived, literally, right next door. That was always a joke of ours. Someone would ask if I was seeing my family for the holidays and I’d reply “Depends on the weather” or “Not if the traffic’s really bad” or something silly like that.

Mom was born in 1935, same as Elvis Presley. It’s hard to believe that she and Elvis were the same age, growing up and becoming people at the same time. They certainly became very different people, although, when pressed, I think Mom would admit to liking some of Elvis’ stuff when she was younger.

She liked Eddie Arnold more. When I was practicing on the piano or organ, she’d often ask me to play Make The World Go Away over and over and over again.

When I took up the guitar I can’t tell you how many times she’d request Take Me Home Country Road.

Mom’s mother taught elementary school classes, so perhaps whatever meager teaching skills I might have come from her side of the family. I don’t know. I can say that a lot of how I’ve learned to interact with people certainly came from Mom.

True to Mom’s wishes, we’re not having a wake or a funeral. At some point in the future we’ll have a celebration of her life and maybe this newsletter is my way of getting a head start on that.

So do me a favor and celebrate life this week. Get away from the computer and play music with your family and with your friends. Let them know that’s what life is for. Mom and I would like more than anything.

And do your best to have a wonderful week. Stay safe.

And, as always,

Peace

David