Jack's Roommate

As previously mentioned, I am back in the music business, or at least the business of making music.  Ok, so not really making music per say, but at least duplicating music that has already been made.  I'm doing this with two other local musicians in the Boise area.  Together, the three of us are a group called "Jack's Roommate".

When I joined the band and I heard the name, I was a bit puzzled as to the title and tried to figure it out.  There are so many Jacks out there.  Initially I thought Jack in the Box, maybe someone was his college roommate? (I could go for a couple tacos right now)  Jack Frost?  Jack Black? Jack Nicholson? Jackie Chan? The Jack that no one knows....from "You don't know Jack"?  As it turns out, our guitar player Roc does know Jack.  Last December the band had a "Naming Party".  Basically, it was a house party, where everyone put a potential band name in a hat, and then the band later went through the list and picked one.  Since this part was at Jack's house, and Roc is Jack's roommate, well, I think you can figure out the rest.

Because Jack's Roommate was an existing band, the initial playlist was already in order, so of course I have some catching up to do.  The list contains mostly Classic Rock, including artists such as Jimi, Tom, Lenny, Eric, the other Jimmy, Bob, Stevie, Joel, and others.  We will be adding more songs, and more artists, as well as some of our own takes on fan favorites. (Everybody loves a re-make)

Unlike the last band I was in, I'm getting in with this group on the ground floor.  Lisa has been in this industry so long that she is pretty much the musical director of the group.  She likes the fact that we all play different instruments and we will be using that.  I'll get our from behind the drums, starting next week, I'll have a mic (scary, I know)  btw, only 9 Months and 28 days till The Hobbit.

The pictures I've put up are taken in our rehearsal space is known as "Studio 10".  This is Lisa's private studio.  Only a handful of people are aware it even exists.  I'm blessed to be one of them as it has everything a band needs, lots of space and a fridge.

Be sure to like us on facebook , so you'll get the latest and the greatest news and events...

Till next time....

The Pointer...

About a year ago I started blogging, and I blogged about my thumb, this year it's my pointer finger.  I figure at this rate in 5 years I'll finish with my right hand. Of course on the other hand, you have different fingers.  (please tell me someone got this...yes, it's a bad joke.)

So anyways, what happened to my finger this time?  Was it building a fence?  Perhaps it got shut in a car door?  A freak pruning accident?  Nay Nay.  The blame lays with the Zildjan company.  Zildjan is one of the top producers of cymbals, drums sticks, and other percussion equipement.  And since your going there, no, I did not drop a cymbal on my finger, but I did use their brand of "Dip Sticks."  These are drum sticks that are dipped  with a special adhesive that helps you hold on to your sticks.  The theory is, you don't have to hold them so tight that your hands get tired as quick.  As that might be true, which the music gets really fast and intense, the combination of sweat and the adhesive tend to rip your hands up.  I learned this the hard way.

As you know, I'm now a member of The Retreads, a local cover band.  As anyone in my position knows, when something like this happens, you suffer from G.A.S.  (Gear Acquisition Syndrome).  So while shopping for a cowbell/tamborine I thought I should try a new kind of drumstick before getting then in bulk. 
Musician's friend was more than happy to help me choose some sticks at a low cost, I just didn't realize the effects it would have....

So at our last rehearsal we go through three songs and I'm thinking I like these things, so I ask JD, who is also a drummer, if he ever used these.  His reply, "Yeah, they tore my hands all up".  I suddenly start to worry.  So the next song is a little ditty called "Whip It".  Those of you alive in the 80's know this song, and probably don't realize how fast it is...with a 16beat rhythm constantly through the whole song.  During those 2 minutes 40 seconds, these sticks decided to form a blister on my pointer finger, then pop the blister, and then remove any skin that decided to not hang around, as well as create a raw feeling on my thumb.  No, I won't post a picture.

Needless to say, I won't be using those sticks for any "fast" songs and my search for my stick of choice will continue...as my poor finger heals.  No one ever said that Rock & Roll was easy.

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What a Summer

Flourless Belgium Chocolate Cake (I did not make this)

 
Summer is finally just about over and so much has happened in the past few months...it's all so scattered, I don't know where to begin.

We took a trip to Tahoe and stayed in a friend's cabin, I got to play several shows with my band before they decided to move on without me, we're going camping next weekend, Isaac lost his first pair of teeth, we made our annual trek to the fair, I haven't blogged once the entire time...so lets get to it!

Last setup with my cousin Ryan

Last time I blogged it was all about the band, so let's start there.  First of all, bands and band members are a finicky bunch.  Especially you are trying to integrate yourself into a group that has played together for so long, and are roughly 10+ years older than you, it's a different generation all together.  With that in mind, we played a few good shows, I got some good experience, and made a little money.  But in the end, my playing style wasn't exactly what they were looking for, and our personalities didn't mesh the way we hoped.  So once again, I'm drummer without a band.  But that's ok since I was diagnosed with tendinitis in both hands, I can use the rest.  (If by chance you became a fan of the retreads because you knew the drummer, you can (un-like) them now. I did!)

We took a trip to Tahoe with the family.  When I say family, I mean my parents, and my brother's family.  This was our camping alternative, which turned out to be a whole lot more fun than we imagined.  First of all, it only took us around 8 hours to get there.  Coming all the way from Idaho,  it was much nicer, not to mention there was no campsite to setup once we arrived.  Instead it was welcoming hugs from our family whom we haven't seen in a while.

Early morning fishing trip, it was COLD!

So what sets cabin life different than tent life?  It can all be summed up in two words, "Hot Water".  Having the ability to take a hot shower everyday without having to heat up gallons ahead of time, not just for you, but for your family at well is such a blessing.  Yes, there is something to be said about roughing it, but right now, I could not tell you what that is.  We spent a lot of time just sitting around on the deck talking, while the kids played.  Had some awesome meals that my mom made ahead of time.  Can't beat momma's cooking!

We also had a private beach, and a private dock for almost the whole trip.  All but one day at the lake, we were the only ones there, and the 2 minute walk to get there wasn't to shabby either.  I will say the dock was a lot of fun, as we would jump off the end and swim back to shore.  Even Isaac did this several times, despite the frigid temperatures of the water.  It was on the last day that we finally got Becky to take the plunge.  An early morning fishing excursion was a nice though, but not well planned out as it was too cold to stay our very long, even with hot cocoa.   But the sunrise, was beautiful and provided a nice backdrop to fishing from the pier.

The only thing really missing was the campfire.  We hope to make up for that next weekend.  In all, it was a great time!  Maybe we'll do it again.

Speaking of great times, we had a hallmark event this summer.  My wife turned the big 35.  For such an occasion, we celebrated like never before.  OK, it wasn't completely original, but I convinced her to try a 'new' place.  After years of watching shows like Hell's Kitchen, or Next Food Network Star, we've seen all this "fine dining" stuff, but never experienced it.  Living in Idaho, the selection isn't too great, so I picked a place to try, Barbacoa's.  The menu looked very expensive, but I convinced her to go anyways, and OMG!  The food was incredible, far surpassing anything we may have tasted before.  I'm not saying there is no other good food around, it is just that this meal was on a whole new level.  Without going into great detail, here is a brief description of our adventure into fine dining...

• Trio of Ceviche
• Crab Mojito
• coco rum infused crab with sugar cane and mint
• Tuna Tartare
• with avocado, capers, red onion, and mango sorbet
• Ceviche of the day
• Red Snapper ceviche
• Grilled Ceasar Salad
• Grilled Ceasar Salad wedges with smoked polenta croutons
• Sweet Corn & Crab Bisque
• Dungenous crab with jalapeno pancake
• Mixed Seafood Grill
• marinated shrimp, scallops, fin fish, with coconut rice
• Duck Two Ways

• crispy honey roast duck fanned breast and confit of leg and thigh served with cranberry sherry and sweet potato risotto

I won't even get into the deserts, needless to say they were "FABULOUS!"  One of the best things about this place, was the water.  The serve all their water was filtered chilled water, sparkling or plain, in glass bottles.  Their water is not, I repeat, not from tap.

There is so much more to say and talk about, but no sense in putting it all here, right?  Keep an eye open for more blogging from yours truly.  I imagine it will involve food in some way.  I think I may devote a blog specifically for that duck dinner I had...yes, I want more.

Peace out, and God bless

-Brian

BUSY, Busy, busy

Life just gets going sometimes, and before you know it, it's passed you by.  Obviously, life hasn't passed me by yet, at least not completely.  I'm amazed it's already the end of April.  Where does the time go???

So your probably asking yourself, what have I been doing?  I've been asking the same question...sadly my answers are very fragmented and may or may not make much sense.  Anyways, in no particular order....

I-HAUL -Why do you need a trailer?  We'll, there are a multitude of good uses for a trailer, especially when you don't own a pickup truck.  As my family only has a small SUV, and a Honda Civic, it really makes some parts of being a home owner difficult.  So we welcome the newest addition to our tool shed.  She's a little 4x8 trailer that needs some TLC.  

Again, why a trailer?  We have a lot of debris that has been accumulating, mostly because it's too big for the trash, and we have no way to get it to the dumps.  We're also camping later this summer, and fitting everything into the Explorer is near impossible.  This way, we have lots of space and will be able to include things like Isaac's bike, or a wagon, our own firewood, and 50 lbs of potatos!

So when I'm done working on her, she will have a nice glossy black frame, bars on each corner, new flooring, new walls, and possibly a removable top for added security.  Not to mention everything will be modular so we can change it up for what's needed.  Now I have a project....don't forget about my hobby.


is still a lot of fun.  Our first show is in two weeks.  I'm really excited, but I'm also a tad nervous...who wouldn't be, right?  I know everything is gonna be fine and once we start playing it's gonna be a ton of fun.  It's my first time out with a live band in this type of venue, but I couldn't ask for a better group of guys to go play with.  Each of them got "mad skills" and the drive behind it to turn out some great music.  Our line up has variety that rivals any radio station out there.  Where else are you going to hear Georgia Straight, Billy Idol, Bryan Adams, The Clash, and other random groups on the same night?  Bring on the Rock!  

Of course being a part of a working band has it's down sides too, you have a tendency to develop what's known as G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)  Hey, I could use some new cymbals...how about that new in-ear monitor system....should I get that new drum set for practice purposes....more cowbell...how about a drum stage, I'm feeling short!  Of course finances prevents any type of serious GAS outbreak, but the 'want' is still there...all in due time.  


Sleep -I need more...what else can I say?

CATS - I admit it, I've never seen the musical Cats, but I am familiar with a few of the tunes.  Sadly, this has nothing to do with Andrew Lloyd Webber.  This past month we had to say goodbye to a member of our family.  Misty was our first baby.  It was a week after Becky and I had been married that she woke up on a Saturday, came into the living room and said, I'm going to get a kitty.  Before I could respond, she had already walked out the door.  Misty was very special.  As a kitten she literally played fetch with her toys, also ready and willing to show affection to those she loved, namely Becky.  She would perch herself on Becky's shoulder and be content.  As Misty grew up, she took her place as the rightful queen of her castle, with only Nali (our Aussie) to pick on.  Misty would sit on the arm of the sofa and wait.  Nali would walk by minding her own business when Misty would reach out and 'POP' Nali on the back of the head.  Apparently she wasn't allowed to walk by without permission.


Over the past few weeks, Misty had stopped eating, all she would do is sleep.  After some medication she perked up for a little while but then soon digressed again.  She was laid to rest a few weeks ago and will soon have a garden erected in her honor.  She was loved, and will be missed greatly.  

Every emptiness needs to be filled, that's what led us to www.simplycats.org.  This is where we met Lily, she has been welcomed into our home and provides us entertainment and companionship as most kittens do.  Still adjusting to our new home, not all of our pets have totally agreed to the new addition.  But they will in time.   

Yes, we have 4 pets.  It seems like a lot, but it's just right.

My Free Time...

So far it's been a busy day.  8 AM this morning we had a Men's Breakfast meeting at "The Egg Factory".  It was  mostly a chance to hang out with the guys, but also an opportunity to say goodbye to a good friend who's heading off to serve in his families ministry out in the Philippines.  The name of their ministry is "Mercy In Action", and they have been providing free birth centers for poor families in the Philippines since 1992.  It's a very specific, but very cool ministry.  (Here's a very cool story about them, at 37,000 ft)


Anyways, I had the Corned Beef hash Spudsation.  It was basically country style potatoes topped with corned beef hash (which has no corn in it), covered in melted Monterey jack cheese, then two eggs over medium.  It was very delicious.

So after breakfast, it's off to church for rehearsal.  At church we finally got a church drum set.  Since I'm playing all the time now, I needed to get my drums home.  So after a lot of research, we got a really good deal on this kit.  It still needs some tweaking to get it sounding good, but it's not too bad.  It'll take a few weeks to get it right.  At least I don't have to haul my drums back and forth anymore, though I think I'll probably be bringing my drum throne with me as the seat is really lacking in comfort.

Now that everyone is asleep, I have some time to myself, and I've been spending some free time as a beta tester for this cool (at least I think it is) game called "World of Tanks".  It's a relatively mindless game that involves three goals.  1.  Don't get shot.  2.  Shoot the other tanks  3.  Capture the enemy flag.  Depending on what kind of tank you have there are different strategies to use, but teamwork is definitely involved.  This is not a game you want to go rogue in.

My other free time, usually late at night, is what I call a truly love-hate type of thing.  I'm doing a marathon of LOST.  If for some reason you haven't seen lost and are planning on doing what I'm doing now, skip this paragraph.  All six seasons on Netflix.  I'm currently on episode 3 Season 4.  It's a great show, but each episode is like a cliff hanger, so I gotta watch the next one.  Before I know it it's 11:30pm and I'm tired.  I'll be happy when this is done.  I remember how stressful it was watching it the first time, when we had to wait to see what happens next.  Every commercial you get up off the couch and say, "WHAT?!?!? ______?!?!?!?   As I'm watching all these episodes back, they tell you everything that is going to happen, you just don't believe them. Clear as day, "No one survived Oceanic Flight 815"...don't believe the hype.  It's cheap entertainment so what else am I gonna do?  Oh yeah, did I mention, "I'm in a band!"

"The Retreads" has got to be one of the funnest things I've done to date, and we've only had two rehearsals.  Look at it like this.  Yes, I've been playing drums a long time, and I've played lots of different styles with lots of different people.  Just never this loud, and apparently I'm still not loud enough.  I have till May 6th to 'get my rock on' as that's our first show.  I have my drums at home now so I'm hoping to get out there as much as possible.   (There are a few riffs I'm having trouble with.)  Oh and speaking of practice, I think I got roped in to sing the chorus of "Living on a Prayer".  Should be interesting.



with that...good night and good luck.  Maybe it'll snow tomorrow?