Big Bro Dave...

Tomorrow is my brother Dave's Birthday.  Some of you know him; some of you don't.  Since I'll be celebrating with him & The Ettes, I wanted to post something.  It's starts back when I was a sophomore in high school.  That's when I started getting away from Tremonton & spending the weekend at his & Doug's house.  (I had to get away.)  My first real concert; he was there.  We saw The Ramones in August 1995.  He called in sick to work to go.  He's showed me how to listen to music.  I listen a lot keener than I did at a young age.  We've gone to a lot of shows together, all 3 Rocket from the Crypt shows, The Supersuckers,  The Night Marchers, the Donnas @ DV8 Basement (RIP) & many more.  He's been in a few bands: Surly, Tarn, The Protocol, The Switch, & Blackhole.  I'm sure to be missing a few.  I'm proud to say I've seen them all.  Every time I went to SLC, we'd end up at DI.  Doug, Chris, & he would look through records while I'd meander off.  I eventually got the bug & started collecting myself.  (Now, I've got 700 +.)  He's been through some ups & downs.  I've been through some ups & downs.  But we've been there for each other.  I can say I would be who I am with out him.  Cheers, Dave.  Happy Birthday.

Music of '08...

Here are five artist with new albums I dug...

The Night Marchers

See You in Magic

The Loved Ones

Build & Burn

The Ettes

Look at Life Again Soon

Teenage Bottlerocket

Warning Device

Rocket from the Crypt

All Systems Go, Vol. 3

52 Books in 52 Weeks...

One goal for '08 was to read 52 books for 52 weeks of the year.  How close did I come?  42-1/2.  

Here's the top 5 or so (no particular order):

Looking for Alaska

An Abundance of Katherines

Paper Towns

-by John Green

(Brilliant Young Adult Novels with a mysterious girl character, & the guy whose out to find them.)

Ranger's Apprentice Series:

The Ruins of Gorlan

The Burning Bridge

The Icebound Land

The Battle for Skandia (the 1/2)

-by John Flanagan

(Excellent Fantasy novels.  Follows the adventures of young Will, the Ranger's Apprentice...)

Spud-The Madness Continues...

- by John van de Ruit

(I've raved about Spud, the first of this series.  This, here, is the second.  Seriously, laugh out loud funny.  I busted a gut many times.  Rain Man is hilarious, but all of Spud's cohorts are a scream.  READ THESE!  Nuff said.)

The Wednesday Wars

-Gary D. Shimdt

(Magnificent book about growing up.)

Click

-Mult. Authors

(Ten Authors collaborate on one novel.  They each take a turn at writing from a different perspective.  Really put together nicely.)

There's many more, but these are some of my favs.  As you see there's a theme, Young Adult.  Maybe, I'm trying to escape back to those times & see it from a different perspective.  Maybe not.  I do know I'm trying to escape.  I don't know what from, but there's something...

PS...  One thing (many) I didn't like were the Twilight books.  Boo!  Sorry ladies.  (See earlier posts...)

Out with the Old...

In with the new...

It's my new car!  It's a '09 Subaru Outback.  It's one of most beautiful things I own.  (Throw my computer in that mix as well.)  It's Charcoal Gray with Silver accents outside & Dark Gray or Black interior.  It makes driving fun again!  I went to SLC with intent to only look & test drive.  Friday morning, karma was telling me something.  The jeep had seen better days & that particular day it was leaking coolant more than usual.  Mel & I went to her appointment.  (Young Leaders for UW.  I don't know about that.)  I waited in the jeep.  All morning, I saw Subaru's.  It was a sign.  It had to be.  We went to Mark Miller & test drove again.  (I drove one in Ogden the day before.  That's a story in itself.  If you ever wonder if car salesman are conniving, ask me to tell that story.)   Three hours, 1 Jeep & $7000 later (It's more, trust me.), I came back to Lo-Town with a sweet new ride.

Here's a pic for Grandma Bernice & Grandpa Bernie...  my nephews...  Cam, Owen, & Gavin.

PS..  Went to a Halloween Party on Saturday night.  Dressed up as a Ramone, put the contacts in, but sadly no pics.  Maybe, I'll throw it on just for fun.

PPS...  Voted today.  Felt good to check that one box.  If you know me, you know who.

The Loved Ones...

Saw 'em again on Saturday.  Fastly becoming one of my fav bands.  For your listeingn pleasure, here's the song that got me hooked...

BTW, won Logan Wesside X, Fantasy Baseball League.  

Ahhh...

Last night, The Night Marchers rocked my socks off.  Much thanks to John, Gar, & the rest of the band.  Made getting home @ 3:00 am & to work @ 8:30 am doable.  Keep up the good work!

One Last Thing...

Bernie & Bernice were in town (Utah) for the month of August.  I just want to say it was good to see them.  It's been far too long (almost 2 years).  Sorry no pictures.  (You know me & pictures.)  Go to www.idahostyers.blogspot.com