Here's the Thing

Road Trip to Jellystone

2009-08-02T04:03:00.000-07:00

Molly and I are taking the road trip of all road trips this week We are taking the motorcycle to Yellowstone National Park. We will be on the bike for eight straight days, and will cover more than 2,000 miles. I will try to post some kind of updates as we go, either here or on Facebook, so my family know we're still alive. Here is the basic route we will be taking, broken up by day.

View Larger Map

The map doesn't show day 4, which will be a full day inside the park, staying a second night at the same hotel in West Yellowstone, MT before heading south to Pocatello, ID. It's shaping up to look like quite the adventure...

See you on the road!

Nightmares

2008-02-07T22:10:00.000-08:00

I can remember having nightmares as a small child. I know my parents remember me running into their room crying because a monkey had bitten me on the cheek. It was so terrifyingly real. To this day I can remember the details of the dream. There was a small window above the headboard of my twin bed, and I was sitting in bed, leaning back on the headboard. Out of the window behind my head a cartoonish brown monkey (looking like a deranged Curious George) leans out and latches onto the side of my face. I remember not wanting to go back to bed, because I wasn't completely sure it had been a dream.

These days my nightmares tend to be just as disturbing, and far more realistic. So much so that the last few times that I have cried have been while I was dreaming. The upside of my nightmares now is that I can generally shake them off immediately after waking up. The downside is that there are things far worse than hungry monkeys in the world, and they can easily and unexpectedly pop up in a surprisingly realistic dream.

Early Election Thoughts and Predictions

2008-02-05T16:54:00.000-08:00

I have been unusually entertained by this year's presidential election race. In years past I have been either too sure of who I wanted to vote for or too frustrated by the lack of decent choices. This year, however, there are plenty of interesting characters, and a number of decent candidates from which to choose.

About two years ago, when Hillary Clinton was starting to take serious steps toward running in 2008, I thought the only republican that could possibly beat her would have to be Rudy Giuliani. He wasn't even running at the time, but I think everyone knew he would.

Now, with the primaries and caucuses starting to heat up, I think I have a pretty good idea about who could win. I have no idea who will win, but I think I will once the parties have chosen their candidate. I think I have a good idea of who can beat who, and who just can't win. Here is a chart of my predictions, based on the final candidates in the general election.

Obama vs. McCain - Obama wins a pleasant and respectful race

Obama vs. Romney - Obama wins in a Dukakisesque landslide

Obama vs. Huckabee - Obama wins a closer race than you might expect

Clinton vs. McCain - McCain wins a tiresome and sometimes ugly race

Clinton vs. Romney - ~~Nobody wins~~ Clinton wins a very close race

Clinton vs. Huckabee - Huckabee wins a very close race

In light of this empirical evidence I cannot fathom the democrats nominating Hillary Clinton. She can only beat Mitt Romney, and that's only because nobody want to vote for the guy who looks like he should be pitching time shares.

Big Weekend Indeed!

2007-11-10T17:26:00.000-08:00

As previously mentioned, I interviewed for a job yesterday (Friday). It looks like an entry level position working at PacifiCorp, contracted through a company called DB Professionals. The interview went well, and it looks like the job is mine if I want it. It seems like a good opportunity, and I feel pretty good about the situation. I will talk with my contact person at DB Professionals this Monday to let them know what I decide.

Molly and I drove out to St. Johns Honda this morning and bought the motorcycle we had been looking at. I spent much of today riding, which was lots of fun, especially in the unexpected sunshine. Last night the forecasts said 90% chance of rain. The pictures on the forecasts were even all dark and gloomy. It was a beautiful day though, and fairly warm to boot.

I'm meeting Uncle Walt at Lloyd Center in 20 minutes to get some dinner and go to the Blazers game. All in all it's a great Saturday.

Could Be a Big Weekend

2007-11-09T12:40:00.000-08:00

I'll be interviewing for a job at 3pm today that has been described as "unglamorous," but good experience. I'll update that later. Also, I will likely be purchasing a motorcycle today or tomorrow, which will be quite exciting. These are two very exciting events that I have been waiting for for quite a while now. If they were to happen on the same weekend, that would be a really big weekend. I'll leave you with a picture of the bike I'm looking at right now.

2006 Honda VTX 1300C

M. Ward at the Crystal Ballroom

2007-10-08T10:55:00.000-07:00

Molly and I saw M. Ward last night at the Crystal Ballroom with a small group of good friends. It was a great show, and a fun night all around. Before the show Molly and Keven and I ate dinner at Masu, which is easily my favorite place for sushi. I can promise you that you will never eat a better bite of raw fish than the lotus roll at Masu. Tasty.

The one letdown of the night was Jason Lytle. I had never heard of the guy, but if he's opening for M. Ward he should at least be interesting. He wasn't. It was far and away the worst opening act I have ever seen anywhere. He sounded like a cross between Daniel Johnston and Elliott Smith, but without the songwriting talent, or ability to carry a tune. At one point, between songs, he actually told the audience that "I thought this acoustic project would be an interesting change, but I'm totally over it now. I'm so bored with it." Later he stopped again to remind us that he's "...So over this acoustic thing..." and an unnamed person in the crowd yelled out, "So am I!"

Here are some basic practical rules for playing a live show:
1. Learn the words and chords to your own songs. They are important.
2. Practice.
3. Don't tell the audience about how bored you are.

At least M. Ward came through with a good set, and redeemed the night.

"Did you hear I finally graduated?"

2007-08-13T12:43:00.000-07:00

CLICK HERE

Well, that’s it. I have turned in my final project for my HR policy class. At 31 pages in length, this definitely goes down as my longest paper. Or as Homer Simpson might remind me, it’s my longest paper so far. It seems like these last two years went by fairly quickly, though if asked a year ago I would have disagreed. More than feeling excited or relieved or proud of finishing I am feeling anxious to get started working in the real world. I have started posting my resume around town on light poles and bulletin boards, so hopefully I’ll find something interesting to do with my time. On one hand I am ready to get back to working, and on the other I am going to miss school. That’s not a feeling I have had before. I assumed that by the time I finally finished my bachelors degree I would not even want to think about grad school, but I’m guessing that this time next year I’ll be getting ready to start a part-time MBA program. We’ll see.

Brian May, PhD

2007-07-25T15:00:00.000-07:00

I always enjoy reading surprising stories about famous people, especially those in rock bands, who are more intelligent and educated than you might think. Today I saw a story about Brian May, guitarist for Queen. Not only is May one of the most influential guitar players of his time, he is also finishing his PhD in astrophysics. He apparently walked away from his studies when Queen's popularity began to explode.

All this time I had no idea that one of the guys responsible for Bohemian Rhapsody, We Will Rock You, and Another One Bites the Dust was some kind of supergenius. At least he uses his powers for good and not evil.

I went down to the crossroads, fell down on my knees.

2007-07-17T16:18:00.000-07:00

I find myself at a bit of a musical crossroads this summer. For about the last year I have been playing with a worship band that does a fair amount of conferences and retreats, as well as regularly leading worship on Sunday nights at its home church. At the beginning I was just happy to play with other quality musicians. There is something nice about making solid, good quality music, without having to worry about the other members of the band.

As things rolled along I have had the opportunity to learn some new songs, meet new people, lead a lot of people in worship, and have a generally good time doing it. There have been frustrations and challenges as well, but overall it has been a great experience.

My biggest frustration so far has been the contrast in style between what I like to play and listen to and what the band plays. It was immediately clear that my taste in music was not particularly similar to that of anyone else in the band, which really didn’t bother me. I do tend to get bored or frustrated at times, though, playing a type of music that I am not particularly drawn to, and I wonder if my priorities are a bit off.

I joined this band because I wanted a musical outlet. The leading-people-in-worship part was more of a bonus than a requirement for me. I wonder now whether it was realistic for me to expect to find a creative outlet through leading worship. The thing about worship music is that it has to have a broad musical appeal, or you end up with only a few people connecting with what you are trying to do. There is also a sacrifice that goes along with worship, whether leading a group or just singing along. The purpose of worship, in a group setting, is to worship God in unity, not to express our individual creativity. I sing a worship song because I need to worship my creator, not because I happen to like the song. Considering this, my playing in a band, whose primary goal is to glorify God, requires me to sacrifice my own personal taste and creativity. I have to ask myself, if my priorities are really right, why not put that energy into more viable creative outlets? Especially when my very involvement with this band, which is based at a different church, causes friction with some there that dislike outsiders involved in their worship.

All that said, I really do enjoy playing with these guys. I know this sounds like a Dear John letter, but I’m really just putting my thoughts and feelings out there as I think through my goals for the next few years.

What to do? I want your input. I know you’re reading this, now leave me a comment with your thoughts!

Hello Goodbye

2007-07-07T15:15:00.000-07:00

As sort of a graduation present to me, I sold my Fender Strat to a nice guy from Vancouver named Bob, and bought a new electric guitar. I had to add some cash to it, which I got from moving some old friends into their beautiful new home. They were quite generous, and I was excited to "move on up to east side" by getting the guitar I wished I bought to start with.

I picked up my new Fender American '62 Reissue Telecaster (in three-color sunburst with a rosewood neck, a compass in the stock and this thing which tells time…) late last week, and spent a few hours playing it before noticing a tiny crack on the side of the fingerboard. I couldn’t quite tell if the crack was really a crack, or maybe just an anomaly in the finish. It must have been there when I bought it, and I just missed it; it was a pretty small crack.

Nonetheless, my joy and excitement had instantly turned to fear, and I rushed the new beauty (lights on and siren blazing) straight over to Portland Fret Works, where Todd Mylet does magical things with stringed instruments. He also does a lot of warranty work for several instrument companies. After taking a look, Todd called me to let me know that the crack does indeed need fixing, and that it will be a warranty repair (free to me). I'm thinking, "Well, it's cool that Fender pays for it, but how long will it take?" Then Todd says, "Since this is a nitrocellulose lacquer, the job will take about four weeks."

"Uhhhhh... uhhhhh…"

I wasn't sure if I heard him right, but then he explained that the lacquer needs time to cure, etc, etc. I could have returned the guitar to Portland Music Co, but it would have taken at least as long for them to order another one, and their other stores didn’t have one in stock. It’s not the most common guitar around, which is part of why I like it so much. You might even say I love this guitar. I love it bad. Real bad.

So now I sit, without any electric guitar at all, wishing it had all been different. Maybe that’s just what I get for buying myself a graduation present before actually graduating. It will definitely be an exercise in patience, though, and I do tend to be the guy that buys the guitar that needs warranty work anyway. At least I have learned to keep my sales receipts.

Check it - A Must Read

2007-06-18T14:45:00.000-07:00

My big sis has an exceptional post and mini-review on "Jesus Camp", a documentary you need to see. I have yet to see the film, though it's been in the queue for while. It just got bumped toward the top.

Help Buy Tarver a Leg

2007-05-31T12:14:00.000-07:00

Check out Bob's blog entry about Tarver's quest to raise money for a prosthetic leg, and read up on the whole situation on Tarver's blog. If you have a couple spare dollars and want to help you can donate to the fund here via PayPal.

Honestly, isn't it enough having to get your leg hacked off without the insurance company insulting you by not paying for proper prosthesis?

Minor Surgery

2007-05-24T09:44:00.000-07:00

Tuesday morning I dropped off Rosa, my acoustic guitar, for a surgical procedure. It's kind of the equivalent of a triple bypass surgery, so while it's somewhat routine for the guy doing the work, it's a little scary for me. After ten long years of playing the heck out of this guitar it came time to refret. This procedure involves removing the old frets, fixing any anomalies or imperfections in the fretboard, and replacing the old frets with new. Check out these pictures of the process, courtesy of The Twelfth Fret. There is no way I would be able to watch something like this.

As you can see, it's a bit of an ordeal. I have had these guys do work on guitars before, and they are top notch. While I have been going to Portland Fretworks lately, their schedule is always much more backed up, and I'm honestly not patient enough to wait for 3 weeks on something like this.

Red Hot and Rolling!

2007-05-24T09:25:00.000-07:00

This last Tuesday, with Molly out of town, and my stressful Monday at school behind me, I considered spending a few hours down at The Venue, a sports bar where the Blazers were having their draft lottery party. It sounded like fun, but I decided not to go just so I could pay extra for beer, sit by myself and watch the Blazers get the (all-but-assured) 6th pick in the draft.

I watched from home, and got all excited like was 12 years old again. With one incredible stroke of luck the Blazers (and the Sonics) are going to get a whole lot more fun to watch, starting this summer. After watching this video, I'm thinking I should have gone to the party.

PRB at yet another Southern Baptist event

2007-04-29T00:40:00.000-07:00

The Paul Ramey Band played at a student conference this past weekend at Crossroads Church in Vancouver. Brock Gill, the speaker/illusionist, was really good. It was a regional conference for high school kids in the Southern Baptist denomination, which carries a certain amount of cognitive dissonance for me, but overall it was a really good weekend.

It's always a good time hanging out with the guys, especially when there is a green room or hotel involved.

All Done!

2007-04-14T17:59:00.000-07:00

I finally had the chance to finish my pedalboard case project today. I finished the aluminum trim, added the foam for the inside of the lid, and attached some small chain to hold the lid while open. I rubbed some stain inside on the unfinished poplar, even though I know that poplar isn't really a wood worth staining, and I'm done!

Here is the inside without the pedalboard...

... and here's the inside with the pedalboard.

While there are certainly things I would do differently next time, I am happy with the final results, and even a little encouraged that woodworking can be a lot of fun. I think I may have found a new hobby. Now, I just need more power tools...

Project: Pedalboard and Case

2007-04-10T21:36:00.000-07:00

After looking high and low for a good long-term solution for the guitar pedalboard situation, I finally decided to take matters into my own hands. First, I got my grubby mitts on a good quality power supply, and bought a piece of oak. Then I picked up an old bike chain that was headed for the trash in the Bike Gallery shop. I rubbed a little stain onto the board, attached handles, and added rubber feet. Then I disassembled the bike chain, and used the link pieces to attach the pedals and power supply to the new oak pedalboard. In a few short hours I had solved one problem. Now I would just need a case to protect the pedals themselves.

I picked up some poplar and thin plywood from the hardware store and built a frame for my case. Since I only have a circular saw and a compound miter saw, I had to make lots of rough cuts and do loads of sanding. I painted the outside with a glossy black, and attached hinges and latches.

I built in some partitions for various other gear, and lined the edge of the lid with some adhesive rubber insulation.

Now I'm cutting aluminum to protect the edges, which is taking some extra time, but should help the case last longer. After that I'll just need some gray eggshell foam for the inside of the lid and a way to limit how far the lid can open.

Overall, I am having a great time with my project. Generally when I decide to build something it turns out a little bit hillbilly, and if you look closely you can certainly see it's no work of art, but it will serve its purpose.

Much Better

2007-04-10T10:55:00.000-07:00

Molly has finally finished her training in Minneapolis, and is back in town for real. She had a week in MN, followed by a week in Portland, followed by another two weeks in MN. Needless to say that was ridiculous, and not the most enjoyable two weeks for either of us. We did talk on the phone almost every day, but that gets pretty insufficient after the second or third day.

We also did some thinking, and decided that this was actually the longest we have been apart since we met in Septemmber 1998. That's a strange thought, and it makes me feel a little old.

On a related note, I helped our friend Keven (aka GirlKeven) move on Saturday, which made me pretty sore for a few days. That really made me feel old. I need to get myself back into some kind of respectable shape.

Bachelors for a Week

2007-03-11T19:34:00.000-07:00

Molly called a few minutes ago to let me know that she got into Minneapolis safely, and checked into her hotel. She is training this week for her new job with Aveda. That leaves Fred, Stan and I to fend for ourselves until she returns Friday night. It will be a lonely week, but I should have plenty of homework to keep me busy. At the moment Freddy and I are kicking off the week in true bachelor style. We're watching the Blazers manhandle the Golden State Warriors over a Bridgeport Beertown Brown Ale. It's delicious, but Freddy is back on the wagon, so he's enjoying the condensation on the outside of the bottle.

More Yay, etc.

2007-03-09T11:33:00.000-08:00

Anyone who is interested can help us celebrate Molly's new job tonight at McMenamins Edgefield. We'll be having a few drinks and hanging out at about 7pm, or you can come early and eat dinner with us at the Power Station pub. Have a fantastic Friday, and we'll see you tonight! Here's a map, in case you haven't yet had the pleasure of visiting Edgefield.

Yay, indeed!

2007-03-07T19:56:00.000-08:00

Molly has officially gotten the job she's been chasing down for the last several months, and life is good. Having accepted her new position as Queen of Aveda, we'll be back to living the high life in no time. That's right! No more government cheese!

We are both excited and relieved, and are planning to celebrate Friday night. I'm not sure what it will entail, but I'll update with more information, in case you are interested in joining us.

Harumph!

2007-02-21T15:35:00.000-08:00

Today was the day that we were finally going to find out, but today has been pushed back to Friday. I can't honestly say I'm at all surprised, just disappointed and maybe a little irritable about the whole situation. It does sound, though, like it will happen at some point, in one way or another. In any case, pray for Molly's sanity, as it's being pushed to the limit this week. Also, maybe you could pray that this job thing gets resolved in the near future!

Mid-Term Roundup

2007-02-15T13:49:00.000-08:00

Tonight I'm taking the last of my mid-term exams. I got the first two back, and the results were pretty telling. In Team Processes, which is taught by a family physician, I got an 82%. That sucked, but it was well above the average for the class, which was about 70%. This instructor frustrates me. One question, worth 2 points, asked me to name one way a work team can build implicit trust. I answered that building a shared history within the team would build implicit trust. No, I'm sorry, according to the text, a shared history builds cohesion. Apparently I just wrote a patient the wrong prescription or something, because I got zero points for that answer.

I have also figured out, by comparison of other groups' feedback, that she gives higher scores for wordier work. As a group we decided to consciously double the length of our latest paper, in hopes of getting better than the 26 out of 30 points we have received on every single paper thus far. I'll let you know how that turns out.

In Contemporary Leadership Issues I got a 97% on the mid-term. I enjoy this class because it is concept-driven, unlike the terminology-driven Team Processes class. The funny part to me is that I walked out of both exams feeling about the same. Nothing on either test caught me by surprise, but there were some questions that I was unsure of exactly what was expected. Oh well, I guess. I'll take a B in one class if I can lock up a solid A in the other.

Couldn't Be No Better!

2007-02-12T18:57:00.000-08:00

Wait! Don't push play yet!

Today was a good day. Today was a really good day; maybe the best of the week.
I woke up feeling even sicker than yesterday and went to school, only to find out that my mid-term (which was going to be really easy) was changed to a 5-page paper on human resource information technology. Also, Molly is out of town until tomorrow night, so I'll mostly be hanging out with Fred and Stan. Ugh.

Ok! Now push play.

Here's the thing. I scraped up enough money to buy an amp and waited for nearly an eternity for someone to post one for sale. I called about 12 minutes after the ad went live on Craigslist, and picked up the amp at 4:50pm. I have literally been lusting over this thing for months. It's the coolest amp ever, and I mean that objectively. If God played guitar (and He just might) this is undoubtedly the amp He would play through. Never has there been anything so fantastic.

What you are seeing is no illusion.

Between Exams

2007-02-08T10:41:00.000-08:00

Just a few quick thoughts as I sit in the library between mid-term exams...

I just took an exam that had 12 multiple choice questions and about 15 essay questions. That would be fine if the essay questions were based on general concepts and application, but I tend to struggle with arbitrarily named terms for common sense ideas. So, while I may actually get a decent grade on the exam, I am frustrated that I'm expected to regurgitate "the empowerment paradox." I can think of a number of paradoxes that relate to empowerment, but which one did the text refer to as The Empowerment Paradox?

I'm also not looking forward to my next exam. I have found that I don't mind an instructor who gives vague instructions, or is a difficult grader, but my professor for MGMT 448 (Team Processes)is both. She doesn't want to restrict or confine us by too clearly defining her expectations, but clearly expects specific results. It is also becoming clear that she tends to value length over content, which goes against my instincts, and seems counterproductive in real world applications. She also mentioned that her exams are very, very difficult, and she always has to adjust the "curve" so that the majority of the class passes. In a 400-level business class this seems a little extreme, especially for a class on team building

That's all for now; I need to get back to memorization.

Rant on musical taste and distaste

2007-01-30T23:10:00.000-08:00

When I was about 19 or 20 years old I decided that I didn't want to like or dislike specific genres or styles of music. I came to the conclusion that I could just like music that was good. That way when I hear a good country or rap song I can get into it without having to defend myself. I also noticed that all of the musicians that I respected had very broad taste in music, and listened to a variety of artists, many whom I had never even heard of. It sounded like a good idea to check out who these people were, and what was so good about them.

At the time I was listening to a lot of Eric Clapton. (I know, I know.) Clapton mentioned in an interview that he really liked Curtis Mayfield, so I checked that out, along with a good deal of Delta blues artists, like Son House and Robert Johnson. It was different, and some of it was a little hard to get into, but it grew on me, and stretched me.

I also realized at some point that, as a musician, if you want to sound like an artist whom you admire, you need to listen to the music they listen to, not just the artist him or herself. If I wanted to sound like Dave Matthews, and all I listened to was Dave Matthews, I would end up sounding like some kid who listened to way too much Dave Matthews (see: John Mayer).

I eventually started looking for the music that musicians listen to. This got me into a bunch of goofy stuff that I totally love, but took a little work to understand. Honestly, there's a lot of ear candy out there, but finding something that is really an honest artistic expression is something that a platinum record or an MTV video cannot match.

As I continue to look for new and interesting music, I will sometimes implore a friend to check out something I'm into. Usually I'll get the polite listen, and then a shrug. "It's okay. Sounds kind of chaotic though." This generally means "That's not the way John Mayer would have done it. He's so dreamy." Other times I just get overt mockery in return. It doesn't hurt my feelings, and I don't feel insulted, because I understand. Some people view music as nice-sounding background noise. Other people see music as art, and really look for what the artist is trying to express, instead of comparing what they hear to the bland, glossy, lukewarm, radio-friendly vomit that sells so well to high school girls and soccer moms everywhere. Trust me; if M. Ward wanted to make a frat party record, he could. It just doesn't interest him, or me.

Here's the thing. If you are fine with musical stagnancy, fine. But don't look at me crosseyed for preferring things a little more unusual.

Road Trip: Day 6 and Wrap-Up

2007-01-07T22:16:00.000-08:00

Last night we found a place just off the highway to get some rest under the Redwoods, and actually slept fairly well. We rolled through Crescent City this morning, stopping for breakfast and coffee, and made our way over highway 199 and back across the border back into Oregon and through the back side of Grants Pass. From there the trip was fairly uneventful, mostly just making a mad dash for Portland.

Blake and I spent six full days driving, and only a total of about 11 hours on interstates. I think we did the trip the right way, too, keeping flexible expectations and a small list of demands. It had been years since my last road trip, and it was an experience I'll never forget. Maybe the next trip will be the of two-wheeled variety. That sounds like fun.

Road Trip: Day 5

2007-01-06T20:13:00.000-08:00

Today was all about the ocean. We crossed the Golden Gate Bridge just after 9am, and made our way up highway 1 from San Francisco. The going was very slow, but included some of the nicest coastal views I have seen. After spending most of the day in the car it's nice to be sitting in a little pub in Eureka that happens to have wifi. After the Seahawks are finished ~~getting dominated by~~ sneaking past the Dallas Cowboys we'll head toward the Redwoods and find a quiet spot to pull over and get some sleep. In the morning we'll head up highway 199 and connect with I-5 for the big return. It's been an amazing trip; what else can I say?

Road Trip: Day 4

2007-01-06T02:30:00.000-08:00

Woke up this morning at Randy and Kathy's after the best night of sleep I've had on this trip. We rolled out of Sonora in the mid-to-late morning and made our way across to Monterey and Point Lobos. The guidance of Randy and Kathy helped us to refine and readjust our plans, and we have decided to work our way up highway 1, without stumbling over the typical tourist attractions.

After Point Lobos, and dinner at Phil's in Moss Landing, we ended up in San Francisco, where we are crashing with more of Blake's old rowing friends from college. We painted the town, and now we'll sleep. Tomorrow we'll start heading north, and for that I'm glad. As much fun as I'm having I'll be happy to be back at home with Molly again.

Road Trip: Day 3

2007-01-04T23:36:00.000-08:00

The first half of today was all about adventure. We woke up at about 5:15 this morning in Reno and headed south. We may have picked the worst possible day to cross the mountains into California, since a wet winter storm was rolling in with fresh load of new snow. From Reno we drove south on highway 395, and then over the pass on highway 88. We pulled off the road and chained up after semi-intentionally spinning around, and drove for a few hours through some of the most beautiful and treacherous roads in recent memory.

From the east side of the mountains it was a race down through Sonora and out to Yosemite National Park, where we had precious little time to take in the scenery. The park itself was another winter wonderland, with rangers enforcing the mandatory chains rule. There was so much snow, and so much fog, that we were actually unable to see most of what Yosemite is all about. We couldn't even see El Capitan or Half Dome through the white walls of falling snow. Even the bits that were visible made the trip worth while, though, and the surreal conditions made it an unforgettable experience.

We left Yosemite around 5pm and headed back to Sonora, where we had dinner with Randy and Kathy, who are old family friends of Molly's. These are some amazing and wonderful people, and it has been great to see them again; it's been literally years, and that's not ok. We'll stay overnight here tonight, and head west in the morning. It's time to see the ocean.

Road Trip: Day 2

2007-01-03T18:25:00.000-08:00

Today Blake and I drove to Lake Tahoe and hiked up to a nice little viewpoint. It's beautiful country down here, and I haven't been out this way since I was a wee lad. I learned that the Ponderosa Ranch no longer exists, as it went bankrupt and the land was sold to a developer. Oh well. We'll stay in Reno again tonight and leave early in the morning for Yosemite National Park, which I hear is where the wild things are. After that...

Road Trip: Day 1

2007-01-02T22:29:00.000-08:00

Blake and I left Portland at around 9 this morning, headed south on I-5 to Mt. Shasta City, and then over the mountain and through the woods to Reno. The drive was smooth and beautiful. Once we got away from the interstate we were treated to several hours of snowy forests and fields. We rolled into Reno at about 7:30 tonight and are crashing with Erick, Blake's old college buddy. Nothing but good times so far, and more to come, I hope.

The surprise of the day was rolling through Roseburg, OR. I told Blake that we could see my grandparents' old house off to the left, but as we passed it, I noticed that it was in a small pile, along with several other neighboring homes. I knew that was the eventual plan, but it was still strange to see, so we had to stop and take some pictures of the ruins. Weird.

Road Trip (Overdue)

2007-01-01T21:43:00.000-08:00

Blake and I are going on a road trip this week, after being all talk for the better part of a decade. I'm not sure where we'll end up, but we have about 5 days, so there's plenty of room for adventure. We're heading to Reno first, after that...

I'll be bringing my trusty camera and powerbook, and I'll try to post from Goatroperville, or wherever we happen to find ourselves.

Christmas Cheer

2006-12-26T20:26:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, and got to spend lots of time with the people you care about. I sure did. Molly and I decided not to really exchange gifts this year, since we 1) are broke and 2) share a bank account. This goes right along with my family's agreement to scale way back in the gift department. We set a $10 limit on gifts, which was really cool; it's nice to downplay the needless stuff.

Goosey, Molly's grandmother, came to visit from Hawaii. It was great to see her, but sad for her to spend Christmas away from her husband Les; he's great. I also learned that he is the son of Ernest Rutherford, the father of nuclear physics. Now that's fun! We also got to hang out with Aunt Laura, Jonathan & Sarah, and of course the Walligator. Good stuff.

Our parents quietly fudged a little on the $10 rule, so we have a little extra cash this week. Molly is already shopping for new clothes and I'm starting a little pile of money to eventually buy a guitar amp, so I can give Mark's back to him. Because he's a good brother he's been letting me use his amp for the last 4 months, so it's time to get it back to him. If everything goes well I'll have something by early spring. Should be fun. Let the dreaming begin.

Sick

2006-12-18T01:16:00.000-08:00

Nobody likes being sick. Today I "called in sick" to both Evergreen and Ethnos, the churches where I usually play guitar. I've developed a sore throat, a bit of a fever and quite the stuffy headache. Ick. Molly gave it to me, and I'm pretty sure it was on purpose. She acts all sweet and nice, but take your eyes off her for a second and she'll breathe on your dinner or put her finger in your drink. Oh well.

The hardest part about being me? "Mustache."

2006-11-29T17:46:00.000-08:00

As some of you know, I've been pseudo-seriously been growing a mustache for about the last month. It started when I was Doc Holliday for Halloween, and I decided to let it ride for a while. It's been interesting to hear the reactions from people. Good friends usually come right out with their opinions, while people who don't know me quite as well don't say a word, not wanting to insult my lifestyle choice. Matt refers to it as "the molestache."

I've done the mustache once before, as a gag, and Molly hated it. She said it looked "icky." I told her that I was also considering going by my middle name (Todd) and buying an El Camino.

This time, though, because the mustache was birthed out of the Doc Holliday character, and Molly has a bit of a crush on Val Kilmer's Doc Holliday, she actually likes it. This unforseen turn of events has led me to consider keeping the mustache for a while. Granted, I'll have to shave it off for Jonathan and Sarah's wedding on December 10th, but after that, who knows? Mustaches are going to come back into style, people, and when they do, I may just be in position to reap all the rewards.

P.S. This loony toon feels my pain.

Tom Waits on Letterman

2006-11-26T22:20:00.000-08:00

If you are a fan of the most interesting songwriter in modern music, don't miss Tom Waits on The Late Show With David Letterman tomorrow (Monday) night. He usually does a song and an interview, so you won't want to miss any of that!

Crazy Music?

2006-11-25T10:44:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when talking to otherwise current and cool people I suddenly feel like I'm trying to explain Tom Waits to my parents. Not that my parents aren't cool or current, but I get midway into explaining why his voice is so strange by the time I realize that this is just not happening. Tom Waits is not, and never will be Michael Bublé, and that's the way I like it. Not everyone can appreciate all kinds music. Part of my mission in life, though, is to encourage people to find music to listen to other than the tiny selection of watered down warm milk from the likes of Christina Aguilera and John Mayer.

So, for the guys in my band who still think I'm crazy and strange for listening to Gnarls Barkley, this is for you. Some people just prefer the Olive Garden, you know?

Crazy

Smiley Faces

And for good measure, here's some Tom Waits

You Be The Judge

2006-11-15T00:19:00.000-08:00

Pink Floyd

Oasis

Hole

Garth Brooks

Free Video Hosting

Really?

2006-11-14T23:39:00.000-08:00

As you have probably heard, TIME® just released its list of the 100 best and most influential albums of all time. These kinds of lists are great because they always seem to leave out an album or two that I think should have made it, and this one is no exception. In fact, this list so excels in missing the mark that it officially qualifies for Dan's Seal of Disapproval and Shame.

As a side note, there are two albums against which I tend to measure all others. The first is Jeff Buckley's Grace. This album never makes these kind of lists because, even though it's incredible, it never sold billions of copies, and Buckley didn't live long enough to solidify his status in the mainstream. No hard feelings there. The other album is Pink Floyd's The Wall. I know that most people would put Dark Side Of The Moon above The Wall, and I don't have a problem with that. What I do have a problem with, though, is that neither of these albums made the "list." According to the (obviously brilliant) minds at TIME® nothing Pink Floyd ever did was as good or as influential as Oasis's (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, or Hole's Live Through This, or Garth Brooks' mind blowing album Ropin' The Wind. Seriously.

If I were stranded on a desert island I would rather have ten sweet seconds of Pink Floyd than the complete works of these artists.

Oh, Johnny Ringo, you melt my heart.

2006-11-01T12:44:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a nice Halloween; Molly and I did. She threw a blues party at Nocturnal, and well over 100 people came and enjoyed the eclectic mix of blues, horror movie sound bites, Tom Waits songs, and various other danceable jive. She put a ton of work into the party, so it was great to have it be such a success. My favorite part of the atmosphere was that Nosferatu was projected against the back wall all night. If you haven't seen this film, and like weird old scary movies, you should check it out.

If you weren't there, you missed my Doc Holliday, Molly's Johnny Ringo, and Mark's Mormon missionary costume. Bummer for you.

Happy Hallerween!

2006-10-22T21:49:00.000-07:00

As you can see, Molly, Blake and I carved up some pumpkins last night. I hadn't done this in years and had a really good time. With Molly acting as creative director and me picking up most of the scraping and fine tuning duties we were just plain unstoppable. Blake? Oh, he mostly handled the executive consulting and supportive nodding side of things, since Molly and I were being gourd hoarders.

My favorite part of bringing these jack-o-lanterns to life was that we bought 8 pumpkins, and paid under $9. That's a lot of bang for your buck!

I'm on iTunes?

2006-10-16T11:38:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I recorded a mandolin part for a song that my good friend T(h)om was producing. His sister-in-law, Amy Gustafson, was recording her third independent album, and T(h)ommy Tacklebox asked if I would mind throwing a little juicy mando nectar down for one of the songs. I warned him that my mandolin skills are mostly smoke and mirrors, but agreed to give it a shot. After about 1,500 takes we thought we had enough to find something useful but, not surprisingly, T(h)ommy Towkick still had to do some cut and paste magic to make a listenable product. Oh well; I warned them up front.

Here's the thing. Amy is distributing the CD via CD Baby, and it's available on iTunes. You can literally go to the iTunes music store, search for Amy Gustafson, and buy the CD. The preview clip for song I worked on, called "Miles Away," even includes my magically delicious (and cosmetically reconstructed) mandolinnery. Crazy stuff.

Quake!

2006-10-09T16:08:00.000-07:00

The first official Paul Ramey Band event with me in tow is in the books, and it looks like things are only going to be picking up steam from here. We made our maiden voyage to Richland, WA on Friday afternoon, and set up for the first of five Quake conferences over the next ten months or so. It was an incredible experience, from beginning to end, but there were some definite highlights for me.

First and foremost, it's always good to spend time with good people. If you have never been on an overnight moving job with a handful of degenerate movers you might not fully understand this, and that's a good thing. Nothing can substitute for hours of time spent together, not even "team-building exercises."

Second, after setting up for Saturday, we all left the church where the conference was to be held, and drove about 15 minutes to another church to sleep. I mentioned to someone on Friday night that it seems funny to drive across town to sleep, just to wake up and drive right back. We might as well sleep here; the pews here are actually quite soft! Well, here's the thing. After we left Friday night (about 11pm), and before we arrived Saturday morning, someone broke into the church where we had set up. They stole the church's computers and set the offices on fire. The fact that we all got about 4 hours of sleep made this news seem a bit like a dream, but the smell of burnt carpet and treated wood helped reality to settle in. Miraculously, none of the conference materials were destroyed, and the fire inspector cleared the sections of the building that we needed to use, so things went ahead as scheduled. God's work will not be stopped.

Third, it was really good for the band to play together. Practice is valuable, but we played somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 songs, over the course of six conference sessions. That doesn't include practicing Friday night and between sessions, either. I really needed this to start to settle in as a new member of the band. Once I feel more confident in the songs I'll feel more confident about giving input, etc. It's just really nice to have this one done!

Things are only getting busier, too, with committments to the Crossroads youth group, Beaverton Christian Church, and the Innovative Evangelism Conference, among others. Busy times / good times.

No Comment.

2006-09-30T20:37:00.000-07:00

It has been brought to my attention that this blog does not accept comments (thanks Matt). I looked into things, and apparently people have been posting comments for months, but have been waiting to be approved by me! Sorry. I think things are back in order, so you should be able to speak your mind again. Sorry about the inadvertent censorship.

Back To School

2006-09-27T10:10:00.001-07:00

"Back to school, back to school,
To prove to Daddy that I'm not a fool,
Got my lunch packed up, my shoes tied tight,
I hope I don't get in a fight"
-Billy Madison

Fall term began yesterday, so I'm hitting the books again after a good month of relaxation. I also started playing with a worship band, which should be fun. It looks like we'll play for lots of conferences, retreats, etc.

Mark has an appointment today, and should be free of his pesky metal hat, after a long 2+ months, so I think we're going to party this evening.

Now on to the important stuff: Care for a Rap Snack®?

Do you prefer Lil' Romeo Honey or Master P Platinum Bar-B-Que?

Molly Coffee

2006-08-28T09:51:00.000-07:00

I sure like hanging out with Molly. I also like lazy mornings. And Albina Press. And Molly.

I got tagged!

2006-08-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

I was tagged by Chris Leonardo, and since he's pretty much in charge, I had no choice but to repost it, like the chain mail robot I am.

1. One CD that, when you heard it, really affected your entire musical tastes.

Jeff Buckley, "Grace"

2. Once CD you could listen to and never get tired of:

Big Head Todd & the Monsters, "Midnight Radio"

3. One CD Box Set you'd want on a desert island:

Bob Marley, because if I'm stranded on a desert island, I'm at least going to enjoy myself while I'm there.

4. The CD you'd listen to when doing chores/yardwork/housework:

Jimmy Eat World, "Bleed American" or "Futures"

6. The group you have the most CD's of:

Tie: Led Zeppelin and Tom Waits

7. One CD that you wish had never purchased:

Big Head Todd & the Monsters, "Crimes of Passion"

8. The CD in your car's player right now:

I don't drive the car much, but when I do I listen to the iPod. I've been listening to Randy Newman this week, in spite of Molly's objections.

9. One CD you've been meaning to purchase and haven't yet:

M. Ward, "Transfiguration Of Vincent"

10. Now tag five people:

I tag no one. The evil stops here.

Happy Anniversary To Us!

2006-08-05T10:36:00.000-07:00

Today (August 5th) is our sixth wedding anniversary, and I can barely believe it's been six years; it hardly seems possible. Being married to Molly has been so incredible. I can't really even explain how good it is. I can't imagine what things would be like without having her around.

Above the windows on the buses, random bits of poetry fill in between the advertisements. This week I saw W.S. Merwin's three-line poem "Separation." It made me consider the significance of our relationship.

Your absence has gone through me
Like thread through a needle.
Everything I do is stitched with its color.

Six years ago today, I wouldn't have really understood this poem, beyond the obvious "Yeah, that would be sad" level. Today I can see that the last six years of my life have been a collaboration that I have been only one part of. It's been so fantastic I can't put it into 12-point Times font. If Molly were somehow removed from the equation now, I don't think I would ever again be a fully functional person.

Molly works until about 3pm today, when I will pick her up and take her to the Oregon Zoo. She's been really wanting to go to the zoo for a couple of years, but we never seem to have time. It will have to be a fairly short visit, since it closes at 6pm, but from there maybe we'll drive out to look at some stars.

I checked the traditional anniversary gift for year six, and it's candy or iron. Since we decided to skip the gifts, though, I'm going with lions, tigers, and bears.

The Vanilla Gorilla

2006-07-04T15:14:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty happy today, because the hapless Portland Trailblazers re-signed Joel "The Vanilla Gorilla" Przybilla (sounds like "Prizz-bill-uh"). He's a good reason to give this team yet another chance. He turned down offers today from the San Antonio Spurs and the Detroit Pistons, both of which are contending teams, to stay in Portland. He says that he felt a loyalty to Portland, since the Blazers signed him when nobody else thought he could play.

The best part about this guy is that he always plays really hard. He's all defense, and no attitude. Oh yeah, he also boxes in the offseason. I think it's time to start tip-toeing back toward giving a crap about our only major sports team. Who's with me? Anyone? Hello?

The Flashing Orange Hand of the Law

2006-06-14T13:58:00.000-07:00

I finished my last final exam of the term today, and caught the #9 home. I got off at 15th and Weidler, and started making my way across the street. I generally have little use for crosswalks, and tend to choose a route based loosely on that of least resistance, darting through traffic like Frogger when I see an attractive opening. Today I saw an old woman, probably in her late 70's, crossing the street at an angle, deftly moving through the sporadic traffic. It started me thinking about the correlation between age and pedestrian behavior.

As small children, we tend to run out into the street, paying little mind to the dangers of traffic. Then we learn about safety (if you're lucky like me you get to go to Safety School when you're about 4 years old), and cross only at crosswalks, and only after looking both ways. Then, as we get a little older, we get a little more confident, and start venturing out into traffic, crossing wherever we see a suitable opening. This is like a "gateway rebellion" that will lead to harder rebellion like skateboarding, long hair, and loud music. At some point, when we grow older, our reflexes start to wane, and we become less ambulatory, forcing us back into the confines of the crosswalk, to obey the flashing orange hand of the law.

Seeing this older lady intrepidly negotiate the intersection brought a big goofy smile to my face. She's fighting back.

Billy Preston (September 9, 1946-June 6, 2006)

2006-06-06T16:10:00.000-07:00

Though you probably don't recognize Billy Preston, you know his songs, and those that he contributed to. Preston played keys with everyone. Aretha Franklin, Little Richard, Bob Dylan, The Stones, Clapton, Sammy Davis Jr, The Chili Peppers... He is the only non-Beatle performer to ever recieve credit on a Beatles album (Get Back).

Though kidney disease ultimately got the best of him, he left his mark, for sure. I'll never forget his funny little dance while singing "Will it Go Round in Circles?" at the Clapton concert a couple years ago. Good stuff. RIP.

Check out this classic song from The Concert for Bangladesh.

Polio, etc.

2006-05-28T20:58:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted anything in quite a while, I know. It's been a busy few weeks, but I'm finally done with the hardest part of the term, so things should settle down for the next few weeks. I'm also coming off a week of the sickness. I think it was birdflu. Or SARS. Or it could have been "the plague." Sore throat, headache, you know, pretty rough stuff. Better now, though.

Time to watch "The Godfather: part II."

Google has ruined my life.

2006-05-03T12:27:00.000-07:00

Growing up, when I lost something, I could usually find it by looking through my little brother's room. If it wasn't in my room, and it wasn't in his, then it may as well no longer exist; it was gone. On-a-bus-to-Graceland gone. I lost stuff, too. I can't even guess how many times my dad told me that if I lost this jacket, he wasn't going to buy me another one. The majority of the things I "owned" when I was a kid either ended up disassembled (for scientific purposes) or lost.
As an adult I don't lose nearly as many things, but when I do lose something now, it's so much worse. I bought my first pocket knife when I was about 8 or 9 years old. It was an Old Timer. Model number 108-OT (don't ask me why I remember the model number, but I can also tell you that the model number hasn't changed). I think I paid about $12 for it at BI-Mart, which was literally the most money I'd ever had at one time. This knife boarded a Greyhound down the Hudson River line within a year, and I got over it. Such is life.

About two years ago I saw the coolest pocket knife ever conceived. Automatic-opening, perfect (small) size, top quality blade, with a compass in the stock and this thing which tells time!!!... And it cost over $100. Of course, I was an adult, and by this time had seen $12 on a number of occaisions, so I eventually went out and bought it. It was cool, too. Now? Only God knows. I haven't checked my brother's room, but I doubt it's there. What's really eating me up, though, is that this is the first time in months that I have been completely unable to find something. Usually, I can track anything down in about 3 minutes on Google. Why is Google lagging behind my search needs? Technology has truly let me down. I even tried putting quotes around "Zollner pocketknife," and I get some goofy 45th infantry division page. Come on, Google! Get it together!

Mmmm... Good times...

2006-04-28T16:04:00.000-07:00

I certainly appreciate a little sunny weather, and I'm currently sitting in the shade on our balcony, across from the old Presbyterian church. Glen Phillips' new CD Mr. Lemons is spilling out through the screen door, and I'm trying to decide between a cold beer and a Hagen Dazs ice cream bar. Tough decisions, I know. Check out Freddy feverishly rolling in the flower box.

Update: Molly and I saw Big Billy, and he seems to be doing pretty well. He watched Goonies on Sunday, and last I heard, he was out of the ICU. Thanks for your prayers.

Pray For Big Billy

2006-04-20T11:05:00.000-07:00

A friend and former coworker was taken to the hospital yesterday, and it sounds like he's in critical condition. He has diabetes, and was unconscious when a friend found him in his apartment. If you can remember, please pray for Bill whenever it crosses your mind. I'll try to update whenever possible. Thanks.

Inconcievable!

2006-04-12T12:30:00.000-07:00

We all have moments when we don't really know what a word means, but we use it frequently anyway. Right? Maybe a friend (after an awkward pause) turns to you and says "You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means." I have had this experience a number of times, though I can't specifically recall anything particularly embarrasing. Tiger Woods can, though. Apparently, after failing to putt well at the Masters last weekend, Woods told interviewers that he "played like a spaz" on the greens. Apparently this word refers to people with cerebral palsy. Oops.

I suppose every slang pseudo-insult we have is built on offensive history. Maybe it's time to do background checks on the slang I use, since my diction does say something about me.

Nappy Time

2006-04-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

Molly and Freddy had a nice nap this afternoon; they were both pretty tired, and in need of a little extra sleep. Freddy has finished his antibiotics and is feeling much better, and more continent.

Molly has been working hard at her new job at Gigi Salon & Spa. She still has a lot of work to do, but is already seeing the fruits of her hard work, and is getting used to calling the shots at two different locations. She went to the doctor last night, and is starting to feel a little better, and didn't wake up coughing at all last night, which was nice for both of us!

She worked a short day today, because she was running over on hours, and since I only have one class on Thursdays we got to relax at home together all afternoon, which was great. I sure love that girl. She's so great, and smart, and pretty, and hard-working, and nice to me. I really don't deserve it, but I'll take it.

Thumbsucker Review

2006-04-01T11:47:00.000-08:00

Last night I watched Thumbsucker with some friends, and really enjoyed it. I identified, on some levels, with the main (thumbsucking) character. His tension between ADD and medication was not unlike my own, in that the meds helped, but made him uncomfortable with his new reality and personality. He throws the pills out (been there), deciding that he would rather fight through it. He applies to the school he wants to go to, and is accepted in spite of his poor grades, based on a letter he writes appealing to the admissions board (been there).

Well, I don't suck my thumb, and I'm not heading to NYU, but I am back on the juice after 10 years, and I'm so anxious to get this next term on, that I'm considering reading the first couple chapters in one of my text books this weekend. Of course, the book is for "History of Rock Music," not "Competing with Information Technology." All in all, though, I really am anxious to throw a left hook at this term, and get it on the ropes from the start (I sure like boxing metaphors).

Molly and I both have the day off today, so I think it's time to hang out with my pretty lady.

My Personal Redemption (of sorts)

2006-03-31T11:27:00.000-08:00

Spring break is almost entirely gone now, (crap!) and I've wasted every minute of it. That was the plan, so I'm satisfied, but now I have the weekend to get my head, and sleep cycle, right. Classes start Monday, and I have officially set a new goal for this term. Yes, I will achieve perfection this term, and kick a 4.0 right in the teeth. It's the only way to feel better about this last (disappointing) term. Ultimately, the new goal will be reapplied to each successive term, but I prefer to think about them one at a time. This is unlike any goal I've set before, in that it is much higher, and yet completely achievable.

I have to go. I only have a couple days to get my mind right!

Poor, Poor Freddy

2006-03-29T18:02:00.000-08:00

Meet Freddy. He's a handsome cat with a pleasant disposition and rapier wit. He also has been diagnosed with "kitty acne" by our veterinarian. Fred is a cat with a great deal of pride, and has been dealing with this problem with courage and remarkable poise. Unfortunately for Fred, though, the prescribed antibiotics have given him a wicked case of the runs, which has been a thorn in the side of this normally genial little beast.

We're pulling for you, Fred.

2006-03-27T11:41:00.000-08:00

Well, this has been a nice, relaxing weekend, and I'm ready to enjoy spring break. Molly settled on a new job, and will start working at the Gigi Salon in the south park blocks at the first of April. We're pretty happy about that, because she'll get a month of severence, meaning double pay. This is important in paying off bills/debts, especially since I really don't contribute in that area anymore.

My area of expertise has become sitting in the reclining armchair with the Powerbook on my lap and a cat sleeping on my legs. I also do a really good deep breath, followed by puffed-up cheeks blowing out. It's great for expressing exasperation, or fervency of study.

I may also be developing the spiritual gift of derision, so that's pretty cool.

I have to go pick up Glinda (from the north) at the airport; I heard that Miss Gulch is in town, so it might be an interesting week.

I May Yet Finish This Thing

2006-03-23T20:18:00.000-08:00

I went to a 4 hour "orientation" at PSU today that will someday be synopsized into a 15 minute web tutorial. It was long, slow, and actually quite encouraging. I figured out that I'll have well over 100 transferable credits, which is more than I thought. The bad news is that I won't have room for any electives, with all the extraneous junk on my transcripts. The good news is that I won't have to take a bunch of electives.

I'm definitely excited to be moving to a real school, after so many years of community colleges and Christian "college." ;)

Here's a goofy sound bite that made me smile this morning. Good times, great oldies.

Oh, Fine.

2006-03-22T12:47:00.000-08:00

Well, in the same way that my parents finally broke down and got high speed internet, and the way Molly's dad learned to send and recieve text messages, I have finally broken under the weight of peer pressure and am begrudingly starting a blog to narcisisstically share my observations and offer input on all things.

You may want to check back often, lest you miss the world being saved.