Warm cookies? Hell yeah.

It's official - the DoubleTree Hotel in Burlington VT may just be the nicest place ever. They gave me warm cookies upon check-in, my suite (!) is double the size of my former studio in Manhattan, and there's a Barnes & Noble next door. And after a four-hour drive through snow, sleet, and moose (alright, so i didn't see moose... doesn't mean they weren't there, dammit!), it's super nice. Burlington is an awesome little city - scenic, right on the lake, lots of art & music (there are basically four places that bands play in new england - boston, providence, northampton, and burlington... everywhere else gets shafted... but then again, there aren't many people anywhere else).
Anyway, I've been in a good mood these last couple of days - on Sunday night i got together with Max, a friend of our mutual friend from college. Max is a songwriter when he's not working as an educational consultant (all the cool people are in education - what gives?) and he's had some music floating around his head for several years. We concocted some fun stuff in a rehearsal studio (Jamspot... holy crap, the place rocks) and we're hoping to get a casual band together. Y'know, play a gig here and there, rehearse about once a week... not too serious. Playing music with people is something i've greatly missed since leaving the days of the Jesters, and I rarely get to jam with Mike or Jay anymore. I think it's called the Max Klau Band - I suggested the Experience or the Project, but in the end it doesn't really matter. The tunes are folky but with potential for horns... think Van Morrison with a shitty bass player. (um... i mean the bass is shitty because the input jack is kinda wonky and i have to stand in one spot or else the sound fades in & out... yeah, that's the ticket) Anyway, it feels good to not be playing with myse.... by myself. Playing with myself is a whole 'nother entry.