Impending Departure

This Saturday, Cathy leaves for Myanmar.

She'll be there, traveling with our friend Christina, for about a month. Christmas and New Year's will both slide by before she returns.

Some are baffled by the fact that we often travel separately. Others are totally mystified as to why anyone in their right mind would want to go to Myanmar. I mean, Burma? WTF?

The answers are simple. We travel separately because we are adults who love to travel and our schedules, plans, and desired destinations don't always match up. We both traveled before, and we both continue now. We feel it makes our bond stronger.

And why Burma? Because. We were both captivated by SE Asia on our honeymoon, and it just happens that I couldn't swing a trip of this magnitude right now, while Cathy could, and this trip fit the bill that Cathy and Christina have been trying to fill--a good trip to take together--since they met in Zimbabwe many years ago.

I'm jealous, plain and simple.

This spring Cathy and I will travel together to Jamaica and NYC. Possibly to Amsterdam in the fall. And next year, I'm looking for a big extended outing to New Zealand. Hopefully. If I don't travel to Spain for a trip around the Vuelta.

It's nice to make plans.

But, back to the point of this post: I'm about to be without my wife for a month, including during the holidays.

It's a total drag, but I know she'll have a blast and I know how happy we'll be to see each other when she gets back. And a trip to Driggs over New Year's will soften the blow a good bit.

Happy, safe travels to her.

Weekends of Winter

These are the days of bread baking and late morning lingering over coffee. When getting through an entire New Yorker is justification enough for a Sunday well spent.

I've adjusted. I've accepted the loss of the frantically productive and recreative summer weekends, when not a minute can be wasted, and am enjoying the slower, calmer, more cerebral days of this season.

Last night the BCRP had a practice new year's eve party that was a great success. We had a great crowd, a solid lineup of live music and DJs, and a most decent haul at the door. And it's paved the way for more and more successful fundraising efforts, as we get our name connected in the community's mind to events like these.

And if we're out hobnobbing and fundraising all night long all weeekend, taking in tapas at 11pm on Friday night after the IRC event or downing a good share of Newcastles at the Bouquet all night Saturday, the days are slow and wonderful, long walks with the dogs in the Military Reserve, and copious amounts of coffee throughout the day.

Practice New Year's Eve

Tonight at the Bouquet in chilly downtown Boise, the Boise Community Radio Project will host a Practice New Year's Eve Party. We'll have a bunch of live bands including the wonderful Kris Doty as well as The Universal, who I've been meaning to catch for a while now.

Between sets we'll have RadioBoise DJs, and some special guests, spinning tracks from progressive decades as we count our way down to the current year.

This promises to be a hell of a fun night. If you're in town, come check it out.

Snow on That Thar Hill

Winter is officially here.

Bogus has a couple feet sitting on it by now. They opened for business on Wednesday.

I haven't been up yet. Wanted to go today, but work won. I'm hoping to get up there during the week next week, as I've sworn off weekend skiing up there after last year's experiences.

I'm looking forward to my first turns of the year. See what I forgot, and see if I can turn into a decently sub-par skier by the end of the year.

Wahoo.

Thanks Gave, and On with the Month

Seems we've hit a brief downhill slide.

That's always a weird turn of phrase. In one sense, all being downhill from here seems like a bad thing. As if things can only get worse.

But then again, when it's all downhill, it's all easy going, coasting, no work left, just enjoy the fruits of what you went through to get to the top of the hill. So let's take that meaning here.

Ma Hess is out of the hospital and recovering in the comfort of her own home.

Grandma K got out of the rehab center not only to eat Thanksgiving dinner with the family, but the next day for leftovers as well. "That's the best part," she said, so they sprung her and brought her home for a sandwich.

And AP is also home recovering quickly. He's still got a short ways to go to get out of these particular woods, but hopefully the end is in sight.

Me, I ate a lot, rode a bit, and laid around more than I can remember doing in quite some time. It was nice, but it's nice to get back to it as well.

Aaawwwwwwwww...

Isn't it cute?

I've got to send my iPod in to Apple for service. After I get an estimate, I have to send it on to Visa for some action. The Pod is out of Apple warranty, but still covered by the credit card I used to buy it.

Anyway.

All of this goes to tell why I bought this ridiculous little thing. I can use it in the meantime, while the big unit is off getting repaired (or, hopefully, replaced). I can use it in the gym or on rides instead of carrying the big'n and risking it getting messed up. And I needed new earbuds anyway, which cost $50 on their own. This thing, refurbished, was $59. Seems like a no-brainer.

Surgery Every Day

And today the matriarch, Ma Hess, heads to hospital for her own procedure.

Scaring the crap out of her entire family, the docs not too long ago found a tumor in the Moms. Nothing too serious, they assure, not the C word. We just gotta go in and take it out.

So today, they go in and take it out. From all accounts the procedure will not be nearly as hard as the few days of prep and fasting she's endured leading up to it, but still. There'll be 2 to 4 days of hospital time afterward to make sure the whole GI tract is intact and working again.

But that's all just precautionary. No worries.

So good luck, Ma, hope it all goes quick and smooth.

And then can we all just be done with hospitals for a while? Please?

Update:
Flying colors. That's how the Moms came through this surgery. The report from Dad is in, and all is well as expected. Excellent.

One More Time

This morning, one last time, AP goes under the knife.

Dr. Little will re-enter at the site of the very first brain surgery, from way back this time last year, to remove the tumor on the third cranial nerve.

This time, the whole nerve will come out. That means eyelid function, eye rotation, and pupil dilation are all lost. So the eye is shut.

But, neither will there be a chance of the tumor returning. So, no more surgery.

It's been a long road to this point, and we're all hoping this is where it stops. Return to health and life and work and certainty. No returns to the hospital.

Cross all yer fingers. Good luck Tony.

Update:

The surgery went well and AP is recovering nicely. According to the doc, this stubborn bastard of a tumor has spread and grown more than they thought, attaching itself to the brain stem. That is what they call "inoperable," as they won't operate on it due to the sensitive nature of its location. The answer? Radiation, a one-shot heavy-duty blast during surgery, to come in 6 to 8 weeks. We hope this will neutralize or kill it. For now, let's be content with a speedy recovery from the surgery. First things first.

The Morning Commute

I returned from Alabama to snow-capped foothills and chilly morning rides. There's a bit over a foot of snow on the ground up at Bogus already, and the mountains of Central Idaho have a good bit more than that.

Early yesterday morning was my first glimpse of it, and it's always a shock and a wake-up call to see it for the first time.

This morning, though, it was glorious, the whole sky painted pink and orange and the white snow reflecting all of it.

Seems winter's here.

Anyone wanna plan a ski visit?

Sweet Home Idaho

Back last night from the Dirty South, as it were, after having a very nice visit with the parents and extended family. Nice to be there, as we got to spend some good time with the Brow clan as well as Grandma Kleaver.

I must admit I was a bit nervous rolling into the rehab facility where the OG was staying, and our first foray into her room did nothing to dispel that nervousness. In fact, I was a bit shocked at seeing her. We often hold in our minds images of friends and family at their best, or at least at their most familiar, and this was a conflicting image: small, frail, on oxygen and a bit confused.

But, it seems we woke her from a deep sleep, and after having a few minutes to gather herself and get into a wheelchair and out into the common room, she was practically as I'd remembered. Hell, who IS at their best when woken from a deep sleep?

Turns out she's just as sharp, funny, and cantankerous as ever, it just takes a little longer for the exchanges to happen. She's doing better and all hope to get her back to her normal assisted living soon.

It was great to hang with the parents, too. They seem happy and healthy and are firmly entrenched in a growing community of family and friends. That's good to see.

More than one conversation turned to the fact that we are all so far flung, that wouldn't it be nice to live in the same place, especially with realistic grandkid conversations now in the realm of the happening. And it would. It'd be great. But it just doesn't seem possible at this time. Whatever my opinion, they're settled there in Montgomery, and I honestly can't imagine a single scenario that would get me to move there. If they love it, fine, great even, but there's just nothing there for me and the wifey.

But at least it was a nice visit. We'll cross the rest of these bridges as we come to them.

Hardcore Montgomery

I'm in Montgomery, AL, visiting the 'rents this weekend. Eric, John, and Tamara have come here for the weekend as well, so it's nice having the big family gathering before all the holiday insanity.

Last night, after yet another amazing meal, and after sitting through the end of the Spongebob movie (hilarious), Eric and I headed out to sample the city's nightlife. We often end up at a joint called Head on the Door, a dark little pseudo-punky craphole off the Eastern Bypass.

After sitting in the smoke-loaded room for a beer we were on the verge of breaking out, the air just too thick to manage, a couple of the kids shoved the pool table into the corner and started carting in gear.

A band? In this tiny room?

Yup.

They were called The Death Defying Die'ers, and they turned out to be a totally passable hardcore band. Who'd a thunk it? They did 2 sets and it wasn't horrible--at a couple points, it even sounded ok. Sure, they were often off, beats dropped and guitar lines flubbed in a way even obvious in that sort of music, but they pulled it off and provided a totally unexpected diversion for us. They pulled out a cover of the classic rock staple "She's Not There," which was very cool--until they did it the second time, when it became a bit stupid.

Still and all, a nice night out.

Think Nationally

As the day wears on, I'm losing the edge of my gloom about last night and thinking more of what can be accomplished on the national level.

We've got the House, and we damn well may get the Senate. That's fantastic, and it's a lot of responsibility.

To change the course of the nation and get right what's been got so wrong is the ultimate goal. And it's possible. Raising minimum wage, re-addressing our strategy in Iraq, putting the country's resources full-tilt toward developing green energy--this is where we should start. Let's hope.

So, in the dark of the fall's early evening, I can feel a bit more content about the state of things. And finally we can look forward to working to make things better.

All But the Shouting

This morning brought that tired, slightly down feeling that usually comes after something so long anticipated has past.

The elections are over--most of them, anyway--and now it's time to look past the horribly depressing local results to the national results for consolation. The good guys took the house, and there's still a chance they'll take the Senate. That's good.

But still. Butch Otter is our new governor, and Idahodians should fear him even more than ineffectual dipshit Dirk the Jerk. Otter's dangerous. Likewise Bill Sali. Too close to call? He's a nutbag who even members of his own friggin party can't stand, but we in Idaho would be proud to call him congressman. Sure, the election's not truly counted and done, but just the closeness is disgusting.

Far as I know, the Ada comissioner spot is still too close to call, so we don't know if Paul Woods pulled that one out or not. Risch won, as did Simpson. Neither of those is a surprise, but they're still terrible results.

The people have spoken. And if this is what the Republicans get as payback for their fuckups of the last 6 years, then we should truly be worried about becoming a single-party government.

This is no revolution. It's not even a sweeping up. It's the minumum possible change for a country so mired in partisan politics that we can't even see what's good for us. And it all boils down to what people do in the voting booth when confronted with the little D's and R's. They choke. They don't follow through with any sort of bold move or decision based on conscience. They tow the line.

We get what we deserve, right?

What it's all about

Bush isn't on the ballot this year, but really, he's what this election is all about.

Let's hope we and our fellow citizens are this smart.

Vote, for Piss' Sakes

Tomorrow's the big day. We could see big change. I doubt it, but we could.

More likely we'll see smaller change, fueled by discontent and the first tentative toe-reaches into independent thought, restrained by fear of breaking with the talk radio and church group crowds. "But, the Republicans are strong on defense... Um, moral values... Um, well, I've just always voted Republican and those Democrats like gays too much..."

So, I think we'll see change, but not nearly enough. And that will mean that Democrat victors in both the local races and the national ones will need to do some serious work to bring the gains they make this year to 2008.

Here in Idaho, it's reasonable to think that the Democrat Larry Grant will gain Otter's vacated house seat from Republican lunatic Bill Sali. Shocking, but reasonable. The governor's race is a close one, too, with long-shot perennial Dem candidate Jerry Brady actually pulling ahead of Butch Otter in some polls.

Me, I believe that once most Republican voters get in the booth and have their grubby little hands on the lever, as it were, it will be too much of a leap to punch the D hole. So the actual change will not reflect the true level of discontent, because we are cowardly.

I hope I'm wrong.

Regardless, vote. And tell your friends to vote. It's all about turnout.

Live Tonight

Tonight, Monday night, October 30, from 8 until 11 mountain time, I'm doing a test-run of Range Life live on the air at www.radioboise.org.

Big deal you say?

Fair enough. Big deal. Thousands of people do this kind of thing every day. Many of them are not so bright. So big deal.

But it's a big deal for me. The first in what I hope is a long line of live broadcasts, somday soon hopefully moving to the actual airwaves. For now, we'll take the netwaves. The ether. Whatever.

Check it out. Gimme a call at 208.424.8166. Or e-mail me at crhess@gmail.com. Make a request. Tell me how it sounds. Dictate a PSA. Or, just listen.

RrrrrrrrOCKtober

Great turnout last night at the Neurolux for Viva Voce and Silversun Pickups. And the thick and excitable crowd was rewarded with a kickass rock show.

Openers The Kingdom were good enough, though I admit I didn't pay such close attention. The sound was spare and the songs seemed catchy enough. Sorry, that's all I've got.

But the middle band, Silversun Pickups, just pulled out the stops and shredded the joint. They were fantastic. High energy, impeccable sound, and no cutting of any corners. The singer's a weird dude with a slightly girly voice, but as he fluctuates in intensity and moves from a sibilant whispery voice to a growling scream, his songs are brought to life.

They made believers out of lots of people last night.

And while I was worried that folks would clear out after their set, being a school night in Boise and all, I was pleasantly surprised to see the front-of-house crowd swell when Viva Voce hit the stage. They too put on a hell of a show, playing it loud and hard as often as possible, and fleshing out the quiet bits nicely. They make a lot of noise for 2 people, that's for sure.

Great show.

Live Music

Califone's show at the Neurolux was good. It wasn't great, but it was good.

Part of it was that the band was a trio--by far the fewest people I've seen on stage for a Califone show. The band has shapeshifted since its inception, but this new stripped down format was a bit too stripped. And this coming from me--I love minimalism in music and all other things, but this lineup depended too much on nuance, leaned too heavily on the quieter stuff, to come across right.

Another part was that Neurolux crowds are among the loudest and least-engaged of any venue I've been in. And this is consistent. It's almost a shame the main bar isn't in another room altogether.

This week holds another type of rock show. On Thursday, Silversun Pickups and Viva Voce will play the Lux, and from what I've seen of both these bands, it should be a good one.

Silversun Pickups impressed at SXSW this year, even though I'd come to them blind and only saw them accidentally as I waited for the band that followed them. They put on a hell of a show, though, high energy and sufficient charm to bring their songs to life. Viva Voce pull off the chill groove well in the live setting, so they should be good complement to each other.

Califone - Roots & Crowns

Califone's new CD, Roots & Crowns, hit today, and I expect it will further their legacy as one of the most criminally underrated and underappreciated bands in all of indie rock.

This is amazing music, plain and simple. Tim Rutili bends tunes and strings together images and suggestions like no one else. His is a twisted and heartbreaking sort of American music, full of narrow eyed confusion, lumpthroated wanderings, maniacally genius guitarwork, and some of the coolest noise outside of Noise.

This is the blues, but (forgive me) so much better. It's a remaking of American music, drawing on Delta and Chicago blues as well as the finest traditions of punk and noise rock to piece togehter collages that get more beautiful the closer they come to disintegration.

Pink and Sour kicks things off with an appropriate stomp, and the line runs hilly from there. Slow and spooky to raw and rocking, things open up with A Chinese Actor and blow apart again and again. The Orchids is gorgeous and Black Metal Valentine is a masterpiece of restraint.

But what's a track by track account to you? Listen to it.

There's a couple new tracks and a couple great oldies on their MySpace page. For the rest, check emusic, or hit the Record Exchange (or your local independent record store).

Austin

So, Austin.

Every time I do this I swear I won't again, but here I've done it again. When I wait til the glow's off the visit, I find that the more astute and profound observations elude me. I had a great time in Austin. It was great to hang out with Eric, as always, and Harlan too.

Rode the shit out of Rocky Hill with my man Oko, and Flat Rock kicked my butt (with a little help from Eric, Jason, and a raging PBR hangover). I rode Eric's new custom ti IF 29er as well as his new all carbon Solis road rig, and I rode his Fireman's Cruiser all around the city, s I came home hating all my bikes.

Spoon was good, though not great.

Serena Maneesh blew.

Polvo's was wonderful, both nights. I had breakfast tacos every day. I missed the barbecue entirely. Hai Ky remains one of my favorite restaurants in town. And the posole at El Sol y La Luna was as wonderful and comforting as I remember.

It was sad to leave. I wish Eric lived here in Boise. Sometimes I wish we lived there in Austin. Harlan bought a new house I can't wait to see. Saw Harold and Sandra, missed Raoul.

No more than a tally, really, but then I guess I should be happy that it's not awful to come back here to Boise. Fall weather's hit in all its glory, and the mountain biking is fantastic right now. This coming weekend is Cathy and I's 5th Anniversary, and though we can't do a big out of town trip, I've got some plans in store.

It's good to be here.