Even losers get lucky sometimes

I have spent most of life feeling like a loser. There have been small moments of clarity when a ray of hope peeked through, but more often than not a good portion of this guy’s life has felt down and out. The primary reason behind my morose has been a personal conviction that the deck is stacked, the fix is in and the odds are not in my favor. Sure, I used to be conspiracy filled like a terrorist Twinkie, thinking that “they” were out to get “us,” but as I’ve gotten older I have learned to be more realistic. Now I know that it’s not “us” they’re after but “me.” Maybe I need an anti-depressant, an elevator to my mood or a swift kick in the ass from Santa’s reindeer.

A ray visited me the other day when I was extended tickets to see the Kings play the Miami Heat. It was Chris Webber’s first game back and my first time to an NBA game. Tenth row, no less. I don’t know what Lakers coach Phil Jackson is talking about when he calls the Sac fans “hicks.” I felt quite sophisticated amidst the cowbells and 10-gallon hats. When Kings owner George Maloof says he “caters the concession to the fans,” it’s no BS. There was pizza, French fries and nachos. But God love the fans for their enthusiasm unsurpassed.

Back to the winter of my discontent: Local rockers Cowboy are calling it quits. Leader of the pack Jason Cassidy says, “Cowboy has run its course. After four years we’re ready to move on.” There’s an old Merry Standish axiom I firmly believe that says, “Some do, most review.” Which is to say, with Cassidy’s docking his music fest boat drags and putting his band Cowboy to pasture, Chico’s rockers might want to start looking for some new blood.

If you feel like you’re out of the loop on the rock scene, I highly suggest tuning into www.chicolist.com, the definitive source for those cool shows you might otherwise miss. Brainstormed by another staunch “doer” of the local scene, Zeke Rogers, this is a list not to be missed as it synchronizes shows from Chico and supporting towns. For example, there is a Redding band called Hand Over Fist that apparently might be better than anything in Chico. Of course, this comes from an anonymous source, so you will have to be your own judge on that one.