Have you ever had a crik in your neck?

Last week I had a job interview. Much to the dismay of my friends it was not in Austin. The day of the interview I awoke to find that my neck, shoulders and back were killing me. I took those worthless OTC pain killers but they did nothing to lessen the pain. As the interview time grew closer and the pain worse, I started to consider taking a muscle relaxer. I was pondering this aloud and my father was in earshot. I was wondering how dopey and sluggish a flexeril would make me when he suggested a completely different direction.

We were bloth on the back porch at the time because my parents are having renovations done to their house. The big problem with renovating your house, beyond the monetary discomfort, is that you go for periods of time where you are essentially banished from your own house. My parents have two dogs that I jokingly refer to as my younger siblings, and their presence seals the deal when the question of banishment comes up.

Anyway, on this particular afternoon, my father went back inside the house and he returned with a bottle of something. The next words out of his mough were, "Where does it hurt?". After I explained the source of the pain to him he told me to lift up my shirt.

For those of you who don't know my father, he is a funny guy. He gets these strange ideas in his head and he tends to always go overboard when it comes to pain relief. He once suggested that I get some sort of gel to put into my sinus cavity to knock out a sinus infection that I had. I mentioned it to the doctor and he looked at me like I was crazy. He explained that although the medication would work for that treatment that it was a very strong drug and that it should never be used for that purpose. Now that you have the idea as to what his cures are like I will continue and you will understand why I had a twinge of anxiety as he told me to lift my shirt.

With my back exposed and me leaning over my father started to spray something on my back. At first it felt cold, but that sensation didn't last for long. Quickly I started to feel a prickly sensation and a very strong smell hit my nostrils. It was a medicinal smell not unlike menthol on steriods. As the pins and needles continued he started to explain that this was a local analgesic that is used to cure muscle and joint pains. He continued to tell me that it would be fast working and that it should penetrate and ease the pain in a matter of minutes. All that I am thinking at this point is that I have an interview with an HR person followed by a panel interview in less that two hours and I smell absolutely horrible. I start to hope that perhaps the smell will dissipate as the spray evaporates.

Minutes pass and I am still stuck in this same train of thought. I have already considered what my opening line to the interviewers would be. I decided that I would break the ice by telling a condensed version of this story. I would start by asking if they have ever woke up to find that their neck was sore and had it get progressively worse throughout the day. This seemed like a good way to break the ice and I knew that I could easily turn the awkward smell into a funny situation putting everyone at ease.

My back is still wet. Ten minutes have passed and I can still smell the scent as if it was being sprayed on my back right now. The shirt is no longer raised to a ring around my neck. It has now been completely removed because I realized it is the only clean undershirt that I have. It is at this point that my dad decides to break the silence by telling me what this spray is really for. I should have known that this moment was coming. He tells me that yes, it is for muscle and joint pain but that it is usually used on horses. I couldn't make this up if I tried. He goes on to tell me that there is another version that is used on bulls but that he was unable to find that one. By now the pins and needles have progressed into a slow burn that makes my back feel like it is radiating heat.

I start to wonder if I am having some sort of allergic reaction to the spray. Am I going to have to explain a smell and a rash? Who knows? Should I go inside and get a towel right now to get it off? Survey says, yes. After wiping this horse tranquilizer off my back I start to sniff myself and question whether I should take a quick shower with my remaining time. The smell is still there (not as strong) and I consider that under my layers of clothing it will be acceptable, or hopefully completely unnoticed.

As a final test, I sniffed my shoulder through my suit jacket and I couldn't smell anything. The crisis was averted and I didn't need to joke about my scent in the interview. I have learned my lesson, next time I will be taking the pills, and I should never accept anything from my father without a complete informational interview including whether or not the intended patient should have fur or not.

Oolong Tea from Norbu Tea

Today I am trying the Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea from Norbu Tea. The packaging says that it is from the 2008 fall harvest. I am using 1.5 tsp of tea in a Tea Ball. I heated the water until it was about to boil and then I added it to my cup.

Originally, I let it steep for 2 minutes. I took a sip and my initial impression was that it had a pleasant earthy taste. It still felt a little bit weak to me so I let it steep for another minute. The water has taken on a pale yellow hue. As I sip the tea it doesn’t taste strong, but it isn’t weak either. The effects are almost immediate! The flavor is simple, but very satisfying. This is definitely nothing like the Black Tea that I typically drink… it’s better. It is a soothing tea yet there is definitely caffeine present. I’m not sure how much caffeine is in Oolong Tea, but my initial impression is that it would be great in the morning or in the afternoon as a pick me up. I can’t get over how simple yet flavorful it is. The front and middle of your tongue get the majority of the flavor. There is no bitter aftertaste. It is definitely a earthy, grassy flavor that is very satisfying.

I have let the tea cool some, and I am now getting completely different flavors. Now the flavor has become stronger. It is still earthy but it is more present. The flavor lingers on your tongue for a while. I feel like the outside edges of my tongue are receiving more of the flavor. I can’t wait to share this tea with friends. Now to find out how many times I can use the same leaves…I’m guessing 2-3 times. I would definitely recommend this tea to someone who is looking for an alternative to black tea.

Update: I just steeped the leaves a second time. There is less of a caffeine sensation, but the tea still tastes great!

Voted Most Likely To Steal Your Truck

I got so wrapped up with the end of the trip that I never got to tell anyone about how the trip to Colorado started. My father and I woke up early and we started to head out of Nacogdoches. Neither of us had eaten, and we had both heard good things about this place called the Country Kitchen, so we decided to give it a try. Upon arrival, I knew we had hit a jackpot. There was a table sitting next to us that comprised of two women and an older man. He was complaining about his inheritance from his mother and how his sister was a money grubbing you-know-what.

There were a few gentlemen sitting at tables alone. They wore coveralls and Lone Star hats. For those of you not from Texas Lone Star is both a feed and fertilizer company as well as the National Beer of Texas. These guys were probably not aware of the beer company and their hats were in support of the fertilizer company.

Our waitress was a young woman around 19 or 20 that was wearing a rodeo belt buckle that could easily serve the purpose of a plate in a jam (or if the situation required it the heavy collection of rhinestones could easily blind any would be attacker by collecting the moonlight into a blinding beam). Her shirt had a phrase that I will never forget. It said, “Voted Most Likely To Steal Your Truck.” I pondered on that shirt for a while and I decided that it was a country thing that I just wouldn’t understand. The food was excellent and my only complaint was that there were televisions in the room. I hate it when there are TVs because they always become the center of attention. I always prefer to observe the others in the room and engage in conversation much more than watching a flickering box.

As we left the car bottomed out. This restaurant had a parking lot that left much to be desired. It was essentially a dirt lot with potholes large enough to lose small dogs in. When arriving at the restaurant you don’t realize the large bump as you transfer from pavement to dirt. Upon departure the bump is much more obvious. Our departure was announced by a scraping noise as the bottom of the car rubbed against the pavement that is TX HWY 259.

Our goal for the first day of the trip was to make it to Amarillo, TX. After reviewing the map, we approximated our trip to take 9 or 10 hours, depending on how many stops we took. After about an hour of traveling, I realized that I could hear a rather strange noise. It sounded like a grinding, and it appeared to vary depending on our rate of speed. I pulled over to check it out and I discovered that a plastic piece was being dragged underneath the car. It was near the front on the passenger side, in front of the tire. The main function of this piece appeared to be keeping rain out of the engine compartment. I made the quick decision that it was worthless and promptly tried to break it off. Being in another vehicle than mine, I was without a knife and I couldn’t find a good way to break it off. I quickly settled on the second best solution and found a way to tuck it up out of the way so that we wouldn’t be dragging it any more. With that problem solved, we decided it was time to get farther away from home and closer to Amarillo.

The trip was pretty uneventful as we cut through Dallas and traveled down Interstate 20. At one of our quick stops we noticed that the broken car piece had come dislodged. I finally got the placement right the second time and we never had to deal with it again.

If you have ever made the trip from East Texas to Lubbock you will remember the extreme boredom that sets in during this drive. Once you are west of Ft. Worth there isn’t a lot to notice. The landscape becomes flat quickly and you are on the same road for a long time. You finally change roads at Hwy 84 to turn north to Lubbock. Once you make this turn you abandon the boredom associated with driving on an Interstate and replace it with the new sensation of being surrounded with cotton fields and wind turbines.

A little kindness goes a long way

I just finished a very poorly timed trip. I was pulling into Austin at 5pm on a Friday afternoon during labor day weekend. Stupid, I know. Anyway as I exited the freeway for one last time I looked out into the traffic with disgust. I turned left and almost rear ended the car in front of me. As I quickly stopped I silently yelled fuck in my head. Apparently I mouthed it as well. Over the blaring music in my car I heard a voice. To be sure of myself I turned down the radio and looked to my side. The guy in the car next to me was saying, "it's ok!" in a reassuring tone. As I returned the smile he said, "there ya go!" I just want to say thanks to that stranger and remember that life always gives you what you need. Sometimes it's just some reassurance from a stranger.

What's The Worst That Could Happen?

“First ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen? Then prepare to accept it. Then proceed to improve on the worst.”—Dale Carnegie

I was reading one of my new favorite blogs ThrillingHeroics.com this afternoon and I ran across a quote I had never heard, but had always intuitively known. The above quote from Dale Carnegie sums up how we should all do business and live our lives. Many of us tend to focus on the negative and worry about what could happen. Is there a place for this in our lives, of course. However, you cannot dwell on these things. You must be honest in what it is that you want to achieve, and be willing to take the risks to get there.

I have known for some time that I wanted to start my own business. I have worked for myself before, but I lacked the maturity at the time to stick with it. Now that I have completed my MBA (and many years have passed since my last venture out on my own) I am once again starting a company. Most of my friends, and some of my family as well, think that I am absolutely crazy. This is because most of the people that you know are thinking about what they can do to fit into an existing mold. This can be a good formula if you are only seeking limited success.

To truly be successful and happy in life, you should focus on what you can do that fits who you are. In order to do this you have to cast away your fears and do what you know is right for you. If you, like me, tend to have an adventuresome spirit the best thing you can do is to figure out what you want to do and then find a way to do it. Don't worry about the naysayer (there will always be naysayer) because in truth they are either worried because you haven't fit into a predetermined way to be or they are jealous because you are living out their dream to step outside of the box.

Top 20 Places I've Slept

The following is a list of the places that I have slept (yes quick naps count!). It is organized from my favorite places to sleep down to my least favorite.


1. My Bed – it may not be the best in the world but it is mine. Sleeping in my bed also means that I know where everything is and I can find pretty much anything without turning on the lights.

2. Other people’s beds – this includes hotels and the spare bed at my parents’ house… this even includes strangers’ beds. The point is, a bed is the ultimate trump card.

3. My couch – I have spent many a quality night (and don’t forget Sunday afternoons) while crashed on the couch.

4. Any hammock – hammocks are stationary (relatively) and therefore easily in the top 10. I prefer them when they are in Mexico looking out on the water.

5. Beaches – beaches are good, as long as you aren’t sleeping at Black’s Beach north of San Diego.

6. Poolside – a nap by the pool is always good (as long as its outdoors). Indoor pools have a strong and unpleasant chlorinated scent which makes sleep uncomfortable and tiled walls tend to reverberate the sounds of the children splashing which will probably make any sleep impossible anyway.)

7. My parents’ couch – this is one place that I find myself sleeping quite often. One of the best times to catch some z’s is after thanksgiving dinner (while the game is on)

8. An air mattress – I think you will agree that with the air mattress location is not a necessary piece of information.

9. A friend’s couch – It is always great when you discover that you friends are so kind as to offer their couch for your dreaming entertainment.

10. A stranger’s couch – Although it is great to be offered a couch, sometimes you just have to wonder if you are going to wake missing a body part or any personal item for that matter (dignity is included in the list of possible missing items).

11. Car – Because of the nature of cars, I feel that it is necessary to point out that they rank differently depending upon the circumstances. In this case, the backseat of a car is a great place to catch up on some sleep. This is also the first time that I will mention not only location, but inertia as well. Cars are not nearly as good if they are in motion. However, that being said, sleeping in the back of a parked car in TX during the summer is going to be way worse than sleeping in a moving car with an operational A/C.

12. A stranger’s floor – Much like the strangers couch before, you never know what you are getting into here. To make matters worse, the stranger being discussed either doesn’t have a couch or someone else has beaten you to it. Either way, you aren’t at the top of the pecking order here. If someone else is on the couch, it is also quite likely that you will be stepped on while the couch-dweller is making their way to the bathroom for some late-night relief.

13. Car – While sitting in the front seat of the car, sleep is possible and can be quite rewarding… It is also pretty cool because you are going somewhere new. The downside is that I never sleep that well while I am traveling. I quickly enter a coma like style of sleep and find it quite difficult to wake.

14. Tent – tent receives a low spot on the list because I have already mentioned the air mattress post stays constant regardless of the location. If you have a tent in your air mattress, you can easily expect me to feel like I am sleeping in one of my top 10 favorite places.

15. Airplane – Much like cars, I find it difficult to wake from my coma sleep while traveling. The added problem of airplanes is that I always get kicked in the back (if I’m near the window) or get hit by the drink cart (if I’m in the aisle seat).

16. Black’s Beach – I know I already mentioned beaches but this one is worthy of its own post with a lower ranking for sleep. I love that beach and it is absolutely beautiful. My reluctance to sleeping there is that it is a clothing optional beach and I have seen some freaks there. Plus, you never know where you are going to get sunburned… Although I have caught a few winks at Black’s, they were short and not nearly as satisfactory as your typical beach nap.

17. Bench – On more than one occasion I have caught a quick 15-minute nap on a bench. These occasions have always been unintentional. Sleeping in public isn’t the best because you are putting yourself at risk to whatever strangers want to do to you (Am I starting to sound paranoid?).

18. Classroom – During middle school and HS I got a lot of sleep in the classroom. I didn’t like it, but it was necessary. I still remember being used as an example in a biology class in HS. My teacher wanted to know how I slept through the majority of classes and yet still received higher grades than the majority of the class. It was not one of my favorite moments in school.

19. In the airport – A few years ago I had a layover in ATL from 2AM until 8AM. Rather than getting a room I decided to lie down and get some sleep in front of my departure gate. I had a very nervous sleep constantly worrying about someone stealing my bag that was also acting as my pillow. The worst part was waking up to find that my flight was boarding and that everyone was just stepping over me. No one had even bothered to nudge me or tried to wake me in any way. This has led me to feel that Atlanta is a crap city. Hopefully, time will change this perception.

20. On the ground – Offhand I can’t think of sleeping on the ground, but if I had to, it would probably be pretty miserable.

Dove Chocolate and Enlightenment

This weekend I am dog sitting for a friend. I have been sitting in the living room and watching a History Channel special on Edgar Cayce. While sitting here I decided to indulge in a Dove Dark Chocolate square that was sitting in the middle of the table in a bowl. The chocolates have sayings in them and I am a huge fan of the quote that was inside my chocolate. It read, "Enjoy Life's Daily Gifts." This is one of the things that I try and do everyday. Yes, there are days when I am more successful than others, but I try to approach everyday with a child-like sense of wonder and I try to focus on the positive. Making a conscious decision to do this had led me to weed out some of my friends.

Downsizing my friend population has become a sad necessity to maintain a positive attitude. If you know of a way to avoid this, please let me know. I would love to keep all of my friends close, but have been unable to find a way to achieve this. It seems that some of the people whose paths have joined mine tend to be toxic or at least unsupportive of the way that I want to see the world and the way that I want to lead my life.

In order to continue on the path that I feel like I am supposed to, it has become necessary to include these people less and less. Thinking about it makes me a little sad, but sadness is necessary to understand the human condition. I cannot remove sadness from my emotional palette any more than I can change my friends’ beliefs and attitudes to make them more aligned with mine. As I sit here this afternoon, a thought echoes in my mind... Surround yourself with the people you love, and the people who make your life better and remove the influences that pull you down into despair. Have a great weekend and let's all try to get through it in one piece.

Truth is stranger than fiction

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. On Tuesday I witnessed a scene that has stuck with me all week. As I left my favorite coffee shop (insert shameless plug for Trianon coffee in ATX here) I saw a man driving a full size truck. Although that has become less common over the last two years, that isn't what shocked me.

What shocked me was his behavior. This man was in a parking lot backing up across a group of parking spots. There were no cars there so there shouldn't have been any immediate danger. He had a camper on his white truck, and it was packed.

I looked at the guy to make sure his vehicle wasn't going to be put in a forward gear as soon as I passed. As our eyes met, I realized that the tailgate was down. A wooden barstool, the cheap kind you can find at the rear of any wal mart, was falling out.

As the vehicle reversed I motioned for him to stop... He continued. I honked my horn, and yet the man continued to reverse towards part of the payload that had fallen out of the vehicle. Finally, after laying on the horn and waving my hand I got the guy to stop. He looked at me and I pointed to the object he was about to back over.

The next thing that happened has been puzzling me for days. The man waved me off. He shooed me as he would a common fly. Finally I threw my hands up and I decided to let exasperation take it's hold. I drove off thinking, "what a dumbass!"

After traveling a block I thought that maybe the entire thing had been planned out.aybe he intended to run it over, but why? I eventually decided that he's an idiot and he didn't know why I was honking my horn. That seems much more plausible than planning on a chair to fall out of your truck so that you can run it over, doesn't it?

Austin doesn’t like my Xterra

The day I purchased my X I got a nick in the windshield. I should have known that it was a signal of what was to come. While driving down mopac one day, I hit a vulture. That became the week of birds. Before the week was to end I struck two more birds.

Moving on from the “acts of god” last week someone decided that my car wasn’t fast enough. That is the explanation that I am sticking with. To help me out they decided to improve my vehicle with speed scratches. For those of you who are unfamiliar with speed customization google the Simpsons and speed holes. I can’t tell if the scratch is working or not, but I’m pretty sure that if I was to punch the gas I would be able to tell the difference in acceleration now that I have a rather long scratch down the passenger side of my vehicle.

Just moments ago, my car received it’s most recent attack. A Pizza Hut delivery guy on Capital of TX highway in a small red hatchback decided that my vehicle would be much improved if it had a new windshield. To make sure that he got his point across, he cut me off and in the process threw the tiniest pebble up in the air. The reaction from my windshield was swift and unwelcome. I now have a 6in crack in my windshield. Thanks Pizza Hut!

The Catch

And now... It's time for the catch. Don't let anyone tell you there isn't one coming, because there always is. We were 100 miles south of Oklahoma city when we heard the strangest sound.

I was sitting back relaxing because it wouldn't be my turn to drive for another hour or so. The sound, which awoke me from my daze, was a squeal which was audible above the sound of my headphones.

These things never do happen in a convenient place. I guess there really is no such thing as a convenient place to have car trouble. If there is one, this place was the polar opposite. We were in a construction zone and the highway had been limited to one lane going our direction.

Once we got beyond the construction zone, we pulled over to find that the rear tire was flat. If you have never changed a tire on the side of the road while trucks scream past you shaking the disabled car in question, you have never lived.

Now we are enjoying the experience of being in a small town in ok while trying to find performance tires. In my experience, the name was meant to be a joke. I have learned one thing... make that two.

If you ever experience a flat south of okc find a place called Beale's. Those guys can't be beat. Also, when you prepare your car for a trip and someone else insists that you take their car instead, make sure their maintenance is up to date.

Oklahoma is OK

Oklahoma is not what I expected it to be. I only got to spend one night there, but my initial impression was that Norman is a nice town.

I was able to meet an old friend and spend some time catching up. She took me to a great place that is a few blocks from OU. It's called the library. I must be kind of slow, because it has taken me years to realze that most college towns have a bar called the library. This one offers their own microbrews to help beat the heat, and thei IPA is excellent.

I love it when you get to see an old friend. This visit had the added bonus of seeing her at home for the first time. Sadly, it has now become time to head back to Texas. Don't get me wrong, I love Texas, I'm just not quite ready to stop moving yet.

A new day is worthy of a new route

This morning we awoke early in anticipation of a new journey. The question was, "what next?". After tea and fruit, we decided to head east into Kansas and travel south to Oklahoma city. This should give us a change of scenery and help to avoid the disaapointment that one typically feels when driving home. It is a rare opportunity when you find yourself far enough away from home that you are able to travel in a completely different direction and still end up back where you started.

We haven't even been on the road for an hour yet, and I already miss the Rockies. Traveling east across Colorado gives you the sense that a great expanse of flat lays ahead of you. If you strain your eyes and stare to the distance an occasional hill can still be seen, but they are no consolation for the great mountains still visible in the rear view mirrors. We have now entered the heartland; rural america where farming and massive expanses of flat land are the norm. It's hard to comprehend how large the skies are here.

The Real World

There are people in this world who will try and steer you towards, "the real world". What these people are referring to is the illusion or collection of myths that they have ascribed to create their daily life, which they find to be depressing and disheartening. These people should be avoided at all costs. They are referring to this false state of reality that they themselves have created and refer to as real because they are jealous of the path that you have taken. These people want to see you feeling just as miserable and desperate as they are, and they won't be happy until you feel just as sorrowful as they have become. When someone refers to the "real world" you should hold your head up high as you have just received the greatest compliment one can receive. That person just told you that they wish that they could live your life.

Back of a car

Here I sit in the backseat of my parents car listenening to big star on the headphones. It makes me question if we ever grow up, or if our parents always make us feel small. I now know that I can't fit in the backseat of my fathers car. I guess that you really do learn something new every day. If I try and sit up straight, you remember how you were told to when you were young, my head refuses to allow my back to straighten.

To compensate for this oversight, or growth as the case may be, I have to stretch my legs over to the drivers side of the car while keeping my butt firmly planted on the passenger side. There is just enough room to squeeze my feet into the space between the back of my fathers seat and the back seat. With my shoulder planted into the passenger door I can wedge my head in between the headrest and the door frame. Now that I have assumed this slightly awkward position I can't help but think, "I hope we don't have a wreck.". If an accident was to occur I'm pretty sure that the Conroe PD would need to remove their shoes to count the number of broken bones and injuries that I would display.

It's days like this that I really wish that my father wasn't so scared of my driving. We could all be comfortably lounging in the xterra right now. Hell, we'd probably already be there! Anyway, don't forget to think of this amateur contortionist as you make your way around town today, comfortable in your own vehicles...

Happiness Is DVD Release on July 30th

NEW FILM EXPLORES THE ROAD TO HAPPINESS

July 30th Austin Premiere and DVD Release

The pursuit of happiness. The men who wrote the Declaration of Independence famously put that idea on paper and called it one of our “inalienable” rights.

And do we ever pursue it. In fact, Americans spend great amounts of our time, money and energy chasing it. The biggest problem is, for many people, we’re not even sure what it is we’re chasing.

That’s the enigma that led documentary filmmaker Andrew Shapter to his latest film, HAPPINESS IS, a cinematic road trip that explores the myths and the truths of the “pursuit of happiness” in America.

HAPINESS IS begins a nationwide screening tour in Austin on July 30th at the Alamo Draft House Cinema, 1120 South Lamar at 9:30pm. Tickets are free and can be reserved through the HAPPINESS IS website: www.happinessisthemovie.com.

Coinciding with the screening is the release of the film on DVD, including a release party at Waterloo Records, 600 North Lamar from 5:00pm – 7:00pm, also on July 30th.

Shapter, director of the critically acclaimed documentary Before the Music Dies, spent two years crisscrossing the country talking to a diverse and fascinating range of people. Average working men and women, authors and happiness “experts,” celebrities like John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson, even the Dalai Lama talked with Shapter about what they believe it means to be happy.

“Happiness doesn’t discriminate; it finds – and eludes – people regardless of background, position or accomplishment,” said Shapter. “So we had to talk to a true cross section of people to help us get a clearer picture of what happiness really means.”

If you are looking for pat answers, you won’t find them in HAPPINESS IS. Instead, the film offers thoughtful insight and explores common ground that will help guide viewers on their own personal journeys towards the elusive but obtainable goal of leading a truly happy life.

The Alamo Drafthouse screening benefits Mobile Loaves and Fishes, an Austin-based organization that figures prominently in the film.

One Week Layover

I have been in Nacogdoches for a week. Since I have been here I have had to deal with billing issues, a summons for jury duty, and many other distractions that have kept me from moving on. On Saturday I will be heading to Conroe, TX to go see my grandparents and I will be hitting the road next week. Last night I ran into some old friends and I have now been invited to my first divorce party. My friend signs her divorce papers at 5pm and the party starts at 9! I'm not quite sure what to expect, but I'm pretty sure that it will be good times. A new stop is now being added to the list. I forgot that I have people in Albuquerque, NM. I don't know how I forgot them, as they are some of my favorite people. On a sad note, one of my friends from Korea and another from Rhode Island will be visiting Austin July 20-24. Such is life. There was a period when I thought that I wasn't going to be able to handle being in my parents’ house but for the last two days I have been getting back into running. It is incredibly hot outside, but the rewards of exercise more than make up for the extreme heat.

I can’t wait to hit the road!

Great stories are coming soon!

Trapped

East Texas makes me feel trapped. Being behind the pine curtain seems to make time stop. Hours become ridiculously long and yet days disappear without anything to show for them. Every day I feel like I have failed in some way. Surely there was something I could have done to a avoid being here. Hopefully atonement will come in the form of escape soon.

I'm already trained

It has only been one day and the dogs have already got me trained. I fell asleep last night watching Citizen Kane with both dogs in bed with me. I awoke this morning to a strange sound. As I looked over the edge of the bed I saw Chipper and Sammy wrestling on the floor next to the bed. I got up and made sure they had food and water, and I gave them both a treat just like my folks instructed. It took a few minutes for me to realize that it was 6:30am probably the earliest I have been awake in months. Once I adjusted to the time, I had some cereal and shared some with them of course. As I sat in my father’s chair I realized that these two animals were now looking to me for a source of entertainment. There is something really funny that happens when you look around the room and see two dogs staring at you. I really love those two they are something else.

I wanna go fast!

Today my parents left to go celebrate July 4th with one of their friends. I decided that I would stay at their house and dog sit my siblings. As an added bonus, my folks left the keys to their 350z track edition. I had almost forgotten how fun it is to drive fast cars.

When I first started driving, all that I drove were sports cars. My first car was a 1979 Triumph Spitfire. My father brought it home when I was 14 and it became a father son project for the next few years. To date it has been my favorite car, ever.

When I was 17 I was no longer physically able to drive the Triumph so my father was kind enough to purchase me a '94 Camaro. The Camaro met an untimely death in 1997 (I wasn't driving), and with the insurance money I was able to purchase a 1997 Z28 that was fire engine red with T-Tops. I have never driven so fast before in my life. The governor would kick in at 165, and I am proud to admit that I experienced that on more than one occasion. When I was young I was a much more aggressive driver and I assumed that speed limits were suggestions for people who didn't know how to drive.

In 2005 I traded in the Z28 on a 2005 Xterra, and I have never regretted the decision. After switching to the SUV, I no longer travel at dangerous speeds and I don't get speeding tickets anymore. It is almost as fun to drive over stuff as it is to drive fast. It doesn't hurt that the X is no slouch. It has a 0-60 time that would beat the first Camaro that I had.

That being said, having the keys to my parents’ 350z today made me feel like I was a kid in a candy store. When I drive the Xterra I'm always listening to the stereo. It is a Rockford Fosgate system with an 8" sub under the drivers seat. The stereo in the 350z sucks. It has never sounded good. From the beginning it has sounded like the speakers are blown and no one seems to be able to fix it. Funny thing is, when I drive the Z I don't care. I don't even turn the stereo on. It is more fun to listen to the engine than music. It responds like you are stuck to the road, and it corners like an ice skater on razor sharp blades. There are no amenities, and the car makes no apologies. They didn't call it the track edition for nothing. It is loud and unforgiving. The ride is rough, and the throttle is so responsive that I swear you just have to think faster and you are there. I really wish that I could take this car cross-country. It's a shame that there is no storage in that wonderfully impractical car.

A New Chapter

I left home for college when I was 18 years old. At the time it felt like I was leaving the small town (Nacogdoches, TX) and moving to the big city (Austin). I remember being nervous and excited, and I still remember the first day I arrived and having the help of many who would become my new friends helping me move into my new dorm room.

The college years came to a close as the 90's did, and I officially finished my coursework on December 8, 1999. That date will forever have a strong memory in my mind as it was also the evening that I went on my first date with a girl that led to one of the most intense relationships that I have ever experienced. More on that later if you are lucky or if I get bored.

The reason that we are gathered here today is to discuss the fact that after I was liberated from a small town and moved to the capital of my state I have continued living in Austin for the last 14 years. I have worked at many jobs, some large and some small. I returned to school and received my MBA. All in all, Austin has given me some of the best friends that anyone could imagine while constantly providing growth opportunities and entertainment.

In May, I graduated with my master's degree and I decided that I should finally expand my horizons outside of Austin. The town, which once seemed so overwhelming and strange, has now started to feel stagnant and confining. I still have the greatest friends in the world, so at least they can understand why I feel the need to leave their comfort for at least a little while.

To celebrate my graduation and liberation from rent, I have decided to pack up the car and travel across the country. I don't want to plan this too much. To foster the excitement I will be sleeping on friends couches. This is my opportunity to see people that have moved away that I haven't seen for some time. I know that I want to visit Norman Oklahoma for the first time. After that I will be traveling west to San Diego, LA, Big Sur, San Francisco, and then who knows. I also really want to make it to Seattle, Portland and maybe Vancouver. It all depends on how long it takes me and how much fun I am having.

From here on out, this blog will be dedicated to keeping everyone posted as to where my journey has taken me, and what I have learned.

Managing Expectations

Last week I was hired by a band to record a demo for them. I spoke with them so that I knew what their goals were, and I communicated what my fees would be for the service of recording them. Their initial goals were that they wanted to record 5 songs to aid in the search of a singer for their group. I inquired about the bands sound, how many people were playing, and what instrumentation was involved. After receiving the answers to these questions, I decided what the best way to capture the music would be.

I arrived at the bands practice space with recording gear in hand, and the recording session went fine. They did lean a little on the long side and it took them about 5 hours to record five songs. In between songs, I let them listen to what had been captured and the overall response was quite positive. The recording session was complete at 1am and I headed home to get some sleep while they went out on the town to celebrate.

The next day I started to receive pressuring phone calls asking when a mix would be available. I looked at my schedule and decided that I would have time to have a rough mix by the following Tuesday evening. I made sure to tell them that the process would be that I supply them with a mix, and they should then give me notes on what their thoughts were about the songs.

I rushed through the first set of mixes and I borrowed heavily from track to track. Usually, I treat each song as its own, but in this case there was no time to approach the project in that manner. Overall, I spent 5 hours coming up with the first draft of mixes which means that I like the band was averaging one song per hour.

I was able to deliver on my original deadline and handed off three disks for the band to listen to on Tuesday evening. I told them that they were a little bass heavy and their original response was that they understood that they were just a rough draft. At this point I thought that they were happy with the way that it sounded. I was only able to get the response from the band member who I gave the mixes to. I sat down and listened to each song with him and I was able to get his initial reaction as to how everything sounded from his stereo. He walked me out to my car and heard more of the songs from my car stereo where he replied that it sounded great in the car.

I started to worry a little when he mentioned that he knew that the guitar player wanted to re-record some of his guitar parts. In an effort to not get worried, I told him that the band should listen together and make decisions on what specific things were good and what needed to be changed.

My phone rang 3 or 4 hours later and it was my friend giving me the bad news. The guitar player wanted me to record all of his guitar tracks again. When I asked the reason the response was that he didn't sound the way he is used to sounding. I assumed this was a volume or mix issue. I knew that I had compressed the guitars more than I wanted to, and they weren't the focus of the mixes. The musician uses a large number of effects when he plays, and his set up included a full pedal board and a multiprocessor. Without having a master volume or a compressor to control all of these effects, there was a significant level change when distortions were cycled through or when simply changing between different effects. I hadn't had the chance to use automation in the mix, and therefore I leveled out the guitars with compression.

The drummer had supplied the following feedback for the session..."I want to tweak the drum sound some." As you can no doubt tell, these guys are quite articulate. When I asked more questions about that situation I got no response.

I do realize that the topic of this post is managing expectations. I also realize that at this point you are probably wondering where I am going with this. Here it is. How would you have handled the situation differently? I know that one thing I would have done is make sure that I have the contact info. for all members so that I could talk to them directly instead of through one individual. What else would you change?

I Wanna Do Over!

Lately I have heard from a number of friends who wish that they had the chance to relive a moment and make a different decision. It seems that it is very typical for most of us to wish at some point that we can have a do over. The concept makes me think of the Choose Your Own Adventure books that I was such a huge fan of when I was young.

Just in case someone is unfamiliar with the concept, the books would follow a story line that required you to make decisions while reading. Depending on your decision, the book would prompt you to go to a specific page in the book. The outcome could be anything from fortune to sudden death. As a child, I learned quickly that the best way to read these books was to keep my finger where I was before I made the decision. Reading in this manner meant that I could then decide if I liked the outcome and either continue or return to a part of the story before the incorrect decision was made. As time passed and the books seemingly became more complicated, I would have to keep my fingers in a few places in the books to ensure that I didn’t have to start over at the beginning of the book. Laziness is the only answer I can come up with to the question as to why I didn’t just use bookmarks.

It seems that many of us wish that we could have this same power in our lives. Whenever I am tempted by this fantasy, I always remind myself that even if I could go back, I wouldn’t have any more knowledge than I do now on my current path. More importantly, there is no guarantee that I would be any better off. In fact, it is quite reasonable to assume that I would be worse off given the opportunity to explore the other decision. It is our mistakes that make us grow, and it is our actions and experiences that have made us who we are today. A wish to change is a wish to be a different person. Just remember that the clock keeps ticking forward and that tomorrow always delivers on the promise of a new day.

Hogan's Heroes

I have been watching Hogan's Heroes for a long time. When I was a child I would watch the show when I was home sick. It has forever been imprinted in my mind that Hogan's Heroes is what you watch when you deserve a break. On that note, I have never watched the conclusion of the series. To tell the truth I have been scared to. When you have been watching a television show for a long time, it can be hard to finish it. I have owned the final season of the show on dvd for a few years.

I have literally been watching this show off and on for 20 years now. When I was in high school, my girlfriend would set her vcr so that it would record HH episodes when they played during the day. Once she had filled a cassette, she would give me the cassette filled with episodes.

Today I finally set down and watched the final disc of the final season of the series. Needless to say, I had built this up in my mind for some time. I was really excited and even a little nervous as the episodes came and went. Before I knew it, I was ready to watch the last episode. I considered procrastinating until another day, but eventually I decided to watch it and get it over with.

I won't spoil it for those of you who have watched this show, but some of you have probably watched the final episode without even knowing it. There was no conclusion. It was just like any other episode of the show. I haven't researched it because I didn't want to ruin the surprise, but I am quesioning as to whether they knew it was the end of the show.

There is a lesson to be learned here. Delaying happiness can increase the intensity of emotion, but you better be prepared for disappointment just in case. I think that this applies to all areas of life and not just entertainment. If you have something that makes you happy, do it. Don't wait until it is too late to follow your dreams.

Fun With Razors

After I returned from the Goat Cave Preserve, I decided it was time to shave my beard. I had interviews coming up and I thought that shaving might work in my favor. I also thought that it might be fun to play with the razor. Here is the before picture.



Here is my Spinal Tap facial hair.



Here is my used car salesman look..."Trust Me!"


I miss my beard. The best part is that my interview on Monday was total crap and a waste of my time. Such is Life...

Goat Cave Preserve

While driving in South Austin this weekend, I stumbled upon a sign that was just too intriguing to ignore. The sign said Goat Cave Preserve. At first I thought that I must have read it wrong because my mind said that there is no instance in which those three words should ever be used together. I was in an exploring spirit, so I parked the car to see what I could find. The sign explained that there was a collection of sink-holes and caves i this area of Austin. Off I went to see these wonders.



Once I got to the cave, I was greeted with a sign that explained that while there were once 30,000 bats living in this cave, they had left and not returned. There is a fence surrounding Goat Cave that keeps you from getting too close. They posted a phone number that you can call for more information. I called it, and have not received more information about why the City of Austin has paid money to create a preserve for a cave that you are not allowed to visit... Such is Life. It was a fun adventure and although it was a little anti-climatic it was a fun time.

Your Message Lacks Sincerity

For the past few months a number of companies have tried to get on the social media bandwagon. There have been scandals like the Domino's pizza scandal and many missteps along the way. One of the most important tools that you can have in Social Media is your personality. If you are insincere, it will come across in your message. People can tell if you are truly passionate about your subject matter.

Keeping the importance of online personality in mind, many companies choose to use a PR firm to manage their Social Media presence. For many, this is a bad idea. It is always best to have someone who knows and understands your products writing and responding to your followers. Along the same line of thought, some companies have decided that an Intern is the solution to this Social Media Craze. Unless you are including the Intern in your organization, this will not translate well. There is no incentive for the Intern to manage your information and their lack of initiative will translate into poor posts.

Each account should have one person who posts. If there are multiple people sharing the same Twitter handle, they need to have different signatures. Otherwise, there can be confusion resulting from multiple personalities being expressed from the same account. A good example of how to do this is @GuyKawasaki. His ghost writers are AC and LF. They simply post these initials at the end of the tweet so that you know who wrote it. Another successful attempt at differentiation that I have seen is a local company called DO512.com. On their twitter each employee has a separate accounts. An example of this is @Do512_Kristin

Finally I would suggest that you avoid the programs that allow you to automatically follow those who mention your brand. First off, it's just creepy that when you mention a company like OLPC that you are being followed the next day. More importantly is the fact that you cannot pay attention to all of the posts that would result from following so many people. To make your presence on Twitter more successful, you should only follow those people who are posting information relevant to you. Use tools like search.twitter.com to search for what people are saying about you instead of following them all.

Delayed Message with Social Media

One of the common reasons that cause companies to fail with social media is the delay in message delivery. Twitter thrives on immediacy. If your organization requires approval from legal for each message that you deliver, you will not be effective with social media tools like Twitter. If you cannot deliver your message in a timely manner, don't bother entering the realm of social media. If you insist on using Twitter and other social media tools unsuccessfully, you will be placing your brand at risk. It would be better to avoid the space altogether than to have a mediocre presence.

Twitter was designed to allow people to communicate freely and to aid in disseminating messages quickly and easily. If you are protecting your updates, you are limiting the ability of your message. It is possible to succeed while protecting your updates, but be sure that you have a strong brand that people want to receive information from before you use this approach. For the majority of companies, protect your updates could easily be the kiss of death. If it is not easy to receive your message, most people will not be willing to listen.

Many people have approached Twitter as a one-way conversation. While this can be successful for some organizations, the majority will find it necessary to follow at least some of their followers. The organizations that can thrive without following others are typically short lived relationships like concerts and festivals. These accounts are only interested in building buzz for a short period of time. If your goal is to use Twitter to communicate with your customers, you must respond to your followers. One easy way to track what others say about you is to create an RSS feed based on search terms. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this concept click here. One of the best ways to build brand loyalty is to respond to your followers when they talk about you. Be supportive and always thank them for retweeting your message.

Back in ATX

Sometimes it all just falls into place. A friend got me on the list to go see Animal Collective upon my return to Austin. During the show I was offered my first VIP pass to Stubb's. I had secretly been hoping that I would be able to get on the deck for the show, but was unwilling to ask for the pass when I had already asked to get into a sold out show. While on the deck, I realized that I had been taking too many pictures from my phone and the battery was about to die. I was able to send out a few last text messages updating the poeple that I knew who were in attendance at the show, and those that I thought would be downtown to set up a meeting after the show at Creekside. At first I was worried about being downtown without a mobile. It's funny how attached we get to these things. The anxiety quickly passed as I was able to receive confirmation from my friends that we would all meet up at Creekside later in the evening. The show was amazing, and being able to enjoy the view from the VIP deck made it even better.

After making it to Creekside, I ran into other groups of friends that I hadn't seen in a while. These included ex-girlfirends and their groups of friends, and old friends that I have been neglecting while in graduate school. A good time was had by all, and I got to experience one of those rare instances when a number of your worlds collide and everything works out just fine. The only moment of anxiety left was that my friend had still not arrived. She was working at Stubb's and so I didn't expect her to get out immediately, but I did start to feel concern as the hours passed. My friends had left the bar, I had no phone (that was functional, anyway), and I decided to walk the bar one more time before closing out my tab. As I closed out, the bartender handed me my card and told me to have a great evening, no charge. I turned around and my friend had just found me and was ready for her ride home. You really can't ask for a more perfect evening. I didn't spend any money and I enjoyed a concert complete with VIP treatment and a free bar tab. Sometimes it all just falls into place.

Last night in NOLA

To celebrate my last evening in New Orleans Maki, Court and I went to a restaurant called Wolfe's to enjoy some excellent cocktails and food. Earlier in the week Maki and I met the bartender for this establishment and after we started asking around it was highly recommended by those who were aware of it. Scotty, the bartender started off the evening by making what he referred to as a redemption cocktail. This was a martini glass full of chartreuse that was then coocked down and I have no idea what was added after that. The final ingredient was white pepper. The presentation was excellent, which you can see from the photo. That is Amber our waitress in the background.


As you can see, at this point the drink is still being prepared and the Chartreuse is burning off. Here is the finished product.

Anyway, it was a perfect end to an almost perfect week. We enjoyed some of the best drinks in the city and we followed them up with some excellent food. I would recommend anyone who visits or lives in NOLA to go visit Wolfe's. It appears to be a relatively unkown gem in the heart of the city. In typical New Orleans fashion, I went out with a bang. After dinner, we went to the Maple Leaf and watched Rebirth Brass Band do their thing. What a long strange trip it was. It was an amazing time.

Finally the rains came

A storm has arrived and the rains are purifying the city. I can feel my sins be washed down into the sewers, joining the ever present stench of blood, urine, and vomit down on bourbon street. I just enjoyed a barqs root beer from the bottle accompanied by the best oyster poboy I have ever eaten (pics at the bottom). Domilise's is a must the next time I come! Now the only question is whether or not to go see Rebirth Brass Band tonight.

Roadfood.com Review

Sunday Night Special

Sunday, in celebration of this freakshow that has been my life for the past week, we went to one-eyed jack's to see a local band called Bingo! For those of you who have never been to oej it has the vibe of a converted movie theatre and always reminds me of the Ritz in Austin, before it was returned to its original status as movie theatre. The evening began with a tour through the French Quarter that was called the Haunted History Tour. A good time was had by all, mainly because of the vibrant and at times ridiculous history of this city. Of course, the fact that we were allowed to bring drinks didn't hurt one bit. The tour guide was even kind enough to allow us a pit-stop during the tour so that I could refill my empty glass with another excellent gin and tonic. As the tour came to a close and the laughs faded into the recesses of the memory, we made our way to the Bingo! show.

After a few days of over-consumption in New Orleans, it is commonplace to forget the things that others take for granted. Th

ese tasks can range from the mundane to the complete boring necessities of life. On this particular evening it wasn't showering or changing clothes that fell through the cracks, it was this tradition that most of us enjoyingly refer to as dinner. With stomachs that were filled with booze and little else, we marched into the converted movie theatre with little knowledge as to what lay ahead. Our host had merely described the band as a freak show that reminded him of a circus from hell.

Upon entering, we continued to imbibe with a thirst that could rival any other. The gin flew off of the shelf and into our depraved bodies. After paying the cover charge we were allowed into the second chamber where the festivities were about to take place. The band took the stage, some dressed as barkers, and others like some demented clowns bent on some sort of dark mission. The band raged through the night offering their own special entertainment. There was an intermission in which the audience is invited to play bingo and watch strange movies on the screen. Who knows what the winner receives from this group of misfits. All that I can report is that the remaining freaks in attendance are rewarded with one of the greatest shows I have ever witnessed. My thoughts drifted to the memory that our host had imparted. Last year these guys played a show opening up for the Butthole Surfers. That must have been some combination. I would be surprised if anyone left with their sanity intact.

Throughout the evening, I was blessed with many truly great surprises. I ran into old friends that I didn't know were back in the city. Christy, an old acquaintance, had

last been seen 6 years ago in this same venue celebrating her birthday. During the show I turned around and there she was, looking exactly the same as she did then. Once I overcame the shock and decided that she was not an apparition, we exchanged numbers and decided to meet up after the show. We danced, we laughed and we sang the night away. Somehow after the show we made new friends, tested the effectiveness of child locks on and adult male, and won money at the casino. It was a truly great evening.

Surprise

Somehow, there has been a break in the pace. Inertia had not taken the hold that I originally considered. Today has been absolutely dry. After dropping of JC at the airport, Maki and I picked up some food and returned to the house. It was the beginning of a day long hermitage. Our food was devoured immediately. The consumption was of the ferocity that can only exist in the world of a drunkard. Until then I had not realized that the intoxication had not passed in the night. Still reeling from the alcohol, sandwiches and chips disappeared at a rapid rate. There was no consideration for the food, and there was no thought. Only desire existed, and it was focused on nourishment. After the food was attacked and there was little evidence of a meal remaining, the TV was introduced into my consciousness. Soon afterwards I returned to the reality that can only be experienced in sleep.

While sleeping a fever took over my body. I awoke many times to dreams of being lost in the desert. My body hot and my tongue swollen. Today was like being in a tomb. There is a city of the dead backing up to the property in which I have enjoyed residence for the last week. I felt as if I was in one of those final resting places. My body being cooked under the New Orleans sun. They will come back to find me in one year and one day and all that will be left is the ashes and the memories of others. Night has arrived and the fight with insomnia has begun. The burning heat replaced with the thick evening air of the dirty south.

Unbelievable

The fact that we have made it this far without police intervention is unfathomable. Every night we push the limits harder and harder. So far there has been no pushback so it's obvious that when it comes, the trouble will be of epic proportions. Life has become a confusing fog mixed with an alcoholic bliss. There is no turning back at this point. We better push forward and see what the universe offers us next. JC has been successfully delivered to the airport in a haze of fuzzy tongues and deep horse voices congratulating him on reaching the end of this adventure. Where is this all going? Only time will tell.

Nola

I have been in new Orleans for the last 4 days. It's amazing that I haven't had a complete mental collapse. We have abandoned all sense of decency and have been living in a cesspool of decadence.

Introductions

My name is Chris Ahrens. At the time of this writing, I am 32 years old. I live in south Austin, but I plan on moving to the west coast this summer. I love girls who drive trucks, and somehow I have made it this far in life without getting married or having kids. I will be using this space as a vehicle to blast my thoughts out into the ether.

How Chevy Missed the Boat

Chevy had the perfect opportunity to hit a home run with the new Camaro and they blew it. While Ford and Dodge have been successfully selling throwback muscle cars, Chevrolet has allowed the Camaro to be dormant from 2002 until now.

While the Camaro has been dormant, there has been a lot of media speculation as to what the next model would have. Instead of seizing the opportunity to release an alternative fuel sports car, Chevy released a boring Camaro that could have easily been released as a 2003 model. Camaro fans are rabid, and this was the ultimate opportunity to get support for a hybrid or hydrogen fuel vehicle. Instead of seizing an opportunity, Chevy is trying to play catchup within a slowing performance market. People do no want another gas guzzler, and those who do can afford to purchase a premium-priced vehicle. The days of the budget hotrod are gone. These vehicles have been replace by the Japanese import tuner market and a culture fueled by such films as The Fast and The Furious. The future of American automobiles rests in the hands of visionaries such as Tesla Motors and not in the big three which are rapidly traveling a trajectory into destruction.

Can you imagine what would have happened if it had been electric? People would be talking about it every day. Instead it's just another lame throwback hotrod in a sea of falling sales...