Snow Days

This brief break from school gave me time to reflect.... on how blogging must have been invented by a depressed forty year old virgin who lives in his mothers basment, and needed someone to know of his unparalleled success at life thus far. I cannot think of anyone who really wants to know this much about people's lives. Blogging is like a library of knowledge for pedaphiles and stalker's; if you wanna know how many children someone has and what kind of candy and puppies their children like, why not check their blog? and it gives me carpal tunnel

Crud

Jack frost seems to have flown his wintery crud everywhere. It is cold, wet and nasty. I am not a big fan of winter weather. I would prefer the hot sun, pool side with my guitar in hand. This snow crap is really not all that great on transporting my guitar either, as it gets out of tune. The good part, is when we get snowed in there is less things for me to be doing and more time to sit around and work on my music. I spent all day Thursday and Friday, both snow days, playing guitar.

Both of my stepbrothers have started playing now. I guess we will have to wait and see if they stick with it.

A Christmas Story

This Christmas I had got everything I wanted. I got a wah pedal and a loop pedal for my guitar. A wah pedal increase the sound and actually portrays a WAH sound to the guitar when the pedal is activated. A loop pedal records whatever i play and then plays it back through my amp and allows me to play over top of the track and make music with myself as rythm guitar and as lead guitar. This opened up several doors to my musicianship in the combination of these two pedals. A wah pedal allows for a more soulful blues sound and a loop pedal allows me to be able to customize more of my solos without having to focus on maintaining the chorus of a song. I also recieved more vests and fedora's for christmas whic was exactly what I wanted, as I am trying to bring back the fedora. Also I obtained some sleep pants and shirts form a store that is new to me, Banana republic. I was unaware of this stores existance and thus I didn't know whether to act suprised because it was expensive or act like I needed it because it was cheap. Later I found out that Banana Republic is a preppy store like American Eagle. All in all I had an amazing CHRISTmas got all the gifts I wanted and had an amazing time with my family.

The Blues

Why aren't we singing the blues? The economy is supposed to be in the toilet, and though that may stink it is usually does great things for the creative juices. However, this time around the blues have not made a rebound. I, personally, happen to be a connoisseur of the blues - most especially if it is played on a guitar - but I have heard much in the way of blues. Everyone we needs to grad their guitars and dig deep and really "feel" the emotions that come from a cruddy economy. We need to start singing the blues.

Text and Driving

In my last blog I mentioned Chris Hixson (Jumper) and Melissa Shaw. As you may already know, the wreck they were in was due to texting while driving. If we learn nothing from this terrible accident, then Melissa's death and Jumper's paralysis meant nothing. However, if we learn to ignore our cell phones and stop texting while we are driving and we save a life - then we have honored both of them.

jumper

A few months ago, as we know there was a car crash with Melissa Shaw and Christopher Hixon. Melissa's life was taken but Chris (Jumper) survived; though paralyzed form the neck down. Some would say his life is not worth living because he cannot enjoy anything anymore, however he has given me and all those around him a new meaning to the word determination. Doctors have said that if he continues therapy that by this time next year he should be able to have the full use of his arms. This is great news, but as the doctor says he has to work at it. As of now, he gets up everyday at about ten in the morning to start therapy and is not done until about one in the afternoon. While we are not told the exact stress that these therapy sessions have on Jumper, we do know that he does work diligently to regain the use of his arms. He is a real inspiration to me and all our friends. As we are working to graduate from high school, he is working to get back the basic things we take for granted - use of his arms. He stays upbeat, in a good mood and hopeful about a future. At times when I feel sorry for myself I think about all Jumper has been through and continues to go through and realize that I have nothing to complain about.

Hippie

It seems the Hippie movement is making a comeback. That is something that has never left my house.

For those who have not met my mom, she is a hippie. She even looks the part. She often wears long patchwork skirts, has a peace sign tattooed on her ankle; she loves the Grateful Dead and she can tell you the date that Jerry Garcia and John Lennon died. She tells stories about when she was little that my grandparents used to take her to a commune in Tennessee call "The Farm."

I think most teens believe that being a hippie means smoking pot and getting high. However, my mom does not do drugs or drink alcohol. I would think that a woman who spent time at a commune might know a little more about being a hippie then the teens at school. Mom said that being a hippie can be many different things. For some people it is just a love of a certain type of music that gets them labeled as a hippie. Some people show an abundance of respect for the earth and choose to recycle, reuse and compose and become labeled as a hippie. Others, show an abundance of care and acceptance of others and chose to share what they have...and become labeled as a hippie.

I mean if you think you have to get high to be a hippie, you can think what you want. Just sayin, a lady who has lived doesn't do drugs and doesn't drink no more, but she is still a hippie. So, you don't have to do that stuff to be a hippie.