beautiful, funny, sad & true

Sunday, after my gig down in Gleneden Beach with Susie Blue, I drove the hundred-mile trip up curvy Highway 101 to Cannon Beach, where my mom, stepdad, brother, sister-in-law, niece and baby nephew were. As soon as I arrived, I made dinner for everybody. Mom made a delicious salad, and my stepdad made an amazing dessert.

After all that, we walked down to the beach. The house they rented was directly in line with Haystack Rock, so it couldn’t have been easier to get there. After driving two and a half hours to the gig, playing the gig, driving a little bit and then stopping at the factory outlet stores in Lincoln City (where–among other things–I got a new blue hoodie to replace the one I left in Salem a couple of weeks ago), then driving four more hours up the coast (stopping to take a few pictures along the way), it was an exhausting day, but completely worth it. It was great to see everybody, and here are some pictures:

Okay, it’s now Friday. I haven’t written anything since Tuesday. This is unacceptable, I know, but it’s been another busy week.

Kelly and I hung out the last couple of nights, which was great. We watched Da Ali G Show on DVD and played Tribond one night (she won), and the next night we went to the Mission Theater, where every week they play episodes of Arrested Development. For free. Then we came back and played Uno (I won).

My apartment is a total shambles. The other day I bought some new bookshelves, to match the computer desk and stuff that I got from Alyssa. I put them together, and they look great, but everything’s still kinda strewn around and disorganized until I can get rid of the old bookshelf, which I just now put on Craigslist.

Tonight I’m playing cello with Sarah Castro, tomorrow I’m driving down to Salem to play accordion and guitar with Breanna Paletta, and Sunday morning I’m driving to Gleneden Beach to play accordion with Susie Blue. From there I’m driving to Cannon Beach to meet my mom and stepdad, and my brother and his family. I may not have a chance to write until I get back, which is why I’m writing now.

So this may not be a particularly earth-shattering entry, but at least you’re all caught up now. Don’t you feel lucky and/or special?

As you may or may not have already known, I’ve wanted a camera for a long time now. This was the year that I finally splurged and got a decent one. Here, then, are my favorite pictures from this year.

a beautiful October day in Portlandunder the Fremont bridge in PortlandConstruction site in downtown Boise, Idaho McKinley performing “Jamie’s Got a Gun”, taken from backstage at the Night of the Murder Ballad
another of McKinley at Murder BalladKelly on the waterfront in AstoriaKelly warming up with coffee in Astoriainside a cave in Cannon Beach, Oregon
Also Cannon Beach. A kid knocked them down right after this picture was taken.karaoke night
stormy day in Carson, WashingtonJacob Ray of the Young ImmortalsBreanna Paletta of Rye Hollow

but my favorite of the year is this one:

All pictures copyright 2006 by me.  If you’d like copies or anything, please leave a comment and we can work that out.