Friday was the ESRI block party, The close down New York street in Redlands and bring in a ton of carnival type things for little kids. They have free food, music, and other games and things. Its basically the ESRI company picnic. I invited Thom and Maryn to come with Amy and I. Watching Maryn play on the rides was the best. Nothing is as awesome as a little girls laughter.

I went to get my haircut from Dylan, he gave me a FLAT TOP. A legit flat top! I look like guile from street fighter. Its out of control. Amy hates it with a passion. I don’t like it a whole lot, but I think its funny to wear. Who else has a flat top, nobody! (maybe there is a reason to that…)

After my haircut, Keller and I went to town. We tore one of my bathrooms apart. We ripped out the sink and vanity, manage to knock a hole in the wall during the process, took up the tile floor. Basically its a room with a bathtub… which wont be in there for long, I am taking that out also!.

We were supposed to play a show on Slyvan Park but when we got there, there was a family reunion going on. They had matching shirts and everything. I didn’t want to be a dick, so I postponed the show. We didn’t start until after 6. There was still a ton of kids there. Oblige and Plague: The Red Letters got to play before the police showed up and shut the show down.

Sunday, Keller and I fixed the hole in my bathroom, and i painted the door jambs and baseboards of my master bedroom. Practice was good, we are using new PA speakers, and they rule compared to our last set. I skipped church and went to the glasshouse with Amy, Yenny, and Hardcore Steve. Scars of Tomorrow, Between the Buried and Me, Cave-in, Converge. Cave-In was the highlight for me. They are amazing. They played two of their heavy songs, Matt abd I killed people as soon as they started playing them. Jake from converge is creepy. His stage presence is just bizarre. One of his arms is always like rubber and he looks like a pissed off zombie. I think the set they played last night was better then the set at Hellfest. I ordered one of Jake Bannons paintings, "unloved", it was way expensive, but well worth it. Only 100 printed.

The process of working on my house (or THE NEST as Amy calls it) is never ending. I have decided that I hate my bathrooms enough to rip them apart.. I am talking about the sink, the tub, the tile floors, light fixtures, toilet… everything. Sometimes I wonder if I am ever going to fully move into this place. I dont have time to work on my websites or hang out with my friends.

xDEATHSTARx has a bunch of shows coming up, I am excited about that. Its been a really long time since we played some shows. I think we have 6 shows in the next month. I forgot how much I like making show flyers. It is going to be cool to get on stage again. I miss the fact that Thommy is not in the band anymore, but I know that Little Ryan will do a great job, and that the church is more important then the band. It is a win win situation.

Thursday there was another show at the park in Redlands. Graf Orlock, Mother speed, Plague: The Red Letters. It was a good time. I love seeing plague play. We need a real venue in Redlands. I’m going to see what it would take to open up that old nightclub that is next to the hustler club I think. My band is supposed to play in the park next Saturday with xOBLIGEx, and Plague: The Red Letters.

Saturday was notable. I hung out with Naomi and Keller all day. We took a trip out to Frys to get some stuff for me, but they didn’t have what I wanted, like usual. I tried to paint the roof in my master bedroom but ran out of paint.

Sunday was band practice, finishing painting, putting some hours in at work, church, and then a RAD party for Eden’s 18th birthday at this amazing house in Yucaipa. Krissi has been house sitting this place for a while I guess. I notice myself being a homeowner nerd now, examining the counter tops and cabinets, thinking about things to do in my house. I have so many home emprovement ideas now. The party involved 4 cases of root beer, loud music, break dance contests / lessons in the formal dining room, and story telling around a fire pit in the back yard. If that’s not a good time, I don’t know what is. I will be posting pictures of the party later.

What ever happpened to good emo/indie music? I guess can be said about other music like ska also. Im sitting here listening to really old get up kids songs right now. I love it so much. There is just a rawness and a vigor to it. Other bands like At the Drive-In, By a Thread, Texas is the reason, and Braid all captured that feeling also. Where are the bands doing that today? Indie rock and emo seems to have fallen flat these days. New get up kids sucks, so does new saves the day. Where have all the good indie/emo bands gone?