Big Al

Priority Mail!!! Hence the complaint! Thankfully, it was still in an unmelted stage when it arrived (a milder than normal summer is also helping right now!)

For the most part, I am usually left thinking, "what the fuck is wrong with the USPS in Texas?" Seriously, anytime something I've shipped takes extra long to get there, or never makes it at all (Sangrey knows about this) its going to your neck of the woods. So, since the trouble seems to be spreading, maybe the USPS is using Texas as its training center and sending out the graduates around the company, to spread the crappy service everywhere? I think you may be on to something here. I sent something to Lon on a Monday a few months back and it took three days to get to him. Bear in mind we only live about three hours apart. Heck, I coulda WALKED it to him faster!

Man, I've blankety-blankin' HAD it with the US Postal Service. Just a few instances recently: 1. I had some fudge mailed to my office while I was in Mackinaw City, MI. Now, I mailed it myself from Mackinaw on Tuesday, the 20th. It didn't arrive at the office until LATE Monday afternoon, the 26th!!! 2. Marcus sent me BFT #15 on the 20th. As of today, still no delivery. Meanwhile, folks who live farther away from me (who also had theirs shipped out on the 20th)have received theirs!!! 3. A Canadian board member mailed some CDs to me on Friday, July 9. THOSE haven't arrived yet either!!! 4. Finally, a board member in Kansas mailed me a CD on Friday, the 16th, before I left for vacation. Again, THAT one hasn't arrived yet, either! With regard to the unnamed members in the last two lines, I have no reason to doubt their integrity and honesty, as I have dealt with them in the past and always received good service. So, I'm left thinking, what the fuck is the deal with the Postal Service?!?!?!? I know that there was a lot of trouble with the postal service getting the last batch of BFTs to everyone in the US (and even the replacements I sent, some of them broke in transit!). Have they just gone (pardon the pun) postal on us allofasudden? Thanks for letting me vent. Share your horror stories here.

Y'got me...... I was planning on getting the two PIANO discs before BLUES IN ORBIT.

I'm very definitely in the minority on this one. I think it's one of his lesser efforts, rather boring, and in the case of "Just a Closer Walk with Thee," repetetive. Just my $.02.

You can sometimes play with the code (usually the last digit) to get either of the following: 60% off w/no shipping (my favorite) 70% off, but you gotta pay the shipping. (this one still works out better than the 50% off!)

Well, my computer currently has Microshaft Picture It Express 7.0, which allows for trimming, zooming, red-dot removal, tint, contrast, brightness, etc. The last set of pictures I uploaded seemed to be awfully fuzzy, and the program said I could upgrade to the fully-loaded version, which would allow for sharpness adjustments. (I guess I find it odd that the "Express" version wouldn't include that on it.) But in the end, it would be fun to have some creative fun with pictures (providing the software didn't cost an arm & leg). I'll have a look around Best Buy sometime.

I always imagine he's gonna lose on a Final Jeopardy category called "19th-century Mormonism."

I've got a Kodak DX3700 3.1 megapixel camera, uploading to a (don't laugh) eMachines running Windows XP. Now, after you've picked yourself up off the floor and have recovered from laughing, stifle the urge to yell "BUY A MAC, FERCRYINOUTLOUD!!!" and recommend some software that I can use to touch up and edit the pictures I'm taking with this little toy! Thanks!

Ehhhhh, it happens......

One more thing: the cold front barrelled through as we were loading up the van to go to the airport at 5:30 this AM (4:30 Texas time). Perfect timing. So uh..... YOU'RE WELCOME!!!

Have a great one!!! And thanks for keeping the CAT avatar!

Drat! Gotta wipe the Pepsi™ stains off the monitor again!

No. Shhhhhhh!!! He doesn't know that yet!!! Anyhow, aren't you glad me & Randy switched seats? You coulda been dragged into the discussion between Skid, b3-er, Joe & myself about 80's pseudo-prog-rock and where Phil Collins fits into the whole scheme of things! Chuck woulda lost more than his shirt, Icantellyouthat! Anyway, thanks for the kind words guys: y'all made this Texan feel right at home. (Not to mention the fact that when I walked in, the TV had the Ranger game goin'. How's THAT for makin' a guy feel at home?) Lookin' forward to next year, when I hope we can do this again!

Were! WERE! WERE!!!!!!!

VERY definitely!

And have mercy!!!!

Yup, it's all the same.

Back in Texas this morning, and I just wanted to say a big THANKS to Jim, Joe, Randy, Chuck, Upright Bill (& Eric), and Uncle Skid for salvaging what was quickly turning into a disastrous evening, by having that great impromptu hang at Vitales. It was nice to be able to rap with all you guys, and that made it all worth it. Hopefully, next year I come up there, I won't get lost looking for M-50, there won't be any storms, the power won't go out, I'll actually get there on time and I'll finally get to hear you guys live!!!! (For those who don't know, the power outage at Club North cancelled the show!) BTW, while driving back Wednesday night, I was listening to 88.9 and discovered Lazaro Vega broadcasting his show (Yet another Organissimite! Wish I'd been half-conscious, I coulda called him up)!!!!! At one point, he said "Great night for live jazz in Grand Rapids, as Organissimo played Club North tonight!" I coulda cried! Anyway, thanks again, guys, and we'll try this again next year!

You might try Wes Montgomery's TEQUILA. It's his only pianoless date, there's no sax, a few tracks have some tasty (IMHO) strings by Claus Ogerman.

ALRIGHT gang!!! I am here, the weather is beautiful, and I can't WAIT for Wednesday night! The greeeeeeaze will be flowin' heavy and I can't wait to meet all of ya!!! As an added bonus, it sounds like Mrs. Big Al will be joining me for the greeeaze-fest. Jim, why don't you bring the baby? Just look for a goofy-lookin' bearded guy accompanied by a gorgeous redhead, and that's us! (Assuming I don't get confused by the 96/196 interchange!) Can ya tell I'm excited???!?!?!

FWIW, I e-mail Mosaic about this a few weeks back, hoping for all the Roach BN's, as well as his sideman work for Ike Quebec. They e-mailed back saying that they were seriously considering such a set, but that both Quebec albums wouldn't fit on one disc. Stay tuned.....

Not only that, but if you check their store inventory for Jimmy Smith's MIDNIGHT SPECIAL, it's not even listed as even existing!!! I was hoping that they would give it to me for free, seeing as how I'd found a copy at the Fort Worth (Hulen) store this past Thursday!

Would you believe I heard "That's My Desire" on the radio while driving from Detroit to Grand Rapids Saturday afternoon? I think the radio station was called "The Rhythm." What a treat!!! (Kind of a groovy felling actually: I was thinking I'd plopped BFT #4 in the CD player by accident!)

You got THAT right! Has anyone A/B'd the Smith to the 1996 version? Always thought the '96 version sounded pretty good.