It's quiet; almost too quiet...


I love Couch:


A week off tour. I feel normal, or as normal as I ever get to feel (I'm still talking to myself and spitting like a pissy camel behind slow-walking people on Broadway but, hey....). I've written a lot and am feeling faintly encouraged on that count and, quelle surprise, I'm close to booking a vacation in Hong Kong and Vietnam because that's just what I like doing on my off-time. But I've a few things to take care of here first, the least of which is figuring out how I'm paying the bills over the summer.

Small moments of happiness this week included seeing Elvis Costello crossing Broadway with his family (gots to love New York for random understated celeb' sightings) and finally getting my legs to run 5 miles continuously (on Tuesday they argued at doing 2. A month of 5 mile runs and I won't be considering amputating a limb as a way of getting rid of the excess tour weight). I've seen tons of movies, read continuously, and have been eating heathily. It's the simple things I'm loving right now. It's amazing how few of them being on tour allows.

The only bummer in the past week (apart from the nausea at mile 2 last Tuesday...)* is that The Jam / Paul Weller allowed Start! to be used in a car commercial. A part of my youth shrivelled when I saw it, but I guess it's how things are now. I'm sure Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler can use the money and I wouldn't begrudge them that, although Weller's got to be minted already....

So, as hoped for, being at home is mellow and relaxing. I miss the travel (and the laughs) but not the relentless responsibility of touring. At the rate I'm going I'll be in South East Asia again by the middle of next month. Who knows, I might even move there...? But for now I'm happy tour managing my own vacation. It's like a busman's holiday; tour managing is such a particular skill-set, it's a strange feeling to be able to use it outside of work. And it's a pleasant surprise too, to find booking and researching a vacation so much fun and such a breeze to do (Thank you the internets...and a shout-out to St. Hubbins too - I'll be calling on you soon....). Once I decide the route it will be booked inside 30 minutes. All I have to decide now is how long I stay in Ho Chi Minh City and where I'm going to eat in Kowloon....Bummer, eh?

*Kurt Vonnegut dying is obviously in a class of global bummerdom, and not to be trivialised with my petty complaints.