tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91694070630712571452024-03-05T18:29:05.783-08:00The Newloudthenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-11186621258273262222014-01-28T01:14:00.000-08:002014-01-28T01:17:53.583-08:00I Wrote a Short Story...<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjmDNTwSMxFwVYjznVktveY-iI3Sgtlge5HOicDvf7REKI2Cpig8c8rb_100yK_0rh4Em3pTh03RT61x-roabWJHBhF4g9quoIWCbvUO_EbisYPdX03THWqrpir6vKnD8nM5tFVPGq5ty-/s1600/20131019_201542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjmDNTwSMxFwVYjznVktveY-iI3Sgtlge5HOicDvf7REKI2Cpig8c8rb_100yK_0rh4Em3pTh03RT61x-roabWJHBhF4g9quoIWCbvUO_EbisYPdX03THWqrpir6vKnD8nM5tFVPGq5ty-/s1600/20131019_201542.jpg" height="200" width="112" /></a></div>
I wrote a short story in my personal style of multi-lined poetry-esque writing. As all this really happened to me, ( some of it while I was writing ) its hard to know, if it will make sense to someone who didn't experience it. But I guess that's what friends and the internets are for... to let you know how much things do or don't make sense. Without further ado...</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b><br /></b>
<b>REMOTE DEMON SLAYERS IN THE NOW TELEGRAPHED FROM DREAMS 3 WEEKS OLD</b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<b>--------------------------</b></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
so I dreamt this before</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
( a couple weeks ago )</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and today </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
it happened</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
but </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
in the dream</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
things made sense</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I mean</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
they didn't make sense</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
exactly </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
at the time</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
( it being a dream and all )</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
but </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
at least </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
the feeling was right </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and everything happened</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
in the right </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
order</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
so here's how it went in the </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
DREAM</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I was in the basement</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
reading lyrics</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
on my computer</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
from this band </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
Field Report</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
when I felt this strong sense </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
of someone behind me</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
so I turn around</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and this girl is there</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
this girl I hung out with a couple times</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
we used to share a love </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
of the game tetris</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
one time we even played it </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
until 5am</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
she's someone I haven't thought about</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
in ages</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
but there she is</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and she's concerned</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
like she wants to know if I'm alright</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and I'm glad she's there</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I feel glad she's there</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and everything</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
does</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
it all feels ok</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
because she's there</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and then </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I wake up</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
but here's how it went today </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
in</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
REALITY</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
there's this girl</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
this girl I hung out with a couple times</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
one time </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I even tried to kiss her</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
after we played tetris until 5am</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
she's someone who I haven't thought of</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
in ages</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
she messages me today</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and asks if everything is ok</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and it was</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
it all felt ok</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and I don't think anything of this</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
her messaging me that is</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
but then </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
this evening</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I was in the basement</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
reading lyrics</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
on my computer</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
from this band</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
Field Report</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
when I felt a strong sense</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
of someone behind me</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
so I turn around</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and no one is there</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
the girl </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
is definitely not there</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
she lives in Colorado now</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
but then I remember</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
the dream</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
or deja vu</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
or other reality</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
everything comes</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
flooding back</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and I remember </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
that she messaged me </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
earlier today</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
asking if everything felt ok</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and now </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
even later in the evening</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I still don't feel anything bad</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
yet</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
so I write her </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
a long-ish note</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
explaining all this</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
because it all seems so </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
interesting </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
like the dream was happening</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
but at the same time</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
kind of not</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
anyway</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
its around 1am</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
when I message her</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
but I don't hear back </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I assume </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
she's asleep</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
time passes</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
...</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
....</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
.....</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
an hour or so goes by</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I find myself </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
randomly looking through my old music ideas </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
on my computer</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
when I come across a file</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
the first song </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
or idea of a song</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
my ex-girlfriend and I wrote together</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I listen to it</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and all the guitar</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and keyboards</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and drum beats</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and sounds</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
pull together</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
reverse weaving memories </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
that draw an intenseness out of me</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
suddenly</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I remember the night we wrote it</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I remember what I felt</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
all the hope</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and the internal smiles</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and unchecked</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
anticipatory passions</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and us sitting and talking</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and I check </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
the creation date </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
on the file</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and its from the night we kissed </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
for the first time</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
all these memories </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and hopes </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
of perfect futures</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
painted like fairy tales</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I just wasn't good enough to draw </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
the correct endings to</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
all come flooding back</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
right when I was doing so good </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
these last couple weeks</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
with hardly any thoughts</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
of destroying myself</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and I feel </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I'm just going to bottom out hard again</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
when I remember </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
the dream</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
where the girl was standing behind me</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
making sure I was ok</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
but I hate it</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and I damn everything</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
because she's </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
not </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
she's not actually here</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I hate it because</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
there's no one actually here</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I'm so confused</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
it all seems out of order</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
it seems like I should've gotten sad first</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and then I should've been reading the lyrics</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and then she should've been there </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
behind me</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
( at least with a message </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
since she's in Colorado and all )</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
making sure I was ok</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
making it ok</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
just like in the dream</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
instead of the reality</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
where she asked if I was ok</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
earlier today</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
before I wasn't ok</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
before </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I bottomed out</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
like I am</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
bottoming out </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
right now</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
so I decide I'm going to write this about it</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
right now</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
this </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
what you're reading</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
in order to stem my heart dives</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
in my protocol sheet </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I made about my depression</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
writing is something that can </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
break the heavy dark waves as they come</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
before they're unmanageable</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
but while I'm writing </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
this </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
what you're reading</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
right now</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
the girl</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
the girl in Colorado</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
the girl I thought was asleep</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
is messaging me:</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
"wow that is weird </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I probably shouldn't be reading </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
or responding bc </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I'm driving"</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and now I'm beginning to realize</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
this moment</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
this could be the moment</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
when she is looking over my shoulder</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
making sure I'm ok</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
10 more minutes have passed now</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
the black blanket in my mind has lifted a bit</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and she's messaging again:</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
"ok now I'm not driving. </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
that's an interesting dream/déjà vu thing </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and yes makes sense </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
but not lol"</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
my mood lifts</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I'm feeling ok</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and I feel the rest of the night</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I'm going to be ok</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and I won't have to battle demons</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
alone tonight</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
so I start filling her in </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
on WHY</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I need her protection </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
tonight</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
of all nights</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
why she was missed so gravely </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
after I listened to the song earlier</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
when I looked behind me</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and she wasn't there</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
she's typing:</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
"glad I was there to check you were ok"</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and then: </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
"oh geez. </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I was messaging u </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
sitting in my car </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
in my parking lot </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
got cold and came inside. </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
put my phone in my pocket quickly</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
for 15 seconds </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
while I was walking into my house </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
and just now</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
when I pulled it out </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
tetris had opened </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
I haven't touched </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
my tetris game on my phone </div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px;">
in 6 months"</div>
thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-66186149534374727912013-10-16T13:26:00.000-07:002013-10-16T13:33:34.148-07:00My 5000 Character Response to an OK Cupid Lady Who Asked Me the Simple Question "Do You Meditate?" ***UNEDITED****Shelli~<br />
<br />
I've written quite the response to what was probably a
very simple 'yes or no' type question so in the interest of common human
decency, I'll turn this into kind of a really crappy 'Choose Your Own
Adventure' where you can either pick the Cliff Notes version or the
Non-Cliff Notes version. If picking the Cliff notes version, simply read
the response then skip down to the second row of colons :) If reading
the unabridged response, enter at your own risk ;) <br />
<br />
"Do you meditate?" <br />
CLIFF NOTES VERSION: Why yes. Yes I do. <br />
<br />
BEGIN NON-CLIFF NOTES VERSION HERE::::::::::::::::: <br />
To
me practice is where all the present stuff becomes difficult. The
concepts are a little hard to grasp at first - it takes experience and
playing around with what present mind is, like how present is present
mind? LOL Then once I've thought about it a great deal actually working
with it is another completely different challenge. I do sitting
meditation for about 35 minutes daily now. I had been on a trip out west
recently (end of July) and kind of fell off the routine, but I've
gotten things back now, but the mindfulness part is still difficult.
Also I'm working on another kind of standing meditation for about 20-35
minutes everyday too. <br />
<br />
Its easier to work on immediate
mindfulness to me with the standing, because I'm more focused on
different body systems: how my structure is aligned, what muscles are
tensed, which ones are relaxed, relaxing more, relaxing more without
losing the structure, paying attention to breathing, dropping my
intention all the way through the floor (this one probably need more
explanation, we'll save that for later ;) ) then there's the burning out
of the muscles at certain points which is takes a lot of focus or maybe
I should say NOT-focus - like you have to separate yourself from it.
Since I've been working on this stuff, its super clear that your body is
not you. Your mind isn't really you either. There's something else that
is deeper that is the heart of your being. You can disconnect your body
from that 'heart' and the same with the mind - or at least the thinking
part of the mind. There's an awareness part of the mind that rides
above the thinking, not sure about disconnecting that (actually I
haven't even thought about disconnecting that until I just wrote it
right now). Anyway... this is probably waaaaay too detailed of an answer
for your "Do you meditate?" question. Its nice to write stuff down
though as it kind of clarifies thoughts and makes them easier to
communicate. <br />
<br />
I do the sitting, standing and then I work on
other Tai Chi exercises (I've been doing Tai Chi for about 4.5 years now
and started teaching about a year ago). I've never been very hippie-ey
or mystical or any of that so its interesting, because the more I mess
with stuff the more weird stuff kind of crops up that falls into to
those categories - to the point where I'm shedding a lot of my skeptic
qualities. Being a skeptic isn't very fun anyway. I like and definitely
adhere to the idea(s) that there is just some shit you can't explain
scientifically right now, maybe in the future there will be more details
uncovered but then there will be other unexplainable things. To me,
being a skeptic takes all the wonder out of life. I'd rather have wonder
and be a little more esoteric in my beliefs than be more scientific and
have no wonder. It just seems like a funner time. And really making
stuff funner is kind of the point ;) <br />
END NON-CLIFF NOTES VERSION :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: <br />
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: <br />
<br />
My
name is Shane. For the last 18 years I've record bands in my own
recording studio as my primary source of income. I do martial arts (Tai
Chi and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu). I write music. I write poetry. I drink
copious, borderline obscene, amounts of tea which I prepare more
Chinese-ey than say British-ey. I find it easier to have female friends
than male ones, perhaps because I was raised primarily by my mother and
grandmother. My recording studio is in the basement of the house I grew
up in which is now in my name where I have lived for 34 years. I played
in a band that toured across the country playing very many bad shows
(LOL). I love all the things I do. Sometimes I wish I made a bit more
money doing them, but I see that happening in time. <br />
<br />
I started
trying the internet dating thing, because I don't find myself in social
situations all that often, plus I thought it would just be a new,
different experience, which it is. I haven't found many promising
connections through here - the physical meeting still trumps all in my
opinion - all the numbers can line up and the photos can look great, but
there is nothing on the internets that can quantify or qualify that
physical spark or connection. <br />
<br />
Esta es un digital tarjeta mas grande o un libro pequeño. Yo no sé ;) <br />
<br />
-Shane thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-157092419894350922013-08-07T07:37:00.001-07:002013-08-07T07:45:51.721-07:00Why Your Language Sucks! OR I Had a Dream<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlF8c9EBBtgS_y51uxh2QOvjeLxVmK4ztDIs73-_ip6n8f077JFQYvxD-z7q8GWFC-Gs_r8_aBc_Mb4TYf9eHOPn4Lkr01oyPJGyZ9-Q4shQppv5SgdZ36-n4i6Ax-E9a6o3dAkOFgHOi/s1600/space-photos-53+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlF8c9EBBtgS_y51uxh2QOvjeLxVmK4ztDIs73-_ip6n8f077JFQYvxD-z7q8GWFC-Gs_r8_aBc_Mb4TYf9eHOPn4Lkr01oyPJGyZ9-Q4shQppv5SgdZ36-n4i6Ax-E9a6o3dAkOFgHOi/s320/space-photos-53+copy.jpg" width="320" /></a>I woke up today remembering this strange dream that I had with my friend Dez in it. I was msg'ing her the details of the dream when I started thinking: explaining personal dreams is strange. There's so many details that can't begin to be accounted for including your emotions in the dream and their history and your actions in the dream and their history. You can describe the dream at face value, but it doesn't really begin to scratch the surface.<br />
<br />
This made me begin to think of reality and how people's realities are as different as the dreams they have. I have my reality where on Monday I spent almost the whole day in bed. You may have your reality where you have to go a job everyday. My friend is in Iowa right now playing video games at his Grandma's house because he just got out of a mental hospital in Taiwan - so there's that reality too. Then I started thinking that all language, no matter which one, is a really shitty way to convey even realities that are 'acceptable'; ones that are more or less based around the framework of society. Then I started wondering if that was the point of not only society and language but money, etc. Its kind of like this giant funnel that passes a bunch of people through so their realities more or less line up and they are able to communicate with each other to the degree that it 'makes sense'.<br />
<br />
Then I started wondering "But what about the other realities? What about the people off grid? People just living in a mountain somewhere. People who just got back from mental hospitals in Taiwan." I wondered if there's a way to communicate with them that isn't language based; something where the sharing of the mind is a more whole and complete experience.<br />
<br />
Then I stopped and wrote all this down in language, which takes a really long time to convert the raw thoughts into words, then type them out, finally proof reading it. I wrote this all down in language that will miss a large part of the feeling I was having when I wanted to share it. So....<br />
<br />
Happy Wednesday!<br />
<br />
-Shane<br />
The New Loud<br />
<br />
BONUS ROUND<br />
The dream I had with Dez.<br />
<span class="null">I was trying to sneak these photobooks through courthouse security. I also stole some evidence tags. I
had to pay to take the photobooks through. The photobooks were $8. I was really nervous about the evidence tags, but when the guard saw them he didn't really pay too much attention. When I
reached in my pocket for money, I had my driver's license and Dez'
driver's license. I thought about meeting her for lunch in the
courthouse cafeteria. My next thought was "I should show Dez how to do a
battle cry." And then I imagined her throwing back her head in the
courthouse cafeteria and shouting "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" into the heavens. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="null">Then I thought to myself "well... maybe not at lunch." That was the last
thing that happened before I woke up.</span><br />
<br />thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-25379669622120932202013-05-20T12:04:00.000-07:002013-05-20T12:09:12.063-07:006 Reasons To Release Fewer Songs More Often<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASiQfYrquMRPihjU4yKrJ3ggpx0SskWdEZ_U2sqwkY4a01wXBtpucoDV2yPn5kjlMzTLPxItZ9UYf-YEY0LYi7eb3KKRwcYTMl_fwcL02HYjc3Gnq9POpqxVAYLVD8ddhaQxSdE-h57S5/s1600/740822_10151222020244200_1909660550_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiASiQfYrquMRPihjU4yKrJ3ggpx0SskWdEZ_U2sqwkY4a01wXBtpucoDV2yPn5kjlMzTLPxItZ9UYf-YEY0LYi7eb3KKRwcYTMl_fwcL02HYjc3Gnq9POpqxVAYLVD8ddhaQxSdE-h57S5/s1600/740822_10151222020244200_1909660550_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>How many songs should I record?</b><br />
<br />
This isn't a question I get asked very much, but I wish it was :) There are a lot of bands coming into the studio recently recording 10, 12 even 15 songs. That is good news for me and the studio, but not so much good news for the bands. As soon as I find out a new band wants to record more than 4-5 songs especially a new band, I immediately try to talk them out of it. I'm probably the worst recording studio salesman in the world - hahaha - but it really doesn't help to record a large amount of songs these days and here's some reasons why:<br />
<br />
<b>1. You need to develop your sound</b><br />
New bands and bands which have gone through major member changes especially need to develop their sound. There is no better way to develop your sound than recording 3-4 songs and then really analyzing them. Usually a band's first songs are all over the place without any strong cohesiveness or style. This is good because you (or even better, your audience) may gravitate to one or two songs more than the rest. This gives you the opportunity to explore what makes those songs more appealing and try to introduce more elements from them into your other songs.<br />
<br />
<b>2. You need to develop your songs</b><br />
Many times if there is a cohesive style, the songs themselves may be rather flat and under developed, either from the point of view of you, as a band/artist, or from the perspective of the audience. At last count there are exactly 1 gazzilion active bands/artists on the planet right now. To stand out, you need to make your songs as good as they can be. Maybe there are 'holes' in the song - parts which don't hold the attention of the listener - parts which perhaps need re-writing or additions. Issues like these are much easier to address when dealing with a smaller batches of songs. Trying to fill out and refine even 6+ songs is a major undertaking both from the creative side and especially from the budget/money side if the problems don't crop up until after the recording process begins.<br />
<br />
<b>3. Most people don't listen to LPs front to back anymore</b><br />
The way people consume music has changed radically in the past 10-15 years. Spotify, Pandora and YouTube have changed the way people are listening to music. They are hearing mixes of various artists and not just jamming a whole record as much anymore. This is especially true if the artist is new or more unknown. You'll have a decent shot at getting people to hear 1 song. If the song is good and keeps the listeners attention, they might listen to 2 songs. If after those first 2 <i>amazing</i> songs, you become their new favorite band, they might listen to 3-4 songs, but almost nobody will listen to 6+ songs in one sitting from a new or local band. <br />
<br />
<b>4. Stay more in touch with your audience by recording fewer songs more often</b><br />
Writing, practicing, recording and releasing songs takes time, especially if you are refining them to be as great as they can be. This process for 8+ songs could easily take over a year. In that case you have only one major thing to talk about on the Facebooks/Twitters/Internets for 12-18 months. If you record 3-4 songs every 3-6 months you will have 3-5 'big' things to talk about in the same amount of time. More things to talk about = more opportunities to stay fresh in the minds of your listeners/likers/followers/fans. <br />
<b><br />5. More releases means more feedback</b><br />
You always want to be flexible. Its harder to tweak your style into something that could ultimately prove to be much more successful if you're entrenched in a 12-18 month writing/release process. I believe the most important thing that the immediacy of the internet has done is given a voice to listeners/likers/followers/fans, whether that means something like public outcry changing the ending of a major video game release like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DemandABetterEndingToMassEffect3" target="_blank">Mass Effect 3</a> or gently guiding a local band into a more appealing direction, this public feedback mechanism is unique to this time and should definitely be taken advantage of. I'm not saying you have to 'beta-test' your songs by posting works in progress for critique (though that is pretty cool), but by having a shorter release schedule you'll have more opportunities to get feedback to tweak to (or ignore ;) )<br />
<br />
<b>6. The dark side</b><br />
There are a lot of pressures and emotions that go into being in a band. Maybe the band chemistry changes and a member becomes problematic, maybe someone has to move away, maybe you don't like the way someone smells anymore, maybe life just happens and someone has to leave or worse yet the whole project disbands. Even if you are on the same page with goals from the beginning, doesn't mean it will stay like that. This creates a much, much larger problem if you're working on a 6+ song release on a 12+ month schedule. There is a lot more wasted time and money chucking out an LP that has a lead vocalist that just quit compared to just adapting a new member to the next set of 3 or 4 songs. Just remember bands are like having a relationship with 2+ more people and has the same kind of volatility that goes along with any other close relationship. <br />
<br />
<br />thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-85819565332776891702013-05-18T22:30:00.001-07:002013-05-18T22:48:28.624-07:00Meditation Biking OR 4 Steps to a More Relaxed Ride<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3w3l5m3nfoC68Mbd_ODAQyVjuldWgujQ6kJTErcNkUTdCGaW8bh5wS-3SZ5nzXwGQSI6MumWd9sUCcCFmk_PASbHvMMaUNI7u_x052bo_Zx3rdDkUZViEBtPEXCTApCJvIAdkHb_RX7UP/s1600/249173_10200756551609801_1776506763_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3w3l5m3nfoC68Mbd_ODAQyVjuldWgujQ6kJTErcNkUTdCGaW8bh5wS-3SZ5nzXwGQSI6MumWd9sUCcCFmk_PASbHvMMaUNI7u_x052bo_Zx3rdDkUZViEBtPEXCTApCJvIAdkHb_RX7UP/s320/249173_10200756551609801_1776506763_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I rode my bike down to the lake today. The trip is a decent ride about 9 miles each way. My bike doesn't have gears. Its a 60's Schwinn Cruiser with coaster brakes. I don't listen to music when I ride and without gears my mind starts to drift to the subtleties of biking. I start to think about all the different sensations that are happening in my body. I start trying to dissect the automatic and investigate things a bit more, in hopes of making the ride more enjoyable. Here's a few things I noticed today :)<br />
<b><br /> </b><br />
<br />
<b>1. RELAX</b><br />
Since I'm on a cruiser, I'm sitting nearly straight up. When my posture is right I can release nearly all the tension in my back and just stay suspended in the seat, pretty much by the curvature of my spine. This makes for more effortless riding. If I end up more hunched over, I lean into the handle bars, the more I lean into the handle bars, the more my forearms, shoulders, and back muscles engage creating tension. The same thing happens with gripping the handlebars. I'm always trying to use the lightest, most relaxed grip on the handlebars as possible. To me, gripping the bars tighter doesn't create more control, it just creates tension. I let the bars stay loose in my grip and if I go over a rough patch of road, only then do I engage a firmer grip. <br />
<br />
<b>2. BREATH</b><br />
When riding I try and keep my breaths as even as possible. Chest breathing promotes tension and anxiety - two things I never want while I'm riding my bike, especially through traffic. I'm always trying to use stomach/abdomen breathing as it promotes deeper breaths. Not only are the deeper breaths especially helpful going up hills but deeper breathing is also more relaxing, making for a more enjoyable ride.<br />
<br />
<b>3. PEDALING IN 4 PARTS</b><br />
I notice that, of course, there's the down motion in pedaling and up motion in pedaling, but there's also the 2 ends nobody thinks about as much: the transition of the down into the up and the transition of the up into the down. Today riding along the lake paths, I tried to be mindful of keeping these transitions as smooth as possible - trying to avoid any 'stops' or 'jerkiness' between the down and up motions.<br />
<br />
<b>4. PEDALING AND (NOT)PEDALING</b><br />
I push down on the pedals and the bike goes, sure, every one knows that :) but paying attention to my legs as the pedal goes up seems just as important as the force used to press down. As I'm nearing the end of the down motion, I try to make sure I guide my leg through the transition described above and then I try and release as much muscle tension in my leg as possible - simply letting the pedal guide my foot back to the top. By keeping my legs alternating this 'empty' state, I seem to have more stamina and push especially on hills.<br />
<br />
Paying close attention to the subtle interaction between my bike and I as well as the inner workings of my body during a ride helps create a more meditative experience. My mind can then unwind at the same time I'm exercising my body. I usually arrive at my destination feeling more relaxed than if my mind is simply focused on the route or my time. <br />
<br />
It'd be cool to hear what inner workings you pay attention to on your rides or what you think about the above 4 ruminations. Leave a comment on the blog or hit up my Facebook page :)<br />
<br />
<br />
-Shane Olivo<br />
The New Loudthenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-54936986222310500782013-05-16T22:16:00.000-07:002013-05-16T22:16:03.562-07:00Breaking Edge OR I'm 37 and Just Started Drinking AlcoholI had my first alcohol this last November (2012) at 37 years old. I've been technically 'Straight Edge' my whole life - no alcohol, no cigarettes, no drugs - though I was never fond of the whole group of people that identified as 'Edge'.<br />
<br />
Ian Mackaye Talks About Straight Edge (Skip to 9:30) <br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wQZETGR2FWE" width="420"></iframe> <br />
<br />
The 'Edge' kids were always way too preachy, and humorless most of the time. I never cared if people around me smoked or did drugs or drank. I just didn't want to do it. Why? Growing up I lived with my mom and Grandmother and Grandfather. My Grandfather would come home everyday from working at a printing press and proceed to get wasted drunk. He would then scream at my grandmother blaming her for everything bad that happened to him (in life) until he passed out on the living room recliner, only to get up the next day for work and repeat the process. My dad was never around, because he was always on drugs and running from cops. I saw what was happening from when I was little on. Everything left a big impression and given that all the males - even all my uncles on both sides of my family (6 in all) - were alcoholics or on coke at one point or another, I figured it was a good bet to just not start at all. So I didn't. I built up a business, a recording studio, which I'm sure was paid for in large part by the amount of money I saved not drinking alcohol through my teens and 20's. <br /><b><br />So why start? Why 'break edge' now? </b><br />
I can sum it up in one word: ATTACHMENT. I realized I had come so far along using the story of my male alcoholic family members that it didn't make sense to me any longer. After all, they weren't me. Biological predispositions or not, I am my own person. I was holding on to not-drinking and letting it control me just like the addictions controlled my family. My fears and ideologies had become attachments. So essentially, I was being controlled by the very thing I was trying to avoid. I decided to drop them and truly drop the past along with it. I never think about the alcoholics in my family anymore, so they can now begin to fade from my life completely instead of being conjured or summoned at every social get-together when I get asked what I'd like to drink. Its been a very freeing experience. <br /><br />So next time you and I are out, we'll have a drink together and it will be different, but not because there will be a glass of alcohol in front of me, but because of all the ghosts I've left behind me.<br /><br />-Shane Olivo<br />The New Loud<br /><br /><br /><br />thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-24334439320223156062013-05-11T00:38:00.000-07:002013-05-11T00:40:39.346-07:00The Most Important Thing You Can Do To Make Your Band SuccessfulThe most important thing you can do to make your band successful is both obvious and deceptively simple:<b> Keep your band together.</b><br />
<br />
You and your fellow band members don't have a lot of control when it comes to who likes your music or which blogs will write about it or if it gets any kind of airplay. What you do have control over is yourselves: how you interact with each other, what your individual and collective goals are, and most importantly how you treat each other.<br />
<br />
Its so obvious. I mean if the band isn't together of course it can't become successful :) I have a strong belief that if 4 people who hadn't ever played instruments came together with the same goals, focus, and good communication they would be eventually become a famous band (if that's what their goals were ;) )<br />
<br />
Here are a few ways to get and keep your band together, focused and strong.<br />
<br />
<b>1. Everyone in your band should be on the same page. </b><br />
The best way to do this is with clearly defined goals - especially ones you can break down into numbers. Don't let people get away with answers like 'I don't know' or 'I guess, I'll have to see how it goes'. The more specific you can be the better.<br />
- How many shows do you want to play now - Twice a month; every weekend all weekend? <br />
- Ideally how many shows do you want to play or CAN you play - is a 60 or 90 day tour too much? <br />
- How much is everyone willing to contribute monetarily to the band - how much money can you contribute of your own/month $0? $1000? <br />
- How much personal time is everyone willing to contribute - 10 hours/week; 20? 50?<br />
<br />
In addition to clearly defined goals with numbers you should all talk about what the ultimate goal for the band is. Is it 'have fun'? If so, what does 'have fun' mean to everyone? Try not to have answers that are open ended - "Dude, I just want to have fun, but if something happens, you know, that's cool." Those answers tend to create a lot of problems down the road. <br />
<br />
A lot of bands ask this question and answer it with "I would like the band to get to a point where it breaks even money-wise." Fine. If that's what you want, write songs in the basement and don't play shows. No recording budgets. No gas for shows. No merch costs. BAM! You just broke even - goal met! The problem is people want some form of success in addition to 'breaking even'. They want to record and play shows and have merch. If you really want to have all those things AND have your band break even, its a good exercise to define some costs so you have a better understanding of how much you should be looking to make in return to break even. For instance call some recording studios and get realistic budgets for how much it is to record. Call merch vendors and find out how much it is to get shirts pressed. If you know your recording will be $1000 and shirts will be $500 and you know how much you plan on charging for shirts and recordings, then you know you have to sell 'x' amount of recordings and shirts to break even. Having that 'x' number is KEY. It gives you something to shoot toward while you're trying to 'spread the word' (market) yourselves.<br />
<br />
<b>2. Be not only cool with one another, but be a family.</b> <br />
Have respect for other members and try to find ways to talk with each other that are not incendiary or cause flare-ups. If someone has a problem with something try to use "I" statements to approach the other person(s). For instance try approaches like "Maybe its just me, but I feel like that part you're playing is not totally on. Can you show me what you're doing?" instead of "Dude, you're totally fucking up that part like ALWAYS! WTF!" <br />
<br />
A lot of people just use the latter way and play the "Dude, I'm just being honest!" card, but there are ways of being honest without insulting someone or damaging their ego - and ego damage control is key to communicating with other musicians/artists.<br />
<br />
Being a family also means being there for each other no matter how bad things get. In the Nirvana video below (at 2:00), Kurt is having problems with a bouncer. Watch how FAST Dave and Chris throw down their instruments to come to his aid. Amazing solidarity!<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FB6szA9Uu-A" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
<b>3. Sometimes its best to love the one you're with, not the one you want. </b><br />
Everyone has their own idea of what they would like the band to sound like. With that sound comes individual styles of play. If you find that you have a member whose personality fits in well with the band, but his playing style is a little different than what you would like, its best to try and modify your vision to match the members you're playing with. For instance, The Smiths almost didn't use Mike Joyce, because they thought his drumming was too aggressive at first, but in the end I think the aggressiveness of his style adds something to their sound, they maybe wouldn't have got with a mellower drummer. Same with Andy Hurley from Falloutboy. Falloutboy would sound totally different if Hurley's drumming was a more poppy style instead of the hardcore background he came from. Also when people play to their strengths they feel good about what they're doing because they're doing something they are confident with.<br />
<br />
Being in a band is like having 4 (or more) girlfriends or boyfriends and they're all different and all have different quirks and personalities. If you can find ways to focus yourselves, communicate better, and appreciate one another for who you are, your chances of survival AND success as a band will be much greater.<br />
<br />
- Shane Olivo<br />
The New Loud<br />
Bobby Peru Recordingthenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-90758659886216215672013-05-07T16:46:00.000-07:002013-05-07T21:38:23.228-07:005 Ways Tai Chi Has Made My Life (and Jiu Jitsu) Better<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfTovu-hdnwgfkG3PqYYVf8nqQ6cFUjIOxYjUgAFilebPLHE-S6VTJLSHQHUYEvB-mEFibVjoRTRaxs8Ok_D3kIiiwp0TkdOZTpctqBWYFg1LjbMwRqLh-4k4q04EV09dpi9lP20MuFZ0/s1600/859306_471260416255908_623099921_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfTovu-hdnwgfkG3PqYYVf8nqQ6cFUjIOxYjUgAFilebPLHE-S6VTJLSHQHUYEvB-mEFibVjoRTRaxs8Ok_D3kIiiwp0TkdOZTpctqBWYFg1LjbMwRqLh-4k4q04EV09dpi9lP20MuFZ0/s1600/859306_471260416255908_623099921_o.jpg" height="320" width="286" /></a></div>
I've been practicing Tai Chi about 4 years now. I love it. It has become
one of my passions. Last year I also started training Brazilian Jiu
Jitsu at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/NeutralGroundMilwaukee" target="_blank">Neutral Ground in Milwaukee</a>.
About 6-7 months ago Jon Friedland, the owner of Neutral Ground, gave
me the opportunity to teach a Sunday night Tai Chi class there. <br />
<br />
One day I saw one of my fellow Jiu Jitsu brothers at a concert and I was
telling him about my Tai Chi class . He asked me how I got into Tai Chi
and what I felt the benefits were. In the concert atmosphere it was
hard to put together any concrete thoughts so I answered with a very
generic "Uh… I don't know. I like it." - Hahahahaha<br />
<br />
<br />
I feel like these are 2 really good questions though, so I thought I'd
take the time to answer them here. Each question is pretty important, so
I've decided to separate them into 2 different blogs :) This is part 2 of 2 and focuses on 5 things Tai Chi has done for me in life (and in Jiu Jitsu :) ). <br />
<br />
<b>1. Tai Chi makes my body feel electric and alive. </b><br />
After doing my Tai Chi form my body feels as if I have heightened sensitivity from the inside out. I'm sure some would describe this as 'chi', but I'm more western and the concept of 'chi' just doesn't quite resonate with me as much as some people. Maybe my blood is flowing more or more freely into areas normally constricted by everyday postures such as desk sitting or couch lounging. Maybe its the deep breathing that oxygenates my blood more or maybe its the much needed relaxation my muscles need. I'm sure its a combination of all of those and probably 1000 other things that create that tingle-ey, vibrant feeling that happens through my whole body while doing Tai Chi.<br />
<b><br />2. Tai Chi calms me down. </b><br />
Since I started doing Tai Chi, I am able to better control my emotions. This isn't to say I don't get into arguments with people or get upset ever. But when arguments pop up now, I feel more 'in control' of myself and my ego than before I started Tai Chi. Also any post conflict stress seems to melt away almost immediately. Leaving me with a clear mind to examine the situation and hopefully gain perspective from it.<br />
<b><br />3. Tai Chi trains my body to be more relaxed and flexible.</b><br />
At Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class people are always remarking about how flexible I am. I don't really practice a whole lot of stretching. Mostly my body is flexible from keeping the muscles relaxed. When my muscles are relaxed there is way more flexibility than a stressed or tensed muscle. In life, this 'muscle state awareness' helps you breakdown and dissect which muscles you actually NEED for any given task. Even in things like driving or cooking there are unnecessarily tensed muscle groups which lead to body stress. In BJJ terms, this extra flexibility might give you an extra few seconds to think of an escape or way out of a bad position before tapping. Or maybe someone doesn't have a submission on properly, relaxation gives you the extra flexibility that you need to not tap on something that isn't done correctly.<br />
<br />
<b>4. Tai Chi makes me more aware of my own body</b><br />
The Tai Chi I do focuses on one 'basic' 37 posture form. The form is refined first from the external/physical aspects - body alignment and positioning. Because the process is an endless refinement of one set of movements, there is a meditative quality that comes into play as you begin to work on the internal aspects of the form such as breathing or muscle states or being aware of your 'center' and balance. This all adds to a heightened body awareness not only when doing the form, but in all aspects of life - walking, driving, rolling at Jiu Jitsu.<br />
<br />
<b>5. Tai Chi gives me a fresh perspectives on life </b><br />
Tai Chi was originally developed from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoism" target="_blank">Daoist</a> philosophies. If I find I'm having trouble with something and need new perspective I tend to examine it through a Tai Chi 'lens' where I can put to work the principles of staying relaxed, not trying to meet force with force, and keeping with the 'flow' in all aspects of my life from work to relationships to Jiu Jitsu.<br />
<br />
Even after 4+ years, I feel my Tai Chi is just developing. Yet even so, the benefits above (in addition to countless others) have already enriched my life so much that I will always be on my Tai Chi journey :)<br />
<br />
-Shane Olivo<br />
The New Loud<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAsAXK_Wnbu4Rk9n2hgR9OfuXRNWwNwnANxl28C3swIpV7QgFS367SEpaHmceqxZCGdXxgsBg4oB-J6UnWkvUM6Ee_Byf-jtsRWnBNQ2E2nqto3xBnNOsrEk8-GJ-FuTI4GviJ-bMMgl1r/s1600/735213_10200524483014973_54923697_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAsAXK_Wnbu4Rk9n2hgR9OfuXRNWwNwnANxl28C3swIpV7QgFS367SEpaHmceqxZCGdXxgsBg4oB-J6UnWkvUM6Ee_Byf-jtsRWnBNQ2E2nqto3xBnNOsrEk8-GJ-FuTI4GviJ-bMMgl1r/s1600/735213_10200524483014973_54923697_n.jpg" height="263" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-24658962252056483742013-05-05T18:52:00.000-07:002013-05-05T18:52:30.401-07:00Why (How) Did I Start Doing Tai Chi?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUVLAF-kqQVA0H7yRtzPLw7wufT9QAfNP05fKprJomayZWqfDzC2YfVZ3Bdz6_k_ukGtAWvcjOSsiKkLJ16eu1qcsBO1G_fshRltLE0P1XAN3iL7pgWpX8zCy1Hj2egXYl0CDKp3wTFZL/s1600/394828_10200524717180827_1064522900_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUVLAF-kqQVA0H7yRtzPLw7wufT9QAfNP05fKprJomayZWqfDzC2YfVZ3Bdz6_k_ukGtAWvcjOSsiKkLJ16eu1qcsBO1G_fshRltLE0P1XAN3iL7pgWpX8zCy1Hj2egXYl0CDKp3wTFZL/s1600/394828_10200524717180827_1064522900_n.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a>I've been practicing Tai Chi about 4 years now. I love it. It has become one of my passions. Last year I also started training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/NeutralGroundMilwaukee" target="_blank">Neutral Ground in Milwaukee</a>. About 6-7 months ago Jon Friedland, the owner of Neutral Ground, gave me the opportunity to teach a Sunday night Tai Chi class there. <br />
<br />
One day I saw one of my fellow Jiu Jitsu brothers at a concert and I was telling him about my Tai Chi class . He asked me how I got into Tai Chi and what I felt the benefits were. In the concert atmosphere it was hard to put together any concrete thoughts so I answered with a very generic "Uh… I don't know. I like it." - Hahahahaha<br />
<br />
I feel like these are 2 really good questions though, so I thought I'd take the time to answer them here. Each question is pretty important, so I've decided to separate them into 2 different blogs :)<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>1. Why (How) Did I Start Doing Tai Chi?</b><br />
I've always been interested in martial arts since I was a kid. I mean what kid doesn't like ninjas? When I was younger and all through high school I had terrible allergies to the outside as well as having asthma which totally dissuaded me from any physical activities or sports. By the time I was in my early 30's, I felt a real itch to start something martial arts-wise but didn't really know where to begin. At this point one of my best friends had been working on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hung_Ga" target="_blank">Southern Style Kung Fu</a> and then <a href="http://youtu.be/CX8BKQFvp8c" target="_blank">Bagua</a> for about 10 years. I talked to him about starting a martial art - I wanted him to teach me, but at this point in his life he didn't really have time.<br />
<br />
The advice he did give was this: "Since you'll be just starting martial arts now, being a little older, you might want to look into some of the internal/softer styles of martial arts like Tai Chi or Bagua." Softer/internal styles of martial arts focus more on what's happening within your body and tend to be more meditative. Tai Chi specifically trains relaxation, sensitivity, center and balance. They focus on a 'soft' power which is, in theory, supposed to be able to overcome harder strength based attacks - though there are very Tai Chi 'masters' skilled enough to demonstrate this adage. Tai Chi is also a form of Qi Gong which has many health benefits from increased bone density to lowering blood pressure.<br />
<br />
The Bagua teacher he learned from was very skilled, but only taught the public on Saturdays in Madison which didn't work very well with my work schedule at the studio. So I asked my friend if he knew any Tai Chi places and he said "I know this guy that's really good. He makes these crazy YouTube videos. You should check him out."<br />
<br />
<center>
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/dVqxdOipKdU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></center>
<br />
<br />
That's my Tai Chi teacher Casey in the video. Casey's been working on Tai Chi for about 13+ years. In the winter of 2009, Casey was teaching out of the Neutral Ground space (where I teach now). He had a Sunday morning class that I started going to. 2 years later, in January 2011, I went down to San Diego and competed in my first martial arts tournament, taking home <a href="http://the-new-loud.blogspot.com/2011/02/tai-chi-tournament-new-loud-represents.html" target="_blank">2 gold medals and 1 silver medal in Fixed Step, Restricted Step and Moving Step Push Hands (Tai Chi Sparring). </a><br />
<br />
I love Tai Chi. It has benefitted my life in countless ways since I started. I'll focus on a few of the most important ones in the second half of this post: What Does Tai Chi Do For Me?<br />
<br />
-Shane<br />
The Newloud<br />
<br />thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-78390578960572042872013-05-03T12:46:00.001-07:002013-05-04T00:21:57.993-07:002 Simple Steps to Letting Go OR How To Save The Next Taco Night From A Stupid Argument<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP2SmCLLOeai3Wz9uBrBKy21DTI4eRjaNUv8Hrewc1TBu76nvfZ-e41H98fHh1hdHQHb-jbCXvSW09Ne_0c-rYDgYXdGL5qM4XGxPihxm-LdJbKKRVL-tfyg2obW9jD52899Nm-eZY7L5c/s1600/946828_10200726756424940_55227416_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP2SmCLLOeai3Wz9uBrBKy21DTI4eRjaNUv8Hrewc1TBu76nvfZ-e41H98fHh1hdHQHb-jbCXvSW09Ne_0c-rYDgYXdGL5qM4XGxPihxm-LdJbKKRVL-tfyg2obW9jD52899Nm-eZY7L5c/s1600/946828_10200726756424940_55227416_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I can start obsessing about things fairly easily. Like my girlfriend won't return a message or text and it starts this feedback loop in my head. I wonder what she's doing that she didn't respond. I start to feel small and unimportant, my ego starts to get hurt, I start to get pissed. In reality all I'm doing at that point is drinking past or future poisons. Almost anything that is messing with your present can be traced to the illusions that are the past and future playing tricks on you. <br />
<br />
So this is what I'm working on now: Eliminate any possible past or futures that are negatively effecting my present, my NOW.<br />
<br />
I learned a trick which works really great for this. When I find myself getting upset because of projections or memories or regrets, I simply ask myself 2 questions:<br />
<br />
1. What are you feeling NOW?<br />
<br />
The first question has to do with the moment. What am I feeling right this second? What I want to be feeling is happiness or whatever my version of 'happy' is. So if I'm not feeling happy or content or positive, I determine how I'm feeling and then move on to the 2nd question.<br />
<br />
2. Is there anything missing?<br />
<br />
Why am I feeling like I'm feeling and how is it messing with my NOW? What is missing that I am not happy or content? Then I go through a list of things. <br />
<br />
For instance: I inadvertently start a fight with my special lady on Taco Night about attention that I feel I've been missing (past) and attention I feel like I should receive (future).<br />
<br />
These regrets or negative projections are simply past and future poisons. I can't go back in "time" and add the attention I was missing and by focusing on negative things yet to come or uncertainties I am simply making myself miserable thus causing a fight and totally messing up my present, my NOW.<br />
<br />
Ahhh my NOW… what really IS my NOW?<br />
<br />
My NOW, Taco Night, should've been a blast! (I mean how can you mess up Taco Night?!? There was even Patron… I'm big stupid.) In fact, after stripping away the illusions and tricks of the past and future, most situations are not inherently bad, they're actually pretty good. Even during the mundane, I become more attuned to my present circumstance which creates a kind of wonder that brings pleasure and happiness. I am walking and begin enjoying the weather (no matter what weather it is). I am driving and begin to enjoy the music I'm playing in the car or the response of the vehicle to the slightest movements of the controls.<br />
<br />
Without the past and future gremlins mucking things about, life begins to really open up. But just like anything, it takes practice. I'll still have my fair share of ruined NOWs while this new line of "thinking" becomes more automatic. <br />
<br />
At least the next Taco Night will be safe :)<br />
<br />
-The New Loud<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-44169045031835675212013-05-02T11:44:00.001-07:002013-05-02T11:44:15.441-07:00Letting Go, Bike Riding I rode my bike today for the first time in like 2 years. I didn't ride
much last year, too damn hot and when it wasn't it seemed too cold - lol.
<br />
<br />Anyway I rode down to the lake today and back. While I ride my bike,
sometimes all over town, I don't consider myself a 'bike-rider' - I
don't have a bike suit or a bike with gears (60's Schwinn with coaster
brakes) or even a helmet (probably should get one of those).
<br />
<br />I feel like a bike ride through traffic is an excellent way to practice
'letting go'. People drive poorly, they don't pay attention a lot -
they're on their phone or distracted by their destination. They're
definitely not paying attention to me on my bike. They cut me off or
they ride stupid close. I've even had someone yell that I should be on
the sidewalk - which is precisely where bikes should NOT be.
<br />
<br />Anyway, stuff happens, stuff I can't control... I get pissed... I want
to catch up to them and spit on their car or kick it or yell some shit
at them, but their car is much faster than my bike, especially MY bike.
I think "Wait until they get stopped at that light, Ima catch up and
then SHIT IS GOING DOWN!!!!"
<br />
<br />But that never happens. Their light is always on a repetition ahead of
mine or they turn. So there's nothing to do except let it go. "Whatever!"
Sometimes I try and put myself in their shoes, maybe they're having an
emergency, maybe someone is hurt or their wife is pregnant and about to
have a baby, maybe they just had a bad day and they just want to be
home. I can't say.
<br />
<br />I.
<br />am not.
<br />them.
<br />
<br />I guess feel like I'm progressing because I'm getting less and less
worked up by these situations. Most times the revenge scenario isn't
even fully developed before I just drop it from my mind. Which feels a
lot better than trying to catch something I'm never going to catch to
create a situation that probably shouldn't be created.
<br />
<br />-The New Loud
thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-7126854969475693182011-02-10T23:22:00.000-08:002011-02-10T23:22:14.388-08:00Tai Chi Tournament - The New Loud Represents Milwaukee!<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey everyone,</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Shane from <b>The New Loud</b> here. I've been doing the martial art called <b>'Tai Chi'</b> for a couple years now. Tai chi is an internal martial art which focuses on balance, center, and relaxation as opposed to brute force to conquer opponents. In January my teacher, <b>Casey Payne</b> and I traveled down to <b>San Diego</b> to compete in a martial arts tournament put together by <b><a href="http://www.kungfuchampionship.com/circuit_about.html" target="_blank">ICMAC</a></b> - New Loud <b>Jessi</b> went along for the ride. </span><br />
</div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="269" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/l0cuScj2xhs" title="YouTube video player" width="425"></iframe><br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Despite never having been to a martial arts tournament before, <b>I managed to place in the top of my weight class and come home with <b>2 Gold Medals</b> and <b>1 Silver Medal</b>.</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtI4e4JcGPL8wzE5DHI1y83-VAEkH8m6EBDKMyHMt5FJFkMcETSSOmTJyJr9pV767GnaAoYDdBKAECi80JwLnfk3CyhjXcdxwaoFwMVtbSRLUD0nh4tpvXPGqcqXgiHxa78kYM6StTksH/s1600/114_0153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtI4e4JcGPL8wzE5DHI1y83-VAEkH8m6EBDKMyHMt5FJFkMcETSSOmTJyJr9pV767GnaAoYDdBKAECi80JwLnfk3CyhjXcdxwaoFwMVtbSRLUD0nh4tpvXPGqcqXgiHxa78kYM6StTksH/s320/114_0153.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our school is called <a href="http://www.blackhorsetaichi.org/" target="_blank"><b>Black Horse Tai Chi</b></a> and its located in <b>Milwaukee, WI</b>. We mostly focus on the 2 person tai chi exercise called 'Push Hands'.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="269" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fivH6Jhsrk0" title="YouTube video player" width="425"></iframe></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Results of the competition can be found <a href="http://www.kungfuchampionship.com/sandiego/results/2011/results_taiji_otherinternal_taijipushhands.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Here's a minute or so of BONUS footage from the trip!</b></span></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="269" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/U_qJUTn3Bew" title="YouTube video player" width="425"></iframe>thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-43906167679418414662011-01-11T23:14:00.000-08:002011-01-12T08:40:10.348-08:00HEY Where'd Yr Amps GO?! The Amp-less Live Setup<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hey Everyone,</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So over the past 6 months I've been experimenting with using <b>no amplifiers</b> for guitar and keyboard at The New Loud Live shows. We've done 2 Milwaukee shows and 1 Chicago show so far.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Video explaining the pros and almost no cons of an amp-less live setup:</b></span></div><object width="425" height="264"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fYkSe85qRkE?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fYkSe85qRkE?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="264"></embed></object><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The hardware:</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">MacBook Pro i7 2.66 Ghz w/4 Gigs of RAM </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Avid 003 Interface running Pro Tools 9</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">RME Fireface to handle extra outs/ins</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Rane 6 Ch Headphone Amp</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Etymotic wired in ear monitors - cheapest ones they make @$60/ea</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm using almost all Pro Tools stock plugins except for Eleven LE which I use on the guitar. Though with PT 9, I'm running into some resource problems.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">With this setup we can not only not bring any guitar/keys amps to clubs, we also get the added benefits of </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">-having what ever effect I want on anything at any time</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">-4 individual in ear mixes for the band that are consistent show to show venue to venue</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">-ability to multi-track record every show</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">-MIDI stage lighting sync</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">-'Guide vocals' for harmony parts pumped into specific performers in-ear mix</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Future plans for the setup include using an iPad to remote mix the band from the audience.</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">At our 2nd Milwaukee show with the setup we ran into some funny technical difficulties with the setup. <b>Here's a video explaining the situation:</b></span></div><object height="264" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FCBnkOVOD6w?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FCBnkOVOD6w?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="264"></embed></object><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here's a flip cam version of <b>'Better This Way'</b> filmed at The Cactus Club during the same show:</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><object height="343" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/njUlXdC9RuE?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/njUlXdC9RuE?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="343"></embed></object></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You can come and check it out again if you're in Milwaukee on Saturday January 15th, we're playing Mad Planet.</span></div>thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-38218470251266929672010-08-22T16:15:00.000-07:002010-08-22T17:08:58.364-07:001 Million Dollars For Milwaukee Schools<span style="font-size: large;">Hey everyone!</span><br />
<br />
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3CXy-XgpOqI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3CXy-XgpOqI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>GO HERE TO HELP!</b></span><a href="http://mydeadxbox.com/" target="_blank"><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>http://mydeadxbox.com/</b></span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Kohl's is running a contest to give away <a href="http://apps.facebook.com/kohlscares/" target="_blank">10 Million dollars to 20 schools($500k each)</a> throughout the US. Milwaukee has 2 schools in the top 100. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">My roommate has setup a contest to give away <b>5 brand new XBOX 360 Slims</b> to 5 random people who vote for the Milwaukee, WI school <b>St Marcus Lutheran</b>.</span>thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-52736378619697375082010-08-07T21:31:00.000-07:002010-08-07T22:18:26.695-07:00Super Secret Weapon For Staying Focused<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/likebox.php?id=7223828195&width=292&connections=0&stream=false&header=false&height=62" style="border: medium none; height: 62px; overflow: hidden; width: 292px;"></iframe></div><object width="465" height="286"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1YD_RjFW3iw&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1YD_RjFW3iw&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="465" height="286"></embed></object><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=thenewloud">SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE</a><br />
<br />
<object width="465" height="286"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ISQjvpGAORc&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ISQjvpGAORc&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="465" height="286"></embed></object><br />
Here are my 11 goals from Summer 2009:<br />
1. Put More Money Into The Band<br />
2. Be a Better Leader<br />
3. Learn to Let Go of Duties/Delegate More<br />
4. Learn How to Edit Videos<br />
5. Make a Video Blog Once a Month<br />
6. Figure Out How To Use Laptop for Sequencing/Lighting<br />
7. Be In Good Shape for Shows Always<br />
8. Have 10 New Songs By Next Summer<br />
9. Work With Radish and Jessi on Vocals More Often<br />
10. Work to Make My Voice Less Nasally<br />
11. Pursue Harmony In Vocal More<br />
<br />
Not the interview I was talking about, but a good history of the term Straight Edge.<br />
<object width="465" height="373"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fk0HJAXpPAo&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fk0HJAXpPAo&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="465" height="373"></embed></object><br />
<br />
<object width="465" height="373"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uNVsMEtW904&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uNVsMEtW904&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="465" height="373"></embed></object>thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-39101146376524109202010-08-04T23:57:00.000-07:002010-08-05T00:07:19.967-07:00Music Video for The New Loud's Remix of Shunda K's New Single<b><a href="http://www.newloud.com">The New Loud</a></b> recently remixed a track for female rapper, <b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/shundak">Shunda K</a></b>. The New Loud remix was one of 3 that were featured on her CD single <b>'Here I Am To Save The World' (featuring Cindy Wonderful)</b>. The remix video was directed by <b>Jack Packard</b> who also shot the music videos for The New Loud singles: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIf-qN04tLA">'Don't Dance'</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHgYOy1h9r0">'Heaven'</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVZsFrukuzg">'Secrets'</a>. <br />
<br />
<object width="465" height="373"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/x5E5iYeM3i4&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/x5E5iYeM3i4&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="465" height="373"></embed></object><br />
<br />
The video depicts a man suiting up in everyday superhero garb, ala the new comic book turned movie, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1250777/">'Kick-Ass'</a>. He begins taking on various street criminals, before becoming drunk with his own power, eventually causing him to do more harm than good. The video features a DIY reverse-snoori cam harness to create the look of a 3rd person shooter video game - similar to <a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoPC_ibBJiQ"><b>Xbox's 'Gears of War'</b></a>. The reverse-snoori cam is the first of its kind, imagined and realized by Packard himself. The video was shot in one take on-location on the bustling KK Avenue in Bay View Milwaukee, WI.thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-29594116362196424782010-08-04T10:42:00.000-07:002010-08-04T10:43:09.036-07:00Jessi's Blog - The Movie 'The Road' Stole a Little Piece of My Soul In A Good WayAs we work on new material for the band I've had some down time and have been catching up on my movie queue! The other night I watched The Road. The Road is about a man (Viggo Mortensen) and his son trekking their way through a post apocalyptic United States. I really enjoyed the cinematography of this film. There were these long shots of father and son walking through these once populous cities, now abandoned. There were these intense overhead shots of what was once a wooded area that now housed only dead trees or ships that were settled in what was once a great body of water. While some may not agree with me, the colors in this movie are brilliant. The dark yellows and greens used to symbolize death was absolutely breathtaking. <br />
<br />
What I also found interesting is that the son was born into this world. He never knew any other way of life. All he knew was this world in which everything was dying, where food is scarce and you learn at an early age that there are good guys and bad guys. One scene that I found touching was when the father and son come across an abandoned building. Inside there's a soda machine and the father is able to get a soda out for his son. He opens it up and the son asks what it is. The father tells him that it's a treat just for him. The son tries soda for the first time and wants nothing more than to share this special moment with his father. <br />
<br />
They have this amazing bond that you see throughout the film. When they're helping each other bathe or reading together by candlelight it's so apparent that they only have each other and they're fine with that. Now there are flashbacks to when the mother was still present, but she left because it was too difficult for her to deal with the reality of what had become of the world. So one night she left while her son slept and just walked into the night. While the father had a difficult time letting go at first he began to realize that she was never coming back and that he had to let that part of him go. There's this fairly emotional scene where he wakes up after having a dream about her and walks over to this bridge, takes one final look at his only photo of her and tosses it over the bridge. Then he takes his wedding ring off and can't bring himself to throw that over so he slides it to the edge and leaves it there. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
********SPOILER ALERT********<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
There were two scenes that nearly broke me. There was a flashback to when they had to destroy the family piano to use it for firewood. For me that was a major transition in the story as far as survival goes. It had finally gotten to the point where they needed to start doing whatever they could in order to survive. It was the beginning of what was to become their reality. And then there was the scene when the father dies. It takes two days for the son to leave his side. The death wasn't drawn out nor was it a huge production. They went to sleep one night and the father never woke up.<br />
<br />
This movie made a huge impact on me and has now become one of my favorite movies of 2009.thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-3283135644470343642010-08-01T00:28:00.000-07:002010-08-02T09:36:31.119-07:00Plan B Detracts from Plan A<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/likebox.php?id=7223828195&width=292&connections=0&stream=false&header=false&height=62" style="border: medium none; height: 62px; overflow: hidden; width: 292px;"></iframe></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><object height="286" width="465"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CAzR0XmGCtg&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CAzR0XmGCtg&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="465" height="286"></embed></object></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=thenewloud">SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE</a></b></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Leave a comment on Facebook or YouTube about your Plan A and how(if?) you Plan B is detracting from it.</b></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Links from the blog:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.myspace.com/thegazettiers">The Gazettiers: http://www.myspace.com/thegazettiers</a></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.nationaleats.com/">The National: http://www.nationaleats.com</a></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2010/07/27/the-superstar-effect/">Tim Ferris Blog Post: http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2010/07/27/the-superstar-effect/</a></div>thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-38178800812687181012010-07-06T08:52:00.000-07:002010-07-06T08:52:15.996-07:00Jessi's Blog - June 26th Show Recap BloggggggggThe New Loud doesn't play all ages shows that often so it's definitely a nice change of pace when we do. It's a different atmosphere all together. The New Loud played its first all ages show in a long time this past Saturday here in Milwaukee at the Borg Ward. <br />
<br />
The show kicked off with our friends in <b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/tworoomhoneymoon">King's Horses</a></b>. They did a great job in setting the mood for the night. They're recording right now and I can't wait to hear it! Their last song I swear sounded like a mix between the bands <a target="_blank" href="http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/artists/glassjaw/">Glassjaw</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/thiswilldestroyyou">This Will Destroy You</a>. Sounds weird, I know, but trust me on this! <br />
<br />
Second up was a band that Shane recently recorded called <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/xpacesfire"><b>Ten Paces, Fire</b></a>. They reminded me a lot of late era <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/thegetupkids">Get Up Kids</a> mix with the instrumentation of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/minusthebear">Minus the Bear</a>. They were really tight and they're delivery was impressive. <br />
<br />
Third up was our friends from Indiana <b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/wearehex">We Are Hex</a></b> who awesome as usual! Jilly called me that afternoon and told me that they had a tire blow out and so it was touch and go all day for these guys, but they still came through. They showed up had had to basically load on and play right away. With that they still delivered a stellar set! We are Hex remind me of a cross between <a target="_blank" href="http://www.myspace.com/siouxsieandthebanshees">Siouxsie and the Banshees</a> with <a href="http://www.myspace.com/joanjettntheblackhearts">Joan Jett</a> stylized vocal delivery. All very cool bands. <br />
<br />
<object width="465" height="286"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5zY_Fj0wPb0&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5zY_Fj0wPb0&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="465" height="286"></embed></object><br />
<br />
We closed the show out. Due to the humidity Shane decided to play without his shirt. This set the tone for our entire set. We used the being uncomfortable because of the humidity to our advantage. Our delivery felt real intense. After we were done playing Shane came up to me as I was drinking some water and said "Once I started doing windmills I just couldn't stop". Within an hour his finger tips were completely bruised. <br />
<br />
<object width="465" height="286"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/7HiMThNmKNk&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/7HiMThNmKNk&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="465" height="286"></embed></object><br />
<br />
I ended up hanging out with King's Horses after the show in the garage of the venue. That's another nice thing about playing an all ages show - it's done early enough that you can actually hang. The show wrapped up around 11:30P and there left plenty of time to post show relax. The show went smoother than ever and couldn't have been more fun!<br />
<br />
<b><br />
Again, please take the time to check out King's Horses, Ten Paces, Fire and We Are Hex. I swear you won't be disappointed!</b>thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-57895648166437330832010-06-29T22:07:00.000-07:002010-06-29T22:07:39.645-07:00Jessi's Blog - Favorite Making of Moments of 'Get Lost' Music VideoIf someone were to ask me what my favorite part of making this video was I would have to say how physical it was. It was an all around different experience for us. We were taken out of our comfort zones and were told to not only run around this huge building's basement, but to act. Anyone that knows us knows that this was quite the feat! We also worked with a completely different crew than we have on any our 3 previous videos. That also took us out of our comfort zones since we had become accustomed to working with them. This also proved to be a positive for us though as we were almost able to step out of ourselves and become exactly what the director imagined for this video. That director being our good and very talented friend <b><a target="_blank" href="http://jacenk.net/">Jason Kraynek</a></b>. We met Jason at one of our Chicago shows a few years back. He came to the show without knowing any of us and from that night on we were friends. He shot some photos of us that night and said to let him know the next time we were coming down to play a show and we could meet up and do an actual shoot. That's just what we did. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacenk/sets/72157615538137369/">Those turned out great</a>, so when he asked to do a video with us there was no doubt in our minds that it was going to be awesome!<br />
<br />
<b><a target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2XHFksrAEI">So check out the latest New Loud video 'Get Lost'!</a></b> Special thanks to Jason K, Jeremy, Sebastien, Ted, John, Jelena, Colin and Marion!thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-11109026666119419552010-06-29T21:53:00.000-07:002010-06-29T21:53:18.934-07:00'Get Lost' on The Evil Dead Fan Website!<a href="http://www.evildeadnews.com/2010/06/featured-video-new-loud-get-lost-evil.html">http://www.evildeadnews.com/2010/06/featured-video-new-loud-get-lost-evil.html</a>thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-79563644673805494152010-06-28T17:58:00.000-07:002010-06-28T17:58:44.355-07:00The New Loud - Get Lost - Music Video<object width="465" height="282"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/a2XHFksrAEI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/a2XHFksrAEI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="465" height="282"></embed></object><br />
<br />
The New Loud performing Get Lost<br />
<b><br />
'Get Lost'</b> is the 3rd single from The New Loud LP 'Measures Melt' Produced by Shane Olivo, Mixed by Mark Trombino released June 2010. Music video directed, written and edited by <b><a target="_blank" href="http://jacenk.net/">jacenK</a></b>.<br />
<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.newloud.com">http://www.newloud.com</a><br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://thenewloud.bandcamp.com">http://thenewloud.bandcamp.com</a><br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.itunes.com/thenewloud">http://www.itunes.com/thenewloud</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Camera: Sebastien Audinelle, jacenK<br />
Steadicam: Sebastien Audinelle<br />
Gaffer: Ted Nimz<br />
Grip: Colin Jones<br />
Puppet Masters: Jelena Kreitmayer, John Rodriguez, Ted Nimz, jacenK<br />
Crew: Marion Audinelle, Jelena Kreitmayer, John Rodriguez<br />
Titles: Jeremy Pettisthenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-75074075774932909762010-06-22T15:57:00.001-07:002010-06-22T15:57:32.093-07:00Jessi's Blog - Pridefest Recap!Pridefest in Milwaukee is quite the experience. There's definitely something there for everyone. Whether you're there for the music, food, or just plain people watching - you're in a for a great time!<br />
<br />
We arrive at the Summerfest grounds where the fest is held at 10:30am. We are supposed to head straight to the restricted parking lot (which is half way across the fest). We realize that there's no way we would be able to carry all of our gear across the fest to the Dance pavilion where we're supposed to be playing in an hour and a half, so Rad went to hunt down a golf cart or shuttle to help in loading our gear. While we're waiting for him to get back a guy pulls up in a golf cart and asks if we need any help getting to our stage. We of course take him up on this offer! We got to know our golf cart escort, Jason, real well on our 6 trips back and forth from the van to the stage. This was his first time at Pridefest also and he told me that he was super-impressed by how welcoming and genuinely nice all the people were. He's from Chicago and said that with this positive experience he'll definitely make the trip back next year!<br />
<br />
So we're all loaded onto the stage and the soundcheck runs smoothly thanks to our sound guy Nick and Pridefest's sound guy Brian Miller. This being our first time playing the fest we wanted to make sure that we sounded the absolute best we could. I ended up heading back to the van with Jason's help to pick up the two extra speakers that we brought along just in case. The sound was incredible for playing such a large stage! Everything was crystal clear.<br />
<br />
Due to our Sunday noon slot - the first of the day - there weren't too many people there, but once we started people began to filter through. We got a decent response especially for the early time slot. We ran straight through our 30 minute set with very little stopping. I remember thinking 'didn't we just finish our second song and now we're almost done?!'. We wrap up and our new buddy Jason was waiting to help us load everything back to the van. He was able to catch our set and said he really enjoyed our funky dance sound. So we take our 6 or 7 trips back and forth from the stage to the van watching the different bands as we pass by on our golf cart.<br />
<br />
Nick and I made a plan to head back to watch Shunda K at 4:30pm on the same stage we just got done playing on. The New Loud just finished a remix for a Shunda K song called 'Here I am to save the world'. Not only was she super nice and wants to get together for some dual touring, but she tore it up on stage! It was great to finally get the opportunity to meet her as she's from Florida and we don't get there too often.<br />
<br />
Nick and I walked around and checked out the different booths and stages before the rain came. Luckily the rain held off until we were ready to leave.<br />
<br />
This was our first year playing Pridefest and I already can't wait until next year!thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-72391796054374099002010-06-11T06:58:00.001-07:002010-06-14T14:12:02.095-07:00Measures Melt - Street Voice UK ReviewTHE NEW LOUD - Measures Melt: The New Loud impressed me with their last EP<br />
and now they've done it again with the release of their debut album. The<br />
indie-electro-punk sound with dual male / female vocals is sure to be a hit<br />
this summer as these are another band that can easily target both the<br />
commercial and indie lovers of music. I'd be surprised if this didn't go<br />
down well in clubs up and down the country too! New Loud leader Steve Olivo<br />
has created something very cool by bringing all these great musicians and<br />
having them gel so well. If you don't believe me when I say just how good<br />
this band are then check out tracks such as 'Secrets', 'Wrapped In Plastic',<br />
'Out Of Control' and 'Every Girl I See'. You couldn't wish to hear better<br />
songs this summer and I don't say that lightly either! <br />
<br />
9/10thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9169407063071257145.post-41077119087948533712010-03-30T11:54:00.000-07:002010-03-30T11:54:44.267-07:00FREE EP Download 1 WEEK!!!!Hey Everyone,<br />
<br />
The New Loud music video for 'Heaven' went up on March 10. 10 days after we reach 1000 plays. 10 days after that we reached 3000 plays - double the amount of plays in the first 10 day span!<br />
<br />
<b>We want to say thank you by offering our new EP 'Can't Stop Not Knowing' to everyone for FREE for 1 Week!</b><br />
<br />
Go here and click 'Download Album'!<br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://thenewloud.bandcamp.com/album/cant-stop-not-knowing">http://thenewloud.bandcamp.com/album/cant-stop-not-knowing</a><br />
<br />
Chicago show on Thursday April 1st!<br />
Denver and Omaha in May!<br />
<br />
<b>BIG, BIG THANKS, everybody!!!!</b><br />
<br />
<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QHgYOy1h9r0&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QHgYOy1h9r0&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>thenewloudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12339321692955937876noreply@blogger.com0