TGD

Unloading soybeans from the drying bin. Soon to become tofu, Silk milk, soap, etc.

Also: I turned 10,000 days old yesterday.

I had the most enjoyable drive home from DeKalb on Sunday morning. I should have been exhausted, having spent a very long night watching bands, playing a set, watching more bands, attending after-parties, trying to sleep but being very uncomfortable, waking up a lot, and trying to sleep some more. But when I decided to slip out of John’s place around 7:30am (I should say slip out undetected, as I managed not to wake the other party-goers asleep all around me), I felt amazing. The sun was rising, the air was cool and crisp (but not cold). I walked quickly through the quiet neighborhood, everyone in their houses still asleep from the late night before. And when I reached my car and started to defrost the windows, I was excited — in a way that I really can’t explain. I immediately turned the radio off. Just like every other “morning after” play a show, the last thing I wanted to hear was more music. The radio stayed off the entire drive home, as I instead focused on taking in the views of the “scenic route”. And this time, I took an even more scenic route, down what I will from here on out refer to as the “secret road”, past my favorite hidden nursery. Let me explain.

I stumbled upon this secret place last Halloween when some construction forced me to find an alternate path to DeKalb. I can still vividly recall what it was like approaching the huge, intricate fields of this nursery, with rows upon rows of different tree and plant varieties arranged in interlocking rectangular and quarter-circle sections across small hillsides and valleys. I remember the sun was about to start setting, and I slowed down (almost to a stop) to take in the views of long evening shadows in fields that seems to go on forever. Two workers sat on top of a big stack of hay bales on the back of a flatbed truck that was parked just beyond the row of perimeter trees (small maples, as I recall). I started thinking about where I was going, to spend an evening catching up with friends and playing music for a bunch of people that just wanted to party, and then thinking about what these guys were doing out here in the fields. I really had second thoughts about where I was going. I didn’t want to leave the fields. And then the workers, backlit by the setting sun, each gave a wave to me. I felt like that meant something, like I was lucky to have found this secret place, and that I could come back and see it again when I need too. I waved back and continued on.

Required Friday Listening: “One Way Out” - The Allman Brothers Band

Mario’s Guitar Shop (Episode ?: The Final Episode)

OUT: The recently purchased Fender Custom Shop ‘56 NOS Stratocaster. After a few months of playing this new guitar and repeatedly going back to my 13-year-old Fender Tex-Mex Stratocaster, I came to the realization that 1) no new Stratocaster could ever really compare to my original (with its incredible tone, comfortable wear, and truckloads of character), 2) another Stratocaster was the last thing I needed, and 3) that I would have to sell back the ‘56 NOS. Armed with some serious negotiation skills and more than usual amount of luck, I was able to make a deal with a local big box music shop in which I got back pretty much all of my money. Cha-ching.

IN: Paul Reed Smith Smokeburst McCarty (pictured above). After years of trying a variety of guitars, thinking about my tone, and carefully examining my options, I finally made what really should have been the obvious choice all along: to get the exact guitar I’ve always dreamed about building. Woody burst top, rosewood board, body binding, set neck, simple bridge, vintage hardware, minimal controls (w/ volume close to bridge pickup), and 59 PAF-ish humbuckers. And for years, the PRS McCarty had always been that guitar, but I never could find one that got everything exactly right. Enter the new limited edition model for the 2009 Experience PRS event: thin nitro semi-gloss satin “Paul’s Finish”, maple smokeburst top, mahogany back, mahogany wide/fat set neck, vintage tuners, rosewood fretboard with bird inlays, 57/08 bass and treble humbuckers, stoptail, volume / tone (w/ push-pull pot) / 3-way selector. Found THE GUITAR (one of 2) at Willcutt Guitars in Lexington, KY (my new favorite dealer) and had them ship it up. Even negotiated down to the same price as my ‘56 NOS. Cha-ching x2. Anyway, it’s breathtaking (looks even better in person). I now have the only two guitars I’ll ever need. I’ll never buy another guitar again.

Yeah, right.

I was looking through the Lego holiday catalog at work today. No surprise: I’d love to get the combine or any of the farm sets or really anything else in the catalog.

I like when I get these kind of emails from Joe “Lights Out” Biden.

Make Your Own Shake Shack Burger

I’m getting excited about this year’s harvest (we should start in a week or so). This photo was taken during the 2007 harvest.

Downhill Racer, one of my favorite movies, was randomly on TCM tonight. Camilla Sparv (and her hat), goddamn.