Ian, you're certainly hitting on all 4 today! Good, funny, smart stuff.

You, too Diki.


As far as smoking, I smoked a pipe for over 40 years. Had over 300 pipes. Three years ago, the dentist said I had a pre-cancer place in the roof of my mouth. I had it removed and never smoked again. Good news: I got over $500.00 for my old pipes from a collector/restorer.

Go ahead and say it...I am addicted to STUFF...pipes, guitars, motorcycles...cameras...cars....lots of stuff.

A few years ago, a young lady jazz magazine staff writer and her photographer came to Lexington to do a story on a regional musician (me) who had been around a long time, was fairly well known and figured out how to make a living.


She wanted me to go on and on about a "jazzer" suffering for his art.


I didn't suffer. When asked how I made a lifetime commitment to jazz, I told her she was over-thinking things. "I mainly just wanted to get drunk and laid", I said.

When pushed for horror stories of starvation in college, I told her I ran booze to a local college located in a "dry" county in the town I commuted to the University of Kentucky from. When I graduated and got a job, I suffered from a severe reduction in income.

Finally, as the the young writer was wrapping up her third day (lots of photos at "gigs", etc.), she said, "what's next for Russ ?"

My response: " Well, I don't drink or chase women anymore, so I guess I'll just give the F*** UP!"

The little photographer fell on the floor laughing.


And, surprise, surprise, the article is yet to be published (LOL)!


I THINK I NEED HELP!

R.

Dave, there a good country song there...


Gary