Back on Track - the Re-do

Okay, so I started the last blog with an apology for not writing for a couple weeks, and then saying how I’m back to it and will be more consistent with getting the entries out weekly.  I even titled the entry “Back On Track”.   Then I didn’t write an entry the following week.  Which I guess just completely makes me a liar.  Oops.  But, maybe I can use the old ‘better late than never’ excuse here, right?   I will say this: several of you out there have done a great job of emailing and asking when the next issue is coming out, giving me the kick in the butt I need to keep writing.  So, I’m sitting on a Friday afternoon in Minnesota catching up, again.  But I have several things on my list to talk about this week, so hopefully this will be an entertaining read for you. 

First, the important stuff: do you remember a couple months ago I wrote about trying a Big Mac for the first time?  Well, I had another ‘fast food first’ – the Triple F if you will.  A couple weeks ago I finally tried the Doritos Locos Taco.  Like I said, the important stuff.  I know, again I’m so far behind the times here.  Taco Bell has already come out with the Cool Ranch version, and I think another version as well, and I hadn’t even tried the original.  I must say I do like Doritos an awful lot, or at least I did as a kid.  So I should have tried this taco concoction when it came out, but I have waited until now; mostly because I just don’t like Taco Bell that much and have only eaten there once or twice in the past several years.  But I finally gave in and tried it.  So, the verdict: much like the Big Mac, not worth all the hype.  I don’t know, maybe I’m a food snob or something.  I just didn’t think there was much flavor.  And the shell was flaky and broke way too easily.  I guess this is what my life on the road has been reduced to – trying new fast food creations and rating them.  Ha.  On a related note, the Tuscan Chicken sandwich at Wendy’s isn’t too bad.  Okay okay, I know.  Enough about ridiculous adventures with fast food and on to the stuff you’d rather hear about. 

Oh, here’s something that drives me crazy: Housekeepers that knock on the door when you have the ‘do not disturb’ sign out.  We spend so much time in hotels, and we get in late at night, meaning that we sleep late in the morning and usually stay until check out time.  Sleep is a precious commodity for us.  Please don’t wake me up early by knocking on the door when the ‘do not disturb’ sign is up.  Sometimes I wonder if they do it just to mess with me.  And it always seems to be for the silliest things too.  Here are the two most popular reasons for the disturbance: 1. Do you guys need anything?  2. Are you going to be checking out today?  Alright, let’s address these one at a time. 

The first question - do we need anything.  What I’m thinking: yes, I need sleep! What I should say: No, I don’t need any more towels, I don’t need the bed made or the room cleaned, I don’t need any more shampoo or toilet paper, I actually don’t need anything, which is why the ‘do not disturb’ sign is there; because we’re fine and don’t need your assistance in any way; feel free to move on to the next room.  What I actually say: No, we’re fine, thank you. 

The second question – are we checking out today.  What I’m thinking: actually, I should not write down what I’m actually thinking at that point.  Way too many four letter words come to mind.  What I should say: yes, we only booked this room for one night because we actually only need it for one night, and I promise we will be out of the room by the designated check out time.  If you just have a little patience we'll be out of your way shortly.  What I actually say: yes, we’ll be out in just a little while, thank you for asking. 

I seem to be ranting more and more.  I should work on that.  Well, enough of my dislike for housekeepers that disturb you when you ask them not to.  I just had to get that off my chest.  I feel much better now. 

The other day I made the “Hey I haven’t talked to you in forever but it’s your birthday so I should call you” call to one of my favorite old-school friends.  As we were catching up we started talking about how difficult and inconvenient it is to make new friends when you relocate to a new place (he now lives in Phoenix, and I don’t live in our hometown anymore either).  We were joking that to truly become ‘good friends’ with someone new, you and the new person would have party your asses off, do a bunch of stupid and immature stuff, and get in trouble together; and that we’re just too old for all that now.  So instead of going through all that stuff, we’d just keep the old friends and reminisce about the past.  I hung up after the conversation thinking about all the ‘stories’ my friends and I have – basically started thinking about the good old days.  I’m sure you can all relate to this.  (‘Oh remember back in the day when we were all hanging out drinking and…).  Fill in the blanks from there.  Anyway, I was thinking about all those tales from the past and thought that it would make a great song (and probably even better book); so all these lyrics and ideas about a song started flowing.  Here’s the problem: I’m in the van traveling down the road, it’s dark, and I don’t have access to my guitar.  I don’t need a guitar to write a song, but I at least like to know in what key I’m hearing this stuff in my head.  Anyway, guitar problem aside, I’m still in a moving vehicle in the dark.  But I have to get these ideas down on paper or they’re lost forever, so I find my notebook and get out my pen, and (using my phone as a flashlight – another one of the brilliant ‘non-phone’ uses of a smart phone) started jotting down idea after idea.  After quickly filling up a couple pages with ideas I started sifting through them and arranging some of them in orders that I thought might make sense for a song, then compiling a chorus, etc.  Okay, now I’m just rambling.  Let me get to the point.  The point is this: you never know when an idea for a song will hit you, or what will even spark an idea.  I was just talking to and old friend, and bam, suddenly I have all these ideas I think would work in a song.  Unfortunately, sometimes when these ‘brilliant’ song ideas come, you’re stuck in a van traveling down Interstate 90 in the dark.  I don’t know if the song will end up being any good, or end up ever being finished at all, but it was nice for that brief moment to feel creative again and have ideas for new material. 

So, here was something completely random and unexpected that happened the other day:  We walked into an Oasis for a bathroom break (for those of you who don’t know what this is, it is like a super rest area that goes over the interstate so it is accessible from both sides of the highway.  It has restrooms, plus a food court with several restaurants to choose from).  So we got out of the van and all walk inside to hit the bathroom; but as we came through the door right at the first and most visible table was a woman breastfeeding her baby.  Boob right out there for all who happened to pass by; no blanket, no cover at all - with the rest of her family sitting right there eating their Chicken McNuggets.  I get it, the baby has to eat, and it was a rest area where food is available.  And I’m completely comfortable with it and am of the opinion that a woman is free to feed her baby wherever and whenever she chooses.  I think maybe just a little discretion would have been nice though; maybe sit at a table over in the corner, that’s not so visible to every person that walks through the door.  Just my opinion I guess.  I’m glad she was comfortable, and that the child got fed.  Like I said, it was just completely random and entirely unexpected.

I thought it would be nice to show you all a couple pictures I took recently (again, another brilliant ‘non-phone’ use of my smart phone), ones that I thought were either interesting, funny, or just good pictures.  I’ll just do a few here. 

- My buddy Brandon and I at a show in Minnesota.  We love when he comes out to see our shows.  He enjoys the music so much!  And he’s just such a funny dude. 

 

This is a shot of the ceiling at a motel we stayed at recently.  Yes, those are buckets hanging up there to catch the water.  They were actually all over the room in different areas.  Really???

 

Okay, this sign was hanging in the men’s bathroom of a fast food restaurant.  I won’t say which one, or even which city or state where I saw this.  It was just hilarious and I had to share it.  And you know a sign like this wouldn’t be posted if someone hadn’t already done those things.  Wow. 

Well, yesterday was the five year anniversary of when this band became a ‘nationally touring band’; when we hit the road. We went from just playing around Kentucky every weekend to playing around the country pretty much every night.  So I think to celebrate, the next ‘journal entry’ will be looking back over the past five years; band members, places, funny stories, etc.  So stay tuned for that one.  I will try my best to have it out early next week for you all.  

I thought it would be cool to start ending these entries with a song quote.  Something either that I heard that moved me or inspired me, or just something that I thought was clever, or enjoyed.  Maybe something from my collection, or from other people’s work.  And if you have song quotes that have touched you in some way, feel free to share them here as well; EMAIL me and let me know what song quotes you like and I’ll post some of them on here along with mine.  So I will finish up with my obligatory self-promotion, then end this entry with my favorite song quote of all time.  See if you can identify the artist or song. 

Okay, make sure you check out our website www.themichaeldband.com for our tour schedule, to hear clips of our songs, see our old videos, and all sorts of other fun things.  If you haven’t already, go ‘Like’ our FACEBOOK Fan Page, and be sure to ‘Follow’ us on TWITTER as well.  And if for some crazy reason you don’t already have our latest album “Back In Town” stop right now and go to I-TUNES and get it.  If there are any topics you’d like me to discuss, EMAIL me and let me know.  Lastly, if you're not already receiving email notification for when i post new entries, scroll back up to the top of the page and sign up so you'll know each time a new one is finished. 

 As always, be safe out there.  We hope to see you at a show soon. 

Lastly, here is my favorite song quote of all time:

“She’s talking in her sleep, it’s keeping me awake, and Anna begins to toss and turn.  And every word is nonsense but I understand it all”