Meat or no meat...that is the question...

Since the end of the spring semester, I have been trying to work out more and eat better. The goal is to improve my general health, and train for the Zilker Trail of Lights 5K in December. This has been moderately successful, as I have lost some weight, but my running has left a lot to be desired. With some new running shoes a few weeks ago, I'm hoping to step up my running to be able to do the 5K by December.

On the eating side, I've been thinking lately and realized how often I haven't felt well after eating (usually a lot) of meat as of late. Therefore, in order to help kick our healthy eating up a notch, Danielle and I have gone (mostly) vegetarian over the last couple of weeks. I'm by no means being hardcore about it, the chicken pot-pie at COM Group Tuesday was great! However, in general I've been amazed at how much better I've felt after eating, and how my Rolaids consumption has gone down.

I'm trying to make running a part of my normal routine, which hasn't (so far) been a great success, but is moving in the right direction. As for the -mostly- vegetarian food, we're thinking we'll try it out until the Mier's wedding in November and see where it goes from there.

What I Learned This Week

So after a week of time in the studio with the JCB, getting back to class, spending too much time reading blogs, and church this morning...I have learned the following:

- Coffee is my friend.
- Don't ever trust cables from Guitar Center to work, even the first day.
- Fantasy Football has increased my interest in the NFL, to marginal.
- Always check the wiring before putting speakers back together, live or in the studio (had to do this twice before I learned)
- Museums have really inconvenient hours. M-F 10a-4p...really?
- I never remember to check the room number for my classes until 10 minutes before the first meeting.
- I'm breaking more strings than usual, not sure if I should start using thinner picks.
- Coffee is still my friend, and so is Jesus
- And as of 2 minutes ago... waiting to order dinner, for deliver, until 8:45 is a bad idea.


Hopefully I have a week at least as enlightening next week. We shall see.

moving closer to the next step...

this wednesday begins my next to last semester of graduate school, which is scheduled for culmination in may 2009. this time next year i will (hopefully) have a full-time job as an archivist. grad school and a "real" job in the field i intend to to be my long-term career have been something that's been off in the horizon for several years now.

therefore, i'm both nervous and excited. i spent 5 1/2 years working various jobs between college and grad school, always seeing it as something...out there. now graduation and moving to the next stage seems imminent: a house, kids, building a long-term career, etc; and i can't wait.

now if my professors would just post the syllabi so i could know what i'm up against this semester...

Giving...

I had a brief conversation with a friend yesterday. At his church on Sunday, "a young boy running down the aisle toward the row where the offering plate was being passed. He had this expression of total excitement on his face, a smile that went from ear to ear, and pure joy in giving his tithe."

Why does it seem that we don't have the same attitude toward giving to the mission of God (church, missionaries, etc)? As "grown-ups" why do we so often look at giving as being beaten up by "dutiful submission" instead of as a supreme joy of giving to God's work, something so much bigger than ourselves?

George Carlin, Dead at 71

While certainly no saint, George was against pretty much any establishment there is, spoke out against injustice, wanted government out of people's lives to be able to live like you want and be left alone.

I didn't agree with all of his politics or social views, but on the whole, I agree with him more than nearly any politician/public figure.


Insane, but brilliant.

Our 2nd "Crash-a-versary"

So for most people today is just Cinco de Mayo, but for Danielle & I it's our 2nd "crash-a-versary".

We had just crossed into Memphis, TN on our way to her Grandparent's 50th Anniversary party (in Nashville) when we came up on rush hour traffic. The Class A motor home behind us hadn't noticed the impending traffic and wound up going more or less over top of us (me driving, Danielle in passenger seat), and sent us pinging into the guardrails and other cars on the highway.

It's amazing to look at the photos and see how incredibly "smushed" the car was. We were reported as dead on the evening news, and the hospital staff said "wait, you were in the red car, we weren't expecting anyone from that car" when we arrived. However, we walked away, Danielle with massive bruising throughout her torso, and me with 2 broken ribs and a good cut on my arm after only 12 hours in the hospital. Unfortunately, my first Taylor 110 wasn't so lucky, as it wound up being the thickness of a Telecaster in the back seat. Thankfully, Danielle's cousin decided to fly at the last minute, or else he would have been in that seat.

However, we're amazingly blessed to have been able to walk away (even if with lots of painkillers) and not have any long-term effects.


Front driver side



Front of car



Back of car - that's the rear bumper laid across the top



Rear - at least my Birkenstock's were saved



The back seat & Taylor 110



Taylor 110

New Pedalboard

my new board. i'd really considered a Pedaltrain board/case (about $160) but wound up going with a $7 Goodwill suitcase, $4 piece of 1/2" plywood from Home Depot, and paint/velcro that I had in the utility room.



Signal Chain:
72' Tele Custom RI/Yamaha Strat/Taylor 110 > DT-10 > EB Volume > Analogman TS-9/Silver > Analogman SD-1/808 > Sparkle Drive (for clean boost only) > SCH-Z > True Bypass Loop for E-1010 (and then E-1010) > DD-5 > Nau Engineering Tremolo > Headrush E2 > A/B/Y
A > Amp (Electric)
B > DI (Acoustic)


This thing's heavy, but I'm finally able to get everything I really want on my board!

After a quick lunch, I'm playing for the rest of the afternoon!