Puscifer and Whales Vagina.

Got back from San Diego yesterday and what a great quick trip it was. Puscifer was dead on, as always. The music is they type you can really feel and not just hear. Its more of an experience than just a show. So many sounds from different instruments blend to a point of perfection with the hint of lyrics from two sycronized and complementary singers.

Some of the down sides? The fans. From waiting in line seeing all the Tool shirts to shouts of "Maynard!" during brief moments of silence. Some of these fans seem to be the loyal "Maynard" followers that don't seem to understand the differences of each endeavor of his. Let it be said that I am also a Tool fan, an A Perfect Circle fan and I'm even a fan of the many wines that Maynard James Keenan produces. It seems what ever he touches he puts his heart and soul into ensuring a quality product, whatever that product maybe, but when I am at a Puscifer concert I'm there for Puscifer. Not to gush over the "lead singer" but to enjoy the entire experience which honestly, is bigger than he is.

Some up sides? I met and got autographs not only from Maynard James Keenan but also the opening band Uncle Scratch's Gospel Revival. The one I got from Mr. Keenan was part of the "Meet and Greet" ticket I bought which was interesting but something I won't be doing again. It wasn't as much a meeting or a greeting but more him signing a CD and handing it to me. I was grateful, thanked him and as I did so I did my nervous little bow to which he said something I was to nervous to remember and bowed back. He was very polite but as I was standing in line I started getting nervous, not because of who I was gonna meet but because I was in line with strangers about to meet a stranger...If you know me, I don't do well around strangers, hence the nervous bow.

Meeting Brother Ed and Brother Ant of Uncle Scratch's Gospel Revival was not included in the ticket however, it was just a chance we crossed paths. I first saw them last time I saw Puscifer and was enamored but at that show I couldn't find there CD for sale so before the concert started this time I found it and bought it. As the concert came to a close I went over to find something to buy at the Pucisfer merch area. I was standing there and Tony, my friend that was nice enough to accompany me on this adventure, pointed behind me and said "Look" I turned around and saw them. I told them about first seeing them, how much I enjoyed them and then asked if they would sign my newly purchased CD to which they did. They were also very polite and appreciative of gaining a new fan.

All in all a great night with a great friend.

WTF?

I haven't been writing much lately for a few reasons but mostly I have been super busy and things have just been pissing me off lately. I try not to write as much when I'm angry or down (or drunk) because its just a lot of nonsense and it honestly gets old when people just continually bitch and moan. Hopefully things get better post haste, the plays will soon be here and gone and the stress that brings will be lifted and free up some of my time. I will say one of the things that helped me relax during the week was my pool league. That has now changed.

I look forward to the beer on Tuesday nights now more than actually playing pool. Two reasons for this, first off my team has begun the season playing teams that far surpass our skill level. This isn't that big of a deal because like I've said before I just enjoy (or enjoyed) playing pool but to constantly get beat hard core has an affect on you. Second, this Tuesday night league has become so political in nature it's effing ridiculous. I'm not sure if we're playing pool or if we're recanting rules, regulations and watching every game with a microscope to show off how much we know and understand the rules, instead of having a good time. So this will most likely be my last Tuesday night year.

Now before you say "But Chad, it IS a league and rules are there to clearly define legality of play because the top winning teams get prize money and the winning team gets to go to Vegas and play. You are just mad because you suck at pool." To that I respond, agreed, but I believe that having a good time about it is important as well. I have placed in a position to win money and honestly, that money ain't gonna change my life and if I did place high enough to go to Vegas I am sure it wouldn't last long.


Anyway, like I said, this bitching and moaning stuff has got to go and be replaced with better commentary on the finer side of things...Like the concert I'm going to on the first! Puscifer has become a new favorite of mine. I think it has to do with the complexity of the sounds generated and the changing nature it has. It's clearly hard to define as a genre and even harder to explain the inherent beauty I find in it. The last show I saw of theirs, which incidentally was their first, was amazing. It's a mixture of moods, music, friends, videos, comedy and wine. This should be fun and hopefully let me regain something of my soul.

Frickin' frack!

God damn! I am in such a bad mood today. Starting with having no sleep last night, wait, I take that back. Having maybe 2 hours of sleep last night. Trying to not let that bother me I just figured I'd get some Xbox game play in. That's when it decided to give me a big middle finger in the form a red ring of death. Frustrating as hell but I try and not let it bother me, telling myself "It's only stuff."

I tried to have a good time with the kids and take them to the family fun fair at the park but Andrew is being a teenager and not wanting to participate and Audrey wants to do her own thing and when I tell her to wait she wines and cries. I usually don't have a problem with Miah and he got 1st place in his group on the Punt, Pass, Kick challenge. He got a blue ribbon and a soccer ball. Andrew wouldn't do it based on him being "tired" and I figured if he doesn't want to, why force him.

I decided to get us some food, after all maybe I was just grumpy because I was hungry and guess what? Yep. Mine got missed somehow. I just smiled and told them not to worry about it as my blood boiled and my stomach twisted. After I finally got my food and ate we decided to head out to Inyokern for the 100 year anniversary of the founding of the town. The event was scheduled to go until six, we got there about two. Plenty of time to see it all you say? Think again. The only people that were there were the Boys And Girls Club people. At least I knew the people that were there. We stayed just long enough for Audrey to get her face painted and play a little but they wouldn't play nicely and so I decided to call it a day.

It's not the kids fault and I know that, but I expect a lot from them because we don't get to see each other very often. Maybe I expect too much. I just don't want them to sit inside all day. I like to get them out doing things, having adventures and creating memories. I was around my sons age when my parents separated and the time I spent with my Dad I don't really remember doing anything. Maybe we did and I was just being a teenager like my son but still, I want them to be excited to come see me. and that brings me to my next point...

Women! Christian and I have not been technically "together" but we have still been spending a lot of time together. The main reason we broke up in the first place was kids. Not the ones I have now but the possible ones in the future. This is my problem, I don't ever want to have to do this again. I understand kids come with marriage and I don't think I ever want a marriage again. I know its supposed to be forever and if you're in love you do it, its not that I don't love the girl, it's just that I understand that what you want and what life is are two completely different things. If that makes me a bad person, so be it. Who knows, maybe I'll change my mind in the future but for now, that's how I feel.

Argh!!!

I sit here with a can of MTN DEW wondering what to write about. I blame the iPhone. I have the kids this weekend and we have a lot planned. There is a Family Fun Fair at Rocket Park and this weekend marks the 100 year anniversary of Inyokerns' founding and there is a bunch going on for that. So I should have a lot to write about soon. I really need to write every night before bed, good stuff or not, I've never claimed this was going to be gold, or enrich your life in any way.

Last weekend I went to Vegas to see friends from WA. What a great trip. We went on an ATV ride with Awesome Adventures. Not only was it a fun ride but they took us into an old gold and silver mine and gave us a little history lesson about the area. The lunch they provided was top notch as well. They have built a little ghost town that you ride out to where they have a BBQ set up. Lunch was corn on the cob, beans, and chicken all very tasty. After you eat lunch you ride around a bit more before heading back in. A great way to spend a few hours away from Vegas.

We also went to Dicks Last Resort for dinner in Excalibur. It was fun and I was made fun of the second I stepped in. It seems people can spot me from a mile away because the guy was across the room with a microphone, its just too bad I'm deaf and didn't hear what was said. There was also a girl walking around handing out balloon...sculptures. My friend was the B-day boy and got a naked stripper on a pole. Me? I got a gigantic penis, complete with testicles and, um, lets just say... well, I'll add the picture. The best part was when she was tying it around my waist she basically went down on me. All in all a good trip.

What a great weekend.

I have been sick all weekend turning my 3 day holiday weekend into a 5 day sitting on the couch getting all dizzeated on meds, to thinking I'm well enough to go out with friends for a bit, to meds wearing off finding out I'm not well at all, to being cared for by Christian, to being better enough for work.

So today is my first day back and I'm not exactly 100% but i am well enough for work. I know kids can taste fear and smell weakness. Wish me well friends.

Pictures.

I am trying to go through my pictures and edit a few of the really good ones. The problem is, I don't have a really good editor. A friend of mine @JustMegs turned me on to Picasa. It seems OK but I've only been using it for oh, twenty minuets. One of the problems I am having with it is it scans and opens/makes folders of all my pictures. I have, literally, tens of thousands of pictures. Some folders I haven't gone through to delete bad pictures yet but still, I just want to open my own folders and edit my pictures one by one. When I have to see them all sitting there its a little daunting. I'm gonna play around with it more and see what happens. If anyone knows of any other good (free) editors let me know. Just for the record, @JustMegs seems to have mastered Picasa so I am sure its a great program, just maybe not the one for me. But again only about twenty minuets in so I won't throw it out just yet.

What a long strange trip its been...

What a blast from the past. The last time I was in Washington was last year for my Grandfathers funeral. Needless to say I didnt do much other than deal with all that. This time I went for a wedding. Christian and I flew up and spent 5 day there. We stayed with an old friend and her family, Megan. I havent seen her since I was about 13ish but we got along like not a day had passed by. We got to spend a lot of time with her, her husband and their child. What great people. They took us all over the area and we didnt stop.

A few of the highlites were The Space Needle in Seattle, Pikes Place and the first Starbucks, an underground tour of old Seattle, Wild Game Animal Park, Snoqualmie Falls, etc etc. Lets just say not a moment was wasted. I will hopefully spend some time soon editing pictures and let the trip speak for itself. for now, heres a sample or two.