16October2007
Posted by nate under: fact.
my last post came courtesy of the public library and the kind grandma that cooed and chortled for elsa while i wrote. I should’ve got her name and sent her a gift basket – which i’ve been told is the origianl im. this e-mail comes courtesy of jodi’s mom who is in fact elsa’s real grandma and who i offered to buy coffee for but somehow had my coffee bought for me instead. sign of a real grandma.
I had two church gigs this last week (i’m trying, but i can’t think of any dorkier pairing of words than, ‘church gig’) and though one was so-so and the other was all right. actually one of them sucked and the other was a step above all right and in relationship to the other one was freakin’ awesome. My conclusion: after the next 4 church shizows (better than gig?) i have in the next 2 months I’m going on a performing at church sabbatical. I really love the church (maybe that’s why i’m so critical of it) and i write a ton of stuff that is church appropriate but I’m sick of personalities in front of the congregation. I’m going to try and figure out what exactly it is, but whenever i go/participate in ‘cool’ church services/events i leave in a pissy melancholy mood. So once again, church has become detrimental to my faith development. Which is kind of special needs as it is. My faith rides the short bus.
11October2007
Posted by nate under: music.
i bought two pairs of headphones. not because i grew an extra pair of ears (i’m sure that’s what you were all thinking)(and it’s not too off base considering my proximity to 3M and lets just pause for a moment and think of all the great chemicals that 3M has given us.) I got ‘em ’cause i got hired to record a band over at Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church. Rock and roll. Over the course of two nights we recorded a little dity they’re using as part of their capital campaign thing. It felt good to be hired as a mobile studio, and the end product turned out real nice if i do say so myself.
in other vocational affirmations:
Wtih Steve A. (drummer of saints and sinners) I converted a porch from no season to 3 season. we even levelled it with the aid of 2 carjacks, just like the manufacturer intended.
The honest folk practiced, with its newest member Erin Deboer-Moran on keys and lovely voice. We’re putting together another batch of neo-protest third party rock folk lullabyes.
I practiced with the band that will be debuting a new liturgy at a NE church. I get to play lapsteel and banjo, and most importantly sit next to the Martin Marty.
And this weekend I get to sing songs for a bunch of 8th grade confirmands. yippee.
rock and roll is alive and lives on in our hearts, in our minds, and in a little trailer park outside of hugo MN.
1October2007
Posted by nate under: fact.
in the continual post move angst under the weight of my posessions i’m clearing myself of more stuff. so yesterday I piled 20 journals into a box to recycle. but i haven’t recycled them yet. the oldest one dates back to 92 when i was at boarding school in cote d ivoire. in recent years my journals have been much more random and turn into boxes of odd paper – less organized – fewer dated sheets – more envelopes/bulletins/napkin fodder.
half the entries are song ideas the rest is bipolar musing on life love and music. flipping through the pages i found a lot of songs that i had forgotten but know i won’t ever get around to touching again. i found chords for a song that i couldn’t remember the progression for. i found recording notes from the twang twang sessions. sketches for a whole line of furniture using old tires that i drew up in northern togo.
one second i feel like this is the perfect move to get a fresh start on songwriting – clear it all out! but the next i feel like this was my entire foundation as a song writer and someday my biographer will wish he/she had it.
if you plan on becoming my biographer call me now so i can make an informed decision before the recycling comes around on friday.