Making it | Faking it | Breaking it

Day 6: Meeting the Boys (The Thunder Rolls)

2009-05-15T08:15:00.015-07:00

Day 5: Colorado River (Note to Self: Don't Die)

2009-05-13T11:25:00.006-07:00

There are few things in life that are actually life changing. Seeing death, seeing the joy in a child's face, and being broken down by the strength of the desert. Trekking through the scarcity of the desert seems ignorant to most, but to the few who have faced: the refining fires of near dehydration, the brutal beating of the Sun, and the seemingly endless foot stomping that the hike turns becomes; know that those who haven't been in the line of fire are the ignorant. If you don't have a true understanding of destitution, than how can you truly apprehend the benefaction of plenty.

Day 4: Slide of Susurrus (Erosion)

2009-05-09T12:30:00.023-07:00

Day 3: Scotty's Hollow (Beam Me Up)

2009-05-09T10:45:00.020-07:00

It would be my assumption that most boy band are birthed out at least some sort of talent. They can either: sing well(Boyz II Men), dance well(N'sync), or look good(98 Degrees). Well, our boy band has none of those three. But, I'm proud to announce the birth of America's next great pop sensation Walrus 14! We can't sing, dance, or even look good; we just take good pictures in the world's most remote places.

When preparing for a trip I've never planned on deepening friendships. I would say that it's just one of the benefits of being stuck together for 24 hrs a day for 9 days. Inside jokes are created, continuous fun is had, and many a meal and drinks are shared. Inevitably these things build great bonds between people. On top of all of that you have been to amazing and physically testing places with these people. So, John Lennon was the Walrus, Bono was the Walrus, I am the Walrus!

Day 2: Shower Bath(sheba)

2009-05-07T23:00:00.016-07:00

Waking up in a new environment can throw me for a loop, 'Wait a second, my bed isn't usually surrounded by rock walls? And my carpet is made of dirt???" But once the GPS kicks on I realize that I'm in the Canyon. Then the weight is lifted from my shoulders when I realize that all I have to worry about is walking and finding water; no MIOX, no bills, no emails, just walking. This is the day when I realize that my job is to pack, unpack, and maybe boil water when the occasion arises. I call this the letting go stage.

Now that I'm set in my new scene I can begin to act accordingly. Powerbar here, pumpkin seed there, pump water, sit, sleep. All the worlds a stage, act the part.

Day 1: Sowats Point (The Affair)

2009-05-06T11:02:00.016-07:00

For months before each trip all of the participants spend countless minutes starting to prepare for the impending journey. And as the day approaches those minutes turn into hours, and subsequently the week before every waking moment is focused on the hike. To some point there is a looming stress when you don't know how many socks to bring, or if your ExOfficio underwear should be your only pair of underwear. Then there is an almost magical moment when you feel as though all you calorie counting, training hikes, and Google Earthing have all been worth it, but it is time to let it all go and just hike.

The first step into the canyon is always to trickiest. After all the formerly mentioned planning there is still a haunting thought that something critical isn't in your pack! But once the second foot hits the trail the eyes are over come and the brain is overloaded with the adventure to come; the face takes on a glow, and nothing else matters except the 3 others your with and things that you will see with your two eyes that most will only see in a picture.

{Click on the Pictures to Enlarge}

It's Grand Canyon Time

2009-05-05T17:27:00.005-07:00

Starting tomorrow I will begin posting a daily blog of each day of my most recent Grand Canyon trip. Each day will include video blogs, pictures, and written word of each days happenings. This year 4 of us hiked for 9 days, and we met up with 8 other for the last 4. It was a great time, so check back to see and hear what went down.

For Me, This is Heaven

2009-04-02T00:05:00.008-07:00

Sorry that it has been so long since I have laid down a blog. I will defend myself and say that it was with good reason; I didn't want to jinx myself.

It is hard to imagine that the month of March would have been so great, or any month for that matter. I knew for a fact that the first weekend was going to be life changing, but the rest of the month was just pure luck. Let's start from the beginning.

A few months ago I purchased tickets for a concert that was sure to be life changing. That concert was the Jimmy Eat World: Clarity x 10 Tour. This tour constituted the band playing 10 concerts to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the release of Clarity, the band's magnum opus. The best part is that they announced that they were going to play the album straight through, including the 16-minute finally, "Goodbye Skyharbor". Waiting in line was bitter-sweet, as part of the excitement was waiting for the show. We got inside and the band had chosen the opener because they had toured on the original tour. No Knife took the stage and they killed it. Despite having broken-up 5 years ago, these guys brought it and destroyed. Even though I had never heard them I was disappointed when they were done. They were a great band and extremely locked in on their guitar parts, drum parts, and vocals. Next was the main event. We were already sweating in the crowd, and I had to pee, but leaving for a potty break meant risking our awesome spot. So I held it in. They eventually took the stage and they were amazing. From the opening of "Table for Glasses" until the final vocal loopings of "Goodbye Skyharbor", myself and the rest in attendance felt the amazing gift of the beauty that is Jimmy Eat World's Clarity.

The next weekend was almost a surprise. It was a weekend trip to Puerto Penasco(Rocky Point). A small group of us, Seth, Amber, Jen, and myself, went to check out Amber's new 2 bedroom condo before it went up for rent. It started off just being an awesome condo on the ground floor with super close access to the pool, spa, and beach. But her parents came on Sat. afternoon and decided to not charge us. Then they took us out to dinner and kindly paid for all of our food and drinks. It gets better, they made us breakfast in the morning, and then spent 2-3 hours making us an awesome dinner of fresh fish and shrimp. All around they were just great people and I really enjoyed getting the opportunity to hang out with them.

Now how could this get any better you ask? Just imagine who your favorite band or singer is....got it yet? Well after seeing one of my favs two weeks early, David Bazan(previously of Pedro the Lion) came into town on a house show tour. I was lucky enough to be one of the 40 or so people who got to experience this sold out tour. To top it off I was sitting like 3 or 4 feet from him. After not seeing him play for almost a year and a half I was extremely blown away at how good he is live. The dude can for sure belt out those vocals. Mark your calendars, because the new album drops on August 25. And this time he is on Barsuk, the label that made Death Cab famous.

Well I'm not done. The very next week I received an email from Sam and a google chat from Britanny saying that the unreleased Noise Ratchet album that was record for American Recordings was available streaming online! It was recorded about 5 years ago and was going to be their major label debut. Due to some label politics it was shelved and the band eventually disbanded:( But I highly suggest giving it a listen. It is nothing short of AMAZING!

Funfundzwanzig

2009-02-08T15:26:00.011-07:00

In October of 2008 some friends and I were training for the Phoenix Summit Challenge. We were on top of Lookout Mtn. and we could see: Camelback Mtn., Piestiwa Peak, North Mtn., Shaw Butte, and Lookout was beneath our feet. These five plus South Mtn. and Papago comprise the Summit Challenge; in which you drive to each mountain hike it and the drive to the next. It is 22 miles long and 6000 ft. in elevation gain.

Wanting to eliminate driving we proposed starting on the east side of Camelback at the Cholla Trail head and weaving our way through mostly mountain preserves and a few streets, and eventually arrive at Lookout and my house.

After much training and planning on February 7th we finally accomplished our goal. We started hiking at 5:48am, and after 11hrs 9mins we had covered: 5 mountains, a grand total of 25.2 miles, somewhere close to 6000th ft. up. Six of us started and we all finished. We had one guy hike the first section with us, and we used his car for food and water refilling. Here are some pics, oh and Funfundzwanzig means 25 in German:)

Camelback Mountain

Piestiwa Peak

North Mountain

Shaw Butte

Lookout Mountain

Here's some Inspiration for Ya!

2009-01-28T00:44:00.002-07:00

I've decided to list some songs that have inspired me over the years. I'm going to try and not repeat any artist, but no apologizes if I do. These are in no particular order, and I'm going to try and keep it condensed.

Magazine - Pedro the Lion
For Me This is Heaven - Jimmy Eat World
Note to Self: - Owen
For Real - Okkervil River
Political Science - Randy Newman
Jolene - Ray LaMontagne
Blankest Year - Nada Surf
The Summer Ends - American Football
Fuel - Damien Jurado
We Laugh Indoors - Death Cab for Cutie
Natural Disaster - Headphones
My Bike - Ghooti Hook
Last Goodbye - Jeff Buckley
'Your X-Ray Results Have Come Back From the Doctor And We Think We Know What The Problem Is' - Jets to Brazil
The Shadowlands - Ryan Adams
In The Sun - Joseph Arthur
Girl in the War - Josh Ritter
Hiss the Villian - Sparta
Jersey Clowns - Josh Rouse
Broken Record - The Refreshments
The Leading Guy - Micah P Hinson
Pennyroyal Tea - Nirvana
Have You Forgotten - Red House Painters
Black Swan - Thom Yorke
I'm a Mountain - Sarah Harmer
Vanity - Noise Ratchet
Letter to the East Coast - John Vanderslice
Watusi - Silage
Wedding Dress - Derek Webb
Your Smiling Face - James Taylor
El Scorcho - Weezer
Just Might Be Ok - Lupe Fiasco
Friend of a Friend - Foo Fighters
This House Is Not For Sale - Ryan Adams
Vulcan Ears - Millencolin
Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) - The Arcade Fire
Distance is Darkness - As I Lay Dying
If You Only Knew - Jurassic 5
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da - The Beatles
God Gave Me A Gun - Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers
Light A Match - The Beautiful Mistake
Calling Thermatico - Centro-Matic
Diamonds on the Inside - Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals
Say You'll Stick Around - Denison Witmer
Cold Coffee - Five O' Clock People
Summer - Reeve Oliver
We'll Do it All Again - Bleu
Rodeo - Garth Brooks
Reunion - Stars
Stockholm Syndrome - Blink 182
H.U.S.T.L.E. - Murs
There is Stuff in This World - I Hate You When You're Pregnant
Redemption Song - Bob Marley
Pamphleteer - The Weakerthans
No Room For Change - Crystal Skulls
A Boy Named Sue - Johnny Cash
Masters of War - Bob Dylan
10 Years and Separating States - Watashi Wa
The Tops of Trees Are on Fire - The Lyndsay Diaries
Conventional Wisdom - Built to Spill
Patriot's Heart - American Music Club
Dance Music - The Mountain Goats
Apartment Story - The National

That'll do.

Of Course It's Going to Bleed

2008-12-10T22:23:00.005-07:00

Here I am lounging back. My feet are dangling in the air and I have feeling of utter satisfaction. Then I check my phone to see the time and it is 7:30 in the AM. I'm hoping that I accidentilly spent the night in the recliner. And then after that dream is dashed I began to hope that I am just having a late morning dreaam from the comfort of my own bed.

When all of a sudden I am surrounded by people with smiles of elation and eyes of satisfaction; this dream has become an akward nightmare. Conversations are being held all around me of such little intelligence, and I realize that I am actually awake! I begin to question where I am how I ended up there.

The strange people start to poke and praud inside my mouth, and bright lights eluminate the enamel on my pearly whites. And the creature above me seems to be having some sort of joyous celebration. Worry beginss to take over my senses. I question the existence of aliens and numbered Areas in my neighboring state. Towards the end of this sadistic ritual the being points out that the blood is my fault.

Sanity finally kicks in, and I come to a life altering realization. I unintentionally, yet purposely put myself in this seat. In fact, I seem to have been here before. And of course my gums will bleed if you stab them with a damn needle. It has nothing to do with my lack of regular brushing.
But I regardless of the pain, I will probably return here; to the Dentist's office.

Happy Post-Turkey Day

2008-11-28T10:37:00.003-07:00

I just put up three new demos. Let me tell you about them.
Hope everyone had a good Turkey Day. I had fun. It start at Midnight, playing music until 4am with some friends. Then I slept a few hours and then played some football with some other friends. And it concluded with a quiet dinner with my mom and two family friends.

Today I decided to post some songs. One that I wrote awhile ago. One I'm working on. And one that I just started. Here is some fun facts about them. And here is where you can hear them
.

Long Road Home:
I wrote this when Noon Project was still together. I think we played it at one of our last shows. It has changed a little since then. This recording is the very first that I made with my new mic. I'm still trying to figure this mic out so it may distort occasionally.

Canvas the News:
I wrote the first verse and the chorus before I hit the record button. But the majority of the song was just freestyled, and you can tell. I will keep working on this song and repost it when it is done.

Telling the Truth Threw Lies:
This song was written because of a guitar lick I wrote while jamming with some friends. I just picked some chords and then started playing and singing. Most of the lyrics don't make any sense, but I think I've got some things to go off of. When I finish writing it I will also re-record it with the guitar lick, which does not appear on this demo.

Telling Truth with Lies

2008-10-27T18:31:00.002-07:00

So a few minutes ago I turned on my microphone and picked a few fingering patterns on the guitar, hit record, and starting singing. And then I decided to post it here and continue to post subsequent refinements of the song. But I don't know how to post a audio file on my blog, anyone? If you know how, or know where to find out how then let me know.

Beer and a Movie

2008-10-14T22:41:00.004-07:00

I have spent the night at home.

Once I put the movie in my computer I settled back and began to watch. This movie just kind of caught my eye the last few times I ventured through the movie store. I neglected it, but I finally decided it was time, I'm like that sometimes. After initially reading the back of the box during my first encounter I decided that I needed something lighter. And the next time I just glanced at it. But I this time I new I needed to watch it.

It was the same with the beer. I had actually bought it a while ago. The night I bought it I was watching my bosses dog. I walked into Sprout's and I purchased three beers. Two IPAs and this one mondo red ale, just to mix it up. Ever since it has been waiting patiently in my fridge. The beer itself interested me, yet I never popped the top. But tonight while I was taking a break from the movie to make some popcorn I opened the icebox and I knew that the two were destined to be together.

They both possess similar qualities. The beer itself was born in California, and so was the movie. Part of the movie takes place there too, and I believe most of it was shot there as well. They both contain a pretty girl; the beer has one on the label, and the movie has Zooey Deschanel. The two also contain some hint of pain. Lucky thirteen is a red ale, and like Arrogant Bastard it is bitter, but not as much as AB. The movie is about a boy who is trying to find his estranged half-brother who is 18 yrs his senior, to tell him that their mother had died 8 and 1/2 months earlier of lung cancer. The boy, Mercer, steals a car to propel his journey, and is somehow caught into a phone relationship with the owner of the car.

With that, I would suggest both this beer and this movie. Maybe you could even enjoy them together like I did.

I just finished voting.

2008-10-05T20:04:00.002-07:00

It is done.

On Music: Confusion and Inspiration

2008-10-02T00:59:00.003-07:00

This evening has been spent in my room. Beginning with the watching of a few episodes of various television shows, a little presidential debate, and of currently John Mayer:Live in Los Angeles. Within the same span of time I have consumed: half a portabella mushroom sandwich, a salad, a green tea, and of course a bowl of ice cream. I've also been exploring the web occasionally and play my guitar.

On Inspiration:

Right now I'm in the middle of writing a couple of songs. One I've been working on for a few weeks, and the second just began last night. And as of current I have written about the same amount on both. I have recently become very meticulous while writing songs. And on occasion that equals long lengths of time between starting and finishing. In my opinion this is a result of my desire to write better songs, and to advance my self as a lyricist. Often I've felt that my lyrics were just written to quickly, and though they sometimes hold deep meaning to me, could have been explored more and bettered the outcome.

One might suggest going back and re-writing them, but I'm not writing a book, or revising one, I am moving on and exploring the parameters of my songwriting. The way that I write consist of varying amounts of biography, random conversations, and things that I've seen and heard via the music I consume and the things I watch.

(pause in blogging. I just watched Mr. Mayer play a solo w/ the Trio and I crapt myself in amazement!)

Now on to the confusion:

This evening has also involved a little brainstorming of where I should look for gigs, and also searching craigslist. Since I want to improve at playing live I need to start playing live on a very consistent basis. Part of me really wants to find a drummer and get a band started and increase the flow between myself and other musicians. But the other part of me feels like I will never find a drummer and therefore should at least play in the meantime. I just plain love playing music and doing it alone is great, but bouncing music off of others is refreshing. Working with other people can give immediate response to something I've been working on; where as just playing in front of people tells me nothing because they are busy eating food, or conversating with their surroundings.

I'm assuming that if you read this whole thing it might be muddled. And frankly I didn't go back and rearrange it or edit it or anything. The reality is that my mind is muddled just like the words I wrote here tonight:) Well I'm going get my sleep on. And check my MYSPACE cuz I think I lined up a gig for this weekend, so come see it and give me feedback...Oh and if I make any money this weekend I will be buying a mic to record everything I've written lately and a few that I want to keep playing, and then put them up on MYSPACE.

Death Do Us Part

2008-08-22T11:31:00.002-07:00

That is the title of a shirt that I have. It is made by Rise Up. It also holds much more relevance in my life now than when I bought the shirt.

I attended my third funeral in three months, yesterday. Starting with the one that cut me the deepest, and then two that I just didn't expect. All three of the men were married. Two of them for over thirty-years, and one for just a few. But they all three took the same vow, "Til death do us part." Such powerful words, and all three of them held true to their vows. Really I only knew two of these men, but I would be hard pressed to say the either of them broke their once spoken, but many times expressed, vows. And for this I commend them all.

One day I may say these words to a beautiful woman who is facing me. And one of the things I want the pastor to express at my funeral is my deep commitment to the vows I spoke so many years before. I want him to honestly be able to share my love for those around me. I want my eulogy to be as powerful as the three I have heard so recently.

The best way to end this is with a toast.

Here's to the man who I never knew, but through story. Who deeply loved his wife and his friends. Who lived in an unending-vortex-of-craziness.
Here's to the man who lived a life of unselfishness. Who gave of his every moment to those around him who needed a helping hand. Who always had a beer waiting to greet you upon your arrival. Who was a true and necessary character is life in bib overalls.
And finally. Here's to the man that I knew for so long. The one who loved me deeply, cared for me entirely, and showed me how to live to the fullest. The one who bore me his legacy and spurs me to live on. The one who taught me the secret to happiness, humbleness.
To these three I am forever grateful. So next time you have a glass, raise it high and shout, 'Here's to being adequately hydrated!'

When It Rains, It Pours

2008-08-16T08:51:00.009-07:00

I just got off the phone with my sister and it wasn't good news. Last night one of my dad's best friends had a heart attack on the couch in his basement. He was drinking a beer and watching t.v. and when his wife went to find him this morning he wouldn't wake up.

Jim was a man who was full of life. He was an engineer, but he still took jobs painting houses and chopping wood on the weekends, just because he enjoyed it. Jim always drove the crappiest cars. One time he had an old Ford Ranger that was almost completely rusted away. It was stick, lacked power steering, and had a horn that sound like a clown car. When I turned 16 he offered to sell it to me for $100 and drive it down to Phoenix from the Twin Cities at no charge. What I'm getting at is he was a true character in this thing called life.

Please keep his wife and two daughters in your prayers.

P.S. That picture is from my sister's wedding a couple years ago. His shirt has sweat spots on the chest area from dancing. If you could see the back of his shirt it looks like he had been taking a shower.

The Longer I Lay Here

2008-08-02T11:25:00.005-07:00

So the last two mornings have begun with a ton of laziness. We didn't really get going until 1pm yesterday, and it will be later today. I'm still in shock that I actually viewed Radiohead with my own two eyes. It was nothing short of amazing. We were able to be really close at it was amazing to see how many people were behind us. It was just like all of the huge concerts that I've seen dvds of where there is a sea of people with no end it sight. Just to name a few of the best songs they did(they were all amazing, just a few notable): 2+2=5, Paranoid Android, Fake Plastic Trees, Videotape, House of Cards, etc. I hope that I can see them again, but now I don't need to. Everyone I know going to see them in San Diego is in for an amazing evening.

Tonight is Rage and Wilco. I'm sad that I will be missing Wilco. They are truly my more favorite of the two, but I feel like I will never have a chance to see RATM again. So, Mr. Tweedy will still be on my list after today, but he will have a high priority. OH...and Nole...they aren't coming to Phoenix, they are stopping their tour long before the Valley of the Sun.

I Can Feel Your Pain

2008-07-31T14:37:00.002-07:00

Unless you are Mark, Israel, or Seth I can understand how you feel. You are probably sitting at your computer at work or at home reading this; all the while the four of us are embarking on a journey to shape the inner-core of our beings…well that might be a little over dramatic. In any event, we are on our way to Chicago for Lollapalooza. I cannot help but contain my excitement, I am literally shaking.

It’s trips like this that make me realize the importance of many things. Already I’ve encountered the kindness of a stranger. The flight attendant reached my seat with the offer of a drink, but also to tell me that they were out of all food except a turkey sandwich. She apologized and then disappeared. About 15min. later as I began to listen to music and write this blog I felt a tap on my shoulder. She returned and handed me a warm bagel with cream cheese and a jelly, for free. She broke a rule and got me some food from first class. Whatever else happens today she has won my gratitude.

Now with a little something in my stomach I dream of what I will see with my own two eyes in the coming days. I hope to start and end each day with a blog about what is to come and what actually happened. All of my blog titles for this trip will something in common. The first person to figure it out with receive beer at The Roosevelt on my tab.

My goals for the day are to make my way to downtown Chi-town and find food and start to explore all that is Chicago. Once the rest of group arrives later today I’m sure we will began our bonding time with some local fare and some local brews. So, here’s to the unknown, here’s something new, and most of all, here’s to spending time with new and old friends…Cheers!

Dance Monkey, Dance!

2008-07-17T21:33:00.002-07:00

My day began with me getting some much needed sleep-in time. I woke around 9:45 in the am and felt great. I then grabbed some grub, threw on a horrible movie, and began the process of urging my mother to leave for the airport on time.

Once she finally left, I gathered my thoughts and started to work toward my goal of the day; apply for my passport. So I search the web for where to get my picture taken, called ahead; check. Found where to turn in the application and was on my way.

With two copies of my face plastered between some folded card I drove to the US Post Office and waited in line for 15min...up until now I was pleased with how smoothly my day was going...but then I heard the awful word,"We haven't done these here for two months, and that is the wrong application." What!?! "Your web site stated the hours that you accept passport applicants" said I. "Yup," says the all knowing postman.

So I drive to another government building. When I get there I not only have the wrong application, but I need a money order or a check, which I have neither. So I drive across town to my bank, attain the necessary documents and head back. Well they begin to staple my birth-certificate in with my application, when I question it, they say I'll have it back in 3 weeks. "We'll I need it because I'm going to Mexico, and they won't let me back in without it or a passport." They tell me to comeback next week then, and that I have to redo half of the application because she had already began to write on it.

I went from a relaxing laid back day where I could just get some nonsense outta the way, to, having one of the most frustrating days of my life. I feel that bureaucracy really fought against me today. I was reminded of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and was able to laugh, and then enjoy some beers with some old and new friends. Now I'm off to see the Dark Knight.

You Could Be Anything

2008-07-08T11:24:00.005-07:00

Today, for the first time every, I embarked on a journey...I search for myself on YouTube.

I was surprised to find myself singing an aria in an opera. I find that I am quite the accomplished opera singer.

There is also a video of me wearing a cape while riding a bike into a swamp. I found this special, because apparently I love swimming in swampy water.

There are a host of videos of me doing random things, like:
- Wrestling a big yellow donut
- Boxing some tough opponents
- Practicing for my Major League Debut
- Displaying my cat like reflexes
- Playing songs of freedom with my new band
and
- Trying to rid the world of armpit sweat Oh Joy!

Of course none of these videos are actually of me. But it's good to know that there are guys with my name who are super intelligent. If you spent more time searching, you'd find dumb asses jumping out of trees, licking more things, and eating a piece of paper. It's good to know that I'm in good company

But, there are actually two videos that I endorse, because I'm actually in them. Both of them were made by my friend Matt. The first is the short film that he made entitled, A Foreign Film. It is a movie about relationships, and it features my old band's music. Second is a PSA that he made for school, and is being used by Phoenix Copper Bike. I highly suggest at least checking out the ones that I'm actually in. Matt did a great job on both. If you wanna laugh then check out my doppelgangers.

Embrace

2008-06-19T03:13:00.004-07:00

On Sunday my friend Erroll reminded me of something that I love; a good embrace. To me an embrace can at times look and feel like a hug, but it is not. A hugs are great and necessary, but in my mind's they are not as affectionate as an embrace. And to tell the truth some people are really good at embracing others. For instance, my friend Jeff is awesome at wrapping his arms around people and truly conveying his true sense of love, concern, understanding, etc. Erroll also surprised me out with a wonderful embrace. But an embrace doesn't have to be a hug. Some are able to show their extreme excitement in seeing you by shaking your hand. My father would put his hands on my shoulders and show his approval and love. People who give of their possessions freely embrace peoples need for help. We all have our unique ways of embracing others, may you find yours and use it freely, because as the Beatles said, "All you need is Love, All you need is Love, All you need is Love, Love, Love is All you need."

I'm Voting Republican

2008-06-15T11:12:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends

2008-05-23T23:39:00.001-07:00

If you don't already know, at 3am Friday morning my dad, Jerry, passed away. The cancer, which started in the prostate, had spread to the liver, his kidneys were shutting down, and he had an unknown infection somewhere in his body. At that point his body began to shut down rapidly. Last night, due to all of this he was moved to a hospice right by the Mayo Hospital. He spent the night surrounded by family and a few friends, and we just spent timing recalling memories and good times that we have encountered. He was aware of what was going on, but unable to verbally respond, and only able to occasionally nod his head, but always able to kiss my mom. My mom, my sister and I were all in the room with him and were up until around 2am. The nurse woke us when she found that he was nearing the end. The three of us were with him for his last few moments, and were able to spend them together as a family.
We are tentatively planning on having a viewing on Tues. night at a Hansen mortuary(7th St. and Northern), and then the Arizona funeral on Wed around 2pm @ Trinity Bible Church(3420 W. Peoria Ave). We will then be headed to Austin, Minnesota for another service, and then laying him to rest in one of the family plots.
Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we navigate through this rough time in life. I'm sure there will be a great many entries about my father as he was a great man that I will forever love deeply.

Sincerely,
Andrew Goodwin

Life is a Highway...or better yet...a single-track trail traversing through the Grand Canyon

2008-05-08T14:11:00.008-07:00

On Sunday I got back from 4 day trek through the Grand Canyon. This was my third trip to the bottom in three years, but it was again a new trail. This year we did the Nankoweap Trail. I'm not going to go into detail about the trail, but if you want to know more Click Here.

As I was hiking I was trying to decide how I should convey my trip here on my blog. I thought about giving a play by play; including how unexpectedly cold it was, how we befriended some rafters, or the bonds that we forged. But that all would possibly bore you and me. So I decided to write about what I think about when I hike.

Currently the social norm for hiking or running or any solitary physical activity, is to listen to music while perform said exercise. Ever since I ran X-country in H.S. I've never been that person. My mind needs to be free from distraction in order to focus on the task at hand. It is much easier for me to drown out: people talking, cars driving, or sirens buzzing. On the other hand it also lets me hear: birds chirping, wind blowing, and water rushing. Plus it frees my mind up to think.

Now when I think I don't just recall something and dwell on it, or work through it. No, my mind wanders off to scenario land.
1) I begin by recalling a memory.
2) I look at all aspects of said situation
3) I modify the hell out of the possible outcomes in numerous different ways.
Many of you may think I'm nuts, but that is how my mind works. I use this "skill" to occasionally be funny, figure out movies, and write lyrics for my songs.

The great thing about this years trip to the Canyon, was that for the first time I was able to escape the crappy things that our going on my life. Not that I don't want to deal with them, but it's hard to constantly be surrounded and thinking about reality. This was the first time in a year that was almost totally free of thinking about certain things for a short period of time. Now that "I'm back to reality"(eminem), I am able to more comfortably face life.

My roomie, goes to an abbey to think and reflect. Some people write in a journal to think and reflect. I go the Grand Canyon, and swim in the Colorado, and freeze my ass off in my useless sleeping bag, in order to stop thinking and reflecting.

The Ultimate in Re-Cycling.

2008-03-25T13:46:00.005-07:00

I would like to take a moment and introduce you to my bicycle.
Building this bike was long, difficult, but rewarding process. In order to build this bike I had to interact with many people from many different walks of life.

To begin I had to find a frame. I recalled that friend Sean had a bike chained to a stair case that he used to ride everyday, but after being hit by a car, the bike was unusable. So I called him up and he kindly let me have to the bike. I completely disassembled it and determined what I need to fix. For this step I went to Creedbilt.

At Creedbilt I was able to get the help of my former co-workers and straighten out the bent frame. I also removed any thing on the frame that was no longer need, like the derailer mounts, the outside chain ring, and of course the brakes. And since the paint job was destroyed by the grinding and the heating up of metal I decided to sandblast the whole frame. Then I began to put it back together.

After reassembling the whole bike I notice that I needed a new front fork, duh. So I went to several bike shops in order to find one that fit. And finally with the addition of the new fixed wheel-set I was able to take it for a ride in the parking lot of Try Me Bicycles, where I bought the fork and then finished assembling in the parking lot. It was beautiful.

after a few months I decided it was time for powder coating. So I took the whole thing apart and found a powder coater. I ended up waiting almost two months to get it back because they made it neon yellow instead of granny smith green. And then I tried to get it together and the bottom bracket wouldn't assemble, and I had took search around for another month to find the right part at the Bike Den.

Finally it is up and riding. Even though the process was long and hard I am glad I did it. Funny thing is, I want to build another.

And thanks to everyone who helped along the way.
More pictures can be found HERE

I urge you all to Drive Less and Ride More.

"Dude...play La Bamba!"

2008-03-14T00:57:00.006-07:00

For the last few months Sundays have been pretty predictable. I go to Palatte, play for a couple hours, and then bus tables and run food. And up until 11:15am that was the case. Then all of a sudden between songs I could almost swear that I heard someone talking to me. And so until about a 11:30am I just ignored it. I finally decided to see why someone behind me kept saying,"Hey, Dude!"

It turned out that there was a guy standing by the bus stop on the other side of the fence. He was just hanging out and listening...and drinking. It was still morning time and this guy was chugging down enough Colt 45's to paralyze a horse. Once I realized this I just continued to ignore him. Needless to say, being ignored does not stop a drunk man. He just kept on with the,"Hey, Dude!". And by the time that I had announced that I had two songs left he was almost yelling at me. So with much reluctance and asked him what he wanted. "Hey...Dude, play La Bamba!" What??? Did he just ask me to play La Bamba? So I impatiently told him that I was trying to work. Again, not a deterent for a drunk guy.

Finally I lost my patience. With one song left I heard him calling me and I let it all out, "I don't know how to play La Bamba! Please just let me be." He responded so eloquently,"Just feel it. Feel La Bamba." Well I didn't so I played my last song and I turned around and he was gone.

Well I took the liberty to look up the lyrics:

Para bailar La Bamba,
Para bailar La Bamba, Se necesita una poca de gracia,
Una poca de gracia, pa' mi, pa' ti y
Arriba, arriba.. y arriba, arriba
Por ti sere por ti sere por ti sere.
Yo no soy marinero Yo no soy marinero
Soy capitan soy capitan soy capitan
Ba Ba Bamba
Ba Ba Bamba
Ba Ba Bamba

But what does it mean?  This is what it means:

In order to dance La Bamba,
In order to dance La Bamba, you need a little grace
A little grace for me, for you
and up up, and up up
I'll be there for you, I'll be there for you, I'll be there for you
I am not a sailor, I am not a sailor
I am a captain, I am a captain
Ba Ba Bamba
Ba Ba Bamba
Ba Ba Bamba

Maybe next time I will feel La Bamba...
or maybe I just need to show a little grace.

And, Action!

2008-02-06T17:44:00.003-07:00

In the past couple of weeks I've had the opportunity to do something that I have never done, act. My friend Matt was shooting a three minute short film that he asked me to play the male lead in. He also had to shoot a PSA, which I was in as well.

The short was a lot of fun. It consisted of two nights of shooting. The first call time for me was right after the Super Bowl. After I help throw a friend into a pool I proceeded down to One Place to begin shooting. We spent a couple hours getting all of the parts that just had me in them. It was painless and I really enjoyed it. The parted I played was a musician playing a show, so it wasn't too out of the ordinary. But I did have to do a little acting.

The next night of shooting was that Tuesday night. The rest of the people in the film were there this time. Matt and the crew finished up the rest of the shooting. I was only in two more shots, and then the night was over. We all had fun and can't wait to see the final product.

Then we shot the PSA. This consisted of me riding a bike around next to a car. Matt and his amigo from Colorado took turns driving and filming me while I tried to not collide with anything. Then the three of us all got on bikes and we rode around and got some more shots. I have seen a 30sec cut of this, but it will eventually be 60sec. So far what I have seen is sweet, and I can't wait for the final cut.

All in all it was fun doing something out of the ordinary, but I don't think I'm going to stop playing music anytime soon.

Silence is Full of Gold

2008-02-05T22:42:00.001-07:00

Last Wednesday in the middle of work my voice began to slowly deteriorate. And by the end of my water shift it was gone. I could barely talk. Nothing makes me feel more helpless than not being able to speak. I need to speak, we all do. Without talking I can't communicate with the toddlers I teach, the kid I nanny, and I definitely can't sing to people.

So I started on a quest. I needed to speak by Friday morning. But I really didn't try that hard. In fact the only thing that I did was whisper. And by work time on Friday morning my voice was even worse off than when I started my quest. I was later to find out that whispering put twice as much strain on your vocal chords than normal talking; oops, looks like I just worsened my situation. Now it was on.

By Sunday morning I not only had to be able to speak, I needed to be able to sing! Talk about impossible. No matter how much strength I could muster, I really could only get a few coherent words out. This was terrible; there was real money relying on this: $75+tips. How am I going to make rent? Buy food? Fix my damn car? My new quest began around 6:30pm on Friday night...no talking!

This is really harder than it seems. Not only was it Friday, but it was First Friday. And that meant I would normally be doing a lot of talking to friends, a lot of friends. But instead all I had was a folded up piece of paper I ripped out of a notebook, and one clicky ball point pen. One by one people would come up to me and start talking, and I wouldn't respond. They would think nothing of it and just keep talking, when I would strike the news upon their clueless eyes, "I lost my voice, and I'm not talking." I wrote upon my feeble communication device. This happened countless times, followed by a conversation with lots of gestures, and a ton of speculation on what I was trying to convey. It almost became comical to me by the end of the night.

My favorite span of time were the hours that I spent with Kevin. He walked in on me sleeping around noon time. He was talking, I wasn't. He still had no clue. Finally I climbed out and grabbed my paper and started writing. "Are you serious?" Kevin giggled. "Yes" I wrote. I explained my situation with the help of my interpretor Sam. Then we worked on his bikes for awhile, and then took them to Slippery Pig. Our time was filled with laughter and tons of big gestures. At one point Kevin forgot that he could talk and tried to get me to pull his sleeves down by motion and saying mmmh. We had some good laughs for sure.

What I hated the most was meeting new people and them not knowing, and me finding it hard to explain. This all happened post Kevin when I met up with Sam at Palatte. We were going to ride fixies with just the chef, but it eventually turned into him and two of his friends, not to mention the waitresses at Carly's. So at 6:30pm on Saturday evening, sitting at a table with my new friends I began to talk again. I don't even know if they noticed that I hadn't been talking, but we had some enjoyable conversation, and then I headed out to meet up with the people who thought I wasn't talking. What a big surprise to them when I spoke. The 24 Hours of silence was over...I was free.

As I reflect I think that this time was a great, but totally hard example of abstinence. Not speaking is really very hard to do. But I'm glad I did it, and suggest losing your voice sometime, it'll help you appreciate talking.

Oh...I did sing on Sunday, it wasn't that great of singing, but I did it.

P.S. I have an I.O.U. for $1 in my pocket from Kevin.

The Problem With Owning a Car

2008-01-22T20:19:00.001-07:00

Over the last few weeks I have found that the problem with owning a car is that you have to deal with it when it breaks. And when your car passes over the 200,000 mile mark it will be breaking a lot, well at least mine is.

Over the course of the last few weeks my car has not started in my bosses' driveway a total of three times. The first time was an easy fix, and I just added a little oil and off I went. But the next time it got a little trickier. I first began by doing an oil change in street in front of my bosses' house. This didn't work, so I had to tow it to Creedbilt and get it diagnosed. It turned out to be the fuel pump. Following would be a bit of a task. I began by removing the fuel filter. Then I had to put my Rodeo up on the hydraulic lift and begin the process of unbolting the gas tank(which was full btw). After making sure that all connections to the car were removed I then removed the last three bolts which separated the tank from the car. Now we removed the pump from the tank, replaced it and reversed the whole process.

After this pain-staking process I am glad to say that it worked and I was able to drive for a week or so. But last Friday I pulled into their driveway again to find my car unstartable. I have yet to diagnose the problem, but fear that I will have to take the tank off again.

But isn't that just like life? You think that you've fixed something and put it back into working order, only to realize that it is worse off than before and it is going to take twice as much effort to get it back to semi-normal?

Your amigo,
andrewG

A New Year is Almost Upon Us

2007-12-31T17:14:00.000-07:00

Well there are less than 7 hours until the new year and it is time to reflect on the past 12 months. Many things have happened in the last year and it is hard to try and remember everything, I will try and do this is order.

In January during my first week of school my family was struck with devastating news. After a year of misdiagnosis it was discovered that my dad had prostate cancer. Since it was thought that he had an enlarged prostate for year prior the cancer was able to spread without any problem. He has spent the last year struggling with complications caused by the spread of the cancer and will continue to. We as a family hope that something will help to slow down the spread, but for now we hope and pray.

The rest of my year won't be so harsh.

In April I got to hike the Grand Canyon for the second year in a row. It was a better trip than the previous year because I didn't get the flu at the bottom of the canyon. We hike down the Boucher Trail and then up the Hermit Trail. We camped along Boucher Creek the first night, next to the Colorado the second, and next to Hermit Creek on the third and final night. While we were hanging out we were able to swim in the cool waters of Hermit Creek, and of few of us were even dumb enough to jump into the Colorado. After taking multiple swims into calm water above the rapids we found something more adventurous. We found a big boulder to jump off of into the end of Hermit Rapid. It was totally exilirating. At least now I can say that I've swam in the CR...possibly naked.
Here are pictures from the trip: 1, 2, 3

In May I got to see two amazing concerts. The first was Damien Rice. John, Dan, Ashley, and I drove down to Tucson to see this awesome concert. I was blown away at his live performance and recommend that you put seeing him on your list of things to do. Unfortunately there was no photography allowed so I have no pictures. Then at the end of May John, Jennie, Dan, and I drove out to Los Angeles to see David Bazan open for Ben Gibbard. Also on the bill was Johnathan Rice. They all played unique acoustic sets that were all amazing. I had never heard JR before and he was exceptional, DB was awesome as always, and BG was great as well. Jenny Lewis also sang with JR as well as BG. Pictures weren't allowed at this show either, but that didn't stop me from taking some...check them out here.

In August Jeremy and I decided that we would like to be stupid again and attempt a one day trip up and then down Wet Beaver Creek. We started driving up before sunrise and started hiking at first light. We parked at the bottom where we usually finish our 3 day trip which is only half the distance of the days journey. To reach the top we hiked up the outside of the canyon and carried only power bars, power gels, and water. Once we reached the top, where we usually start, we began the trek down the creek. We jumped from rock to rock for hours on end only stopping to snack and refill our water. After almost 12 hrs we had made it back to car just after the sun went down. We had done it 24.5 miles in a day. The next weekend we did the hike again, but with a much larger group and over two days. However, we only hiked down the creek and not up the outside.

The week between these two hikes I found out that I was going to have to be laid off from Creedbilt. It was not a fun thing to find out, but it was nice to be able to work with Jeremy and the crew for two whole years. I will never forget this job, as it was an amazing experience for me to live.

Almost immediately I found employment working for the Hubbard's. I've enjoyed this job and it's challenges, but altogether it has been wonderful working for them. On Wednesday I will start teaching lessons three times a week on top of picking up the kids from school and everything that goes along with that. I will be in the water the mornings of: Monday, Wednesday and Friday. If your kid(s) can't swim then sign them up now. Information can be found HERE.

Also in September I got to see John Vanderslice for the second time this year. This guy is an amazing songwriter and puts on one of the best concerts around. I highly suggest checking him out, you won't be let down. At some point I got to see Damien Jurado play at the Modified. This guy is continuing to prove himself as one of my favorite songwriters.

In November we did another awesome hike. It is called the Phoenix Summit Challenge. Along with hundreds of others our group of 4 summited 7 of the mountains in Phoenix in under 11hrs. We hiked 22.5 miles and gained 6000ft of elevation. It was also an amazing experience that I will do again next year. Pictures are found HERE.

After finishing the semester I also got to see David Bazan play in Tucson. I love seeing him whenever I have the opportunity as he is my favorite. I won't say anymore about him since I already did in a previous post. Pictures can be found HERE.

I forgot to mention a ton of stuff like 40's Thanksgiving, hanging with the Umbrellas, and the U-Haul re-Bachelor party. Those were some of the funnest nights of my life, but I've written too much already. If you made it through this I commend you, and hope it was worth your time.
Much Love,
andrewG

The Age Old Struggle of Getting the Ketchup Out of the Bottle

2007-12-25T00:29:00.001-07:00

On Friday morning I had the privilege of having an extremely open schedule. Other than picking up my boss's car after it was finished getting fixed I had nothing planned. So, when I arose I was able to help my roomy clean up the broken glass from his window, drive him to work, and then stop off at Matt's Big Breakfast for a bite to eat.

Sitting at the counter alone one has time to think...and read the paper. Somehow I wandered into the sports section and started reading about the Suns. Then I read about the whole baseball schedule, but all of this was in no way important. Once I received my food I began to chow down on my onion omelet and hash browns. I decided that my egg needed a little ketchup.

This is where our story begins. Picking up the bottle was very easy. Removing the lid was simple. But once I tried to get the contents of the Heinz bottle onto my plate; this is when I got pissed! BANG-BANG-BANG!!!, went my hand on the bottle. TAP-TAP-TAP, went my knife on all of the 57s. SHAKE-SHAKE-SHAKE, I did with the bottle. But nothing seemed to work. Throughout all of this I determined that it would be impossible to get the tomatoey substance onto my plate. This is when it dawned on my that this problem had been solved by using a plastic bottle rather that suffering threw all of this rage.

Assuming that this didn't spark anyone else's brain, let me explain.

I began to realize that in my own life I exhaust all off my resources when trying to solve a problem or reach some goal, but I never realize that the work has already been done for me. Why don't I just take the time to sit back and think before jumping into a huge mess. Granted, failure does have it's privileges, but brain storming is never a bad idea.

Now all I have to do is convince Matt that he should replace his stylish bottles with the ugly, but easier to use plastic bottles.

Redemption Song

2007-12-18T01:23:00.001-07:00

I just got back from seeing the movie 'I Am Legend', and it was enjoyable. Two of my favorite parts of the movie were: a monologue about Bob Marley, and Redemption Song during the credits.

In the monologue Will Smith's character speaks of Bob Marley's ideals of bringing peace to the world using music and love. This is brilliant. He also tells of when Bob Marley was shot in his home two days before a performance at a peace conference. Two days later he walked out on to the stage and performed after almost being assassinated. The reason that he gave for performing after this horrific encounter, was that the people who are destroying this world don't ever rest, therefore, he being on the opposite won't ever rest either.

This idea that Marley lived his life by is revolutionary, and is totally infallible. By this, I mean that if the world were eradicated of selfishness and everyone truly loved then there would be no hatred, there would be no wars, there would be no new immigration policies, there would be no finger pointing, there would be no worries.

I hope that I may be a sliver of the man that Bob Marley was.

And finally. I believe that this is the best and most beautiful song ever written.

Redemption Song

Old pirates, yes, they rob I;
Sold I to the merchant ships,
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit.
But my hand was made strong
By the hand of the Almighty.
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly.
Won't you help to sing
another songs of freedom
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs.

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our minds.
Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them can stop the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look? Ooh!
Some say it's just a part of it:
We've got to fullfil the book.

Won't you help to sing
This songs of freedom-
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs;
Redemption songs.

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our mind.
Wo! Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them-a can-a stop-a the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look?
Yes, some say it's just a part of it:
We've got to fullfil the book.
Won't you have to sing
This songs of freedom? -
'Cause all I ever had:
Redemption songs -
All I ever had:
Redemption songs:
These songs of freedom,
Songs of freedom

Breakfast with Phil Gordon, the Mayor.

2007-12-12T13:38:00.001-07:00

So this morning was a momentous occasion on several levels.
First) Matt Pool, my friends' and mine favorite local business man, was filmed by the Food Network to be on the show "Dinners, Drive-Ins, and Dives." We all got there around 10:30am and got to be appart of this splendid time. My friends Sam and Mark got interviewed by the host, Guy Fieri, and talked about the great food at Matt's Big Breakfast. On top of that we just got to hang out with a bunch of great people; I loved that I knew most everyone in the resturant by their first names.
Second) We took a picture last night at the Roosevelt, Matt's other establishment, containing the members of The Boat Club. We also printed off a charter and we all signed it. Prior to filming this morning we presented both of them to Matt and Ernie, and they got a good laugh out of it.
Third) I got to sit next to the Mayor of Phoenix, Phil Gordon, while he ate his breakfast and was interviewed by the host as well. This is especially great because tomorrow night he is hosting an open forum at South Mountain High School for the community to voice their opinions on his new Immigration Enforcement Policy, which states:

"I have told them[2 former U.S. Attornies, 1 former Arizona Attorney General, 1 former Maricopa Attorney] to start with a blank piece of paper -- and to draft a new Operations Order that will allow individual officers to notify ICE when ANY law has been violated by a person they have reason to believe is in the United States illegally, with two important criteria:

First, all State and Federal Constitutional guarantees must be met.
And second, there can be no racial or ethnic profiling.

I have asked them to complete their work by December 31."

There are many things wrong with this statement, so I will see you there

Voice your concerns on Mayor Gordon’s Proposed Phoenix Police Immigration Enforcement Policy
Thursday, December 13^th, 2007
At 6:00 pm
South Mountain High School Auditorium
5401 S. 7^th St.
(7^th St. & Roeser)
For more information contact Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox at (602) 506-7092 or Representative Steve Gallardo at
(602) 926-3392

David Bazan is my hero

2007-12-09T17:00:00.000-07:00

I've traveled farther than most people to see a concert. Every time that I've seen David Bazan play I had to drive or fly a few hours, except for once.

1. Pedro the Lion - Pomona, CA @ the Glass House
2. Headphones - Tempe, AZ @ Clubhouse Music Venue
3. Undertow Orchestra - Minneapolis, MN @ First Ave
4. David Bazan - Pomona, CA @ the Glass House
5. David Bazan - Los Angeles, CA @ UCLA, openned for Ben Gibbard of DCFC
6. David Bazan - Tucson, AZ @ Solar Culture Gallery

Each of these concerts has been monumental. This most recent was this last Friday night in Tucson. For some reason the music this guy writes, and the way that he presents it grabs me. I like bands and their music because there is a similarity in the way that we think and feel, but this is love affair with his music is much more than that to me. DB's lyrics cause me to think, they challenge my narrow minded view of the world, much like Brad Ellegen's words. I'll probably write about DB more in the future, but for now I'm tired and I want to sleep. Check out the pictures I took at the show.

I'm a begginer

2007-12-09T16:43:00.000-07:00

Well I've finally decided to start a blog. Over the last couple of weeks I've gotten a little addicted to reading my friends blogs and decided that I should not sit on the sidelines any more and get involved in the blogging community. The title of my blog is the name of a song on David Bazan's EP, Fewer Moving Parts. I'm sure I will write about music a lot, riding my fixie, work, school, family time, friend time, and whatever else I feel like. Hope you enjoy:-)