Game on! So much for my idea about sending out some big-time press release, but as you can see, Jeff Graham has signed on with the outfit, and we are pleased with the addition to the ball club. In this line of work, you can never really think of yourself as being in a re-building mode, because it's all on the line everyday. There is no off season. Plus, you have to keep a lot of things in mind when you are considering an addition to the lineup, such as: is the guy any good? Can his wife cook, and will she feed his friends? Are there any problem areas, like messing around with this de-caf stuff? You get the idea. But Graham is top drawer, and he has a reputation in "The 4" as being dependable, insightful, eclectic, and willing to put the music first...or at least no lower than 5th. Anyhow, you know the rules, Jeff. New guy has to close up at night for the first week or so.

Regarding J.G.'s cogent analysis of the Springfield, Missouri music situation, I would have to agree that for some beautiful reason, that town has the highest per-capita ratio of good players and writers of any town whose city limits I have chanced to enter. That includes Nash-wood, Austin, Duluth, etc. But I ask RGNC'ers to please keep this under wraps, because if anyone (with "ideas") finds this out, there might be an outbreak of that most difficult and distasteful malady known as "a scene".

Can anybody report a recent and verifiable Brian Keiser sighting? Is he in witness protection again?

My favorite train stations:
1. Las Vegas, New Mexico
2. San Diego, California
3. Kansas City, Missouri

My favorite train trip:
The Durango & Silverton narrow gauge railway through the San Juan Mountains in Southwestern Colorado. It's an old steam powered locomotive, and it takes you back through some incredible high country wilderness areas.
You can ask them to stop and let you off at a certain place that you want to go fishing or camping at, and then they will stop again at a later agreed upon day to pick you back up and take you into town. The track follows alongside a river (the Delores River?) through some very steep and narrow canyons, and at some points you can stick your head out the window and look straight down over the edge for several hundred feet. There is also another narrow gauge railway down in Chama, New Mexico, and I really want to take it someday too. And from what I understand, there is the same kind of set-up down at Copper Canyon in ol' Mexico. The train takes you to the edge of the canyon and then you walk down from there. I have read that this canyon (canyon system, really) is more extensive than the Grand Canyon in some ways, so that would be quite a trip. Maybe someday. Any takers?

be well.

as always, rosebudgnc@yahoo.com