Thanksgiving 2008

What did I do for Thanksgiving 2008? What was going on that fall? Say, wasn't that the last few months before I hit it big and toured the nation? :-D

Well, for Givingofthanks day I went to Chicago to be with Grandma and Grandpa while Mom, Dad, Daniel, Daisy and UK met up down in South Carolina. I took the weekend after Tday off, so I had 7 straight days off, which was great. Dragged myself out of bed Wednesday afternoon, packed up, and suffered through a few spots of holiday traffic to arrive at 10:30pm CST. Grandpa was doing pretty well when I got there, but things went downhill for a few days and he was in pretty bad pain, and really out of it until things cleared up Sunday afternoon. Before all that, he was moving around, helping Grandma make Jolly Jump-ups for breakfast, and even went to Baker's Square Friday night. Each individual thing, though, was a big deal, and he could only take 1 or 2 things a day. We did go to his first physical therapy appointment Monday, but after I left, his back has been so bad he's actually back in the hospital at the moment. Rough times now, but we had some good times while I was there.

I got to talk with Grandma a lot, which was great, and we all had a long discussion about my thoughts regarding Guardian, chemical engineering, music, and studying recording. I rented a peck of movies on Thursday, and watched one most nights after everyone retired. I also had my MicroKorg and drum machine set up on the coffee table, and would jam on those at times. Got some pretty deef jams recorded on my cell phone! Sunday I went to a Sovereign Grace-like church, which that week was sharing their service with a nearby smaller church and having a baptism afterwards. The one church was mostly white, and the guest church was mostly black, so it was a very interesting service, and really glorified Christ with the unity that they showed. Very cool churches.

I left Monday evening, heading out from fresh Aurelio's pizza and Monday Night Football countdown to traverse the long cloudy path to Akron. I rolled into Hoffmans' at 1:20am and me and Steve hung out till I fell asleep, around 3 I think. Over the next 36 hours I packed about a week's worth of action in, which made for a fun end to the whole trip. Steve and I woke up around 11, hung around the house for lunch with Scott and Philip, met up with Craig and Guitar Center, drove in my car to the dollar theater for a movie, hit a nearby mall to look for a coat for Steve, grabbed an excellent dinner at Red Robin, and went to the Manastary (house of christian college guys they all know). Jammed in Andy's room, shot some pool, and finally headed to Northside, where this SWEET guy was playing blues. Guitar, harmonica, and a mic'd box to tap his feet on, and he was good to go. I even got to play for awhile when he took a smoke break, which was sweet! Busted out some Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, and some old Leadbelly. Made me want to learn more songs (which I've done so far).

We wrapped up the night back at the Manastary, playing Mortal Kombat in the freezing living room and then watching a movie till 6am. The sun was beginning to paint the sky with light as we rolled back to the Hoffman's and bedded down in the den.

And that was about it. I got home close to 5pm, so it was tight getting dressed and ready for work, but I got there in time, and it all worked out. Definitely a good trip, very good and right to be there with G&G, and a sweet surreal time in Akron to cap it off.

What else is going on these days? My recording rig is still maddeningly on the fritz, but I just borrowed Justin's interface, 'cause it's been killing me to be unable to lay anything down. I broke a string on the black SG, and I want to find out what kind of strings the previous owner used, so it's still broke, and that's killin me as well. That guitar is so good! Mom is in Chicago again--rough times like I said--but this time she flew, so Dad and I still have Daisy. I'm off today (Wednesday) and tomorrow, and then it's the long weekend of days. Planning to go to the Strip District this morning to do some sophisticated grocery shopping :-)

Daniel is finishing up his semester, and the Grove City dynamic is changing as a lot of those folks I think are going to Dr. Duguid's church in GC now (which is cool - a great church). Ken is having amazing experience after amazing opportunity in Africa, and won't be home for Christmas (doing a private tour for some family related to the Rockefellers). Mom (when she's home) meets with lots of different ladies in the church, and continues to make marvelous, delicious and healthy food for the household. The new house plans are maybe kinda sorta on hold with all that's going on with Grandpa, and also all the projects that still need to be done/finished around this house.

I hang out with Mike Q a lot, especially on nights like this when I don't have anything the next day. It's cool to have a friend who isn't bound by regular job or school schedules. 'Course, he could use a job though :-)

I rear-ended somebody at a red light a few weeks ago (sun in my eyes), and it's been assessed, so I think tomorrow I'll be taking it in to get fixed. Still getting lousy mileage, so I'll probably have to take it to a mechanic and get it put on the diagnostic machine to see what's up. Drinkin' coffee/caffeine every working day. Still trying to gain back the weight I lost from the flu/stomach flu/food poisoning bout. Went ice skating Sunday, knees sore from that. Wanting to do the exercise bikes and get those knees into shape a bit. Listening to Christmas music, XM, and just whatever strikes my fancy. From sea shanties to Jet.

Right now it's 1:30am. I fell asleep in the basement watching TV, dragged myself up here around midnight, gathered up the garbage and took it now, got all wakey-wakey, wrote this, and now I'm going to set up and sleep out on the patio, since it's a freakishly warm 55 degrees out there.

If I think of any other bits of life these days, I'll jot 'em down here in the morning.

Light-up night
Bitter cold lately
Daisy's weight
YC09!
AEX football game?