Puppy + Food = poo

Meet the newest member of the family - Isabella, or Bella, a Border Collie mix.

Somebody can't say no and decided despite the chaos of a Calftown move, huge medical adventures and just life itself, a puppy would be a good idea.

Bella is a cute little thing with the biggest paws you've ever seen. She galumps around, much like her hoggy friend Woody.

Shey Fey says Bella is "bursting with poo" when she has to go out, and we've discovered it's true the hard way. 

Bursting With Poo would make a great title for a Funions CD, or a hard rock band. Or a Will Ferrell movie.

Anyway, Bella has already been to the doggie doctor and had pills prescribed for poo bursts.

Reportedly I've received permission to use the phrase "Bursting With Poo" in a newspaper column. Reportedly.

Wecome Bella!

South Side, Can Jam info

Saturday, May 2
8 p.m. to midnight
THE FUNIONS
$2 for SSBC members, $4 for non-members

Sunday, May 3
Mid-Mississippi River Muddy Water Blues Society CAN JAM!
1 p.m. - The Funions
3 p.m. - Cheeseburgers
5 p.m. - Raised on Radio
Turner Hall, Quincy
Admission: 5 canned goods or $3.

Rain Everywhere

So I go up north and I walk the beach and get blown sideways by 40 mph winds.

No big deal. Head up the stairs, head back to town, it starts to rain ... and it didn't stop FOR 30 FREAKING HOURS.

A bit wet in West Michigan. At least when I woke up this morning it was raining here. Made me feel right at home .... At least we are in the midst of spring, as opposed to bare trees and grass just starting to turn green.

Busy music weekend looms. Dogwood Parade Saturday morning with the Trinity UCC group, South Side Boat Club Saturday night, Can Jam at Turner Hall Sunday afternoon. 

I-290 should be outlawed. Always great when it takes you an hour to drive 10 miles in downtown Chicago. The next person who complains about waiting at a stoplight in Quincy will be hung by the neck until they cheer up.

April Beach

Heading north to take the 6-1 senior to her Blue Lake Orchestra practice, she's Europe-bound once again this summer, the lucky girl!

I will walk the Lake Michigan beach Saturday and remember my mother. Hard to believe I spread her ashes in the crashing waves four years ago May 2.

Speaking of May 2, The Funions are getting it cranked back up for a huge show that night at the South Side Boat Club. 

My mom will be smiling from above, I'm sure, even when I forget the words ....

Preaching

I was accused of preaching yesterday.

So be it. The events of earlier this week prompted a talk with the 6-1 senior.

Look. She is a great kid. She is an A student, doesn't hang out with the bad crowd, has a college scholarship waiting, the whole world in front of her.

She can make her own decisions, her own choices.

Sorry about the preaching, but it made me feel better. All it takes is one bad choice and your whole life changes.

Going South

Much fun again at the South Side Boat Club Jam. We were the first band t0 play and I was amazed at the number of people who showed up. Again, I thought the band played well and Abe was on fire on the sax as usual.

The sound was much better this year - Big Jon and Rollo ROCK!

I am thinking of Frank Calkins and his many friends on the one-year anniversary of his passing.

And .... Calftown all the way!

Playing In The Thunderdome

I have decided after a freaking amazing night of music that Backwaters is the coolest place to play in town.

It's got an amazing double-tiered stage.

The Brockmillers have added second-floor seating, and it reminds me of the Thunderdome from the Mad Max movies.

It just has ... character.

We had the full band together for the first time in quite a while, and good grief was it fun. Wireless is the way to go ... did you know it takes about 15 seconds to run from one end of the second floor to the other?

Thanks to all who made it out. We raised money for Quanada, got our message out about their services, and everybody had fun. Special shutouts to The Mighty One and his much better half (much more on him in upcoming posts), QPD CSI, the other gal who keeps forgetting to change her name, all the courthouse gang, just everybody.

Pat Cornwell, who was with Chris Thursday night, then showed up at 1 p.m. Friday to keep setting up.

Thanks to Bailey, Cheeks McGee, Blue Healers, Fielder. Happy birthday Alex Tappe! Sorry about midnight shot ....

I left about 1 am. and Fielder was still rocking out. God bless you, Sondi Brockmiller, for letting us use the place.

The Blue Healers were spectacular as usual .... they are a band which could do some damage, in my opinion.

Fielder? What else can you say? I've run out of superlatives.

Cheeks? You Da Man. You Da tenured high school music teacher of doom MAN!

Bailey - thanks. It takes guts for a young person to get out there and play in front of friends and family. What a great voice! Go see Pat at Vegas Music and maybe we can get you hooked up with a nice guitar to boot!

Rocky? Were you there? Maybe I missed you ....

Now we rest up and get ready for a half-hour set at the South Side Boat Club Sunday at noon sharp.

Face Melt

Chris and Pat Cornwell set up last night for our show at tonight's Rock Against Rape event at Backwaters.

Chris and Pat are interesting to watch when they hook up a PA. They are constantly figuring out what goes where and analyzing the room, equipment, etc. We've learned the best thing to do is to occasionally help them with heavy stuff but for the most part just stay out of their way.

Vegas Music is doing the PA for this Monday's big Royal Bliss show at Backwaters, so Chris and Pat brought out the heavy artillery.

Reminds me of Jack Black in School of Rock: "Now let's go out there and MELT SOME FACES!"

Bring your earplugs ....

Big Music Weekend

Two huge shows this weekend ....

FRIDAY, Rock Against Rape, Backwaters, 130 N. Front, 6:30 to midnight.

7 p.m. - Cheeks McGee

8 p.m. - The Funions

9:15 - Blue Healers

10:30 - Fielder

SUNDAY, South Side Boat Club Jam, 640 S. Front, noon to 9 p.m.

The Funions 12:00-12:30
Movin On 12:45-1:15
Pike Station 1:30-2:00
Cheeks Mcgee 2:15-2:45
Thru The Ashes 3:00-3:30
NoWake 3:45-4:15
Blue Eyed Soul 4:30-5:00
Son of James 5:15-5:45
Fielder 6:00-6:30
Predawn Hour 6:45-7:15
Torque 7:30-8:00
Small Time Crook 8:15 to 8:45

Eastern (warning) Story

The day before Easter, a man goes to Wal-Mart with his two sons. As they round the corner in the home improvement section, one son cuts off dad with the cart. Dad's little toe smashes into a decorative rock display, peeling the nail off the toe.

Dad stands there bleeding.

SON NO. 2: There must be a First Aid station here somewhere.

SON NO. 1: Dude, this is WAL-MART.

Dad goes back to the car, son No. 1 finishes shopping.

Moral of the story — shopping carts are hazardous to your health, and don't go shopping with your sons the day before Easter if you expect to hop around today.

HAPPY EASTER!

Guitar Chris

Chris Cornwell is our guitar player for The Funions. He is also an awesome drummer with Fielder. Lately Chris has been busy with a new house and wedding plans.

Wednesday night he was back for his first practice with us in a long time — it was great to have him playing with us again!

April and May are going to be busy for The Funions ....

Election analysis

A day after municipal elections .....

— Had to laugh when I read one candidate saying there were alleys in better conditions than the streets in his ward. Pffffftttt .... come on over to Calftown, pal. 

— I'm wondering how many people were waiting to make up their minds as the campaigns wore down.

— Why would you vote for a candidate who says they are pulling out but it's too late to take their name off the ballot? By the way, I like the fact two new faces will be on city council, both guys look like they have a lot to offer.

— The voter turnout sucked. Don't complain if you didn't vote. Both parties, however, should take account of the massive voter apathy.

— When are all these signs going to be picked up?

— I'm just glad it's over.

— The school board election in Quincy was verrrrrrryyyyy interesting .... I tried telling a certain person that Bud Niekamp would get the most votes, and the person scoffed at me. Oh well. 

— Would you ever consider running for public office? Didn't think so ....

Sports Time

Baseball season has started. Except for the year after the strike, I can't recall a time I have cared less.

Huge dud in the NCAA Tournament championship. UConn vs. North Carolina would have been a much better game. Thanks, MSU.

Masters starts Thursday. Will Tiger win on mended knee? 

Six weeks or so until Gus comes to town ....

And ... NHL playoffs start next week. Les Canadiens are struggling to get in. So are the Blues. Hockey will be much better if both make it.

Voting

Mayoral races highlight election day in Quincy.

Get out and make your voice heard!

Jesus Was In Show Choir!

I saw Quincy High School's New Faces 2009 edition Friday night.

Holy Crap!

This is basically QHS' talent show, and there's a ton of talent. All we hear about these days is teachers being let go and school board members dissing each other as an election nears, so it's refreshing to see what this is really all about - the students.

The show revolves around musical, dance and comedy acts. I thought Less Than Defeated did an amazing job with the orginal song "Dream Catchers." Loved Keyana Turner's "Killing Me Softly" rendition. Jacob Campell played an amazing acoustic guitar piece for his parents called "25" in honor of their 25th anniversary (more young people should learn to play guitar like Jacob). The Ska Band's "Good Thing" rocked!

Amanda Saul was huge, huge, HUGE, with a piano and vocal rendition of Counting Crows' "Color Blind."

Two minor bones of contention. Racing Rag Dolls did a fine version of "Love Song," but 311 DID NOT WRITE THIS SONG. It was done originally by 1980s band The Cure.

And "Higher Love" is a Steve Winwood song from the mid-80s, not the 70s, but the Show Choir did look good in their hippy outfits.

Just sticking up for my era, that's all.

I am not a huge dance fan, but Jaclyn Frost and Ian Taylor were spellbinding in "Come On Get Higher."

Then there's the comedy. Who was that 6-1 senior who impersonated Kathi Dooley in Gem City Squares? "Jesus was in Show Choir!" she said. The place came unglued.

Ginny Helmer, Lindsay Vo and Emily Hart were fantastic in 57 1/2 Tacos skits. The Cool Beans thing had the place in stitches, reminded me a lot of Whose Line Is It Anyway. Their farce Show Choir treatment was even funnier after thinking about it for a few minutes.

Last night tonight. There were only a few empty seats Friday, not sure if any are left .... if you can, check it out!

Take a nap if you go .... it's 3 1/2 hours, but it moves fast. There was a tremendous amount of work done to make it so seamless .... great lighting and technical work too.

Young people at their best.

Rock Against Rape

This is gonna be a blast ....

Birthday Names

I stay away from off-color stuff and moronic humor on this site. There are too many people who are too good at it around here as it is.

But ... I could not resist this ....

Remind me to never submit anybody's name to a radio or TV station for a happy birthday shout out ....