3-15-10

Watched Up In the Air last night with Kristi. What a great movie. Took you on a spin. What's really important in life and what is a "grown up" actually? Highly suggest watching it. I agree with Kristi that it "makes me grateful for my co-pilot". I love that...co-pilot.

So Umphrey's McGee was in town this weekend. We had our annual Vega Productions birthday bash (5th anniversary) at the Fine Line like last year. I made it over to First Ave earlier because the band signed a guitar and poster for our silent auction. It was good to see those guys.

They have always been genuinely good to us/me over the years and this year was no exception. I had to return to favor. I gave Jake and Brenden my Ted Vig custom tiger-eye Strat body guitar that we made way back in 1998. Maybe they will use it...maybe they'll use it for a canoe paddle I don't really know...but I felt like doing something. I think they were at the end of their big Spring tour and didn't do much partying after their show. Maybe they have been fooling me all these years with their kindness but really when our backs are turned who knows what they say.

It's been so nice out, yesterday we went for a family walk around the lake. Girls, Casey and Kristi and I. Nokomis was packed with people. I think it was Casey's first trip around the lake in a stroller. That was fun. My new New Balance gave me a blister.

Today we'll hit the gym and it's Coastal Seafood's day. However we are going to skip it and go for brown rice and something light tonight. Really need to keep up with the Wellness.

At this point, I'm not sure what is going to happen next musically. I can't decide if I want to keep pursuing the venue manager thing or start a new project...maybe I'll work on a solo record. I really should do that.... cause I'm self absorbed.

3-8-10

Today is fish day at Coastal Seafoods. Getting in the habit of going to the gym on Monday's and then stopping at Coastal for the special of the day. Today it's Opah or walleye. I think one of each.

Had a great weekend. The Tunes and Toons show on Sunday was really fun. Emma had her piano recital on Sunday and did a great job. We had a nice turnout Friday for the GJ show. Everyone played great and AbGruv made some jing back on the equipment they lost in a roll over accident about a month ago.

Getting taxes done today. It will be good to finally get that over with. Checking over all expenses in 2009....reviewing bank statements. I used to not really like this but in recent years I've found it's best to be tidy and neat about your finances. So did my trip to LA with Kristi qualify as an expense because I played at the House of Blues?

The three of us went over to my parents for breakfast on Saturday. Was good to see them back from Kauai.

Other than that, I have to get a lot of work done this week on top of five days of YMCA. So best get to it.

Time to tidy up.

3-2-10

Today we got up and Kristi took a day off. She's been working hard at the Red Cross and needed a personal day with Casey.

I had a ARRM Day at the Capitol today. Met with Rep. Masin from our Burnsville district. Talked about how unfair it is to take away welfare money from people with disabilities. I really like going up to the Capitol and doing something on behalf of other people. I always have considered people with disabilities more interesting that most of the able bodied people I know. All the pompous jack ass wanna be rockstars out there trying to be something they ain't. People will disabilities are so real and precious and like diamonds in a giant bag of Kingsford charcoal. Seriously, you can't fake it. You are wayyyy different. After working serving people with disabilities for going on 16 years at various non-profit organizations, I hate calling these incredible individuals "People with disabilities". Drives me nuts. Because the truth is these people had no clue they had "disabilities" until someone told them they had "disabilities". Over and over again people drilling it into your head over the years. From Case Managers to doctors to family members to their places of worship to the "sheltered workshops" where they work with other people with "disabilities". I mean, what if everyone I ran into every day of my life told me that I was "________"....yer gonna finally get it engrained.

I'd love to write a movie about that. About a person with disabilities who grows up in a town of 200 of the most accepting people in the world. Lives there until he's 18 and nobody tells him he has disabilities. Everyone just tells him how amazing he is. Then, he moves to filthy LA where one after the other people tell him he's got disabilities, but he never believe no matter the stressors he's subjected to...he's not...gonna...believe it....til in the very end there is no escaping the label as hard as he tries. Maybe this movie's been made.

This is a crazy week. Tonight was girls night with dinner at the table, homework, piano lessons. I like this Tuesday in my life and very grateful for it. Emma keeps getting older. Both the kids look great and seem very happy. Best thing you can give your kids is a happy childhood.

You are your kids perception of the world.

3-1-10

Enjoying this journey while it lasts...

March came in like a lamb today. Very nice day. Woke up and headed straight to the gym for some hardcore cardio. Casey stayed with Yolanda and her crew. After the cardio, I picked him up and he was with Juan, one of Yolanda's staff. When I had dropped off Casey earlier, the nursery was jam packed with kids so I said, 'You guys need a tip jar here, you do quite a bit of work for people". He said he was paid enough and that this gives him a deeper appreciation for what his mother and father had to endure. Wow.

Casey and I then drove to Coastal Seafoods as it's Monday and Monday is usually fish of some sort day. Today I got talked (easily) into the Chilean Sea Bass as it was on sale.

On Saturday there was a huge earthquake in Chile. My parents were vacationing in Hawaii and were supposed to leave that night. The news said that a huge 15 foot Tsunami was going to hit. My parents and the Hawaians got evacuated to higher ground. All these people up on the cliffs loooking down at the destruction abouto happen. All the news stations had reporters on site to witness the devestation that was about to happne. FOX just hoping and praying there are casualities so their ratings go up and more people tune in. Salavating over some peril.

Couple foot swell. Hawaiians surfing out there as FOX reported the killer Tsunami approaching. Dude, these are gonna be some gnarly waves.

Ridiculous, but at least we know that if it ever did happen we are really prepared right? Eh. The way things are going in catastrophic world disaster department these days, maybe it's well off we did have a test run in Hawaii, while my parents were on vacation. I wonder what they were thinking on higher ground?

So Chilean Sea Bass it was and I soon found out from the fishguy it's one of the fattiest fishes in all the land. It's so fat that you don't need any oil. Just throw it in the oven pretty much. Fish is good. Eat more fish. Ya.

Judge Judy is on here, so I will run. I leave on the classical station all day until 4pm. Then we watch Judge Judy. She is the boss.

Tomorrow is ARRM Day at the Capitol. I'm thinking of bringing Casey to meet with our legislators. Just put him face foward in the baby bjorn. Maybe he'll learn to shake hands.