The Other Side of The Other Beebe
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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in the "Mark Beebe" journal:[<< Previous 20 entries]
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09:42 pm
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Crunch . . .
Hey everyone. Well, I guess the news is that Catherine got in a car wreck last week. Don’t worry: nobody in the accident was hurt. Unfortunately, insurance says our Subaru isn't worth fixing: they'd rather pay us nearly the same amount as what we paid for it 9 months ago instead of deal with frame damage and such. Bummer.
( Click behind this cut for pictures and a description of the accident. )
On a lighter note, Catherine and I went to see The B-52's this past Friday night! Yeah, that's right, the actual B-52's, not my cover band. They played at The Grand 1894 Opera House, and it was an amazing show! They played several tracks of the new album, "Funplex," as well as a whole bunch of oldies, including stuff I never expected them to play, like "Give Me Back My Man," "Party Out Of Bounds," "Planet Claire," and "Strobelight." Totally awesome. Really makes me want to rattle the cages of my bandmates and get another gig going. It's been like 9 months since we've played a show . . .
Rock on, y'all. And drive safely on those wet roads.
Current Mood:  grateful
Current Music: B-52's: "Juliet of the Spirits"
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08:42 pm
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Biker
Ever since I was 6 and taught myself how to ride a bike over the course of about three days, I've considered myself a biker. I've always loved the freedom bike riding gives me, to be able to get from a to b without needing to rely on gasoline or other people or anything like that. On top of that, I really enjoy seeing the world at the quick but sane pace that biking allows. Much better for sightseeing than a car, truly.
Today, I rode in the Tour de Pink. I really think they could come up with a better name for the tour, something different from the tired cliche of "Tour de (fill in the blank)." However, it's a good tour and it's for a good cause, so I'll stop complaining.
The ride was excellent. It totally looked like it was going to rain, but it never did, and the sky was overcast for about 80% of the ride, which is a much nicer weather condition in which to ride than sunny skies are, if you can believe it. I rode 63 miles, averaging just over 16mph, and including stops I finished in about 4-1/2 hours. Not only that, I felt super strong and "on" today, so much so that during the last 7 miles or so, I still had enough energy that I could bear down and push myself, and it felt fantastic. I was a powerhouse.
For those of you that know me, you know that I'm not a workout/athletic type, so to hear me say something meatheaded like "I was a powerhouse" is really unusual. But today, it was true: I had power and endurance to spare, and it felt awesome. Growl.
Biking is cool . . .
Current Mood: primal
Current Music: B-52's: "Funplex"
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09:42 pm
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B-52's at The Grand 1894 Opera House
On Saturday evening, October 2, 2009, the B-52's will be playing a gig at The Grand 1894 Opera House in Galveston. If you like the B-52's, I really recommend you go, because it might be the only chance you get to see them in such an intimate, cool setting. They tend to play venues like the Woodlands Pavilion and the like, which is fine, but to get the chance to see them in this kind of venue . . . Awesome
I've never seen them play, if you can believe that. I'm PUMPED.
Speaking of Pump, that's the opening track to their latest album, Funplex, which came out last year, and I have grown to like it a lot.
Here's a good review of the album by Pitchfork, written about the time the album came out in early 2008. I agree with this review on pretty much all points, especially the complimentary words about the two songs, "Juliet of the Sprits" and "Eyes Wide Open." Those songs are amazing in my opinion, especially "Eyes." It's not like any other B-52's song I know of, and it seriously rocks in an electronic beat-thumping, dark kind of way. I love it.
So go out and buy Funplex, listen to it at least 2 or 3 times in order to let the subtleties and weirdness of this iconic band seep in, then buy tickets to the show before they sell out. Or better yet, buy the tickets, then go buy the album.
And do yourself and everyone else a favor: buy the album (and all your CD's) from an independent record store like Cactus Records or Soundwaves. Best Buy doesn't need your support, but these places do. Thanks!
Current Mood: excited
Current Music: B-52's: "Ultraviolet"
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10:59 pm
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Cafe Brasil
I've been hanging out at Cafe Brasil for something like 13 years now, off-and-on, maybe longer. Chad Stanley and I made it our regular hangout place during the summer 1996, until halfway through when suddenly they didn't allow people under 21 in (Chad was 19, I was 22). It was a common place for me to go with friends to hang out and talk during the years I was living in Austin, when we all happened to be in town during holidays and such. Years later, thanks to a Ukrainian saxophone player named Eddie Akhmetchine who played there on Wednesday evenings, Catherine and I bumped into each other there by chance. Months later, we eventually professed our affections for each other at that cafe, and of course, now we're happily married with two beautiful daughters, so that worked out pretty well. :)
Over the years I've seen the place change from a lawn mower and bicycle repair shop in the 80's, to nothing at all for a few years, then in the early and mid 90's to a small hole-in-the-wall cafe that had limited seating, no parking lot, a long list of drinks, and a short list of food items. I have to say, back when Chad and I hung out there, I wondered if the place would make it: it seemed like the lack of parking would kill it, not to mention the pricey real estate. I'm glad to say that my concerns were unfounded.
In the past few years, it's grown by leaps and bounds. They bought the building behind them, turned part of it into a new kitchen and another part of it into a new restroom area, which allowed them to open up the seating area and make the place literally about twice as big inside. They covered the small outdoor seating area in the front with a translucent cover that lets in light but shields the direct sun. They've opened up the back area to be a new, much larger outdoor seating area. It's super nice now, it still has the same funky feel, and it looks like business is great. All this makes me really happy, especially in our world of drive-thru Starbucks and Schlotsky's (not that I'm knocking either of those places; in fact, I chose them because I like them both) that an independent coffee shop with soul like Cafe Brasil can thrive.
Catherine and I and the girls met up with some friends there this past Sunday for lunch. Matt and Jessica Schunke (at the right in the photo below) are about to move to St. Louis, and this was sort of a farewell brunch to them. Trent and Kelly Williams were there with their 5-month-old boy, Rush. Dick and Eleanor Viebig were there too, but they elected to take the photo below, rather than be in it.
That translucent cover over the front patio made for some really nice, even light for this photo, I was impressed with how well it turned out.
Current Mood: happy
Current Music: Jethro Tull: "Cheap Day Return"
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09:37 pm
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Girls are growing up!
Hey everyone. Hope y'all are well, life is treating me mighty fine, as always. Not much new to report, but I wanted to share a couple of family photos with everyone.
( Cuteness is to be found behind this link )
Current Music: Talking Heads: "Once In A Lifetime"
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09:55 pm
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Family 'n stuff
Hey everyone! Well, I haven't posted in about six weeks, and you might be able to guess why: having a family can be a bit time-consuming. Yeah, I know, it's a lame excuse. I'll pad it out a bit by saying I'm also pretty lazy when it comes to doing LiveJournal stuff these days.
So life's been busy, but really good too. I'll catch y'all up on what's been happening lately, but it's a rather long post and includes some photos, so I'm going to put most of it behind a cut, so as not to monopolize your screen space, just because I'm cool that way.
( Click here to read on. )
Like I always say, I'll try to post more often. Hope everyone is doing well.
Current Mood: happy
Current Music: Pop Kings: "Little Bit Closer"
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02:09 pm
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Lucy at home
Hey everyone! We got to bring Lucy home on Saturday after she received some "blue light" treatment for her high bilirubin levels, which is very common for infants (Helen had the same thing). It's much nicer being at home, especially now that we get to play with Helen and have the two sisters get to know each other. Helen is not quite sure what to make of Lucy, but she acts very sweetly toward her between periods of ignoring her. It's gotta be weird for a 2-year-old to have one's parents suddenly bring home this new, tiny person who seems to command a lot of their attention.
Below is a picture of Lucy that I took yesterday while she was napping. Slow exposure, no flash, tripod mount. The yellow tinge in her skin is jaundice caused by the bilirubin, and it'll be gone probably in about a week.
She's really healthy: eating like crazy, sleeping a lot, crying when she's hungry/dirty/uncomfortable, you know, all the things little babies are supposed to do.
Current Mood: happy
Current Music: TMBG: "Flying V"
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09:56 am
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Meet Lucy!
Hey everyone, meet Lucy Vera Beebe! She was born yesterday (Wednesday) at 6:26pm at the Methodist Hospital here in Houston. She weighed in at 7 pounds 11 ounces, and measured 20.5" long. She's really healthy and already eating like a champ.
The labor went smoothly, albeit quickly: Catherine really didn't even have to push for that long, like only about half an hour or so. They say it's quicker with the second baby, and I can see it.
We're hanging out at the hospital for the next day or two, getting to know Lucy and spending time adoring her. :)
A couple of pictures:
Lucy and Mommy, meeting for the first time:
My first time holding her in my arms:
Thanks to you all for your warm thoughts and prayers!
Current Mood: happy
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08:10 pm
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Good stuff
Hey everyone. I gotta say: after spending 9 hours at work using a computer, I generally don't want to spend more time on one when I get home in the evenings. That's why you don't see me post all that often anymore.
Here's what's going on for those of you who are curious.
The new job is treating me quite well. I honestly think being laid off in February turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I still miss my old coworkers, but I think I fit in better at my new job, professionally. It's good.
Catherine is like 38 weeks along, and the doctor says Lucy could arrive any day now. We're ready. Catherine's definitely ready. The picture below is from right before Helen was born, but she pretty much looks the same right now:
The main difference is, this pregnancy has been much easier on Catherine, on the whole. Lately though, like over the last week or two, she's been pretty much constantly uncomfortable, which is understandable at 38 weeks.
Helen is just as sweet as ever, if not more so. The terrible twos are hardly terrible at all with her. Here are a couple of pics of her taken last week:
Here, we're playing the "Daddy's gonna eat you up!" game, which she finds hilarious and not at all creepy.
Here she is swimming, which is probably her favorite activity of all.
Other than that, just been keeping busy. Been riding my bike a lot, which is easy now that I work at an office that has a shower/changing room. I gave up desserts and sodas for Lent, and by Easter I had lost 10 pounds. Thanks to the biking and a generally more healthful attitude toward snacks, I've been able to keep the weight off, so that's good.
Tomorrow night, barring any necessary trips to the labor & delivery room, Catherine and I are going to see "To Kill a Mockingbird," which is being screened at MFAH. It's a classic, and I can't wait.
Hope everyone's doing well!
Current Mood: good
Current Music: Mochila Moon: "Greasy Chicken"
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08:12 pm
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Art cars!!
The 2009 Art Car Parade is this Saturday!
I strongly encourage everyone to check it out. It's a totally unique-to-Houston event, and it's loads of fun.
Bring a lawnchair, and some snacks!
Current Mood: excited
Current Music: TMBG: "Letter Shapes"
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08:08 pm
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Obligatory Helen-in-Bluebonnets Photos
It's wildflower season again. We all went to a friend's farm in Brenham this past weekend, and on the side road leading to the farm was a very picturesque area with tons of bluebonnets. So, of course, we had to put Helen in them and take some photos.
For ease of posting, and also to save screen space, I'm giving y'all the link to the Picasa site that has the photos: click here.
These were taken with a point-and-shoot Olympus. The light was good, and Helen was in a good mood. I gotta say, they turned out better than I had expected. As you can see, even though she was sitting amongst thousands of bluebonnets, she was far more interested in the occasional indian paintbrush flowers.
Current Mood: good
Current Music: Fundamentally Music: "I'm Going To The Zoo"
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10:47 pm
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Nose back to the grindstone
I start my new job tomorrow morning (Monday), and I'm looking forward to it. Three weeks off with pay (severance and vacation time from my old job) sure was nice, but it's time to get back to it.
I have been anything but idle during this time; in fact, these three weeks have been some of the most productive time I've ever spent. Mostly I was taking care of Helen and spending time with Catherine, which was really nice, especially since we stayed in town and didn't go anywhere, unlike what typically happens during vacation time. I'm really glad for that, because it allowed me to do a whole slew of odd jobs around the house, and also take care of several large projects I'd been putting off for a very long time.
Now, the furniture in the house is partially rearranged to accommodate the new baby in a couple of months, the alignment on the Subaru is straight, the washer and dryer are elevated 18", the cabinets in the garage have been raised and turned into simple shelves without doors (much better), the garage generally has been reorganized and functions much better, the attic has been organized, and a whole bunch of other little things have been done.
On top of all that, during the past three weeks, I compiled my resume, had interviews, got a job, rode my bike in the Pedal Thru the Pines, threw a birthday party for Helen (with a great deal of help, mind you), and took the chance to see several friends I hadn't seen in a long time.
So now it's time to get back to work. A bit of a shame, really: I was enjoying being productive. :)
Last note: Catherine and I played Scrabble at Cafe Brasil tonight, which we do on occasion because we're nerds, and after a rather long game in which we used every single letter except the Z, our score was tied! Totally amazing, I've never even heard of that happening.
Current Mood: good
Current Music: King's X: "Julie"
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10:26 pm
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New job
Hey everyone! Today I accepted a position at DBR engineers here in Houston. I'm quite excited about it: this firm is one about which I've heard only good things since coming into the Houston engineering culture back in 2005. I start on Monday, March 16, which is cool because it means I get another full week off after this one.
Over the past two days, I've had the somewhat enviable dilemma of choosing between two very good firms, both of which I like and both of which wanted me to work for them. DBR seemed to be a better fit for me though, and after much personal debate and agonizing over the choice, they won out. I feel really good about it: it's going to be a good job and I'll be working with some really good people.
Thanks again for all the kind words, well-wishing, and positive support y'all have given me, and especially a big thanks to those who provided me with leads and suggestions, even if they didn't lead to this particular job. Many people gave me leads to many different firms, and this one is the one that panned out, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate all those that didn't pan out. Y'all are great, and you know who you are.
Rock 'n roll . . .
Current Mood: grateful
Current Music: Simple Minds: "Don't You (Forget About Me)"
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08:32 pm
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Looking forward . . .
Hey everyone. Thank you for your kind words and concern regarding my current state of unemployment. I just wanted to let y'all know that things are looking pretty bright. I've got some strong leads, and I've updated my resume with the help of two very competent people, one of whom is a headhunter and sees resumes all day long.
I gotta say: when I was last looking for a job in 2005 when I first moved here from Austin, I felt like I was just some schmoe that didn't have much to set me apart from the rest, professionally speaking. Now that I have those two little letters after my name (P.E.), the doors of opportunity are opening noticeably wider. I don't think it'll be long before I'm back in the saddle again, and that's good.
Ah yes, and the LEED A.P. designation doesn't hurt either.
Now that my resume's up to date, I start sending it out tomorrow.
Keeping my fingers crossed . . .
Current Mood: optimistic
Current Music: Beck: "Girl"
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08:55 pm
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Laid off
My firm cut nearly a third of its workforce today. I was one of the ones who was cut.
It sucks, but at least I'm marketable. I'm really not worried about the future, but I am very sad. I loved working there, and I loved the people with whom I worked.
My boss was super cool about it, and made very clear that my layoff was based solely on economics, not on my performance. He even gave me some ideas about who I can call at other firms in order to get my foot in the door somewhere. He's a great guy, I'm gonna miss working for him.
Every once in a while, life throws a curveball. This is one of those times. Sure, it stinks to high heaven right now, but you can be sure I'll turn this misfortune into an opportunity somehow.
Chin up.
Current Mood:  bummed
Current Music: none
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10:44 pm
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More upbeat post than yesterday's
Well, I caved a bit, but not too much. I called the alternator place twice today, first time asking them what time they close, and when they told me 5:30, I asked them why nobody was there at 5:00 yesterday. They apologized and said they'd be open until 5:30 today. I told them I'd call back at 4:00 and make sure. I did just that, and the guy started to seem a little annoyed that I was asking him repeatedly how late they were open. Good. That means my point was made.
Since they had the part, it was ready and had my name on it, I decided to swallow my pride and go by there and pick it up after work. Did just that. Put it in the car tonight, along with the refurbished generator, and the car's purring like a kitten again. I'm gonna get it inspected tomorrow.
Enough about the Impala for now.
Catherine is right around six months into her pregnancy, still feeling good, although a little less mobile and a little lower on energy, which is to be expected, but that doesn't mean it's easy. She's doing great though. Lucy is kicking up a storm these days, much like Helen did. :)
Helen is nearly two years old, and has begun speaking in complete sentences. She knows all her ABC's and can count to ten. However, she still hasn't grasped the whole pronoun concepts of "you" and "me," and she still tends to express the affirmative by saying "no" with an upward sweep like she's asking a question, although she does say "ok" a lot now. Amazing.
We're going to Austin for a wedding this weekend, and also to see my buddy Graham, whom I haven't seen in a really long time, something like 8 months or more. Looking forward to the weekend, hoping for good weather!
Current Mood: good
Current Music: U2: "Indian Summer Sky"
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07:52 pm
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Impala woes and Houston Alternator crappy service
So, the other week I mentioned the Impala wouldn't start. It's a 50-year-old car, so it's bound to have its fair share of problems, and I accept that. For those of you who are gearheads, here's what's been happening:
Problem #1: The battery was old and wasn't holding a charge anymore. Not only that, it was draining the charge given by the generator. A simple electrolytic test confirmed that two of the six cells were toast. I changed the battery out with a new one. The car starts right up and runs strong. Problem #1 solved.
Problem #2: The voltage regulator (something old cars with DC generators have, but new cars have their regulators built into the alternators) malfunctioned, allowing the battery to discharge through the generator once the car was turned off. I discovered this because I just happened to walk outside about 15 minutes after I shut the car off, and I smelled an electrical fire. Well, not quite a fire yet, but there were clouds of smoke pouring out of the generator. Ouch.
Problem #3: This one's not really a problem with the car, but with Houston Alternator, where I took the generator to be rebuilt and the voltage regulator to be replaced with a new one. I gave them the generator on Monday, they said it'd be ready by the end of the day and they'd call me. Tuesday rolls around, I finally call them, they say it'll be ready Wednesday and they'd call me. Thursday rolls around, I call them, they say it's ready, come pick it up. Thanks for being so on-the-ball, dorks.
Problem #3.1: I pick up the generator, and it's rebuilt, but they didn't bother to order the voltage regulator. I guess they figured I'd put the thing back in the car and the regulator would burn it out again. Geniuses. I ask them to order another one, they say it'll be in on Monday and they'd call me.
Problem #3.2: Tuesday (today) rolls around and I call them at 4:00 in the afternoon. "Yeah, we got that regulator here, come on by!" ::sigh:: "Ok, how late are y'all open today?" "We're open 'til 5:30." "Great, I'll be by in a little while." I leave work early and get there at 5:02. They're closed. The hours on the door say they're open until 5:30. It's 5:02. They're closed, and nobody is around. Jerks.
I'll call them tomorrow and see what's up. If they can't offer me a decent reason why they told me at 4:00 that they'd be open until 5:30 and then closed before 5:00, I'll tell 'em to eat the cost of that voltage regulator and shove it. I'm already never going to have work done there again, and to everyone else, I'd like to recommend against going there. Their customer service is unacceptably bad.
Current Mood:  annoyed
Current Music: U2: "Wire"
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10:16 pm
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Highlights from Tonight's Aqua Velva Gig at Chances
- I was going to bring the Impala, but the battery died and it wouldn't start, even when I tried to jump-start it. Going to have the battery tested tomorrow and either recharged or replaced.
- The gig was outdoors in front of the bar, they had a temporary cyclone fence set up to form a makeshift outdoor patio. Coors, Blue Moon, hamburgers, and hot dogs all were served.
- Catherine came and brought Helen, but she was turned away at the door because Helen's too young. Freakin' lame. I mean, I know the letter of the law and all that, but for cryin' out loud, Helen's not even 2 years old! What's she going to do, get drunk and raise hell before she learns to say "beer?" I don't get it.
- Allen's bass amp crapped out before the show began. Apparently, it worked fine on Friday, but not tonight. After calling several people to try to get a quick replacement, he wound up running his bass through Tom's keyboard amp. Not ideal, but it worked in a pinch: both bass and keyboard sounded decent.
- Lots of people hung out and watched the whole "hour of power" show we put on, even after the Super Bowl had recommenced. Several people danced, many more sang along. My Mom & Dad showed up and stayed for the entire gig. Cool.
- The girls sounded great, as did Steve, Tom, and Allen. I felt like I sounded good, even though my vocals were fairly sloppy at times. I totally messed up "Lava," which is weird because I've had that one down pat for a really long time now. Oh well. Rock Lobster kicked butt.
- In fact, as we were playing Rock Lobster, which is invariably our last song of the show, the cops came and shut us down. We finished out the song, of course, and now we have that distinction of being one of those bands that the cops had to shut down. Cool.
- Chances wants us to play there again. Excellent!
Current Mood: good
Current Music: B-52's: "Lava"
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07:44 pm
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Aqua Velva on Sunday
Hey everyone. Keeping busy these days: work is good, the family is good, the house is good, the new car is good . . . Life's pretty dang good!
Just wanted to let y'all know that The Aqua Velva is playing this Sunday evening during the Super Bowl halftime show (and probably a bit beyond) at Chances on Westheimer, right across from Hollywood Video the Tower Theater. We'll be playing in the parking lot, as they're going to have some shindig happening there at that time. We've been trying to get a gig at Chances for a while, and it's almost come through a couple of times, but it seems there's always been someone in the band who couldn't make the gig once we got the date. So here's our first gig at Chances, and hopefully there'll be many more!
So if you're like me and really don't care about the Super Bowl, but you'd like to get out and party for a bit, come on over to Chances and rock out to the B-52's for a while! And if you're not lesbian, don't let Chances' tilt toward that demographic scare you: it's a cool place, all are welcome.
See y'all there!
Current Mood: excited
Current Music: The Stone Roses: "Good Times"
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09:20 pm
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Recent news
I meant to post this the other day, and by now I'm sure most of you have heard, but for those of you who haven't: my brother Paul and his long-time girlfriend Sarah are engaged! If you're on Facebook, here are a few photos. The wedding most likely won't take place until sometime in 2010, and it'll be in New Orleans. Sweet . . .
We sold the 2000 Saturn SL1 today. Having prepared all the paperwork ahead of time, and with the help of a surprisingly competent and well-mannered clerk at the tax assessor-collector's office, the whole deal took about 15 minutes, and that included waiting in line. Sweet . . .
The Aqua Velva was supposed to play at Chance's either Friday 1/16 or Friday 1/30, but both gig dates fell through; however, we will be playing on Sunday, February 1, during the Super Bowl halftime (and probably beyond) in the parking lot of Chance's for some big S.B. party thing they're throwing there. Thweet . . .
Our next-door neighbor, Ruby, passed away two days ago. Such a wonderfully nice lady, and we barely got a chance to know her. She led quite a long, full life though, and according to her son, she was ready to say goodbye. We will miss her, but I'm glad to know that she lived such a nice long life with so many loving family members around her. Rest in peace, sweet Ruby.
Current Mood: optimistic
Current Music: Human League: "Keep Feeling Fascination"
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