Christmas tidings.

 

All I want for Christmas...

is this rocking pedal
My good friend, Griff claims that the pedal 'has Dave Murray (Maiden) and Glen Tipton (Priest) settings. Damn it, why couldn't I have waited a year until that one came out. That is a sweet little pedal.'

ROCK! 

Prospective Calvin Tattoo that Scotty is drawing me:

http://www.myspace.com/matt_s_austin is Scotty's myspace page.
 

Uhaul to Prom:

You guessed it, I took a Uhaul to Senior Prom. My group of 6 high school buddies and I dragged our dates (who didn’t know each other) in the back of a Uhaul to be transported to Prom.

The $29.95-sized Uhaul was decorated with streamers on the door, carpet, seats, and a boombox blared the entire drive.

‘Twas surreal. We entered the Uhaul at Gyser Park. The sun was setting with clouds as a screen for all the gorgeous colors to reflect off of. A small group of parents gathered to take pictures. It was quiet, serene, and somewhat surreal. We were all somewhat nervous, as several hundred people gather outside the Civic Center to watch the gussied-up prom kids. Therefore, cops are usually there for crowd control. When renting a Uhaul, one has to sign that no persons will be transported in the back. We were nervous.

Amongst all the humdrum and over-priced limos, our Uhaul screeched in. The door popped open and Beastie Boys’ ‘Girls’ blared while our dates (who were/are girls) walked down the loading ramp. We (guys) had ‘Fight For Your Right.’

I paid $4.99 and made The Saratogian.

Eye Spy With My Little I.

 

 

Cross Country flight prep!

 

My First Concert:

(Written on dooty, 9/21)

I was a late bloomer. I was 16 when I went to my first concert. ‘Twas the H.O.R.D.E. Fest with Neil Young, Beck, Ben Folds Five (no-name at the time), and Primus. I went to see my favorite band, Primus.

Dig this, I MET LES CLAYPOOL at my first concert. Les being my musical inspiration to learn bass. Primus’s 1st album, ‘Suck On This’ taught me how to play bass. Imagine meeting one of your greatest inspirations of all time before you even know what’s what. I had no idea how loud live shows were. Wow!

Primus blew it up.

Les Claypool hung out behind Ben Folds’s tent. They drank beer together.

Beck is certainly entertaining live. I had no idea. The band has choreographed dances, animal costumes, the like.

I fell asleep during Neil Young.

After the show, I made a tape with all the songs, in order, that Primus performed. It didn’t leave my Dodge Omni for months. They opened with ‘John the Fisherman’ and ended with ‘Tommy the Cat,’ my favorite song for years…until I heard Faith No More’s ‘A Small Victory.’

 

 

First non Concert Band Pensacola Gig:

I'll be jamming here tonight.

I had a bummer conversation with some Coasties that will be on my January board with me. Those cats are who I'll be competing against for my billet selection. There are a bunch of really bright Coasties that have higher grades than me. I'm dragging ass right now thinking that I won't get what I want. How about some hot coco and pat on the bottom?

Charles S. Houston (92)

Charles S. Houston

Bassist of The Altimate Band, Les Claypool

 

Drummer of The Altimate Band, Danny Carey

 

Seattle Breakfasts:

We ate at 5 Points Café. I love 5 Points. 5 Points is right near the Space Needle, at a 5 street intersection (so it’s not just a clever name) directly adjacent to Seattle’s most famous laundromat. In addition, Native American, Chief Seattle’s statue is in front of the diner.

Why so great:
1. food was great, especially hungover. Greasy, big, delicious (that reminds me of a joke…but I digress).
2. Price was right.
3. Carrie waited us. Carrie was usually still drunk at work Sunday mornings. She was loud, had the most horse, Demie Moore (sp?) voice, she swore at us… For example: we roll in at 8:15 -> ‘You’re late! You us all a round of shots. Let’s go!’
Or, ‘Where the F have you been?!’
Or, ‘Are you drink’n or what?!’ ‘Uh, it’s 7:30 in the mor……sure….’
4. The jukebox was unbelievable. I used to say (and still stand by it) that there is no other greater jukebox. No where else could you be sipping apple juice and have songs (assembled by drunk patrons…still drunk from the night previous) belted out by Dr. Dre, then Alice In Chains, then Hendrix, Snoop, Soundgarden, CCR, Metallica, etc. It was the best way to start a kickass Sunday. I just reminded myself that ‘Jesus Ranch’ by Tenacious D rocks and is hilarious. Ch- ch- CZ it out.

Former Roomie, Jess, & Wild Ann in the old Seattle Penthouse:

 

Guess Where?

 

Buah Buap!

 

Cartoon at:

Coast Guard Aviation Association

'Soap Disco' by Kara's Flowers

I don't know who they are or how I got this mp3 but damn... It's very Jimmy Eat World but I dig the reverb-drenched guitar solo lead-in at about 1:30. The guitar solo itself rocks too. Ch- ch- check it out.

Bedrooms are small for bands.

There's the new soundboard mixer on my computer tower.  

Reverse Duathlon - my favorite race.

I just competed in the Flora-Bama Hot to Trot Reverse Duathlon . Aside from many-a speed skating meet from years back, this was my favorite race. It was cold (low ‘50’s) and wiiiinnnnnndy.

The race was 9.2 miles of biking to a lake, 5.6 miles around the lake, and returned for the remaining 9.2 miles on the bike. In triathlons and duathlons, bike drafting is not allowed. However, since the race was a reverse duathlon and started on the bike, they allowed for 1 mile of open riding (drafting allowed). Until this point, I hadn’t understood why my bike computer’s mile readout was to the thousandth place. I drafted until .996 miles. I don’t know what .004 miles looks like, but I figured that was a decent point to start passing. The rules are very specific as far as only taking 15 seconds to pass other cyclists.

The wind was very significant. On the way out, my average speed was around 24 mph. Even knowing that the tailwind was strong, I thought that most of that 24 mph fast pace was me feeling strong.

The run was delightful. I don’t mind running but I surely don’t love it like I do biking. There was hardly any traffic, the lake that we ran around was beautiful (though undesirably big), and I actually controlled my pace. Running, I usually let my druthers take over and expend too much energy too soon.

The bike back….ugh! The now-headwind learned me that it wasn’t my feel-good-status on the way out, it was simply the strength of the wind that pushed me at 24 mph. Returning, I had a tough time maintaining 17 mph. As it turned out, my bike times differed by 8 minutes! My calves cramped up big time on the last ½ mile of the ride. I gave it the ‘ol college try.

Looking at the linked race results (also off of www.runresults.net, where all my local race results have been), you can see how this is an Old Man’s Game. It was refreshing to see a 45 year old win the race. The 14 people that beat me were all older. And during the after party, I gave some young adults my free beer tickets. As it turned out, those ‘young adults’ were all in their 40’s! My judge of age at the race was way off. It’s reassuring though, that if I keep exercising, I’ll look younger, longer.
In fact, I got passed by only 1 person on the run. When he passed me, HE MADE CONVERSATION!!! I later found out that he is 52! I was maintaining a sub-7 minute mile (I think) and he ran by me like I was walking backwards. Too cool.

Mr. Rainier

I long for this state, this mountain, this lifestyle, yadda yadda yadda! 

Mobius..Mobious...Mo-bee-us...dunno.

 

Dillinger Escape Plan

You've read my raves... These guys totally pound. I have a wannabe Dillinger-esque song in the recording cue. Honestly though, I ain't shit. Just look at these crazy bastards! I appreciate the 'I-don't-give-a-damn-how-short-my-shorts-are' shorts shortness of the bassists...well...shorts. Comfort = priority. They kind of remind me of Beavis & Butthead's short shorts. 

Penn Station

Good place. 

Truck Beds/Fuel Conservations/Stupid Myths Based on Nothing:

Do you think that having your tailgate down on your Redneckmobile conserves gas? Sure you do. ‘With the tailgate down, the wind just blows over the flat tailgate and into the wideopen. With the tailgate latched, the wind butts up against the inside, which is resistance and equates to more engine power and therefore more gas consumption.’

Prove it to me.

Kyle (see link to the right) first brought this to my attention. I then walked into a wall for being so fatuous. As you learned in your aerodynamics/fluids class, the closed tailgate forms a box, your truck bed. This box fills with air and acts as a cushion for the flowing air (air from the speed that you drive, which isn’t fast enough) to smoothly pass over and THEN into the wideopen. So yes, initially wind butts against the inside of your tailgate. That resistance is instantaneous and constant so long as you’re moving in that P.O.S. you call transportation. Resistance-wise, the eddies and turbulance created by the shape of your open box and extended tailgate outweigh the resistance caused by the eddies and turbulance caused by flowing air aft of the closed tailgate.

USCG - Top Shelf Organization.

TIME Magazine -- How The Coast Guard Gets It Right

I ate up this article, from start to finish, every paragraph. Here's a teaser:

"In Katrina's aftermath, the Coast Guard rescued or evacuated more than 33,500 people, six times as many as it saved in all of 2004. The Coast Guard was saving lives before any other federal agency--despite the fact that almost half the local Coast Guard personnel lost their own homes in the hurricane."

Obtain this song:

'Sleep To Dream Her' by Dave Mathews Band. The 12/8 verse is majestic.

BTW, the Pensacola Civic Concert Band has a song in 7/8. 7/8 is my new favorite time feel. It's 1 2 1 2 123 feeling is bouncy and continuous.

We want your opinion:

Kyle's Blog has a question I want answered. See his 10.17.05 post. I've always said the exact same members except switching Dimebag for Trey Spruance, Wes Borlin, or Zakk Wylde.

Henry Rollins and Jim Cooley.

He's known to immediately put the bad-ass face on as soon as someone asks, 'May I have a picture taken with you?' Mine was no exception. I'm smiling, buuuuttttt I'mmmm neeerrrrvous! 

Cedar Point

I want one in my backyard. 

I heart The Muppets

I don't know why this is in my Picasa picture tray. I just found it. Picasa is my picture-uploading program. I like these guys, so here they are, OVER. 

My Competitive Nature is Forcing Me Into This:

Songwriting Contest

I like individual sports. I have only myself to blame/congratulate. Any individual sport I've ever participated in has been cut-&-dry. You get a score, a time, or perform to a specific standard. This....whoa! Subjective!

Here's how they adjudicate:
Songs are judged equally on originality, lyrics, melody and composition. Songs may be in any language (with English translation if possible). Quality of performance and production will not be considered.

FLORA-BAMA'S HOT TO TROT REVERSE DUATHLON

Hoo-ahhhhh!

Met a hero

I met Henry Rollins a mere 3 nights ago.

Tragic story on Lake George:

21 die after tour boat capsizes in New York lake

The irony of me posting the picture below turns my stomach.

I recall riding the Ethan Allen a year and a half ago with my parents. Yes, very glass-enclosed. I know first-hand how disorienting an upside-down, underwater craft can be.

Here's to those and their families.

Rolling Stones Opening Acts are Unreal!:

"The "Rolling Stones: Onstage" World Tour is bringing its fans the hottest opening acts around including the Black Eyed Peas, Maroon 5, Pearl Jam, John Mayer Trio, The Tragically Hip, and Les Trois Accords with more to follow. The Black Eyed Peas will warm up for the Stones at Fenway Park in Boston, August 21st and 23rd. Maroon 5 will open shows at Rentschler Stadium/Hartford on August 26th and Comerica Park/Detroit on August 31st. Les Trois Accords will play at the Frank Clair Stadium/Ottawa on August 28th. The Tragically Hip, Maroon 5 and Les Trois Accords will perform at Magnetic Hill/Moncton, Canada on September 3rd. Pearl Jam will appear at PNC Park/Pittsburgh on September 28th and John Mayer Trio will open at the MCI Center/Washington, DC on October 3rd and at the Wachovia Center/Philadelphia on October 10th. The Stones have always had a roster of great opening acts for their tours including such talented artists/performers as Stevie Wonder, Van Halen and Dave Mathews."

Metallica is the Opener of all Openers. When the above was written, 'tallica wasn't on the bill yet. Read this link.

50 Bands to See Before You Die:

This is so annoyingly subjective, but the list is still cool.

I have only seen 2 on the list (The Strokes and Neil Young). My father has seen 2 as well (Stones and The Who).

New Scientist Breaking News - Smart beer mat orders refills

So simple - I can't believe it hasn't come out until 2005!

death and destruction:

I forgot to mention in my Thursday, September 22, 2005 Weezer & Foo Fighters Concert summary that Weezer did 'Death and Destruction' off 'Maladroit' as a roller coaster instrumental. 'Twas beautiful; should have been there.

No relevance, just a good pic. 

Lake Champlain. 

Music biz index

Bemuso.com - Music biz index

Interesting.

We Won:

Our Coast Guard-comprised relay team won last weekend's Marine Corps 5K Team Category. Here's the proof. There was a mixup with our team name. We're down as Team Coast Guard (similar to Team America). What we had told the dingleberries was that our name was '5K Crashers.'

We got our pictures taken with the local Hooters girls. Supposedly, those pics will be posted on this same site; runresults.net

Sometimes... 

...you just got to rock.