It’s the night before the 2010 Amy Memorial concert. The day has been up and down as always. I haven’t done one of these since 2006, the 10 year anniversary was July 2008 and I think I was too depressed to deal with it.
This year, I stepped back and invited two bands I’m in to each take a 20 minute slot. I have a wish to invite everyone I’ve ever played with to these things but I’m realizing (slowly) that it’s impossible. On the other hand, it takes a lot of the planning off of my plate to have bands that are already working together and already rehearsed doing the bulk of the show. I can focus on other things.
Like missing Amy.
We’re doing Paul Simon’s “Father and Daughter” and I gathered photos of Amy and Lisa, then photos of guys in the bands with their daughters. From those, I generated a slideshow in iPhoto which I’m planning to show during the song. I think it’ll add a nice touch and feeling to the room. I sometimes have trouble getting through the lines “I’m gonna watch you grow…” and “there could never be a father who loved his daughter more than I love you…” It goes doubly true for Lisa but makes me think of Amy.
I’m less than thrilled with MADD but I feel obligated to keep them present as part of the benefit. Without the work they’ve done over the years, the man who killed Amy might have got off with a ticket. In some states, thats’ still the case. Misdemeanor. It’s insane. I’m still reading blogs about how drunk driving laws are horrible intrusions into our rights. Oh well. Nothing gained walking down that dead-end logic path.
So why am I less than thrilled? I’ve been trying to contact them since December. Two phone messages and four or five different emails to the Michigan offices. No reply. I miss the days of working with Jenny Lozano in Westland. She was full of energy, supportive, encouraging, and we don’t even live in Wayne County. The new Wayne County rep (Nechole) has been great and it’s been my fault for not following up with her, but what the heck’s going on with the Lansing office?
Oh well, just venting. I think it’s important and they do good work and I’m just feeling stressed and crabby I guess.
I’m looking forward to tomorrow for so many reasons. I’ll be glad to see some of the ‘regulars’ there (Marta, Tom, etc.), the GW volunteers are doing their magic again, and Lisa’s even invited some friends.
One of the other small things I’ve done is dedicated the concert to two friends who are gone: Jim Story and Loren Greenawalt. Amazing guys who I wish I’d been smart enough to spend more time with. Lesson learned, I hope. Spend time with the people who are important to you.
Off to bed. I hope this wasn’t too incoherent…
Mike's ScratchpADD 