So here I am. I'd actually been on NuTang every day but haven't posted an entry. I haven't felt 'right' for a while and I'd just stare at the blank entry box and couldn't get myself to write anything. I'd visit a friend's 'blog and after reading an entry I'd feel compelled to leave them a comment. Just to stare at the blank comment box. I don't feel much different but I am going to give this entry writing thing my best shot.

Well after months of not having a drummer and not playing shows (which has created a kind of withdrawal) we enlisted a drummer last Saturday! He had heard our songs on our MySpace profile but I had to describe to him how we wanted to sound which was different from what those songs would indicate. He seemed to really like how I was explaining how we'd like them to sound. Unfortunately our bassist was very, very, very late and never made it to the practice while we were auditioning the drummer. But about halfway through he told us that he loved what we were doing and if we were interested he really wanted to join the band. So for the second half of practice we officially had a drummer. He brings a ton of energy to the band and our sound which is what we desperately needed. He plays with passion and energy and has an attitude which brings some more fire to the group.

We practiced last night and Brian (our bassist) couldn't make it again. So we're going to work around his schedule as best as we can. In all fairness we were set to practice 2-5pm which Brian was okay with. But then Vinnie (the new drummer) had a job come up and he couldn't start until 5pm. I called Brian and asked him if 5-8pm would be okay. He said it would be fine and I knew it was good for Chad. So i called and the 5-8 was open. Then later Friday night Brian calls and says that he forgot but last night wouldn't be good. We talked for 45 minutes about the new sound and the new drummer and the compilation I mentioned in my previous entry. He really wanted to be able to be there to play with the new drummer and get ready for shows again but he just couldn't be there. Hopefully he can make it to the next ones.

We're looking to practice for 3 hours the next two practices and hopefully within a month be playing shows. Which is a very, very quick turnaround. But Chad, Brian and myself have been playing all of this for a long time now...even if the sound was different so that pretty much leaves it up to the drummer and he told us that he'll be ready in one month when I had given us a goal of being show ready in two months. Now of course even if we are show ready in a month...it'll take a handfull of shows to really get our sets to be how we like them. But I can tell that we'll come along very quickly.

This week my work schedule goes back to normal. My food manager is back from courses and started working again yesterday. I had been working the morning shift for two weeks to cover for her and personally, I think I did a damned good job. But I was left more exhausted! Much more. As soon as I got in I had to make one of each kind of mini pizza, two chicken sandwiches (which is a multi-step process of its own), two orders of chicken tenders, one order of each type of chicken wings that we had, 5 hamburgers and 5 cheeseburgers, one order of cheesy breadsticks, one pepperoni roll and a few other things. Which would take an entire half hour or so. While refreshing anything that didn't sell and remaking anything that is sold I had to proof pizzas...which is putting butter in a pizza pan, putting the frozen crust shell in, let it sit for about 4 hours until it has risen to where it can be used and then putting it into the freezers..., premake all crusts that had already been proofed (I have to put sauce and cheese on the larges. There's a freezer in the back where we keep premade minis which include plain, pepperoni, sausage and combo with 5 different toppings and I have to refill this freezer), as well as keep the toppings filled/refreshed and all of the chicken tenders, wings, burger patties and anything else that's stored in the maketable. Oh yes...also have to keep the grill stocked with hotdogs, chipotle sausages, cheeseburger dogs..and whatever else they may have.

So yes, I was constantly busy. Running around and carrying a lot of weight all over the place. But the time had gone pretty quickly.

Last week I revisited something I'd missed badly but the weather would never allow me to do it. I would walk. At night. With my favorite music playing (whatever it would happen to be at the time). This started back when I was in high school and couldn't sleep. I'd walk about a mile and a half to one of the 3 7-Elevens in this town and back. It would help tire me out a little more to sleep and it also allowed me to clear my head and think about...whatever I felt needed to be thought about. The when Chad and I started etheracide we would write music, take the walk to 7-Eleven to get some food and coffee, go back to write and/or record more music, relax with our food and watch a movie until we fell asleep. We would discuss music, our songs and general things going on in our lives. While he was away at college and I was working on my degree locally I was still walking every night if the weather allowed it. And many times that the weather didn't allow..but I did it anyway. i'd think of what the program I am coding and how to get past a snag or music or whatever was going on in my life at the time.

So this week I walked. I can go past the very same 7-Eleven that used to be the midpoint of the walk on the way back to my old neighborhood where my walks used to start. So basically it was just like "old times" but in the opposite direction. But it helped me feel better. I listened to a lot of music but the most frequently played was the new Fall Out Boy album which I'd mentioned in a previous entry. Despite the walks I still feel listless. I am not sure of the cause as during my walk I still couldn't quite put my finger on it. I'll keep working on it though.

I guess that's about it. A lot went on in the last two weeks but most of it was the same thing repeated each day. But we have a new drummer and should be able to start playing shows again VERY soon which is awesome and I am getting somewhat close to being able to release our new site as the programming is coming along fairly steadily.

Here's hoping everything's well with you.
Have an outrageous Sunday!

Yours truly.
me

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I have other stuff to mention but I will try to write it in the morning before work. But the following is mucho important!!!!!

As long as I haven't replied too late due to computer issues it looks like a song of ours will be on a national compilation sold in some big retail chains!! I've had my band over on D-Music for years and I saw a posting that they are going to create an album to be sold in these big chains and music stores all over whose proceeds will go to several charities that help wounded soldiers and the families of soldiers that have been killed in the current conflicts. So the money goes towards very, very, very good use! By them putting the album out and our having a song on it shows our allegiance to our soldiers and their families that endure the hardships that come from such service. We are not saying that we are for the war...but that we are for the soldiers that unfortunately must fight it.

As soon as I get definites I will of course post them. But if their plans work out you won't have ANY trouble getting a copy if you live in the US.

I submitted our intent and then we were added to a list. They then had a group of unbiased music lovers whiddle the list down to an appropriate number for a CD. I picked absolved because we believe that the tone and meaning of the song have something to do with the cause. Hopefully I ended up getting back to them in time because it would be awesome for us and even more awesome to think of those that we may have helped to help. I will send everyone I know to get a copy and buy a bunch to give away as presents.

As I learn more such as locations (should definitely be orderable online from their site when it's released), price, etc... I will post it immediately! Thank you and god bless!

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