Another year + 3 months.
Since 2009? Most importantly, successfully married to the most wonderful woman in the world.
The entire wedding event within 8 city blocks - honeymoon in Oregon.

Same job with same employeer. cyclocross last year, not at successful...but training for 2010/11 season has started with a bang...and I'm playing soccer.

Till 2011!

This once-per-year post thing is getting addictive. riveting, actually.

Newness in the past year? Sure thing:
Changed departments at my employer - new and better job
3 week vacation to Japan
Successful cyclo-cross racing season
Confirmed wedding date
Trying to buy a house
Launching a stage cycling race in Ventura

whew...I'm exhausted. See you next year...

So...what's 4 years between friends?

Besides the obvious need for a Jeremy Piven 4-year, freak-out moment ala Gross Point Blank "10 yearrrrsssss~~~!!! TEN TEN YEAAARRRRSSSS! Ten years..." There's lots to tell. Music company falls down, goes boom. I get back on the bike (literally and figuratively), move to California and begin work to cure cancer. That's the condensed version. Details to follow...

Happy New Year...belated greetings and welcome to 2004. Home is a great place to run around for 2 weeks and coming back to Chicago is freaking insane at 8 degrees. When people see my car, they stop me, point and say "Texas?"...like they've seen the Creature from the Loch Ness or Lagoon or whatever.

Sunshine and snow is pretty and as soon as I get the feeling back in my toes, I will walk outside for 45 seconds and enjoy it.

Some observations over the break: 1) I can shop for the entire family in 4 hours if I have to; 2) Silly String is always a popular gift; 3) Giant is not as good a movie as I remembered and James Dean mailed it in; 4) I do have a halfway decent poker face when playing, uh, poker.
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Oliver Future is returning from their first successful tour of the West Coast - no broken bones, stolen equipment, or excessive crowd harassment. From what they tell me, people were very excited and complimentary after the shows. The write-ups keep coming in, all in the positive and even, multi-linguial.
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Now, we need to turn the spotlight over to Shane Bartell. Shane's second release (first full length) is happening on January 31st, in Austin, Texas. He will be featuring the Tosca string quartet, the full band and even some lesser named record label owners on stage. It's shaping up to be a very large and overwhelming production - so don't miss it. "Too Soon to Say" will have some streaming mp3's for you to hear, in about a week at www.shanebartell.com.
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Oh...and guess who forgot the damn Jiffy Pop for stockings...such an idiot.

One more reason to love the holiday season...Self has completed their next record and are streaming B-sides until the release. Visit www.selfmusic.net to fill your stockings (psst...also, if you go to the Singles page of www.selfiles.com, you can download the first single from the record - Grow Up).
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and in time for the last minute shopping...the Oliver Future on-line store is completed! visit here to give the gift that keeps on giving. So many g's, I bet you think I'm a thousandaire...
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Went for my yearly chiropractors visit yesterday. Two things: a) I do believe in the healing arts of structural alignment and (gasp) energy work, and b) I do expect a certain amount of skepticism and eye rolls from friends and people who think I'm a quack.

But! I go once a year, sort of like a physical...for me, that's all I need. When I go, I drop into a meditative state; between being asleep and being awake...and my mind has strange visions that I write down. Yesterday I saw:

celery
the state of Virginia flying across the map; right to left, the arrow part was...well, like an arrow.
Jiffy Pop popcorn

Also, while lying on the table, I realized that my Left arm is longer than my Right.

You know...after reading this, I would think I was a quack too...and that they are putting something in that tea they give you before your session.

I'm seeing my first significant snowfall in Chicago and despite the cynics...I'm excited. There's a park across from my house that I'm about to run and mess around in the snow.
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Caught the last 30 minutes of Low at an old theatre on Friday. It may be an unfair comparison, but I hear Ida in a lot of the songs and arrangements. Also strange, the venue felt like we were watching the show in someone's living room; the stage and lights were short and squat, people were sitting on the floor with strange card games. But! They played a rendition of "Blue Christmas" that is irresistible.
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For a quick laugh (if you have high-speed), check out this "End of World" animated story about how a nuclear exchange would REALLY unfold. The French people are everyone's favorite.

Be good...listen to some Steve Earle and forget the negative press, ok? He's being a patriot for saying what he really believes and feels. Admire and respect that.

Since you're on-line anyway...why don't you take a look at some if this press:

Austin American Statesman

Austin Chronicle

Aiding and Abetting

2 locals and 1 zine - we are very appreciative...especially 2 months before the "official national release." There will be a feature article in a music magazine, not in Texas, that corresponds with the release...information coming very soon.

CD release show was a wonderful evening. Lots of people losing their damn minds and buying records. Oh...and staying up until 6 in the morning lighting things on fire at the after-party. Thank you to This Microwave World for opening the show and being friends to the end.

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After waiting 11 months and 8 days...I went to the cinema. I saw something that was released, not too long ago...and my excitement of being in the theater actually skewed my opinion of the film - until this morning. Lost in Translation is very engaging cinematically. The story is well written, until the - and I hate this word, but there is no word to describe it better - denumoant...the turning point. The ending is fantastic; the music is outstanding (except for the use of Peaches - but I understand why she uses it in that place in the film); I can overlook some of the bad dialogue..but come on...

the lounge singer? Singing "midnight at the oasis" the morning after?

I liked the Virgin Suicides...very accomplished first film (as director). This movie was more engaging...better visually...better characters...more meaningful connection. Which makes the shortcoming that much more disheartening. And it may just be American cinema of this genre that's victim to this self-sabotage. Another film I rented and suffered the same was Igby Goes Down. And again...the turn suffers at the act of...

wait...is this...(Girl Igby's in love with, sleeps with his brother - film turns south. The fella Charlotte befriends sleeps with the lounge singer - film turns south.) Maybe I just hate seeing infidelity so much the reaction turns my opinion of the film?

Nah...both those films went to downhill pretty much by themselves - they all need something sour for the "plot change" and sleeping around is as good a sucker-punch as any.

So...i'll do some more introspection...you, read some more press and get excited for snow and Santa. uuooo...and Strongbad. This one's my favorite...