A Taste for the Blues in Cowtown

I've been looking at the page for the Columbus group, and I thought I'd post a collection of blues music-related links.

Columbus local bluesman, Damian Knapp seems to be a success story. He's won a Columbus Blues Alliance award, and he has a few CDs on the market that appear to be doing well. I like a rather somber acoustic/slide blues tune he does, called "Goin' To Realsville." It's on my MySpace page right now, and Damian has his own MySpace page. Also, I found another page on Damian, indie911. His music is posted on there, and there is a lot of good content.

The Sean Carney Band also has a following in Columbus. He has a voice like Tom Waits and he plays blues guitar like a mf'er. There was a little write-up on Sean in the Columbus Alive.

Dirty Linen has a good page on Events in Ohio.

There is a site for Blues Festivals that has a page on Blues Societies, and on that page, there are links to Ohio blues societies.

You can always check out "The Columbus Dispatch" Weekender page on their website. There are always good blues happenins going on in Columbus.

ColumbusArts is another good place to check for blues events in and around Columbus, for any night.

You can check out the Columbus Alive for any nightlife, concert, and event info. There are restaurant and bar reviews, interviews with chefs, servers, and bartenders. Although, the Alive doesn't necessarily specialize in blues music, it's a great source of info for what's going on in Cowtown.

The Cringe seems to be another great Columbus entertainment-related website. Again, this is not a blues site, but you can find info on events related to all kinds of musical styles here. It's a great site to check out, if you love music.

If you want another place to check out blues events in and around Columbus, then check out BuckeyeBlues.Com. Here, you'll find info on blues festivals, organizations, artists, and fans.

In the Arena District, you have a place called Park Street Tavern, and here you will find great live blues or jazz music just about any night of the week, and the atmosphere is kickin'. Plus, you'll be close to some of the best bars and restaurants in Columbus, and Nationwide Arena, home of the Columbus Blue Jackets (if you're into that kind of thing).

For other music, you can check out the site of the New Basics Brass Band, who have been jamming out brassy funk for years. These guys know how to rock a party with that N'Awlins style white boy funk.

Another band that's been rockin' Cowtown for decades is the Hoodoo Soul Band.

I don't know much about this next band, but Terry Davidson & The Gears have been entertaining all over Columbus for a long time, as well. Check them out.

There is an infamous venue for great blues, located in Grandview. It's a little place on 3rd Street, called The Thirsty Ear. Great place to check out some down-home blues and soul.

“There is no security on this earth, there is only opportunity.” General Douglas MacArthur

i knew i'd find it. i've been trying to think of the exact words of that quote for awhile. there are many ways to say what you said above, but the main point is that with change comes opportunity. i like how general macarthur put that into words, because he included the reality that we sometimes feel the illusion of security when we do things the same way we have always done them. however, there is no security in that. life gives us situations, and it is what we do in those situations that determines our destinies.

another reality is that it is usually action alone that defines us in our own self-perceptions and our 'selves' in the the perceptions of others.

i've sought love and trust and respect from people, based on 'who i am' (as you put it) - based on my own perception of who i am, as a person. other peoples' opinions that have been voiced to me (directly or indirectly) about myself have colored my own self-perceptions also, and have become part of my self-perception. what i've found, in reality, is that people give love and trust and respect based on one's actions - not some illusion of who you are as a person.

life deals your cards, to put it in another way, and it doesn't matter what you've done in the past, how good or bad of a card player you are, or what kind of a history you've had as a person, the only thing that really matters is what you do with that hand - right here. right now.

you'll remember what you made of a situation. other people that were touched by the experience also will remember what you made of that situation. most people won't take the time to analyze your history - where you came from, your childhood, your younger years, your middle years. what they'll remember is that one moment where you shined (or bombed?) and they saw it happen.

you've probably heard the phrase, 'never rest on your laurels'. it means don't hold so much pride in your past achievements that you forget that you are still alive - that life hasn't stopped putting you in challenging situations and opportunities to shine and grow and develop.

life seems crazy and chaotic most of the time, but when you reach the final years of your life i think it will all make sense. you'll look back and say, now i see how i came to be where i am today. this led to that. that led to this. this allowed this to happen. that prevented this from happening. that led to this. the road is much clearer then.

i'm not that old. 36. i just know enough from my own experiences that this is what we can expect when we look back at 40, 50, 60, 70, or more years of life - if we have the ability to recall that far and are cogent enough to synthesize all that information.

i've been in a similar situation as you are in - looking forward to change - to a new job in a new place - possibly a new lifestyle. i know how it can be exciting, scary, hopeful, and sad, all at the same time.

i wish you well.

...and (*clink*)... here's to new beginnings and the possibilities for further adventures.

How to master an artistic skill

"mastering the guitar has been one of my greatest accomplishments so far."

How I did it: it's something i worked really hard at, although i've enjoyed it all the way. i don't think you ever really 'master' something in the sense that you couldn't improve somehow. it's just that i've reached a level on the guitar where i can say that i feel like i can do what i want to do with it and make the music i hear with it. how did i do it? discipline, practice, hard work, open mind, listening, and practice... oh... and practice.

Lessons & tips: practice. find a teacher. love what you do.

Resources: videos. books. the internet. other musicians. teachers.

It made me rock!

See more progress on: master an artistic skill

making room for new goals

i just haven’t had the desire to really do this. the idea is interesting to me, and i’ve actually followed other people online who do this. it’s very cool – portable art that people find. i just haven’t done anything with it, and i don’t mind saying that i think i can live without accomplishing this task. it’s not a goal. it’s an idea.

See more progress on: write anonymous, loving post-its for strangers to find

10 weeks of walking to work everyday

it’s been about 10 weeks since i found a new job within walking distance of my home, and i have never regretted having to walk to work. it’s just a short walk – about 10 minutes – but if i get up early enough it is a relaxing time to shuffle down main street towards the office. after work, i love not having to fight traffic. i’ve felt much more free than i have for a long time. now… grocery shopping is a different story. walking home with 5 or 6 bags of groceries really sucks. i did that last week, instead of taking a cab home, and it was a bad idea. the plastic bags stretched almost to the point of coming apart, and they were much too heavy for walking. my backpack can only hold so much, and i am not going to be dragging a wagon down the street or sneaking off with a grocery cart. i’m thinking about an electric scooter or maybe a very fuel-efficient or even hybrid personal vehicle. i’m still walking to work, though.

See more progress on: Walk to work everyday for a year

i've been thinking a lot about design, style, and fashion lately

for most of my life i haven’t really put too much thought into what i wear – the clothes that i pick off the rack. if i have an unconscious liking for a t-shirt, a button-down, or a pair of shorts or pants, then i try it out. however, i’ve mainly shopped in the ‘big box’ kind of stores – target, kohl’s, walmart, marshalls… i haven’t really wanted to spend a lot of time picking out clothes, trying them on, and spending a lot of money. now, however, i realize that i just have no unique style. i just wear these generic clothes that don’t really fit me well. my favorite clothes are usually the clothes that certain people in my life have given to me as gifts. on the other hand, i have all of these other bits of clothes that i don’t even really wear, that i bought, and they just take up my closet space and keep me from buying newer clothes. i see things i like, but i feel like it’s a waste of money to buy them. then, when i feel like i need clothes i go buy clothes that i see on the rack – generic, boring, and tiresome. so, now, i want to empty my closet of a lot of what’s in there and replace them with clothes that i pick out – that i really like and will honestly wear – clothes that make outfits. this is not a gay thing. this is not a ‘metrosexual’ thing. this is an ‘i want to look how i want to look’ thing. the same goes for the haircut. i tend to shave my head when i get tired of my hair being in that mid-way point between short and long. i want a haircut that i can actually maintain and ‘style’ without having to do much with it. that’s what’s so great about a shaved head – no need to do anything. but, i guess i’m bored of having no hair.

See more progress on: develop my own style

getting up when the clock radio chimes

it’s tough to do. i like to hit that snooze button.

See more progress on: Get up when my alarm goes off

stuff everywhere and too much distraction

i’ve got to move a huge pile of things over to a storage unit, or something, and i need to do something with my memorables, cds, books, and documents, so i can have my living room back. i have a very small condo—582 square feet, but it has 13’ ceilings. so, plan on redesigning at some point. i’ve already been looking at books full of design ideas and suggestions.

See more progress on: clean my living room

it's about time i've written more songs

i’ve written a couple dozen songs, but i could have written about 100 times more than that if i wasn’t so lazy and such a procrastinator. i am going to set a new goal for myself: 12 new songs before the end of the summer. that’s only 2 songs per month, and they don’t have to be masterpieces, just songs.

See more progress on: write more songs

How to have a job by feb. 28!

"I moved back up to Ohio without having a job lined up, and three weeks later I was working at my own desk, making money."

How I did it: Well, I did tell some people that I was looking for work to spread the word around. I went to one of my old places of employment and told them I was back. Then, I went on Craig's List and looked up administrative, design, writing, and computer jobs. The first job I replied about, though, was the one I ended up getting an interview for, and I was working for them 7 days later. It was unreal, but it made me realize that I just needed to get in there and start looking and make it happen. Noone else is going to make it happen for me.

Lessons & tips: Do the same. Grab your life by the cojones and take it where you want it to go.

Resources: craigslist.com

It took me 3 weeks.

It made me sane

See more progress on: have a job by feb. 28!

haven't done much...

i haven’t about this goal for a while. i’ve been doing so many other things: reading ‘the tender Bar’, reading a Robert Bly book about freelance writing, learning how to get the most out of twitter and rss feeds, playing with stumbleupon and facebook, and playing a lot of myspace mobsters. on top of all that i’ve recently moved back to columbus from savannah, and i have been unpacking and gradually finding places to put my things. it’s going to take me a long time. i just started a new job, so i might be able to get some drapes for the windows soon. i don’t have a car right now, so it’s more difficult to do any kind of shopping, like that. so, i’ve put this goal on hold for awhile. then, i’ll get back on byki and learn some more kazakh.

See more progress on: Speak Kazakh

How to play soccer twice a week for the next 3 months

"i had a great summer and fall, playing soccer with the guys up at lake mayer. they're awesome soccer players. i suck. i played goalie a lot."

How I did it: i showed up. there were some rainy weeks and nights when i had to work, but i played whenever i could, for about 15 weeks. it was fun. there was nothing hard about it. i looked forward to showing up, so i think the lesson is that if you enjoy what you're doing, then your goal is more likely to get accomplished.

Lessons & tips: find a fun group of people to play with and stick to it. show them that you're as committed as they are, and it will be ongoing. we had about 40 people there on some nights.

Resources: soccer ball, willingness to take a beating, humility

It took me 3 months.

It made me strong like bull

See more progress on: Play soccer twice a week for the next 3 months

The last time I saw LaKari

we chatted about sticky post-it note notes, and she started a blog that featured some sticky notes she had left in random places for people to find. it’s been awhile, though…

Learn more about LaKari

My music on LastFM and AnywhereFM

Me, devilhorns, square
Originally uploaded by docrivs.

Because it's been awhile since I've posted to this blog I thought I'd post up a pic I took a while ago and let you know that I've got music posted up on the web, at LastFM and AnywhereFM.

Hit in the face

Played again tonight with two teams, both of which had some common members. The first game was pretty quick and I blocked 2 or 3 shots and then they were successful at getting it by me. My young defenseman kept standing in my visual area, and I couldn’t see the shot. The next 3 games were great, but I took a shot in the face. I thought it was going to be header level but I didn’t position myself right and I let it hit me in the face. However, I made my first realy head save tonight, as well.

See more progress on: Play soccer twice a week for the next 3 months

headache

headache
Originally uploaded by i gattoni.

Translation of a cat conversation

Through StumbleUpon, I landed on this "People who like pages about cats..." page, and I found this webpage that features a hilarious video of cats doing very silly things. It took me a while to load, for various reasons, but once it did I felt it was worth it. I like the cats that were scaring each other, especially the one staring at itself in the mirror. The more acrobatic cats were a trip, jumping off of tables, falling off of shelves, doing flips, and leaping. If you are in the mood for a laugh you might like this video.

read more | digg story

A Polka Dot Extravaganza

Girls in Astana
Originally uploaded by marusia.

I found this photo, uploaded by "marusia", on Flickr, while learning the URLs for particular search terms. This one was all photos with the words "kazakhstan" and "girl" in the description or title of the photo. You can also search for certain words in the tags. You can search for Flickr Groups that contain certain words in their titles or descriptions. You can search for User Profiles containing certain words in certain sections of the profile, like in the interests. This photo is really cool. It expresses life, movement, human intimacy, contact, and connection. It expresses human artistic expression. I love it!

aneurysm

aneurysm
Originally uploaded by albertiavarone.

Brain Aneurysms

Brain Aneurysms
Originally uploaded by alex_witte24.