Go Big or Go Home: Anna's Blog

One Year

2010-02-11T21:34:00.002-06:00

Well, I've been in Nashville for one year!

And a hell of a year it's been.

As I look back on the past year, a few things that I expected to accomplish have yet to happen. A few things that I didn't expect to achieve have come to pass. The events of this year were all necessary in order for me to get where I'm going.

This year was about getting my head on straight. Alone. Getting into the grit of Anna, scooping out a handful, slinging it against a wall, and observing what the splatter looked like. Nashville was the wall. At first, everything just looked like a mess. "It's just splatter!" , I cried in despair... "There's no picture here! How could I possibly make a work of art out of this? I'd be lucky to make a decent finger-painting out of it..."

So, I sat down on the floor and stared at the wall. For about Six months. Then I began to notice a silhouette forming. I thought I saw a guitar in there somewhere...

After a while, the windows broke out, but it was for the better - because I could hear little birds outside. Most of the time, they were just making racket, but every once in a while, I would hear a melody. I saved the melodies for later.

Soon, the birds ventured into the room and perched next to me. Soon, I had friends coming and going, and music was happening again. I had saved all of the melodies and thoughts I had shared with the birds, and now it was time to use them. I asked the birds to look for colors outside, but they wouldn't look for me. They just flew back and forth outside the window, making racket again. Finally, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I climbed out of the broken window, and outside I found such a wondrous place!

I found all kinds of colors to use on the wall...red in the dirt from the ground, green in the lush surroundings, blue and black in the berries that bordered the yard...even better than the colors though, were the sounds! There were all kinds of strange animals roaming about, and they each seemed to have their own voice. It was a beautiful thing. There were other people too! I talked with a few of them, and we pondered the workings of life together. I listened to their stories and shared my own.

After a bit, I grew tired of all the excitement, and my thoughts as well as my feet wandered back towards the painting. I took all that I had gathered and climbed back into my room through the window. I sat with everything around me, glad that I had stopped, let time pass, and allowed the universe to work.

Slowly, I began to add color and texture to the painting on the wall...it began to come alive! I found chord shapes splattered on the wall...did I invent them? Or were they there all along? It didn't matter - I could see them now. I could see the shape of a guitar...I painted it brown and spruce to look like mine. I made one big blob into the shape of a keyboard, and a long line turned itself into a microphone stand.

I had made from the grit of myself, a portrait.
It was colored with all of the things I had come across outside, but underneath it all was that brown splatter I had started with long before. Without it, the colors wouldn't stick, and the whole thing wold melt off of the wall.

I sat back, amazed at the progress I had made. The portrait wasn't finished yet, but I could see that it was well on its way to being complete.

Isn't it crazy what can happen in one year?

You can't make a decent painting without learning about color.
You can't write a good novel without learning sentence structure, developing your vocabulary, and writing a few short stories first.
I couldn't make great music without re-aligning myself to be a student of music and the human experience, and gaining a bit of discipline.
I am learning how to learn, learning how to fail, and learning how to smile all the while. I have grown so much in the past year, and have gained character, experience, and gratitude above all.
I am standing with one foot on the life I used to live, and one foot on the life I will be living soon.
Can't wait to see what happens this year...

AM

Does anyone else see the problem here?

2009-06-18T00:37:00.003-05:00

So, I've been reading a couple of self-help books lately. GO AHEAD. Laugh it up. But isn't that the point of life? To improve ourselves so that we may better serve the collective harmony of the universe? Or something like that...we can talk about it on the other side.

I read a lot. I like anything from cookbooks to poetry books, books on philosophy, graphic novels, mysteries, and Twilight (yes, the series really is entertaining - the movie pales in comparison). I was sick of feeling tired and lazy, so I bought a book called "Skinny Bitch" (by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin) that has really helped me have a kickass healthy diet, and I feel GREAT! (Guys, you can read this one too...)
A couple years ago, I bought a book called "Win the Crowd", written by Steve Cohen, "The Millionaire's Magician" that has given me some major help in entertaining and life in general, which goes snugly along with being a musician.
And you know what else? I'm sick of being broke, so I checked out Robert Kiyosaki's "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" from the library and am trying to learn about finance online at CNNmoney.com and some other sites.
Last but not least, I checked out "Shut Up, Quit Whining, and Get a Life" by Larry Winget because I was sick of feeling sorry for myself in some aspects of my life.

You get the point. Information is abundant and accessible, especially with the existance of the internet. I recommend each of these books, and read with a highlighter so that you can capture anything that resounds with your own life philosophies.

So why aren't people jumping at the chance to get everything they want!? To figure out everything they need to know to achieve success in all realms of existence? And what about the "Obesity" label that our country has!? How can we worship the thin but consist of the fat and lazy? It's because most people don't read. Did you know that many of the people who buy books don't even read them? Book sales are up, but literacy is down. It's cool to OWN books, but really, who has the time to, like, read them. Ugh. Seriously.

This is what other "civilized" countries have that we don't. Literacy. Sure, kids in America are savvy on an iPhone, but mention a book at a party and, OMG, that is like, so not cool! ugh. seriously.
Literacy is the key to starting discussion, and THOUGHT PROCESS. Somewhere between 1900 and 2000, though, being academic got a new nickname - "nerdy". When did ignorance become a trait to be sought after? I remember the exact moment for me. It was in the sixth grade when the hot popular girls won the lip syncing contest by using nail filers as props while dancing to "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls. Suddenly pogs and chinese jumprope lost their appeal on the playground. Suddenly I was faced with this idea that being smart doesn't get you anywhere, but damn, if you're attractive you can bend the world to your will and WEILD IT AS THE QUEEN THAT YOU WERE BORN TO BEEEEEEEEE....!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oops, I got carried away. But not really. I remember feeling so much disappointment from not being able to look like the 1% of the population that appears in fashion ads. Well, guess what. NOW I CAN FEEL JUST AS SEXY BY USING THE INFORMATION AT HAND. I'm not going to starve myself, but being healthy and having your shit together is so much better than having Skeletor's reflection!

Yes, I have news for you. Being "nerdy" = health, wealth, and happiness.

Most people want to make the world a better place. I do. I hope you do. Reading and following your passions is the best way to do that, as I have learned from personal experience. It's all about doing what you love, and using that to put out good vibes, good actions, and good establishments.
I just felt the need to express my gratitude for rediscovering the joy and BENEFITS of reading, and to encourage everyone to read more. It's good for you, it makes you better at life, and it's fun. When you're two pages into an article about Tube vs. Solid State amplifiers, and you feel like you're unlocking some secret that nobody else knows about, your chances are excellent that you actually ARE unlocking some secret that nobody else knows about. Only 20% of adults read in the U.S. and with subjects aplenty, it's easy to become an expert.

So go get it, go get whatever you want. Become an expert. Find that niche and fill it like your life depends upon it! Your life does depend upon it! Go! Run to the library! Do it now!

Get your nerd on...

Hell has frozen over

2009-06-04T00:16:00.004-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen - I am pleased to announce that I have found a reality show that is worth watching! I know! It's crazy! But check out this show: It's called "30 Days", and features Morgan Spurlock, the creator of "Supersize Me," a documentary in which he ate only fast food for 30 days, recording the physical, mental, and emotional effects of the diet. This new show, "30 Days" is an extension of the idea, where Spurlock conducts various 30 day experiments.
The first episode is called "Minimum Wage", where he and his fiance go to Columbus, Ohio with only $200 and show what it's like for many Americans today trying to scrape by. I related to this one personally after moving 2,000 miles from home to Nashville with no job or apartment waiting for me (although I was lucky enough to have a family friend to stay with until I found an apartment). The show's well put together, very informative, and Spurlock's attitude and commentary are both objective and focused toward a solution to the problem at hand. I think everyone should watch this show. A list of other topics covered in other episodes: Same Sex Parenting, 30 Days In A Wheelchair, Anti-Aging, Binge Drinking, Immigration, Jail, and Atheist/Christian, just to name a few. A bold move, FX network. I'm surprised it's on that channel, even.

They don't skimp on the nitty-gritty reality touch, either, detailing an ant infestation in the couple's cheap apartment, on-the-job shennanigans, ridiculous unavoidable hospital bills from work injuries, and so on. It's clever - educational and all that but still makes you cringe like we love to so much in realityLand.

I urge you - please partake in being a conscientious television viewer and watch at least one episode. You'll learn something, gain some empathy, and it might even inspire you to change your own life in a small way for the better.

P.S. - Did anyone see Conan's first day hosting the Tonight Show? I love the opening sketch...watch it here.

OK that's it from me for today, and it's actually tomorrow. First day on the new job comin' up - wish me luck!

I've also been practicing guitar a lot - learned the diminished 7th scale today - it's pretty awesome.

...And I'm Back!!!!

2009-06-01T22:00:00.002-05:00

Hello, world...It's been too long...I am still alive and kicking. I have no excuse for my absence from the blog for the last few months, so let's just move on together, shall we?Great. Okay, so here I am, in Nashville. I've had a horrible job since I got here and have had my panties up in a bunch trying to find other work. The job has been got and I have been practicing guitar a lot in the meantime since I've been stuck at home pinching pennies! So I've gotten a lot better at guitar and have gained a new sense of focus in practicing. I also joined the YMCA a couple weeks ago, so I expect to be hot and swimsuit ready in three months or less. HELL YEZH! I'm going BIG, not home. I miss Montana so much, but I'm glad I came to Nashville. I want to be heavily gigging in 6 months. That's my goal. So here we go, the next project. I'm thinking about what to write about. I've moved 2,000 miles, had my love muscle broken into a million little pieces, and been at the end of my resources - all in the last few months. I'm ready to empathize with you, my audience. SO what do you want to hear about? I love Marvin Gaye's song, "Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)" I was turned onto it because John Mayer covered it on "TRY! John Mayer Trio Live" - But you should listen to Marvin's version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDckI2P_DPA It sums up so many of the emotions I've been feeling lately...having trouble saving anything for the future...people going off to war. The man knew what was up. How could I top that? You know it really HAS all been said before, but that's no reason to stop creating and expressing. I know that a great song comes from putting it through your own filter...showing how you see it. So I'm going to try in the coming months to show my filter to everybody. I'll try to be honest in doing so - that's the best policy. So stay tuned and see what happens. I've also got a new song up on myspace called "All The Miles" that I did with Sara Horvath from Missoula. I wrote most of it - she helped in a couple places and we got a friend to do a really great simple recording of it. I'll let you figure out what that one's about. Check it out : www.myspace.com/annamcgary . I promise less sappy tunes will follow - haha. Ok, well, I'll fill you in more later. Nightie Poo - Don't poo in your nightie>>>>>>>>>>

Danny Schmidt Makes Brains Explode

2009-02-18T17:12:00.007-06:00

http://dannyschmidt.com/

Go to his site. Buy an album. This guy is unbelievable. He stopped in Nashville on his way to a convention, and my friend Sarah and I were lucky enough to catch him when we popped in for New Faces Night at The Basement.

I have seen many people play. This is the only person I have ever seen that really blew me away, using just their voice and a guitar. When he first took the stage, my thought was "Look at that little guitar - is that a kid's guitar? It doesn't look like he knows what he's doing." Boy was I wrong. Danny writes and performs with such cleverness and profoundness that the entire venue was silently enraptured for the duration of his performance. It may have been the best performance I've ever seen in my life, and since you can't compare this to The Rolling Stones (because it's a different presentation), I'm going to go ahead and say it was. Danny's songs liken to the American tradition of storytelling that I grew up with in Clarksville, Tennessee. He puts his own modern twist to the tradition of folk music, and lovers of any genre of music can find themselves relating to the words and melodies he pieces together. Truly fantastic, A++, five-star, two-thumbs up rating from me. I bought his latest album "Little Grey Sheep" I will definately keep track of this artist. He'll be huge soon, and if he isn't, shame on the world.

Please check out his website, http://dannyschmidt.com.

Today I Helped Save The Radio...I Hope.

2009-02-15T22:28:00.010-06:00

This morning I awoke and shuffled bleary-eyed into Uncle Jack's kitchen to find a lone egg staring back at me from the fridge like a vein-less eyeball with no pupil. Little did I know what that single egg's effect on my day would be...

With only one egg to cook, I resolved to make the pilgrimage to Kroger. A trip for eggs turned into a trip for pancake mix and sausage, and after adding 2 impulse buys to my escapade, the third was simply an afterthought. I tossed the Sunday Paper, The Tennessean, into my black basket and headed to the checkout, where I discovered that in Tennessee, on a Sunday, one cannot purchase a 40 of Olde English before noon, even if its consumption is intended for afternoon or evening thereafter. So much for my President's Day party.
I drove up the secluded driveway and toted the goods inside. The sausage was surprisingly flavorless, but the pancakes made up for it. Hungry Jack mmmmm! I was so full after pancakes and pork that I only ate one egg. I laughed out loud at that, since I had originally gone to Kroger with the intention of eating more than one for breakfast.

After filling myself, I grabbed the Tennessean and headed up to the loft to read the paper with music. I found a Robert Plant special that had been taped from Palladia and settled in.
Most of the news centered around Obama's bailout plan, and those who are either for or against it firing off about it. The title of the story that would, however, involve the latter part of my day read, "Jazz Fans Fight to Save MTSU Radio Station." Now, jazz music is not my primary genre, but I fully understand and appreciate its influence on the world of music. Many, if not all, of my favorite artists were influenced by jazz, from Mike Einziger of Incubus and John Mayer to Queen, Led Zeppelin, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and even Jay-Z. Any artist who uses improvisation or syncopation, or a blue note has influence from jazz. It's a mish-mash of African and European Music. It came from America, and I felt a sudden call to duty to help defend the core of Nashville's jazz scene in a town where it has just recently had success in re-blooming alongside Broadway's honkeytonks and country bars. And what else was I going to do on a Sunday?

So it was off to Limelight, the club hosting the benefit show for 89.5 FM, aka WMOT.
Wow. This was a great show! An amazing show! It started at 3:00 and Jack and I stood at the bar until about 6:00. I met a few people from Nashville, one woman who works as a Music Therapist, and another couple that was on vacation from Virginia. There were so many great performers, and each of the bands were tightly rehearsed. The two performers that impressed me the most were Rod McGaha on Trumpet and Victor Wooten on Bass. I hope Mr. McGaha is some distant relative of mine, because I want to unleash what he's got. Such a dynamic player. Wow. And he made some really crazy sound effects with his horn every now and then that kept me interested. And Victor Wooten, oh, Victor Wooten. Where to begin. I have been meaning to see the Wooten Brothers at 3rd and Lindsley where they play every Wednesday Night, but haven't made it down yet. I have already reserved a five dollar bill to see what kind of ruckus this man might produce with his kin on Wednesday. What I saw today was hands down the best bass playing I've ever seen in my life. He played solo for about seven minutes before joining the band, and I was truly amazed at some of the sounds that he made. He seamlessly blended purcussive playing techniques with melodic progressions that I didn't even know existed. It was a lucky day for me today. I hope the fifteen dollars I donated makes a difference, because if this radio station means so much to musicians with this much talent and rapport with the community, then it deserves a Lincoln and a Hamilton from my wallet. We'll just have to wait and see what the fate of WMOT shall be.

If you'd like to help out, more info here.

So that's the beauty of what can begin with something as simple as an egg. I'll have to be careful in this town...there's so much great music to see that I may forget to make my own!

NAAAAAAAAAHHHH...Never going to happen!

Band Girl #2.

2009-02-07T20:57:00.005-06:00

My Dream Band just needs a drummer after this guitar player! Wow she is amazing. How have I not heard of her before? She did 2 world tours with Jeff Beck and 3 with Michael Jackson. Jeff Beck gets all the awesome chick musicians - does he have a drummer too? I'll get back to you on that. But someday, I'll have an awesome all chick band that rocks your socks off!
There has yet to be a BAND to harness the energy of a pack of women and put it to rock music. It just hasn't been done yet. Or maybe it HAS been done and I just don't know about it. Let me know if it has been done. If all of my best girl friends played instruments, you'd better believe we'd be in a band, and it would be crazy. But they don't so I'll just have to find other girls that play and make them my new friends.
In the meantime, feast your eyes and ears on this:

Dream Bass Player!

2009-02-03T20:23:00.011-06:00

I want. Her. In my band.
Hey, a girl can dream for her dream band!
For now, I'm still working on getting a voice lesson with Brett Manning.

"I'M NOT BASHFULL, I'M FROM NASHVILLE"

2009-02-01T00:55:00.005-06:00

Yes, that is the correct pronunciation if you're a local. Well, it's been a busy couple o' days since I got here. I found an apartment after a couple days, and get to move in next week...I'm glad to get that over with...now I'll have to *wince* get a job. Which means first completing the Professional Bartender's Training Manual...hopefully that will buy me a ticket into the Nashville scene of musicians, writers, and (dare I hope) producers, publishers, and entertainment lawyers and such? A girl's got to get in somehow, right?

Friday night, Uncle Jack and I went downtown to Tootsie's and Robert's Western Wear to take in some Country music. I have to admit, the band at Tootsie's really rocked - I never thought I'd have that much fun listening to country music - maybe it was because they did a few classic rock covers...yes...that was it.

Found a perfect little upstairs apartment today, watched Ladykillers - an excellent display of the genius film-making talents of the Cohen brothers Joel and Ethan, and later tonight went down to the Gold Rush Bar in Nashville's Rock Block District. Had a beer and some chicken noodle soup that was awesome. Jack got a Reuben that was delicious and some onion rings - yum yum! I want to go back and play pool there for sure.

WELL - tomorrow, is Super Bowl XLIII (which is 43 for those of you who may be numerically challenged with digits of the Roman kind) and I'm rooting for the Cardinals because they are my boyfriend's favorite team, and otherwise I have no preference. Also their color is red, which is my favorite color, and also Cardinals are badass - have you seen the birds? I used to sit and look at them out the window back in Clarksville when I was about 5 years old. They are rowdy and beautiful, so if the football team with their name upholds to the character of the bird, then they can't be less than fantastic. SO - GO CARDINALS! Let's eat, drink, and waste the day away screaming!

He's VISCIOUS!!!
Love me some Super Bowl...

Vonnegut Says It Best

2009-01-27T07:01:00.002-06:00

Congratulations to me! I have successfully farted away almost a month, and it feels great. It's the longest break I've had from school and work in five years. I can't even begin to explain how recharged and focused I feel after having this time off.

Can you imagine how productive we could be as a society if we just took a little more time to recharge the battery every once in a while? But NOOOOO, we've made it a point to fill every last minute of every last day to the brim - or at least I find myself falling into that trap. So my belated New Year's resolution (since I farted away the month of January, and am only now "starting" the year 2009)...is to spend more time on me so that I don't need a whole month at the end of the year to recover.

I left my guitars in Nashville with a friend, and I'm Jonesing to get busy on some frets. I've never gone this long without playing, but it'll be a good thing. I can't wait to set up shop in a new place and work on some new ideas that I have.

Alright, so I'll be hittin' the road back to Nashville tomorrow, and it's game on when I get there. Let's DO this!

Whattup, Y'all?! ... I mean, Whattup, everybody?! North Carolina 12.5.08

2009-01-05T20:02:00.002-06:00

Whazzup, y'all? I am determined not to adopt (or-readopt, i guess) a southern accent. NO. The Underground Montana Citizenship Code , section 2.7m does NOT allow it.

Well, I've had several people call me and ask if I'm still alive in the past couple days, so I figured I'd better post up and word up and all that so that you ALL know that I am, in fact, alive and intact.

I've just been hiding for a week is all...you see...I'm creepin' around again, staying on an Air Force Base...and I'm technically not allowed to stay here, so I have to keep a low profile, you know what I mean? Any who, I'm here, and alive, and lovin' it.

Oh, and my New Year's Resolution is to make some music that I'm proud of this year and perform it as best I can. Not that I wouldn't be going for that ANYWAY...

Ok, everybody, no more details for you, other than the fact that I've been looking for apartments, jobs, and a bass guitar for myself in Nashville over Craigslist. I'm sure the right things will come to me when the time is right.

Until next time, GO BIG OR GO HOME!!!!

Wrong Turn.

2008-12-31T08:51:00.002-06:00

Well, after 2,200 miles of smooth sailing, I missed my exit yesterday on the way to North Carolina, and wound up in Abingdon, Virginia. I'm so sick of driving, and even though I didn't get TOO far off track, I still added another 50 or so miles to my drive, at least. GRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!It's ok though because I get to see my guy tonight for New Years Eve! And the rest of THAT story is for me to know and for you to not know. He he he...

2008's been quite a year! Had a great run with Anna McGary and the Thirsty Three and made it to Nashville - now I just have to see what kind of damage I can do to the establishment here in Music City! Haha - Stay tuned and have a happy New Year! What's YOUR resolution?

Birthplaces and Off to the Races!

2008-12-31T08:11:00.002-06:00

I left from Mt. Vernon, Illinois this morning to complete the last leg of my journey from Missoula, Montana to Nashville, Tennessee. As I crossed into Tennessee, I crossed the mighty Cumberland River, and drove into Montgomery County, where I was born. I didn't get a chance to stop in Clarksville, but I'll make sure to go back on a weekend when I have more time to poke around. A few years ago, Clarksville was hit by a pretty serious tornado, so some of the buildings I'd remember are gone: namely Collin's music store, where Jimi Hendrix bought some of his guitars. The owner had framed a reciept with Jimi's signature on it, but it was tragically lost in the storm. My Dad used to take me to Collin's when I was little, and it's one of my fondest early memories...I remember looking at the big shiny drum kits, and the newly finished guitars hanging up. Not to mention tuning heads, strings, and accessories that I didn't understand. I also passed the exit to Dunbar Cave State Park...I remember going there with the family and feeding ducks and whatnot.

Here's the Clarksville water tower: And soon I was in Music City: I hooked up with a friend for a tour of the major areas: The rock block, with venues "The End" and "Exit/In". Broadway street downtown has more country venues, but hosts all kinds of artists. We stopped at Tootsie's for a beer - a Nashville landmark where many Country artists got their start. They have two stages in the bar. Seemed too country for me, but it was cool to go in and see all the autographed pictures on the walls. Then it was a short walk past the Ryman auditorium, and into Gruhn Guitars, which had a remarkable collection, and this was excluding the invitation-only room upstairs that holds unkown gems that produce not only pure tones but the drool of their proprietors. After another short drive, we stopped at Corner Music, which reminded me more of Music Villa back in Bozeman.

After seening some of the main points and Nashville, we returned to my host's home for a jam and some quality time with Borat.Hahaha

I'm excited to explore Nashville further and see what little nooks and crannies I can burrow my way into...Game on, Nashville, game on.

Crazy Ice and Creeping Where I Should Not Creep.

2008-12-28T20:10:00.002-06:00

Today started off monumentally, literally, when just after pulling onto the interstate, I drove under this monstrousity:
This is the Great Platte (pronounced Pla-as in apple, tay- as in tay-) River Road Archway. The arch is huge...note the tractor trailer passing underneath.

The drive continued on, and the second half of Nebraska looked just like the first, so I won't include any pictures.

I was getting bored on the drive, so when the first opportunity for adventure presented itself, naturally I jumped at it. I drove across the Missouri River, but didn't get a good picture at first...
So I was jacked when I saw what I though to be an access road to the river below. In Montana, there are plenty of access roads that lead right down to the river's edge, and they usually have tables or an outhouse or something similar. I assumed that the road I saw just after crossing the bridge would lead me to a similar situation.

I was SO wrong. Here is the road I soon found myself on:

Which turned into THIS:

The road wound around, and I found myself illegally trespassing, but determined to get to the river bank. The road turned to ice, and I hoped that the Subaru would be able to get going again if I parked it. I was also worried that I wouldn't be able to turn around, and would have to back out a 1/2 mile on ice. Finally I came to a turn around - well - it was more of a fire pit where several residents had obviously set up shop during the summer, then abandoned for some warmer part of the U.S. once the weather turned. I'm not gonna lie - the place was creepy. I made sure nobody was around before I got out of the car and squished through the muddy ground to get my picture.

There was ice on the river from the storm system that had just come over - likely the same one that landed me in Hardin just days before. Now the temperature was rising again and all of the ice was melting.

Definately worth it for the photo.

Next I crossed over into Missouri, where EVERYTHING was encased in ice. I don't know HOW this happened, but it was so awesome I had to pull over and get a couple of pictures. It was a breathtaking experience - I felt like I was in some bizzare ice world. This was the first glimpse from afar:
When I got out of the vehicle I was surrounded by the crackling and popping of the melting ice. Some of it fell onto the road nearby and shattered loudly.
Not only were trees, telephone poles, and things ABOVE ground encapsulated, but everything at ground level as well, so it looked like the ice was growing out of the ground.
Kansas City was easily navigated, and I was lucky enough to catch a shot of these signs as I flew past. I was instantly homesick for Missoula, even though the last sign said "Go Tigers!" instead of "Go Griz!"

St. Louis was a mess and a half to get through, especially since it was after dark, but I made it and stopped for the night over the state line in Mt. Vernon Illinois. Nashville, tomorrow, baby! YEAH! I'm so sick of driving! aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa can you say CABIN FEVERRRRRRRRRR???????????????????????

Wyoming. Nebraska.

2008-12-27T20:16:00.002-06:00

Today I woke up to clear skies, and a delicious continental breakfast at the American Inn in Hardin. I downed 2 cups of apple juice, toasted a cinnamon raisin bagel and slathered cream cheese atop its perfectly crunchy surface and finished with instant oatmeal. The waterslide outside looked less than inviting, being covered in snow, still I made a mental note of it for my future life when I come back as a penguin.

As the sun crested over the horizon, I was glad to be on the road again. I still had three hours to go before I made it to Casper, which is where I SHOULD have been leaving from just then.

Wyoming looked like the following picture the entire way. The interstate was hellaciously windy between Sheridan and Casper - so windy that the exit signs
were rippling as I passed, and the mile markers fluttered like thin oragami paper tied to a fan. I passed a semi that was laid out on its side,
excavation project in process, on
the opposite northbound lane. I was
glad I had waited until morning to
drive this stretch.

Pedal to the metal, baby!

There was a Wyoming talk radio show on that was pretty funny - The Bob and Tom show, I think.

Then I got to Nebraska...where they live the good life, apparently... I can't imagine it's a better life than what I'm leaving behind in Montana though.

Anyway, Nebraska looked like THIS the whole way:

Not much different from Wyoming...fewer hills and drier roads. After turning East, the wind was now behind me and I hurtled on to Kearney, Nebraska, arriving after dark.

This morning my trip counter was at 415 miles, and it ended at about 1150, so I put in almost 750 miles today. I am whoooooped. But back on schedule, as I so love to be.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.................

Wow. I'm Really Doing This.

2008-12-26T20:17:00.002-06:00

I was up at 5 this morning at my Dad's house in Bozeman checking the Wyoming road report. When it became apparent that I could not get a new car battery until at least 8am, I got up and started playing the Espana, which drew Dad out of his room almost immediately. We chatted for a bit, and then went outside and spent a half hour shoveling the 8 inches of snow from the driveway that had fallen overnight. I was really glad to get the workout since I knew I had 2600 miles ahead of me yet.

By 7:38 the driveway was done and I was off to Walmart for a battery, trailed by C.R. in the Yoter. I HATE being behind schedule, and I'm not going to miss my date on New Year's Eve. The boys at the shop were all friendly, and I'm sure were glad to have the cookies that I left them. I had four dozen. I can't eat that many before they go bad.

Across town, I stopped at another friend's house to say goodbye and made my way back to Dad's for breakfast and to load up my guitars. It was hard to make room for the newest addition, but it happened.

Dead set on getting to Casper, WY by the end of the day, I hit I-90 East and after I got over the Bozeman Pass, the roads seemed to clear up...or did they?

Above is Crazy Peak, just northeast of Livingston, MT.

Hmmm...it seemed to be getting windy as I approached Billings...

And this next photo is what I was driving through as I-90 turned South. Amazing what one little degree of lattitude can do, isn't it?

It was at this point in the drive that I realized the gravity of this situation. I'm driving across the United States of America, away from everything I know, alone, but armed with the past. It was at this point in the drive that each lesson my dad ever taught me about surviving winter storms in the West became a priceless antiquity among my many memories.
It was at this point in the drive that I felt relieved to have in the passenger seat: water, headlamp, shovel, heavy-duty gloves, matches, food, and an atlas.
It was at this point in the drive that I thought: "Wow. I'm really doing this."

I almost started hyperventolating, but reminded myself that I had everything I needed, that there were other people on the road, and that Hardin was just up ahead. I decided that I could survive the next 15 miles, top off my gas tank, use a ladies' room, and snag a road report before I went on.

As I pulled into Hardin, the 18-wheeler in front of me got stuck and I had to wait for ten minutes while he jeed and hawed, and before he was even clear, some guy behind me was blaring his horn for me to move out of the way pronto. I introduced him to the state bird and pulled into the Conoco to fuel up. I used their restroom and talked to the clerk for a minute or two. She informed me that a semi had flipped onto its side just down the road and that she wouldn't travel if she were me. And I'd have to go across the street to the Sinclair, because their gas was frozen. At the Sinclair, I filled up and got the same story from their Clerk. The woman buying fourteen lottery tickets had just come from Sheridan and said the road might be closing soon.

You know, cell phones, car chargers, and the internet are each pretty awesome, but in a trinity, their powers become priceless. I was able to call my Dad, have him look up the Wyoming road report and storm report online and tell me what the storm was doing.
"Well, it looks like you're right in the middle of where all the cloud cover is."
Great.
I wanted so badly to get to Casper tonight! That "Arrive Alive" slogan kept running through my head though, and I just had a bad gut feeling about getting back out in the whiteout. Nobody seemed to be pulling on to the interstate. The weather was supposed to blow over in the morning, so I booked a room in Hardin and decided to gamble my life another day. I've got too much to do to wind up in a ditch. I know some people already had in the early afternoon. My number had a much greater chance of coming up than that woman's fourteen lottery tickets had of winning. At the motel, they booked me in a room with no sheets, so I chatted with the housekeeper, Lisa for about ten minutes. She had gone to U.M. in Missoula for a couple semesters, and was content to talk Missoula for a bit. As soon as she left, I drew up a bath and unwound from the last couple of days.

When I got out of the bath, I was interrupted by the groundskeeper banging on my door asking me to move my car so that they could plow the parking lot again. It wasn't a big deal, but I was so happily relaxed and less than ecstatic about jamming my feet into wet tennis shoes and shuffling out into the beastly weather again. When I got back in, I started the blog page, and I'm going to restring the Espana now before bed. Hope the roads are better in the morning and I can get out of this storm.

It's 70 degrees in Nashville right now.

Remember that saying about grass being greener on someone else's lawn? I'm definately on the fence right now, and I'd gladly rather be at home or in Nashville than wishing for clear weather in Hardin, but hey, at least I've got guitars...

Thanks, Dad, and Mel, and Claude - I'm playin' for you too!

Pretzels, Demo's, and Tow Ropes!

2008-12-26T19:05:00.002-06:00

Christmas Morning, 2008

Time to say goodbye to Missoula and hit the road for the big time - Nashville, Tennessee. There are so many people that I'm sad to leave.

But the Subaru packed to the brim, the guitars are secure, and the new fallen snow will make for exciting Montana driving conditions!

My mom braved Highway 93 and drove down for Christmas Eve and to help me pack and clean, and she'll catch the train to Portland today to visit my brother Clark.

But what kind of adventure would this be if there wasn't a problem to begin it?!

I woke up this morning to find that my car's battery was dead. Game on.

So I got a jump from my Madre, filled up and didn't shut the little black Subaru off until I reached Bozeman. On the way out of Missoula, I stopped at my friend Kally's house and picked up a box of Christmas cookies that also included chocolate covered pretzels she had made. They didn't last long.

It's very surreal watching the places and people that you love fade in the rearview, but it amps up my incentive to do well in Nashville. The roads were hardly treacherous today as I had expected, and didn't cause any trouble before Butte.

Butte, America. What a city. I laughed as I drove throuugh remembering a gig this past summer with the Thirsty Three. Drummer Aaron Johnson is from Butte and had given us the insider's tour, including stops at the Pekin for excellent cuisine, Venus Rising for coffee, and a walking tour of some of the amazing Butte architecture. If you want to see Butte at it's rowdiest, stop in for St. Patrick's Day, or for the Knievel Days celebration in the summer. No open container law. Enough said. This summer, Butte also hosted the National Folk Festival for those of you into Folk music at all. Anyway, the Thristy Three and I all drove to the top of Butte and threw rocks at beer bottles before we played at the Silver Dollar Saloon, Uptown. It had been one of our best shows, for us AND for the audience. Butte's just that awesome...their "Downtown" is actually "Uptown" - up the hill. Yeah, Butte!

As you ascend from Butte up Homestake Pass to the East, it feels like taking off for flight, and I hope it's worth just that to leave this awesome state.

I stopped in Whitehall to say goodbye to my friend Ryan...his Grandmas were over learning how to use the webcam to talk to Ryan's sister Cassie in Korea. They would ask Ry a question, then make him ask Cassie. What a riot!
"Ryan - ask her if there are any trees..."
"Grandma, you can ask her - just talk to her!"
Webcams really are amazing.

Back on the road, I called Gil and Deb at Peak Recording and Sound to let them know I was in town. I drove over to pick up 20 copies of Javelina and to say "adios for now" to these awesome friends.

I was ahead of schedule at this point, and called my Dad to see if I could crash the Christmas dinner he was attending with Howard (Dad's roommate) and Patti.

On my way through Downtown Bozeman, I took a few shots of the lighted trees that have been over Main Street for years. Although a probable fire hazard, these gems are much too beloved by the town of Bozeman to be replaced by any other decor.

I parked the Subaru at Dad's, hopped in the Yoter (Dad's white Toyota Pickup) , and headed up Tabyshockup Road.

After getting incorrect directions and driving three extra miles before I found the house, I finally arrived, and it was well worth it. Our hosts provided me with guest slippers upon entry, and their immaculate home was decorated in a way that would make Scrooge sing Fa la la. It wasn't long before I ended up in front of the fireplace with a guitar in my hands, trading songs with another guest who had brought his own custom made classical guitar along. With a full stomach and a few new friends, our party of four said adieu and walked out into the blizzard that had developed during our dinner.

I don't know how I got into the ditch, but nevertheless there I was. It's not a real Christmas until somebody goes in the ditch, so not wanting to dissapoint, I facilitated just that. 30 minutes, 27 profanities, and one Ford Excursion later, the Yoter was free and we were all soon safe at home. I put in a load of laundry, gave Dad his Christmas present, and hit the hay. It had been a long 24 hours, and as I drifted off, and was snoring faster than you can say road trip.