Music, Art, and That End of the Spectrum…

(ETA: This post was originally made over at mrlich.wordpress.com. When I decided to delete that blog I figured I would copy the content here.)

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Heya kids,

Yes – I have another blog now. This is a more focussed kind of thing. This is for interesting art/music news. This will often hover around my thoughts/experiences with the IJG and the Joe Trainor Trio. Why?

Well:

Both groups are nothing shy of amazing. Yes, I have personal connections with both, but I’m just lucky that way. I’ve had personal connections with many bands/musicians over the years, and few have impressed me on this level.
Because I have a personal connection with both groups, I get to see more of the ‘behind the scenes’ stuff than your average Joe (no punn intended). My plan is to share some of this with all of you and to recruit your help in getting these artists hopefully at least a third of the notariaty that they so fiercely deserve.
In seeing these artists go through the difficulties involved in the work-a-day world and trying to carve a name for themselves in the history books, I have become terribly frustrated. I’m frustrated for them. I’m frustrated that hard work and amazing talent isn’t immediately rewarded with fat contracts and amazing record deals. If it’s possible for me to do so, I would like to change that.
The creative process. Marketing music in a way that’s not spam-tastic or immoral. Just getting good music to people who want to hear it – and who really should. That’s what I’m going to try to distribute here. Who knows, maybe we’ll even be the start of something really big…

So stick around – I’m certain you’ll enjoy what’s in store.

Weekend in Review

Just to quick jot down some thoughts about the weekend before I get too far removed from it:

Friday:
*Left late. Really late by comparison to the plan. We intended to leave town at 4pm. We didn't leave until after 7pm. The good news is that I got to pick up my new prescription glasses for the weekend. Score.
*Arrived well after dark. Had an interesting time setting up camp. We haven't set up camp in a long while - let alone in the dark. Managed though - we got skillz.

Saturday:
*This was the long hike (14 miles? 16?). It was hot. I ran out of water. Twice. Beautiful trail and countryside. lotusanddragon  and I got some good bullshit time in. Found the trail 'not so remote' (despite his coworker's warning).
*Picked the Best Campsite Evar™ and set camp. Lerved it there. Could have spent the whole weekend at that site and not been even a little upset.

Sunday:
*Slow start to the day. We enjoyed a leasurely breakfast and playing with the fire despite the damp terrain/wood/everything from the rain the night before. (We stayed blessedly dry in the tent.)
*Since we got such a late start (though we weren't upset by that) we decided to do a shorter hike - a little over 4miles in a loop (there were limited options for short - let alone short loop.)
*We found ourselves off the trail (gee - that never happens... /end sarcasm). Found a stream where we did some splashing about, then got back to the trail.
*Heavy storm rolled in while we were doing the last 1/3 to 1/2 of the loop. Soaked everything through pretty good - which I found thoroughly invigorating.

Pics and stuff later when I get them off lotusanddragon 's camera and my phone and get them uploaded.

Theme for the weekend? Ticks. Lots and lots of ticks.

Had a great time and looking forward to next month's trip!