I Can't Make a Fist with The Cyst on My Wrist

...by Dr. Seuss (his as-of-yet unpublished masterpiece)

Yup - finally got some pictures of the evil thing growing on my left wrist - my wife thinks it's a new thumb, my son looks at it and goes, "ICK!", and one of the guys at work wants to know when I'm selling my guitars.
























This is why I'm not playing much guitar right now. When I bend my wrist at a 90 degree angle (necessary for 2nd Position Barre Chords) it hurts like heck.

Doctors don't even know where they come from, except from a possible injury on the joint which is where it is attached. And you can't just pop and drain it, because they just fill up again. So it HAS to be surgically removed. Fun.

Anyway, I felt like grossing out the lot of you who dare to look upon the beast that grows within.

Thanks to my Mom for taking the photos (she's the Ansell Adams of the family) - and thanks to Dad for giving her the digital camera for Christmas.

WCUW February 24th

Hi folks! I am tentatively scheduled to appear at WCUW, a local community radio station (located at Clark University) on Tuesday, February 24 on the "Under The Influence" show hosted by Valerie Sampson.

The show features interviews with local musicians, mainly focusing on their influences (obviously?!). Valerie has asked me to round up some of the music that has influenced me, along with some of my own music, so we'll be playing some of my own tunes, along with some of my heroes. I'll be bringing along some Black Sabbath, Kiss, Zappa, Sonny Sharrock, maybe some Mahavishnu Orchestra, King Crimson, and a few more.

I have a few songs of my own picked out, but if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know - leave a comment.

If you're in the local Central Massachusetts area, you should be able to pick up the show at channel 91.3. However, anyone can listen to a live stream of the show from the station's website. Here's the link:

WCUW

Just click on the "WCUW LIVE - Listen Now!" banner on the left of the webpage. That'll bring up a Live365 pop-up window - hit play and listen. Remember, this is Eastern Standard time (Boston, MA).

Hopefully I won't come off as a total goof-ball. Luckily, it's only radio, so you won't have to see my ugly mug for two hours.

Thanks to both Valerie Sampson, and Jeff Sampson (as she describes him - her "sort-of husband" who currently lives in Colorado Springs) - by the way - Jeff Sampson (who recommended me for the show!) is a founding member of the experimental ambient band, Embracing the Glass. You can find out more about his music, and other projects he's involved with at the Burning Shirt website. Burning Shirt is a small record label formed by Mr. Sampson, and mainly features music of an ambient and experimental nature. Check it out!

Hope you can all listen in!

Going under the knife...

No this is not the title of my new suicidal black metal project...

I have finally scheduled my cyst-removal surgery for January 30th. Oh boy. So not looking forward to it (I'm a big baby with needles, I.V.'s, etc.), but I do want to get this cyst removed. It really does effect my guitar playing, among other things. It's just a serious throbbing sensation constantly in my wrist (imagine having a small ball bearing under your skin right where your thumb meets your wrist). It's just THERE all the time.

Well, I do want to try to work on my Doom2 Variations recording, if at all, before the surgery. After the surgery, I'll be wearing a wrist brace for two months and won't be allowed to used my left hand for anything strenuous, so no guitar, no push-ups, no weight-lifting, etc.

Most likely, I won't be able to finish much of my recording, and it may be crappy anyway.

I think maybe this project was never meant to be. Here's my reasoning:

Number 1 - It's called "Doom", so it's probably doomed from the start.

Number 2 - my new guitar that I bought is a Schecter "Omen". How's that for a "bad omen?"

Number 3 - It's not just a few covers, it's a complete album of someone else's music. Well known music.

Number 4 - a few of my Internet buddies (and myself) have announced that I will be doing this music, so it may be jinxed.

I think I'm just being paranoid. Let's face it - crap happens. To everyone. And it could be worse.

I am just a big baby when it comes to medical stuff, so it's not as bad as it seems.

Well, just thought I'd spout off a bit. Let's see what I get done this weekend, if anything.