What? A gig? When?

Isn't it always the way: I took a break from playing drums with various Old Town School-related ensembles and bands because it just got a little too much for me towards the end of last year.  I was playing with The Twangdogs, a group of Old Town School folks who share an affinity for Americana, roots rock, and country-rock, genres not too high on my preference list (but I get to play, they seem to enjoy having me, so it's not the worst thing); The Hot Tongues, a sporadic endeavor that covers songs from various decades (70's through the "Oh-ties," as I've heard it mentioned), and the 80's "MTV" ensemble at the Old Town School.  Rarely do these projects space themselves out - if one group wants to do something at a certain time, they all do.

And so it is again.  The Twangdogs will have a gig Saturday, and since most of them are in another OTS ensemble (covering the Rocky Horror Picture Show album), I've been asked to play both sets.  One problem: I really don't know the songs in Rocky Horror outside of "Time Warp."  The 80's Ensemble scheduled a practice on the same night the Twangdogs will be practicing, I've been asked to sit in with an Old Town ensemble on Thursdays, and a group I haven't played with in about three or four years may do a one-off on the 26th.  "Can you find time to practice?"  At this point, who knows?  And why do all these opportunities happen at once?  I suppose I should be flattered, and I am.  It's nice to be asked to play with other people.  Unfortunately, I'm not the superior musician who can dictate what and when I'll be playing and with whom.  I've made some $150 or $200 over the course of my musical avocation (starting in 1989), so I guess I take what I can get.  But it's a bit like German chocolate cake - I do like it, but too much at once can be a bit overwhelming.   Of course, there's always the option of saying "no" to any or all of the gigs I mentioned.  Strangely, "no" doesn't seem to be in my vocabulary.