Well, I had my first post-opp. doctor's appointment yesterday.  All things considered, things are going very well.  I'm able to lift my legs at the knees from a sitting position to 90 degrees (straight out), which for 17 days after isn't half bad, IMHO.  I've gotten clearance to start physical therapy twice a week, so expect to hear a lot more "moaning and groaning" from me in the next few weeks (and not the good kind! ;).  The last piece of good news is that I am finally allowed to take a bath!  I think it was the simply fact that it was the "forbidden fruit", but for the last week, all I've wanted to do is lay in a tub full of hot water, and soak.  That's tonight's "Excitement Galore!" ;)

Other then that, my main focus is to try not to get too bored.  I'm reading a hell of a lot, and I'm able to practice again, but it's not really enough.  So, I've decided to gather up all the little musical bit's I've come up with over the years, and try to come up with some songs.  My brother's agreed to record them, so I'm in the middle of charting out a few song ideas.  Who knows, maybe in a few months, there'll be a limited edition "Ian" EP! :)  We'll just have to wait and see....

January 29, 2000 - "M.I.A.?"

First off, I must apologize for my absence from my own damn site!  To be honest, I've been a bit depressed over the last week or so, and just haven't felt like I had anything worthy to say.  It's not easy to be stuck in your house, looking at the same walls every day.  And to top that, two of my best friends had killer parties, and while they were kind enough to invite me, I'm not up to it at this point.  I'm trying to do my best and keep busy, so just attempt to bear with me.

Well, one think is going to make me happy in the next week.  Stennar practices are starting up again!!  The boys are kind enough to move practice to LI for the next few weeks, so that it'll be easier for me to get around and not strain myself.  I have to thank Stennar, Adam, and Evan for their continued support and patience with me during the last few weeks.  You guys are the greatest!  We're also setting up a "Mock Show" the week before the "NYMAIE", to make sure all the kinks are out of the show.  We're renting a "big" practice room (50 people), and inviting friends down to check it out and give us their honest opinion on the set, the "look", etc...it's going to be "uber-fun!" (TM "Anna Lee quips" Inc. ;)T

hat's it for today.  I just have a few people to thank before I go watch "Mallrats" for the 164th time :).  Mega-thanks to "Father" Brad from MP.com for the "Best of Prog" tape that I won - I'm listening to it now, and after I'm going to pick up my bass and practice my ass off!! :).  And last, but by far from least, thank you Stephanie.  I'm touched that you would ask me, and it is my profound honor to accompany you.  It'll a real ego boost to say I'm with the most intelligent, funniest, beautiful, and all-around "Best" woman there! (well, the bride is excluded.  After all, it is her day.;).  I feel like I'll be the luckiest person there...

January 31, 1999 - "Getting a 'leg up' (hehe)"

Well, I had my first "real" physical therapy session, and all I can say is "Boy, will I be sore tomorrow!"  It started out with 15 minutes of heat and muscle stimulation.  While the feeling of your muscles twitching is not the most pleasant of feelings, it's to increase circulation in the area, thereby promoting faster healing.  After that, I went on to a leg workout, consisting of "straight leg" raises from the knees.  I'm only do 3 sets of 10 on each leg, with 5 pounds, but after this surgery, it's much harder then the 75 lbs that I was able to do before.  After that, I did the reverse to work out the hamstrings.  Not easy at all!  From there I moved onto a stationary bike for 5 minutes.  At the time, it went easy, but I'm feeling it now in the legs! :)  Oh well, it must get done, and it will get easier. 

For there, I spent some time on my upper body.  While you're all saying, "Ian, you had your legs operated on!  What's up?", let me explain :).  No matter what you have done, any significant immobilization will lower your overall fitness.  So to get my whole body back, I spent 5 minutes on an "upper-body" stationary bike (imagine pedaling with your hands), and then some sets on the bench press.  I'm much happier with my work there.  Considering the fact that I've spent the last month not doing much, exercise-wise, I think I did pretty well.  But it's left me pretty tired, so this post won't be that long.  I have another appointment on Wednesday, so I'll update you on my progress... later people :)

PS - I was able to get my hands on a copy of my surgical report, and have transcribed to for your viewing pleasure :).  Click here to read the technical details (gory laden "after" scar pictures soon to come!)

February 8, 2000 - "What's my name, bitch!?!"

By the title, It's apparent that I've finally seen "American Pie".  A funny movie, I'll give you that - but I still say "I am not a donut fucker!! ;). 

Well, yesterday as the busiest day I've had since the surgery.  Stennar practices finally resumed after almost two months off.  I'm happy to say that we haven't lost step during the break!  Things went so well that we're cutting down practice time to three hours a week, because any more is simply a waste of time and money.  I'm also not the only one with a nickname now - Adam is "Spanky", and Evan is "Jailbait"!  hehe....Planning for the live show is going well - Stennar has met with a projectionist and a stylist (good god, the dreaded "wardrobe change"! - who are we, the Backstreet Boys?! ;).  It's looking good, and I'll post any new info as soon as I get it.

After practice, I had the honor of joining Adam, Evan, and their parents for dinner to celebrate Adam's birthday (Happy 22nd, "Spanky"!).  A good time was had by all (except for Evan, who wanted to get home to watch the "X-Files"! :P*), and I'd like to thank the Parness' for a great time! 

Otherwise, things are going pretty well.  I'm increasing weight and repetitions in therapy, and will be able to start on more machines next week.  Tonight I'm heading over to my friend Bruce's (aka St. Bruce, Bruceman) to record some dialog for an animation project of his (He attends the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan), so I'll also tell you how that went tomorrow.  Until then...

February 12, 2000 - "Step Back"

Today's title is the long-awaited nickname that has been given to Stennar by myself at today's practice.  Being the only one without one, I was racking my brain, trying to pick something that fit...and then I noticed.  Stennar often takes a "step back" from the microphone during instrumental passages, sometimes stepping forward a bar late.  And so we are now "Step Back," "Spanky," "Jailbait," and the "Donut Fucker."  Ah, the wonderful world of musicians! ;)

On Thursday, I finally got to go out to a place that was neither the supermarket, doctor's office, or band practice.  I had the good fortune to see Steven Lynch at "Governor's", a local comedy club.  Needless to say, I had my two drink minimum (Captain Morgan's and Coke, thank you very much :P*), and generally "laughed my balls off" (a disturbing visual to say the least, but it was that good of a show - I later recovered them off the floor ;)

Here on the home front, things are generally the same.  Still doing the "physical therapy thang" twice a week, an hour and a half at a clip.  Still practicing with Stennar - we're two week's away from our "dress rehearsal" for the NYIAME, and three weeks away from the show itself.  Next week our "clothing designer" will be sitting in at practice to gauge the general "vibe", and get ideas ("Props" to Mark Lachar, for the attempt to dress our collective white asses in somewhat resembling fashion).  Still bored out of my ever-loving mind... ;)

February 19, 2000 - "Rock Star vs. Musician"

Finally, a real rant!!  Driving into the city on Thursday, I caught Roseanne Barr/Arnold/Whatever on a local talk radio program.  She was plugging her new career as a Rock Star/Sex Goddess.  I don't know if it was the early morning (West coast time), but she had the biggest ego that I've ever heard in my life.  Among her claims...Channeling Janice Joplin onstage, being the *next big thing* in music, and directing high quality porn films. I hate to break it to you Rosie, but I've seen footage of you singing.  You're not good. You're bad....really, really bad.  You don't sing, you scream, and not in a good "Axl Rose" way....in a "person who shouldn't set foot within a 10 block radius of a club" way.

...And as for your aspirations to attain "Rock Star" status, go ahead.  Rock Stars are all about a stage persona, doing blow backstage, groupies, throwing televisions out of motel windows, and so on.  Musicians create music from the heart, period.  Go head and be a Rock Star, but don't ever become a musician.  I've worked too hard on what I love to do to have it sullied by the likes of you...

February 28, 2000 - "10 Lbs of Dream Theater in a 5 lb bag!"

About once a year, I have a night where I can completely forget all of my problems, and just lose myself in my first, and greatest love - music.  Saturday night was one of those nights.  I was at the Dream Theater show at the Roseland Ballroom in NYC, and I can honestly say that it was a night I'll never forget.  From my little pre-show "gathering" which turned out surprisingly well, to the crowding for space, to spending way too much on memorabilia ;), it was one of the greatest nights I've had in a long time.  I've written about it in detail already, so if you want the inside scoop, surf on over to mikeportnoy.com or "When Dream and Yahoo Unite", and check out some of my posts.  All I can say is, if you want to have a great musical experience with some emotional content (Yes, I shed a few tears during "Through Her Eyes"), check out this tour at any cost!  Rob a 7-11, kill your parents...it doesn't matter how you do it, just get tickets!  (note - the aforementioned is not a suggestion to commit illegal activities, and this disclaimer releases "Ian's Average Webpage" from any legal bearing should such activities occur ;)  Thanks go out to Sean, Viktor, Scott, Angie (for the drink!;), Jen, and everyone else that I met there who made the night a wonderful one!

Getting back to "real" life, Stennar had our rehearsal practice for the "New York Music and Internet Expo" on Sunday.  While still sore from DT (the knees held up pretty good, thanks to "You know who" for caring so much Sunday night! :), it went rather well.  The live sound is all worked out, the set is tight, and we're ready.  At this time, we're not sure if the show will go out live, or taped on the 'net, but I'll let everyone know as soon as I find out.  Also, any day I can come up with new nicknames for the guys is a good one!  ("Sad Monkey" for Evan, "Simian" for Adam ;)  Saturday night is going to ROCK!!! :)

March 3, 2000 - "Wow, it's been a while"

I must say, I'm a little bit nervous about the expo show on Saturday.  I know it's an irrational thing, we have music down farther then Australia, the stage show is set, the sound is perfect, etc...  All I can say is it's been a while since a public performance on my part (Does "Band Bash" count, Scott? ;), and the fact that this will be on the 'net, beamed to anyone who has a PC, as well as a crowd of about 50 people live doesn't help any.  I know everything will be fine, I know we're  tight - it's just my stupid lack of self-confidence kicking in at this point.  Donations of self-confidence can be sent to scarred2112@aol.com :)  Tomorrow night is just going to be 10 times worse....

March 12, 2000 - "Day of Reckoning"

I've got a bunch of things to talk about, so bear with me...Last weekend was the "Stennar" taping for the "New York Music and Internet Expo".  Needless to say I was scared shitless, but things went pretty well.  We had a crowd of about 25 cheering us on, and besides some last-minute problems with the technical side (The show was taped instead of going out live), we did pretty good.  Adam and I reluctantly got dressed up ;), but people say we looked good, so what the hell.  The footage is being edited as we speak, and when I know the address where it's posted, I'll let everyone know.

The next day (Sunday), my family when out to dinner to celebrate my father's birthday.  It was a nice meal, but I got a hold of some bad scallops, and spent the next three days on my back with a case of food poisoning (the drawback of living of a island, I suppose).  I needed to lose a few pounds, so it wasn't that bad.

Which leads us to today.  I'm about 36 hours away from my drive upstate, and the first time I'll view Stephanie with my own eyes.  I've spoken about her often, both under her first name, and her alias, "Anna Lee'.  We've been talking steadily now since November (actually, "steadily" isn't quite the word - we average about 3 - 4 hours a night, and a phone conversation a week!).  Stephanie is, without a doubt, the sweetest kindest, most caring person I've ever met (being the first "Ytsebabe" doesn't hurt either! ;).  She was my primary support when I had my surgery, giving advice, a sympathetic ear, and dealing with my mindless babble.  When she first asked me to be her date to Jen's wedding, I was both shocked and excited.  Now I'm just nervous ;).  Two months ago, March seemed a long ways away.  Now it's upon me, and all my self doubt is on my back.  Can I live up to the image I've portrayed? (I've never put on a different persona on the web, but real-time is quite different from the 'net).  Stephanie has joked about the fact that she's going to the same way, and that I'll be vomiting on myself, she'll be crouched shaking in a corner, and Jennifer (the third of our merry band) will be left wondering how she was stuck in the position.   I hope I'm not the only one...