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Twenty-Twelve begins with a light shining at the end of the medical paperwork tunnel, and even good news perhaps. It's been difficult pouring over the bills, forms, opening mail, essentially re-playing everything each time. I got a lot of help from Mom and Dad. Some of the last red tape involved, such as that which needs to be sent to the NYS Crime Victims Bureau, is being completed this week, and when that dust settles, much more will be known, and haggling with medical creditors will commence. This part will be settled way before the criminal case, trust me. Then a pony will come.
I'm physically fine, feeling great, doing everything I want to do. However, being a victim of violent crime and coming so close to losing so much, so quickly... means you can't help but see things a lot differently.
Things previously viewed as vital become meaningless. Television. The "10 Items or Less" express lane. Most magazines. The surfing "scene".
Things formerly taken for granted become powerful. Stuff kids say/do. Raisin toast. The "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" chord changes. Calling to say hello. Writing stuff down. Surfing.
The bizarre journey through 2011 was made infinitely easier by the support of so many people in so many ways; the card sent, something said on the phone, a visit, post in the internet, a movie sent, the book loaned, a song played, the time you came and hung out for a while, the benefit you played and/or helped organize, the joke you made about me getting attacked followed quickly by "sorry Mick, too soon?" (this Hangdogs on-stage gag never gets old, by the way). There's gonna be a lot of thank-you cards (with trinkets maybe, even) to send out this year, and they are coming, but in the meantime, a continued, gigantic, THANK YOU.
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Meanwhile, getting ready to book a lot of solo and full-band shows for 2012, the Lantern Sound Recording Rig is making some good things, and the musicians known as "The King Guys" (Michael D. Bifulco, Gary Dawson, Don Mangels, Jeff McLary, and sometimes even Sister Jen on backup vocals) will continue to grace the stage to help bring my songs to life in the New Year. I'm pushing to complete work on the Redemption Center II release as soon as possible, and my segment contribution to Chris Butler's Major Glitch is already in the can, awaiting release, to be accompanied by a promotional film, which is also finished. I've even been playing the "Crystal Ball" at shows, a song largely written by Joe Delia, with a bit o' help from me.
Get your tickets now: NYRMA presents The Elvis Show 2012 at the YMCA Boulton Center Theatre (Bayshore NY) on Saturday January 28, 8pm. This is a particularly meaningful event to me, as it benefits emergency food supplies courtesy of the efforts of the Rock CAN Roll organization, and it will sell out for sure. Tickets Link
http://mickhargreaves.com
