Brian Mulholland

The Delegate Has Already Been Chosen - It Is You

2008-09-05T04:22:26Z

I realize only now, after having heard both McCain and Obama speak at their nominating conventions, that the deeper rhetoric of McCain's has touched me. Obama's presentation was very powerful, but McCain's actual words touched me deeper.

I admit it was likely sheer luck that I got the meaning of "Country First" when it struck me near the end of his speech. I've heard his story before, but this was a different ending than I recall:

On an October morning, in the Gulf of Tonkin, I prepared for my 23rd mission over North Vietnam. I hadn't any worry I wouldn't come back safe and sound. I thought I was tougher than anyone. I was pretty independent then, too. I liked to bend a few rules and pick a few fights for the fun of it. But I did it for my own pleasure; my own pride. I didn't think there was a cause more important than me....

I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else's. I loved it not just for the many comforts of life here. I loved it for its decency; for its faith in the wisdom, justice and goodness of its people. I loved it because it was not just a place, but an idea, a cause worth fighting for. I was never the same again. I wasn't my own man anymore. I was my country's.

We should never focus on theatrics, age, race, sex, résumés, children, gaffes, the unborn, the person who lost a job, the economy, Iraq, wars, energy, or any other talking point. If you harp on these, you just...don't...get it. You still think it's about you, and you are wrong.

It is about the United States of America. And we damn well better thank God for having the chance to be American. The weak will continue to say it's about the issues - things! - of Americans; the strong will know it is about America itself - deeper than any issue will ever resonate. Ever. You can argue all you want that this is simply another talking point - patriotism. But then you are once again a simpleton and alone. You have completely lost the chance to be imbued with the poignancy of nationalism, of freedom.

The idea is stronger than any government anywhere at any time in history. And no government can provide for, nor take away, this from you.

Two articles for the week

2008-07-23T14:11:26Z

Two interesting and profound articles:

The Culture of Debt - David Brooks

Eventually, We'll All Hate Obama Too - David Aaronovitch

Predictions amended

2008-07-15T22:00:27Z

Apparently Jim Webb said he does not want to run as VP, and Pawlenty seemed uncertain as well. I can only guess from now on, but if Obama chose Sibelius, McCain would likely choose Elizabeth Dole or Sarah Palin. These are mere guesses.

Digression: I look forward to the day the current administration "pulls back the curtain" to reveal Bin Laden and/or al-Zawahiri as either captured or killed. People would likely be shocked, in denial, complain about why we had been "misled" again, or be indifferent. Then again, the admin may not "play this card," as it could make the battles overseas seem needless.

Personally, I think it would do wonders for the morale of troops and the American people. But I'm no political expert...

Our government is...interesting

2008-06-29T23:03:29Z

Last week, there was a hearing of a House Subcommittee in which certain administration officials (former and current) of the Executive branch were asked about their involvement with drafting memorandi on detainee interrogation and activities at Guantanamo. I found the hearing fascinating for several reasons.

First, the "witnesses" were often very attentive to the details of the questions; their knowledge of law led them to be able to skirt around giving the answers the congress members wanted. (This type of skirting can be seen throughout US history; just make sure the written laws, like the Constitution, have flexibility and exploit that flexibility).

They showed how a leading question will only be answered with the same spin. Although the members of Congress who did the asking may or may not have law degrees themselves, they were "taken to the cleaners" by David Addington, counsel to the Vice President.

Second, certain House members could only cite news articles as the basis for their questions; they would refer to an ABC report or a Vanity Fair article. They should've been more prepared with substantive internal reports, and they should have anticipated answers such as "I don't recall" by obtaining travel logs or other documents. Otherwise, they had little to use against their "witnesses." Possibly this would have been tried and failed under claims of "Executive Privilege," but if the following is any use to us, the House could have cried foul.

Addington piqued my interest in the idea that the Vice President (VP) is a "barnacle" branch. He showed something to the effect that because the Constitution does not explictly prevent the VP from having other powers not enumerated, he cannot be held to the same standard as the executive and legislative branches. He is both and neither, which makes the whole argument tricky.

What is the solution? Congress must seek to define the powers of the Vice President with more scrutiny via an amendment to the Constitution. That is the only way out as I see it currently...that is, until I learn more about legal precedent regarding VP powers.

Finally, the chair should not have let a non-committee member, Rep. Delahunt, ask questions; this became the headline of all the articles and made the whole thing an even bigger sham.

What else happened this week? The administration took North Korea off of its blacklist of state sponsors of terror. This is an incredible turnaround. I am not sure how this can come about without something extremely hidden going on. Consider this:

1) Syria's supposed nuclear installment was said to resemble North Korean design and was possibly funded by North Korea

2) Israel bombs Syria's supposed nuclear installment

3) Syria quickly razes the site

4) ________________________

5) North Korea blows up its own reactor cylinder for world wide media as administration claims the country has been delisted from state sponsors of terror

What happened in the blank? That's what I want to know.

One more thing: my predictions.
McCain's VP choice is likely Tim Pawlenty, Gov. of Minnesota. Obama's VP choice is likely Jim Webb, Sen. of Virginia. Let's see if I'm right after the decisions are made.

McCain should wait to announce at the convention (which, incidentally, is in St. Paul, MN). Obama should not wait at all; he should keep the momentum going now by announcing soon.

Sesame Street DVDs

2007-11-20T21:02:43Z

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/18/magazine/18wwln-medium-t.html

The above article talks about the Sesame Street: Old School (Vol. 1 and 2). It says it's not for children, however; yet in the words of the people producing the DVDs, it is not children but rather "...may not suit the needs of today's preschool child." (emphasis added by me).

I'll give them pre-school. What I think seems misleading at first is that it implies "children" as a whole. The quote was about pre-schoolers...not children everywhere. The article does make up for itself, however, at the end. It stresses that we learned about the simple joys of life and how to live well in a community.

If we don't show our children how life WAS (they make it sound like Sesame Street only shows ghettos and farmers...), 1) how will they know what was in the past (or else be doomed to repeat it), and 2) how will they know what is reality? I shudder to think ANYONE believes in so-called "reality" shows, but I'm sure the candy-cane upbringing makes some think they are unscripted. (This sounds like the debates people had about wrestling when I was younger.) It is all staged, people. Just talk to any one of the 20 groups hired for "America's Got Talent." They'll tell you how it works.

I watched old segments of Sesame Street taken from Noggin when they showed the old episodes. Sure, I was indeed surprised to see songs about riding on the subway (kids? alone on a subway?), or the shady character who asks, "Psst! Hey kid! Do you wanna buy a 'U' ?" But it was a pleasant surprise; I was glad that they were made because real-life was celebrated by the early CTW and Henson crews. They gave something for both the kids and the parents, and they showed things like gluttony (Cookie Monster) and sloth (Oscar) through abstract, furry character puppets. Henson and Oz were never above making a double entendre.

But the thing that I think is most important is that as kids, you know nothing of this stuff. You just watch and enjoy. You learn letters. You count numbers. You hear songs about rubber duckies and dancing like a pigeon. If you take such innocent fun and joy away from both the kids AND parents, the world will seem bland, functional, and two-dimensional.

Come on...let 'em have a cookie every once in awhile.

CNN Democrat Debate in Las Vegas, Nevada

2007-11-17T22:56:53Z

On November 15, a presidential debate was held in Las Vegas for the candidates from the Democrat party. I watched the entire thing. Afterwards, many bloggers and pundits discussed who "won" and who "lost." Some talk about Hillary hitting a home-run. Some say CNN was biased in its questioning, went easy on her with questioning, and had stacked the post-debate coverage (with two former Clinton advisors).

1) If you want the Fairness Doctrine, go and get it. Might I suggest instead the following: if you find that a tv or radio network is too biased for your tastes, change the channel. By now, we must realize that certain networks will tend to have a certain bias, as none of them have to adhere to a Fairness Doctrine (because there isn't one as law) currently.

2) As some candidates point out (usually in a roundabout way), they are not getting equal time. Once again, no Fairness Doctrine in effect. You are not guaranteed equal anything. I bet the networks are giving certain people the most air time for "star power value," as well as to push public consensus toward needing "equal time for all." Same as before: change the channel. Find another source...one other than a major network, if necessary.

3) Since the debates are "shows" put on by networks with biases, simply go to the candidates' websites and read up on their views. It is an untimed, comprehensive account of their views. Take the time to compare if you so choose.

4) The President can only get things done with the help of Congress. We should be having Senatorial and Congressional debates as well (notice I did not say they should be required to get equal time...just that if they want to voice their opinions, I think they should organize it if they so wish).

At this point, I am NOT for a Fairness Doctrine. I listen to talk radio (which often swings too far right for my tastes), but I also listen to the other side through tv talk shows, debates, published articles, their personal websites, etc. I should be able to choose AND evaluate (weed through the fluff from) my sources, and I do.

All this in mind, so far, I am leaning toward Fred Thompson, Joe Biden, and Mike Huckabee as strong candidates. Why such a spread (Dem and Rep)? Because they actually have plans that have a possible reality. They don't start spouting about offering everyone this or that without saying HOW....

Joe knows the parties have to work together, holds a vast knowledge of the Constitution, and truly earned his foreign policy experience (he claims he has 35 years experience total, which was the same number given by Hillary. I don't know how she can convincingly back up that number for herself.).

Fred knows the tax system needs overhauling and that state's rights always trump. Mike knows that we don't have a health care crisis - we have a health crisis.

Though doubtful it would happen these days, I dream for a two-party ticket.

It is also our senators, like John Warner, Joe Lieberman, Chris Dodd, James Coburn, and others who make me proud to be in America; they are the people I really admire - those who can we work together despite different views and craft new things. (Note: Coburn may be unknown to many, but I mention him because he is looking to cut out frivolous spending by BOTH parties - the so-called "pork.")

Winner? The closest to a "win" would be anyone who answered the questions AND had solutions: Joe Biden. The loser: me, for having my time wasted by CNN.

Post-post

2007-01-16T20:29:05Z

Firstly, thank you to all who post on LJ. It is so nice to read what you all are up to these days, anywhere from Texas to Australia. Everyone seems to have awesome stuff going on, so it's nice to hear about it.

Secondly, the sessons I noted as happening in December were incredible. Josh Hanlon had some amazing arrangements and we were able to do take-after-take to hone the performances. I cannot wait to hear the final product.

Stockton's project was also fun. The arrangements were top notch, and I really enjoyed getting to play with the old group and Maynard alums again. David Braid's work with piano and Rhodes was phenomenal.

Speaking of Rhodes, there is supposedly a new model coming out at NAMM. I still love my Mark V, and the new one is probably too expensive anyway.

See you all out there in the world!

Who is your teacher?

2006-12-08T15:54:41Z

Catch-up

2006-12-04T14:40:15Z

I have not posted in awhile, but I feel that now is a good time to play "ketchup."

Sadly, my tour with Maynard ended late August when he passed away from an infection. He was 78. It was a wonderful time for all of us to be a part of his band, and he will be greatly missed. I won't write a long memorial as my other bandmates have, as they said everything that could be said about Mayn's musicality, generosity, and vitality.

So, I am now teaching in Flower Mound on Thursdays at Lonestar Music Academy. Otherwise, I am persuing research and various gigs on my own.

I had some really interesting (but fun!) gigs this past weekend. I played once again at Rough Creek Ranch below Glen Rose, TX. It was my first time with the singer, but I had done a gig with the guitarist a couple years ago. They were a real dynamic duo and made for a good time. Then Sunday night I was in Garland for a Christmas Jazz celebration. Again, I was made to feel at home and got the chance to do my thing.

The bass book is coming along slowly, as is the Roebling research, but neither is intense right now. The priorities this time of year are all the gig and recording work that is demanded. This week I will be recording with Josh Hanlon, amazing pianist and very learned musician as a whole. Next week, I'll be in the studio with Stockton, Ken, Noel, David Braid, Steve Wiest, and Chip McNeill. Insane.

Brief

2006-02-10T04:48:27Z

I only have a little bit of time to write in the hotel this eve. We are leaving at 3am to head to Evanston, IL. We left at 3am last night from Denver to where I am now, Lincoln, IL.

I got to walk through the Uni. of NE today. Really nice campus. I don't know much about the school, but I'm sure it's fun there - just like so many other schools. The Nebraska History Museum and Archives were quite interesting.

So far on this tour, Sandy City, UT, is the most beautiful place I've visited. I got to walk on a horse/pedestrian trail alongside a gorgeous mountain view. I definitely want to go back!

Hillary King

2006-01-18T01:16:24Z

It's amazing how Hillary Clinton is trying to impassion people against the federal government due to its response of the Katrina aftermath, and yet these people may be influenced enough to vote for her to be a part of...that same government.

She says that the House of Representatives "has been run like a plantation, and you know what I'm talking about." How many people in Harlem, where she was speaking, have lived on a plantation? Did Hillary live on a plantation??

The final quote from the RNC spokewoman says it all: "On a day when Americans are focused on the legacy of Martin Luther King, Hillary Clinton is focused on the legacy of Hillary Clinton."

Piano

2006-01-16T20:43:36Z

Here we are. The piano bench is included - the monitor underneath the piano is not.

Update

2006-01-16T16:24:24Z

The next tour starts January 24 in Seattle. I can't wait to go there - I've not been to most of the places we perform on tour, and this is one of them when I'll have lots of free time. Any recommendations as to what I should see? I usually don't have nights off, since that is when we perform, so it should be something that could be seen during the day.

I am also (still) engaged in a study of Washington Roebling. I was hoping to view the microfilms from Rutgers this past weekend, but I've had no indication that they've arrived yet. And I only have so much time before I leave....

I have a 6' 3" baby grand piano that needs a home! It's in Denton, but it could go anywhere. If anyone knows of someone who wouldn't mind housing it, let me know.

Tour Log 4

2005-11-12T16:39:18Z

October 25, 2005

It’s raining like crazy, and it shows very little signs of letting up. Jamie and I walked over to a nearby shopping center, and it had so many little eateries (a health-food-conscious person would enjoy the cuisine). We ended up walking around the entire complex. As we were rounding the last set of buildings, I found an umbrella that someone had thrown away. After inspecting the damage it had sustained, I determined I might be able to salvage it and brought it with us. We settled upon one of the eateries, and I began to fix the umbrella; I didn’t do too badly but the piece still required better work – some of the rods had been broken slightly, preventing them from staying straight out when extended. Anyway, I waited for Jamie outside while he tried to get something else at the eatery. The guy who was running it began to talk his ear off while I was beginning to freeze outside. The cold became too much after awhile, and I began to walk back, Jamie coming up soon to say the guy was talking forever. Back at the hotel, I thawed out and just relaxed. The World Series game was on and was another nail biter! Morning leave to a destination far, far away….

October 26, 2005

I wondered how the management was coming up with the leave times and mile numbers they were, but I am not paid to do their job, I guess. Needless to say, we were late in getting to Buckhannon, WV. And even so, the hotel was not ready with the four rooms we needed upon our 2:30 pm arrival. There had been a snowstorm, supposedly, caused by the remnants of Hurricane Wilma and had knocked out power to many residents. However, everywhere we went the power was on. I held off on taking and shower and boarded the bus, ready to go to our venue. The high school was very accommodating, the food was excellent (I stocked up on what we could fit on the bus), and the students were really intelligent (esp. the drummer, who knew about UNT, Ed Soph, and could really play jazz styles well). Even more amazing was the record collection in the band office. It was full of jazz records (small groups, big bands, Blue Note, and Maynard!). No wonder these kids know what’s up – the director knows his stuff. All the stereotypes of West Virginia, which I don’t take as gospel anyway (because I’m biased – my mom was from there), were soon thrown out the window for the skeptics. I didn’t do all the things on “Chameleon” that I would’ve liked to have, but everyone enjoyed it nonetheless. I will definitely work on getting some new things under my belt for future gigs. Once again, since it was a high school, many autograph requests ensued for us all. Quickly to hotel and then on the road to Memphis.

October 27, 2005

Again, we’re at an Extended Stay, my least favorite of the hotels (unless you’re prepared for them), but there is a great difference this time. In addition to being somewhat prepared for them, we are near shops, a mall, restaurants, etc. And they all within walking distances. Although we have no gigs scheduled for this area, we are stopping off for some free time. Ed lives in Memphis, so he will be going home for the next couple days. Our hopes of bus exchange were shattered; although Florence, AL, is very near, no bus exchange occurred. However, I believe John did eventually take the bus to get the wheels polished (so I heard anyway). I wish it had been to get a new bus; I say this only because I know first-hand that the exhaust problem is very bad and unhealthy for us all (gas fumes are overwhelming when we idle and the generator is on). I believe John has been turning the generator off when we stop now. Anyway, I made my way over to the shopping centers and the mall. I didn’t get anything but I had a great time walking and looking things over. Supposedly we have another day of this doing nothing tomorrow. At least I can get some exercise in.

October 28, 2005

Another day off in Memphis (or should I say “way outside of Memphis – enough to make it prohibitively expensive to try to get there that I won’t pay for a cab”). After doing some laundry, I walked over to Chili’s and had some food. I checked out a local sports store for prices on North Face jackets and baseball equipment. Nothing suited my fancy. So I walked back to the hotel to vegetate, trying to kill time before our 3 am leave. I fell asleep at some point for a couple hours, but I knew it’d probably be best if I waited to sleep on the bus. So I killed some time at the hotel, watching TV and generally resting ( again, always a dumb idea – why lay down now when you’ll be having to lay down for who-knows how many hours).

October 29, 2005

I got on the bus about 1:40 am, and eventually people started getting on. As we left, I noticed we were short several band members. Jamie reminded me who we were missing, and it was supposed that we would be going to pick them up somewhere. I felt this was not cool: so what if you’ve been in the band or you’re with the manager – you’re not any more special than any other member, in my estimation. My anger subsided shortly after we picked them up. Apparently, Ed had made some barbeque ribs and kielbasas at his place. When they boarded the bus and we began moving again, I smelled the sauce heavily. At some point soon after, I heard Stockton calling my name. I looked out and he said, “Barbeque. Come on.” So I had some of that, including some of the jambalaya that Ed had made (very spicy). This was not a good idea: eating spicy food before laying down…again. I was ok, although I kept waking up during the trip, but this was due to the very bumpy roads we encountered (Louisiana – never a surprise to me). So off and on I slept until we reached our destination: Paragon Casino. So my feelings about these places are no longer positive, but I was pleasantly surprised at what I found. This casino is a little more bustling than the Vegas ones, and now that we know more about the games the enjoyment is a little greater. Once again we got meal tickets to cover our food expenses; we even got neat lanyard tags that they made up for our show (Mayn’s picture and ALL ACCESS with the casino name – pretty cool). After just laying immobile in my room for awhile in the afternoon (I was just so tired from having not slept well on the bus), I watched Matt win and lose and win at Blackjack. I went to a buffet. I heard a little bit of the groups that were playing at the shows. Although it’s smoky and full of casino players, everyone seemed less zombie-like, as they did in Vegas. I got some food to go late night returned to my room to veg some more. Tomorrow will be an early start for us all, as the show is at 5 pm (way earlier than normal) and so all the pre-show activities are bumped earlier as well. 9 am for crew, 11 for band, 3 for sound check, etc.

October 30, 2005

So begins the early day, and yet it quickly turns into nothing. Now, I had been using my computer in the morning but I thought the hours on the computer were still one hour behind (since we had been in the Eastern time zone for so long). I forgot that it was Fall Back, so I walked out with all of my stuff. Thankfully, I ran into Mike and Jeff, the latter reminding us about the time change, allowing us to feel better about getting some more rest. Eventually, after many false starts, we found out that sound check would be at 1 pm. So I go and check out the concert area – a really large performance hall with lights hung on scaffolding that surrounds the stage entirely. One guy, who seemed like a venue boss, was very accommodating, inviting me in to see what all would be setup. I came back later with my bass and was hanging out while they focused lights and tuned the piano. Stockton and I are getting quite unnerved by all the piano tuning, as we have to practice during that time because we have no other time to do so. Thankfully, I can practice unpowered, so I did what I could. After sound check, we used some food cards and got something to eat – I got an extra shrimp po’boy for after the show. The show went well; Boss blew them away. Afterward I saw my friend Randy Babin, a trumpet player and lab band director at UNT, who came to see the show since he is from Louisiana. It’s always nice to see a familiar face, kinda like I did when we were in Mesa, AZ. Unused meal tickets were used when possible, and we were to hit the road at 12 am to head to the Florida Keys.

October 31, 2005

Ed informed me that despite the long journey to the Keys, Maynard doesn’t like being on the road after dark on Halloween (he said it’s Mayn’s least favorite day of the year). Apparently there is some history there of which I do not know. So this was to be one of the long treks, and it was indeed. Card playing, movie watching, and much sleeping took up the entire trip. When we finally did get to the hotel in Islamorada, it was completely dark outside. We found out that the islands had lost power due to an accident and/or from a storm, so we just hung out on the bus and watched the Steelers game until the lights came on. When they did, BD was still running around and eventually got Cuban food for everyone. Mike checked us in to this place which was like any other run-down motel shack. I’m just thankful for shelter. When I got off of the bus, it was so humid – I haven’t felt that feeling for awhile. For something to really feel humid to me, I have to feel like I’m swimming in the air and breathing water – and that was what it was. Some of the boys went to some club very nearby, which was having a Halloween celebration of some sort. Since I had no costume and was totally tired, I hit the hay after a nice shower and some book reading.

November 1, 2005

All-Saints Day, and the band is heading to it’s several-day shelter up the road in Key Largo. Our stop: Mariner’s Club Condos. This place was crazy – an about-face from the place we stayed last night, which yielded stories of ants crawling and other assorted grossness. Here: flat-panel TVs in the living room, a fully-stocked-with-appliances kitchen, a dining area, separate bedrooms that each have their own bathroom, an extra bathroom, master bedroom with master bath (garden tub, etc.), a patio facing the marina, etc. A real resort for the first time this trip, and probably our only real lavish stay for the tour – so we tried to live it up. I just chilled out most of the day, as I wanted to hang without doing anything too strenuous. I did end up going to the local restaurant at the Marina, and then Mike, Stock, Jamie, and I went on a long walk to some stores up the road and back. I got a water gallon, which is what we really needed: water (so I got it for me!). Stock bought Episode III and wanted to watch it that night. When we got back, I showered, Stock and I ordered pizza, and I managed to break his entertainment center (built from Walmart-like parts: particle board and weak screws). So we watched the movie in our room. For some reason, there was no center channel – the most important speaker! After that, I went to bed to get ready for our gig the next day.

November 2, 2005

Our destination: Coral Shores High School. We get there and once again, a piano was just arriving and setting up, needing to be tuned, etc. Plus, there was no help, as per rider instructions. So we had to wait to unload and ended up getting quite backed up in our schedule due to their lateness. This put practice time at almost nil. We did have a nice dinner prepared by some hospital staff, a member of the hospital later telling us about the caterers being part of the nutrition center. Sandwiches were placed backstage for our later after-concert meal (the first I’ve ever heard of that!). There were way too many people with security shirts on; I think BD was probably going crazy having to deal with so many people trying to do “security.” I heard one lady telling someone, “Ok, now you will watch the bus. Make sure no girls get on the bus.” Who is she to be doing security, first of all, and secondly, who is in charge of the bus? We are. We don’t need any more chefs in our kitchen. We can handle a lot ourselves because there are so many of us in the band – it’s not like it’s just Boss. Anyway, afterward we got driven to a bar where we were to mingle and drink. I only did the former, and even then only very slightly. Nobody really knows who I am – they know Mayn and the drummer, at most. So Ed finally brings the bus around, we board, and head to our lavish abodes once more. The new schedule: we leave at 2 pm tomorrow instead of tonight.

November 3, 2005

After chilling out at the condos for as long as possible, we eventually get on the road with Ed at the wheel (scary, scary stuff). I tried to sleep as much as I could, but it can be hard with all of the jostling. I also found that I was getting far into my book, East of Eden. After falling asleep off and on, I awake to find that we are stopping at some truck stop in GA. We all get out, walk into the building, and it says, “Food Offering: Coming Soon.” Here we are, hungry as an MF, and there is no dining whatsoever. I had been holding off on food, thinking we would’ve stopped soon. Ed not only pushes himself, but he pushes us AND Mayn, which in itself is the worst of all. Poor Mayn had to wait to get his food. How can you make a 77 year old guy wait to eat and go to the bathroom like that? So we quickly pulled out of there and went to another stop (heading in the other direction, where all the restaurants were the first time, I might add), but he gets BACK ON THE INTERSTATE! Argh! What the f? We end up at some other stop with a Steak and Shake® and Subway®. I’ve had enough Subway®, since that was the staple the first part of the tour. So I go to the Steak and Shake®, where I had spaghetti with chili meat and cheese and onions on top. This was the greasiest food I’ve ever seen, and I wish I hadn’t eaten it. I ordered a salad to go, which would come in very handy later (as I suspected). Here it is, 11:30 pm in Brunswick, GA, and I’m eating greasy food with Maynard Ferguson inside a Steak and Shake® – not glamorous. Stock and the others were gonna watch Episode III™, but I’ve had enough of that movie. Since we are essentially forgoing a hotel stop tonight, because we stayed our extra day in “paradise,” it’s all bus, all night, all day tomorrow. Joy….

November 4, 2005

Again, bus day. I slept what I could, when I could. Some of the worst pieces of sleep ever, but it gets the job done: pass the time. We eventually get to Doylestown in the mid-afternoon, but since DST has ended the amount of daylight shifts earlier. With little light still hanging around at 4pm, Jamie wanted to hurry and hit the downtown area as soon as possible. We walked into downtown Doylestown and we saw some awesome brick buildings, a record shop, several neat restaurants and clubs, and lots of young people. We also stumbled upon a train that is probably one of the ways to get to Philly. Anyway, as we circle back around we eventually meet up with Stock, tell him about some of the shops and clubs (he was at the Gap). After perusing for food, we ended up at a B. Maxwells, which had many options for vegetarians. In fact, I had a vegetarian quesadilla. Later, all sorts of high school age kids are milling around, some setting up instruments outside for performances. I heard one group that had a pretty decent bassist for high school age people. When I came back by after they had finished, I met several of the parents who said I should meet the bassist. He turns out to be KEN SMITH’S SON! His name is John (maybe Jon), and he attends the School for the Arts in Philly. I couldn’t believe it when I said I play a Fodera, the response was, “Oh yeah, Vinnie Fodera. My dad used to employ him.” I about fell out because I knew that meant he was Ken Smith’s son. Crazy small world. Jamie and Stock stayed at a bar that I briefly visited with them. I took some time out to call my brother, who is showing up for tomorrow night’s concert. Stock left and met up with me, we went to another club, they were playing lame stuff, so we walked back to the Courthouse Motor Inn. Tomorrow is a high school show – I like those.

November 5, 2005

With today being the show date at Central Bucks West in Doylestown and my brother coming into town, I called him up to let him know what we were doing for the day. Arriving at the high school, we had to maneuver into a tight construction area near a renovated part of the auditorium. Thankfully we didn’t have to contend with a piano tuner, so Stock and I got to set up and practice. Stock was outside when people started setting up the cymbals, so I ran out to get him; I knew they would put them on all the wrong stands and use cymbals he probably wouldn’t be using. We go to play through tunes, which we have missed being able to do for awhile. There was much focusing of lights, and when they tried to retract the lighting back up to the ceiling, one bar of lights was tilted. I’m not sure if it was a weight issue, but BD assured me it was a “dumbass” issue. Seeing my brother in the wings, I jumped off the stand and went over to talk with him during a rehearsal break. His ride down didn’t take too long from Bethlehem, but he was worried about his car not starting as he thought he could need a jump later. Nevertheless, he got to partake in our dinner, and he later introduced me to a colleague from Moravian, his partner, and father. Apparently his father once toured out of Redding, PA, across the Northeast over to Cincinnati playing piano in the 40’s and 50’s. The show went well, but I wished I had soloed better. Things in my solo don’t sound like they did that night in Las Vegas, but I hope to work on it to get it back to that level. Afterward I got to talk with Sean about how things are going in PA, and he got to see our bus – the terrible accommodations on the road (for now). Since the next destination is so close, we won’t have to leave until tomorrow morning.

November 6, 2005

We headed to Spring Valley High School in NY, and it was one of the seemingly-less-fortunate schools we have seen so far, although not totally run down or anything. We had a clinic scheduled that day – one for critiquing only – and we were in for a big surprise. When we got there, some kid was trying to tell Ed where to setup, but he already knew where to go. The stage was tight, but we managed to negotiate the stage sets that were probably there for some theater production. Due to the clinic, we were unable to practice until afterward, and even then it was very little. We heard a little group jamming on a Chuck Mangione. I’m sure we would’ve preferred to hear a different song, but since it seemed like a small group was only jamming it seemed harmless. It turns out that this was the group that we were to hear. They were later called the hip-hop jazz group, which they really seemed to be – a small jazz combo versus a big band. The drummer was once again stuck in a corner, far from the rest of the rhythm section, and the horns were not in any definable section – trumpets sat beside saxes, who sat beside baritone horns, etc. Poor kids – their only sheet music were lead sheets from Aebersold or the real book, and all horns played unison. They’d play a head twice and went to solos, which were extremely energetic but totally full of blues scale runs and little listening, it appeared. There wasn’t a whole lot we could say or do for them, but thankfully the rhythm section was grooving a lot. Mayn jammed with them and did what he could – comment on how good the feel was. For the show, the kids played the same tunes and then we did our show. The food was several containers of pasta, which were so good and so plentiful that they would still be with us a week later, which I never would have foreseen. The kids were all very nice; despite the conditions of the school, materials, and instruments, they were making due with what they had. It really made me step back from my UNT training and life of luxury to reexamine how most kids learn music in some of their schools.

November 7, 2005

Today I get to spend my first birthday while on tour, and it is a day of travel back to the Cleveland area to prepare for the next day’s country club gig. I knew my first stop would be to the T-J Maxx, because I needed to get an ionizer. Stockton had gotten one, and I was reminded of the time we had one at our house when I was a kid (to clean contaminated air). Since our bus air is pretty contaminated, Pat, Stock, and Reggie had them, and I knew I could get one at T-J’s because I’d seen them there before. So I ran over to the store, then to CVS, then back to the hotel to maybe chill out a little. Eventually I did some laundry and Stock and Jamie took me out to dinner at Caribbean Breeze. All in all, it was a very uneventful day, but it was nice just to relax.

November 8, 2005

Jamie and I were up at a decent hour before leave time for the entire band, as the country club is in Akron. We walked over into a little neighborhood, the trees still holding their leaves just barely in most areas but very autumnal and beautiful. It was nice to get out of the hotel and try to do a strenuous walk. I also got to hear about Jamie’s military career (reserves). Back at the hotel we packed up our gig stuff and headed to Akron. The country club was very “woody,” like many are, on the inside. When we showed up, again someone was tuning the piano. Stockton began to tune his drums, and the guy said, “We can’t tune both at the same time.” Stock said, “This is my time to tune my drums. I don’t get any other time. It’s not my problem.” The man responded, “You’re right.” The dispute was settled by Ed, who said “let him tune the piano.” But still! This is something we need to remedy in the contract, which supposedly only states, “The piano must be tuned the day of the show.” This is not a good idea; we need it in tune when we get there so that we can tune to it. If the school in Doylestown, which had it tuned at 7:30am the day of show, can get this right, why can’t a country club? This club also had pictures of all its presidents of the past, and these included such esteemed persons as H. Firestone and C.C. Goodyear. This was a pretty cool thing to know going in, but supposedly we were only going to be playing for the club’s members. As it turned out, the audience did include some kids from a high school between Cleveland and Akron, and they were very enthusiastic about the show afterward. Of course, they were all waiting to meet Mayn. We got on the bus, headed back to the hotel in Cleveland. Unfortunately, Reggie forgot to load the meat pasta, which I had reminded him about that night, but thankfully I loaded the pasta we had in our fridge because otherwise we’d be without any food for the band on the bus trips.

November 9, 2005

We headed to Boston, and this would be my first time at a Doubletree, in Massachusetts, and in Beantown. We traversed Massachusetts on the Mass Pike, and I was glad I woke up as we were first entering the state on the highway. I wanted to see what MA is like, and since the road covers the state from east to west, I got to see a lot of the…side of the interstate. Trees were still holding fall leaves, and it was quite pretty. I was feeling kind of ambitious, so I walked instead of taking the complementary bus shuttle to the town. I walked along the Charles River, passing Boston University, crossed over Massachusetts Avenue, and ended up at Berklee College of Music. I walked around one of the buildings and saw a sign for Terri Lyne Carrington’s office. I didn’t know she was teaching there, but she actually came out of her office door and I ended up talking with her briefly. She said she flies a redeye to Boston Monday nights, teaches T-TH, then flies back to L.A. for the weekends. Crazy. I left the school, passed the First Church of Christ, Scientist Mother Church, BSO Hall, New England Conservatory (which I couldn’t really figure out – I wanted to see if I could find Schaphorst, but the campus was confusing). I had some Au Bon Pain, then it was off to find the Museum of Fine Art. Apparently I hit the museum at the right time – Wednesday nights are free, and I was lucky because it normally costs $15 to get in. I saw the Geo. Wash. painting that the dollar bill portrait is based on, many J. S. Copley works, a H. Bosch triptych, several Rembrandt, a de Witte painting that Sara included in her thesis, and many, many others. Upon leaving, I had to go through the rain along the Fenway, passing Boston Conservatory and eventually getting back to the hotel. I was SO worn out – my legs were barely carrying me back. Thankfully the rain ended along the way, but I was still wet and cold. Jamie had supposedly done a similar thing, but he had gone all the way into the downtown – wow. We had a dinner at the hotel, which was pricy, and then it was off to bed. Tomorrow night we play at the club Sculler’s, which is actually on the second floor of the hotel. It’s always nice to play at the hotel where you are staying because you can take your time and relax more before the gig.

November 10, 2005

Although Jamie and I were attempting to go to sleep at a decent hour in order to wake up with enough time to be touristy, we slept until about 11 am. All was not lost, however, as we got dressed and ate quickly. We walked over to Harvard Yard and Square, very scenic with all of its brick buildings, history, etc. When in the square, we saw the Dewey, Cheetham, and Howe inscribed on a window – I wonder if this is where Car Talk Plaza is, figuratively speaking. We also went by the law school so that Jamie could have a picture of himself at Harvard Law. We also traversed through the music building, the only so-noted music building we found (near the Science Center), and we took a picture of myself by Ingrid Monson and visiting professor Chris Washburne’s door. I was surprised to see that Chris is there teaching this semester, as he is normally in NYC. We hurried back to the bus, got some food, found out that a Celtic group was visiting (they had very nice buses), and John was onboard to move the bus close to hotel for loading. Jamie helped him get oriented toward the hotel, and then he had to maneuver back into a narrow loading area. The only problem was that he had to forward into a “Do Not Enter” area for taxi exiting. No one blocked their exit, so we were having to contend with a bunch of people exiting. What an ordeal. Next it was practice and sound check time, which went alright (for a club setting, which I am beginning to dislike more and more). Long story short: I will ask for in-ears almost any time that I can from now on. The gig was ok: rough first-set, fun second-set. Jamie went to Boston to hang with the Irish as I stayed back at the room to try to sleep, an attempt that was not successful until 3 am.

Tour Log 3

2005-10-28T01:01:35Z

October 13, 2005

Jamie told me that he had a much better experience getting into Ames on foot. He took a route on 13^th Street and then turned on Duff; I had taken Dayton down to Lincoln Way. The good thing is this: next time I am here, I’ll know. So tonight is the show in Ames, IA, which will be at an auditorium. Plus we are supposed to meet Matt Keller, who runs the Maynard Ferguson Tribute page website, a main source of M.F. info for fans. Tonight’s food was a beef concoction that was divine, served with rice, salad, etc. Top-notch for sure – I’m just happy I don’t have to pay for food. The auditorium was not new but still pretty nice: decent stage, different gyms for sports, etc. Deli tray – check. Good food for dinner – check. The show went pretty well – I met a couple of bassists and gave them the CD. I hope that some good will come from handing out the CDs; I just hope they listen to them and find something to their liking.

October 14, 2005

This is first time I’ve awakened to find ourselves at the hotel the next morning. It was only around 10:30 I thought, but apparently we had rooms ready by about 11. Ed came on, gave out keys, woke up the boys in the bus, etc. This was a Holiday Inn, in Elgin, IL. This was not part of the schedule originally, as we were to stay at a Marriott, but the hotel was 1) too far, and probably 2) too expensive for two nights. So Stock has to wait yet another day to get his CDs, which are at what is now the next hotel. This hotel is nice – the internet works better than any other wireless I’ve tried at all the hotels combined so far. We did production leave and hung out before the clinic, which was just a listening/critiquing session – my first one with this band. I just hung out beside the bass and listened. Declan, I believe was his name. He tended to rush, but otherwise he played descent things on the samba section (of a Mike Steinel chart!). Stock mentioned I should jump in on the instruments anytime, but I know what that felt like when I was younger and had a group come in – “you’re just trying to show off,” or “why should you play – you’re the one that should be instructing, not performing!” I am trying to be careful about how I handle this, esp. tomorrow when we have another one of these. Food was supposed to show up at 6, and when it arrived at 6:30 Ed was not happy. Plus, the food was very simple, which I didn’t think was a problem. The other members didn’t agree, but I kept my words to myself – I’m just happy to get food for free. During the show, a little baby made some singing noises during a quiet solo time by Mayn, and he waved his hand into the audience like he was waving to the baby. He made baby sounds on the horn when the child made another attempt at sounding tones. Stock is still not feeling well. Since he didn’t have his CDs yet we couldn’t play a song from his record, which sucks for him because he loses money each night he is without product. We went back to the hotel for a nice long sleep, which I will thoroughly enjoy in this hotel.

October 15, 2005

Knowing that there was no continental breakfast and that leave time was not until 12 (since Lincolnshire is only 30 minutes away), I got to sleep until about 10:30. I took a shower, shave, and hit the bus. We get on the road, and we hit stop-and-go traffic on the highway – apparently some accident was holding us up. So it took longer to get to the school than previously thought. Because of the rush, we head to the school first. The bus generator (known as the Jenny) needed fixed so I went ahead and got everything off of the bus at that point. Mike and I stayed at the school. I got to talk with the band director, Jeff Sleepak, a really nice fellow who was very interested in showing me around and asking me many questions. I’m not used to such attention for sure. Anyway, I got to hear the high school band play some, then Mayn came to critique them. Again, I got to play upright (this time, it was a Zeta bass), and the girl playing was a pretty good player. Her name is Sara (pronounced sär-äh), and she is of Iranian descent. We had a good time talking about bass and playing jazz. Stock told me the hotel sent his CDs back because they didn’t have “his” name on the guest list. He was understandably livid. Food: again, a major disappointment for the band. It was just personal pizzas, which I had no problem with – again, I’m just thankful to be getting free food. When someone mouths off, it makes me think they will remember that and nothing else; if you keep your comments to yourself, then nothing will be remembered but good. The high school jazz band performed well, and the show went really well for us, too, in my opinion. Everything seemed to click and be really tight – tighter than I’ve heard us be since I started. I met a really nice bassist named Vuyani, originally from South Africa and now plays in a couple groups in the Chicago area. Very cool guy! Plus, I got a flu shot for free from a doctor who loves the band, Neville. And Dave Monette, maker of trumpets for Wynton, Mayn, etc. wants to learn bass! So I hooked him up with some tips and hopefully will be able to work with him tomorrow at sound check. Crazy!

October 16, 2005

Another interesting day on the job. We arrived at the hotel in the morning and again I am awake to get keys earlier than many. This is a Holiday Inn Express, known for its hot cinnamon rolls at the free breakfast. Anyway, we got in there, got some free internet via wire, and then I headed over to the school. We drove by some really pretty areas – leaves changing color for the fall, apple trees and cherry trees everywhere. There were even some of these trees in the schoolyard. The school seemed pretty nice; although not new, it appeared to be more prepared for our arrival than some of our other venues this trip. We were last-minute scheduled to do a clinic, but since Mayn had already done two in a row, Ed decided only the Nouveau band would do this one. Reggie headed it up, and the kids certainly needed a little instruction. The drum set was too far away from the band, set up in some corner of the room. The rest of the band just didn’t seem into it or motivated. The bassist, Stew, was very nice and a really great player who also gets to perform with the local college band (and he’s only a sophomore!). Stock had a time showing the drummers how they should hold sticks and such; also, their snare drum’s bottom head was destroyed, so no good sound was really possible via the snare. The show that night went pretty well; I played a solo on “Chameleon” that was much better than I usually do. I had attempted to take my time, think of things I was hearing, and tried to play them. I met a bassist named Kara, who seemed like she was on the right track (wanting to play upright as well as electric, interested in slap, etc.). Too bad we just found out that we’ll probably be stuck in this town all day tomorrow, far from anything!

October 17, 2005

Today is my dad’s birthday, so I called him and Helen up to see how things were going and to wish him a happy one. We were indeed stuck in Acme, MI, so I stayed in bed until 9:40, ran out to get those hot cinnamon rolls, and came back to surf the net. I eventually took a shower and chilled out until Jamie suggested we try to get some food to eat. We went to a nearby pizza shop, walking through the rain with Stock, got some food, came back, and then I crashed again at some point. I awoke sometime in the evening, hung out with those two again after getting some food off of the bus (setting off the alarm for the second time simply from shutting the door!), and chilled out until time to leave. All in all, it was an uneventful yet rainy day.

October 18, 2005

This time we end up in the Cleveland area with a free day to kill. Jamie decided to go into the city, calling me after he’d left while I was doing laundry. I really needed to wash certain items that I had neglected to wash because they are 1) new, and 2) black (colors). I ended up washing them with whites anyway, and it really didn’t cause a problem. So the hotel we were supposed to stay in had had a fire. They had redistributed their guests to other hotels with free rooms in the area; lucky us (I say sarcastically), we ended up in an Extended Stay. Ed and some of the others like it because it has a kitchenette. I don’t because 1) little maid service, 2) no free breakfast, and 3) it is for transients who can get an apartment (so they could have been former inmates or sex offenders or whatever). So it sucked. I chilled out in the room and caught up on my net activities and phone calls. When Jamie returned, he mentioned that Cleveland was an hour away (by combo bus and train) and yet it only cost him $3.00! He went to the Rock and Roll Museum, but he didn’t say he was impressed. “If you like guitars and gold records, you’ll like it.” So it was good I didn’t see it, I guess. I’d like to go to the Art Museum, but I believe we have a gig in Akron tomorrow. So I probably won’t have time.

October 19, 2005

The gig in Akron, which was supposed to be a nice private gig at a country club, got cancelled. So now we have another free day in a crappy place. Stock and I walk down to a B&N, Wendy’s, and CVS. Bought some playing cards – Blackjack has become the new thing to play ever since we went to Vegas. The walk outside was nice; I really wanted to get out, get some air, and get my feet moving. I feel so out of shape…I wish I could move my body every day way more than I am getting to do right now. Later on, Stock and I walked over to the Bob Evans; Scott used to tell me about these (he is from Canton), and I never got to go to one until this past summer while I was in Kalamazoo. It sure is nice – I got salmon and rice, which was a nice change from fast food and other junk. Tomorrow we should have a good gig at a club…my first club gig with the group. This means we will get to play two sets, with music that we SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRACTICING BUT HAVEN’T BEEN BECAUSE THEY ARE SLACKERS. Groups: practice your songs before you perform them, even if just a LITTLE bit.

October 20, 2005

Leaving the Extended Stay tomorrow, which at this point will be a blessing. Too bad the gig the other day got cancelled – I wished I could’ve gone to Akron to try something new. I decided I wanted to go walking and only got as far as the Red Lobster nearby. The bus was driving by, John (the driver) waved to get on, and so I did. Ed, Mike, Stock, and I went to the post office. There I saw a girl trying to send a violin case in very little packaging. I asked, “Is there a violin in there?” She replied, “No, no! It’s just a case that ripped on me so I’m sending it back. Are you a musician?” “A bass player,” I said. She was sending it to a Danilo Bostovic in CA. She seemed really cool – I wished I’d told her we were playing in town tonight and to bring all the musicians she could! So we headed back to the hotel, which sucked cause I really wanted to walk that day. Stock and I went to the Red Robin, which I’d never gone to – just another type of Chili’s kind of joint. The gig was at a club in a neat older downtown type area. Setup was easy for Mike, as I was just using my amp (unlike most of the other gigs where there is a sound system I don’t need my amp for). Everything felt really loud, but the guys kept telling me to turn up. The food – mine was chicken quesadilla – was quite tasty. I changed, warmed-up, and we waited on the bus until after showtime. Supposedly, water, which is on the rider/contract, had not shown up so we weren’t playing until it got there. We finally got on stage, later than normal, and played a quick first set (which is supposedly long by itself). On the break, we went out and met some people – this was the first real meeting-of-people I’ve done. I usually feel like I have to pack up my bass (for security’s sake), Stockton’s in-ears, and music. Hopefully, I’ll figure out how to break down and meet people in the future. The second set was kinda crazy, because I’d not really played some of that stuff with Maynard (which is different than just rehearsing it). Plus, there was one tune we’ve never run through that had things missing all over. Thankfully, we didn’t actually perform that one. The night over, we got on the bus, headed back to the crappy place, and I turned in for the night. Nine-thirty leave tomorrow morning to Erie, PA. Getting out of Cleveland will be good!

October 21, 2005

Several hour bus ride and we end up in Erie, PA. First we hit the Zem Zem Shrine, which is the Shriner’s auditorium/meeting hall. We quickly unload some of the stuff and then head to the hotel – the historic Glass House Inn. The sign says, “Travellers Rest 1762,” but I think that it is either referring to things that used to be here or the area itself. Though this looks like some old-school motel, the rooms were really nice, included wireless internet, free continental breakfast, etc. It was threatening rain a lot of the time we were there, so getting wet came standard that night. But during the day, Jamie went walking at a national park. I took some time to catch up on email and chill out until leave. We returned to the Shrine and went straight to dinner – chicken, roast beef (with a lady carving), pasta salad, lettuce-based salad, rice (like the kind I used to make, so I think it was some Lipton’s rice package stuff), and green beans. It was all very good, more than making up for some of the meals we’d been having. I packaged up what I could of the goods and took them to the bus. The opening act went on – Valerie Gillespie, a saxophone player from FL. She played really well, with some choice pop and bebop lines that sounded really authentic and improvised. Apparently, they got started late, so we were late also. She sold a ton of CDs, and many comments were made about why. We got up there and played a great show, with a former trumpet player for this band sitting in near the end. He performed the parts flawlessly, it seemed to me. Afterward, it was back to the hotel to sleep.

October 22, 2005

We left in the early morning to head down to Pittsburgh. This trip didn’t take too long but I was trying to make contact with my family to see if they had plans to see us that night. Turns out that they had called the club but had been given the run around regarding confirmation. Unable to know what was going on (no newspaper advertising, etc.), they decided not to come. I was at first a little mad that the club never gave them a definite answer, but it was all solved later. I would hang out with them the next day instead, and it would be better since we wouldn’t have to deal with it being late, the smoke, club noise, and city parking. We arrived at the hotel that Ed had hoped for, but we had not been booked yet – the company booked us at the wrong hotel. So Ed had to straighten it out; they really wanted to stay here because of the Indian restaurant that was on-site. Unfortunately, this hotel was in the middle of nowhere (becoming a common theme). We get our stuff together and head to the club for a permanent stay through showtime. After a quick sound check with one of Reggie’s friend’s sitting in, we ate wings, French fries, etc., all in all another lame but at least free meal (provided by the club, what could I expect?). The show went really well – two sets, nothing too fancy, and some extremely nice playing from Mayn. He nailed ALL of the high notes, and his solos were quite exceptional (not only for his age but also for how he had been doing up until recently). The show finished, we chatted with some folks, but I was tired. After waiting forever on the bus, Stock and I ended up in a cab around 1:40 am. Turns out that Ed had had some drinks, couldn’t drive the bus, was waiting on John to arrive in a cab, but his cab never showed up. So when ours did, it dropped us off, and John took that cab back to the club.

October 23, 2005

I got to see my grandmother, aunt, and uncle. Though we only got to be together a short time, it was really nice to see them and catch up on things. We went to a nice Italian restaurant, and almost no one was there (since football is like a religion, and the Steelers were playing that day – out of state – everyone was at home watching or at the game itself, I guess) so it was nice for us to talk there. We went back to their house in the north and it was kinda like a homecoming again of sorts; my family has been to that house a lot over the many years. It is always nice to be in a familiar setting that carries so many memories with it. It made me wonder how I would deal with being on a tour if I lost someone else in my family. How would they deal with that kind of situation? I caught them up on the stuff I knew, which isn’t much. My uncle brought me back to the hotel, and I hung out there until bed (somewhat late for our early leave time). Stock and I practiced some blackjack, but other than that it was World Series watching night. White Sox won again!

October 24, 2005

Early leave, so I slept on the bus off and on. It’s nice waking up and being at your hotel. Except today I woke up and heard the bus driver come to the back to wake up Ed. “This hotel doesn’t have any bus parking,” he said. Ed decided to call them. This time they said they had bus parking. We show up and of course they have no bus parking. Now it gets interesting. Ed is trying to find a hotel with 5 doubles and 2 singles really quickly and last minute. Our time is precious cause we’ve got to check-in, then get out to the club to set up and sound check. Dinner was a “buy-out,” meaning we each got $20 to do what we wanted to. I kept my money and ate bus food (I’m a penny-pincher!). The club was a hole-in-the-wall rock club pool hall. Strike 1. I didn’t get to use in-ears. Strike 2. My bass was fed directly from the amp direct out, which, because I wasn’t going through a noise canceller, was plugged into the wall, and the lights interfered, I had a ground hum. Strike 3! The night sucked, we all wanted it over, and people were being sneaky trying to get to Maynard. I wanted out as soon as it ended. To top it all off, it was raining like gangbusters almost the whole time after we sound checked and into the bus ride back. I can tell this won’t be fun at the hotel if it’s still raining tomorrow.

Tour log 2

2005-10-11T23:55:42Z

October 1, 2005

The new driver is very Southern and a little crazy – he certainly drives faster, like Ed. We ended up in Mesa, AZ, not far from our performance area in Chandler, AZ – all of which are suburbs of Phœnix. The drive was absolutely horrible because it was so long. We have some long treks on this tour, but hopefully none of them will come close to this one – over 1,000 miles! And you’re stuck on a bus with the same people! The motel had a pool and it was in the 90’s outside when we arrived around 8 pm last night. We tried to take advantage of the temps, as later in the tour we will be in the Northeast during the onset of winter. The breakfast at this motel was a big score – Best Westerns tend to have great spreads in the morning. I took a few back to the room, and I will definitely take some tomorrow morning when we leave. Laundry was done, but it took forever. The high school setup was interesting. The risers had black paper on them, which was a concern as the drums move on the risers and could’ve torn the paper. The drummer for the high school moved the drums, much to our chagrin. The high school group sounded quite raw, but I keep reminding myself that it is still marching season….

October 2, 2005

A lazy morning leave today, as we only had to run down to the border (AZ-Mexico area). In the past couple days we went from the Rockies in CO to the border with Mexico. Drastic environmental changes for sure. I notice that once we get to the motel (a Quality Inn), there are water bottles in the fridge. I wondered if this was something left by the previous guest or if it was to say, “We’re so close to the border you shouldn’t drink the water.” So I drank ‘em. Jamie and Stock went to a Target, but I decided to chill out in the room for awhile instead. There is a mall down the road and several eateries across the street, along with a bike/walking trail running beside the highway. I wish there were more of these type of trails, as I was able to get in the some exercise just walking around later. The entire band went to a Mexican restaurant that was supposed to be top-notch. This sucked because I was still eating leftovers from Mesa of the same type of food – I felt maxed out on Mexican. The restaurant was indeed nice, but I let the others eat most of my food. I bragged how my bill was only $10, whereas theirs were over $20, then Ed comes by to say, “Don’t pay. Boss is picking up the tab.” Damn. (It was ok in the end. BD picked it up anyway after saying, “Rookie.”)

October 3, 2005

Today’s high school auditorium was very nice – there were two rotating lecterns (closed off) that could be rotated to add seating for the main room. Strangely the school band set up behind the Maynard setup, but it was so they could use their own sound(?). Their band was playing the music of Kenton and Manilow(?). They sounded decent, and they mentioned that they have a show band and a different jazz band at the school. Additionally, their bands get to meet during school, which is something I never got to experience. As always, the kids were enthusiastic and the show was on par. People’s ages difficult to discern – there was a young girl who was actually in college but she looked younger than the high school kids. Some kids kept walking into Maynard’s dressing room – they couldn’t read the signs on the door, apparently. And some lady kept walking around backstage with a seeing eye dog-in-training. It was hectic enough without that! And some admin guy kept talking about his “I coulda played trumpet….” etc.

October 4, 2005

We rode over to Escondido, CA, and the view was really nice. Andrew Fockel drove in from L.A. to hang out and drive us around. We went to a Target, got some food, went to Best Buy, then played Halo at the hotel. Once again I was royally creamed, as those guys can really play that thing. Stockton has always been good, and Fockel has been playing a lot lately with his wife and Luer. This was quite fun – a nice way to waste the day. I haven’t played Halo in a long time, so it was nice to get back into it again. Fockel stayed with Jamie and I on an air mattress.

October 5, 2005

With every high school show, I am more and more amazed at the facilities available to these kids. San Marcos High School was just built last year, and everything about it was so nice. The field was Astroturf, which covers layers of tire shreds, and it always looks new because of its fakeness. However, we played our show in one half of the gym – they might have a theater at the school, but the show may have oversold that venue. Fockel tuned Stock’s drums, and in the process I learned what pitches he tuned them to and how to deal with the fact that the drum tone and the head tone are two different pitches entirely. It’s some kind of relationship – will learn more later. The food was outstanding – lasagna (both meat and veggie varieties), green beans, rolls, fruit, etc. We stole – I mean “gladly accepted” – their gracious gifts of food and placed them on the bus. Playing in a gym is tough because the sound shoots back at you later, but the sound was decently handled by Mike. It wasn’t as bad as we thought it would be. The lighting was simply the stock fluorescent, which Stockton said almost never happens (again, the commonplace statement). Stock sold a lot of CDs, which is good for both of us! This was a benefit for the band kids so that money could be put toward their proposed trip to Australia in 2006.

October 6, 2005

Today we went to Buffalo Bill’s Casino and Resort, part of Primm Valley Casinos, in Primm, NV. This being our stay for the next two days, I decided to try to make the most of it. Since Jamie was in L.A., Stock asked if we could room together on Friday so that Pete could have his girlfriend in from Las Vegas, his home. We walked to the Primm Valley Casino, where the car that Bonnie (Parker) and Clyde (Barrow) were driving in when they were shot resides, along with other related pieces (like Clyde’s bullet-hole-laden shirt). This stuff only took up 30 minutes worth of attention, so we headed into the mall, which was pretty much like any other mall in America. Despite this, I bought two t-shirt at Old Navy for $10. Eventually we decided to eat, myself suggesting that we eat what is on the bus instead of spending more money to buy crappy food. After finding the bus in the back parking lot, we came upon some canopy tents. We found out that there was going to be a race with cars driven by robots, the prize being $2 million from the Pentagon, supposedly, if a car could simply finish the long course. Back at the Casino, we found Matt and Julio at the craps table. We all were learning about the game, and since the stakes were small M. and J. were betting $2 liberally. 7/11 is good by itself, but not after rolling something else.

October 7, 2005

Stock and I decided to try to eat a little food in the morning, then go around to the happening casinos. We ate at Panda Express, which was pretty good and really hit the spot, as I was extremely hungry. We went back over to the mall so that Stock could get a coat he saw at Banana Republic. I ended up trying my hand at some of the slot machines. I made some money then lost it all, which is how it goes for most people. Again, I was only try to win off of $4 or 5, so I wasn’t losing all that much. It was a good experience – to know how people get suckered in and lose tons of dough. Thankfully, I couldn’t really count myself among those masses. Again I suggested bus food, so we found the bus, this time parked on the street and a ticket attached to the windshield. It was very hot inside, so Stock left me to eat the lasagna or whatever I could salvage. This basically turned into a chill-out day. Although we went to Whiskey Pete’s Casino via the monorails, Primm’s was the “best” of the three (which isn’t saying much), and we headed back early from boredom.

October 8, 2005

Since we were only going 40 miles to our next destination, Ed wanted to kill time so that we wouldn’t arrive at the next casino (bleh) too early for check-in. Most of us thought we should head to Las Vegas so as to kill time there. I was for this option, as I’ve never been to L.V. or any of the things there. Too bad I didn’t get to go to the Tom Jones show, which Ed, Mike, Jeff, and Reggie went to last night. To top it off, Ed decided we would kill time at the mall right there at Primm – terrible. So I took this opportunity to get in some exercise at the mall, walking fast the whole time we were there. I felt really proud of this because 1) I needed the exercise, and 2) I was able to keep up my pace and get a nice workout of sorts. Back on the bus, we went the short distance to Santa Fe Casino, which seemed just like the other casinos only with higher stakes per games. We were all given little coupons, along with Ed telling us we were allowed to charge up to $80 per room with them. Stock and I ended up going to eat at the Café, which took forever. Later I got to see the room in which we would play the next night. It’s like a really spacious bar hall, with all the lighting and effects of a dance club. I went to the bowling alley and people watched for awhile. This is one of the areas where kids younger than gambling age are allowed to patronize. I ended up in bed sooner than later.

October 9, 2005

Being without internet for so long has become annoying. Although I don’t have a ton of business to do online, I still would like to use it to check email every once in awhile. Casinos don’t allow internet or free internet (and I haven’t seen an exercise room in awhile) because they want you to gamble. Yet amazingly the drinks are free if you’re gambling (so you can be so drunk as to be unable to make a coherent risk decision). I chilled out until production leave watching the Braves game. It was still going on into extra innings as I left the room. Several chefs in the sound production kitchen made for odd mixing and setup for the evening. At sound check, Stock banged the kick drum hard so that they would mix it down (it was so boomy). They even asked him, “Want us to leave the sub behind you so you can feel the kick?” There were more cable channels on the TV in the green room, and when Stockton noticed internet hubs, I said he should try them out. They were dead. One nice thing: staying at the venue you will be playing at – no rushing to get ready. Lots of tribute page forum members were supposed to be there, but I know none of these people. Scooter and Adolfo were there, but I didn’t get to meet them. The show went pretty well, but since I couldn’t hear any audience noise it seemed like they were digging the bass stuff. So I kept my solos shorter. Mayn did “Caruso,” which is a chart I’ve never heard – just Mayn and Jeff. I had such a headache after the show (I think from squinting from the lights) that I went right to my room and tried to sleep. Everyone else was up and hanging out, supposedly.

October 10, 2005

Not knowing when leave time would be, I called Stock’s phone about 5 am. He was awake and told me that leave was 9:30 am, since the venue was not far away. We got on the bus and headed to Cedar City, UT, which took very little time indeed. Cedar City was so beautiful – colorful mountains surrounding seemingly-new buildings and homes. I wished we could have stayed longer, but unfortunately we are having clean-up rooms today because our next destination is so far away (1,300+ miles). We headed to the school to unload first, which I was told is very rare. Since we lost an hour, we were already somewhat rushed for time. Mike stayed at the high school as we headed to the hotel, where once again we were misinformed about the internet status. Hotels, upon being told their wireless internet isn’t being detected, say, “Call the tech company at ___.” Um, no. That is YOUR job. It’s like if you are a car fix-it shop, and you tell me to call Bosch about their part. YOUR job is to fix the problem because it is YOUR hotel. Next time this happens I will be informing them strongly, as this is unacceptable and false advertising. Anyway, we ended up back at the school, did a quick sound check, and were promptly taxied to Applebee’s. Since I had plenty of food in the fridge, I got my order to go. The show at the school was one of the most fun, as the crowd was very much into the show (cheering for people, etc.). Afterward, tons of kids asked us to sign stuff. Jeff was already back on the bus, watching the football game (what a diehard Steelers fan). Leave time was 1 am, so after my shower I was on the bus by 11 pm, ready to sleep for however long I could; this trek is supposed to be straight to Ames, IA.

October 11, 2005

I awoke around 3:30 am and went to the living area to find Mike, Matt, and Regg hanging out. The bus stopped, guys got out for a sec, the bus driver was dealing with the generator, but we left soon. The gen was turned off, and the satellite got reset. Matt put in the movie, Catch Me If You Can, which I had never seen. It is the story of Frank Abagnale, Jr., a real-life con artist who learned how manufacture checks, feign as a pilot, doctor, lawyer. The movie was directed by Spielberg with music by John Williams. I’d heard of this movie but just never got around to watching it. I had some cereal, felt tired again, and fell asleep again. When I awoke, I came out to the lounge to find we were driving through Wyoming, another state I’ve never been to or seen. Snow was along the sides of the road, and antelope lined behind fences off and on. Although I ended up eating my Applebee’s and then going back to bed, I awoke when we stopped at a Flying J. We all then watched a Family Guy DVD until we reached…Kearney, NE! AGAIN! Same hotel and everything. So at least I know that I can check the internet for all of the emails I’ve missed. A shower and food will be good for the soul….

Tour log

2005-10-01T18:51:04Z

September 21, 2005

Starting out isn’t always easy. Especially when you’re on a tight time schedule. It was this day that I had to get to DFW Airport, pick up a car, load it with all of my musical equipment, drive to OKC Airport, unload, find all my other band mates without a cell phone working, and get everything onto the bus and trailer to head to Stillwater. Needless to say, I did it all. The car was upgraded to an Explorer (without additional charges, since they used this car for interstate usage), and so my worries of not being able to load all my stuff were abated. I met up with several of the musicians who flew in from Pittsburgh, coincidentally enough, so my concern for finding my companions also relieved itself. And despite being grossly overcharged for surcharged gasoline, everything else went off without a hitch.

September 22, 2005

After a nice night in Edmond, OK, we made our way to Stillwater, our first performance stop of the tour. We had to rehearse in the community center, as we were unable to secure rehearsal space in our performance location. The room was a good area in which to learn the music – confined enough to see cues, large enough to move around in. Maynard was doing interviews off and on, but we were able to play a couple numbers with him. Lunch was had at a Café Bella, in an older-looking downtown Stillwater. I found out from Ed, our tour manager (also known as “Big Daddy”), that I should have sent a check and not a “deposit slip” to Ms. Burton for direct deposit (his email said deposit slip, but oh well). So I had to get my account numbers from my roommate. Dinner was at Mexico Joe’s, which was very close to our hotel. There are lots of college students here with OSU in town, and it is at this school where we have our first performance tomorrow night.

September 23, 2005

The show date was interesting. Stock and I left for what is called production leave – the bus and trailer go to the venue with all the equipment to set up early. When the rest of band shows up later (after the bus goes back to get them), all the mics and monitors are to be ready for performance. We are not required to help set up equipment, as the contracts make the venue provide roadies. However, the turnout for help was especially thin. Stock and I practiced different excerpts from some of the charts, and we did this for quite awhile. It is pretty nice to practice certain things with a drummer, as I don’t get to do this kind of thing often – usually there is too many other things going on. When the band showed up, the rhythm section got to try out the in-ear monitor system. It is interesting how this works, but because the mix is mono we can each get our own mix. At the performance, things went really well. Though the crowd was an odd bunch, we did our thing and had a good time. We left later that night around 2 am (although it was supposed to be 2, I believe it ended up being later than that).

September 24, 2005

I woke up early on the bus, and so I went out into the living area to enjoy the passing scenery. Soon Maynard came out to the sitting area, and we began talking. He told of Charles Mingus – how Mingus wanted to get involved in the Timothy Leary’s compound (which Maynard was a part of), how Mingus was living up to his oft-stated reputation of being “wild,” how Mingus pruned trees at the compound, the time Mingus climbed a tree at the World’s Fair and began to prune the tree with a huge knife, the cops being from Alabama in NY as security, Maynard trying to abate trouble, etc. All very interesting. We finally got to the Calumet Inn later that day in Pipestone, MN (some called it “Crackpipe”), which is a very small town. Our Inn held the most conveniently-located restaurant around, so Stock and I ate there (turns out that there was another eatery in the Inn, but we had missed it). I got to see I, Robot on TV, as well as some Fawlty Towers. There was a wedding reception going on next door at an American Legion, which some of our guys attended (they said it was public, but there was no open bar – had to pay for alcohol).

September 25, 2005

Still in Pipestone, with almost nothing going on. Band mates are going through internet/cell phone withdrawal (however, Sprint works here, so Stock and Jamie used my phone to make calls). I truly don’t miss having the net one bit. I’ve had my fair share of using the net all summer, so I’ve done what I need to do. I’m just waiting to pay bills in October. I took a walk around town, as I did yesterday, except that it was misty and drizzling this morning. Hurricane Rita hit the Texas coast, but I was already headed north with the band as it approached the Gulf Coast. The gig was held at Pipestone High School’s auditorium, which was really nice. My school had nothing as good as this room was. The high school jazz band played before us, and they were not very well versed (it could be because it is early in the semester or that the director just doesn’t know what to do). We played our set with the “Rocky” chart as the encore, which included the kids playing with us. Back to the Inn later with a 7 am leave in our future.

September 26, 2005

With an early, cool morning leave, we are headed to Fisher, MN, which is above Fargo and nearest to Grand Forks. Apparently the band played here a couple years ago, and Stock remembers this as being a “gymatorium.” Sure enough, it’s a gym not very conducive to favorable acoustics. This will represent the first of our “hit-and-run” dates, which Jeff calls “clean-up rooms.” The band gets four rooms at a hotel. And instead of staying in them, we use them only to take showers and to use the internet. Our leave time is at night, around 1 am or so. Showers can be had before and after the show. I was already on the bus at 12 am, my sneezing and allergies still bothering me from earlier in the day. Matt had a mother-and-daughter pair who worked at McDonald’s come on the bus for a bit, and he supplied them both with alcohol. The daughter was too young and the mother too irresponsible. Really odd. Also odd is how loud it got later as the other band members got exceedingly drunk yet didn’t close the door to allow Jamie and I to sleep well.

September 27, 2005

Another early morning for me, and Maynard was already out in the living area. We talked about Miles Davis and Irene Kral. I chilled until Ed came out to see about getting new tires for the trailer. The stop ended up taking longer than expected, and we didn’t get back on the road until about 3 pm. Meanwhile, I called home, ate some food, and nodded off again. We finally got to the hotel around 5 pm, and I decided to go exercising. With a leave time slated for 3 am, the tour life is becoming less and less glamorous as time goes by. Since the time was so late…or early…I decided to get on the bus around 10:30pm to go ahead to go to sleep. I figured I got about 4 hours in before everyone else got on.

September 28, 2005

I heard people get on, but I was back asleep soon after I got an itinerary from Ed. At around 7 am, I noticed the bus was stop-and-go for a long time, which is what probably woke me up. I was awake off-and-on until about 10 am (MT time, at this point). We were at a truck stop for several hours, and it was at this time we found out that 1) our bus driver’s father died after a long illness, and 2) we had to have the A/C re-repaired. Around 2:30 am last night, the generator suddenly shut off. Apparently it was leaking antifreeze. So now Ed is our only driver, and he may have to drive from Vail, CO, to Phoenix, AZ, which is over 1,000 miles. And later in the day, it got better. Something was leaking oil onto the rear brake area and therefore that area was smoking (since we were traversing many mountain passes). We drove slowly into Avon, CO, and Ed decided that tomorrow there might not be a production leave. Jamie, Stock, and I ate at a pizza place and I went to bed around 10.

September 29, 2005

Well-rested, I went to see the continental breakfast, which was way worse than the other crappy places we’ve stayed, yet this was the nicest hotel. I ate what I could and took a brisk walk through Avon. All kinds of talk about, “Due to the altitude, you should take your time, drink plenty of water. Alcohol’s effect is increased, etc.” The only thing I noticed was my heart pumping harder after ascending several flights of stairs. Otherwise, I felt pretty good. There ended up being a production leave, but it was entirely different than expected. Stock, Mike, and I rode to Beaver Creek in an Isuzu with the lady of the performance hall driving. She apparently went to high school with Pete F. The hall, the Vilar Center, was very beautiful – probably made to accommodate acoustic music more than our thing. Nevertheless, we had a clinic at 5, dinner at 6 high up in the town (which reminds one of an Alpine village), and the show at 7:30 pm. Just before the show, as I was walking through the town, I saw some deer on a hill right up close to the condos. It was nice to see some wild animals doing their thing. With the great drive in our future, we headed to Denver to pick up a driver, leaving around 11:30 pm.

September 30, 2005

I awoke to the changing of drivers and the almost-routine dying of the generator. At a truck stop at 3 am, very near a factory I saw the last time we were here days ago, Maynard, Ed, Patrick, and our new driver were all attending to their respective activities. I went back to bed after having part of a peanut-laden jelly sandwich (…), and I woke again around 7:30 am (MT) to the last parts of southern CO. Some of the formations in the rocks seem similar to what I’ve seen in pictures of some of the “towers,” like Devil’s Tower. In NM, it is still mountainous of course, but there is a sense of desolation as well. Having been here, I kinda know what to expect land-wise. Again I saw deer (and horses! were these wild?), which makes me think I’ve probably seen more wild deer on this trip than in my entire life. I’ve also seen a lot of housing and setting similar to those in pictures of people living in NM, AZ, NV, etc. Desolate desert with mobile homes (and the homes have a similar design or something – browns and beiges).

Day 1 of tour

2005-09-23T15:20:53Z

So tonight is our first concert on tour. We are in Stillwater, OK, to play at OSU.

We've been keeping abreast of Rita coverage, as well as the JetBlue landing at LAX. We are headed to MN tonight afterward, so the hurricane won't be affecting the tour at this time. However, I am going to try to keep tabs on Denton/Dallas/Ft. Worth, as most of the people I know (and my stuff) are still there.

Traveling by bus should be an experience. Tonight I'll get to have my first sleep in one of the bus bunks.

Reminders (for historians)

2005-09-19T12:29:05Z

For some reason, this story about N. Koreans halting their nuclear program reminds me of this:

http://www.cla.calpoly.edu/~lcall/chamberlain2.jpg

EDIT: SEE? THE VERY NEXT DAY - DPRK wants a reactor from U.S.

Movie Trailer Voice Day

2005-09-14T15:43:19Z

For k8amorella

Seinfeld's Comedian trailer

Don LaFontaine Promo

Hal Douglas Promo

Pablo Francisco making fun of them

No me gusta....

2005-09-09T13:03:56Z

This is something I really don't like.

For the love of... G-d, God, Mohammad, Buddha, etc., please stop allowing this stuff to occur. So what if your "Spanish" networks are beating the others...it's because you're not forcing them to actually become Americans! Stop this cycle here and now!

My Italian and Irish ancestors did NOT come here simply expecting to continue speaking their home language. They learned English, my friends. And I believe this needs to become the official language of the U.S.A. If you don't learn it, "get teh F out."

No comprendo

2005-09-07T16:15:36Z

New Orleans Mayor to Enforce Evacuations.... What? How about instead of thinking of using resources to force people out (which would probably take way more time and effort than is necessary), just let them be and try to fix the city. If they think they can make it on their own, let them do it.

One refreshing quote from this story: "By midday Wednesday, however, no forced evacuations were reported. Police Capt. Marlon Defillo said police were focusing for now on people who wanted to be rescued. And Art Jones of the state Homeland Security Department said the National Guard does not work for the mayor (emphasis added) and has yet to receive orders from the military to force people out."

That's right, Nagin. We've had just about enough from you.

Re: Flood Control: AP story - "The complaints and problems with corps funding go back to the Carter administration, and presidents since then have tried to draw money from the agency's projects to pay for other priorities."

"Soon I will have a new apprentice; one far younger and more powerful."

I'm going to regret this...

2005-09-05T22:34:33Z

I await the day that Jesse Jackson becomes, by his conveniently racist definition, a refugee. Mark my words.

People who seek refuge are refugees. The only definitions I have seen say, "AS IN" a time of war or political oppression, NOT "only in time of" or anything.

If current colloquial definitions define words, then I take offense to the terms evacuee (you didn't actually evacuate - you stayed when you were told to LEAVE) and flood victim (you obviously weren't a flood VICTIM if you survived).

FEMA and all others probably have a plan of action for all types of scenarios, and I'm certain they followed what was written in their procedures (whether or not in hindsight it was right). No one can deliver to a smattering of random houses without being able to get to those houses. The roads were flooded, and the vehicles that could, therefore, be flown in were activated when possible.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-fema5sep05,1,6530955.story?coll=la-tot-promo

Give me a break! In the above interview, Jane Bullock said, "The moment the president declared a federal disaster, it became a federal responsibility...." Wrong again! It means that the federal gov't will give you funds! It's still up to the local authorities to help out.

But one must understand, according to all maps and available data, New Orleans was spared the brunt of the storm. Therefore, the immediate course of action, according to data (remember: there was no communication yet) was probably to send help to the MS coast, the worst hit. MS is, therefore, in more of a stable condition regarding federal help.

N.O., however, flooded. This does not appear to have been prepared for as well as it should have been, but this scenario has been known for many, many years, well before Bush took office. People complain about not being prepared. Well here's your lesson: an ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure. Sure, that means we should've prepared for a N.O. flood scenario (which was probably done with the idea that it would be evacuated, but anyway), but it also means the following:

When someone says to evacuate, then you should leave. Don't tell me you "couldn't" leave: N.O. City buses were taking people to locations, like the Superdome and other shelter areas. Plus, you can get pretty far in 24 hours on your feet. There is no excuse other than "I DIDN'T want to leave my home." Just like now, people won't evacuate, even though they were/are told, "You may die."

HOWEVER, there are instances in which people can't leave on their own volition, like the elderly and handicapped. For those, we must ask why the place where they were (nursing home, etc.) didn't have a plan of action.

Say they live at home. They could have called a cab, etc.
Say they are poor. There are always alternatives - churches, police. Call them! Get in touch with your neighbor to call them. Do something.

The fact remains: when people tell you to leave, then leave! The Lord helps those who help themselves. The Federal Gov't. is not God, and no one should ever expect it to be.

multgrad @ 2005-09-02T16:08:00

2005-09-02T21:08:44Z

Click here.
Take the quiz.
Post your results.
1) Would ihatejazz and crazyconney look good together? hell yeah...two sexy jazzers
2) Have you flirted with zerovector? not that I know of
3) What planet should azhure be from? Alderaan
4) What is _sugarloaf_ allergic to? I have no idea...
5) Which president would azhure be likely to idolize? FDR
6) Where was laurenland born? Somewhere in TX, I guess
7) Is euphonium9 dead sexy? Hell yes!
8) Does midnitevulture6 travel a lot? Yes, esp. with his fam.
9) Is ihatejazz a nerd? Completely :)
10) Is lauronie an emo? Not that I know of
11) What do you agree with bigwehner63 about? Tons
12) Thoughts on _sugarloaf_? Awesome!
13) Does midnitevulture6 have a big secret? Maybe
14) If euphonium9 was a superhero, who would be his/her archnemesis? Lauronie
15) When did you last call azhure? Never
16) One quality you find attractive in bigwehner63? Attention to grammar
17) Is k8amorella 1337? Totally
18) Could you see midnitevulture6 and azhure together? Nope
19) Would you make out with crazyconney? Sure, why not!
20) What would lauronie give euphonium9 for his/her birthday? I have no idea...
21) What do you disagree with midnitevulture6 about? Not much, I bet
22) If laurenland and thelifeofsara were spliced together, what would be its name? Laustafson
23) Has zerovector been to your house/dorm? Nope
24) Does crazyconney drink? Yes
25) Would k8amorella be a better ninja or pirate? Pirate
26) Is yummy_you popular? I think so
27) Is ihatejazz single? Not sure
28) What comic book character would _sugarloaf_ be? Aeon Flux
29) What would _sugarloaf_ do differently in your shoes? Play the bass
30) If laurenland took over the world, who would be happy? All of us kids

"Revenge of the Sith" in Chinese

2005-07-27T12:45:17Z

http://americaninlebanon.blogspot.com/2005/07/backstroke-of-west.html