Wednesday, January 21, 2009

a reflection on our winter retreat gig

So I have had a couple days to digest last weekend's gig at Camp Chinquapin. Some things I have determined or want to remember:
1) The right people were there. Our 2.5 hour jam on Sunday night would have been tough with more or different people there.
2) My band is not full of actors. We don't really act much different in church, the bar, or just at home. Maybe that's bad in some ways, but I think the honesty is key.
3) It has been a long time since I have cried, and even longer since something spiritual made me cry.
4) This band can do powerful things, if we can keep it together and get the opportunities.
5) This weekend reinforced my antisocial image.
6) I swear I felt a string break during Sunday night's set, but it never did... Thank you Jesus!
7) I called my mom on Monday night to tell her about all that happened, and I started crying again.
8) The Sunday night set/cigar break was one of the best nights I have ever had in my life. Ever.
9) Card games are enough to keep me occupied for hours if I am playing with the right people.
10) It doesn't matter what song you are playing as long as it is in the right spirit.
11) Getting my feet washed by people who are basically strangers is intense... and so humbling.
12) Seeing people dance and mosh to music you are playing is one of the coolest dang things ever.
13) I will never be able to put into words all the emotions and memories I got out of this last weekend.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

sometimes i am a man?

i just got done replacing my radiator hose... i did it about 6 months ago also. hopefully this time it works! i always feel a bit more masculine after i do any sort of work on my car. unfortunately, i don't know how to do much. i feel like i am a bit of a failure as a man because i am rather vehicle-inept. that and i am not very financially stable. so i guess besides that i feel alright about myself... but those two things are apparently keeping the love of my life away. for shame!

Saturday, January 10, 2009

what my blog is saying

this is what my blog has been saying lately:

impromptu high school reunion

last night was john borba's birthday show in sacramento. it was weird. here's a list of some of the people from my past that i saw at the show: anthony, ian, crazy joe, tommy, sarah fry, brittni barger, candice teague, darren gelsi, matt borba, and more. i took meshe, michelle, and derrick with me so it was kind of weird to have my turlock-life and hanford-life intermingled.
at one point i just got weirded out and hung with my cgcc people in the actual venue room because i just couldn't socialize anymore for a bit. being there with those people definitely brought back a lot of memories though. i miss playing actual shows so much... going crazy and playing original music was such an emotional release, i miss that intensity. i am beginning to find a place in my worship music where i have that same experience, and it is wonderful.
i wonder if everyone has something like that, that they have such a passion for. i don't hear about it from a lot of people; is it there, and just untapped, or do some people just not have a passion like that...?

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

swm iso nothing

Last night I hung out with the DeWitt's and J.Wiley. We had a blast at dinner, then us boys went out to a hick bar in Atwater. I had a couple weird moments, one when I realized I was sitting at a table with one friend who is divorced and has a kid, the other who is married and pulls in about twice as much income as I do... And I realized I am getting old. That and hanging out with a married couple can make a single person feel darn lonely!

Then I realized I love being single and not having to deal with the responsibilities of a relationship. I would have to give up stuff in order to spend time with a significant other, and that would most likely mean cutting back on the time I spend playing music... Screw that!

So basically being single is a stupid double-edged sword.

Go team!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

just an update i guess

Christmas was spent in Idaho, and I love my parents. New Year's Eve was busy... A bbq at Tommy and Leah's with Wiley and Jayden, Jeremy and Shandra... Then band practice for an hour and a half, then to Speakeasy for a bit, then to Meshe's.
The opening to "Is There A Ghost" by Band of Horses is one of my favorite beginnings to any song ever.
I still work at Kinko's... That sucks, but I have been fortunate to have a job that is willing to work around my busy church/music schedule. Last Sunday night we had a group of 150 to play to, and it rocked. It was a great set (Open the Eyes of My Heart, Not To Us, Always Good, We Are Hungry, Overwhelmed, Let My Words Be Few) and we rocked it pretty hard. I think a lot of the people were not used to people actually going crazy while playing in church, but we had a great time. We have been blessed to have opportunities to play elsewhere now, and we are all excited to see what happens. Wednesday night we played for the high school group we are going to the retreat with, and it was by far the most intense 4-song set I have ever played. We went bowling afterwards and I was too drained to do much. Work at DFC is still... it's still there. There are great moments, and some really frustrating ones.
I am still trying to figure out when/where to go back to school... I am pretty sure I will go back for my bachelor's in social justice before I get my masters, but it's tough to get the money together because I suck at being financially responsible. I have contemplated moving to Sacramento or Boise, but I am not sure.
nazi-Matt came up here right before Thanksgiving, and Ronnie came up a couple days ago; it was great to see both of them!!
Bowling is fun, even when you suck at it.
Have fun with life!