April Blues

April is the cruelest month -- ol' T.S Eliot nailed it. In the Chicago area, April is a bi-polar experience. The sun comes out, the land warms up, people start to smile, the coats come off and folks head outdoors. It feels like the cold weather is gone for the season, then WHAM!!! In comes a cold front, the temps fall 30 or 40 degrees in 30 minutes and the skies look like slate. Add on the April 15 extraction of taxes by Uncle Sam (and the State of Illinois) and the April blues can hit - hard.

So I went down to Bill's Blues Bar last night to work out my bad attitude at the blues jam. I spent some time talking to the operator of the joint and, surprise, the blues business stinks in April. Cash ain't flowing. I left after I blew my harmonica on a couple of tunes with some reasonably good blues musicians. In spite of the music, I felt more downhearted going out than I did going in.

I just got back from running some errands. The weather is raw and obnoxious. I parked outside the Citibank branch and ran in to get some cash - it took five minutes, tops. When I came out, one of Evanston's finest was writing a nice parking ticket for me. I ran over, jumped in my car and waved him off. I avoided the ticket, but it helped to darken my mood. Feh!

I think it is time to retire to the bedroom and pull the covers up over my head. This dismal day is a wrap. I am heading down to northwest Arkansas tomorrow to meet with clients. I hope the sun is shining in the Ozarks.