Camper and Cracker!

Amazing show last night by both groups! Here's how it went..

I'd asked for an hour off work to get to the show on time, and luckily, since it was so slow, I got an hour and a half off! I got to Petaluma in about 80 minutes. Surprisingly enough, there was hardly any significant traffic. I suspect most of the getaway weekend crowd had either already left, or was planning to leave today.

I found a nice garage downtown (10 hrs free parking!) and stopped there. I shopped briefly at a local bookstore, then went to grab some dinner at a local deli. Afterwards while walking the town, I came across the back entrance to the theater, and heard CVB doing their soundcheck. I sat on a park bench and listened to what I could.

The venue opened around 7:30, so I just waited in line with the diehards until it did. I walked in, and staked out a spot right in front of the violinist, Jonathan Segel (my favorite musician in the band). Seeing few in the theater, I walked out to grab some CDs and partake of the facilities. I also had a nice chat with some folks that were recording the show (both groups allow this). When I got back, there was a group of 3 dudes taking my spot! Doh. Ah, but not to fear...I moved a trash can that was sitting right in front of the speaker stack, and my spot was reclaimed.

When Jonathan came out, he smiled at me and I said "hello!". Then I took one of his discs out of my pocket and said "Hey, look what I just bought" and he replied "awesome!!". Shortly after that (of course) the band started. It was a shorter set, since it was two headlining bands, but they managed to trot out many of my favorites, all in fairly rapid fire order. The lead singer, David Lowrey, looked like a red-headed Ernest Hemmingway, with a full faced beard.

Since I was on the side of the bass player and violinist, the mix I heard was very heavy on those insturnments. The lead guitar was barely audible in places. Thats what I get for being in front, I guess. I wouldn't have traded it for the world though. Oh! And CVB/Cracker sideman (also a sideman for the Counting Crows) David Immergluck guested the entire night on pedal steel, guitar, and mandolin. It's pretty rare that he shows up for a gig, so it was a great treat!

Camper left the stage, and about 40 minutes later, Cracker appeared. They really surprised me, actually! They rocked a lot harder live than on record in places. Segel came out and guested on a few songs, too. The highlight of the night for me had to be when Cracker did a song called "One Fine Day", where Cracker guitarist Johnny Hickman, Immergluck, and Segel all had solos. They followed that up with another favorite, the moody, meandering "Sidi Ifni". Unfortunately, about 3/4ths through their set, I was just feeling pooped, and had to sit down. I retreated to the rear of the theater, all the way in the balcony. To my surprise, the sound up there was surprisingly good! The view however cannot compared to the front of the stage.

For the encore I made my way closer to the front again. The members of both bands came out and played Camper's signature closer, their cover of Pink Floyd's "Intersteller Overdrive". It was *amazing*. They had 5 guitarists on stage at once, making the most plesantly unholy of rackets. By some chance, I met up with two guys in the crowd who told me "hang around and you'll get to meet the band". I was kind of skeptical (and they were incredibly drunk), but I thought, hey why not. But lo and behold, I got to do just that. I got Jonathan Segel to sign the disc of his I bought, and I also got Victor Krummenacher (the bassist) to sign a CD of his that I bought as well. Both were very appreciative of the fact that I enjoyed their material so much, and Victor even recognized me from the Santa Cruz show about a year ago.

It's pretty cool though, as you think that most rock stars are totally unapproachable, or weirded out by fans, or whatever. It's great to meet some folks that are down to earth, and truly appreciative and respectful of who they are and where they are. After last night, I'm going to make it a point to go to more CVB shows.

A slight buzzkill after I left though. I hop out of the parking garage, into my Tbird (with a newly aquired "Cracker" sticker affixed to the bumper), and almost immediately, a cop on a bike jumps on my bumper and trails me for a few blocks. Of course I'm in a neighborhood I've never been to before, I don't know the roads that well, its the middle of the damn night and I'm totally tired. So when I pull out onto the Main Street, I don't realize or don't see right away that the road is 4 lanes, and I straddle the left and right lanes for maybe 30 feet before I realize what I was doing. The cop pulls me over right away, suspecting a DUI. Luckily for me, I make it a point not to touch a drink if I'm going to be driving, so I was in the clear. The cop seemed more upset in the end that I wasn't drunk, just a dumbass out of towner who got lost.

A great night though. I hope the band comes back again soon.

Adieu to 2007...

Yep, another year has just about come and gone.

Thats all I'll say about that for now.

Christmas was as successful as it could have been. Sunday night I went over to my Dad's for dinner, and he gave me about $150 cash. Nice!

Christmas Day was of course, hectic. Between opening presents, preparing dinner, and mingling with family members, I was totally beat. I did some good gifts though--the Naked Gun trilogy on DVD, as well as an X-Files box set, The Venture Bros Season 1, and an old Wrestling DVD. Oh, and $100 in gift cards to use at Best Buy (or if you like, worst buy...). I'll probably get a TV or something, not because I really really need one, but because I'd like one, and I've never owned anything other than shitty 2nd hand TVs all my life, so it'd be nice to have a new one for a change.

My niece and two of my cousins all got bikes (they are all girls ages 5-7), and that was a kick to see them all ride down the street. Getting your first bike is one of those rites of childhood, and it was a nice feeling to be able to be a part of that. Plus, I got to be the bike delivery man afterwards, as we have the only truck, so the only person who could take the bikes to their homes was...me! Heh.

As stated in another blog, this weekend proved to be some kind roving food orgy. Christmas is the weekend where I usually eat just too damn much. That makes this weekend, New Years, the one where I drink too damn much! Ah, excess...anyway, I'm going to a part at my brother's for New Years Eve. If I don't kill myself or something, I'll say how it went. Though knowing me, all I'll say is "it went fine..." and leave it at that.

I've also got the Camper Van Beethoven/Cracker concert tomarrow night. I'm getting off an hour early even! I haven't been able to see much live music this year, so this will be a welcome night.

The 27th Year Begins

Yep, today is my birthday. As I look back on my 26th year, I have to say...in spite of all the grief I've posted here, its turned out to be a good one. Getting a new job and a new car are the two biggest reasons why.

In March there was great cause for optimism. I had 3 interviews in the span of a month, and was offered one job, but unfortunately that job offer turned out to be a red herring. Plus, I had another great opportunity just around the corner. But it fell through. After April, it looked like my life was going nowhere fast. After having been out of college for a year, I had nothing to show for it.

But on the final day of June, I interviewed for a job at a print shop. I thought it was a complete longshot that I would even be called back for a second interview or anything. They made me take several tests at the interview, which I thought was highly unusual. I was sure I'd failed them all. But two weeks later, I was hired.

A week after I started, I finally got another car. And not just any car; A *Thunderbird*. Life was starting to look up.

But I struggled at the job. Mightily. Almost on a daily basis, I wondered if this job was right for me, or even if I was qualified. Would I even last until the end of the year?? Then the car started breaking down. A Water Pump. A Radiator. A Timing Chain cover gasket. My world seemed to be crumbling around me.

But this past month has been different. The car got fixed, and yeah I had to spend a few hundred bucks, but I've made most of it back. My job is going...dare I say...quite well! It helps that the new production manager is 1) younger, and therefore someone I can relate to (she also has a cool, slightly sarcastic personality) and 2) she actually has confidence in me, even though I fuck up still every now and then, she at least gives the impression that she knows that I know what I'm doing, and frankly if someone else thinks I know what I'm doing, then I think I *do* know what I'm doing.

The future looks brighter right now than it has all year, frankly. And I can honestly say, overall, its been a good one. Here's hoping the 27th year is better.

Oh, what did I do today? I drove out to the Cache Creek Casino, about an hour and a half northeast of here. I played a few slots, and ate lunch at the buffet (fantastic food, btw, although it better be a $20 a pop!). Honestly, the drive there was more relaxing than the actual destination. Damn, I *love* driving that tbird. On one section of freeway, I pegged the speedometer. Granted, it only goes up to 90, but I've never had a car that handles those speeds with such ease. 80 mph feels like 55 did in my old van. And speaking of the van--it's gone. The parents decided it was best to donate it to charity. If youre ever in the area, go to the Pick-N-Pull Wrecking Yard in Stockton, and see it for yourself...or whatever's left of it at that point.

I also went by the outlet malls on the way back (yes, they were crowded) and found a copy of Ralph Nader's "The Good Fight" for $2. Hardback edition. Kind of sad, albeit, not terribly surprising, to see such great words relegated to the bottom of the bargain bins, while the latest claptrap by O'Reilly and Coulter tear up the best seller list.

Jumping back two days, my job had it's Christmas Party on Thursday. It was nothing terribly extravagant, but honestly it was fun! There was lunch courtesy of the "New Mecca" restaurant (best mexican food around...) and a gift exchange. I got a coffee sampler, which is odd because I don't like coffee. It was Folger's too. Oh well.

Oh, I also got a $50 bonus. Cash.

Yeah, they are a good company. I'm starting to....like...well not so much like, but not hate so much that job. Heh. That was incredibly awkward!!

Right now I'm looking forward to Xmas. I've no clue at all what I'm getting, and this year will be different, because unlike every other year, I'll actually have to go back to work the day right after. So no ogasmic day-after-xmas shopping spree this year. It will have to wait until the following weekend. Oh and speaking of that weekend, Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker is on Friday night. I'll have to remember my camera (they allow photos...). And of course plenty of cash to buy plenty of swag.

PS

I got tickets to see the awesome combination of Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker on December 29th in Petaluma. These guys fucking rock...

Today, my design career began

Okay, maybe things aren't that dramatic. But yes, today I did get paid actual money by a company in the graphic arts field to actually design something for someone. Not ticky tacky freelance stuff from so-and-so I met off the internet, but an actual chance to lay something out for print that someone will actually be looking at.

Okay, it wasn't anything that special -- really, only one page of a local church newsletter. And it's not even finished yet. But when I did show them that one page, the client wanted me to design the cover too, so at least the cover would look as good as that one page I did. I have to say -- I was a bit flattered, and maybe even surprised. I'm nowhere as good as our regular typesetter (who, by the way was off today, which gave me this opportunity), but I was at least able to impress someone with what I know.

Holy shit, I hope some of this doesn't come off as boasting! But anyway, yeah its a small start, but it is at least a start. Thats all I really wanted.

The weather here is delightfully wintery! Last night, I drove into an incredibly thick fogbank crossing over a hill on the way home from work. Seriously, visibility might have been 100 feet, if that. It was honestly one of those situations where you drive as cautiously as you can, hoping to hell that nothing goes wrong. And fortunately, nothing did.

Christmas approaches! As does my birthday. I'm going to try and call my friend James this weekend to see if he's interested (or available) to do anything then. One big bummer about my birthday -- since it was around the holiday season, historically few are around to do anything worthwhile. Reason #2987 I don't have hardly any friends, I guess.

Storm Front

I watched one slowly but surely roll in today. I went over to the Martinez Marina for a while, sat on the edge of the pier, and soaked in the calm before the storm as a front rolled in this afternoon over the area.

Northern California rocks.

Stormy would describe my job lately as well. In the middle of the week, we got slammed by an onslaught of jobs all at once, and it wasn't until the end of the week that I was able to dig myself out of the hole. And this is supposedly the slow season. Whats going to happen when business picks up?

The good thing is, I think I get along quite well with the new production manager. I'm also learning to -- believe it or not -- take things maybe just a bit more lightly, and not stress out over every goddamn thing that goes wrong. Of course that may only hold true until the next disaster comes along. But it helps that the new PM actually seems like she has confidence in me. And she does see me working pretty hard too.

I spent most of today praying to the capitalist corporate overlords, that is, I did Christmas Shopping. I think I got enough gifts for everyone too. I decided instead of last year where I went with a few little things for every person, this year I went with one big thing for every person. Also I got a DVD for myself, and a shirt to wear at work.

And lastly, in two weeks time I'll be another year older. Holy shit, 27....

Enter: December

Damn, the weekend goes far too fast.

I didn't really do much of note. Yesterday I went for a long ass drive in my car, mainly just to see how it would hold up under a long trip. I thought I would drive out to the ocean, but for some reason, I decided against it, and instead drove inland to the valley. I brought my camera, but maybe took 3 pictures, and thats it. Nothing out there really interested me, but the drive was rather relaxing, and the care performed beautifully. I don't know what the guy did, but its running way cooler, and thats only a good thing. Of course, being the quirky, old car that it is, the odometer only seems to be working intermittently now, heh.

Today, I helped my stepdad put up the christmas lights, the went to a birthday party for my niece. It was okay, but all the kids (and the subsequent noise) just really grates on me.

Shit, my birthday is in less than 3 weeks now, as is Christmas. I've no clue what to get anyone, and I don't really know what I want either. I also have to realize that for the first time...well...ever, I'll have to be doing something during Christmas time, as opposed to well, nothing. At the Community Center, business usually dried up around the holidays, and I essentially had a few weeks vacation. Of course, School/College was always out for Christmas. And the one time I did have a seasonal job during the holidays, they stopped scheduling me for work in the final weeks of December.

Yeah, and about work, I'm back to being the only CSR, although this time its different, because without the help of the lady that used to be the Production Manager, I'm essentially all alone now. I'm more or less running the show up front in that shop. It's a total catch-22, because I love to be alone, and I like that responsibility, yet, the job is really too much for one person to handle, even when it is slow like it is now. The boss explained to me that my position is too much for one person, but usually not enough for two. Oh well. I'll put up with it for now, just hopeful that the people around me know how hard I'm working.

It was kind of a lost weekend for me overall, especially after I'd hoped to do something really exciting and fun on Saturday. Oh well, theres always next time...