Mommapalooza

My good friend Karen has been going through the shit. She moved to Austin to have an easier life as a vegan/singer-songwriter. Plus, she just loves Austin. In November, he mom contracted some crazy bacterial infection and was rushed to the hospital in a coma. Karen rushed up here to stay with her. Her mom’s gotten over the infection. However, she had to lose her legs and hands. And she’s still in the hospital. And Karen’s still here, helping care for her. She lost her job, but is still having to pay for an apartment down there because of a roommate situation.

Not to mention, they really can’t afford all this.

The owner of Opening Bell heard about it, and approached her about a benefit show, then came to me about putting it together. It’ll be a bunch of singer/songwriters, throughout a long day. I need a name for it. I came up with “Mother’s Day Out”, and a friend at work came up with “Mommapalooza”, which is my favorite. But she doesn’t like it. Haha.

I’m open to clever suggestions.

I Wiid myself.

I can’t believe I’ve never played a Wii before.  Brad & I bowled until 2am on that stupid thing.  Video games are like pets to me.  I love other people’s pets, but I don’t want the responsibility of having my own.  Only with video games its not so much responsibility.  I just don’t usually come home from work and think “man, I sure can’t wait to play a video game”.  It’s just not in me.

I’ve been asked to play for a friend’s CD release show, which is exciting because she’s such a virtuoso musician.  She’s hired Earl Darling to play drums.  He’s a Dallas “legend”, and REALLY professional guy.  I’m a little nervous, but flattered at the same time.  Should be fun.

On top of all this, I got a ticket to fly to Vegas, then to NY, then back here in April!  I can’t wait, but also, I never fly.  I’ve literally flown 3 times in my life, and it still makes me a little nervous.  This is going to be so much airtime, because I’m flying out of Love Field, as to save anyone from having to drop me off or pick me up (cabs are $25, I think), therefore, I have to fly to Houston, THEN fly out to Vegas.  And to (I guess) save money, I’m stopping in Cleveland on the way to NY.  Then from NY, back to Houston, then Dallas.  I can’t wait.  But I’ll need Xanex.  Haha.

Personal

I find its really hard to explain this kind of stuff.  And there’s been no reason to bring it up in conversation, but I feel like I want to at least write it down.  And since I know only a couple of people will read this, I figured I’d do it here.  Plus, those people are people who would understand, I think.

I, unintentionally, started a journey last week.  It started as a road trip with one of my best friends in the world.  However, when I’m around her, I tend to take on her personality a little.  She’s a free-spirited almost-hippy, who lives in Hawaii, surfs, and almost has her Masters in Chinese medicine.  Her disposition is to always smile, listen to people, and always ask questions of people you don’t know or greet them. 

I already mimic some of that attitude when we hang out, but what really started it was when we got halfway to our destination, we stopped in Glenrose and went to the State Park.  We ended up being entirely alone on the small river, sitting on a rock, in dead silence.  She taught me how to meditate.  Being that I was a Pentecostal preacher, 9 years ago, it was a little odd for me.  But there, on that river, I meditated.  Not a mind-clearing meditation, but one with a purpose. 

After that moment, every aspect of the trip was enchanced x10.  Every time I met someone new, I treated them like an old friend, and in return, got treated that way.  This opened the trip up to anything.  Every sunset, moonrise, hill, river, dinner, etc. was amazing to me.  Hiking gave me an actual high. 

Upon returning home, I’ve had such a desire to look into this way of living/thinking.  Life is so much more interesting when you let it take you for a ride.  I want to be shown whatever life/people/the universe want to show me.  I want to be more agreeable, in hopes that things I disagree on will shift to a lesson of something I never knew.  I want to lift people up. 

I know, hippie bullshit, I’m sure.  But I’m really happy right now, having found new interest in life. 

This should be fun.

Decompression

Late show at the Granada, followed by…

Day 1:  Pack quick, head to Amy’s folks’ house, Guitar Center to get strings for Amy’s accoustic back in HI, impromtu performance in the $5,000 accoustic room, followed by traveling the back way to Marble Falls, detouring through Glen Rose State Park to debate the validity of the dinosaur tracks, while realizing that the creek that runs through it is much more of an attraction than the prints, impromtu meditation lesson on a rock over said creek, stopping at Allsups to get the perfect cup of coffee (spending a good 15-20 min. doing so), arriving at our destination, meeting new friends (Miranda & hubby, Rick), said new friends serving up a steak dinner, drunken poker and Taboo, followed by sleeping.

Day 2:  Up early-ish, half of new friends (Miranda) cooking the greasiest/best hangover breakfast ever, heading out to Miranda’s work, finding out Miranda’s work is a beautiful campsite in Spicewood, touring campsite, venturing out to a rock-seat overlooking lake Travis (50 feet) down, sitting on said rock-seat to meditate on friends and their meaning to me, meeting up with Amy for an impromtu hike, getting lost on said hike, getting back from said hike, getting groceries, heading out to Rick’s in-laws for some lakeside night fishing (which really consists of fire, fishing poles, and beer), watching the most amazing moon rise (the brightest of the year) over a giant hill and reflecting off the lake, heading back to the in-laws’ house for homemade enchiladas made by the most loving hands, drinking wine and soaking up the experience, back to Rick & Miranda’s, sleep.

Day 3:  Amy, Miranda, & I trek into Austin through the scenic route, find a restaurant none of had eaten at off of Barton Springs, eat at Romeo’s (amazing brucheta), head to Cheapo’s to get a Mitch Hedberg CD for the ride home, get groceries at an early incarnation of Whole Foods (where everyone was quite douchey), Amy & I head home laughing, deep conversation, hug, Amy heads out for another year in HI, Farren calls & stops by, we decide on Chuey’s, we eat amazing Mexican food, chat about this and Farren’s life, wish for a desert, then head home.

I’m spoiled beyond words.

Eye key uh…

Empowering the world, one re-assembly at a time.

Its 4 AM.

Sleep isn’t easy.  I think I pushed beyond the mark by accident, and now I’m just not tired. 

So, how ’bout a corny song?

You and I by Ingrid Michaelson

Aaaaand we’re back.

I cleaned my blog out because I had posted a review of my band, and realized I was getting a ton of searches from people searching either my band or the reviewer, and it was a little more attention than I wanted.  I figure I’ve given it enough time for the links to disolve.

Christmas was lame.  My family is the most confused bunch I’ve ever seen, when it comes to getting together to celebrate anything.  Basically, it consists of my dad, his wife, my 2 siblings (one with a wife) and my nephew & his fiance.  We eat, trade gifts, then leave.  One hour, Christmas is over.  I generally get really bad gifts.  Which wouldn’t be a big deal, if it were a more meaningful experience.  I would’ve rather just slept most of the day, and enjoyed the rest.  Maybe next year. 

The weekend was way better.  Amy came in from HI, and from the time she dropped her things and ran accross the complex yard to hug me, to the time I left her parents’ house on Sunday night, my Christmas woes were forgotten.  Then, Farren came in on Tuesday, and even in our short gathering from the airport to her house, I realized that my friends are more family than my family is.  I would rather the handful of close friends I keep know everything about me, than spend over an hour with my family. 

Wow, that was whiney.  But life is better, now that I’ve realized all that.  I need to hold my friends even closer. 

\”White Winter Hymnal\” by Fleet Foxes