peanus.

One of my co-workers just gave me an extra hamburger and fries that they brought back from their lunch meeting and it was easily the most gluttonous thing I have ever eaten. First off, the fries were a) delicious and b) easily more than 2 whole potatoes (and he didn't even bring back the full order, apparently).
Secondly, the burger was a) sizable, and b) filled with cheddar and pork. I don't mean that there was cheddar and pork on the burger, mind you. I mean it was meat, stuffed with cheese and another kind of meat. So good, and yes, I am now consumed with self loathing.

The place also serves a completely fried hamburger, a burger with cheese enchiladas on it, a burger with a Krispy Kreme donut on it, and a burger where the buns are two grilled cheese sandwiches and there's a fried egg on it. Ridiculous....and kind of impressive. What mad scientist has started a burger joint in Austin?

I miss my family. Leah and Harper have been in Toronto since last Friday and Harper does not agree with Canada. She has not been herself and it's been incredibly stressful for Leah, which makes me feel extra shitty about not being there with her. I'll be there in a couple of days but I hope things have gotten better by then. I think she's doing a little better today, at least she seemed to be when I spoke with Leah earlier.

Hours of energy now, no crash later! Sugar free! 4 calories!

Listen: the thing about me and donuts is that I love them. Not the jelly filled kind (those sick me out), just the normal glazed and chocolate covered ones. I could probably eat about 20 donuts in one sitting, no problem, and enjoy myself the whole time. That is, if I did not care about my health and/or looks and/or the respect of my peers. It's unfair how many calories are packed into such delicious treats when you think about it.

Have you ever had Shipley's Donuts? For my money, there is no greater master of pastry than the mythical Shipley. The way the sugar crumbles when you bite into it is unlike any other.

Here is a list of foods that I wish I could eat with caloric impunity:

1. Donuts
2. Buffalo wings and ranch dressing
3. Pizza and ranch dressing
4. Ranch dressing by itself
5. Tacos from Taqueria El Lugar covered in their amazing sauces
6. Jambalaya
7. gumbo
9. Coke floats
10. Blue Bell Pistachio ice cream
11. Sodas
12. Gyros with lots of tzatziki sauce
13. The 75704 Burger at Phil's Icehouse
14. French fries from Wingstop
15. French fries from Pluckers
16. Strawberry Cream Pie Shakes from Sonic
17. Vanilla Dr. Pepper
18. Snickers bars
19. Cadbury Cream Eggs
20. That bacon pasta that Leah makes sometimes.
21. Anything that can be conceivably dipped in ranch dressing

Here is a list of foods that I wish I liked more:

1. vegetables


Harper ate something that didn't agree with her yesterday and we got to deal with baby vomit for the first time. It sucks to watch your kid suffer and not be able to explain to them what's happening or fix them. That being said, it did make her extremely cuddly, so you know....silver lining. Near the end of the night she seemed to be pretty much back to normal and I got her to eat some oatmeal which she was able to keep down. After her bath, I dressed her in her Batman PJs and we laid on the couch together watching Justice League Unlimited. It was perfect.

Leah took her to the doctor today, just to be safe, and she's fine. No fever or anything, so we think she must've just eaten something bad and needed to flush it out.

I agreed to do a photo shoot with Leah tonight after work and Leah and Harper leave for Canada tomorrow morning so this morning may have been the last time I'll see my daughter for several days. She gave me a hug, a kiss, and a smile this morning though and even called me back into the room for another hug on my way out the door, which she never does, so maybe she knows we won't see each other much in the next few days.

I am really tired. For the last week or so, my brain has been doing this weird thing in the morning. When my alarm clock goes off, my brain has been perceiving the piercing beeps as maniacal laughter. Seriously, I've been waking up thinking "Who is laughing at me?!" Maybe I should get more sleep.

Speaking of being tired, those 5-Hour Energy shots really work. I love them. I will be taking one in approximately 4 hours. I prefer the extra strength, but the normal ones are OK too. Just so you know.


I hope everyone that can is planning on being at our DVD release this Sunday. I really think it will be a fun night. If you still need a ticket or would just like to order a copy of our live DVD, you can get it here.

It gets cold in Canada, or so I am told.

Now that the festival is over, everyone in Austin gets to remember what their real life is like. For me, it means I get to remember that we're still recording a record. Leah and Harper will be leaving for Canada 5 days earlier than me, which will make me lonely and sad, but productive where the record is concerned. We really should be done with all the tracking in the next few weeks and we've starting conversations with and about several people to mix the thing. I just got back from a lunch meeting with the artist and I'm really excited about the concepts that he showed me. Things are really rolling now.

Thanks to everyone who voted for us a while back in the Austin Chronicle Music Awards. We didn't win any of them but we came close in a lot of them. Some friends of ours, The Bright Light Social Hour, swept the thing. They had a great year and worked their asses off, so as much as that childish part of me would love to say they don't deserve it, it can't. So congrats to them.

Last year, we placed in two categories: #6 Best live Indie Band and #9 Best New Band.
This year, while not winning anything, we're still all over the place.

Band of the Year
The Bright Light Social Hour
2. Roky Erickson with Okkervil River
3. Quiet Company
4. Bob Schneider & Lonelyland
5. Los Texas Wranglers
6. Speak
7. Los Lonely Boys
8. One-Eyed Doll
9. Grupo Fantasma
10. Reckless Kelly

Musician of the Year
Roky Erickson
2. Bob Schneider
3. Julian Fernandez (Los Texas Wranglers)
4. Sahara Smith
5. Will Sheff (Okkervil River)
6. Jack O'Brien (the Bright Light Social Hour)
7. Taylor Muse (Quiet Company)
8. Carolyn Wonderland
9. Kimberly Freeman (One-Eyed Doll)
10. Alejandro Escovedo

Album of the Year
The Bright Light Social Hour, The Bright Light Social Hour
2. True Love Cast Out All Evil (Anti-), Roky Erickson with Okkervil River
3. Myth of the Heart (Playing in Traffic), Sahara Smith
4. Songs for Staying In, Quiet Company
5. El Existential (Nat Geo Music), Grupo Fantasma
6. Texas Treasures (Deep South), Los Texas Wranglers
7. Break, One-Eyed Doll
8. Hexadecagon (Peek-A-Boo), the Octopus Project
9. Up Close (EMI/Vortexan), Eric Johnson
10. Street Songs of Love (Fantasy/Concord), Alejandro Escovedo
11. Phosphene Dream (Blue Horizon), Black Angels
12. Let the Light In (Root House), Amy Cook
13. Plays Blues, Ballads & Favorites (Shout! Factory), Jimmie Vaughan
14. The Bright Lights, Saints of Valory
15. The Laziest Girl in Town, Elizabeth McQueen
16. Codename: Rondo (Trashy Moped), Ghostland Observatory
17. ¡Està Bueno! (Bismeaux), Texas Tornados
18. Green Diamond, Eric Tessmer
19. Downtown Church (Credential), Patty Griffin
20. New Morning (Hollywood), Alpha Rev

Song of the Year
"Detroit," by the Bright Light Social Hour
2. "How Do You Do It" by Taylor Muse for Quiet Company
3. "The Real Thing," by Sahara Smith
4. "Carrie," by Speak
5. "Who's to Blame, Senorita?" by Shawn Sahm/Doug Sahm for Texas Tornados
6. "Could've Been a Country Star," by Julian Fernandez for Los Texas Wranglers
7. "Back and Forth," by the Bright Light Social Hour
8. "Austin," by Eric Johnson
9. "Telephone," by the Black Angels
10. "Beautiful Freak," by Kimberly Freeman for One-Eyed Doll
11. "Anchor," by Alejandro Escovedo/Chuck Prophet for Alejandro Escovedo
12. "Providence," by Saints of Valory
13. "Green Diamond," by Eric Tessmer
14. "Faint Green Light," by Mother Falcon
15. "Lucky," by Kat Edmondson
16. "New Morning," by Alpha Rev
17. "If I Had My Way," traditional, arranged by Patty Griffin
18. "We Pourin' Up," by Lady & the Amp
19. "Summer of Love," by Josh Zee/Teal Collins for the Mother Truckers
20. "You're To Blame," by Elizabeth McQueen

Best Indie
Speak
2. Okkervil River
3. The Bright Light Social Hour
4. Quiet Company
5. Mother Falcon
6. One-Eyed Doll
7. Los A-T Boyz
8. Saints of Valory
9. The Shears
10. Marmalakes

Best Rock
Los Lonely Boys
2. The Bright Light Social Hour
3. Quiet Company
4. Okkervil River
5. One-Eyed Doll
6. Spoon
7. Saints of Valory
8. Vitera
9. The Mother Truckers
10. The Black Angels

Best Bass Guitar
Jack O'Brien (the Bright Light Social Hour)
2. Jojo Garza (Los Lonely Boys)
3. Harmoni Kelley (Lonelyland)
4. Chris Maresh (Eric Johnson)
5. Matt Parmenter (Quiet Company)
6. Danny Gomez (the Frank Gomez Band)
7. Gavin Jasper (Saints of Valory)
8. Francie Meaux Jeaux (the Jitterbug Vipers)
9. Aaron Davis (Vitera)
10. Ronn Roberts (the Eggmen)

Best Drums/Percussion
Julian Fernandez (Los Texas Wranglers)
2. Jo Mirasole (the Bright Light Social Hour)
3. Jason Rufuss Sewell (One-Eyed Doll)
4. Ringo Garza (Los Lonely Boys)
5. Gerard Bouvier (Saints of Valory)
6. Conrad Choucroun (Lonelyland)
7. Don Harvey (A Is Red)
8. Jay Nazz (Reckless Kelly)
9. Jeff Weathers (Quiet Company)
10. Brannen Temple

Best Keyboards
A.J. Vincent (the Bright Light Social Hour)
2. Oliver Steck (Lonelyland)
3. Matt Hubbard
4. Floyd Domino
5. Stephen Buckle (Saints of Valory)
6. Ian McLagan
7. Thomas Turner (Ghostland Observatory)
8. Earl Poole Ball
9. Pinetop Perkins
10. Taylor Muse (Quiet Company)

Best Songwriter
Sahara Smith
2. Bob Schneider
3. The Bright Light Social Hour
4. Quiet Company
5. Julian Fernandez (Los Texas Wranglers)
6. Eric Johnson
7. Roky Erickson
8. Kimberly Freeman (One-Eyed Doll)
9. Matt the Electrician
10. Alejandro Escovedo

Best Record Producer
Danny Reisch for The Bright Light Social Hour, The Bright Light Social Hour
2. Emile Kelman for Myth of the Heart, Sahara Smith
3. Will Sheff for True Love Cast Out All Evil, Roky Erickson with Okkervil River
4. Matt Parmenter for Songs for Staying In, Quiet Company
5. Ryan Radar for Texas Treasures, Los Texas Wranglers
6. Dwight Baker for The Bright Lights, Saints of Valory
7. Jason Rufuss Sewell for Break, One-Eyed Doll
8. Chris "Frenchie" Smith for Speak
9. Gurf Morlix
10. Erik Wofford

So I'll take it! I wonder what could happen when we actually release an album.

I'm really looking forward to the next month. Virtually no shows, lots of recording, our DVD release, and a trip to Canada. It's going to be a good time.

I imagine that if you're in Austin, then you're probably a little burned out on going to live shows after last week, which is why we decided not to have one for our DVD release. Instead, this Sunday, March 27th, we'll be doing things a little different at our DVD release party at the ND. First off, your ticket price includes a copy of the DVD, a copy of the poster for the event, and a digital download of the audio for the DVD. The night will feature acoustic sets from Brandon Kinder of the Rocketboys, and Ram Vela from Whitman. We will show the DVD on the huge projector screen while members of Quiet Company serve you free popcorn and Sweet Leaf Tea. We'll also be running drinks from the bar so you won't have to get up, and there MAY be some free cotton candy, if we're feeling saucy. It's going to be different and I'm looking forward to it. Go to our site to buy advance tickets.

Also in amazing news, I taught Harper to smile on command.

This is what we will do.

Last night on my way home from rehearsal, I decided to take the non-highway route. Fairly close to home, I found myself stopped at a red light, waiting to turn left. There was one car behind me, and another car to my left waiting to turn the direction I was coming from, and absolutely no one to take advantage of the available green lights. So we waited, and waited for (what seemed like, but was probably not actually) a long time. I checked to see if the other cars were cops. They were not. We were all just citizens on a deserted road, held hostage by our respect for the rules of an indifferent light box.

I started thinking, "this is stupid, I should just run the damn light." But I didn't. I just sat there and waited.

So here's the moral dilemma...is it wrong to run a red light when there is virtually no reason not to? I say "No, who the hell cares?" What do you say?

Tomorrow is the first day of many crazy days in quick succession. Here is our schedule, in case anyone is in Austin, Dallas, or Houston:

Thursday, March 10th, we play the brand new Moody Theatre (ACL Live), for the 2011 Texas Social Media Awards, which we were nominated for but did not win.

Friday, March 11th, we play my favorite venue of all time, the House of Blues in Houston with Bob Schneider.

Saturday, March 12th, we journey to Dallas with Bob to play my second favorite venue of all time, The House of Blues in Dallas.

Sunday, March 13th, we come back to Austin for the first day of our SXSW experience and play the Most Awesomemest Journalism Party Ever party at the Marq.

Monday, March 14th, we actually have off. I will be doing nothing after work.

Tuesday, March 15th, we play the One Pulse Artist Group's showcase at Thunderbird Coffee in Austin

Wednesday, we do nothing.

Thursday, March 17th, I'm taking a day off from work and we will take to the streets as we do every SXSW to offer free hugs and Quiet Company paraphernalia. Then at 6 we will play a showcase at I (Heart) Video on the Strip, followed shortly after by our official SXSW showcase, again, at The Marq.

Friday, March 18th, I will work, and then go home and enjoy being there.

Saturday, March 19th, we play one more show somewhere, I can't remember where, around noon, and then will do a little more of our hugging/soliciting.

Sunday, March 20th, I will wake up and feel clean again.

A secular mantis

January and February blew by, and March has arrived in a hurry. I am not happy to greet it. And I would be, if it weren't for SXSW. The thing is that I know that when the festival does actually arrive, we'll get around just fine, despite the traffic, and though we'll have to park and load a million miles away from the actual venue, we will survive like we always do. And we will probably have a great time, like we always do, but it just creates so much anxiety beforehand.

However, I'm excited to play in Bryan tonight, because our last couple of shows there have been really encouraging, and I'm super excited about next weekend, when we return to the two best venues I've ever played: the Houses of Blues: Dallas & Houston, respectively.

The record is almost done and we've lined up an artist to do the design. Things are coming together on that front.

Leah has recently broken through another career goal for the year and it's still early. I imagine she'll break through a couple more before the year's over. Another reason I'm looking forward to being done with SXSW is that right after that, Leah, Harper, and I are heading to the Great White North for a few days to see our family in Toronto. We're not terribly anxious to put our increasingly squirmy daughter on a crowded airplane, but I think she'll really love seeing her Canadian family.

Woke up stressed this morning because I had a dream where I was on a boat with an older Harper and her friends and the waters were full of sharks and killer whales that kept bumping into the boat, almost capsizing us. I'm somewhat phobic of large bodies of natural water, and the reason is probably not unrelated to a religious observance of Shark Week in my younger years. The dream ended with me chaotically piloting the boat down the hilly streets and busy traffic of San Francisco, frantically weaving between cars until finally coming to a stop when the boat became airborne and crashed. Everyone was OK, but it was one of those that feels too real.

I don't know much about Rob Bell, and by "much" I mean "anything," but apparently he's very famous, as pastors go. I've been seeing him take a lot of grief over his soon-to-be-released book, in which, I guess, he's making claims that are getting him called nasty words, like "Universalist." I haven't read it, but apparently there's no Hell. Great news! Well, I don't think it particularly noble to believe things based solely on wishful thinking and circular reasoning, but if you're going to do it anyway, why not choose the belief structure where everyone wins?

I don't believe in Heaven or Hell, but I really hope that I'm wrong and that Rob Bell is right.

But he's probably not.

So it goes.