Blog Agenda

I've got a new plan for my blog, I'm getting closer to my original vision. Some of you may be aware of Jonathan Coulton. Shortly after I started my blog a friend of mine told me about what he had started. He would write and record a song each week of the year. I believe he called it 'The Thing of the Week.' Instead of a live video version, he presents his in mp3 version. He does a good job at recording and mixing it all himself. You can check him out at www.jonathancoulton.com.

Inspired by this, I have tried writing a new song each week. So far I have missed a few weeks here and there, but overall I am not as intimidated about producing a song each week. I am slowly training myself to be able to write on command. That is something at one point I thought was impossible, it use to seem to me that I had to be inspired in order to write.

While all that is good for me, I really want to give something to my potential fans. Additionally I would like to present myself and my songs in a more professional manner. So... here is the plan:

1. Going to convert my music room into both a small studio for film and audio. I have everything I need already (even including the green screen backdrop) I just have to put all the pieces together.
2. Going to do a better job with the visuals: better backdrop image, better lighting, etc.
3. Going to have a higher quality audio by recording my instruments onto recording software, as opposed to just getting the audio from the video camera.
4. From time to time I will have Jimmy (aka the singing baptist) and his cello play live with me, and other musicians.
5. The end result will be a much better looking and sounding video. Additionally, I will offer up the audio from the live songs as downloadable mp3's. Some of them will be free, and some you will have to pay for.

I really like this concept a lot, and it is where I would like to be professionally in this industry. I can continue to bring fans new online live shows each month, and I would constantly have new songs coming up. It would play into my strengths based on my lifestyle and talents. What do you guys think about this plan?

Live in the Lyrics

I wrote a poem this morning. I thought I would share it. It sounds like most of my other poetry, but at least I am consistent. The best way to market the redundancy in my writing is by calling it 'my style.' It's all about branding :)

Live in the Lyrics

we live in the lyrics
breathe in the midst of
a memory
become more than we
could ever be
our epitaph
written before we
were born

the eulogy of
our clandestine love
spoken in the absence of
your touch
and in the presence of
my lust

I am the mire of your disgust
made from flesh you can not trust
you fling me over every rail
and if passion won't prevail
if what I cleave to only busts

I'll only fall until I'm dust
I'll only grow when I can tell
the shadows from the light
the truth in all my lies
the face beyond the veil

Seven Nation Army

My video this week is a cover song, here is Jimmy and I doing our version of White Stripes' Seven Nation Army live for some of Jimmy's students. Not too many songs out there played with just cello and drums. Enjoy.

A Messy Room and a Missing Juice Cup

It has been way too long since I have blogged about my little angels. I know a lot of you find their stories absolutely adorable. Since you are not lucky enough to experience them on a daily basis like me, I should be a better friend to my blog readers and keep you up to date with their journeys.

I have two stories for you today. The first is a picture that illustrates though they are the cutest things in the world, they also can destroy like little midget godzillas. The picture below is what their room looked like after I ate breakfast, took a shower, and got ready. Keep in mind their room was perfectly clean the night before, and the amount of time they did this in was approximately 20 minutes.


Wow! Right? Is it like this with little boys?

My second story is very sweet. I need to tell you some back story about Ms. Ava before I tell you the next story. Ava is very simple to take care of, she is more like a cat than like a dog if you will. She doesn't require a lot of attention, she just likes doing her own thing, but the one thing she must always have is her juice cup. If she plays in her room then it will be in there with her, when she sleeps at night it stays on her nightstand. If she is in the car it is sitting in her lap. Think of it as her version of Lionus's blanket.

I think it was about 9:30 at night, Ava had been asleep for about an hour when she burst into my room balling her little eyes out. She had a dream that someone had stolen her juice cup. As sweet as this was, and as comforting as I had to be, it was one of those moments when I just couldn't help but laugh to myself. Most kid's nightmares consist of big dogs, monsters, dragons, etc, but for Ava the scariest thing anyone can do is take her juice cup.

Love in a Box

Quite a different style than my usual, this is a song that I have been singing in my head for years but just this week finally added some music to the melody. I like a lot of the phrases in the song, I appreciate them because I couldn't have written this song now; I would have tried to make it too deep.

Love in a Box

Verse
If you put your life on the ground,
It may not be there when you turn around.
If you put your love in a box,
You might not remember how to open the lock.

Chorus
Tic toc time moves in slow emotion.
This time I'm going to find my own commotion.
Shake of the sleep; get to your feet.
Stop making excuses for why you can't dance with me.

Verse
If you pin your luck to the wall,
There's no sense in crying when you're watching it fall.
If you put your life in her hands,
There's nothing to stop her from making her own demands.

Chorus
Tic toc time moves in slow emotion.
This time I'm going to find my own commotion.
Shake of the sleep; get to your feet.
Stop making excuses for why you can't dance with me.

Bridge
I don't know why you can't see it;
Why you won't let yourself believe it.
Only you can make your life better, baby
And maybe just a little bit of me.

Verse
If you put your hope on the line,
It's going to hurt you almost every time.
I know you put your faith in a lie,
You just want someone to hold you while they're watching you cry.

Chorus
Tic toc time moves in slow emotion.
This time I'm going to find my own commotion.
Shake of the sleep; get to your feet.
Stop making excuses for why you can't dance with me.

Updated! You can now purchase this song below.

Douche-bag Ex-boyfriend Video

I cloned myself in order to give everyone a live viewing of my song 'Douche-bag Ex-boyfriend.' It was nice taking a break from the serious songs I write in order to do this song. Additionally it was pretty fun coming up with a way that two 'Chases' could perform it. I altered my words just a little bit from the previous post when I first wrote the song, so I have the new lyrics at the bottom. The second 'Chase' singing parts are in red.

Douche-bag Ex-Boyfriend

Verse
Yeah he calls you a whore,
Even though you made his last truck payment.
He has a goatee the size and shape
of a small Arab country.
He cuts the sleeves off all of his t-shirts.
To try to make them look cool but they are really lame.

He hasn't had a job in three months,
But he does some construction on the side.
That's a lie, he's been getting high.
He has a back full of hair;
You won't admit that he's fat.
And nobody talks about his daddy like that!

Chorus
If you have a douche bag ex-boyfriend,
Douchie, douchie, guy's a really douche.
Then we won't be able to date.
No dating with this guy here.
Let me save you the trouble
By calling this off early,
'Cause you'll probably just go back to him anyways.

Verse
He uses his kid against you.
Tries to make you feel guilty.
He loves putting down your favorite shows.
They're pretty lame but that's still pretty mean.
He has a tattoo in old English.
He f-ing loves pit bulls.
And he sends you 2,000 texts in a day.
Remember the part about not having a job.

He hates your best friend Amy.
He steals money from his mom.
He wears a cross around his neck,
But never goes to church.
And nobody tells him what to do when he's at work!

Chorus
If you have a douche bag ex-boyfriend,
Douchie, douchie, guy's a really douche.
Then we won't be able to date.
No getting in this guy's pants.
Let me save you the trouble
By calling this off early,
'Cause you'll probably just go back to him anyways.

Outro
Reason one:
He'll try to beat me up.
Reason two:
He'll try to hurt himself and call you
Then you'll feel sorry for him
And you'll have sex again.

Reason three:
He'll say that I've been talking shit,
But I don't even know what that is.
Reason four:
It'll make me feel so small
When you chose him
Over me after all.

Updated! You can now purchase this song below.

In Transit

This is a very honest and personal song for me. It is soft and simple. If I were ever to do a music video I think I would film me driving and singing this song, and that would be it. It would be as simple as the song, and visually connect with the theme of being 'in transit.' A lot of my songs use the metaphors that we all recognize from southern rock ballads: 'moving on down the road.' In my own way, I am a modern day southern rocker and I am not sure why I gravitate to that theme. It's in my blood.

I am always very indifferent to songs when I first write them. The same is true with this song. That is why I utilize my friends and my blog as sounding boards. It is not until other people experience the songs that I start to draw my own conclusions about them. So as always, all feedback is welcome. Additionally, the comments on my songs in previous posts have been really good and insightful, and for those that have posted comments I really appreciate your thoughts and I take them to heart. Oh yeah, and I don't know why I sat so stiff for this song, its funny, a juxtaposition to the meaning of the song.

In Transit

Verse
With one hand untie the two.
Set my feet, and dive in you.
I fall.
Explored you all.

Build the trust and kiss your face.
Arm yourself for one more taste
Of what
Will soon be gone.

Prechorus
Don't let me sink my teeth in you.
Don't let my eyes bore holes right through.

Chorus
In transit always.
In transit always.
I am the highway
Carrying you.
You can't stay.

Verse
A subtle touch, a seamless plan.
A slight misstep, I miss your hand
And fall.
A graceless cause.

You can't want me when I want you.
What I want is what I soon
Will miss.
Fate or bliss?

Prechorus
Don't let yourself get used to me.
Prepare yourself for what used to be.

Chorus
In transit always.
In transit always.
I am the highway
Carrying you.
You can't stay.

Bridge
A launching pad, or a place of rest;
Your journey doesn't end with me.
I will set you free.
I will set you free.

Chorus
In transit always.
In transit always.
I am the highway
Carrying you.
You can't stay.
Carrying you.
You can't stay.

Jitzul

Hello again blog fans! I did an interview with Jitzul.com. Check it out: My Interview.

For anybody coming to my site from Jitzul for the first time, I apologize it is under construction at the moment. There is, however, a lot of content on my blog, myspace, and youtube channel for you to enjoy.

A Little Break

I'm going to take a break from blogging for a while. I've been pretty hard at it for the last couple months, but I have a lot of other pressing (and non-pressing) issues that have to take precedence. If this is your first time visiting my blog, there are plenty of videos and posts to check out. For the people that follow me daily, I leave you with this: a video of me making a fool of myself. Hopefully I will be back in blogging spirits soon.