Oh What a Month - My Rock Star Awards

Another day .....another dollar....., "The Highway Song" from 1970's band Blackfoot echoed through my head as I completed yet another day working for a psychologically abusive boss in an environment foreign to me, an alien lost in a world where chaos ruled over clutter and menial tasks ranked higher than actual accomplishment.  I felt a beer and a steak, shared with an accomplice in this insanity, satisfied a need to plant a stake acknowledging the end of another chapter in the days of drudgery. Yet unfortunately I asked this treasured friend to help with a small task at home and in return I'd spring for the night's tab.

"Please help me change out this ceiling fan in the vaulted family room, my friend, and food and drink are on me", I boldly proclaimed only hours before destiny met reality.  I asked my colleague only to steady the 18' ladder as I undertook the simple task of removing the old worn out and presumedly installing the more elegant and efficient new cooling mechanism.  I shut off the power supplied from the breaker, cautiously climbed the ladder, removed the screws from the decorative cap, and untwisted each of the three wire nuts to allow the easy dis-assembly of the old, rusted unit.  Nothing difficult, I thought, as I pushed the fan up and over the mounting hooks, enabling what I assumed an easy feat to lower each part to the ground.  Surprised by the weight and slightly disabled by my awkward vantage, the fan motor let loose without warning and struck me violently across the face, knocking me backward off the ladder and onto my friend before my head and left shoulder slammed impetuously into the tile floor. I only faintly remember anything from those first few minutes as I sat stunned, gasping for breath and fading in and out of consciousness.

I refused my friend's plea to call for an ambulance and attempted to gather my wits as an oblong pool of blood formed around me.  Clutching my chest fearing heart failure, I found breathing nearly impossible.  I quickly realized that blood poured from the back of my head and left temple and one side of my body remained nearly paralyzed.  I witnessed my friend also bleeding and clutching his right arm and realized neither of us fit to drive to the hospital. In a brief moment of clarity, I dialed my cellular and asked my inamorata to please pick us up as quickly as possible for transport to a medical facility.  She arrived promptly and rushed us to the emergency room as we soiled her car seats with blood.

After ten hours in the emergency department, my friend, and now lifesaver, as I realized that my death had been prevented by his breaking of my fall,  paid the price by fracturing his right arm, an awful predicament for a graphic designer.  Suffering a deservedly worse fate myself, I spent, in a shared hospital room, the following week diagnosed with severe lacerations to the back of the head and face, four broken ribs, a fractured clavicle, and a partially collapsed lung.  The attending physician assistant in the ER placed fourteen staples behind my left ear, stitches across my face, and suture glue across my nose.  I found myself, a week after discharge from the hospital, returning to have an orthopedic surgeon install a titanium plate to reconnect the broken portions of my left clavicle.

An eternal optimist, seeker of the half full glass, and believer in making lemonade from lemons, I quickly recognized this blessing in disguise. Lying virtually incapacitated, relying solely on help from others, forced me into distancing myself from a horrific work environment and allowed me ample time to pursue my dreams of freelance writing, in which I quickly earned blogging notoriety. This accident also enabled me time to learn about the sophisticated network behind electronic social media.

I published many articles, learned how to effectively use Twitter and Facebook, enjoyed the company of new found friends, established solid business relationships, and ticked off a famous celebrity.

Please allow me this opportunity to recap November's blogging highlights from my perspective and award those who deserve special recognition. Today's sophisticated internet technology enables easy evaluation by recognizing the number of readers of each particular article.

I composed and published over 20 individual pieces and a few stand out deserving a renewed highlight, not for my accomplishment but by the actions of those I chose to write about.

So..........drum roll...........Please allow me the opportunity to recognize:

PATRIOT OF THE MONTH - J.J. McCOY
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/ep-review-jj-mccoy-redneck-white-blue.html
Nothing I've seen recently epitomizes the heartbeat of the heartland, and encourages one to accept pride in Americana like J.J.'s new EP, "Redneck, White, and Blue", particularly the tune "Sunshine State" which paints a glorious yet bittersweet picture of life from the perspective of a soldier overseas anticipating his safe return home.

SPINE CHILLER OF THE MONTH - LISA PROULX
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/book-review-king-of-shadows-by-lisa.html
I witnessed horror personified deeply in the plot of Lisa's newest novel, "King of Shadows", a disturbing tale of a young boy raised by the demonic spirit of his deceased father.  This month, Lisa re-releases her first novel, "Puncture", a vampire story that I plan to digest and review early next week.

CONCERT OF THE MONTH - NIGHT RANGER
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/night-ranger-at-cape-coral-coconut.html
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/99x-mas-ball-2011.html
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/fort-myers-music-walk-november-2011.html
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/eddie-money-plays-ballyorney-irish-pub.html
Nursing my wounds, it's hard to imagine the number of concerts that I had the privilege to attend.  The fiery skull bat backdrop during Avenged Sevenfold's set amazed all and the genre bending skill displayed by Hollywood Undead seemed impossible, while Eddie Money forced the reminiscing of high school days.  With a more than ample budget, few could attain the hype of A7X, particularly when fortified by strong lyrical content accompanied by guitar virtuosos in harmony, except the heavy presence of security at Germain Arena dampened the overall effect.  As a result, the crisp, clear, heavy metal presented outdoors at the Cape Coral Coconut Festival by 1980's rockers Night ranger captured this award.  Few guitar players rank with Brad Gillis and Jack Blades is both a talented and entertaining front man. And I'd like to give a special thanks to Tristan Avakian who filled the shoes of Joel Hoekstra while he tours the holiday season with Trans Siberian Orchestra, an event that I will feature later this month.


 BREAKING NEWS OF THE MONTH
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/at-1115-this-morning-lee-county.html
Although I fancy myself a journalist, the only real event that I captured live exclusively before other media was an evacuation of the Lee County Courthouse after a prisoner in transport smacked an overhead sprinkler triggering the alarm.  I felt especially amazed that my new titanium clavicle did not trip the metal detectors upon entering the facility.

HOLIDAY OF THE MONTH
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/in-honor-of-our-vets.html
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/thanksgiving-blessing.html
Fortunately, we celebrated two in November, Thanksgiving and Veteran's Day.  I refuse to allow either a day celebrated eating turkey and watching football with loved ones, or a day in which we pay respect for those who gave their best so we may enjoy freedom, to outrank the other so please consider this one a tie.

RECORD OF THE MONTH
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/kore-ionz-world-war-free.html
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/ep-review-jj-mccoy-redneck-white-blue.html
I reviewed many audio recordings during November so with it too close to call, I declare another tie between the peaceful, loving, Pacific reggae smoothness of Kore Ionz "World War Free" and the hard hitting, emotion evoking EP by J.J. McCoy, "Redneck, White and Blue".

LEAST AFFECTED BY ME
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/album-preview-nickelback-here-and-now.html
Regardless of my opinion, Nickelback's "Here and Now" will hit platinum although I did notice increased readership of them from fans in both Russia and Turkey so hopefully sales in those remote markets increased slightly.

PRIMA DONNA OF THE MONTH
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/ep-review-brian-howe-emotions.html
During my brief career as a freelancer, I encountered many classy, polite, professional entertainers from the music, acting, comedy, and writing industries and only observed one big cry baby, Brian Howe, formerly of Bad Company, and now a solo artist claiming retirement. Although I displayed complete respect for Brian, he attacked me publicly, sicced his British publicist on me, and "unfriended" me on Facebook, all in reaction of what he considered a negative review by me of his grand finale, "Emotions". I clearly see why Ted Nugent and Bad Company both fired him. He just doesn't play well with others.  So, sorry to say this Brian, but just pack up your toys, leave the sandbox to us big boys, and go home and cry to your mommy.

ROCK STAR, PROFESSIONAL, and MAN OF THE MONTH - KALEB BROWN
http://ramblingsofjohn.blogspot.com/2011/11/book-review-big-m-by-kaleb-brown.html

Kaleb, a nine year old diagnosed with autism, displayed more maturity than many of those more chronologically advanced.  Kaleb's first book, "THE BIG M" , soon to be be an animated series just all out ROCKS.  I'm proud to be associated with such a consummate professional. God Bless You Kaleb and enjoy a long and prosperous career!

EP Review - Brian Howe - Emotions

I've both procrastinated and agonized over writing this review of former Bad Company lead vocalist and fellow Lee County resident, Brian Howe's, self proclaimed farewell to the world of music. I promised Brian and my readers that I would publish a review of this EP several days ago but unfortunately after listening to these five songs repeatedly I've hesitated out of respect for one of rock 'n roll's finest voices, one that I hold in the same regard as the likes of Sammy Hagar and Chris Cornell.

In promoting "Emotions", Brian claims, "It marks the end of my recording career. I did not make it with a record company as I wanted it to be personal from me to you. I am very proud of this effort which was influenced by the love of my life. Please tell all of your friends on Facebook about this record and spread the word. It will be strange to never record again but with the advent of free download sites and record companies with no clue the time is right to retire. I hope you enjoy listening to real "Emotions" as much as I did making it."

As a vocalist who cut his teeth on Ted Nugent's "Penetrator" album, then not only stepped into but filled the extremely large shoes of Bad Company's Paul Rodgers then culminated with the solo effort, "Circus Bar", considered one of 2010's finest recordings, it's hard to believe that this is the same man behind the whiny drivel on "Emotions".

Although Brian added a distinctly pop flavor to both Ted Nugent and Bad Company, he still maintained the ability to rock and unleash those powerful pipes. His songwriting ability also appeared strong on Bad Company's "Holy Water" and his solo effort, Circus Bar". But, unfortunately, on "Emotions", the writing flows weakly like a teenage emo girl sharing a letter with a friend over a broken first love. The vocals share the same weakness and tremble like a drunkard in a bar crying and pitying himself over the wife who disappeared. When I listen to this EP, I envision Brian, martini in hand, sitting at a piano with a fire roaring in the background reveling in lost love with his Fort Myers fishing buddies or his rugby mates from Portsmouth.

I deeply desire that I could stress the highlights of this EP but all 5 tunes echo the same pathetic, hollow message. Nothing the slightest bit uplifting or truly moving can be found on this album. While listening, one feels the life and emotion being sucked from their being.

Brian, I realize that surrounded by cronies, many are patting you on the back complimenting you for this effort and congratulating you for leaving the record companies by the roadside but I think we all know the truth. No record company would touch this mess. We've all lost love at some point in our life and albeit difficult, we pick ourselves up and move on. We don't wallow in it forever. I remember you sharing the same bitterness with me about your ex over a beer in Daytona Beach seven years ago. Don't allow "Emotions" to delineate the end of your career. You are better than this. Your only 58 years old, still young for retirement by any measure so please remember as fans, we'd prefer to see you go out with a bang rather than a fizzle!