Grrr

Forcing myself to make phone calls with the promise of reward: spending time on a new blog post. Coming soon??

What Do Politics and Lawn Care Have in Common? By Jill Martin (My Momma)

What a strange comparison! How can politics have any to do with lawn care? Have you ever spent hours upon hours working in your yard, and you are so pleased with the outcome, that you stand back and admire your workmanship… until you see that one thing that stands out like a sore thumb! Across the yard, a branch or twig dared to fall on your beautifully manicured lawn, so now your yard looks horrible! You won’t be able to be totally satisfied with your completed yard-work, until you go all the way over there and pick up that one branch. Or, if it’s not a branch or a twig, there’s that one, single blade that decided to be a rebel and elude that mower, no matter how many times you ran over it with the mower!

You’ve been so careful and deliberate to get that yard picture-perfect, and it has taken you so much time and tedious care to achieve that goal… if it weren’t for that one single, rebellious blade or daredevil twig!!

What’s the first thing that anyone will notice when they look across your beautifully manicured yard? Will they notice how you have trimmed the sidewalk and driveway so perfectly that there isn’t one blade that dares to poke it’s little head across that cement line? Will they notice that there is no longer any yellowing in the grass, due to fungus or disease, because you have spent all kinds of money or whatever is out there to get rid of it? Will they notice how you so carefully weed-eated every tree trunk and nook and cranny? Will they notice that you were very careful so as not to leave any tire ruts across that vast grass expanse? Will they notice that that bald spot, due to fungus and disease, is now growing back over? NO! They will notice that one single twig that has dared to fall!!

Now, let’s look at your next door neighbor. Obviously, they are not as meticulous, and careful as you. They let their grass grow knee deep; they don’t pick up the sticks that have fallen; there are children’s toys are strewn everywhere - at all times; the weeds are growing in the flower beds, so high that you can barely see the flowers, or whatever is “deemed” as such; the grass is wilting and turning brown from lack of watering; there are mole tunnels and gofer hills everywhere; the tree that has fallen three months ago is still laying there, with grass growing even taller amongst its branches! I could go on, but I think you can get a visual on this yard, as we all have witnessed such a “yard”.

So, you ask yourself that question; where do you begin to “fix” that yard? Do you start with the fallen tree? The grass growing up to your knees, or the half-grown shoots that are all over sidewalk, driveway and road? Or the toys scattered all over the place? What about the flowerbeds? Where do you start? Can you even conceive of nit-picking those areas that have been overlooked or “rebelled”? The whole, entire yard needs help!

Compare that with your yard. You have spent hours upon hours in your yard, and what is it that someone will point out and question you or ridicule you? It is that ONE twig or blade of grass daring to stand so boldly in that perfectly manicured, and sculptured, green lawn!

THAT, is how lawns compare to politics! Your yard – Republicans (McCain/Palin). Neighbor’s yard – Democrats (Obama/Biden). Republicans have just those few “twigs” to clean up. Democrats – Where do you begin???

Beautiful Things

It's pictures like these that make me want to be a photographer:



Jessica Claire (www.jessicaclaire.net) is the photographer. I don't stalk many websites, but hers...definitely.








Haha, just noticed that the main color theme in all of those pictures is green. Weird.

Part of Growing

"Oh, eternal and everlasting God, direct my thoughts, words and work. Wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the Lamb and purge my heart by the Holy Spirit. Daily, frame me more and more in the likeness of thy son, Jesus Christ, that living in thy fear, and dying in thy favor, I may in thy appointed time obtain the resurrection of the justified unto eternal life. Bless, O Lord, the whole race of mankind and let the world be filled with the knowledge of thy son, Jesus Christ."
-George Washington

It's amazing how the perspective of a blog post changes when it's started out with acknowledgment of the faithfulness of God. I started typing this earlier and it was whiny and annoying and sounded just like everything else I've ever written. When I realized that, it hit me that if something I'm writing sounds just like everything else I've written, there's something wrong. Old adamic nature's creeping back into places I've grown in: I'm getting lazy.

I was in the car with my Grandaddy one Sunday, and I was asking him about his week and how things were going. He expressed concern to me that things weren't busy enough. He wasn't able to actively work on different real estate (not only is he my Church's pastor, but he's a full-time real estate agent) deals and keep his mind working. Granted, he saw God's grace in the situation and was able to change the spare time into much needed study time for a sermon; but the reason for his saying these things were not to complain; but that it seriously concerned him to not be busy, all day, six days a week.

Well...my first reaction was surprise...and then I thought about it. For me, I'm ready for the week to be over by Wednesday so I can sleep (granted I never get to bed when I should), and come Friday I definitely don't feel like working. And even Saturday, a day that's supposedly a work-day is wasted doing a whole lot of nothing (okay not really, but you get my point).
So the more I thought about it, the more it convicted me how lazy I really am. Physically and mentally. Once you stop working or actively thinking, you get bored. Once you get bored, you start thinking about how bored you are. And from there it's downhill because you just can't quit thinking about yourself because you have nothing else to do.

So not only does it make you unhappy, you suffer in every other way as well; your mind isn't on doing things well to the glory of the Father (chief end of man...it's kinda important ;-) ). How can people grow under those circumstances, for that is the basis in which we can (by grace) grow?
I think that's why Grandaddy was fearful of not being busy; idle hands, idle mind, idle heart.

Exodus 20:8

8 “ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.


Proverbs 10:1-4

1 The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son makes a glad father,
But a foolish son is the grief of his mother.
2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing,
But righteousness delivers from death.
3 The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish,
But He casts away the desire of the wicked.
4 He who has a slack hand becomes poor,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

Proverbs 19:15
11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,
And his glory is to overlook a transgression.
12 The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is like dew on the grass.
13 A foolish son is the ruin of his father,
And the contentions of a wife are a continual dripping.
14 Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the LORD.
15 Laziness casts one into a deep sleep,
And an idle person will suffer hunger.
16 He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who is careless^[a] of his ways will die.

Anyway, I could say more on this, but, I'm going to leave it at that. Comments or thoughts would be cool. :)

Straight and to the point: forgive my lack of tact!

For all of you who haven’t had a chance to listen to the show over the past few days, we have news. The Viking and I, along with our sponsor/employer, TogiNet Radio, have all mutually agreed that the wisest course of action to take regarding the Blondie and Viking Show is to reduce it to a once-a-week, two-hour show, as opposed to a five-day-a-week, one-hour show. Why you ask? We are tired of talking. Okay, not really. We just feel at this point it’d be better to cut the show back to a manageable, easier-to-chew time table.

No, this isn’t the end of B&V! Are you kidding? We just need to re-group and re-charge. We’ve shared so much of our lives with you over the past year; we feel that if we left, someone would commit suicide!

Anyway, so I hope you’re all able to listen to us every Friday morning from 10am to 12pm (CST). Except for this Friday because I’m going to be in South Louisiana for my good friend’s wedding. We’ll be bigger, we’ll be better; we’ll have way more to talk about because we wouldn’t have wasted our topics on the four days prior to it. It will be off the hook.

Supreme Court Strikes Down D.C. Gun Law

Information supplied by Wikipedia, and sent to me by my friend Bethany. ;-)

On June 26, 2008, by a 5 to 4 decision, the Supreme Court upheld the federal appeals court ruling, striking down the D.C. gun law. Justice Antonin Scalia, writing for the majority, stated, "In sum, we hold that the District's ban on handgun possession in the home violates the Second Amendment, as does its prohibition against rendering any lawful firearm in the home operable for the purpose of immediate self-defense ... We affirm the judgment of the Court of Appeals."^[30] This ruling upholds the first federal appeals court ruling ever to void a law on Second Amendment grounds.^[31]

The Court based its reasoning on the grounds:

• that the operative clause of the Second Amendment—"the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed"—is controlling and refers to a pre-existing right of individuals to possess and carry personal weapons for self-defense and intrinsically for defense against tyranny, based on the bare meaning of the words, the usage of "the people" elsewhere in the Constitution, and historical materials on the clause's original public meaning;
• that the prefatory clause, which announces a purpose of a "well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State", comports with the meaning of the operative clause and refers to a well-trained citizen militia, which "comprised all males physically capable of acting in concert for the common defense", as being necessary to the security of a free polity;
• that historical materials support this interpretation, including "analogous arms-bearing rights in state constitutions" at the time, the drafting history of the Second Amendment, and interpretation of the Second Amendment "by scholars, courts, and legislators" through the late nineteenth century; and
• that none of the Supreme Court's precedents forecloses the Court's interpretation, specifically United States v. Cruikshank (1875), Presser v. Illinois (1886), nor United States v. Miller (1939).

However, "[l]ike most rights, the Second Amendment is not unlimited. It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose." The Court's opinion "should not be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms."

Therefore, the District of Columbia's handgun ban, which "amounts to a prohibition on an entire class of 'arms' that Americans overwhelmingly choose for the lawful purpose of self-defense," and the requirement that any firearm in the home be disassembled or bound by a trigger lock, which "makes it impossible for citizens to use arms for the core lawful purpose of self-defense," is ruled unconstitutional.

The opinion of the court, delivered by Justice Scalia, was joined by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. and by Justices Anthony M. Kennedy, Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr.

At last, my love has come along, My lonely days are over, And life is like a song.

Wikipedia:
Etta James (born Jamesetta Hawkins on January 25, 1938) is an American blues, soul, R&B, rock & roll and jazz singer and songwriter. James is the winner of four Grammys, seventeen Blues Music Awards, and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Grammy Hall of Fame both in 1999 and 2008. In the 1950s and 60s, she had her biggest success as a blues and R&B singer. She is best known for her 1961 ballad "At Last", which has been classified as a "timeless classic"^{[citation needed]} and has been featured in many movies and television commercials since its release.

"At Last" is a 1941 song written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren and first performed by Glenn Miller. Although the song was a major hit for Miller, it was largely forgotten until it was covered by blues singer Etta James. James was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, for her rendition of "At Last".^[1]

The song became James' signature song and was the third in a string of successful songs from her Chess Records debut album At Last!. Upon the song's release in April 1961, it became her second number-two R&B hit and crossed over to pop radio, reaching number forty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite its rather low pop chart standing, the song is well-known and is still played regularly on oldies radio stations.

That Wikipedia. Fountain of knowledge. I was watching the Wall-E trailer in anticipation of the movie coming out TOMORROW (*fist pump*), and that song was in it. It made me go "Oohh, I want it."

So, guys. What's going on? (I expect you to comment and let me know!) It's been a while since I've given you a show update. For those of you who haven't been able to listen in, we've now taken the show down to a mere ONE HOUR. Crazy, right? Well, we have been talking about doing so for a while with our boss. Not that we don't like talking for two hours, but we've come to the conclusion that two hours is a huge chunk out of your day to ask you to set aside for us. So, in gratitude of your listener/readership, this is our gift, to you. To be able to listen guilt-free because you're only wasting, or may I say...enriching your life, one hour a day.

We keep adding little inconspicuous...additions..(redundancy...-5 points) to the site! We have new friends down there in the "Our Friends" box. Rockwells Coffee Brewery, Andrew Givler (The Givlerator), Merelight Photography Studio, and Abi Vrazo (owner of Merelight).


Oh, new favorite thing. Other then Wikipedia. VITAMIN WATER.



VitaminWater consists of vapor distilled, deionized, and/or reverse osmosis water; crystalline fructose (derived from corn syrup) as a sweetener; citric acid; electrolytes; natural flavors; and vitamins, including Vitamin C, B3, B5, B6, B12, and E. Other ingredients are added according to the flavor and intended purpose of the drink.

The only down side...50 calories per serving, and there's 2.5 servings in a bottle. But totally worth it.

Praise Him all creatures here below.

As I write this, I’m fighting back tears that have been threatening to spill for a few days. Growing pains hurt, and when you’re faced with having to swallow your pride constantly, obey authority, and listen to wise instruction, your heart groans for relief from sinful depravity and the natural want to rebel.

1 Peter 2:21-25

21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us,^[f] leaving us^[g] an example, that you should follow His steps:
22 “ Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;^[h]

23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls

Having gained access to the Holy Place through the Lamb slain, to be greeted by the Body and Blood of Christ, Holy Spirit connecting us to Christ the Word, and the Holy incense of the Universal Church’s prayers being offered up into the presence of the King, with much fear and trepidation we repent and die to sin daily so that we may live unto righteousness.

Blessings are abundant; comfort and relief abound in the arms of the Savior.

Confessions Part 3

I have a confession.

Independent artists, as a whole, bug me.

Wild, right? Apart from a few artists I've interviewed that I've really liked and wished I could do more to help them with their careers, the majority of unsigned artists out there are lazy drama queens. And that applies to both men and women.

So this is a call to arms, ladies and gentlemen. IF you want to be taken seriously, I strongly advise that you take yourself seriously first. First impressions matter. Working hard matters. If you don't have the drive to put yourself out there, no matter what avenue it is, save someone's time and find a new calling. Dreams are great, but if you don't have the passion and want to truly succeed, give up. We won't call you a quitter if you're doing the general public a favor.
If you do have the drive, make yourself stand out in the ever-flowing river of hopeless, one-sided musical endeavors; for the sake of credibility, step outside of the Fall-Out-Boy persona of side-swiped bangs, white belts and insanely stylish Vans; yes it's stylish, but no, it's not original. Remember, there is room outside of the box. Lots of room.

Okay, rant over. :-) Y'all have a fabulous day.

Chocolate

is wonderful.

Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008
Jake Smith (podcast up soon)

"So I figure I can try to give you a little bit about me and the people I associate myself with without paying someone to do it for me. Please keep in mind that I am no more a "bio" writer than I am a piano player. (I play guitar...kind of!) I have seen and been through a lot in recent years, some of which I am almost tired of talking about, and others which I will leave to mystery. I have had my hopes up and seen great promise as well as felt the bottom and actually thought about going back to school. (yes this was a really low time) I have been flattered by kind words some of which I believe to be true. I have played sold out shows in front of a lot of awesome people and have played shows in front of screaming sound men...excuse me audio technicians. I have had my CD in stores, as well as on Ebay for 3 dollars. (which is actually more flattering than you would think) I have been signed to a label and have departed a label all in a years time. And to think, this is only year one. The point of all of that is to say this, WE are just getting started. If you like what you hear then be excited about the future and if for some reason you didn't like it, be excited about the future. I say WE, meaning me and the guys who play with me. We enjoy doing what we do and are blessed and honored to have others enjoy in it with us. I have learned a few things in this first chapter of my career. I can't do it alone. I need anyone and everyone who enjoys the music to support us in any way possible. I can't play without listeners, I can't know joy if I've never known sadness, and I can't know success without remembering just how bad it felt to fail. (over and over again)..." Read More...

Okay, so, I gave the corny analogy about his music yesterday in my blog post, so I won't do any crazy descriptions, but listening to Viking and Jake talk back and forth and hearing his story and what he's all about was (lookout for this descriptive adjective) humbling. He's a down-to-earth, normal guy from New Orleans who puts his pants on one leg at a time, has amazing music (and has only been playing within the last 2-3 years), he's already been in and out of a record label/manger/booking agent, and is able to grasp how one should conduct himself within the music industry. That's it. No bells and whistles. Flat out what it is, and how it should be.
I really respect his attitude about life and his career, in that even though this is his music and career, it's not all about him. He's out there using his gifts to help others and to spread the Word.

I'm not going to go any further because all of his music is pretty self-explanatory. So go listen. :)

Oh, and before I forget, his booking "Man Out Front" manager, JD, was a huge help getting all of this together. Thanks buddy.

www.jakesmithmusic.com

Monday morning!

And not a bad one! Imagine that! *smile*

It started off a bit slow. Don't you love it when you've just put nice, cool, clean sheets on your bed right before you turn in? For some reason I sleep 100% better when I do. Might be because by the time it's time for new sheets, half of my covers have fallen to the floor and the top sheet's all tangled up and a rogue sock is hiding in the foot of the bed.
Anyway, it started off slow because I did not want to get up. But that's okay. I did. So we're good.

Tomorrow on the show, Mr. Jake Smith will be joining us. Viking already called him my new boyfriend because I keep talking about how excited I am about interviewing him. Geez, this feels like a diary entry. "Dear Diary, tomorrow I get to interview Jake Smith..."

Jake's music is a beautiful fusion of rock, soul, and pop, perfectly seasoned with Tony Chachere's creole seasoning (I actually spelled "Chachere's" right...go figure). It's been a while since I've really been excited about someone's music, so give me a break with the funky analogies!

Tune in tomorrow...well...you know the time. Have a great Monday. :-)

We came. We saw. We survived Martin Family Reunion 08'.

Destin, Florida. I will live there one day.

For those of you who know me, you'll know that I hate the beach (granted that I have visited Southern California and loved their beaches). Okay, hate is a strong word: dislike would be a better one. We're in Texas, right? Our beach is considered to be either South Padre Island (which I've never been to) or Galveston Island, where the beach is covered in sea weed and is surrounded by a massive sea wall to keep those pesky hurricanes out, and the water looks like lake water (And about as flat too. When you think of a beach, you want to envision massive waves!! Common!!).

But now! We've hit the Gulf-Coast mother load! Emerald waters! White beaches! Excellent shopping centers! Panera Bread magnificence! Wonderful places to run! Fishing!! (yes, I even bated my own hook)!
And by we, I mean my entire family. Which is strange, because it's been literally years since we've all been together in one place. My grandparents wanted to get all of their kids and grandkids (and now great-grandkids!!) together before we all started getting married and moving off to various locations, making it harder to all be together. So after not having seen everyone in years, serious partying occurred.
Just to give you an idea of how much fun/beautiful it was, by the time the week ended, it was unanimous (18 people voting a unanimous vote is pretty impressive!) that we would all try to make the Destin party happen annually (and help Nana and Grandaddy with the cost...they forked out a crap load for all of us to stay in a huge house and go out to eat a couple times).

But, even though vacations are great, it is really good to be back home and to be getting back to work. All play and no work, no bueno. I'd still would have liked to have spent an extra week exploring all the different nooks and crannies, looking for fun Mom-And-Pop coffee shops and whatnot. We did all of the cool tourist attractions (Parasailing, GoKarting, Deep Sea Fishing, Pier Fishing...etc), but those are only cool for so long. After doing those you want to find out where the locals love to eat and hang out and all that great stuff. Next time...neeeext time!

Okay, so, I normally don't do the whole picture thing...but...I'm sure you get tired of me talking *smile*, so here you go.



Three TogiNet Employees (who happen to be siblings if you can't tell by resemblance)! Johnny (IT Director and general "Guru of Awesome"), Me in the middle, and Keri (Producer and research coordinator for the American Top 40 Countdown, and office culinary mastermind).


And then there's little bro, Sammy. Not a TogiNet employee yet, but once he's 18, he'll man the company salesman post. Seriously, he could sell ice to an Eskimo.


And then we have the 'rents! Mom...and Dad. Dad of course is the CEO of The Owners Group, Inc, which owns TogiEntertainment, which is the hub for TogiNet Radio. In other words, he writes our checks. Mom does a lot for the company as well; recently she's been addressing all the of the book boxes for the "The Naked Truth" pre-orders that will be shipped out on the 30th of May.


The house we stayed in!


Aaand there's the whole gang. I won't introduce everyone because that would take forever.


A bunch of us at the Gulf Coast Gulfarium...


A crazy kayaking expedition...


Some Go-Karting (isn't my cousin cute? No you can't date her)


But my grandparents are way cuter. And such a great example for all of their kids and grandkids and great grandkids of what a solid, Christian marriage should be like.


Some fishing!


Some crazy wicked parasailing! (notice the looks of terror) (The parasailing company's name was "Just Chute Me". I got a kick out of it.)


Late night walks on the beach...


Favorite second cousins in the world. :)


And of course, good times with really old friends.

Thank you Nana and Grandaddy for everything. :)

Oh, and here's Viking. He chilled at the office and took care of...well...everything while we we gone. Now he's showing his butt about it.


;-)

Sometimes all I need is the air that I breathe and to love you.

Am I the only girl on earth that gets uncomfortable with going into Victoria’s Secret? I think it must be a phobia of half-dressed manikins. In and of themselves, manikins are creepy (with or without limbs); but creepy AND mostly naked? That’s worse. Even when I pass the store in the mall, I find myself subconsciously averting my eyes from the windows. Weird.

After watching Fracture with Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling, I’ve come to get a big kick out of the word, “allegedly”.

al·leged
adj. Represented as existing or as being as described but not so proved; supposed.

We were reading the news this morning on the show, and there was an article that claimed an Illinois (or some other random state) teenager “allegedly” assaulted a police officer with M&M’s. Of course the funniest part is that the officer was assaulted with M&M’s, which you know…isn’t good, but using the word “allegedly” just makes it all important sounding. “California Disney theme-park visitor allegedly crapped his pants on new Space Mountain Rollercoaster. Disney, Inc refused to comment on the matter. Disney (Walt) Co, (Ticker Symbol: DIS) down thirty-eight points in the Nasdaq.”

I’m so sorry for not posting in a while! Things have been a bit slow for the show, but I’m confident that they’re going to be picking up very soon. This’ll be my last post until Monday the 26^th (Memorial Day…yes, I will be working!), at which point I’ll update you on the status of my Florida baked sun-tan and super calf-muscles from family sand volleyball tournaments. Y’all have a great week and relaxing Memorial Day Weekend…Holiday…thing. :)

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008
April Cover (listen to Podcast)

From the South's Magic City comes April Cover, a Birmingham-based four-piece whose melodic pop/rock songs echo a message of love and hopefulness through trials and brokenness. In their 3 years, April Cover has toured across the Southeast, the UK and shared the stage with acts such as AUGUSTANA, NEEDTOBREATHE, SARA BAREILLES, HAWK NELSON, BRETT DENNEN, SEABIRD, BY THE TREE, DISCIPLE and THE WORKING TITLE. With an ambition to make meaningful, powerful rock music and a love for playing live April Cover is MAGIC CITY ROCK.

Well, we talked to Vance Fite (Lead vocals and guitar) on the show yesterday, and from what he tells us, April Cover seem to have a pretty cool thing going! Their style of music isn't exactly my favorite, but, I heard Johnny (who's impossible to please at times) hollar from his office, "These guys aren't half bad!" And The Viking was of the same opinion! Boo on me *grin*. Hey, they toured in the US and Europe, and are planning on going back to Europe soon; they obviously have got something! :-)

"Everyone wants to "make it". Whatever "making it" means."

Monday, May 5th, 2008
Slingshot57 (Listen to Podcast)


There were two things I did not realize about Slingshot57.

1. They’re no longer together as a band.
(Okay, I knew that, but it had slipped my memory so I was caught off guard)
2. They’re Christians.

We were twenty minutes into the interview when Viking asked front man, Ben Woods, what the band’s plans were for the summer. We had been having some phone connection issues, so I wasn’t able to tell if Ben was surprised by the question. But even if he was he covered it well! He went on to talk about the different projects and activities his former band-mates were involved, and I suddenly remembered an e-mail I’d received from him telling me that they had broken up. Woops. Viking was sitting there staring at me as if to say, “WOMAN, what’d you forget this time?”

But since we’d been able to get the scoop on the band before I realized this, I was really struck with a bit of disappointment that they weren’t together anymore. Ben spoke with a lot of conviction, humility and passion for what Slingshot57 was all about. He mentioned that in our culture today, everyone and their dog listens to music. It’s something you really can’t get away from no matter who you are. But the one common thing a lot of rock bands out there have is that air of “we’re just a little bit cooler than you” to them; not saying they don’t love what they’re doing, but, it was stressed that Slingshot57 isn’t about cookie-cutting their image to fit in with the mainstream status quo. They’re about using their talents and gifts they’ve been blessed with to the best of their ability: to make good music with good lyrics that show true vulnerability, and to really make an effort to reach out to people, as opposed to telling ambiguous stories about random heartbreaks and endeavors to vindicate themselves.

“We set out with a desire to do something that matters.”

That hunger and desire to put excellent material out in the music world made me wonder if they were Christians. So I picked up the EP they sent us and read the lyrics to all of the songs. Sure ‘nuff, they were!

Over the eight years the guys were together, they released four albums (including their two newest EP’s, “Slingshot57” and “The Evidence”), selling 17,000 copies (of the four combined), and played over seven-hundred shows. In October of 07’, they made the hard, but mutual decision to part ways and pursue different projects. It wasn’t a decision that was made out of anger or one that spurred as a result of issues or problems within the band. But it was one that was made after seeking guidance and counsel, and much prayer.

So who knows? They don’t have that baggage or ill-will towards each other that a lot of broken up bands have. They might one day establish “Slingshot57: Reincarnate”. :-)

Here's a link to a project one of their band members is involved in:

Dramatic Habits

More to come!

And I get to kiss you, baby, just because I can.

Today has been absolutely insane. I could tell it was going to be a weird one when I was walking to the truck to go to work this morning. Okay, not really, but I'd like to say that now that I think back to when I was walking because it was really cloudy and muggy and gross outside and I didn't like it.

Well, the reason for the insanity is that a few tornadoes rolled through the East-Texas area this morning. Damaging pretty much nothing (that I know of) and scaring us all to death. One of the tornadoes (or the threat/funnel cloud/updraft of one) came through Tyler and apparently swooshed over the roof of our office while the sirens were going off and everyone in the office was running around trying to catch a glimpse of it. You'd think that being the brilliant people that we are; we'd take cover in our basement that has the convenient access point of running-down-the-steps-outside-to-the-parking-lot-and-unlocking-the-door-with-a-key-that-no one-seems-to-ever-have.

And then the other tornado came through the City of Lindale (where I live), again, damaging nothing, but put my mother in a frenzy and my little brother in tears, bless his heart!

But see...the insanity doesn't end there. After everything that happened with the weather, the boss-man came running up the stairs and tells me to "look under all the chairs and tables in the building!"
Apparently someone in the city leaked a threat that a bomb had been placed under a table or chair in a building somewhere in downtown Tyler. But come to find out, that bit of information wasn’t exactly accurate.
The real threat was that a cylinder bomb-like package had been left on a bench on the Downtown Square. You know, which is close to the original threat, but not as scary as the potential of it being in our office.

So after the city shut the square down, and barricaded the roads leading to it; they called in the bomb-squad and the threat ended up being some idiot that had just left a cylinder package in the square that was filled with crystal balls of some sort. Which is a bit scary in and of itself, but it’s no bomb.

I know I’m coming across flippant. These are really scary situations. But it’s late enough in the day that I can look back and laugh at how much I was freaking out. Thank the Lord that we were all kept safe.

Thursday, May 1st, 2008
Leaving Sangster (Listen to Podcast)


"I'm Leaving Sangster, higher than the plane that takes me home..."

"Leaving Sangster broke onto the Ontario Music scene in early 2005 and have quickly become a household name in the Hamilton/Burlington area. The line-up is built on the friendship and music of Andrew Barbisan (Guitar), Josh Harris (Drums), and Justin Sawicki (Vocals/Guitar). Playing up to four nights a week, the band and their fans eagerly await the release of a self-titled E.P recorded in Hamilton's legendary Grant Avenue Studio. The newly recorded songs bring to the helm a fusion of jazz rock and pop that are more infectiuous then a common cold. What's best is that they have no intention ..ping. The band also plans a full length L.P release sometime in the very near future, as well as a tour, and everything that comes along with getting their music to as many ears as possible. Leaving Sangster cites their influences as The Tragically Hip, Rheostatics, Wilco, Radiohead, Foo Fighters and Tool. The ones who listen closely can hear traces of these giants... and sometimes all in the same song. With an energetic live show, and an ever growing repertoire of catchy original music... Leaving Sangster should not be missed. Do yourself a favour and catch them while you can.

For a band that’s only been together for two and a half years, I’m impressed how Leaving Sangster has created such a professional image for themselves on the internet. It’s usually the bigger bands that stress a professional internet presence, but the guys have really got a cool thing going on their myspace (www.myspace.com/leavingsangster) and their band website (www.leavingsangster.com)!

They’re from Hamilton, Ontario, a city that’s quickly growing in size to become a suburb of Toronto, where the music scene is very competitive. The more popular genre being played in bars and clubs tends to lean more towards the heavy grunge side, which makes things even more competitive, but since Leaving Sangster has more of a softer pop/acoustic sound, they’re a shoe-in for popularity when the local scene starts to wake up to better sounding music. ;-) (not a big fan of heavy grunge)

They have a new bass player (JP Shalala) (I don’t know how to spell his last name, but, that’s how it sounds!), and they released their self-titled EP, recorded at the renown Grand Avenue Studios, in the middle of March 08’.

“Well. For songwriting, usually someone will come in with an idea or a hook or anything at first. And it’s basically like Jenga. You kind of start putting blocks up one at a time and hopefully it doesn’t crumble. And you end up with a song that has some worth, aaand…that’s basically it!”

That was the first Jenga analogy I’ve ever heard, so I thought it was worth mentioning. *smile*

I'm gonna hate you when you go.

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008
Slow Runner (Listen to Podcast)


"step 1 - start with information about your early years that nobody really cares about but that you have to put in there because otherwise the bio is thin and it's completely obvious how unsuccessful you really are.
ex. slow runner started in 2003 when singer/songwriter michael flynn and multi-instrumentalist josh kaler began musically fornicating together after college.

step 2 - create a mythos around how your 'sound' was formed.
ex. one night while walking through the woods michael and josh pulled a sword from a stone and the curtains of heaven opened up and they simultaneously realized their musical destiny involved casio, loud drums, and short pop songs about girls.

step 3 - puff your chest out and list accomplishments no matter how insignificant they might be.
ex. michael flynn almost won the john lennon songwriting scholarship in 2001. then he did win the flat rock music festival songwriting contest, then he and kaler made 'no disassemble', formed a full band, and signed a deal with j records in 2005. " Read more...

Well, after talking to Michael today on the show, I have to wonder how on earth this mellow music comes from such a hyper fella! Even though he’s been expelled from school a time or two and isn’t allowed into the state of Georgia where he’s a convicted sex offender (not really), he’s developed an exuberant vocabulary (not to say sex offenders don’t have exuberant vocabularies) that he uses to attractively and hilarious portray himself and his bandmates, and also has the attitude of an artist that genuinely wants to hear the truth about what people think of his stuff.

This is the first time we’ve ever interviewed anyone that have been involved with a good-sized label, that aren’t any longer, and that don’t have any plans to be involved with one again. Michael said in the interview that Slow Runner used to be signed with J Records, and he said, “There’s been a giant paradigm shift in how the music business works. I don’t see any point in being on a major label at this point.” It was really interesting to hear that, because as you all know, we talk to people from both sides of the fence on this subject. Sometimes someone will say what Michael said, that it’s just not necessary to be signed to a label with the outlets that are available to get your music out there; and then other times we’ll hear from bands that they would really like to be signed with a label as long as it’s “the right deal” so as that they can get the financial and promotional support they need, and still be able to retain their creative freedoms.
Personally, I can see pro’s and con’s to both sides, but I think that with either side you’re faced with the same thing you’re faced with in any aspect of life. You’re going to have to work your proverbial rear-end off to get anywhere.

Which brings me to another point of our conversation; one thing that Michael mentioned that one thing he personally really disliked about being involved with J Records, was that everyone talked as if Slow Runner was the best thing since sliced bread.
“I just cannot stand how record label people talk. That whole fast talking, everyone’s positive, “everything’s happening, man!”. Anytime I’m around anybody even in another business that talks like that…I immediately have to leave the room because it’s so fake.”
You know that fluff that people throw out there to make you feel good about yourself when all they’re after is an opportunity to make money? That stuff. Michael admittedly stated though that if you’re an artist that has struggled, that “It’s impossible to not be charmed by all of that stuff. You cannot resist it!”
So like I said, you’re going to run into that crap in any aspect of life where you’re working to get somewhere. Someone’s going to come along with these symptoms of Fluffery, but you need to work hard to attain either A: a good record deal that’s going to be honest and give you constructive criticism and help you help yourself, or B: Go it alone and search for avenues to promote yourself and take advantage of them.

But anyway, Michael’s a guy with his head screwed on straight, and I’m sure the rest of his band mates have that same mindset, so we give them props for that, and for the sound of their music. It’s very mellow, kinda chill music which some of you chillers may enjoy!

I'm out of the closet.

As you can tell, a lot of what I write tends to have a lot of descriptive adjectives and gooberish words. A lot of that tends to be a good sign that I don’t know what I’m talking about a lot of the time. But hey, it’s interesting to read and make fun of, eh? ;-)

But all of that aside, I truly do want to put good content into what I write, and I for some really odd reason I like to put a bunch of pressure on myself to take into account all the different views and opinions, and I end up writing like a chicken with its head cut off. And through all of that, I start forgetting one very important thing.

If you’ve listened to the show, then you’ll know that the Viking and I are professing Christians. We believe, ‘God is; and He is Who He says He is. The Scripture is His special Revelation to the world. It is, from Genesis to Revelation, a thoroughly Christian document. It reveals God's intent to cleanse the world of sin, and to free His chosen people of their depravity through faith in the atonement of Christ Jesus, the eternally begotten Son. Through faith in Jesus, God the Spirit preserves His people forever. In response to His gracious provision, His people are to live lives of holiness and obedience to every word that has proceeded from the mouth of God.

Okay I suck at putting things eloquently, so I copy and pasted that from our church website. *grin*
But you’re not going to read all of that unless you’re intently interested in knowing what we believe. In a short, simple version, we believe in the God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We believe in the infallibility of Scripture under the presupposition that God is who He says He is, and everything that falls under that.

Anyway, back to what I was saying. I forget to write blog posts to the best of my ability in the way a Christian should. To the glory of God. So as a result, they end up full of holes and kind of irritating to read because they all tend to read the same.

And by this point, I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m writing all of this and why I can’t just know this in my head without verbalizing it and forming my blog posts to revolve around those thoughts. But I am just like my mother (HI MOM!) and I have to have something down on paper and filed away so I can rest easy knowing that it’s there for me to look back on if I need it! But also I’d like to have it here to keep what I write in check.

Okay, cool, so, all of that’s settled. All of this time I’ve felt like I’ve been dishonest because I haven’t come right out and been completely forthcoming.

So NOW! What is this blog now that I’m just saying what I think? Well it is what it’s always been. Now with just a little bit more straight-to-the-pointed-ness. There are times when the Viking and I seriously don’t like some of the music we play. THERE! I said it! I won’t go out and pinpoint exactly which ones because that wouldn't exactly be very nice. But from here on out, if you send us your music, expect to be liked, or just flat out disliked. But we’ll be nice about it, don’t worry.
(Yeah, I say that now, but once I come across someone I don’t like I’ll chicken out and be all nice and fluffy…HEY maybe I’ll get a Fluff Rating thing going on for you to vote on: “Is this fluff or is she being sincere?”)

Speaking of ratings; I’d really like to get you guys involved with us! Please tell us what you think! We like lively discussion. Up till now you haven’t had a lot to comment on, but I’ll be doing my best to make things better from that perspective.

Anyway, before I continue on this rant, I better take care of getting show interview slots filled for next week. Thank you so much for reading and for your continued support!

OH, and also, don't forget. TogiNet's new show, "Beauty Salon Confessions" starts THIS Thursday, May 1st at 1:00PM EST.

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
Vertigo (podcast up soon)


"Vertigo is an original alternative/rock band with a definite twist. Known for their ability to put on a great show, Vertigo is always able to connect with a crowd, and bring that crowd to its feet. Passionate, energetic, and eminently likeable, frontwoman Lindsey Stamey is an absolutely awe-inspiring vocalist and entertainer.
From hard-driving rock beats to a more ethereal and melodic vibe, Vertigo’s sound is somewhere between Flyeaf and Radiohead.
After having shared the stage with acts such as Flyleaf, The Gin Blossoms, 10 Years, and Shiny Toy Guns, Vertigo has the experience and ability to deliver performances that never fail to please.
Vertigo is a rare blend of musicianship at its finest, and entertainment at its most compelling."

Joel got stuck with the interview. It sounded like he'd just crawled out of bed, but apparently he was on break at work where he makes Spare Dentist Hands. (They're very high on demand these days) But nonetheless! He gave us the general run-down of the band and the ins-and outs of what's going on. Their stuff is actually really hardcore awesome. I love the sound of their vocalists' (Lindsey) voice! It's very Amy Lee/Fly Leaf sounding like their bio depicts.
And we can't forget Nathan and Justin! Hopefully if we're able to have them back, we can talk to them too.

They're going on an east-coast tour starting May 9th to June 14th, and their schedule is PACKED. Head out there and give 'em the support they need!

Swallowed in the sea...

Friday, April 25th, 2008
Arsel Arcaya (Listen to Podcast)


Okay! They do not have a bio! You know what happens when somebody doesn't have a bio.

Once upon a time, on a dank, dark night in the middle of the Nicaraguan jungle, a baby was born. His name...was Vic. Vic liked many things growing up. He once fashioned a drum kit out of nothing but bamboo, and from then on out became the king of all sweet-sounding jungle things. If you listen to him talk, you hear a distinctive Chicago accent, but his family and friends don't quite understand why he has it.

And then his life took a turn to one place, and the path of his life ran into those of his current band members (Tommy, Keaton, Jimmy and Nick), and BOOM, Arsel Arcaya.

But anyway! Back to the real stuff. The guys are heading off on a tour starting May 2nd, and lasting until July 12th, so they have their hands full. If you check out their myspace and look at the number of times their song, "Apollo the Ferret" has been played, your mind will be blown! It'll be interesting to see if all of their music gets the same reaction!

Their 5 song EP will be released over the course of the next couple weeks as they put one song a week up on their myspace. So don't miss out on the excitement.

I'll take care of you, oh.

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008
Jake Germany (Listen to Podcast)

Jake Germany is from a tiny town in Texas. Just recently he made the move to Oklahoma, all the while pursuing his music more than ever. After playing and singing for Tyler, Texas band, theRESERVES, he started his own project to write about more than the fog of adolesent lust, but of a love that is dwindling in the heart of this world. A love that is real.

Jake Germany was one of the first independent artists on our station! He's a native Tylerite and is well known and loved from here, all the way up through Shawnee, OK, AND BEYOND. He's released his second album titled "Hold Your Peace", and it is available on his myspace: www.myspace.com/jakegermany

Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008
Jeremy (podcast up soon)

Jeremy is Martin Frericks, Sascha Görgens and Christof Cwienczek. The three musicians enjoyed making music together from the first minute and founded a band in Aachen, Germany. The name Jeremy was chosen to be a tribute to the songs and works of Pearl Jam, which have always been a great influence to the bands songwriting. Other very strong influences are Tool, Audioslave, Muse, Radiohead and Selig.

Oh goodness. This interview was THE COOLEST. Apparently I just have a thing for people from other countries, because I giggled throughout the entire thing. Martin and Sascha called into the show from Aachen, Germany (it was about 6PM their time) over skype, and we had a chat for about 30 minutes discussing their music, how they got started, and where they want to be in 5 years (obviously signed to a label in good ol' Texas).
My ignorance showed forth once again when I said, "So...whenever you guys speak in German...do y'all sound angry?" Which is a misconception spewing from a stilted view of Germanese music: Rammstein.

Anyway! It's a funny interview, we had a lot of fun with them, and we want you to listen to the podcast and lend them your support!

If you so happen to speak German, you can visit their website here: http://www.jeremy-online.de/
But if you don't, you can still visit and look at the pictures. That's what I'm doing. :-D

So, one day...

Viking and I will own a coffee shop. And when we do, this fine piece of sign-age will hang over the door way.


That's right. "Ye Olde Squatting Hound". You'll come to the opening, right?
(Yeah okay, I was just really bored one day and needed to practice some photoshop skillz...)

Friday, April 18th, 2008
Varnadore (listen to podcast)


Varnadore is Josh Varnadore and David Cook. We're about loving people and writing songs about the love we've been given. We pray that these songs fill you with hope and inspire you to truly live. Thanks for stopping by. Be true. -Varnadore PS: we love surprises. David enjoys Arizona green tea, sour punch straws, and a jimmy johns vito sub. Josh enjoys claritin, vitamin water, and a jimmy johns turkey tom sub.

For a band that's only been together for 8-9 months, Varnadore has more going for them then a lot of bands that we know that have been together for years. Being fellow believers in Christ, they acknowledge Who it was who gave them all of that talent, and they strive to do their best and work their hardest with what they've been given.

And they write songs in bathrooms. Common. That's cool.




Monday, April 22nd, 2008
Otto Vector (Listen to Podcast)

Video games, cartoons & pop music of the 1980's inspire the highly-animated musical stylings of OttO Vector. With a focus on heavy beats & catchy melodies, OttO Vector represents a uniquely balanced musical synthesis of organic & electronic, modern technology, rock & funky retro-pop.

"Its funky, unique and refreshing to hear. Totally original sound- No really, Im not kidding- totally original!" -Kelly Brown, 89x Radio

"Otto Vector clawed their way out of Detroit's barracks of aural analogousness by creating synth-pop that lies somewhere between The Fixx, The Pretenders, and a Nintendo game. With their heavy beats, power driven guitars, berserkish synth and slinky vocals, the group creates a blend of rock, funk, dance, and electro thats half 1984, half 2004." -Ray Wagel, Ann Arbor Paper

"If Gwen Stefani and the chick from Garbage had a kid and that kid was a local band, that band would be Otto Vector. Synthy but alt-rocky, this oddly named group sounds like theyre radio ready." -Real Detroit Weekly

"The SEXIEST band in Detroit!" -Cal Cagno, 89x Radio

Five bits to a byte, or three bits short of a byte? We'll let you decide! We talked to Mike and Renee this morning for a good 25 minutes, and it was a pleasant chat indeed! Check 'em out, for reals!

Sheer Luck ;-)

Thursday, April 17th, 2008
Brandon Sheer (podcast up soon)


"Down Looks Up ", the debut record by 19 year-old NYC-based singer songwriter Brandon Sheer is a melodic, heartfelt collection of pop songs that truly capture teenage angst in all its emotional glory. Trained at New York's famed Professional Children's School and mentored by voice coach Don Lawrence (Bono, Bon Jovi, Christina Aguilera) and Gordon Grody (Alicia Keys, David Bowie), this freshman at the Berklee School of Music is looking to make a name for himself in an already crowded field while simultaneously expanding his education. Undaunted, Brandon realizes the challenges on the road ahead. "To me there just seems to be a void out there right now--a total lack of straightforward, well written, melodic pop rock songs," says the 19-year old dynamo. "I'm not claiming to reinvent the wheel here, nor do I feel that I have to. I just want to write the type of songs that people sing in the shower." Working with Xandy Barry and Wally Gagel, the production team behind recent hits by Jessica Simpson and Backstreet Boys, as well as writing with Aaron Kamin of the 90's rock band The Calling, Brandon seems to be well on his way. "The response so far on iTunes and Myspace has been amazing," says Brandon. "Well beyond what I expected," he adds. Brandon's songs combine noticeable elements of his favorite 90's alternative acts as well as classic pop artists. His sound evoke easy comparison to many of his influences including Pete Yorn, Lifehouse and Our Lady Peace. The lead single, "When You're Here" is a straightforward pop-rock love song with an undeniably catchy chorus, while "Change" is a driving rock song about moving on. Other highlights on “Down Looks Up” include “Stare At The Sun” and “When You Fall”. Brandon will continue writing and playing shows and hopes to have a full-length album out by the springtime. Keep an eye out for Brandon Sheer. The "Down Looks Up" EP is available on iTunes now!

Mr. Brandon Sheer. Quite a young fella. Like me, but I'm not a fella.
It was really interesting talking to someone that young with so much drive to get his music out there. But he's taking a bit of a different approach to doing so! Instead of taking his music on the road for mass touring, he'll be looking to selling his music to TV and Movie licensing deals. My first reaction was, "Whaaat?", but then as I thought about it, whenever I go to a movie or watch my favorite TV shows, I always end up thinking "Hmm...can't wait for the soundtrack to come out/can't wait to get to my computer so I can find out what song this is." So why not do it that way? Check out his stuff at: www.myspace.com/brandonsheer

Whatever comes our way, ah we'll see it through, And you know that's what our love can do.

Wednesday, April 16th, 2008
Michael Buble (fictional podcast available in Blondie's head)


Here's a transcript piece from the podcast:

Michael: Ashley, darling, how are you?
Blondie: "Hi..hi hi...HIII hellloo...HI!"

*sigh* Okay, maybe not. Michael Buble Radio has been playing on Pandora (can we say obsessed?) for the past couple of hours. Viking's going to have to take over the blog-posting if I keep this up!

Tuesday, April 15th, 2008
Hot Vegas (listen to podcast)

The word migration is defined as an unwillingness to permanently settle in one location. After releasing their EP, This One’s For Desire, in early 2005, Andrew X (vocals/guitar), Alex Stewart (guitar), Daniel Henderson (bass) and Jared Bruce (drums) embarked on a musical expedition with no specific destination in mind. “The music we make is just what comes out,” says Andrew. “We just play what we feel.” The result is an emotionally charged and commercially appealing sound that many have referred to as “a breath of fresh air.”
The songs on Migration not only possess genuine sincerity, but also a refreshing originality that dares to challenge an industry in which cookie cutter is the norm. “Most of the songs on Migration are about our own personal experiences,” concedes Andrew. “I think it would be very unfair to pick just one song off the record that defines us because they all define us. We created all of them.”

Hot Vegas has been likened to some of the most innovative bands of all time. Recently referred to as “what Coldplay could sound like with balls” by Emotional Punk Magazine, their soaring melodies and inspired vocals are most comparable to the iconic sound and feel of U2.
Although some elements of their musical influences can be heard in their songs, hot vegas effortlessly manages to create a signature style that is representative of who they are and what they stand for as a band. ...Read More

Vocalist and guitarist Andrew X (I like the "X"), whom I'd been chatting back and forth with over e-mail to discuss interviews and whatnot, called and chatted with us for a good bit! The band (BTW, they've shared the stage with bands such as Sherwood, Relient K, Cartel and several others) is fixing to be in the throes of Album Birth; they're heading into the studio to record with James Paul Wisner (who's worked with Dashboard Confessional, New Found Glory, Under Oath...etc) their sophomore full-length album. You can get their first full-length album, "Migration" on their myspace: www.myspace.com/hotvegas

Wednesday, April 16th, 2008
Sugar Glyder (podcast up soon)

Melodically aggressive, and intimately honest, Sugar Glyder exists to consistently interject their own personal concoction of innovative sound into the starving veins of the art form known as music. Forming in late 2002, near the small town of Waxhaw, original collaborators Chris and Daniel starting playing music together. Once the addition of Cory and Emily came to pass in late 2003, belonging and purpose slowly pushed them into writing their own music. These components, eventually re materializing into full length songs, became the binding contract between these four individuals. They are not only song writers, they are listeners. Nearly four years later, this unit is working to fight for all that is wholesome and self-sacrificing in the realm of the music industry.

Sugar Glyder. A name that means nothing, but yet is powerful enough to be a state of being.
Daniel Howie (he's the one that looks like one of the vampires on the old "Lost Boys" movie) and Chris Rigo (he looks like Serius Black) graced us with their presence for a whoppin' 30 minutes! We kept them a long time on there laughing and cutting up. You would've thought by our moods that it was Friday or something! LISTEN TO THE PODCAST...when it's up tomorrow!
They're releasing a full-length album in TWO DAYS, so check out the hype on their myspace: www.myspace.com/sugarglyder. Also, they're heading on a huge east-coast tour kicking off on May 9th, see their schedule to see if they're coming to a venue near you!

Texas: You'd think it would always be hot around here.

Guess again. It's been in the upper 80's of late, but last night it dropped down into the 30's. Now I know I'll be changing my tune in a month or two...but I just want summer to finally GET HERE.

Monday, April 14th, 2008
Jereme Stewart (podcast up soon)

Jereme Stewart was born and raised in Houston, Texas. As a child, Jereme was always musically inclined. He quickly learned how to play the violin, and for four years played in the orchestra. While attending Shippensburg University, Jereme helped form the acoustic duo Jereme & Ethan. A few months after Jereme & Ethan formed, they recorded a short demo album featuring 5 original tracks.
After playing many shows together featuring their own music as well as covers, they decided to become a full band. It was then that they brought in drums and bass to form the band ~Fighting for Sara~. Fighting for Sara began playing at various events and parties around the Philadelphia area. Before they knew it, Fighting for Sara had formed a following of fans. FFS then recorded their first album "Say Anything".
Jereme Stewart moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania where he continued to play live shows, write, and record music. Jereme has appeared on numerous online radio stations and college radio stations around the country. In the spring of 2006 Jereme completed his full band solo EP entitled "The Real EP", featuring some of the Harrisburg areas most talented musicians.

Well, Mr. Jereme Stewart is our first ever Singer/Songwriter/Model. The guy's talented! His music has a very prominent Dave Matthews Band feel to it - very laid-back and relaxed. Check out his tunes at: www.myspace.com/jeremestewart

You and I collide.

Pandora's been hookin' me up with a lot of Howie Day for some reason. I have one of his albums, but I've never really bothered to listen to any of it except for "Collide". Maybe I'll change my tune...

Pun intended.

Thursday, April 10th, 2008
Lynus (listen to Podcast)


Okay, normally, I would post a bio here about the band we interviewed, BUT unfortunately they do not have one available. SO I'll have to put some work into this.

Blake was born in a cheese factory north of Philadelphia. He met Joe, Minh and Tim while delivering cheese to local grocers on the west side, and immediately hit it off with them. Eventually, after growing up and creating a gigantic cheese empire, he got tired of the high-rolling life, and turned to his second passion. Music. Coincidentally, Joe, Minh and Tim all shared the same passion (not exactly sure about their specific life journeys), so they did what any aspiring musicians would do. Form a band.

I encourage you all to question everything I say.

No, but seriously. The four guys met in seventh grade and have been making music since then. They've got a rockin', "real" indie rock sound, as well as sweet 60's style album art that doesn't necessarily portray the style of music they play. (all of that was covered in the interview).

Joe's a vegan. He won't eat cows.



SO check them out! They've got great senses of humor (a huge plus coming from us) and really, they have great quality stuff that I think y'all will enjoy.

Have a fabulous weekend!!!