Tales of a Texas Ramblin' Man

This weekend was long, a bit intoxicated, and very interesting. Thursday I worked a SXSW party for MSN. They were launching some new software. Before the show Jeremy and I walked around giving out wristbands for the party at the various day shows around town. I probably saw ten bands in an hour. That night I stood around and counted people leaving the exit with a clicker. The sweet part was that Grandmaster Flash played the venue, so I got to see a legend while making a few bones. One of the guys working the party kept bringing me whiskey and cokes all night. I think they were 50 to 1 whiskey to coke ratio. I left toasty around 1:30 a.m., and woke up the next day around 10:30 hungry and dehydrated. By 2:00 p.m. I was having a free beer at the Bloodshot Records day show. It was going to be three hours before Split Lip Rayfield played a mere thirty minute set, so I headed downtown to meet some friends at Club Deville. We watched one band there, saw another at Emo's, another at Beerland, then Ed's Cucaracha, and finally ended up at Scott Biram's show at B-side. That was all of 7:00 p.m. We then went to a friend of ours house ate barbecued veggies, and I played them some songs with a interspersed banjo accompaniment. Around 11:00 everyone there was tired. I got dropped off at a free night show with Har Mar Superstar and The Walkmen among others. I caught a cab, and ended up back at Jeremy's around 3:00 a.m. When I woke up on Saturday I jumped in my truck, and drove straight to San Marcos determined that Austin was going to kill me if I stayed another few hours.
I got back, ate, showered, and took a nap. I arrived at work at 10:00 p.m. Things were slow so the other bar tender decided to take off. Right after that this big bachelorette party comes in accompanied by a huge blow up penis. All the women were wearing wigs, and each had a sip straw with a little dick on the end. The bride to be was slobbering all over a huge cock lollipop. She danced on the bar with the blow-up penis to Tina Turner. At one point the girls had me make a creamy shot in a tall skinny shot glass, and then I had to sit on the bar with the shot resting between my legs while she went down on it and drank the whole thing. All the while cameras are flashing. It just seems like this weekend didn't want to die, even though I left the SXSW chaos.

Last night I had a show at my friend J-Law's gallery on the East side in Austin. I sold a piece within the first hour. The show was great. Brian Daly had his bike in the show. He built almost everything on it. He has some LED light in the sides, a crank cover he built out of an old hubcap, and a rig that shoots fire out of the back from a butane tank. It is a site to behold. Two kids who are probably in seventh grade put on a good punk show. A girl on the drums, and a skinny dude singing and playing guitar. They do a great cover of Ace of Spades by Moterhead. After the show I went to the Longbranch Inn to see the Polyphonics, but got there a little too late. I met up with my friend Jeremy Spring, and he introduced me to two funny girls from England who are in town for SXSW. We all went to a funk dance party where my friend Manny was spinning records. I had a full night, and saw a lot of people I hadn't seen in a while. I also got a job working some gig for Never Stop corporation during SXSW. Two hundred bucks to greet people...I can do that. I can't wait for the free Bloodshot Records day show at Yard Dog next Friday. The real shows are annoyingly packed, and overpriced. On the other hand the free day shows are totally worth going to during the SXSW music madness.
Today I have spent eating, drinking coffee, hanging out with Jeremy, and burning shitloads of CDs at his house. We went to the dog park earlier, and his pit Wendy got into it with another pit over a toy. Wendy had a few puncture wounds and some blood on her. It took four adults to tear them apart. We then left, and his Volvo wouldn't start. Some days it is just better to stay home.
Tomorrow it is back to work. Tonite is sit around and do nothing night for me.

Last night I went to Scott H. Biram's show at the Parlor in Austin after seeing my friend Jeff's southern rock band Honky at Ego's. The Palor is a little dive bar up on North Loop. Scott plays every Monday, and last night was the first show since he got back from his tour with Hank III.Scott is another reason that I'll miss Texas. I have a big love for local music no matter where I'm at in the world. I work alot now, and have been curbing my drinking which sees me out less and less. I do enjoy a good show when I get the chance.
As I was driving my truck home last night with my roommate asleep on the bench seat I soaked up the Texas night air. I was cruising with the windows down, listening to the Weary Boys, and enjoying the comforts of being on I-35 in Texas. I guess I'm already gearing up to miss this place even though I feel like I've been trying for years to leave. I find myself making up reasons I should hang around, but in all reality the few things that would have kept me here (a certain girl, my dog, school) are all gone. My parents are in good health, my brother is fine, and I don't want to go back to school right now, so I have no reason to stay. Still I'll miss Texas nonetheless.

Yesterday I jumped in the river with my friend Bananna and my roomates dog Rebar. Thje river is in the top three reasons why I will miss San Marcos. Rebar is my favorite dog on the planet. We jumped off the cliff at Girl Scout par, and Rebar ran around barking 'til I got to a spot that was a short enough drop to jump. Then I had to help him out (mind you he's a huge German Shepard), and he made this wierd horse noise. I was pushing him up onto the bank by his sides, and this whinny came out. It was the funniest thing I had heard all week. After that I watched Rosemary's Baby and played a few songs at the open mic at Triple Crown.

Today I learned how to put exhaust fans into bathrooms and utility rooms. I can still run electric even though I haven't done it in years. It's like riding a bike...sort of...just a possibility of shocks every so often.

The weather in San Marcos has been great. The sun really affects your mood. It seems I've had more energy and been more lively since the sun came around. Hopefully I can swim a few times before I leave.

I went out to hip-hop night at Lucy's tonite. Before that Cindy A. cooked food for me and Suzanne. We hung out afterwards and drank some wine. It was humid and quiet. I felt completely chilled out sitting on the back porch just shooting the shit, and petting the dogs. I decided to go out anyway. After about ten minutes I was feeling claustrophobic, and I had no inclination to drink. In fact ever since I started working a lot I have had a de-inclination to drink. I work all day, and sometimes all night . In the end I'd rather have two or three beers at the house playing my guitar then go to the bar. At this point I'd like to make a segway and give a little advice: If you love somebody tell them what you'd like to when you feel the urge. In other words if they do something that bothers or concerns you give them the skinny on the spot. If you don't like their drinking, their smoking, their driving, their eating, the way they treat others, the way they treat you, or the way they treat themselves...(you get the idea)...then tell them. I think a lot of decent people split for not being assertive enough with each other. If you love someone, then you should care enough to voice your concern for their well being. This is not to say that you should keep them under lock and key, or to run their life. It is only saying that the good stuff comes through taking chances. That means getting the best out of the person you're with by asking for the best. It has taken me 27 years to figure this out. *side note: Don't confuse asking for the best with asking for things that only serve your interests. Make sure your will equates with the best they can offer, and creates a better time for the both of you. I have been on both ends of this scenario. Sometimes I wish people had told me all the things that bothered them while we were dating, and other times I wished I would have told them my worries while they were happening. All right...that's enough of my Dear Abby shit for now...just downloading junk bouncing around my head.
Tonite Cindy A. said that the kitchen is the heart of the home. Meditate on that. Cook more. If you don't know how...then learn. Also listen to Bishop Allen if you get the chance. They are a rad band out of Brooklyn who are on tour right now.

Today I woke up exhausted. My body is taking a toll running rock drills during the day and bartending at night. I decided to drive my truck and go in later. The next time I got up it was raining. My boss doesn't expect me to show up the mornings after I have to work late, but I feel obligated to come anyway. Instead of working I finally had time to design my c.d. cover. It took most of the afternoon, and a lot of help from Cyndie C. at Z-Media. There will be two different looking c.d.s. One wil have my driver's license on it, and the other is the Beaver Brand Hats logo from my cowboy hat.

This is the last month of my career at the Showdown . Thank goodness. My ultimatum is to be job-less. At that point I hit the road to California. Unless my dreams of being a professional musician/artist or marrying Salma Hayek come true.