Bautisaron

My first nephew, Alec was baptized on Saturday. It was really neat. My Dad gave a really neat talk about the mission of the Holy Ghost. And I got to play with my favorite kids in the world.



A close look at this picture will reveal that Analise here squeezed a cream puff and it shot all over both hands. She looked perplexed for a moment and then plowed her face into the stuff.

Just Watch the Fireworks

- Jimmy Eat World

So my 4th of July in Boston was, as the townies would say, "wicked awesome". I tell you, the first time you say those words without any intended irony is a sad day indeed. And anyone who's lived in Boston long enough eventually does.

I had a long and wonderful Findependence Day even if it didn't meet completely with the aforementioned itinerary. It began with a 4:15 AM drive to the beaches of Nahant, a little peninsula of sorts in the North part of the harbor, to watch the sun rise over the Atlantic. Trisha, Michelle, Kirsti, Lora, and I made the journey and were rewarded with a fantastically lovely sunrise.

The Knotting Hill ladies retired to their beds and Lora and I had breakfast at Sound Bites in Somerville. Challa French Toast and Avacado, Tomato, Monterey Jack Omlettes. It was deliciousness.

After breakfast my plan to attend the reading of the declaration and participate in the downtown festivities fell victim to my need for sleep, and I crashed until 1 or so, when I headed down to the ward BBQ at Bishop Hafen's.


I then met up with Tania and friends to grab a spot to watch some fireworks. We waited for several hours, got rained on lots, and had a smacking good time with the growing herd of Mormons gathering in our little spot on the Charles. The Pops were awesome as per usual, and the fireworks were excellent. So many innovations in pyrotechnics... loved the show. All and all I had a fabulous 4th and will remember it for years to come. Just under a year ago was when I first discovered Boston. A year later, I'm understanding more clearly why I'm here.



"I'll stay up as late as it takes. Long as it takes."

There used to be something wrong with my Blog-Clock.

Which I used to explain all the posts made at totally odd times. Well it works now, and still more posts than not occur between 2 and 4am. I stay up late doing who knows what and then I blog. Well, at least I blog. (That was for all the complainers out there.)

I meant to do a post about my new iPhone this week, but I've pretty much showed it off and let everyone who reads this thing play with it already, so instead I'll share a hilarious little spoof I saw on YouTube of Microsoft's new product, set to retail at $9,995.00

Findependence Day

Very few readers will get that joke. And only the ATHF elite will give it the hearty chuckle it deserves.

I have decided that my 4th of July this year is gonna rock. This is the itinerary so far...

1. Wake up very early.
2. Drive to the edge of the Atlantic ocean.
3. Watch the sunrise over said ocean.
4. Eat breakfast at the Talk of the Town Diner in Watertown. (Home of what I have dubbed the "Imbedded Fruit Pancake", and the best tomato-cheese omlette on Earth.)
5. Get back 2 hours of my sleep.
6. Head downtown to Govt. Center
7. Get my freedom on.
8. Butterfinger Tranoli.
9. Bishop's BBQ
10. Fireworks.
11. Walden.

Any additional suggestions for that in between time are appreciated and all are welcome to accompany me on any of the above listed outings.

OK, OK, I did it.

I am on the book of faces.

Cool kids quit their jobs.

Natalie and I both quit our jobs today. Huzzah!

"So uh... that last blog..."

Guess some people were a little thrown by the nature of my last post. These are mostly newer readers. Old readers can no doubt recall I do this textual vomit routine semi-frequently. It's like with the swings (post before last post)... I kinda start thinking out loud just talking and talking until I get to the point which is often a pretty good one. Except on the blog it's typing, which is a little more confusing, cause I suck at typing and think way faster than I type (think Jackie Joyner Kersee vs. Nathan Lane). So I have to go back and correct "wirds snd phtases" and the whole thing is just a bit cumbersome. I usually feel weird about these blogs a couple days later, but in the sake of journalistic integrity, I allow them to remain. Perhaps they give readers insight, perhaps they lose readers, in any case this is more for my sake than theirs (yours), so whatever. I promise the next one will be light hearted, maybe about how I didn't get the job I wanted...

Nah, honking story it is.

She told me with her lips what she wouldn't with her tongue.

I'm really interested to see the comments to follow this blog topic...

So I've been thinking about kissing (Heaven forbid I should be doing any, instead I theorize):

For those who know the tragic tale of the 3 Melissas, this is about the first and worst. This woman is possibly the most responsible for any screwed up perceptions I have on relationships. She's certainly the one I blame.

Anyway, I once invented this game where we would tell each other secrets via kiss. You weren't allowed to say anything or lead in at all, you had to just tell a secret, with kissing as your only mode of expression. To my amazement, we could both do it, almost all of the time. It was amazing. She was so good at guessing that once I threw her a curve ball and she pulled back mid-kiss and said, "you did what naked in High School?" Seriously, it was uncanny. She even told me she was breaking up with me with a kiss. (A particularly cruel method, for the record.) P.S. This is also the girl who honked when she laughed for those who know that story.

Point is, I grew to depend so heavily on this affection, that I've either consciously or subconsciously expected it from every girl I've kissed ever since. I've even tested other girls. No one can do it. So I harbor this little disappointment, and eventually when things aren't going just like I hope, I disengage. Which isn't to say, I break it off; cause honestly, the girls do that more of the time, but I'm convinced it has a lot to do with my unrealistic expectations and this freak girl who could read my thoughts and managed to hurt me more than I'd been hurt before or since. It's a terrible thing to let that keep me from happiness or enjoying who I'm with.

Yes, it was unbelievably cool to be able to communicate like that. And it was really fun to kiss her. But I think I'm done telling secrets with a kiss. I want to tell somebody someday, what isn't a secret to anyone in the world, that I'm totally in love with only her, and say it with a kiss.

The swings made me say it....

Enjoying the swings late at night with a good friend is very theraputic. I find I tend to wax philosophical and dang if I don't say some pretty profound things by the time I've had a good swing...

Don't ask me to remember what I said, something about being ourselves and showing all our plumage and dropping the pretense of who we think we should be around others.

Doesn't sound very novel, I know (and the plumage part is probably downright perplexing out of context), but I swear in the moment it was profound, at least to me... whatever it was I actually said.

It's late and I spent all my brain energy on profundity.
I'm in no state to blog.

Dear New York:

My dear friends in the NYC, I will come visit soon. I am poor. But hopefully in a couple weeks I will be not so poor and we can celebrate not only my being in New York, but my having a fabulous job in Boston. Sound like a plan?

Geez, I Love Church!

"So, how's your ward out there?"
"Perfect."
"Haha."
"No seriously."

Sooo much ice cream. So little tummy.

I had a fun day today. Kristy and I went to lunch at Faneuil Hall and then attended the scooper bowl. Ice Cream abounded. It still runs for 2 more days so get down there and pig out. I fear I ate a bit too much ice cream, but at least I didn't puke it up. Huzzah!

In the House of the Lord...

An oft-quoted charge of President Brigham Young has been resonating in me of late, made to the weary saints as he led them in a hasty and heartbreaking exodus from Nauvoo. He cried in a loud voice above the congregation, "Let the fire of the covenant which you made in the House of the Lord burn in your bones like flame unquenchable." The covenant he spoke of was the collective covenants of the gospel and specifically obedience to the law of consecration.

I seldom have Saturdays off. Hardly ever, in fact, since I don't work on Sunday. So, having this Saturday off was a big deal and honestly I struggled a little as to whether I would spend the precious weekend day at the "Regional Temple Day". I ultimately decided my Temple worship has been spotty at best of late and that I should attend.

Let me unequivocally state for the record that there is absolutely no better way I could have spent my Saturday. I was refreshed and renewed, I was instructed of the Holy Ghost. I was recommitted to the truth I love, and the religion I profess. I have been considering of late, how much Satan wants to keep us out of the Temple. In retrospect I am convinced that my endowment, not my mission, was the vital turning point in my life. I think of how hard the tempter worked to keep me out of the Temple. If he couldn't have me unworthy, he wanted me unmotivated; if not unmotivated, faithless. There is nothing Satan is so jealous of than his power. We are given so much power over him in the Lord's House that he will do everything he can to dissuade us from receiving our endowment. Once we have received it his only hope is to undermine it's value and priority in our life.

Brigham Young's charge is so important, because it lends the most powerful imagery to testify of the absolute significance of what that covenant should MEAN in our lives. It should never stop burning within us.

That Jared is soo hot right now...

The title of this blog's significance is threefold:

1. I really am hot right now. Rachel cut my hair last night. She's worth every penny folks. I'm too sexy for this blog.

2. Rachel administered said haircut whilst watching Zoolander.

3. My job interview went about as well as I could possibly expect. I felt confident and qualified the moment I entered the building. I got along very well with the boss and it sounds like he'll be having me back to talk to the big boss. Thank you every one for your prayers. I'm convinced they did most of the work. I was unspeakably nervous yesterday and today right up until just before the interview. I got there early so I killed the iPod and did a little last minute begging. I immediately felt at ease and really enjoyed the tour and the interview. Whatever happens, I'm really grateful for the divine assistance.

New Job? One can hope.

So, most of you know I'm kinda sick of the job these days... mostly because it has next to no relation to what I DO. I'm a Sound Designer and an Audio Engineer. So I've been looking for jobs. I hate looking for jobs almost as much as staying in a lousy job. However, mine is a lousy job with lousy pay. I've applied to 3 positions of interest and distributed maybe 10 resumes to places I'm interested in. Lay off, I'm starting slow.

So I got a call today from the "Golden Job". This is the one with regular weekday hours (getting my Saturdays back), ample to comfortable salary, and... benefits. I'd like to know that if I needed to I could visit a doctor. Maybe get some help payin' for the meds, you know? I'd like to get my teeth cleaned by an attractive dental hygenist, and maybe have a dentist poke around in my mouth a little, without feeling like I shoulda bought a microphone instead... In this benefitless condition I always opt for the microphone. Always.

Ok, to the point... Prayer. Yours. For me. So I can have this job I desire so much. I interview Thursday next week so you have almost a week to pray good and hard and over and over on my behalf. Thanks kids. Love ya.

Real conversation I had at work today...

Precursor I might be paraphrasing this a little, but honest to Betsy, this was pretty much exactly the conversation I had today...

Background There's this nice lady I teach at the Apple store. Comes in almost every week. A little slow on the computer, but a very enthusiastic learner. Good student. She's obsessed with all things opera. Obviously I mentioned a few weeks ago I had tickets to Turandot at the Met and was very excited. Today I'm showing her how to Google Image search and find pictures of different world opera houses for her screen saver. We were having trouble finding a good high resolution image of the Met so I said, "I know where one is" and navigated to my Flickr page where my pictures from last Tuesday were posted.

Dialogue She spots the pictures and immediately recalls I went to Turandot.

"Is that the girl you took?"
"Yeah."
"She's lovely, I mean, really beautiful."
"I know, she totally made me look good."
"No, I mean it... she's way hot. Is she your girlfriend?"
"Nah, we're just friends."
"You should marry her."
(Beginning to laugh) "Oh I don't know if I'm ready to get married."
"You should get ready."
(Chuckling a bit more readily) "Yeah, that's what my mom says."
"You gay?"
(Almost dying) "Nope."
"I don't mean any disrespect by that... I got a grandson who's gay."
"No, I'm not gay." (Trying to keep the volume of our conversation low)
"How is it you don't marry that nice girl?"
"Haha. Who says she's nice?"
"I do. You're too nice a boy to take out nasty girls."
"I'm 27..."
(Cuts me off) "I'm 76, you're a boy to me."
(Almost aching with laughter) "Sooo...you wanna get back to the lesson?"
"I've got a granddaughter who looks like that girl."
(Guffaw)
"Don't give me that sass, she's a lovely girl."
"I'm sure she is... Listen, I'm a little embarassed by this conversation. I'm pretty sure I'm blushing and I don't blush."
(She nods to acknowledge that I am, in fact, beet red)
"Let's get back to the computer and we'll talk about my dating life after."
(Under her breath) "Always putting the computer before the girl?"
"Now wait a minute..."
"So how do I put that in iPhoto again?"

Freaking amazing.

This is Analise...

She's pretty cute huh? Yeah, she's my niece.

Links for all you linkers and linkees...

So Jacosa told me I was a blogging hub on Wednesday evening. Who knew? Not me obviously, since I haven't updated my links in forever. But supposedly people use them, ok so I updated the links. Some of you people who haven't updated in a ba-jillion years got dropped (Emily, Chateau, Scott). Sorry. Some of you barely survived (Kristy, Marie, Laura) and perhaps only because we're such good buds. But dangit, Marie, if you don't quibble soon it's gone!

Anyway, I'm glad you're all here. I like hearing that my friend Jacosa reads my friend Jen in Arizona's blog and loves it... and other stuff like that. Makes me happy to facilitate connections between awesome people.

Turandot

...was Incredible. The Met knows how to put on an opera. I have seriously never seen a theatrical production so immense and beautiful. The sets were mind-blowing, the costumes, the singers, as an opera fan, it was seriously the pleasure of a lifetime.

And, of course, the music was flawless. Such an amazing libretto. Puccinni's really over the top, but unapologetically romantic and epic.

I went with the awesome Laura Pugmire, who is really one of my favorite people in the Boston. We met up with Yancy and Megan afterwords, and it was a really just such a nice night in New York. Huzzah for the opera! Next season I HAVE to see the magic flute. I don't know how I let myself miss that this year.

And... pictures.

"But they have rasberries..."

If you ever need some real solid entertainment and don't mind risking your life a little, go downtown around 1-2AM when the bars are closing. Colleen and I decided to spend my insomniac evening driving around Boston. Extolling the virtues of girliness, she brought snacks. We stopped in the Common to chow. A particularly animated fellow who obviously had a little too much sauce that evening wanted to make our acquaintance. Wrangled by 3 of his friends, and apparently having just romped in the pond, he reasoned with his caretakers, "But they have rasberries..."

Highlights of the evening also included witnessing a spurious hookup of two girls with some random dude, several men almost hit by taxis, and my personal favorite, a lady in the backseat of a car... aggressively pawing and licking the window. Wow.

Things that ruled about going to AZ...

Someburros
Pei Wei
Charlestons
In-N-Out
Pete's Fish-N-Chips
Filibertos
Jack In The Box
YC's Mongolian BBQ
Claim Jumper
T.C. Eggingtons

Oh and... the wedding, friends, Mark trying to kiss Kylee, Katie Bug, Jen, Bill and Judy Thompson's like 20 awesome grandkids, running into Mona (who apparently doesn't live in London anymore), Mom, Lori, Erika and Aaron, Katrina, Fry's Electronics, Zia Records, and lots of other stuff.

Yancy wants his poem...

And here it is:

Yancy, my dear friend...
I fear O.P.P. is dead.
Regrets.

I bought tickets to the Opera.

Turandot by Puccini to be precise. They were $170, but I'm pushing that to the back of my mind. After all, how often does one get to see the Metropolitan Opera of New York do Puccini? Well, unless one is rich enough to buy season tickets (would that I were). I am extremely excited. Must find a hot, hot date.

P.S. The answer to the question, "Where the Hell have you been?", is:
1. The Apple Store at Chestnut Hill (way too much)
2. The Berkshires
3. New York City
4. Self-Secluding like a monk. But I'm feeling better, done with that, and extremely excited to be flying to AZ soon. It's like 100 degrees there and not raining or snowing... should help the mood a tick.

You ever sign in and then fall asleep?

Yeah, it's a cop-out.

But at least it's a blog...

These were the results of my iPod on random exercise:

Opening Credits: Places, by Fountains of Wayne.
Waking Up: Come On Feel The Noise, by Quiet Riot.
First Day at School: Express Yourself, by Madonna.
Falling in Love: Expo '86, by Death Cab For Cutie.
Fight Song: Parabola, by Tool. HELL YES.
The Breakup: Thief, by Our Lady Peace.
Prom: The Year of the Rat, by Badly Drawn Boy.
Life is OK: I Get Along Without You Very Well, by Billie Holiday.
Mental Breakdown: Buddy Holly, by the Moog Cookbook. (A VERY Eerie Weezer cover) I imagine this is exactly how my mental breakdown would sound...
Driving: Hurricane, by Something Corporate.
Inner Smile: Maybe, by Stereophonics.
Flashback: Blah Blah Blah, by Brother Ali featuring Slug.
Getting Back Together: I Keep Forgettin', by Michael McDonald.
Wedding: Sofa King Remix, by Dangerdoom. NO EFFING JOKE.
Birth of a Child: Southbound Again, by Dire Straits.
Final Battle: Just Can't Get Enough, by Depeche Mode. What a happy battle!
Death Scene: Sabotage, by The Beastie Boys. WOW.
Funeral: Escape, by Muse.

Nothing like I would design, but interesting nonetheless.

I know, dangit. I've been busy.

Me + Mohawk

I'll explain later.

A Birthday Card in 3 Parts...

Courtesy of my little missionary brother...

So, uh... we're cut from the same stock, ya think?

I love waking to this...

Happy Dirty!

I had a fun birthday this year. We cleaned the house for to entertain guests, and had a little party on Saturday night. Highlights of which included, a steadily growing number of people in my room throughout the evening, a couple good jams with Jacosa and company, a couple episodes of the Office, a hugantic chocolate cake, a choreographed dance prepared and performed just for me, and this picture (which doesn't even include all the girls who were there). Incidentally, they all left at about the same time too. I invited dudes too, but none of them seemed to believe that. I guess a party's always kind of a bust when it's too heavily populated by one gender.

Mango salsa has changed my life...

Yes that's my bowl, what of it?

I made a webpage.

I suck at HTML, but boy, do I have mad iWeb skills...

I made a site for my studio. Ignore the fact that I do not yet own the console I profess to own. I intend to as soon as they put it up for sale.

Check it out, mang.

P.S. You guys suck at OPP.

Come on, somebody has to recognize lyrics from my favorite album of all time...

I listen to it most Sundays of my life.

The songwriter is one of my heroes.

You can do this guys.

Terrible moments of last year...

So uh, this week I did a very irresponsible thing. I forgot to refill my medication. Doesn't seem like it does much for me anyway, so I wasn't panicked. I wasn't in any kind of hurry to remember to get it refilled. Bad call. Well I kept forgetting and I'd been off of it for more than a week before I noticed. But today I broke into senseless tears and was filled with an awful anxiety. I don't like feeling like I did last year. Today felt a lot like last year. Pills. Tomorrow. Seriously.

We will not write a new one...

Always loved this song. Sometimes things are over. This is usually for the best.

Bloggerversary...

I have kept a blog for a year now. "Kept" being a relative term, of course. I'm proud of myself. I'm not a very consistent record keeper, but I've done ok at this blog thing. If you're interested, this was my first post.

A Needed Getaway...

First, thanks for every one's concern and reassurance. To know your indignation is mutual does actually make me feel better. I left on Wednesday and drove 11 hours South to Virginia. I stopped to hang with my dear friend Elizabeth who's attending school at SVU. We went on a picnic, went to class, celebrated her roommate's birthday and watched a stunning little film called Pan's Labyrynth.

I then continued on to Norfolk where my older sister Jennifer lives with her husband and children. And as you might suspect, it is for them I truly made this trip. I spent today and will spend tomorrow playing, wrestling, feeding, cuddling, and/or changing my adorable nieces Elizabeth and Annalise, and my awesome nephews Alec and Nathan. I will leave Sunday morning and see you all at the "Come Unto Christ" musical fireside. Love you, miss your faces, and yes, I shall try my damnedest to stay in Boston for a long time to come. Death to CDIA.

Love, Jared.

And they shall prove their own folly...

I was fired today from the Center for Digital Imaging Arts at Boston University. I am not happy about this (particularly because they didn't give me a good reason). If you find me bitter, aloof, or despondent in coming weeks, it's because I am angry.

"Bippitty-Boppitty-Boobies"

Reason no. 472 that Kristi Marie Thompson is one of the funniest people on Earth.

And on a positive note...

I offer the words of Format crooner Nate Ruess...

I love love.
I love being in love.
I don't care what it does to me.
These pills are fine to pass the time
'til I find my new drug and...
We'll take our chances.
We'll rise above.
We'll last a 'jillion...
How I love being in love.

From Inches and Falling on 2006's Dog Problems.

Happy V.D. !

Let me just answer anybody far away's question for me with a chat from this morning...

Sarah: happy valentine's day!

me: Happy Valentines day

You got a sweetheart?

Sarah: not exactly

you?

me: Not remotely.

And everybody catches the double-entendre awesomeness of the blog title, right?

Blog Once Broke

Is now fixed. Guess they finally forced me to upgrade to the new blogger. Well, at least it's not a crappy beta anymore.

Broken Blog

My OPP blog ain't showing up for some reason. It's only the main address though. I totally updated like a champ last week, but y'all can't see it. So here's a link to the last post. Blogger can be so ***$#!++/*** sometimes!

"OK, which one a you wrote 'the Moon Rulz #1' on my car with a key?"

This is a picture of the last of the Aqua Teen Hunger Force Ad signs that were hung up in prominent Boston locations overnight. It was found and retrieved by a very lucky person in Roxbury who is now selling it on ebay. These have been selling for over a grand each on ebay today... the ones from cities other than Boston. Many of the Boston lot which survived the wrath of the Bomb Squad have sold for over $5,000. Sheer Insanity. Not only did we let Inignoct and Ur interrupt mass transit and public services, we now are buying back our stupidity at a stupifying markup. Think it out people. Listen to Inignoct and "Check yourself, forst you wreck yourself." I'm a super-fan, and I wouldn't blink before turning around and selling one of these bad boys on ebay. 5 Grand?!!! And you thought the roads were crazy.

And just for anyone who might not be aware... Aqua Teen Hunger Force is absolutely one of the funniest things I have ever seen on television. I promise.

Pictures of Me.

I very seldom like pictures of myself. I think most people are that way. But these are a handful of images that seem to capture what I think are fairly common "me" moments. I can read my mind in each instance and recognize what sort of mood I'm in almost right away. It's kind of uncanny. Check out that last one! I was 18. Insanity.

OK, so I've been a slacker...

I finally posted on OPP again. So Colleen, you can go read your poem. And everyone else can get to guessin' on the new one.

Watching soooo much Buffy...

Can't stop. DVD Seasons are evil...like Vampires.

Wedding in Arizona

Only in Arizona can you go show up for a wedding in the middle of January with the kind of glorious weather we had on Tuesday... well, usually. I mean, of course, when Massachusetts isn't so unusually nice. Anyhow, the wedding was excellent. Gary and Holly are obviously very happy. I didn't catch the garter, but hey... neither did Mark, so I call it a win. All in all, the visit was far too short and back I go to work tomorrow.

Drum Rewrapping 101.

Which is a clever name for this post because apparently this is my 101st blog post. Hurray! So I got this great little Rogers drum set off a guy on Craigslist for $100. 60's era Rogers drums like these are some of the best ever made. They're lovely, but they're the most boring color ever... plain white. I pulled all the harware off this week and started polishing the chrome. Next week in Arizona I'm gonna obtain some blue sparkle drum wrap. So hopefully soon my drums will look more like this. Oh and I bought a rug for it too which is too cool for pictures, you'll just have to see it in real life.

Christmas in Beantown.

Many have asked what the Hell I was going to do with my Christmas while in Boston with nearly all of my Boston friends away to their homes. Well, Christmas is now over, so here's what I did...

I woke up at noon. This is because I stayed up till 4am finishing season 6 of the West Wing (last season at last...Josh and Donna had better hook up or objects will fly).

I showered.

I called home, and sent my Christmas text message.

I went to dinner at the Inoye's and enjoyed good food and the company of the other four people from our ward who stayed. Dinner conversation revolved mostly around the eating of pets, which made their dog uncomfortable I'm sure.

My friend Blair and I watched the last season of 24. Not because I'm a 24 nut, but because we were both bored and had spare time.

So, far from traditional, but you know... I'll live.

Tomorrow, back to work and soon... to Arizona to see my friend Gary wed.

Reminder: Other People's Poetry.

My first entry is up on the O.P.P. blog... check it.

"You down with O.P.P.?"

I have a new blog project. I know, look... I'm one of those two blog people now. Anyway, I won't bother to explain it here, since I explain it there and if you're really interested, you'll go there to look at it.

http://www.otherpeoplespoetry.blogspot.com

I know, I know... It ain't a bowl of cheerios.

I've been becoming increasingly aware lately that life isn't that easy for most of us at the moment. And I kinda think I prefer it on the tough side actually. Even when it's really bad. Hear me out... I don't like to see my friends unhappy or uncomfortable, in fact I am sometimes accused of too quickly losing my temper and tongue when people hurt my friends.

But as for myself, I have to say I work better with stress and challenges. I'm suddenly double employed, with a chaotic schedule, very little sleep, intermittent girl drama, and the whole not having anywhere to go for Christmas thing... Yet, I feel like I can take a couple more punches (I know I'm just inviting it). Difficulty in life ministers to our education; and if we so treat it, to our eventual exaltation. Plus, just think how boring life would be if you never had any problems.

In short, I love you guys. You'll get through it, so will I. And we'll all be better for it. Merry Christmas wherever you will each be, I'll miss you and rock on.

If I could transcribe for this blog title, the big drum fill in Dire Straits' Money For Nothing just before the main riff comes in, I would.

I got a new drumset. I'm gonna rock! (...after a few months of practice)

This song will make you dance on a table...

Seriously. Well, at least Jason.

I'm not sure if anyone I know is really an ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) fan, but if you are, this song by L.E.O. will make you smile. ELO founder Jeff Lynne was a completely one of a kind songwriter and producer who made such retroactive music in such a progressive way that no generation has really ever grasped it. But certain random people have always completely adored it... which explains why ELO has always had a fanbase, defying all reasonable expectaions. It's possibly some of the most annoying music ever recorded.

So last year some time a bunch of studio dogs teamed with industry no-names like Bleu and Used-To-Be's like Andy Sturmer of Jellyfish and the boys (or was it girls) from Hanson to make an ELO tribute album. Basically, this is as dorky and as awesome as music gets.

L.E.O. is an ELO tribute band. But their tribute is not covers of ELO songs, but originals inspired by the group's unique brand of pop. And at last I give you...

Ya Had Me Goin'

So, there's this girl I think is really cute...

I want to have kids as cute as my sister's little kids someday.

I think my new T.A. might like me...

...and I might be ok with that. I might follow this up later in the week. No promises.

It comes out tomorrow.

The brand new Brand New album. (Yeah, heard the joke like 50 times by now) Buy it. Like the guitars? That was all me, baby.

"Luca" is pretty much the coolest thing I've ever had my hands in.

My Christmas Present to Myself.

I am saving money like a madman, cause come December 25th, I want to own this bad-boy.

For those who care (namely Jason)... it's the new Toft Audio Designs Trident Series ATB-24 Recording/Mixing Console, designed by designer of the good-sounding Trident boards from the 60's, 70's and 80's, Mr. Malcom Toft. The board features pretty standard class A mic pre's (nothing special) but boasts 24 channels of the same parametric eq module found on the famed Trident 80B console. And the i/o on this sucker is through the ceiling. 24 channels of mic, line, monitor/tape return inputs and trs channel interts. The monitor returns and the 8 monitor returns on the 8 busses can be utilized as well too... meaning the console can effectively sum 72 inputs to the stereo bus. Also includes peak and VU metering, monitor selction and dimming, 8 auxes, talkback and all the rest of the jazz you get on a big, expensive console.

Except they assemble them in China so they're cheap enough to buy. Hurray for Capitalism!

Ok, so I'm not going to Virginia this weekend.

Be bitter with me.

Or call me so we can hang out.

I might drive to Virginia this weekend...

...to play with my nieces



...and nephews.



Be jealous.

It's hard to say what it is I see in you...

So randomly tonight, I went to a Sister Hazel concert. You remember the band? From the mid-90's... big radio singles "All For You" and "Happy". They're older now and way less cool in the big scheme of things, but dang if everybody in the bar didn't just have a good old time rocking out with Sister Hazel. I know I did. I know Kristy did. And I'm quite certain the heavily inebriated fellow in front of us did.

Dearest Friends Marie and Julie...

You May Tell 12 People Whatever You Want...

No names. Just say how you feel...

1. You are seriously the coolest person I know. No joke. I know I award that to different people nearly all the time, but I mean it. You. Are. So. Effing. Cool.

2. Puh-leeze. Over it. So over it. Eat chowdah you poohead.

3. Get off my back. Seriously. It's my problem, not yours and I really don't want to hear any more about how the Lord doesn't want me unless I'm attached to a member of the opposite gender (and I claim points for rhyming like that). I love the gospel, and I'm doing my best.

4. If I could just strangle my debt collector lifeless (and stuff his body in a refrigerator at the dump) and make my troubles disappear like the good old days, you my friend, would not be sending me this monthly statement. And you'd be in a refrigerator.

5. Maybe this is none of my business, but you should really think about being better to your friends. They love you. Hell, at times they near worship you. Everybody likes to think they're the person who doesn't short change all their friends when they hook up with someone. And some of us aren't. But some of us are and just don't like to admit it. They'd do anything for you. Do something for them.

6. Learn to drive you octogenetarian plague. I swear if I get stuck behind another one of you brake-happy, indiscriminate lane-swerving village idiots I'm gonna rip the bones out your fingers and slowly lodge them behind your eyelids one by one till you pass out from the pain and trauma. Then I will cut all the corners off your license like a totin chit card and leave it on your frail, sweat-drenched unconscious body.

7. I miss you.

8. Geez, you're so cute. When your face makes this one certain look I want to grab you by where your hair meets your neck and kiss your face off for like 20 minutes. I feel I have exercised considerable restraint thus far to keep from doing it already.

9. I'm really sorry for all the bonerish things I've done. I can be a real jerk even to people I really care about it. I'm happy we're friends again. There was a while I couldn't be far enough away from you. Now I'm far enough away from you, only I sorta wish I wasn't. Funny how that works huh?

10. Everyday I look at you I'm happy. You make me glad I came here. You're so much better than that last river I lived next to... even if it means I'm gonna freeze my yoo-hoos off this Winter, and you're gonna be all icified for months. You still make my day just about every day.

11. Seriously? I'm a good employee. I make sacrifices, I prepare my lessons (when you bother to tell me what subject I'm teaching), I try to connect with my students and help them wherever I can. Don't ask me to change plans I've had for nigh a month so I can do review and rehash with 4 kids who have heard this all twice already and are really good at it by now on my Saturday while they and I have things we'd rather be doing. Good thing they like me so much.

12. I don't say this often enough but I'm really grateful. You do a lot for me, and I really want you to know I'm thanking you like times infinity.

Liz Bliz...

I was supposed to go to Philadelphia this weekend to hang out with the Liz. But my bosses had other plans. They asked me to stay so I could teach a class on Saturday (which I guess is technically today). So whatever. I'm here this weekend, which is cool I guess. There's things I wanted to do here that I guess I can now. But I can't help but be pretty bummed. I've never seen Philadelphia, and I really wanted to see my friend. If only I didn't have to be a responsible adult sometimes. Life would be a little more fun.