"Random Thoughts"

The fall is usually my favorite time of the year. This fall has been particularly beautiful, so why can't I shake those summer time Blues? I guess it's because I'm one of those people who get depressed when there is nothing going on that makes you feel alive. I need a reading event, a concert, a movie...something to be excited about or something to look forward to. This fall has offered none of those. I had to sit and listen to others rave about how wonderful Bouchercon was this year in San Francisco. Next week, I'll get to hear about how killer Noir Con was in Philly. Yes, I'm stuck here in the Midwest dreaming I was there. I finally had something to be excited about when I heard William Gay was making an appearance in Franklin, Tn. I've been waiting about 5 years for William to make an appearance and I wasn't going to miss this one. I even found sidekicks in Jed Ayers & Scott Phillips to go along. So, naturally he cancelled the day before the event. Then I missed my first Noir@ Bar in St. Louis since the first one, due to work. I missed Crime Factory's Cameron Ashley & Jonathon Woods as well. I've been waiting for weeks on a couple interviews I was excited about as well, so it's like Groundhog Day...everything seems in limbo lately..a perpetual holding pattern. I'm waiting on something or someone to break me out of these doldrums. Anybody got any good news to pick this downtroden fellow up?

I mean come on, there's only so much a guy can take. This summer I caught "Winters Bone" (twice), The Killer Inside Me, Animal Kingdom, Mesrine, both Dragon flicks, and now...NOTHING! Last year, I caught Tom Russell, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Slaid Cleaves, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Levon Helm while Lucinda Williams & Tom Waits hit St. Louis as well. This Fall, "NOTHING" NADA, ZIP !!

Someone please give me something, throw me a crumb, give me something to get excited about. I do know that Murder & Mayhem in Muskego is rapidly approaching (Nov. 13th) and I plan on attending before the guys in the white jackets and butterfly nets show up looking for me.