Hey y'all!
Just a quick note to let everyone know that I'm recuperating well from 3 days of drinking and partying... oh, and the Tequila Sunrise website is now updated with a mention of me on the NEWS page and also on the BAND BIO page. Check it out and sign the guestbook!
Later,
Keith
Monday, December 27, 2004
Friday, December 24, 2004
My Favorite Day!
Christmas Eve is finally here! Hope you all have a FABULOUS day! Dad and I are making ox-tail soup (don't retch... it's gooooddd!!) for dinner tonight and the RumpleMintze is already in the freezer! Merry Christmas!
Thursday, December 23, 2004
The TRUE Meaning of Christmas
Hey everybody... I promised I'd post a Christmas poem today, so now I'm doing it! I wrote this quite a few years ago when I felt disillusioned by the whole "commercialization" of Christmas. With the way that Jesus has been getting pushed out of the schools, law offices, courtrooms, government offices, and everywhere else there isn't a steeple, I think it still has relevance today. I hope you enjoy it. Have a Merry Christmas, say a prayer or two or two thousand for our troops who will lay their lives on the line for our freedom this holiday, and say "Happy Birthday" to the soldier who made the ULTIMATE sacrifice for us all. And now without further ado...
~The Meaning of Christmas~
When winter arrives and snow coats the ground,
Thoughts of friends and loved ones begin to come 'round.
Wreaths of green and bows of red,
Announcing a season that some of us dread.
Shoppers race to-and-fro, they push and they shove,
To secure all the gifts that their family will love.
Houses aglow with twinkling lights,
As children await the most famous of nights.
When a jolly, old elf will alight on their roof,
His reindeer step lively, quick on the hoof.
The old man descends,
Down the chimney he comes.
To munch cookies and milk,
To leave dolls, trains and drums.
With a flick of the nose he'll be back up the chute,
To continue his journey, delivering loot.
When morning has broken,
The children awake.
They rush to the tree,
Of the gifts to partake.
Ripping at paper and pulling on ribbon,
They don't stop to think why these gifts they've been given.
So please, won't you turn to your children and say,
"These gifts are not why we are all here today."
Christmas is not for the presents or carols or lights,
For Santa or reindeer or snowflakes of white.
But for a sweet baby, a manger-born boy,
Sent down to guide us and bring us great joy.
The angels they lifted their voices on high,
To soothe the dear child with God's lullaby.
Peasants and shepherds, mighty lords and great kings,
All came to town, great gifts they did bring.
Gold and silver, incense and myrrh,
Rubies and diamonds and coats made of fur.
All for the child, who knew not His power,
But who knew now of love in this glorious hour.
"Merry Christmas" alone does not say it all,
"Happy Birthday dear Jesus" should be what we call.
For Christmas is not just a gift-giving season,
The birth of our Lord -- now there, that's the reason!
So when you say "Merry Christmas," please remember one thing:
That this day is for Jesus our Savior
The newborn King!
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Who told HIM to come?!?!?
As most of you know, I'm a drummer. Hence, during the Christmas season I'm known as the "Little Drummer Boy". This has become one of my favorite Christmas carols, but apparently Dave Barry doesn't share my enthusiasm. Mr. Barry is one of my mother's and my favorite comedians, and his yearly calandar is an annual present from me to Mom. On December 14th, Dave had this to say about my favorite Christmas carol:
"I am not a big fan of the Christmas song, "The Little Drummer Boy."
Oh, sure, it's a beautiful song, for maybe the first thirty-five minutes.
But eventually it gets on your nerves, those voices shrieking "Rum-pa-pum-pum!"
For openers, drums do not go "Rum-pa-pum-pum." Drums go "Rat-ta-tat-tat."
Also, I have issues with the line that goes: "The ox and lamb kept time."
Really? How?
Did they clack their hooves together, castanet-style? Did they dance?
Are we supposed to believe that two barnyard animals with legume-level IQs spontaneously started doing the macarena?
I'll tell you this: If I were taking care of a newborn baby, and somebody came around whacking on a drum, that person would find himself at the emergency room having his drumsticks surgically removed from his rum-pa-pum-pum, if you know what I mean..."
Funny Dave... real funny. (Actually I did get a good chuckle out of it and I hope you did too... Merry Christmas!)
"I am not a big fan of the Christmas song, "The Little Drummer Boy."
Oh, sure, it's a beautiful song, for maybe the first thirty-five minutes.
But eventually it gets on your nerves, those voices shrieking "Rum-pa-pum-pum!"
For openers, drums do not go "Rum-pa-pum-pum." Drums go "Rat-ta-tat-tat."
Also, I have issues with the line that goes: "The ox and lamb kept time."
Really? How?
Did they clack their hooves together, castanet-style? Did they dance?
Are we supposed to believe that two barnyard animals with legume-level IQs spontaneously started doing the macarena?
I'll tell you this: If I were taking care of a newborn baby, and somebody came around whacking on a drum, that person would find himself at the emergency room having his drumsticks surgically removed from his rum-pa-pum-pum, if you know what I mean..."
Funny Dave... real funny. (Actually I did get a good chuckle out of it and I hope you did too... Merry Christmas!)
Home again, home again...
Fiddle-de-dee! Made it safely home from Cleveland. My first show with Tequila Sunrise went okay. By okay I mean that I totally dropped the last verse from "Hotel California" (our opening song!). Other than that, I had a few minor mis-steps, but the show went well.
The crowd was VERY responsive (900 strong!), and the stage, lighting and sound were AMAZING! I wish I could've gotten pics of the drums that I played on! They sounded beautiful and looked even better. Looking forward to spending the holidays, and most of January, at home with friends and family. We are booked back at HOB in Cleveland on February 5th, so I'll be heading to Nashville around the 20th of January or so. My bio and maybe a picture should be up on the Tequila Sunrise website pretty soon.
My friend Lori, from Canada, is spending the holidays with us here in the frozen Midwest. Her family decided to go to the Dominican Republic, and rather than letting her spend Christmas alone in Canada, I invited her here for an old-fashioned Iowa Christmas. (She hasn't been introduced to family yet though, so she still may attempt an escape!) Congratulations to her on her new job! She secured a nanny position with a wonderful family from Midland, Texas. Great salary, GREAT benefits and an awesome location. Looks like the Lord is looking out for a lot of us these days!
Other than that, not much new happening. Mom made another trip around the sun today... that's right -- 63! I really hope I look that good when I get to be her age. Dad and I are planning a special dinner for her and she's getting a REALLY nice gift from me (which I'll post about after it's been given). Christmas this year is at Grandma Chrystol and Grandpa Ollie's new house... so it will KINDA be like the old days.
Ta-ta for now, I'll see most of you in a few days, but for those I won't... Happy Holidays!
The crowd was VERY responsive (900 strong!), and the stage, lighting and sound were AMAZING! I wish I could've gotten pics of the drums that I played on! They sounded beautiful and looked even better. Looking forward to spending the holidays, and most of January, at home with friends and family. We are booked back at HOB in Cleveland on February 5th, so I'll be heading to Nashville around the 20th of January or so. My bio and maybe a picture should be up on the Tequila Sunrise website pretty soon.
My friend Lori, from Canada, is spending the holidays with us here in the frozen Midwest. Her family decided to go to the Dominican Republic, and rather than letting her spend Christmas alone in Canada, I invited her here for an old-fashioned Iowa Christmas. (She hasn't been introduced to family yet though, so she still may attempt an escape!) Congratulations to her on her new job! She secured a nanny position with a wonderful family from Midland, Texas. Great salary, GREAT benefits and an awesome location. Looks like the Lord is looking out for a lot of us these days!
Other than that, not much new happening. Mom made another trip around the sun today... that's right -- 63! I really hope I look that good when I get to be her age. Dad and I are planning a special dinner for her and she's getting a REALLY nice gift from me (which I'll post about after it's been given). Christmas this year is at Grandma Chrystol and Grandpa Ollie's new house... so it will KINDA be like the old days.
Ta-ta for now, I'll see most of you in a few days, but for those I won't... Happy Holidays!
Thursday, December 16, 2004
Fly Like an Eagle...
Hey everyone... Just a little update to let you all know that rehearsals are going amazingly well. It's much easier rehearsing with the actual band than it was to practice to the recordings. The harmonies are coming easier than I thought they would, and it looks like the show is going to be GREAT! If anyone wants to take a pre-Christmas trip... come to Cleveland! But you'd better hurry cause the balcony is already sold out for the show. Gonna go practice some more. I'll post more after the show on Friday. Another perk for my weekend is that my best friend in the whole world, Monica, is coming to the show with her husband John. She's been my biggest supporter (beyond family) ever since I started trying to make a career out of music, and it's going to be really nice having her at the show. I'm also going to ride back to Grove City, OH with her and John so that the three of us can go sing karaoke on Saturday night! Fun, fun, fun!!! Catch up with you all later! Happy Holidays!
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
On The Road... AGAIN!
Hey everybody! (I feel like Conan O'Brien when I say that...)
Just wanted to let you know that my time at home is going splendidly. I spent the majority of my week holed up in the garage learning all these darn Eagles songs (22 songs is a lot when you're cramming). Now I'm headed to Nashville this morning to rehearse. We're rehearsing today, Wednesday and Thursday and playing in Cleveland, OH at the House of Blues on Friday. You can order your tix (hint, hint) at www.HOB.com and click on the Cleveland link at the right hand side. Doors open at 8, show drops at 9. Wish me luck! I'll post as soon as I get home to let everyone know how things went!
TTFN!
(ps: Rented a Mazda 3 for the trip.. these things ROCK!)
Just wanted to let you know that my time at home is going splendidly. I spent the majority of my week holed up in the garage learning all these darn Eagles songs (22 songs is a lot when you're cramming). Now I'm headed to Nashville this morning to rehearse. We're rehearsing today, Wednesday and Thursday and playing in Cleveland, OH at the House of Blues on Friday. You can order your tix (hint, hint) at www.HOB.com and click on the Cleveland link at the right hand side. Doors open at 8, show drops at 9. Wish me luck! I'll post as soon as I get home to let everyone know how things went!
TTFN!
(ps: Rented a Mazda 3 for the trip.. these things ROCK!)
Monday, November 29, 2004
Another One Bites The Dust...
Hello all...
Just writing a quick note to let everyone know that my cell phone will be out of commission for the next couple of days. For reasons that I cannot explain, my phone has disappeared. Unless I find it when I tear the RV apart in ABQ, I'll have to get a new phone mailed to me there. Alas, I am now remembering what it was like before cell phones. Kind of nice, but also disconcerting. It's strange how accustomed we become to modern conveniences that we ourselves used to live without. Anyway, if anyone didn't get my mass email, please email your phone numbers to thekidkt@aol.com I'll make sure to post and let everyone know when I get my new phone. Hope all is well!
Just writing a quick note to let everyone know that my cell phone will be out of commission for the next couple of days. For reasons that I cannot explain, my phone has disappeared. Unless I find it when I tear the RV apart in ABQ, I'll have to get a new phone mailed to me there. Alas, I am now remembering what it was like before cell phones. Kind of nice, but also disconcerting. It's strange how accustomed we become to modern conveniences that we ourselves used to live without. Anyway, if anyone didn't get my mass email, please email your phone numbers to thekidkt@aol.com I'll make sure to post and let everyone know when I get my new phone. Hope all is well!
Friday, November 26, 2004
The Kindness of Strangers...
Hey everybody!
Sorry I didn't post yesterday, but I couldn't get to a computer. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and were able to spend it with family, or at least some close friends.
The band and I were lucky enough to be treated to an incredible Thanksgiving feast given by some very kind people we met in Elko the first time we visited. Stacy and Kim, along with their beautiful daughter Madiera, invited us over to their place for dinner.
Kim outdid herself, preparing everything expected (and a few things that weren't) and ensuring that no one left hungry! We had turkey that was falling off the bone and very flavorful, a ham studded with cloves (which I'd never had.. VERY good!) and finished with a honey-citrus glaze, cauliflower gratin, green bean casserole (complete with Durkee onions on top), mashed taters (with lumps so you KNOW they're real!), candied yams (another first) and the traditional sage dressing. Kim had never made stuffing from scratch before, and me being quite the expert, I was a little skeptical. After looking at the recipe though, which bore quite a resemblance to Grace's, I was relieved. After tasting the finished product, I assured Kim that she was, in fact, a stuffing expert!
(A tip for all you cooks out there... next Thanksgiving, do NOT put stuffing inside your bird. [sorry Dad...] Stuffing your bird can introduce bacteria from the bird's cavity into the stuffing. Plus it makes the bird take longer to cook, which dries out the white meat, and the stuffing is hard to get fully cooked. So if you want stuffing, make "dressing" instead and bake it alongside the turkey in a seperate container. Ahh, the things you learn from Food Network...)
Kim also had two WONDERFUL pies, pumpkin and apple. I, of course, gorged myself on the pumpkin pie, as it is my favorite! Kim didn't have a pie pan, so she baked it in a 9x13 baking dish. This was actually a pretty cool thing, because the pie was easier to cut and also easier to serve. All in all, it was a wonderful meal shared with great friends. I hope your Thanksgiving was as wonderful as mine.
This being the day after Thanksgiving, the busiest shopping day of the year, I thought I would publish my Christmas List so no one has to ask Mom "What does Keith want this year?". I really don't want much except to be with my family. There are a few, moderately expensive things that I would like though, if you feel the urge to buy a gift:
An Apple iPod or the Dell equivalent. (I'm not sure what size memory though, so if anyone can help with that, please email me)
Starbucks, Wal-Mart or Best Buy gift cards. ($20 goes a LONG way at Starbucks!)
Time-Life Classic Country CD series
"Genius Loves Company" Ray Charles' last studio album
"Greatest Hits" or "The Complete Country Western Recordings" by Ray Charles
"Queen on Fire at the Bowl" DVD (probably a special order item)
"Spider-Man 2" DVD 2-disc set
Superman DVD boxed set (I think there's a set with all the movies)
Family Guy Volume Two DVD set
Smallville 3rd Season DVD set
That's all I've got for now... going to go to the Sound Stage website though, so I might find some other concert videos.. he he he! Don't feel obligated to buy a gift though, because Christmas is not about presents, it's about the togetherness of family and friends, and that is the BEST present!
Ta-Ta For Now! (TTFN!)
Sorry I didn't post yesterday, but I couldn't get to a computer. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and were able to spend it with family, or at least some close friends.
The band and I were lucky enough to be treated to an incredible Thanksgiving feast given by some very kind people we met in Elko the first time we visited. Stacy and Kim, along with their beautiful daughter Madiera, invited us over to their place for dinner.
Kim outdid herself, preparing everything expected (and a few things that weren't) and ensuring that no one left hungry! We had turkey that was falling off the bone and very flavorful, a ham studded with cloves (which I'd never had.. VERY good!) and finished with a honey-citrus glaze, cauliflower gratin, green bean casserole (complete with Durkee onions on top), mashed taters (with lumps so you KNOW they're real!), candied yams (another first) and the traditional sage dressing. Kim had never made stuffing from scratch before, and me being quite the expert, I was a little skeptical. After looking at the recipe though, which bore quite a resemblance to Grace's, I was relieved. After tasting the finished product, I assured Kim that she was, in fact, a stuffing expert!
(A tip for all you cooks out there... next Thanksgiving, do NOT put stuffing inside your bird. [sorry Dad...] Stuffing your bird can introduce bacteria from the bird's cavity into the stuffing. Plus it makes the bird take longer to cook, which dries out the white meat, and the stuffing is hard to get fully cooked. So if you want stuffing, make "dressing" instead and bake it alongside the turkey in a seperate container. Ahh, the things you learn from Food Network...)
Kim also had two WONDERFUL pies, pumpkin and apple. I, of course, gorged myself on the pumpkin pie, as it is my favorite! Kim didn't have a pie pan, so she baked it in a 9x13 baking dish. This was actually a pretty cool thing, because the pie was easier to cut and also easier to serve. All in all, it was a wonderful meal shared with great friends. I hope your Thanksgiving was as wonderful as mine.
This being the day after Thanksgiving, the busiest shopping day of the year, I thought I would publish my Christmas List so no one has to ask Mom "What does Keith want this year?". I really don't want much except to be with my family. There are a few, moderately expensive things that I would like though, if you feel the urge to buy a gift:
An Apple iPod or the Dell equivalent. (I'm not sure what size memory though, so if anyone can help with that, please email me)
Starbucks, Wal-Mart or Best Buy gift cards. ($20 goes a LONG way at Starbucks!)
Time-Life Classic Country CD series
"Genius Loves Company" Ray Charles' last studio album
"Greatest Hits" or "The Complete Country Western Recordings" by Ray Charles
"Queen on Fire at the Bowl" DVD (probably a special order item)
"Spider-Man 2" DVD 2-disc set
Superman DVD boxed set (I think there's a set with all the movies)
Family Guy Volume Two DVD set
Smallville 3rd Season DVD set
That's all I've got for now... going to go to the Sound Stage website though, so I might find some other concert videos.. he he he! Don't feel obligated to buy a gift though, because Christmas is not about presents, it's about the togetherness of family and friends, and that is the BEST present!
Ta-Ta For Now! (TTFN!)
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
What'd I Say?
Just saw the Ray Charles biopic, 'Ray' last night. One word - AMAZING! I couldn't tell that Jamie Foxx was Jamie Foxx until one scene where he had the glasses off and his eyes open! He did an excellent job portraying Ray, and he even sang and played piano (quite well) in a couple of scenes.
The movie did a great job on the traumatic events of Ray's life (going blind, struggles with heroin and alcohol) and also his womanizing traits. It was amazing to see just how 'normal' he was. Seeing (quite literally) this movie made me REALLY appreciate the fact that I have all four senses. Although I was a little jealous of the fact that Ray's hearing worked so well, making up for his lack of sight. I can't imagine what it would be like to be blind, or even to have that incredible sense of sound.
I've often played my drums with my eyes closed, sometimes for two or three songs, just to prove to myself that I could do it. I do sometimes think about what it would be like to lose my sight. Probably frustrating at times, but not unbearable. If I had to choose, I would much rather lose my sight than my hearing. I couldn't live without music or the ability to make it.
After viewing this movie, I'm reminded just how much of a genius Ray Charles Robinson really was. He was able to blend country, blues, rock and soul WAY before Nelly or Tim McGraw were even born. (They have a new duet out, for the uninformed).
Anyone looking to buy my love this Christmas can get me the soundtrack to "Ray" or a Ray Charles Greatest Hits, or the Complete Country Western Recordings album. I need some Ray in my collection!
Also, I'm in need of five Fleetwood Mac albums which were lifted from my collection by a keyboard player who shall remain nameless.. the albums are:
Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits (green album),
The Dance,
The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac (2-disc set, white)
and the self-titled Fleetwood Mac album that features Blue Letter, Landslide and Rhiannon.
Hope you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
The movie did a great job on the traumatic events of Ray's life (going blind, struggles with heroin and alcohol) and also his womanizing traits. It was amazing to see just how 'normal' he was. Seeing (quite literally) this movie made me REALLY appreciate the fact that I have all four senses. Although I was a little jealous of the fact that Ray's hearing worked so well, making up for his lack of sight. I can't imagine what it would be like to be blind, or even to have that incredible sense of sound.
I've often played my drums with my eyes closed, sometimes for two or three songs, just to prove to myself that I could do it. I do sometimes think about what it would be like to lose my sight. Probably frustrating at times, but not unbearable. If I had to choose, I would much rather lose my sight than my hearing. I couldn't live without music or the ability to make it.
After viewing this movie, I'm reminded just how much of a genius Ray Charles Robinson really was. He was able to blend country, blues, rock and soul WAY before Nelly or Tim McGraw were even born. (They have a new duet out, for the uninformed).
Anyone looking to buy my love this Christmas can get me the soundtrack to "Ray" or a Ray Charles Greatest Hits, or the Complete Country Western Recordings album. I need some Ray in my collection!
Also, I'm in need of five Fleetwood Mac albums which were lifted from my collection by a keyboard player who shall remain nameless.. the albums are:
Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits (green album),
The Dance,
The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac (2-disc set, white)
and the self-titled Fleetwood Mac album that features Blue Letter, Landslide and Rhiannon.
Hope you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Random Thoughts...
Hello again...
Yes, I realize that this is the THIRD post this week. I'm in Elko, Nevada... remember??? Anyway, I was doing some thinking today in the shower. "In the shower?" you may ask. Why yes, in the shower. For a couple of reasons:
Yes, I realize that this is the THIRD post this week. I'm in Elko, Nevada... remember??? Anyway, I was doing some thinking today in the shower. "In the shower?" you may ask. Why yes, in the shower. For a couple of reasons:
- There's not much else to do in there
- No TV, Radio, noisy roomies to distract me
- Usually I'm totally relaxed and my brain is on overload
Well anyway... I was thinking about a few things and I wanted some other people's perspectives.
Are the "Jesus is my homeboy"/"Mary is my homegirl" shirts disrespectful? I understand and dig the message, but is using hip-hop slang appropriate? I'm still undecided on that fact.
What does Jesus think about the "televangelists" on late-night cable pandering for money? Does He really feel that they are spreading the "Good News"? Does he receive a portion of every dollar? (temples, altars, sacrifice...well, okay, no sacrifices)
That's about all I had today...
Yesterday I enjoyed watching my Iowa Hawkeyes destroy the Wisconsin Badgers to become the Big Ten co-Champions! GO HAWKS! Sing along if you know it: "In heaven there is no beer/that's why we drink it here/and when we're gone from here/our friends will be drinking all the beer!" (For the uninformed: The Hawkeye marching band plays this at all games)
In other news: My best friend Mikey D., with whom I performed in Lonesome Road, has asked his girlfriend Amber to marry him. She said yes. Mikey wants ME to be best man! Talk about responsibility. I think I can handle it though, since the wedding is going to be in St. Thomas. Congratulations Mikey!
That's all the news that's fit to print for now. See you all soon and please remember to help control the pet population, have your pet spayed or neutered! (Sorry.. Bob Barker moment!)
Saturday, November 20, 2004
These are a few of my favorite things...
Hey everybody!
This is your lucky week, because I, your humble correspondent (sorry O'Reilly), am posting TWICE this week! I was planning to post this two days ago, but Blogger was being fussy, so it deleted my post. I will attempt to remember everything I wrote, but I make no promises!
Sitting here in Starbucks, I am enjoying another Pumpkin Spice Latte. The latte and the joyus holiday, excuse me, CHRISTMAS music (politically correct I ain't!) coming from the overhead speakers take me on a trip back into my memories of Christmases past. I thought I would share with you some of my favorite memories of Christmas, and the hope that I might experience some of them this year.
The feeling of excitement when the first load of firewood arrives at the house (although I always put up a fuss when Dad asks me to help unload it!)...
Grinning like a Cheshire cat when the first fire is lit in the woodburning stove...
Shopping for the perfect Douglas Fir or Scotch Pine with Dad at Mr. Homegrown...
Mom bitching when we bring the tree inside because we're getting needles all over the carpet... (Mom, the carpet is green... it'll blend in!)
Excavating beneath the stairs to retrieve all of the Christmas decorations...
Mom and I spending a Saturday afternoon turning the house into a Norman Rockwell painting...
(I still don't understand why we can't leave the decorations up all year... they look so pretty!)
Waiting with baited breath for Dad to return home from deer hunting in Clermont so we can decorate the tree...
Decorating the tree to the strains of Gene Autry singing all our Christmas favorites...
Dad cussing the tangled extension cords as he wrestles with the bubble lights...
Mom grinning from ear-to-ear as each one of my "baby" ornaments is found and hung...
(Who says Mom's not a packrat?!?)
Dad smiling bigger than I've ever seen when the ornament with the picture of Grace and Len is found...
Feeling the lump in my throat, the tears in my eyes and the pride in my heart as I get to hang my sister Brandi's ornament at the top of the tree...
(Forever my guardian angel...)
Watching our current dog (Rex, Brandy, Frannie and now Delsie) help Dad and I hang the tinsel on the tree...
Seeing the space below the tree grow smaller and smaller as more and more gifts are placed there...
Gathering as many family members as possible to spend the night on Christmas Eve...
Dad's Prime Rib for Christmas Eve dinner...
Christmas carols by the fire...
B&B, coffee and RumpleMintz in chocolate shot glasses as we wait for Santa...
(a new tradition, but a favorite nonetheless)
Christmas morning hangovers!
Racing to the banister to see what Santa left in my stocking...
Heading downstairs with coffee in hand (hangover!) to see what Santa brought me...
Watching Allyson and Dylan pass out the gifts and remembering when it used to be MY job...
Noticing that as I get older, my gifts get fewer... (Or do they?)
Dad's famous Christmas morning breakfast and then a NAP!!
Heading to Durant for the Thoma/Hansen family gathering...
Stopping off at ITC (now the Checkered Flag) to make the next day's pizza dough...
Arriving first at Grandma Chrystol's no matter WHEN we leave our house...
Getting more and more excited as each family member arrives...
Grandma Chrystol in her red sweater with the Christmas lights on it...
Stuffing myself with Grandma's Christmas cookies...
(None will EVER be better than hers!)
Passing out the gifts in Grandma's black and white checkerboard tiled basement...
(Sadly, never to happen again... sigh...)
Returning home to unwind by the tree, watching the lights glow and smiling because I realize how lucky I truly am to have such a wonderful family...
I hope you all enjoyed my trip down memory lane... I know I did. I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving.
One more note before I sign off... No matter how much the inconsiderate jerk who's in front of you at the store may upset you, or how much the stupid drivers may tee you off, don't succumb to holiday rage. Remember the spirit of this holiday... and no matter how much the media and corporate America may want to "commercialize" Christmas.. they can't change the spelling! Christmas is, was and always will be a birthday party for Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is the reason for the season, and I, for one, will NEVER forget that. I pray that you don't either.
Adios!
This is your lucky week, because I, your humble correspondent (sorry O'Reilly), am posting TWICE this week! I was planning to post this two days ago, but Blogger was being fussy, so it deleted my post. I will attempt to remember everything I wrote, but I make no promises!
Sitting here in Starbucks, I am enjoying another Pumpkin Spice Latte. The latte and the joyus holiday, excuse me, CHRISTMAS music (politically correct I ain't!) coming from the overhead speakers take me on a trip back into my memories of Christmases past. I thought I would share with you some of my favorite memories of Christmas, and the hope that I might experience some of them this year.
The feeling of excitement when the first load of firewood arrives at the house (although I always put up a fuss when Dad asks me to help unload it!)...
Grinning like a Cheshire cat when the first fire is lit in the woodburning stove...
Shopping for the perfect Douglas Fir or Scotch Pine with Dad at Mr. Homegrown...
Mom bitching when we bring the tree inside because we're getting needles all over the carpet... (Mom, the carpet is green... it'll blend in!)
Excavating beneath the stairs to retrieve all of the Christmas decorations...
Mom and I spending a Saturday afternoon turning the house into a Norman Rockwell painting...
(I still don't understand why we can't leave the decorations up all year... they look so pretty!)
Waiting with baited breath for Dad to return home from deer hunting in Clermont so we can decorate the tree...
Decorating the tree to the strains of Gene Autry singing all our Christmas favorites...
Dad cussing the tangled extension cords as he wrestles with the bubble lights...
Mom grinning from ear-to-ear as each one of my "baby" ornaments is found and hung...
(Who says Mom's not a packrat?!?)
Dad smiling bigger than I've ever seen when the ornament with the picture of Grace and Len is found...
Feeling the lump in my throat, the tears in my eyes and the pride in my heart as I get to hang my sister Brandi's ornament at the top of the tree...
(Forever my guardian angel...)
Watching our current dog (Rex, Brandy, Frannie and now Delsie) help Dad and I hang the tinsel on the tree...
Seeing the space below the tree grow smaller and smaller as more and more gifts are placed there...
Gathering as many family members as possible to spend the night on Christmas Eve...
Dad's Prime Rib for Christmas Eve dinner...
Christmas carols by the fire...
B&B, coffee and RumpleMintz in chocolate shot glasses as we wait for Santa...
(a new tradition, but a favorite nonetheless)
Christmas morning hangovers!
Racing to the banister to see what Santa left in my stocking...
Heading downstairs with coffee in hand (hangover!) to see what Santa brought me...
Watching Allyson and Dylan pass out the gifts and remembering when it used to be MY job...
Noticing that as I get older, my gifts get fewer... (Or do they?)
Dad's famous Christmas morning breakfast and then a NAP!!
Heading to Durant for the Thoma/Hansen family gathering...
Stopping off at ITC (now the Checkered Flag) to make the next day's pizza dough...
Arriving first at Grandma Chrystol's no matter WHEN we leave our house...
Getting more and more excited as each family member arrives...
Grandma Chrystol in her red sweater with the Christmas lights on it...
Stuffing myself with Grandma's Christmas cookies...
(None will EVER be better than hers!)
Passing out the gifts in Grandma's black and white checkerboard tiled basement...
(Sadly, never to happen again... sigh...)
Returning home to unwind by the tree, watching the lights glow and smiling because I realize how lucky I truly am to have such a wonderful family...
I hope you all enjoyed my trip down memory lane... I know I did. I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving.
One more note before I sign off... No matter how much the inconsiderate jerk who's in front of you at the store may upset you, or how much the stupid drivers may tee you off, don't succumb to holiday rage. Remember the spirit of this holiday... and no matter how much the media and corporate America may want to "commercialize" Christmas.. they can't change the spelling! Christmas is, was and always will be a birthday party for Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is the reason for the season, and I, for one, will NEVER forget that. I pray that you don't either.
Adios!
Friday, November 19, 2004
Pre-Holiday Ramblings...
Hey everybody!
I attempted to post yesterday, but Blogger was being finicky and it deleted my post! So here I am in Elko, NV at Starbucks enjoying a Pumpkin Spice Latte as I write.
The pumpkin flavor reminds me of how much I enjoy Thanksgiving and how much I'm going to miss being home this year. This is only the second Thanksgiving I've missed, but it's just as depressing. It's funny how holidays that are supposed to be filled with joy and happiness sometimes generate the opposite effect.
When Thursday rolls around, I will be with friends (Stacy, a security guard and friend here at Stockmen's, has invited us to his house for Thanksgiving dinner), but my thoughts will be at home.
Missing Aunt Grace's turkey and sage dressing, Grandma Chrystol's pumpkin and pecan pies, wild rice casserole, and the asparagus casserole with the fried onions on top. Hopefully I'll be able to spend next year's Thanksgiving at home. I want so badly for Dad to teach me all the tricks to Grace's turkey and dressing so that, someday, I will be able to teach them to my own children as I regale them with stories and anecdotes of Aunt Grace, the cottage at Clear Lake, and Grace's house in Clermont during the holidays. I also want Grandma Chrystol to teach me the secret to her pumpkin pie... before she's not around to teach me anymore.
I know that's kind of a morbid thing to say, but as the years press on and I get older, I begin to realize that my most favorite people in the world aren't going to be around forever.
So as not to end this blog on a sad note, I'll just close by asking you all to remember to cherish your loved ones this holiday season, and on every day of the year. Tell them how much they mean to you, and don't be afraid to show them either. I hope you and yours will have a joyus Thanksgiving, make some new memories and cherish the ones from years gone by.
Happy Thanksgiving (almost!),
Keith
I attempted to post yesterday, but Blogger was being finicky and it deleted my post! So here I am in Elko, NV at Starbucks enjoying a Pumpkin Spice Latte as I write.
The pumpkin flavor reminds me of how much I enjoy Thanksgiving and how much I'm going to miss being home this year. This is only the second Thanksgiving I've missed, but it's just as depressing. It's funny how holidays that are supposed to be filled with joy and happiness sometimes generate the opposite effect.
When Thursday rolls around, I will be with friends (Stacy, a security guard and friend here at Stockmen's, has invited us to his house for Thanksgiving dinner), but my thoughts will be at home.
Missing Aunt Grace's turkey and sage dressing, Grandma Chrystol's pumpkin and pecan pies, wild rice casserole, and the asparagus casserole with the fried onions on top. Hopefully I'll be able to spend next year's Thanksgiving at home. I want so badly for Dad to teach me all the tricks to Grace's turkey and dressing so that, someday, I will be able to teach them to my own children as I regale them with stories and anecdotes of Aunt Grace, the cottage at Clear Lake, and Grace's house in Clermont during the holidays. I also want Grandma Chrystol to teach me the secret to her pumpkin pie... before she's not around to teach me anymore.
I know that's kind of a morbid thing to say, but as the years press on and I get older, I begin to realize that my most favorite people in the world aren't going to be around forever.
So as not to end this blog on a sad note, I'll just close by asking you all to remember to cherish your loved ones this holiday season, and on every day of the year. Tell them how much they mean to you, and don't be afraid to show them either. I hope you and yours will have a joyus Thanksgiving, make some new memories and cherish the ones from years gone by.
Happy Thanksgiving (almost!),
Keith
Thursday, November 11, 2004
"Grand" Junction... yeah, right!!
Hello all… I’m a little behind on my blog, cause we’re in Jackpot, Nevada... excuse me... Bum F*ck, Nevada, and I have no Internet… OR cell phone! I’m paying the $6.00/hr. AOL surcharge right now to post this and pay bills!
Well, Grand Junction certainly wasn’t all that grand. The first three nights (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) we played to nobody, almost nobody, and damn near nobody, respectively! Wasn’t all that bad cause we needed the practice anyway. Friday night was a whole different ballgame. We played for 7 hours on Friday. Yeah, you read that right… SEVEN hours! Well, okay, not quite seven, but close… 479 minutes. See, they have this thing called FAC (which I never got the full name of), and it starts at 5:30 pm. People come in and pay $10 and they can eat and drink all they want until 7 o’clock. So they make the band start at 6:15 and play until 1:30 am. Talk about slave drivers. And to top it off they wanted to make the band PAY to eat!!! They told us that if we wanted to eat we had to pay $3 at the door!! Oh we didn’t just go get plates anyway?!? You’re damn right we did!!!
It was kind of fun because David let the band play the whole last set, so we just jammed a whole bunch of songs. I sang Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” THREE times that night… plus I sang Eric Clapton’s “Cocaine” and “Wonderful Tonight”, along with “Jailhouse Rock”, “Low Rider” and “Roadhouse Blues” by the Doors. All in all it was an interesting experience to say the least. At least the band house was nice…
We’re at the Horseshu Casino in Jackpot, Nevada this week. The rooms we’re in are about the size of a breadbox, and the water heater equals out to one of those metal Stanley thermos bottles. Luxurious. I tell ya! The beds are comfortable though, and we all have our own rooms, which gives me time to practice for my new gig.
Yep, that’s right. As of December 6th, I will be leaving David’s band. I am taking a job portraying Don Henley for Tequila Sunrise. They are an Eagles tribute band out of Nashville, and our first show will be at the House of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio on December 17th... get your tickets now!! I will be returning home to Iowa on December 7th, and then heading to Nashville one week later to begin rehearsals. This is a monstrous undertaking for me because I’ve never actually tried to sing like Don before. I just hope I can hold out singing that high all night long, but with proper conditioning, I’m sure I can do it. The greatest part is that I will be playing on a six-piece kit with only 3 cymbals and a hi-hat! That means QUICK teardown!! I will miss all my other gear, but being in Nashville, I’m sure I’ll find somewhere to use it. Another great thing is that Don Henley was never a very technical drummer. He focused mainly on groove, which means that I’ll be able to really concentrate on nailing those vocal parts. The first song every night is “Hotel California”… c’mon vocal cords don’t fail me now!!
Congratulations to Keith Urban for winning Male Vocalist of the Year at the CMA’s, he deserved it! If you haven’t picked up his new album “Be Here”, get it NOW! You won’t be disappointed.
Congratulations also go to my sister Kathy and her family on their new move. I can’t wait to come to visit and see the new house!! How’s February sound???
That’s all for now. I won’t have Internet in Elko, Nevada, but there is another casino right down the street with a Starbucks that has hi-speed access. Mmmm… caffeine AND web surfing... GREAT combo! Talk to you all soon…
Peace out homies!
Keith
Well, Grand Junction certainly wasn’t all that grand. The first three nights (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) we played to nobody, almost nobody, and damn near nobody, respectively! Wasn’t all that bad cause we needed the practice anyway. Friday night was a whole different ballgame. We played for 7 hours on Friday. Yeah, you read that right… SEVEN hours! Well, okay, not quite seven, but close… 479 minutes. See, they have this thing called FAC (which I never got the full name of), and it starts at 5:30 pm. People come in and pay $10 and they can eat and drink all they want until 7 o’clock. So they make the band start at 6:15 and play until 1:30 am. Talk about slave drivers. And to top it off they wanted to make the band PAY to eat!!! They told us that if we wanted to eat we had to pay $3 at the door!! Oh we didn’t just go get plates anyway?!? You’re damn right we did!!!
It was kind of fun because David let the band play the whole last set, so we just jammed a whole bunch of songs. I sang Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” THREE times that night… plus I sang Eric Clapton’s “Cocaine” and “Wonderful Tonight”, along with “Jailhouse Rock”, “Low Rider” and “Roadhouse Blues” by the Doors. All in all it was an interesting experience to say the least. At least the band house was nice…
We’re at the Horseshu Casino in Jackpot, Nevada this week. The rooms we’re in are about the size of a breadbox, and the water heater equals out to one of those metal Stanley thermos bottles. Luxurious. I tell ya! The beds are comfortable though, and we all have our own rooms, which gives me time to practice for my new gig.
Yep, that’s right. As of December 6th, I will be leaving David’s band. I am taking a job portraying Don Henley for Tequila Sunrise. They are an Eagles tribute band out of Nashville, and our first show will be at the House of Blues in Cleveland, Ohio on December 17th... get your tickets now!! I will be returning home to Iowa on December 7th, and then heading to Nashville one week later to begin rehearsals. This is a monstrous undertaking for me because I’ve never actually tried to sing like Don before. I just hope I can hold out singing that high all night long, but with proper conditioning, I’m sure I can do it. The greatest part is that I will be playing on a six-piece kit with only 3 cymbals and a hi-hat! That means QUICK teardown!! I will miss all my other gear, but being in Nashville, I’m sure I’ll find somewhere to use it. Another great thing is that Don Henley was never a very technical drummer. He focused mainly on groove, which means that I’ll be able to really concentrate on nailing those vocal parts. The first song every night is “Hotel California”… c’mon vocal cords don’t fail me now!!
Congratulations to Keith Urban for winning Male Vocalist of the Year at the CMA’s, he deserved it! If you haven’t picked up his new album “Be Here”, get it NOW! You won’t be disappointed.
Congratulations also go to my sister Kathy and her family on their new move. I can’t wait to come to visit and see the new house!! How’s February sound???
That’s all for now. I won’t have Internet in Elko, Nevada, but there is another casino right down the street with a Starbucks that has hi-speed access. Mmmm… caffeine AND web surfing... GREAT combo! Talk to you all soon…
Peace out homies!
Keith
Thursday, November 04, 2004
On The Road Again...
"On the road again/goin' places that I've never been/seein' things that I may never see again/I can't wait to get on the road again." - Willie Nelson
Greetings and salutations again from the road. I apologize for my laziness at updating, but things have been pretty hectic on the road.
We began the tour again on October 26th, headed for Albuquerque, New Mexico. 18 hours later, we arrived in Albuquerque. The ride was pretty uneventful, and quite tiring. The shows at Cowboy's went very well, and Saturday night we opened up for Jason Boland and the Stragglers, a country-rock group from Texas. The band was very good and we all had a great time hanging out together.
During the trip I also got to hang out with my friend Lori. She's a really cool girl from Canada that works for a family in Albuquerque as a nanny. Friday night we went to The Melting Pot for dinner and had an AMAZING time. The menu was a bit pricey, but when the meat course contains filet mignon, prime rib and lamb, you can understand why. The Melting Pot is a fondue restaurant that is out of this world. The best course was the dessert course which consisted of some VERY expensive Godiva chocolate with carmel and pecans in it. If you ever get the chance to go to a fondue restaurant, DO IT! You will not be disappointed.
Sunday afternoon we headed out for Grand Junction, Colorado. We picked our route from the atlas... BAD IDEA!! We ended up WAY up in the mountains, where we really should NOT have been. This was absolutely the worst ride I have ever been on and I really don't hope to do it again! The climax of the trip was when we reached Red Mountain Pass with an elevation of 11,000 feet. We saw a sign that read "Unlawful to proceed without snow tires or chains". Well, I guess we're breaking the law again!!! We couldn't turn around so we had to keep going. I haven't yet mentioned that the whole trip in the mountains was in the middle of a ferocious snow storm, and by the time we got to Red Mountain, there was about 8 inches of snow on the ground!! Our brakes would only cause us to slide, so we used the weight of the trailer to slow us down... essentially SLIDING down the mountain. There was A LOT of praying during this trip and I commend David for his poise and patience during the tretcherous drive. We were definitely being looked after by Our Savior, Jesus Christ, and all of the thanks and praise goes straight to Him.
Once we reached Grand Junction, we ended up sleeping in the parking lot of the club that morning, because we couldn't get a hold of anyone to get the key to the band house. Once we got in the band house we were pleased to see it in great condition. The stove and everything else works great, so we are able to cook for ourselves and save lots of money!!
The shows are relatively boring so far because the club doesn't get much of a crowd early in the week. We're hoping the shows will be busy this weekend. David has a radio appearance Friday morning and we're headed to the college Friday afternoon to put flyers on cars.. hopefully that will drum up some business.
Hope all is well elsewhere in the world...
Keith
PS: My apologies go out to all of the Democratic members of my family (Kruses!)... FOUR MORE YEARS!!!!!
Greetings and salutations again from the road. I apologize for my laziness at updating, but things have been pretty hectic on the road.
We began the tour again on October 26th, headed for Albuquerque, New Mexico. 18 hours later, we arrived in Albuquerque. The ride was pretty uneventful, and quite tiring. The shows at Cowboy's went very well, and Saturday night we opened up for Jason Boland and the Stragglers, a country-rock group from Texas. The band was very good and we all had a great time hanging out together.
During the trip I also got to hang out with my friend Lori. She's a really cool girl from Canada that works for a family in Albuquerque as a nanny. Friday night we went to The Melting Pot for dinner and had an AMAZING time. The menu was a bit pricey, but when the meat course contains filet mignon, prime rib and lamb, you can understand why. The Melting Pot is a fondue restaurant that is out of this world. The best course was the dessert course which consisted of some VERY expensive Godiva chocolate with carmel and pecans in it. If you ever get the chance to go to a fondue restaurant, DO IT! You will not be disappointed.
Sunday afternoon we headed out for Grand Junction, Colorado. We picked our route from the atlas... BAD IDEA!! We ended up WAY up in the mountains, where we really should NOT have been. This was absolutely the worst ride I have ever been on and I really don't hope to do it again! The climax of the trip was when we reached Red Mountain Pass with an elevation of 11,000 feet. We saw a sign that read "Unlawful to proceed without snow tires or chains". Well, I guess we're breaking the law again!!! We couldn't turn around so we had to keep going. I haven't yet mentioned that the whole trip in the mountains was in the middle of a ferocious snow storm, and by the time we got to Red Mountain, there was about 8 inches of snow on the ground!! Our brakes would only cause us to slide, so we used the weight of the trailer to slow us down... essentially SLIDING down the mountain. There was A LOT of praying during this trip and I commend David for his poise and patience during the tretcherous drive. We were definitely being looked after by Our Savior, Jesus Christ, and all of the thanks and praise goes straight to Him.
Once we reached Grand Junction, we ended up sleeping in the parking lot of the club that morning, because we couldn't get a hold of anyone to get the key to the band house. Once we got in the band house we were pleased to see it in great condition. The stove and everything else works great, so we are able to cook for ourselves and save lots of money!!
The shows are relatively boring so far because the club doesn't get much of a crowd early in the week. We're hoping the shows will be busy this weekend. David has a radio appearance Friday morning and we're headed to the college Friday afternoon to put flyers on cars.. hopefully that will drum up some business.
Hope all is well elsewhere in the world...
Keith
PS: My apologies go out to all of the Democratic members of my family (Kruses!)... FOUR MORE YEARS!!!!!
Monday, October 18, 2004
Siskel & Ebert... well, not quite!
What up Brothers and Sisters!!
(Sorry, I just watched "Undercover Brother" on USA... got a little soul in me now...) If you haven't seen UB, you need to rent it. It's got a great cast... Dave Chapelle (I'm Rick James... bitch!), Neil Patrick Harris ('member Doogie Howser?), Chris Kattan and the soul brother himself, James Brown! Good God.. jump back... kiss myself!! It's a HILARIOUS comedy about the melding of the black and white cultures. Great flick... two thumbs up!
I also watched "Save The Last Dance" last night. I had forgotten how great this movie was, but I was quick to remember. Even if you left out the fact that Julia Stiles is in it, she's my "movie-star crush," it would still be a great movie. I won't give away the story in case you haven't seen it, but it is a "white girl ends up in Chicago and struggles but thrives in the end" kind of movie.
The main reason I like this movie is because it deals with the arts, of which I'm very supportive (as if you didn't know...). The main message is not to give up on your dreams, which is the mantra that I've lived by all my life. It also has a secondary storyline dealing with breaking the racial barrier for a common goal. I only wish I could dance like that!
Thanks to everyone for the kind posts. It means a lot to know that I have friends and family out there that care so much. I try not to make this blog a self-pity soapbox, but sometimes everyone has bad days.
And I feel I should introduce the girl who made the last comment on the site... Maggie Gardner is a wonderful young woman whom I met while performing in Elko, Nevada. She is beautiful and brilliant, studying to be a nurse , but also getting her Bachelor of Nursing-Science degree at the same time. She has an incredible workload and I admire her greatly for attacking it with such vigor. Perhaps someday (after she graduates) we may be able to have a relationship, but for now I will settle for having one of the best friends I could ever ask for. Thanks for everything, Maggie!
To all the other family and friends who read this: I couldn't have done any of this without all of you. You all mean the world to me and I promise to remember you when I get famous.... :-) Hope you're all enjoying the frigid weather back home in Iowa... I'm wearing shorts and a t-shirt!! HA!
TTFN!
(Sorry, I just watched "Undercover Brother" on USA... got a little soul in me now...) If you haven't seen UB, you need to rent it. It's got a great cast... Dave Chapelle (I'm Rick James... bitch!), Neil Patrick Harris ('member Doogie Howser?), Chris Kattan and the soul brother himself, James Brown! Good God.. jump back... kiss myself!! It's a HILARIOUS comedy about the melding of the black and white cultures. Great flick... two thumbs up!
I also watched "Save The Last Dance" last night. I had forgotten how great this movie was, but I was quick to remember. Even if you left out the fact that Julia Stiles is in it, she's my "movie-star crush," it would still be a great movie. I won't give away the story in case you haven't seen it, but it is a "white girl ends up in Chicago and struggles but thrives in the end" kind of movie.
The main reason I like this movie is because it deals with the arts, of which I'm very supportive (as if you didn't know...). The main message is not to give up on your dreams, which is the mantra that I've lived by all my life. It also has a secondary storyline dealing with breaking the racial barrier for a common goal. I only wish I could dance like that!
Thanks to everyone for the kind posts. It means a lot to know that I have friends and family out there that care so much. I try not to make this blog a self-pity soapbox, but sometimes everyone has bad days.
And I feel I should introduce the girl who made the last comment on the site... Maggie Gardner is a wonderful young woman whom I met while performing in Elko, Nevada. She is beautiful and brilliant, studying to be a nurse , but also getting her Bachelor of Nursing-Science degree at the same time. She has an incredible workload and I admire her greatly for attacking it with such vigor. Perhaps someday (after she graduates) we may be able to have a relationship, but for now I will settle for having one of the best friends I could ever ask for. Thanks for everything, Maggie!
To all the other family and friends who read this: I couldn't have done any of this without all of you. You all mean the world to me and I promise to remember you when I get famous.... :-) Hope you're all enjoying the frigid weather back home in Iowa... I'm wearing shorts and a t-shirt!! HA!
TTFN!
Sunday, October 17, 2004
Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon....
"Bicycling on every Wednesday evening/Thursday I go waltzing through the zoo/ I come from London town, I'm just an ordinary guy/Friday I go painting in the Louvre/I'm bound to be proposing on a Saturday night/and I'll be lazing on a Sunday afternoon" -- Freddie Mercury (Queen)
Bon jour ladies and gentlemen...
Sunday afternoon means one thing... football!! I actually missed the Raiders game, so I'm searching for the score... hopefully they won.
This weekend was kinda cool. Friday night we played in Baton Rouge at a club called The Station. Nice little bar, pretty good turnout. It was our last show with Kevin Hare on bass guitar. I'm going to miss playing with him. For the difficulties that we had in the beginning, we ended up as a pretty tight unit. Hopefully Mike and I will gell just as well.
Saturday night was David and Elizabeth's engagement party. I felt a little underdressed because I didn't bring any really nice clothes on the road with me, but I looked my best. Luckily for me, both families were very outgoing, so I wasn't a wallflower all night. I had some good discussions about the election with quite a few people, and I was pleased to learn that only three people that were at the party were Democrats!!! The food was amazing, and the wine was even better. They had the whole Yellow Tail menu there, so I was able to gorge myself on barbecued brisket and Shiraz!! I had meat pies for the first time too. They're pretty good. Kinda like a poor man's Beef Wellington.
And now it's Sunday and I'm chilling out at a local hotel. It's nice having time to myself, but after awhile I'm longing for some companionship. This weekend should be fun. We're playing two clubs in Baton Rouge that are on the LSU campus. That means one thing... college honeys!!! But then again, no one looks at the drummer.... ;-) Not much else going on, so I'll sign off for now. Thanks to all who are reading and posting, it's nice to feel loved!
Keith
PS: Let's all pray that O'Reilly beats the rap...
Bon jour ladies and gentlemen...
Sunday afternoon means one thing... football!! I actually missed the Raiders game, so I'm searching for the score... hopefully they won.
This weekend was kinda cool. Friday night we played in Baton Rouge at a club called The Station. Nice little bar, pretty good turnout. It was our last show with Kevin Hare on bass guitar. I'm going to miss playing with him. For the difficulties that we had in the beginning, we ended up as a pretty tight unit. Hopefully Mike and I will gell just as well.
Saturday night was David and Elizabeth's engagement party. I felt a little underdressed because I didn't bring any really nice clothes on the road with me, but I looked my best. Luckily for me, both families were very outgoing, so I wasn't a wallflower all night. I had some good discussions about the election with quite a few people, and I was pleased to learn that only three people that were at the party were Democrats!!! The food was amazing, and the wine was even better. They had the whole Yellow Tail menu there, so I was able to gorge myself on barbecued brisket and Shiraz!! I had meat pies for the first time too. They're pretty good. Kinda like a poor man's Beef Wellington.
And now it's Sunday and I'm chilling out at a local hotel. It's nice having time to myself, but after awhile I'm longing for some companionship. This weekend should be fun. We're playing two clubs in Baton Rouge that are on the LSU campus. That means one thing... college honeys!!! But then again, no one looks at the drummer.... ;-) Not much else going on, so I'll sign off for now. Thanks to all who are reading and posting, it's nice to feel loved!
Keith
PS: Let's all pray that O'Reilly beats the rap...
Thursday, October 14, 2004
Cabin Fever
Hey all...
Not much new news (say THAT five times fast!), but I wanted to post to let everyone know that I'm still alive. Nothing new going on here in LA. Pretty boring actually. Now I know why I really love being on the road. There's always something new to do or somewhere new to go. I can't stand being in one place for too long.
We played the Treasure Chest casino in New Orleans Tuesday night and that was pretty fun. It was Country Night, so we focused our sets on predominantly country music. Of course, anyone who knows me knows that I had a GREAT time that night. I love playing and singing country over any other kind of music. The only bad part about the gig was that I couldn't use my in-ear monitors, which are like a combination of earplugs and headphones. I couldn't use those and I didn't have any earplugs with me, so my ears suffered for the whole night. It sucked!! You can bet I'll always have my earplugs with me from now on. Lesson learned!
I watched a little bit of the debate last night, but CMT had a Keith Urban special on, so I watched that instead... priorities!
We're playing tomorrow night at The Station here in LA, and then Saturday night is David and Elizabeth's engagement party. Then I have another whole week to hang here (and try to find a place to stay without getting in anybody's hair), we play the weekend, and then leave for tour on Wednesday.
I'm thinking I'll come home after our last gig, December 5, but I'm not sure yet. I may possibly be playing on December 18th at the House of Blues in Cleveland, OH with Tequila Sunrise, but I have to send them some demo material first. I've been talking with a few members of the group and they sound pretty interested. The only issue is that I don't want to leave David without a drummer, and I also don't want to turn down guaranteed work for a band that doesn't have a set schedule yet. Decisions, decisions...
That's about all for now. Please keep posting, I love to hear from all of you!
Not much new news (say THAT five times fast!), but I wanted to post to let everyone know that I'm still alive. Nothing new going on here in LA. Pretty boring actually. Now I know why I really love being on the road. There's always something new to do or somewhere new to go. I can't stand being in one place for too long.
We played the Treasure Chest casino in New Orleans Tuesday night and that was pretty fun. It was Country Night, so we focused our sets on predominantly country music. Of course, anyone who knows me knows that I had a GREAT time that night. I love playing and singing country over any other kind of music. The only bad part about the gig was that I couldn't use my in-ear monitors, which are like a combination of earplugs and headphones. I couldn't use those and I didn't have any earplugs with me, so my ears suffered for the whole night. It sucked!! You can bet I'll always have my earplugs with me from now on. Lesson learned!
I watched a little bit of the debate last night, but CMT had a Keith Urban special on, so I watched that instead... priorities!
We're playing tomorrow night at The Station here in LA, and then Saturday night is David and Elizabeth's engagement party. Then I have another whole week to hang here (and try to find a place to stay without getting in anybody's hair), we play the weekend, and then leave for tour on Wednesday.
I'm thinking I'll come home after our last gig, December 5, but I'm not sure yet. I may possibly be playing on December 18th at the House of Blues in Cleveland, OH with Tequila Sunrise, but I have to send them some demo material first. I've been talking with a few members of the group and they sound pretty interested. The only issue is that I don't want to leave David without a drummer, and I also don't want to turn down guaranteed work for a band that doesn't have a set schedule yet. Decisions, decisions...
That's about all for now. Please keep posting, I love to hear from all of you!
Monday, October 11, 2004
Hanging in Baton Rouge
Hey everybody.
Just dropping a little note to let you know that I'm okay and that Baton Rouge didn't get much rain to speak of. Well, okay, that's not true... it rained like cats and dogs all weekend! And to make matters worse, the ceiling in the rear of the RV is all rotted out because of 3 years worth of water damage! It's always something! So I'm living in the front of the RV for now while David works to repair the ceiling before we go back out on the road again.
We're playing at the Treasure Chest casino in New Orleans tomorrow night and they have a house drum kit, so I don't have to bring anything! Ha! Maybe someday, ALL my gigs will be like that!
This weekend went fairly well. Friday night we played at O.B.'s in Lake Charles, LA. It's a nice little sports bar with a pretty decent size stage. The crowd was jumpin' by about 11, and it was SRO (standing room only) by 12. Saturday night we played at Bailey's in Marksville, LA. That was a VERY interesting gig. Bailey's is a nice old theater that was converted into a bar. Big stage, wood floors and paneling all over... only one problem -- they have a leaky roof and it rained ALL weekend!!! I've never played on a stage with buckets before... until now! We're lucky someone didn't get shocked!
Our new bassist, Mike Toller, came out Saturday and played two sets with us. We're going to start rehearsing with him next week... things should be pretty tight by the time we head out. I'll try to post again tomorrow... adios until then!
Just dropping a little note to let you know that I'm okay and that Baton Rouge didn't get much rain to speak of. Well, okay, that's not true... it rained like cats and dogs all weekend! And to make matters worse, the ceiling in the rear of the RV is all rotted out because of 3 years worth of water damage! It's always something! So I'm living in the front of the RV for now while David works to repair the ceiling before we go back out on the road again.
We're playing at the Treasure Chest casino in New Orleans tomorrow night and they have a house drum kit, so I don't have to bring anything! Ha! Maybe someday, ALL my gigs will be like that!
This weekend went fairly well. Friday night we played at O.B.'s in Lake Charles, LA. It's a nice little sports bar with a pretty decent size stage. The crowd was jumpin' by about 11, and it was SRO (standing room only) by 12. Saturday night we played at Bailey's in Marksville, LA. That was a VERY interesting gig. Bailey's is a nice old theater that was converted into a bar. Big stage, wood floors and paneling all over... only one problem -- they have a leaky roof and it rained ALL weekend!!! I've never played on a stage with buckets before... until now! We're lucky someone didn't get shocked!
Our new bassist, Mike Toller, came out Saturday and played two sets with us. We're going to start rehearsing with him next week... things should be pretty tight by the time we head out. I'll try to post again tomorrow... adios until then!
Friday, October 08, 2004
No Rest For The Wicked!
Hi all...
Just wanted to post before the weekend to let you all know that I won't be able to update until Sunday. We're headed to Lake Charles, LA for a show tonight and then over to Marksville, LA for a show Saturday night. We did FINALLY find a bass player (whew!), so the Fall tour will go on as planned. Got an email from an Eagles tribute band out of Nashville today called Tequila Sunrise... they're looking for a drummer. Me as Don Henley?? Could work... I'll keep you posted. Check out their website and let me know if they are any good. (just click on the name). Catch you all on Sunday! Wish Dubya some luck in the debate tonight. After last debate's showing, he needs it!! Kerry is so very.... LAME!! :-)
Less than three,
Keith
Just wanted to post before the weekend to let you all know that I won't be able to update until Sunday. We're headed to Lake Charles, LA for a show tonight and then over to Marksville, LA for a show Saturday night. We did FINALLY find a bass player (whew!), so the Fall tour will go on as planned. Got an email from an Eagles tribute band out of Nashville today called Tequila Sunrise... they're looking for a drummer. Me as Don Henley?? Could work... I'll keep you posted. Check out their website and let me know if they are any good. (just click on the name). Catch you all on Sunday! Wish Dubya some luck in the debate tonight. After last debate's showing, he needs it!! Kerry is so very.... LAME!! :-)
Less than three,
Keith
Thursday, October 07, 2004
In (blank) We Trust?
"God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God?" -- Thomas Jefferson
I know this is kind of an old topic, but after reading Bill O'Reilly's new book, Who's Looking Out For You?, I have the urge to opine.
Bill writes about many topics including the removal of the Ten Commandments from an Alabama courtroom, and the banning of a student-supported pre-game prayer.
The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution with the idea that God had a major role in the furthering of the country. They didn't want any particular religion to be chosen over another, and neither do I, I just wish the nutbags at the ACLU and other crackpot organizations would realize that they are going directly against what our country was built upon.
If we don't trust in God, then in whom can we trust? Ourselves? Certainly not. Are humans perfect enough to create the Earth and all that is in it? Heck no. Then why do some think that humans are perfect enough to reign over the world without the need for belief in another deity? You got me on that one.
I, for one, think it does no harm if students want to pray before a sporting event. They're not holding a gun to your head and making you say the words, are they? Even if you were a non-believer and spoke the words, without belief they are just empty words. So what's the harm in that? If you don't want to believe, just close your ears!
If they want to separate church and state, then why do they make you swear on a BIBLE when you sit in the witness stand in court? You swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you WHO? Yep, that's right. So help you God!
Why do you have to get a marriage license and pay marriage taxes (which are all related to the government) when marriage is a RELIGIOUS event??
I just don't get it.
Perhaps we'd all be in a better place if everyone would've listened to Ben Franklin in 1787 when he said at the Constitutional Convention:
" I therefore beg leave to move -- that henceforth, prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven and it's blessing on our deliberations, be held in the Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this ciry be requested to officiate in that service."
Another head-scratcher for me is this: If the urge to separate church and state is so strong, then why does the President need a spiritual advisor? Couldn't he just call Miss Cleo??
Ok, sorry for the rant... I feel much better now. ::cleansing breath::
For all interested parties, I am currently hanging out in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We are scheduled for two gigs this weekend and three next week. We then leave for our six-week tour, which isn't long enough if you ask me! We will be headed to the wonderful states of Nevada and New Mexico. I will attempt to update daily to give you the lowdown on road life. Till then...
Keith
I know this is kind of an old topic, but after reading Bill O'Reilly's new book, Who's Looking Out For You?, I have the urge to opine.
Bill writes about many topics including the removal of the Ten Commandments from an Alabama courtroom, and the banning of a student-supported pre-game prayer.
The Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution with the idea that God had a major role in the furthering of the country. They didn't want any particular religion to be chosen over another, and neither do I, I just wish the nutbags at the ACLU and other crackpot organizations would realize that they are going directly against what our country was built upon.
If we don't trust in God, then in whom can we trust? Ourselves? Certainly not. Are humans perfect enough to create the Earth and all that is in it? Heck no. Then why do some think that humans are perfect enough to reign over the world without the need for belief in another deity? You got me on that one.
I, for one, think it does no harm if students want to pray before a sporting event. They're not holding a gun to your head and making you say the words, are they? Even if you were a non-believer and spoke the words, without belief they are just empty words. So what's the harm in that? If you don't want to believe, just close your ears!
If they want to separate church and state, then why do they make you swear on a BIBLE when you sit in the witness stand in court? You swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you WHO? Yep, that's right. So help you God!
Why do you have to get a marriage license and pay marriage taxes (which are all related to the government) when marriage is a RELIGIOUS event??
I just don't get it.
Perhaps we'd all be in a better place if everyone would've listened to Ben Franklin in 1787 when he said at the Constitutional Convention:
" I therefore beg leave to move -- that henceforth, prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven and it's blessing on our deliberations, be held in the Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the clergy of this ciry be requested to officiate in that service."
Another head-scratcher for me is this: If the urge to separate church and state is so strong, then why does the President need a spiritual advisor? Couldn't he just call Miss Cleo??
Ok, sorry for the rant... I feel much better now. ::cleansing breath::
For all interested parties, I am currently hanging out in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We are scheduled for two gigs this weekend and three next week. We then leave for our six-week tour, which isn't long enough if you ask me! We will be headed to the wonderful states of Nevada and New Mexico. I will attempt to update daily to give you the lowdown on road life. Till then...
Keith
And so it begins...
My "virgin" post on my very own blog, can you feel the excitement?? I'm as giddy as a little schoolgirl (well, okay.. not THAT giddy, but you get the point).
I'm not sure what to write about so I suppose I'll just rant about how frustrating it is to try and make changes to this page when I don't know JACK about HTML code.
I wish that Blogger would have a wysiwyg (what you see is what you get), type of editor for the whole page instead of just the post section. I'd love to change things like my background and everything and be able to see the changes right away. Not having to know all those crazy combinations of letters and numbers would help too. I'm getting flashbacks of Algebra class... wait, I only made it to Pre-Algebra... umm.. well, okay.. whatever, you get the point!
If ANYONE is good at this junk or knows of a shortcut for me, PLEASE help!
I suppose that's it for this post. I'll try to make the next few a little more interesting.
Hasta la pasta...
Keith
I'm not sure what to write about so I suppose I'll just rant about how frustrating it is to try and make changes to this page when I don't know JACK about HTML code.
I wish that Blogger would have a wysiwyg (what you see is what you get), type of editor for the whole page instead of just the post section. I'd love to change things like my background and everything and be able to see the changes right away. Not having to know all those crazy combinations of letters and numbers would help too. I'm getting flashbacks of Algebra class... wait, I only made it to Pre-Algebra... umm.. well, okay.. whatever, you get the point!
If ANYONE is good at this junk or knows of a shortcut for me, PLEASE help!
I suppose that's it for this post. I'll try to make the next few a little more interesting.
Hasta la pasta...
Keith
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
At last, my time has come to enter cyberspace!
Hey everybody!
After dragging my feet for awhile, I finally decided to start my own blog. Now all of my family and friends (and maybe even some enemies) can keep up with all of the comings and goings of my life on the road. You'll be able to see my current playing schedule, as well as some pictures from the road, and maybe even listen to some sound bytes.
For those who don't know, I am currently performing as drummer/vocalist for David St. Romain. He is based out of Louisiana and seems to have a pretty good shot at "making it".
I'm going to post this now, and then begin my rhythmic ramblings in another post, so as not to confuse our new readers (aren't I nice??). Catch you on the flip side!
Less Than Three*,
Keith
*For info on this, click here
After dragging my feet for awhile, I finally decided to start my own blog. Now all of my family and friends (and maybe even some enemies) can keep up with all of the comings and goings of my life on the road. You'll be able to see my current playing schedule, as well as some pictures from the road, and maybe even listen to some sound bytes.
For those who don't know, I am currently performing as drummer/vocalist for David St. Romain. He is based out of Louisiana and seems to have a pretty good shot at "making it".
I'm going to post this now, and then begin my rhythmic ramblings in another post, so as not to confuse our new readers (aren't I nice??). Catch you on the flip side!
Less Than Three*,
Keith
*For info on this, click here
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