Jim at JavaJive

Okay, Lisa has heard this story so she's excused from reading this. You guys have to suffer through hearing about my news. Well, I guess you don't have to,unless vandals have stolen your "delete" keys!

I stopped in at a local coffee house, Java Jive, a week or so ago for a latté. (Why do they call them lattes? Cause they cost a lot-tay...  sorry, not my joke. But don't you think Townes would have told it?). I hadn't been playing much at all lately; I dunno, it had just  stopped being fun, and if the reason you play is for fun, and it isn't, then why do it, right? I was feeling like, hell, I'm 41 years old, pretty much still a neophyte on guitar and playing, still feeling frustrated by getting beat out by a 14 year old kid in our local folk talent showcase, just not feeling good about it all, you know? I was still writing, just not playing. But that being said- I'm waiting for this bucket sized beverage -no shit, it was huge!- and this kind of goth dude, looking a bit like Zigy Stardust-era Bowie, looking more Christopher Street than conservative Centre Hall- comes up and asks me if I want to play anything

Now, I'm just standing there waiting for my coffee, not carrying a guitar, not even wearing, like, my Taylor t-shirt or the jacket that has my Shindell SNP pin on it. What, I've just got this coffee-crazed songwriter persona about me? he he, anyway, I'm like, no, I'm just going to drink my coffee... then I said, ah, hell, why not, if you got a guitar I can use.

So I borrowed his Ibanez acoustic (Wow! talk about a narrow, electric-feeling neck! I can definately tell I've been playing the wider neck on my 414s!) and he turned on their PA and I did Corpus Christy Bay (my perennial opener) and 3 or 4 originals- they offered me a paid gig on the spot. Mike, the goth guy, is the owner's son, and hosts their  open mic nights and is kind of their sound man by default . Anyway, he was a really nice guy, quite affable, approachable and friendly young fellow. Showed me his Frankenbasses, his just-recently painted Strat, told me a bunch of, ahem, interesting stories about some of his experiences in my adopted hometown of Bellefonte... beautiful voice, too. So much for first impressions and preconcieved notions, eh? The whole family has been wonderfully supportive and encouraging, the kind of people that make you think, "Yeah. I need more people like this in my life!"

I know, it's old hat to you guys, but it was a pretty cool thing to me, y'know? And the great part was it instantly made me motivated again. Hmm, maybe I'll learn Coshieville properly after all... Hope all is well with everyone...

Jim Colbert, March 19th 2003