Flower Cart Girl

When I was a teenager, girls were always a mystery to me. Who am I kidding… they still are. I’m guilty of leaning heavily into my own imagination to flesh out backstories—yes, without even attempting to start a conversation.

Maybe I’m alone in doing this (or maybe just the only one willing to admit it). Either way, this is a story about a shy guy, some flowers, and a crush.

Here are the lyrics :

“Flower Cart Girl”

There’s a girl in the commons.
Behind the eucalyptus trees.
She’s the flower cart girl.
And I wish she’d notice me.

I bet she loves the ocean
And walking in the rain
Keeps a sketchbook full of pictures
Presses her thoughts on every page

I always see her smiling.
I pretend it’s meant for me
I see her every single day.
I wonder if she sees me?

Hey, Flower cart girl—-
—- you got some flowers for me?

Got some flowers for me?

I got more books than money
But buy daisies every day
I do it just to see her.
I don’t even know her name

And I peel my cup of ramen
Sit on the cold concrete.
And pull off the petals.
And release them in the breeze.

I bet she plays guitar somewhere
Maybe a cafe in town
She sings the songs she’s written
And never worries how they sound

She says what’s she’s thinking
Never second-guessing what she means
We’d probably talk for hours
If she’d just notice me.

Hey, Flower cart girl—-
—- you got some flowers for me?

Got some flowers for me?

I started taking shortcuts
That somehow passed her way
And showing up late to class
Almost every single day.

I’d imagine conversations
Every single word.
But every time I saw her.
I’d just lose my nerve

I always thought I’d meet her
Under those shady trees
The girl selling flowers
Is whoever I want her to be

Hey flower cart girl?
Were you just make believe?

There is a girl in the commons.
Behind the eucalyptus trees.
She’s the flower cart girl
And that’s all she’ll ever be

Live life. Stay Healthy. Go talk to the flower girl…
– Scott

#singer-songwriter #drawnandcoded #sandiego #ranchobernardo #UCSD

Return to Alacran ( Yes, again… )

Halloween marked The Rubber Band’s 3rd time playing on Alacran. It was all good until the rain set in – well, until the rain set in and our drummer, Colin, cut his finger open on his cymbal. We lasted four songs. Fortunately, Dencity, the middle schooler band that opened for us, fared better.

It was ( supposedly ) the first time it has rained on Halloween in San Diego in 29 years. I remember last time, too.

I guess my rendition of “The Werewolves of Westwood” will have to wait until next year….

Jodie and I as Kermit and Miss Piggy.

In other music-kinda-related news I’ve been playing at the Poway Unified District Office and Adult School campuses. Just my guitar, me, and whoever happens to be out and about at lunch time. Usually it’s just a couple people. The most I’ve had listening was about 10-15. I usually run through a few covers and sneak in a few originals. The cool thing is? I get smiles, some applause, and – get this – “thank you’s”. I always respond by telling them that I’m the one that she be thanking them. Next stop. Parks, I guess.…

Live life. Stay Healthy. Stay Dry.

-Scott

#dadband #westwood #ranchobernardo #therubberband

Rancho BEERnardo 2026

The Rubber Band played at Rancho BEERnardo again. The Sunshine Rotary Club hosts it annually and invited us back – this time as the sole headliners for the 5-hour event. We prepared roughly four hours of songs spread across as many sets.

It was hot….not as humid as our last show at the Westwood Club, but well over a hundred degrees. I think it put a damper on the festivities, but we powered through and the crowd seemed to enjoy us. Not bad for a bunch of middle-aged Dads.

We have one more show coming up before we pack it in for the holidays – our annual Halloween block party. More on that soon!

You can follow the Rubber Band on Instagram, or on Facebook.

And, if you want a t-shirt, we have those, too!

Thank you for your support!

-Scott

#ranchobeernardo #ranchonernardo #octoberfest #beergarden #sandiego #garageband #therubberband

Tunaville

About a year ago I was at my daughter, Kaylee’s, cheer competitions at the San Diego Convention Center downtown. I took a break and headed to nearby Seaport Village and ended up sitting on an empty pier that overlooked a few rusty fishing boats. I think it was actually called “Tuna Pier” or something – and I started thinking about the Portuguese side of my family and what that pier was probably like when San Diego was a booming tuna / fishing town. Then, my mom asked me if I’d write something about my grandfather and Point Loma – and well, this song is kinda’ all of that.

Here are the lyrics :

“Tunaville”

Down by the waters edge    
Where the seiner ships rust away   
I rested on a mooring 
On a pier next to the bay 

A voice woke me from my daydream
As it broke into a song.
She stood amongst the hustle.
But only her voice belonged.

She sang of small islands
And the homes up in the hills.
Where neighbors felt like cousins
She called it Tunaville.

She sang of boats painted white.
A parade and the grand hall.
How her uncles fished the coastline.
They didn’t have much, but had it all

…but, the tourists – they ignored her
As the seiners rusted in the bay
And the seagulls – they kept calling. But …
I couldn’t look away

I couldn’t look away

When the canneries closed, she sang
And the fishermen all stayed home.
While the seiner ships sat idle.
In the bay all alone 

And I looked around me.
Surrounded by tourist traps.
And the girl, she smiled sadly.
But I couldn’t smile back. Ohhh……

…but, the tourists – they ignored her
As the seiners rusted in the bay
And the seagulls –  they kept calling. But …
I couldn’t look away

I couldn’t look away

Then the girl – she stopped singing
The tourists had all gone.
The seagulls had flown off
But I heard faint applause.

From one of the old seiners
A lone sailor arose.
He said just one word, “Obrigado”
And then the girl – she was gone.

Live life. Stay Healthy. Daydream a little.
– Scott

#rosaville #pointloma #tunafishing #portuguese #tunaville

My little sloth…

So, this little idea spawned from a walk with my friend, Mary, after I vented  to her about how slow my daughters are in the morning before school. 

“You should draw them as sloths!”, she said.

Great idea, Mary! I’ll do that and my kids will think it’s hee-larious. I’ll even write a little poem, too. They’ll love it!

You can probably guess how it played out. 

So, yeah – it fell flat as a ton of bricks. But, don’t blame me – blame, Mary, okay?

Live life. Stay healthy. Be weird…

-Scott

#badpoetry #parentingfail #drawnandcoded #sandiego #ranchobernardo

Labor Day Show

Hey! We’re famous!

The Labor Day show was a learning experience. We played on the hottest day of the year. I clocked 102 and 80% humidity at one point. The equipment started overheating almost immediately. First, the iPads stopped responding to touch. Next, the router overheated and gave out, making it impossible to connect. We ended up bringing in fans and ice packs to cool everything down, but the condensation made everything worse as water spilled out onto Aaron’s keyboard.

So, yeah. Brutal.

But, rumor has it? We sounded great. I mean – sure, maybe everyone was delirious from the heat, but after we killed the mains I had a handful of people come up to me and want to talk. 

One handed me a twenty. “A tip”, he said. 

The other really wanted to play with us, or at least know how to start his own band.

How to start a band … ?

“I don’t really know what to tell you,” I replied. “There’s a bit of magic involved in getting six guys with competing responsibilities together once a week.”

I’m always a little amazed when it all comes together – even for a weekly rehearsal. I’m also a little amazed that people come to me asking, “How?” Like I’m some professional musician or something. At best, I’m the most average at everything that ever walked the stage.

“Look”, I told him. 

“Find one person to play with. Just one.”, I said, “You don’t have to be good. You just gotta’ show up.” 

Told I was horrible when I started. Shawn, too. We both started playing together 5 years ago as I was winding down cancer treatment. I played three chords and he played drums back then – poorly.

“You have friends you used to play with, right?”, I asked, recalling what he had told me.

He nodded.

“My guess is they are just like you. They have kids, jobs, responsibilities….and they are probably looking for an outlet, too”, I said.

“So find one”, I encouraged, “Not four. Not five. Not a band – just one. If you grow too fast it’ll all fall apart.”

“And play together and try to play out”, I suggested, “because it’ll motivate you to keep doing it – even if it is just an open mic.”

He nodded and smiled.

“And get in touch with me in two months, because I want to hear how you’re doing.”, I ended.

I kinda’ hope to hear from him again.

Special thanks to “Spoiled Bananas” and “Dencity” for opening for us. Kenn, our lead singer, invited the Bananas, a 6th Grade rock band. “Dencity” has opened for us before at last years’ Halloween show. The drummer, Benji, is the son of our multi-talented guitarist/keybaordist, Aaron. 

Hope to play for you all again at Rancho BEER-Nardo on Saturday, October 3rd!

Live life. Stay healthy. Support live music.

-Scott

#westwoodclub #ranchobernardo #livemusic #dadband #sandiego #therubberband #ranchobeernardo

Walking In Circles

I wrote this on one of my many walks.

Here are the lyrics if you’re interested…

“Walking in Circles”

I got my ear buds in.
And, my music blaring.
And, I’m walking in circles.
‘Till I stop caring.

Just tracing the same steps.
That never seem to end.
They just loop back.
To where I’ve been.

Back to someone.
With responsibilities.
Who every-one depends on …
…and, I don’t wanna be.

So, I put my ear buds in.
Get the music blaring.
And, start walking in circles.
‘Till I stop caring.

I won’t hear you—.
I can’t hear me—.
If you want me back.
You gotta’ just let me be—-.

I’ll have my ear buds in.
And, my music blaring.
And, I’ll keep walking in circles.
Cause I’m done caring

Live life. Stay healthy. Go for a walk, just come back…

-Scott

#singersongwriter #sandiego #ranchobernardo

You and Me

The Rubber Band has been keeping me busy learning covers for a couple of shows that we have coming up, but I’ve been meaning to record this. 

It’s called, “You and Me”. 

I wrote it for my wife, Jodie, after a particularly rough week. She has been and always will be my rock. I just wanted her to know I’ll be hers, too.

And the shows?

The Rubber Band will be playing at The Westwood Club on Labor Day at 3:00 and at Rancho BEERNardo at Webb Park on October 3rd. 

Hope you can come out and see us.

Live live. Stay Healthy. Go create something.

-Scott

#singersongwriter #ranchobernardo #drawnandcoded #therubberband

Tails from the “Ruff Striders”…

This one is for my dog, Maddie, who has been actively trying to kill me since my family and I adopted her a few years ago. 

Maddie has the uncanny ability to poop in the precise center of any street or intersection, but only if there is oncoming traffic.

Enjoy “Ruff Striders”! ( my dog walking crew )

-Scott

#dogwalking #ranchobernardo #sandiego #drawnandcoded