Keep on Keepin' on!

Great Show Coming Up!

2008-02-03T15:12:00.001-06:00

Movin' on...

2007-11-22T10:19:00.000-06:00

Well, my bags are almost all packed up and I am moving this show over to WordPress. If you click HERE it will take you to the new site. The address is 'ahakala.wordpress.com'. The new site is still in it's beta stage but I am excited about the possibilities! This site will no longer be updated, so please update your bookmarks.

Peace!

And what a Clog Buster it is....

2007-10-23T21:14:00.000-05:00

This morning we had the pleasure of waking up to a clogged tub. At 5:45 am this is not something I get excited about. This all started a few days ago...the sink was clogged so I took a snake and fixed the problem....or so I thought.

The next day my wife said she thought the tub was draining a bit slow. I took a look at it, snaked it and gave it a go. Sure enough, the water went down and my work was done. Then Tuesday morning showed up. You guessed it...During my shower I noticed I was standing in water. I figured the drain was just running slow but I was wrong.

I plunged, snaked, and plunged some more at 6 am all to no avail. This baby was good n' plugged. I dashed off to work and began to plot my battle against the drain. In the past I have tried several products that are supposed to dissolve clogs. They are probably wonderful preventive products, but I needed something that would really pack a wallop. My search led me to the "Clog Buster".

I'll tell ya what...this is by far the most bizarre looking tool in my collection. Bizarre looks aside, it really gets the job done. Here is how it works: The "Clog Buster" operates on high pressure water. You hook this thing up to a hose and then shove it down the drain. When the water is turned on, it expands to seal off the drain pipe and also shoots a high powered jet of water at the clog. I don't see how a hair ball could stand a chance!

It actually works pretty well. I was expecting to make quite a mess in my bathroom but all of the water made it to the proper destination. My bathroom drains are all working quite well and you will be happy to know we can continue with scheduled cleansing.

Reduce, Reuse....Recycle?

2007-10-15T20:26:00.000-05:00

Someone should really say this, it may as well be me. "Recycling is a sham!"

Yeah, that's pretty much how I feel about it. Think about that magic triangle that we all of us under 30 learned in school..."Reduce, Reuse, Recycle". Which one gets the most press? "Recycle" does of course. Why is that? Economics, that's why.

Reducing is bad for our economy. If people use less they spend less money, there is less need for manufactured goods and there is less of a need for jobs. The government will never support reducing in America. We could reduce solid waste, carbon output and oil dependency just to name a few by reducing how much we consume.

Almost as bad for the economy is reusing. Rather than buying that shiny new Toyota Prius why not buy a used Carolla? Think about all of the raw materials we could save by using a car until it is completely exhausted. When you calculate the effect that disposing of a car has it might make that Prius look less shiny.

Obviously, someone has to support the technology to keep it going, but really all it would take is to demand it. Consumers always have the power in the economic equation. The prime objective of a business is to make money, in order to do so they must make a product worth buying. If we (as a society) demanded an electric car and settled for nothing less (as in didn't purchase) there would be electric cars that worked well. Think about it, Hummers were not commercially available until there was public demand.

Back to the point, our government has chosen to advertise the benefits of Recycling. Why wouldn't they? It creates jobs, makes a need for new factories and facilities and the end result is new products that can be made from recycled materials. All of this helps kick start our economy and makes everyone feel better about buying more stuff. Printing a ton on recycled paper (which often times is less than 100% recycled) is WAY better than printing on regular paper....isn't it?

There is my rant...next time you go to the store don't buy Recycled, buy less....instead of buying cans of beer, buy returnable glass bottles. (They can clean em' with soap rather than melting them down and releasing ugly chemicals) Most of all, don't buy into the fact that recycling is going to save the world. It will help, but it is far from the easiest way.

Cooler Weather...Blogging with a cause?

2007-10-09T21:59:00.000-05:00

Finally, the early October heat broke today and it feels like fall! For the past few weeks I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of 50 degree highs and I feel like we are almost there. This morning when I left for work I could feel the need for a coat in the air and when I walked out the door at work this afternoon that feeling was even stronger. With any luck we will have crisp, uninterrupted fall air from now until mid November.

Now for the blogging with a cause part...Next week there is a blog action day that I will be taking part in. The idea here is that on October 15th everyone taking part will blog on something to do with the environment, causing a large influx in environmental awareness...if only for a day. The planet on which we live is important, much more important that most things I can think to write about.

I am excited about this project. I can safely say that what my posting lacks in hard facts will be compensated with common sense and practical solutions. I won't try and wow you with buzz words and depressing stats...my goal is to get you to do something small that just might make a difference.

What will this grand Utopian concept entail...well...I have not figured that out yet.

New Truck Buzz!

2007-10-01T22:15:00.000-05:00

So here is something new that I learned today...Nothing beats a new truck! My wife and I bought a Toyota Tundra today. It's a real beauty, black with tan interior.
In honor of our favorite fictitious wizard, I decided to name it Sirius. (Sirius Black of Harry Potter fame for all of you muggles out there.)

It is a really nice vehicle...that's about all I can say at the moment. We were originally looking at mid-sized trucks but this one happened to be on the lot and we found it much more comfortable and practical than it's smaller sibling.

Buying a new car is an interesting experience. I have never gone to the car dealership with an intention to buy. In fact, I think can count the number of times in my adult life I have gone to look on one hand. I have always scoured the "thrifties" and more recently auctions for cars that might have 2 or 3 acceptable years left in them.

Today I understand why people buy cars that are still on the front half of their life rather than in the twilight. It is really nice to have no rattles, no stains, no hail damage and no pending repairs. Granted, I did not get the pleasure of sitting in the DMV with a stranger waiting to transfer the title but this is a price you have to pay.

Don't get me wrong, I have loved all of my vehicles. My first truck was a 1987 Chevy S-10 painted metallic brown. It was a pretty sweet little ride for a 16 year old. I drove it to and from school every day in high school and it even made a handful of trips across Wisconsin when I was in college. Late 80's American quality and good ol' Midwestern road salt brought my truck days to an end in 1998.

My next car was a 1992 Mazda 626. This was the first car that my mom ever had in her name. This was also the same car that I learned to drive in and took my drivers test in. When I started driving the car it had 120,000 miles on it. By the time I was done with it in 2003 I had managed to put 250,000 on it! There were many really great things about this car but the most amazing to me was how reliable it was. The only real work on the car occurred after it passed 200,000 miles. I replaced the timing belt (original) and the CV axles (also original). The mechanic that did the CV's was amazed at the fact that I had not replaced the clutch or the transmission. (His amazement was capped with a series of curse words and a healthy scratch.)

In 2004 I was working as a photographer and doing quite a bit of traveling around the greater Twin Cities area. I decided that I needed a vehicle that had a bit more room and was a little newer. I loved my Mazda but I thought that it might be a good time to get out before the clutch or transmission gave out. My purchase was a 1995 Nissan Pathfinder. This was a fun little truck and I definitely got my use out of it. I was hoping to get 200,000 out of it when I purchased it but I didn't quite get there. I sold the vehicle today with 150,000 on it. Not too shabby, but short of my goal. The big motivator was maintenance...it had a fair amount due and I just didn't feel like it was going to end with what was due. The guys who bought it are both mechanics (and very interesting fellas, but that's another story all together) and they are happy with their purchase and they are well equipped to deal with a fussy, aging vehicle.

We hope to be driving this truck for quite some time. Hopefully it will look as good as this Four Runner with 1 MILLION miles and was recently sold on eBay!

Weekend in Review...

2007-09-23T15:20:00.000-05:00

For the first time in many weekends, I actually had two days off! I think you could officially call this the weekend of cleaning in our house. Friday, Susan cleaned the entire main floor of Hakelstien Manor. When I came home from work I thought that I walked into the wrong home. It's not that we are messy people, we just have not been around to clean in awhile. The place looked amazing!

Friday night we went to an Oktoberfest celebration in Nordeast. Every year Gasthof's has a GIGANTIC tent set up in their parking lot for most of September and into October. It is a great place to go and drink German beer, play a game called Hammerschlogen and watch people. You will see everything from 21 year olds with fresh livers to old men and their wives who just may have helped invent kegged beer.

Saturday, I finally finished the touch up work on the front room that I have been working on. It looks good, Red is a tricky color to get just right. From there I moved on to the upstairs. We are painting this room a gun metal color. When I started to put the color down I was a little unsure if I liked the color, but after one wall was done I loved it. The color somehow manages to both brighten and warm the room. I did not expect this from a darker tone.

Today has been very productive as well. We got up this morning, put on a coat of paint and then proceeded to scrub the floor in the basement. I realized today that I need to do a little bit of landscaping this fall. Somehow we have water creeping in from somewhere outside. I took a look around and I am pretty sure I know where it is getting in, now it will be a matter of changing the lay of the land.

One special announcement and then we are done for this afternoon. This coming Saturday (the 29th) I will be playing with the Jack Brass Band at the Times Bar and Cafe in Minneapolis. This promises to be a special show and I would urge all of you who have supported the band over the past five years to come out one more time.

Time for a Changeup

2007-09-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

Well, it has been almost four months here at the ol' blogspot. I thought it was time to change things up a bit. I was getting bored of the brown/orange/blue thing so I thought I would go with the sheik gray thing.

There is a new movie coming out this week that I am really excited to see. It is called "Into the Wild" and is written and directed by Sean Penn. The movie tells the story of Chris McCandless (aka Alexander Supertramp) who came from a privliged family, gave up all of his money and ultimately dies in the the Alaskan wilderness. Some of you may have read the book by John Krakauer. At first I was skeptical about this film, but now that I have read a bit more it sounds like a very well produced project. Some are saying it is a window into a part of Sean Penn.

In other news...We have both been busy lately. Our week has been consumed with going to and from work, putzing on the house and making sure that our Wook (the cat) is receiving enough pets. I have also been playing quite a bit of trumpet.

August was somewhat of an off month on that front. I did not have a lot of shows booked so I decided to take some time off the horn. Now, "time off" for me does not mean I don't play at all. It means that I practice about 3 days a week for 30-45 minutes rather than 6 days a week for 90 plus minutes. This is probably the biggest vacation I have taken from my horn since I was in High School in 1997!

It feels pretty good to be back. One thing that I have noticed is that I have kicked a couple of bad habits. For the past two weeks my practice has been a lot more purpose driven. I am really paying attention to what is happening physically and mentally when I do certain things. I think this helps make these actions repeatable. I have always struggled with consistency, this seems to be getting much better.

Not much else is new...it is a beautiful weekend in the city. Get out and enjoy the day!

The Patriots are winners....really

2007-09-13T21:08:00.000-05:00

I generally choose not to write about sports in this blog. I try and direct the subject matter towards things that are a little more personal and thoughtful. However, the subject of the New England Patriots and cheating has been interesting to me.

Let me start by stating that the Patriots did indeed break the rules. There is very little to debate here. The part that gets me going is when I hear people debating the fact that the all of the Patriots victories are invalid are invalid. I am sure that the explosive Minnesota Vikings of 2006 would have ran right through the Pats had they not been cheating. The teams are not upset with the Pats for cheating, they are upset because they got caught and now nobody can do this again.

If the Raiders were caught doing this they would be the laughing stock of the league. I am pretty sure you could give the Raiders your play book and they would still loose because they fail to execute. That is what nobody is giving the Pats credit for...they gather information, process it and execute. You will notice that they don't always hire flashy talent, but they are always good executers.

Consistent execution is not something that ESPN can talk about for hours on end. A team that wins when they are supposed to and doesn't bask in the limelight is not an interesting news story. In our current times though, the general populous has so much access to information that media sources have to sensationalize stories to make them interesting. I believe this is one of those cases. If it were a team that was not a consistent winner we would be hearing about how someone famous checked into rehab. It is a fad to make winners into losers these days.

For this reason I hope that the Patriots and their tainted record go undefeated and win the Superbowl. They consistently out execute their opponents and I am anxious to watch them prove that even with a "leveled playing field" they still can dominate.

Southside Aces this week!

2007-09-10T22:15:00.000-05:00

If you are the type who is struggling for Friday night plans, then do I have something for you! One of my bands, The Southside Aces will be playing at Cafe Zander this Friday night. The restaurant is located on the corner of Selby and Dale in St. Paul. Music will be starting at 8:30pm. This is a great chance to eat some outstanding food and hear some traditional jazz.

On Sunday we hosted our monthly jazz jam session at the Nomad World Pub in Minneapolis. We had our usual turnout of familiar faces as well as a few new ones as well. It was our last outdoor show of the year, but we will continue to host the jam session on the second Sunday of every month.

In case you can't make this show, check our webpage for more information. We now have three different monthly shows that will be ongoing until at least the new year! We also will be making stops at The Times Cafe and Patrick's Cabaret before years end.

Hope to see you all at a show sometime soon!

Pathways...

2007-09-03T15:54:00.000-05:00

note to the reader: This a rather long and rambling post. I typed for quite awhile hoping to arrive at a conclusion. I never arrived but since I spent so much time I decided to publish this in an unfinished format. If you have time to burn, please read on and leave a comment. If not, please skip to the pretty pictures at the end and enjoy.

For some reason I have been thinking about how I got from point "A" to point "B" recently. Don't ask me why, I just happen to do this from time to time. Some of this reflection might have to do with being at the "10 years out of high school" part of my life. Some might have to do with a wandering mind.

10 years ago (almost to the date) I arrived at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point campus. I was going to be a band director. Yup, no questions about it, that is what I was going to be doing. Sure, there was going to be fun stuff to do but I was going to be too busy working on important stuff to be sidetracked. Somehow I ended up in a Philosophy class (I really don't remember signing up for it) that would open my mind to a different way of thinking.

Ask questions? What? Am I qualified to discuss (and dismiss) ideas and beliefs that people have put on pedestals for centuries? According to Andrew Coen, "Yes". It was a really great class, it was also the first time that I realized I could have ideas that were different and that was "OK".

What maybe wasn't "OK" (at least for my music ed degree) was that in the spirit of the great philosophers I began to question many things. "Why should I do this?" "Who says it has to be that way?" "Is that a fact, or just a perspective?" I quickly discovered that life was not going to be a series of yes and no questions for me. (Is it for anyone?) So, my freshmen year ends in me going home for the summer with little academic direction.

Before I move on, one important thing needs to be mentioned here. I discovered a really good group of friends that year. So good in fact that we are still in close contact with each other. We just spent a weekend together earlier this month. At the time though, I had no idea...we just drank beer together!

Back to the story....when I arrived home I realized why I was going back to college in the fall. I simply did not fit into the Chippewa Valley mold anymore. I still had great friends at home, but things just weren't clicking anymore. (Those of you from Chippewa reading this, no slight intended. I think you would agree) I spent that summer working two jobs and swimming whenever I had the chance. I don't know why I went swimming so much...

I got back to college (finally) and that fall I had my first music ed class. About two weeks in I knew that this was not for me. So...what am I going to do now? It turns out that I am doing the exact opposite of what most people do at the end of their sophomore year. Rather than declare a major, I am walking over to Records and Registration to have "Music Education" replaced with "Undeclared". This wasn't all bad, I was still in good standing as a music major and this allowed me to catch up on some general classes I would need anyway.

This is also the year that I decided to make Stevens Point my new home. I got an apartment with my friends and became a "townie". Interestingly enough, this is the summer where I really grew up. I got a job, paid some bills, got a library card and even had my first telemarketer call for me. This was a really good time...I will always sit back and smile about this.

Junior year starts and ends about the same way. I still am not quite sure what I am doing or why I am here but at this point I am over half way done with whatever it is that I am trying to do and it seems silly to turn back. I am discovering that I like working on things, I like the people I am around and I like the city I live in. If that isn't general enough, I have decided to declare my major to be a Bachelor of Arts in Music. What that means is that I have taken the necessary amount of credits to get a degree and since most of them were in music that means my degree is in that field. (I realize that this sounds a bit cynical, but this is how I felt at the time.)

For the sake of time, lets fast forward to 2006 where the morale of the story happens...I am now living in Minneapolis and looking for a "real" job. I had been working for a photography company and teaching private trumpet lessons for the past 4 years. I thought things were going well, but I had no idea what was to come.

I saw this job posted...tech support at an elementary school. "I can do that." I had never done it before, but I was confidant that I could learn whatever I needed to know. It turns out that I am OK at this computer stuff. After six months at the elementary school I found myself in the position of "technology specialist" at the high school.

I accredit this success to my years as an undeclared student. It enabled me to remove the blinders and see that it is more important to be successful at life than specialize in one area. I have been paid money to photograph, swing a hammer, sort sheet music, push a broom, run a photo lab, play trumpet and currently to help shape the direction of technology in a local high school.

So, what's the point? Well...I dunno. I hoped to have one by now, but I don't. I thought for sure that putting these thoughts down would sort them out and give some direction but maybe not. Maybe later this week I will have some more thoughts on this. Here are some pretty pictures in the meantime...

Both of these images were taken while at my friend Craig's cabin a few weekends ago.

Some new (to you) photos...

2007-08-22T22:21:00.000-05:00

We have been married for almost a year now. It does not seem that long but according to the calendar, it has been. I figured that it is about time we show off some of the wonderful pictures from that day. Thanks to Kristi of F8 Design Photography and Craig of Brubaker Photography for documenting our day!

Boo Yeha!

2007-08-19T21:16:00.000-05:00

Finally, after eight grueling months of waiting we have received an offer on our condominium in Minneapolis. What this means for us is that we can start doing things to our wonderful new home in north Minneapolis. What this means for you is that you will get to hear more about our adventures (and misadventures) in home improvement. On the docket for upcoming projects are putting some color on the walls, refinishing some windows, doing some work to the bathroom and some cleaning and demo work in the basement. All of these projects should prove a good opportunity to showcase our prowess as homeowners.

In the spirit of home improvement, today I renewed the age old Hakala family tradition of going to Menards. Growing up it seemed that my dad was perpetually going to this do it yourself superstore. Where else is one supposed to find lumber, cleaning supplies, furniture, Green Bay Packers paraphernalia and broken pretzel rods under one roof? No matter how bad the customer service we would always return and fill up the vehicle with home improvement supplies.

My trip today was purely out of a desire to "save big money". My wife and I were eating lunch and I had picked up a newspaper. In the center where all of the ads are, there was a brown shopping bag from Menards. The promo was 15% off everything you can fit in the bag. Any of you who own homes (or like to buy tools) know that there is always something that would fit in a paper bag that you NEED.

The fruits of my trip ended up being fairly mundane. I picked up some laundry soap, a bottle of GOOP (everyone's favorite do it all adhesive) and a nail set. What was amazing to me is that somehow it took me an hour and a half to get this stuff. I remember my parents taking forever on their trips, now I know why.

I saw a book about trim carpentry. Since we will be doing some work with crown molding in a few weeks I thought I would flip through it. I saw pictures involving heat guns (for stripping old paint) and compound miter saws (for cutting new and old trim with precise angles). I never thought I would find myself coveting these things but here I am, doing exactly that. Flipping further into the book, I saw articles about refinishing floors, baseboard, putting in wood heating and cooling grates and the list goes on and on.

The morale of this long story, don't follow me to Menards unless you have time to burn. Apparently I too have the gene that acts as a tractor beam to home improvement superstores.

Some Photos from England...

2007-08-12T10:34:00.000-05:00

I figured out how to embed a photo slide show today! Here are some pictures from my recent trip to England if you have not seen them yet...

Barry Bonds...

2007-08-09T10:49:00.000-05:00

Thanks for telling me about this article Matt....

Destruction Of National Pastime Given Two-Minute Standing Ovation

Happy Birthday Sophie Lou!

2007-08-08T21:32:00.000-05:00

I would like to take a moment to say happy birthday to my furry friend Sophie Lou. She is the finest of furred companions and I am fortunate to have met her. Today she turns 42 and we are celebrating by watching the Twins and sharing a can of Blatz. Her favorite player is Nick Punto. (Mine is Justin Morneau)

Know that you know my cat likes baseball, I am sure the burning question on the tip of your tounge is "What does Sophie think of Barry Bonds?"

"Meow, I think he is a good natural hitter but ol' boy is on the juice! Thank goodness he hit his home run so we don't have to watch the Giants on TV anymore."

There you have it, the newest Twin Cities Sports celeb speaks her mind. If you ask me, she is very well spoken for a quadruped.

Wynton Marsalis: Live at the House of Tribes

2007-08-07T22:08:00.000-05:00

One of the upsides to working by yourself for an entire summer is that it can give you ample time to become acquainted with your music collection. Anyone who has seen my collection will tell you I may actually have more than I know what to do with. My newfound favorite for the moment is Wynton Marsalis - "Live at the House of Tribes".

I feel like this album really captures more than a live performance, it captures the atmosphere of the live performance. Some live albums have crowd noise, witty stage banter, false starts and extended solos to distinguish them from "studio" recordings. On House of Tribes you can hear glasses clinking, people coughing, the stomping of feet, grunts of approval and even some less than perfect moments from the band. All of these things make the album very "real".

Every track on this album is good, but the one that really stands out to me is the second cut, "Just Friends". This is a great example of how a band can swing in the pocket but still have a modern edge to it. Wynton uses his impeccable sense of time to weave in and out of the prescribed harmony. Wess Anderson also demonstrates why he is one of the best alto men around by playing warm melodic lines combined with bursts of fire.

Another track on the album that will surely grab the listener is "Donna Lee" This may be the fastest and cleanest version of this bee bop classic that I have ever heard. If nothing else this is a very impressive bit of trumpet playing. There is also some outstanding trading going on between the sax and drums. At one point they actually are trading single bars at over 300 beats per minute!

Bottom Line: If you are looking for an album that is reminiscent of the Art Blakey and Clifford Brown "Live at Birdland" recordings this one is for you. If you should happen to listen to this disc and decide "I really like this!" then check out a few of the following...

Miles Davis complete concerts "My Funny Valentine/Four and More"
Art Blakey Quintet "Live at Birdland" (features Clifford Brown on Trumpet)
Wynton Marsalis "Live at Blues Alley"
Dexter Gordon "Homecoming" (Featuring Woody Shaw on Trumpet"

What's been going on!?

2007-08-04T08:37:00.000-05:00

Ok, Ok...stop with the fan mail already! I'm back, I promise I will write more...What's that? Oh...you think my life is terribly interesting and you want AT LEAST weekly updates? OK, I think I handle that...this will end my press conference.

Well...in case you haven't heard, there was a major bridge collapse in Minneapolis this week. Four days have passed, and I still find it hard to believe that something like this happened. My wife and I have both traveled that bridge countless times, it is very jarring to think that it is just no longer there. Judging by the most recent reports, it could be almost two years before there is a bridge there again.

In other news...both of us have read the final installment of Harry Potter. In our opinion, it was better than promised. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone so that is all I have to say about that.

Working on the garage has been a major project the past two weeks! I got to purchase a "Sawsall" a few weekends back. If you are ever feeling like you need a quick shot of testosterone, buy one of these guys! It is my new favorite tool.

So...that's about it really. I have been busy at work, playing a fair amount of trumpet and working on the garage. Not quite as exciting as touring England or waiting in line for Harry Potter, but still a pretty good way to be.

Potter Release Night....

2007-07-21T01:01:00.000-05:00

Dateline Richfield, MN:

In a little more than one hour Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be released upon the world. Sometime back in early March I reserved my copy and now I find myself, 28 years old, sitting in Richfield Minnesota at 10:53 pm on a Friday night eagerly awaiting a children's book. Things could be worse...

I walked into Borders this evening and upon entering was given a blue colored wristband. Basically what this means is that I will have to wait until the "blue group" is called and then (and only then) will I be able to claim my copy. I was sort of hoping that I would have to put on a raggedy sorting cap and be mystically told which group I would be apart of.

However, on my trip to Diagon Alley (Borders) I discovered that the Leaky Cauldron (some call it Don Pablos) was still open. I used a simple charm spell and convinced them to serve me a tall mug of Ale even though I strolled in a little past their suburban version of last call. If only for 20 minutes and a pint of Ale, this defiantly beats standing in line and observing the madness that is Harry Potter release night. What the hey, Blue team won't go until well after midnight.

I have been to the "grand release" of the past three books. This one is by far the most bizarre. I believe that this is due to two factors. One, this is the last book and Two, I usually go to the Borders in Downtown Minneapolis. I believe that the suburban locations tend to have better turnouts for late night events. Anyway...I just saw a girl walk in with a prom dress on. No kidding! A prom dress! I am not sure where a wizzarding world a prom dress comes into play but who am I to question.

My favorite people I have met at this event are couple who I parked next to. This is a great story...I pull into Borders...it's totally packed so I just go to the way back, dark corner of the parking lot. There is one car there, for some reason I decide to park next to it. As soon as I pull up a guy sits up and looks around as if to say "comon'...nothing happening here". How embarrassing...I just busted up a suburban grownup make out session. This is defiantly awkward and this guy is just kind of glaring at me. His windows are down so I say the first thing that comes to mind..."Looks like the place to be eh?" Ok time to go...I scurry away and find myself recounting my own tale of adventure and danger while waiting for another.

Overrated Suds...

2007-07-14T17:37:00.000-05:00

Call it a case of being spoiled by "real" premium beer recently but I am going to call shenanigans on Fat Tire Amber. It is not the beer of legend that many speak of.

Last night I walked into the beer store and saw a huge display welcoming Fat Tire back to the Twin Cities market. My of my beer loving friends (and other experts) rate this beer as one of the finest America has to offer. For quite some time now you would have to drive a ways to get this Fort Collins, CO specialty. I had the good fortune to sample this beer when I was backpacking in Colorado back in 1999. I remember it being good but that that was at a time in my life when "cold" equaled good enough to my beer pallet. (On several occasions "warm" was OK too)

Since this beer is a new feature at the store, I decided to pick up 22 ounces of this brew. Strike one...a 22 oz bottle runs $4.50. For those of you who don't regularly buy beers in the "fun size" this is a bit on the high side. A similar size Becks is about 3 bucks, a Heineken is the same, a "Tall Boy" of Bud, Miller or PBR is about $2 in most places. I have spent upwards of $6 per bottle, but only on a select few beers. (Delerium, Rouge and some barley wines)

Strike Two...Flavor. I found this beer to be overly hoppy. This would be fine in an IPA or EPA but this is an Amber. Generally, I would expect an Amber to be a bit sweeter at first and then finish with a bit of hops. This was just hopped up all over. It was not enjoyable.

I adjusted to the flavor and accepted it for what it was, but I can safely say I don't need to do this again. I think the legend got the best of me on this one. If I had not heard any of the build up I probably would have said this beer is OK. The fact that so many have billed this as a "don't miss opportunity" made it hard to pass up. In hindsight I should have reached one slot to the left and grabbed a PBR.

Country Farms and a Methodist Brass Band!?

2007-07-10T03:49:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was the busiest day we will have on the tour. We were originally supposed to have some clinics during the day and then an evening concert. The clinics ended up getting dropped for some reason and replaced with more performances. We played a one hour set at lunch time for a corporate office complex, a forty five minute set at an old country farm/event center and finally our featured performance. It was a long day of playing to say the least!

The "farm" that we played at was pretty cool. It dated back to the early 1100's and is still in use as a residence. The people that live there seem to rent it out for private parties and events. There were all sorts of beautiful gardens and sculptures on the grounds. The main buildings had not been modernized too much. The rooms that I walked through all appeared to be pretty much as they would have been in the 1200 and 1300's.

The final performance of the trip was at a Methodist Church in Durham. We ended up having a pretty good turnout and I think that people were pretty surprised by what they heard. The band sounded really good...check that...really, REALLY good!

During the performance I was having fun looking around at the looks on peoples faces. Nearly everyone was smiling! Also, nearly everyone was clapping or tapping something at some point in the show. We also had a contingent of teenage girls who would later horde us for autographs. Look out New Kids on the Block, Jack Brass is on the scene now. (editors note: If you have ever seen the JBB, you know how they could easily be confused with teen idols)

Anyway, the band has been a big hit. We have sold a lot of CD's, handed out cards and had many people comment on how they hadn't seen anything quite like it.

2007-07-09T04:21:00.000-05:00

This is Durham Castle....also quite amazing! There will be more photos of this one to come.

This is a photo of the Cathedral near where we are staying in Durham. I went inside the other day, you are not allowed to take photos, but trust me it is amazing!

Sunday....the adventure continues....

2007-07-08T11:00:00.000-05:00

We have had two solid days of good weather! It is about 65 degrees and sunny hear, I don't think we could ask for much better. Musicly the festival is going very well. Yesterday (Saturday) we played 3 sets around town and it was a big hit! We sold over 30 CD's and recieved many compliments. People here have not heard this type of sound before. Both musicians and passersby have been interested in what we are doing.

This afternoon (Sunday) we played in a brass band compettition. We were a "non-judged" performance and we were later told that we go about as warm a welcome as one can get from a Brittish audience. Apparently they are not a wild group when they like somehting, instead they politely clap. If they don't like it, they don't clap at all. Since everyone clapped after every tune (not the norm) they must have liked what was going on. Some people were even tapping on their shoes, which I guess is nearly unheard of!

I also managed to break my trumpet today. I am not exactly sure what happened but my third valve does not work so well at the moment. I am guessing that my wedding ring made a slight dent in the valve casing causing the valve to bind. The good news is I don't need that valve as much and it will in time work itself out. The bad news is that by "working out" it causes a groove to be worn into the valve...I am guessing that this is not the intended way for valves to work. At any rate, for our stage show on Monday I am hoping to have at least two thirds of a working horn. The valve is starting to loosen up and after a bit more work it should be free.

Durham England: Day One

2007-07-08T10:51:00.000-05:00

We arrived in Amsterdam at about 10:30 am Friday morning. (4:30 am Minneapolis Standard Time) Three of the guys in the band (myself included) did not handle the approach to the airport very well. It was a longer than normal decent due to weather and runways being shut down. At any rate, the cabin began to feel very stuffy and the wonderful airplane cocktails from the night before were considering using the emergency exit. I think for the others it may have been a legitimate case of motion sickness, mine was most likely a legitimate case of sleep deprivation crossed with cheap red wine. (Who would have guessed that 2006 was such a fine vintage. Thanks Northwest Airlines!)

From Amsterdam we took a "city hopper" to Newcastle, about a 1 and a half hour flight. The hospitality on these international flights has been incredible! We received 3 meals over the course of both flights as well as free beverages of our choice on the flight from MPLS. The other thing I noticed is that on the KLH flight from Amsterdam the stewardesses were very polite to everyone and even telling jokes. I have not noticed this as much on other flights. Due to turbulence and smaller aircraft I would liken the flight to Mr. Toads Wild Ride. Overall, an outstanding experience.

Upon arriving at Newcastle we would soon discover that our bass drum and tuba didn't make it with us. As far as I know they are still enjoying the comfy confines of the Netherlands. All is well though, as soon as we arrived in Durham we were able to line up a bass drum and tuba for our Saturday shows should our equipment not arrive. Luckily, tubas and bass drums are used to some degree by every band at the festival.

Durham is a very beautiful town. It is almost exactly what I think of when someone says "small town in England". The streets make very little sense, there are long winding alleys, abundant dead ends and a giant castle. Today I will be taking pictures and posting them, I am sure they will do no justice.

So far we are all pretty wiped out. It has been a brutal 30 or so hours of travel and we are in much need of a rest. Tomorrow we play three 45 minute sets at different locations around town as part of the "Streets of Brass" I can't wait to see peoples reaction to what we do and meet some of the other musicians involved with the festival.

Lost instruments, cellar temperature pub ales, motion sickness striking down two thirds of the band, an incredible concert and my first international library card. All in all an incredible day!

Got here safe and sound...

2007-07-06T12:45:00.001-05:00

We arrived safe and sound today. Other than a few details with luggage everything is going well. I am feeling a bit sleep deprived but that will work itself out by tomorrow morning. Will put up a more substantial post later!

All Packed...Almost Ready to Leave...

2007-07-05T13:46:00.000-05:00

Well...everything fit into one big backpack, a trumpet case and a standard size carry on bag. Probably brought more than I needed but better safe than sorry. My flight leaves at 7pm tonight and I should arrive in Amsterdam sometime around 10am on Friday. I have a feeling that there will be some jet lag involved. Can't wait to get there....

Playing music for cash...

2007-06-27T19:02:00.000-05:00

Recently I have been catching up with an old friend from high school. Today he said something that I have found really interesting. "I always wondered if playing in a band...for gigs/money/etc. would tend to get to a person after a while. Meaning that in the beginning it was fun and playing the music was great, but then it would turn into more of a job and not be so much fun." I have been thinking about this and I feel that it is a very important observation.

I have been playing trumpet for 15 years now, the past 7 being the most serious. I have played trumpet as my sole source of income at times, other times I have gone for two months without playing in front of anyone. I can safely say that it has not gotten to me yet. Here is why...

When it stops being fun, stop! (....and look for the fun!)

Yeah, thats pretty much it.

At more than one point in college I swore I would quit. I missed out on camping trips, frisbee games and some of the other fun things my friends were up to. Sometimes I would quit for a few days. I would lock my horn up and go away. I would start to feel drowsy, irritable and lost. I would go back. All of the problems had not gone away, but it was more fun than not playing.

When I started playing gigs they had to be fun because I certainly was not getting paid much. I had a weekly gig once that was 3 hours long and the band made a total of $200 bucks. At the time I thought that was pretty good, I would get $40 and beers cost $1. Since gig money was not accounted for in my personal budget, that meant that I could have 40 beers per week and not stray from my fiscal plan. On top of that I got to play with 4 other musicians who became good friends of mine. It was like getting paid to play catch!

After college I moved to the "big city" and decided to take some serious time off. I was feeling burned out and maybe this was not what I wanted to do. A week later I found myself carting my horn down to the bar where I would sit in with some local players who have backed up just about every major act to come through town. I had no business there, but again it was fun and I made some new friends.

Then there was the one night that I went out with my best friend to see a show. (In case you aren't getting the theme here, we were having FUN!) After the show I met a tall redheaded guy who ran a band. They were not really in need of a trumpet player but gave me his card and told me to come out. 6 months later I was playing in the Winnipeg Jazz Festival with the Jack Brass Band. About 3 years later we would get booked to play a corporate event in Vegas. I would meet a tall brown haired girl and marry her. This was also fun...

Now I am getting ready to travel to England and get to play in front of an international audience. My passport was a total headache and I was about ready to tear off the band leaders head if I had answer, "Did it come yet?" one more time. We will be given the the opportunity to work with music students and teach them about what we do. How do you teach someone to have fun?

I guess my point here is, yes I get paid to play my horn. Yes, the money and logistics always get in the way of the fun. Yes, practicing 2 hours a day can be a drag. Getting to travel, enjoy life, meet people and do something that makes others enjoy life a little more is something you can't put a value on.

Getting ready to go accross the pond!

2007-06-26T11:27:00.001-05:00

My departure for England is fast approaching and everything is falling into place! After twelve weeks of waiting and a congressional order, I received my US passport on Saturday. The picture looks like me (mostly) and it says I am cleared to travel. We also found out that we will be staying at Hatifield College in Durham. I went to their web page and it looks like a pretty beautiful place. (http://www.dur.ac.uk/hatfield.college/accommodation/buildings_and_rooms/)

The tour schedule is also starting to lock in, looks like the sixth of July is an open date in case our flights are delayed. From there on out we are booked every day! There should be time on one of the days to make our way out of town and see some of the countryside. My initial plans of going to a Wimbledon tennis match will not work out. Next time....

The coming days will see me busy packing and planning. I also should get some much needed time in on the horn, after all that's why I am going in the first place!

ReBirth ReDeux...

2007-06-22T06:54:00.000-05:00

About once a year my favorite band rolls through (or near) town and I get to go out and hear them. Last nights show was as good as I have ever heard. Generally, with the ReBirth Brass Band, you can expect a display of sheer force. 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, a sax, a tuba and 2 drummers will do that. Last night however was different.

The overall feel was reminiscent of their album "Live at the Maple Leaf". Kabuki (pictured) was in rare form as he lead the band through their two hour show. The rhythm section was classic ReBirth, using two against three patterns to drive the crowd into a frenzy. The most notable improvement was the saxophone playing of Vincent Broussard. He is the youngest member of the band but is quickly becoming a mainstay both in his stage presence and musicianship.

ReBirth!

2007-06-21T21:33:00.001-05:00

Favorite band ever...ReBirth Brass Band...in town tonight...full review first thing in the AM!!!!

First one eh'?

2007-06-20T21:45:00.000-05:00

So, this is the first shot at this puppy! I have been keeping a marginally successful blog on tumblr.com. I think it is time to step it up a notch...give blogger a shot. Keep in mind I have little regard for hard facts and proven philosophies. By coming here one time, you have already expressed a passing interest in my life and thoughts...or at least what I might think about other peoples lives and thoughts.

A few things you should know about me before bookmarking this page or subscribing via RSS...1.) I am a IT professional who dabbles in technology and dreams of being like Ralph Waldo Emerson. 2.) I think that it might be possible to someday play music for a living. 3.) I tried being a vegetarian once and other than the part where I had an extreme distaste for veggies, soy products and flax seed oil it was a wonderful experience. So good in fact that I decided it sinful to lead such a divine existence and switched back to a "fully leaded" diet.

With that in mind, subscribe at your own risk. I play in a band, am taking a trip to England soon and just bought a house. There is bound to be something interesting here at least once every three hundred and sixty one days.