New Year’s Day

I’ve been thinking a lot, over the past year or so, about life, human nature, expectations, happiness, and things of that sort. To even convey a fraction of the conclusions I’ve drawn would require me to stop writing music and write blog posts every day for a year, at least. But I’ll tell you what I’m thinking for the New Year. My New Year’s Resolution: BE LESS GOAL ORIENTED. Yes, you heard me right. I’m going to consciously work on setting and achieving fewer goals. Surely such a thing is anti-American, right? Maybe. But don’t call me Shirley. Here’s my thinking: we, as a society, are heavily goal-oriented. From gold stars in grade school to…

Welcome Back!

To me! Everybody, start this video playing and get a big smile going, courtesy of Ma$e. I had one of those life interludes, where the bulk of ’11 was spent in grown-up domesticity, and the bulk of ’12 was spent recovering from that unfortunate turn of events. I’ve kept writing, recording, and playing a few shows here and there, but for the most part I’ve been off the map for nearly two years. BUT I’M BACK, BABY! Got a shiny new record coming out in spring ’13, full length, full band, pop-soul rocktacular extravanganza. I’ve never done anything I’m more proud of, and I can’t wait to share it with y’all. Planning some fun stuff…

Spain—Random Observations pt. 2

If you see what looks like a single line of bricks, it’s a sidewalk.

If you see what looks like a sidewalk, it’s a road.


If you see what looks like a road, it’s a highway.


If you see what looks like a highway, it’s an interstate.


If you see what looks like an interstate, it’s a runway.



Spain—Random Observations

I’m tired today, but I thought I’d share with you guys some generally interesting things I’ve observed about Spain.

I’ve yet to have an easy time showering in Spain. My current shower has about 60 seconds of hot water, maximum. The hot water heater is the size of a large lunchbox, and I know this because it’s mounted on the wall of the bathroom. So I have time to wash my hair or my body with hot water, but not both. I have ended up taking a lot of cold showers. There’s a metaphor there, but I can’t quite get to it.

Spain— Bus Trips

Wrote this two days ago, but have had no computer access until now:
I’m typing this on my phone as I take an 11 hour bus ride from Valencia to Sevilla. I’m planning another week of classes in Sevilla this week, and then a week and a half of pure sightseeing/solo studying before I head back home.

Spain—Day 9: Meet the Cast

Today I thought I’d introduce you guys to the people I’ve been spending time with in Valencia this week.

Spain—Day 8: Victories and Defeats

My spanish is approaching the point where it could almost be called ‘broken spanish’. Right now it’s more ‘broken spanglish’. Baby steps. For today I thought I’d detail some of my victories and defeats in Spain. Small victories (pequeño), but victories nonetheless.

Spain—Day 7: The beauty and agony of a new language

A few things are happening with all of the spanish classes. Two of them in particular I’ll discuss.

One: it’s hard to explain what your life and conversations are like when you can only express yourself in the simplest terms possible

Spain—Day 6

First of all, I should say that I’m no longer sure I’m on the right day. Whatevs, onward and upward.

I’m having some troubles pronouncing things (also: conjugating things, remembering things, hearing and understanding things, and writing things—for now, focusing on the pronouncing). I keep putting the wrong emPHAsis on the wrong syLABle, like I just did right there.

Spain—Day 5

Today is exciting. I start one week’s worth of intensive language classes in Valencia. So, first things first, I had to wake up and navigate my way over to the school. Before they put you in class they give you a placement exam that tells them what your level of español is. Well, I could have told them that my level was zero, nothing, or whatever the system is.