Because I've been brewing a lot lately

This got me pretty stoked. Almost misty eyed.

I Am A Craft Brewer from I Am A Craft Brewer on Vimeo.

Never Forget?

Well, this is my obligatory "I'm about to leave for tour" post. 

Today I've been putting things away in my room and trying to neaten it up some before I leave. I'm also packing at the same time. I've never done a tour where I actually get picked up by the bus in the city I live in. Somehow, it's making it harder for me to pack. I'm always worried I'm going to leave something I might want in the next two months. Even though I can literally take something from my room, walk outside, and put it on the bus. 

See, the bus is picking us up from my house. And by us, I mean Kam and I. The guys will be flying to Cancun and Panama City for MTV spring break stuff and flying to meet the bus in Austin. Courtney is flying with them. James will be meeting them in Panama City to mix sound for the TV performance. Adam's band has a show in Denver the night the bus is leaving, so he'll be driving down with his band to SXSW. So that leaves Kam and me.

There's going to be a bunch of equipment and suitcases left at my house this weekend before everyone flies off, and Kam and I get to load the trailer on our own and party our way down to Austin while Johnny P drives us.

I'm not gonna lie, I'm not very stoked about the music I'm going to be listening to every night for two months. But everyone in our camp is going into this telling each other that we're going to have fun no matter what. I think it'll work out. And I hear through mutual friends that at least a couple of the other bands are good dudes. We've got some pretty sweet merch this tour. I'm mostly excited about having letterman jacket hoodies much like the four year strong ones (but better in my opinion). I made a public myspace profile to friend kids and post pictures of the merch so they're even more excited about it and so I take away a little bit of the intimidation factor. I think I scare the 15 year olds.

Last night I hung out while Nat was practicing songs at the Oriental Theater with Kam and Adam. Seeing road cases really cemented that it's almost time to go. I learned about our new monitor and wireless rack because I want to be stage managing the guys this summer on warped in addition to doing merch. I don't know if I'm setting myself up to be stressed the hell out or intelligently expanding my skill set.

Giving Up Lent For Lent

I realize I'm not a religious person. I fall squarely in the category of agnostic. I used to consider myself an atheist, but I realized that atheism is just as logically flawed as any religion. There's a leap of faith involved in atheism too.

Anyway. I realized a lot of my friends are giving up things for Lent. I understand the origin of the practice, but I have to say that it really bugs me. I feel like if you think there's something you need to stop doing for 40 days, or something you need to stop doing completely, that you should just do it. Connecting it to a holy day seems to cheapen the commitment to stopping smoking or refraining from chocolate or not wearing white after Labor Day or whatever the hell you're doing. It's like a mental out. I really like frappucinos, but I have to stop drinking them for 40 days because Jesus wandered the desert for 40 days without food and drink while the Devil temped him with the possibilities of earthly delights.

If you really think something you're doing is that damaging to you or that you could improve your life by doing something for 40 days, I have news for you: it's gonna keep fucking you up after those 40 days are over. Or you should keep doing that thing for 40 days, depending on what you're trying to accomplish.

I'm not trying to knock organized religion. I think it's really helpful to some people. I just wish people would empower themselves a little more by taking initiative on their own and really owning their accomplishments.

How I Personally Failed the President

I was super stoked that Obama's White House had a blog feed. I added it to my blog read subscriptions and promised I would always read them to stay informed.

However, every day I get the same blog entries resent to me. Entries from 3 weeks ago are popping up in my reader as new. I would skip over entries because I assumed I'd already read them. I started not reading any of them even when I knew there were new ones. And so, with a guilty conscience, I have deleted the White House Blog Feed from my Google Reader. 

Barack, I'm so sorry.

I really want to get back into stenciling and doing whatever sort of art I can. at the same time, I haven't really had any ideas I've loved recently.

there is, however, a spot that would be perfect for a huuuuge wheat paste near my house. I might put together a design that I lost a long time ago, but I don't really have the ability to print it out in large enough pieces to make it easy to paste.

also, I want to fix my bike and stop driving my car so much.

Gettin' Good

Today I went to the gym for the first time in months. I'm going to try to go at least 3 times a week.

I'm not doing this for any sort of New Year's resolution or anything per se, but I do have a reason to want to get in better shape: I want to wear a denim vest sunglasses and cutoff shorts for all of warped tour. no shirt. all day everyday.

I could ostensibly do this in my current physical state, but I would be embarrassed.  I know I won't be in amazing shape for warped, but I know that I can be in better shape while sitting around in a denim vest covered in black flag patches.