Computer
Rants, Meet Me In The Keys, Gigs and Places to Stay in Key West!
Computer
Rants
It’s good to
be back! My old computer fried the motherboard, which destroyed it. I was able
to save the documents out of the hard drive to my new computer, thanks to the
computer store here in Key West (Office Max) but I’ll be damned if I know where
they ended up! I had a blog started when the old computer crapped out, but I
haven’t a clue if I know where it is. Adding insult to injury, I now have
Windows 8. As I explained to a friend of mine: Going from Windows 6 to Windows
7 was like moving from Alabama to NYC. There are big, but surmountable
differences. Going from Windows 7 to Windows 8 is like moving from Wall Street NYC
to a brothel in Bangkok. It’s an entirely different language and look indeed.
What a pain in the ass. Today I find a file named “Mikel Allen”… hummm what’s
that? I open it and it’s a bunch of pictures of men in tight bathing suites.
Huh? I guess Mikel Allen is a gay employee of Hewlett Packard? Why is this shit
in my brand new (?) computer? I deleted the file, but now, where is the recycle
bin?
I also went
to buy an iPod. I looked around and found the best price at site called
Rakuten. I ordered it second day a week ago Saturday. So I should have gotten
it Tuesday, or maybe Wednesday, if it shipped Monday. I keep checking the order
and it says “Processing”. Tuesday and Wednesday roll by and no iPod. I sent
several e-mail enquiries to them Monday through Wednesday, but no reply. On
Thursday I finally get an e-mail from them asking me to contact them, so I
called. The representative at their end of the phone was unable to explain
anything whatsoever as to why my order wasn’t filled, only that I had to listen
to my phone message they left to expedite the order. “Well, I’m on the phone
now with you now, Rakuten having suggested me to contact you to expedite the
order. What can you tell me?” He goes again “Well you have to check your phone
message”. At the moment, I can’t access my phone messages, I explain. He can’t
go further than that. “Really? You can’t tell me what’s the issue with my
order? Your company asked me to call you to resolve this and you can’t tell me
what to do?” This went on for 15 minutes and finally I told the idiot at
Rakuten to cancel my order.
Two days
later I get an e-mail from them stating that THEY had to cancel my order, due
to the fact that they couldn’t verify my address? The address is the exact same
as the billing address, what’s the problem? I volunteered that information to
their idiot on the phone two days before, suspecting that maybe there was an
issue there, but he said nothing. So now I get an e-mail from Rakuten saying
they cancelled my order.
Frankly, I suspect that if they say they cancelled the
order due to lack of contact from me, it looks much better than me canceling an
order because of their sheer ineptitude, bearing in mind I’m talking of a
customer satisfaction rating. Let’s make no mistake about it, I cancelled my
order with them due to their ineptitude. They didn’t cancel my order, I
cancelled my order. Over the years of writing this blog, I’ve never taken the
opportunity to rant like this and I’ll try not to do it again! However, I urge
everyone to avoid Rakuten.com like the plague.
Enough ranting! Got that off my chest!
Meet Me In
The Keys!
The annual
event that the Coconut Castaways hold every year, Meet Me In the Keys went
off without a hitch! Local Southernmost club President Tammy Hollander and her husband, Marc “The
Gopher”, put in tireless hours in order to make sure everything goes off
without a hitch, from the local perspective, in addition to their monthly jump ups and meetings. This is a combined effort of all of the Coconut Casaways organizations however, with national club president Julie Unden Engelken out in Iowa and S.W. Florida branch president Bill Akins, going at it literally all year long to put organization and sponsorship in place from their home bases. Additionally, there are all of those assisting the aforementioned presidents and gophers within their respective clubs! Everything went like clockwork. One doesn't have
to be Einstein to see all of the potential hoops of fire these people and their
able assistants must have to jump through. It has to be a full time job!
I was
honored to be in this year’s event and I pulled a surprise in that I dragged
Allen “Frankendread” Holland along with me to play steel pans! We played
poolside at the Doubletree portion of the event, following Jimi Pappas and John
Patti. As I said, I did it as a surprise. When I was asked to play, I was a
solo act. Adding Allen was on me, for fun and a good treat for all who
attended. Naturally I split my fee with Allen, of course.
A lot of
people hadn’t heard Allen before. He uses a different pan than John Patti does,
so in addition to being different players with different styles, they are also
playing different pans, John with a C pan and Allen with a D pan. The notes are
all in different places as well, further changing the overall style. I think
everyone enjoyed hearing both players!
The night
before was the meet and greet and after that a few of us ended up in room 236
and I had the pleasure of having a great, very long conversation with Jimi
Pappas, whom I had never met before. My biggest disappointment was I sent him a
message to get together the following week when he was at Margaritaville, only
to learn that he had been there the week before! I’m looking forward to his
return to the island!
I also had
brief conversations with Mike Broward and Paul Roush, who played in the event.
In situations like this, schedules often get in the way, so we didn’t get to
chat things up as much as we may have liked. Hopefully next time they’re in
town we can spend a bit more time together!
Howard
Livingston was generous enough to actually cut his gig short at Schooner Whatf,
in order to have a songwriter’s showcase of performers in the Meet Me in the
Keys event. Had a great time too. What a blast! Thanks Howard! I was on with
local performers Ericson Holt and Roger Jokela. Ericson really surprised me.
For those of you who are familiar with my song “Island Blue”, which Misty
Loggins sang for me, Ericson played keyboards. Ericson is an exquisite piano/keyboard
player who made Key West his base about two years ago, by way of Nashville.
Imagine my surprise when Ericson arrived with a guitar!
The event
closed out on Sunday with a sunset cruise featuring new Keys arrival, Eric
Stone. Let me say, if you are ever in Key West, don’t pass a chance to get out
on the water! I have several songs about it, as it’s such an inspiring peaceful
event. The sunset cruises go for around $35/$40 . There are all sorts of boats
that go out, just head down to the waterfront area and do yourself a favor!
The event raised $24,000 for kid's care camp, which makes it all the more special! Hats off to Howard and all who were behind the scenes!
Italy
A quick
shout out to all the readers in Italy! Thank you so much for your interest in
this blog! I hope you all head to Key West and when you do, be sure to read
below!
Gigs and Places to Go!!!
I’ve been
playing Thursday afternoons at the Sunset Tiki Bar, 2 – 5pm. For July I'll be there Thursday July 4th, 6 - 9pm, Sunday July 14th 2 - 5PM and Saturday the 27th, 2 - 5 What an amazing, laid back place with a true Keys attitude! The Sunset
Tiki Bar is privately owned and sits in the back of The Galleon Resort with an
incredible view of Westeria Island (nic-name: Christmas Tree Island) and Tank Island
(nic-name: Sunset Key). A great place any time of day! A circular Tiki Bar,
right on the water and also chaise lounges you can sun out on, right on the
dock! Swing by and check it out!
Music Downloads
To obtain my
music, be sure to check my website for downloads and physical CDs!! This site
also has material not available on other sites.
Also available on iTunes, CD Baby, CD Universe, Rhapsody,
and Beachfront Radio.
Search: Key West Chris
