Making sense of nothing

Interview with Brandon McGrath

2012-01-26T22:03:00.000-08:00

Please check the other two interviews on my blog with Brandon...... thanks!!!!

1. So it seems that every time we interview, you're in a new band and I am broken up with a girl, or with a new girl. Are bands as much drama as chicks?
- I would venture to say that bands and bitches supply an equal but different type of drama. Either way there is always the good times and the bad, as with anything in life.

2. Reno has been burning up in flames, getting decimated by earthquakes and shootings, yet all of our friends are still here and want to move back, if they left; why is that?
-Because the Reno/Tahoe area is a fucking great place to live! Being an adult in this town is different and fun, granted there is sometimes not alot to do, because we are a smaller town than SF or the like, but i enjoy my relaxation as much as i enjoy the playtime and there is plenty of both in our great city.

3. Who is in your new band and how does this differ from all the rest? And can I just stand there and bob my head to the music, or will it evoke uncontrolled old-man mosh (and subsequent broken hips)?
-The new band is called Deadpool, named after the comic book character we all love/loved. It consists of Me(vocals), CJ Wintch(Beats/BackingVocs), Buck Feero(bass), Cole Hamel(Gitfiddle), and Joel Bedolla(stringmedleys). It is fun melodic HC with some inter-weavings of several different genres of music, and we are writing whatever sounds good and fun to us and what we think our "fans" will enjoy. There are a couple parts that i think might bring out the oldmanmosh in you my good friend!

4. Did the interwebz ruin the underground, or is it a way to find what is cool, new, creative and original first? Shit, at least tattoos still hurt.......
-Accessibility, or a lack thereof, is what made the “underground” interesting and fun to be a part of. As soon as the Internet revolutionized the way people market themselves and whatever they were selling, it made everything accessible and lost the intrinsic value of having to know something or someone involved, and learning of it word of mouth. Now anyone can just point and click their way through life. People then, and now, were quick to adopt trends and styles based on whatever they googled that day and that is why we are constantly surrounded by posers, sellouts, dweebs, and fakes these days. Sometimes I wish the Internet would just die; but then I realize I need a new pair of shoes and have to go to Zappos because they have more color-ways and a dope selection son!

5. I asked you this in your first interview - I wondered what you would be doing in 10 years! Well, its been five, how has life changed? Besides getting sexier as you age?
-Running 2 businesses, 2 dogs/kids, practically married because I have been with the same girl for so long. If anything has changed it has been for the better though. I am 30 years old now and have done and seen a lot, but there is still so much that I want to accomplish and do before I leave this earth. I crossfit as much as I can, and I am being diligent, finally, about getting back in shape. Things are looking up my friend.

6. What is the answer to our global energy crisis? Or is there one?
-Nuclear, solar, wind, geothermal and proper responsible regulation and usage of these types of energy could run our whole country if properly implemented with sound infrastructure. Our government and people are however still hooked on oil because the transition to these alternative fuels, and methods of energy production, are not being facilitated by the main energy companies of America and the world. Like they say we vote with our dollars and unless the proletariat gets unlazy all of a sudden, and quits using oil/coal, then nothing will change. Such is life.

7. The Constitution has 27 amendments, which one is the most important?
-I would have to say the first, of course, because it outlines our basic rights as citizens and protects us against a tyrannical government. After that the reconstruction amendments 13,14,15 are the most important by far; ending slavery, allowing everyone to vote, due process, citizenship, all the good stuff that makes our nation a great place to be from.

8. How do I tell someone that I gave you a foot massage and that Im not gay..... AT ALL? Is it as difficult as telling someone you LIKE to rollerblade?
-You just tell them, and then if they talk shit you know they are insecure in their sexuality and probably not good people anyway! Foot massage bros for life!

9. I don't really get angry anymore, I've learned to channel it in different ways, therefore I have been pretty successful in the game of life lately; does anger drive you?
-I love anger sometimes, it has its places, although few and far between as we grow older. Rationality and a cool head are almost always the high road. Channeling anger is still using anger in my opinion, and in-fact, channeling it is what separates the mature and tactful from the irrational and ignorant.

10. Who runs Barter Town?
-You know who, MASTER BLASTER!!!

11. And now, the ubiquitous straightedge question - how has it changed in Reno, or it is just like it always was?
-So different, so contrived, and bordering on meaningless sometimes when I see the current face of people involved with straightedge. My answer to your earlier question about the Internet applies to this a lot. I wish it was how it used to be, however I have the pride of knowing I was a part of it when it wasn’t cool and wasn’t defaced by shitty people. If you don’t know the lyrics to “the discipline” by Earth Crisis, you’re not straightedge bro! hahah

12. People are people, but why do you think so many that we know have a heightened sense of entitlement? Where the fuck did that come from?
-This town breeds that in people, hence the term “reno famous.” Most people with that attitude are going nowhere fast and the people that deserve to have that chip on their shoulder usually are the ones who don’t even know the definition of entitlement. I’m here to party and chew bubble gum, and Francona stole all my double bubble so I guess it’s party time.

13. Dude, I asked you this last time also - have you had your defining day?
-I can definitely say I have grown as a man in this world a little bit every day, however, I still feel like there is something out there that I haven’t accomplished yet that will be my defining moment/day.

14. Finally, give propers to those you want and Ill tag the shit outta them on this post and in my blog. And see you for the fights this weekend!!!!
-Big ups to my brother Jess Brown on his way to being a Nurse and doing big things best friends are hard to come by and I am proud that you are one of them. My good friends that I have known for years and consider brothers: Clifton Kump, Adam Krause, Troy Elizares, Rob Thompson, Allan Llaguno, Matthew Baker, Jose Galvan, Nate Weatherbee, The Wintch Brothers(Brad,CJ,Scotty), Matt “Tiny” Lowe, Elzo, Layne Kolbet, and a few I may have forgotten but will always be there for if ever needed. I love you all and hope the coming years bring us all prosperity, fortitude, and health.My SD family: Nicky Smalls, Gary Kindle, Chris Martin, Conan Dunn, Christian Morales, Marcellous “Brian Georgia Bulldog” Freeman, All the Barwest homies, the Victory MMA homies, and everyone that I have a good time with when I am in that town. Thank you all for the laughs and random fun we all have had, you are all the reason why I love that city.To my new Band mates CJ Wintch, Joel Bedolla, Cole Hamel, and Buck Feero, I am stoked to be doing music with you guys and if we stay diligent and have fun we will accomplish a lot with this project. Don’t hesitate to change things up or pass on criticism, because from it may come greatness! Haha.To my Crossfit Family: Thank you all for pushing me and encouraging me to strive for improvement every wod. It means the world to me, please believe! Adam Crull, Chris king, Ty Jones, and the rest of the gang at CFI.Much love to my sister Julie McGrath for being an amazing sister and someone I am proud to be not only a brother, but best friends with. Europe was unforgettable and thanks for putting up with me for 3 weeks straight!Moms, Barbara McGrath, you are beautiful and stronger than you give yourself credit for. Please take this year to start to realize your potential and do things that you have always wanted to do, but never got around to, because you doubted yourself or had an excuse not too. Me and Julie love you tons and really love to see you happy and well.Valerie Foley, I love you and always will. I hope this year is great for us and that you can progress even more to becoming the happy, beautiful girl that I have the privilege to see. No one understands you like I do and I hope you realize that, whatever problems, whatever you need, I got you, nothing else matters unless you let it matter.I'm sure there is other people I would like to mention however I don’t want to take up your whole blog so I will leave you with this.If a man is measured by the company he keeps, then they're gonna need a bigger tape measure, because the one that they use doesn’t measure into the echelon of awesomeness that me and my friends have attained!

No regrets

2012-01-23T17:10:00.000-08:00

I rarely write on here anymore. It seems that my pursuit of the status and dollar that I used to despise so much has caught me in its clutches; it this the life we choose as we get older? Whats the reasoning behind it? Why do we ALL become what we despise so much? When do we take a step back and realize that we are, in fact, all that we hated.

I think it is that we hate the unattainable; I might have realized this because I've had so many damn convos about this subject lately, that maybe its just a light that needed to be shone on me. Its weird how the universe works, because these "moments of clarity" seem to come just at the right time.

I write a lot about missed opportunities and getting older and basically just regretting the things I DID NOT do. Well, as I get older still, I learn that it was for a bigger plan, that maybe I can make a mark in a different way and influence people with my perceived mistakes. Its a weird reality, but a reality that I see more and more everyday, at least for my life. Maybe writing and publishing these random writings is part of the plan?

I guess the point of this is to understand that the only thing you can count on is yourself and to do YOUR thing, day-in and day-out, peoples opinions be damned. That's not to say you should discount everything everybody says, as the special people around you have your back, but really, just do your thing and learn, every day.

Maybe there are no missed opportunities...... there certainly are no regrets........

Some writings published elsewhere......

2011-07-18T14:24:00.000-07:00

http://xmajormalfunctionx.blogspot.com/2011/07/making-sense-of-nothing.html

This damn thing

2011-07-18T14:21:00.000-07:00

This damn thing will be jumping with content ASAP. Some good, some weird and some just plain bad. I do feel that you will all learn something about yourself through my experiences. Which is the point of this damn thing, isn't it?! YEP.

The Love of the Fight and the Fight of Love.

2010-11-13T11:38:00.000-08:00

Everyday, I am grateful for that day; life is all about new experiences and I am thankful that I can learn something new EACH day. Unfortunately, it just confuses me that much more.

One thing that will not waiver, is my commitment to finding my utopia. I do not care how many times I fail, I will fucking get back up each time. I have fought and fought and fought. I have loved and loved and loved. And have failed at both of them. I will succeed one day. I will learn and I will succeed. Mark these words.

Hopefully YOU can find your utopia and these words can inspire you. Thanks for listening.

Yin and Yang....

2010-07-30T16:22:00.001-07:00

....Yin and Yang are, according to Chinese culture, representative of the opposing forces in all of nature. If you are into the science point of view, it is physics in its simplest form; for every action, there is an opposite, but equal, reaction. If you are religious, it could be good and evil.

I like to live my life a lot like the philosophy of Yin and Yang and be cognizant of it EVERY minute of every day. It really puts things in perspective. I attempt to consider every side of both stories and make a real effort to be educated of either viewpoint. Sometimes though, you have to draw the line.

Now I know you are thinking, where do you draw the line? Well, that is what this blog is about; where I draw the line and what kind of repercussions you could probably expect by having the personality, idiosyncrasies or neurosis that make up your being.

There is an old saying, "Opinions are like assholes; everyone has one and they ALL stink." I really like this because it points out the fact that really, no one knows you like you do and at the end of the day, you are truly the only person who must answer for your actions.

Truly though, you cannot make a decision based on what other people think; this sets you up to fail and could cause you to become resentful of that person or situation. When making decisions that matter to your future, health or heart, you have to make a decision that best suits you. What will I get out of this? How can I minimize the damage caused to the people important to me by making this decision. Will everyone understand and do I care enough to consider that in my final call?

I like to say that "not EVERY decision I make will please EVERY person I care about." This is bond; when you have to make a decision that is important to you, ultimately, you will be stepping on someones toes. That is where the theme of this blog comes into play. Considering the push back you get from your push forward is key. Preparation for what may come will buffer the your response to the possible backlash. Knowing that you can expect repercussions for everything you do, is a way to enlightenment.

My main point is that we should all do for ourselves, while considering the people that are important to us and their reaction. We cannot prepare for everything, but just some consideration and the application of some simple rules would probably help us make some important decisions smoother.

Finally, just remember that its how we cope with the opposing forces of our actions that make us what we are. Those forces are around us and definitely rule our universe.............

Timing

2010-01-19T19:52:00.000-08:00

It seems that this blog has very much so become a more personal outlet for me. I try to not be so specific because , well, I want everyone who reads this to take something from it. I don't know what it is, or why it is, but I have been learning a lot about life in general; I can't explain it, but I do know that I have had a heightened sense of intuition about life situations. Today was no different. Here is that lesson as I saw it......

Timing seems to be one of the main components of a successful existence. Whether it be that girl that you just couldn't come to terms with, the job that was just not what you were looking for, or the house that someone bought right out from underneath you, timing will dictate much of your future. Your timing has also dictated much of your life up until now.

I had an epiphany today as I was reflecting on my life in the past year (the general theme of this blog nowadays!); I walked around the corner to get a diet coke and Marci, the owner of our vending machines, is standing there filling up the sodas. I asked her for a DC and she handed it to me. As I asked her how much she says, "On the house". Great!!! Wow, that rocked. It seemed that my timing was right on at the time. Earlier in the day, I texted a friend a little hello and it seemed that they were having a super bad day and it brightened up their day beyond all of my expectations. It seems that today, my timing was ON POINT.

Timing has been at the forefront of my life; the more hours I live and interact, the more I realize that even the smallest thing could have a massive impact if timed correctly. I also understand now that timing is not a situation that is out of your control. I believe, that much like luck, the choices you make right now have much to do with the success of your timing. Taking my prior anecdote about my friend and their bad day, it was due to the fact that I know this person and they might like to hear a few choice, nice words from me. I chose the afternoon because it is usually crunch time and the stress level might be high. And it worked wonders! It has had much to do with opportunity; if you stay abreast of the important people and things in your life, you can use your perceived timing to make quality choices and maybe gain a few successes. All-in-all, timing seems to be a major factor in the molding of your life as it was, is and shall be.

Maybe we should stop and look around.

In this life.....

2010-01-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

.....you will realize it is hard enough to be yourself, let alone someone else.

This year, just about everyone I know went through some sort of life-changing experience; be it a break up from a wife or long-time girlfriend, a death or a house foreclosure, someone had a difficult year. We all learned a bit about ourselves from this as hardship makes you tougher and prepares you to appreciate the good times that much more. My year was no different - but I learned much about myself.

This year, I went through two difficult break-ups, had two close friends die and I reached all-time lows at work and with personal self-esteem. I had a very taxing time just dealing with life. But all of that was not for naught; I learned that my threshold for pain has increased exponentially and that I can take whatever might come to me. I am ready to take on the world and it is because of the pain that I have felt this year. Although it seemed like a never ending stream of distress, I found out that I could take more and more and still remain resilient.

I have realized that I need to be myself more and more; as I get older, I have less tolerance for games and peoples bullshit. FOR REAL!!! This life is short and a year can pass you by in the blink of an eye. I also realize that I have less time for holding grudges. People come and go in your life and the ones that can't respect me and love me for me, they can fuck right off. Got no time for you!!!!

I will resolve to be myself. I will resolve to be nice to the people who deserve it. I resolve to not care about the people who do not show me the same respect. I resolve to do what I want, when I want. I also will respect and show that to the people who respect me back. It is hard enough to be me; and if you know me, you know why.

All-in-all, life is tough and it is a constant test. And it will beat you down. But being who you are, no matter what, is what will guide you through this life.......

These four walls.....or how ever many you have

2009-12-07T17:45:00.000-08:00

We as people feel the need to guard our feelings. I understand this school of thought, but to me, it is much better to tell people how you feel, or to be yourself. Be yourself all seconds of every day.

That is why I write on this; because I know I am not the only one, and that maybe someone I care about can take away from this a little morsel of inspiration or information that they can use to make themselves better. But would I be able to get to know someone or help them if I didn't open up? No, I would not!!! If I care about someone, I want to get to know them, good or bad. I want to know their inner-feelings. Their hopes, dreams, hardships, likes, dislikes, whatever those may be. You cannot get to know someone or allow someone to know you by keeping your feelings guarded from them.

Now I am not saying that you should open up to everyone you meet. But if your friends, boyfriend/girlfriend or family have no idea of where you are coming from, you cannot expect them to understand and help you. Or you cannot expect to have a fulfilling relationship.

Lately, I have had a big-time slap in the face when it comes to feelings. I have learned that I don't have time for someone that doesn't want to at least trust me. I take pride in the fact that I can be trusted. Please, seek out those that you trust and confide in them. Who else can you trust?

Late in the game

2009-01-11T23:27:00.000-08:00

Screw it, I am a late bloomer. I read an astrology article once (yeah, I know, lame) that suggested that Cancers were late bloomers and they tended to be successful later in life; whatever you guage success as.....

Anyway, I have again immersed myself into martial arts and have enjoyed reading of several great martial arts books. So what you say? Well, I have been searching for enlightenment all these years, and now, with a few years off from any sort of any deep thought really, I have come to an absolute point for my life; life itself is enlightenment!!

Let me wax on this point; it isn't that I didn't know, I just didn't realize it. I don't need church, nor do I think Jesus, if he existed, really gave me an easy way through this life - he didn't, and we all know how. But much of my circle understands my plight; we all grew up the same and ended up in the same place; right here.

I took about 3 solid years off from the practice of martial arts to rekindle my love of riding and racing motocross bikes. Although not exactly unsuccessful, it was expensive and injuries were costly to my wallet, personal life and physical abilities. Anyhoo, it seems that with a few years of contemplation of reading, watching and not a full on practice of martial arts, I have become a much better martial artist. My body seems old, but my mind is younger; but in a strange paradox, my technique is far better now and I am now able to pull of feats in the gym that I never thought possible before.

Why is this? Sometimes you need time to grow and realize what it is that you want and your reason for this shitty existence. I realize that it is just to become better and to grow as a person - to face your fears and to realize that life is just that; living. Inexperience is the devil, as my buddy Bart so profoundly told me years ago and his words have never been more evident than now.

On that tip, I will be refocusing my blog to include some interesting and hopefully witty anecdotes about training and life, and hopefully I can get some insight to all of you with interviews of interesting people that are around me and in my life. Besides, I can't do this shit alone..........

Interview with Brandon McGrath

2008-07-29T13:05:00.000-07:00

Brandon is close, close friend of mine, and he inspires more than a few people. I interviewed him here http://http://nothingsense.blogspot.com/2006/02/brandon-mcgrath-not-til-daylight.html and it seems that since then things have changed a bit for him. Here is the interview in full, conducted in April.

1. Hi. Two years has passed since I interviewed you. What gives since then?

Got a new band going called 1618 that i am stoked on. Everything else is pretty much the same just hustlin to make money and finish up with some school stuff.

2. Nat Geo - Reputable news reporting or reckless journalism?

Absolutely reckless journalism. They have an agenda with everything it seems. Lately i have chalked it up to all media and government is completely corrupt and it will take nothing short of a coup or revolution to change things in this sinking ship of a nation.

3. Barack or Hillary?

Obama all the way. He is passionate and forthright also he is not your typical career politician. Hillary is wacked out and needs to just let go. For god sakes the woman started NAFTA which was one of the worst and most corrupt acts to ever be set forth in out government.

4. Why do people not respect other people? And what can we do to maybe heighten consciousness to their lack of respect?

First and foremost we need to stop letting people get away with disrespect. Whether racially or socially, it shouldn't be tolerated or shrugged off anymore.

5. You have a new band since we last interviewed. How is this one different from the last one. Haven't you realized that hardcore is dead? People want shitty metal, how do you counteract that line of thinking?

My new band is called 1618 and it is alot different than my last project both musically and stylistically. We gave up on metal because everyone has a shitty metalcore band now, that whines about girls, and has cookie cutter song structure. We have gone with a new and original feel that mixes it up, we have been compared to poison the well, snapcase, and the refused, but our newest stuff even has a biohazard/rage against the machine feel. We are basically just having fun and coming as original as possible.

6. The greens want Ethanol and alternative fuels which use up farm land faster than you can shit out your corn tortilla. The good 'ol boys want us to drill, effectively doing the same to untrampled land - WTF is the answer?

The answer is all the stuff the conglomerates are not throwing money into like hydrogen, nuclear, solar, geothermal and wind. The true right thing to do is to have a balanced infrastructure of all of these and it would take a fraction of the cost it takes to use oil to implement all of this on a national level... then i say we drill Alaska and sell it to the Chinese to pay off the bullshit war debt we have accumulated thanks to oil.

7. Reno? Or somewhere else? And why? Reno ain't so bad, is it?

I love reno. So much great stuff to do both in and out of town. I also dont mind San diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, and a bunch of other cities. I think reno; no matter what town i eventually settle down in, will always feel like home to me.

8. Books or movies?

Movies all the way.. I am all about popcorn, laziness, and visual stimulus.

9. Organized religion has been high on my lists of HATE lately? What is your take? And are you atheist or agnostic? Or does you loves some Jesus?

I would classify myself as a spiritual/agnostic. Using the term agnostic in the sense that i don't believe in organized religion at all. I feel that the bible is a fictional story, and just that, nothing more or less. Religion is a cancer to free thinking and self-worth. if you don't have faith in yourself why would you waste all your time worshiping something completely intangible, and why would you put your faith in a story that has been obscured, misinterpreted, and exploited from the day the dead sea scrolls were found.

10. Is your future clear to you yet? I asked you this before, and now it is two years later. Any other ideas?

Well i know what i want and i know how to get it. I know where i want to be, so yeah i would say my future is much more clear than it was. i used to never plan for the future but now all i can think about is what i need to do to make life more fun and worthwhile down the road.

11. Finally, give shout outs......who supported you?

Well of course The Family and my friends who are also family. My girl Valerie for being supportive when i need it most. And personally i have to give it up for CK1 the Cliffy Kumpster, Jess Brown, Jose Galvan, Adam Krause, Matty B, and my bandmates for helping keep me grounded the past couple of years, and for being the best friends/family a guy can have.

Big Bob's Challenge

2008-07-09T23:36:00.001-07:00

At Jasons wedding, Big Bob challenged me and a few others to lose enough weight and train hard enough in MMA to fight amateur at this time next year.

Well, I have taken Bobs challenge to heart and have decided that by my 35th birthday I will have competed in at least one Am MMA fight and will be down to 170 lbs for that fight.

Here are my current stats - 230 lbs

Amazing, considering I was at 200 lbs as of Jan 07. Well, this is it, this is where it begins and it ends.....

Inspiration

2008-04-20T20:57:00.000-07:00

I can't help it; I have to be inspired to create works via the medium of writing. I have a hard time being my own inspiration; this is why posts on my blog have been few and far between.

I have very little outside stimulus. I have great conversation with my girlfriend, but fulfilling conversation from others, trips or visuals have been sporadic.

Recently, I have been contemplating my role in society. Not society as a whole, but in my little slice of the community that I live in. I learned a long time ago that I probably can't reach everyone. But by reaching a few, maybe the trickle-down effect would be enough to get more people involved reading my work, therefore doing my part and adding some sort of validation to what I do.

I think that is what has been the problem. Artistic expression is for personal validation. You do it for yourself, recognition is just an aside. People do what the love because it is just that - a love. Passion stems from an inner need to get out. A need to have an outlet. Something that you like doing. Something that you think you might be good at. For me, expression through written words has always been a little slice of goodness; with my inability at times to express my self through speaking, I turn to this as a means to an end for expression.

I am not much of a fiction writer. Understandably, as I get older, I learn to mask life experiences in story, but literally. Fiction writers have a knack for telling their life in words, but without personalizing them; that is truly artistic. I am more like an analyst. I am able to make what is good, better. I can take someones idea and run with it, but my own ideas might be few.

Stimulus is the grounds for change and advancement of society. An old master said it best; "Hot water will not remain hot without adding more hot water". And that is the truth.

Inspiration is the hot water that keep the wheels churning for me. And, I surmise, for all artists. Just by writing about my lack of inspiration, maybe I can find some deep down inside. Maybe I can inspire the reader of this to look at what is around them.

I love to express myself. I am an artist in my own right, and I admire anyone that can shape someone by doing what they love to do. People that collect, aren't the ones that move the world. Those are the ones that hold us back - they don't add their flavor to the circle that they live in.

Culture, as I define it, is the person, places or things that helped shape who you are. And when you live in a culture that is devoid of forward thinking or expression, then you lose inspiration.

I had an interesting talk with a few good friends last night, and it was enlightening. I kind of felt that who I am is important, whether or not I am recognized.

In closing, thanks for the inspiration......whoever, or whatever you are.......

Outstanding...

2008-04-09T20:06:00.000-07:00

......was the job done by Nat Geo to portray the negative side of Straightedge. Well, it turned out how I thought it would.

Thanks to Nat Geo for interviewing someone that is over 25 and has some tenure. Thanks for leaving the second half of the show with the negative tone. Nothing like ending on a high note. (sic)

Thanks to Nat Geo for being a true small-time media outlet and turning the coppers on to the "SHOW".

Thanks to the Reno kids for trying to debunk the myth of being gangsters by having a cutlass on dubs. Sweet!!!!

Look, we all knew how this was gonna turn out. The fact that this was exactly the way I thought it would be just reaffirms the battle that we would have. Unfortunately, we all know that straightedge is a loose knit bunch of wild men (mostly, and some poser girls) that will probably sell out soon.

All-in-all, this show was a pile of garbage. And kudos to the RGJ for being the absolute rag that it is. Small town dicks........

Just take a look at this garbage that they chose to print - with clever title and all. How cute!!!

In that I am absolutely amazed by the amount of ignorance posted in the comments section of the articles on the RGJ. Do I hate all muslims because some muslims might be associated with Al-Qaeda? No way!!! That same kind of narrow-mindedness is what got us into the pathetic situation our country is in right now.

If you are reading this and are not straightedge, let me say this!!! We choose to stand for our right to choose what we put into our bodies. We stand for our right to be who we want to be. Due to the actions of a few misguided individuals, we have all been labeled in a manner that is inconsistent with the masses.

Straightedge is not a "scene". Is is not an afterschool group, a church or a religious faction. It does not have a written set of bylaws, nor does it affiliate itself with a color. We just like black!!!! :)

If you are straightedge and are reading this, I have this to say to you. I have scars on my body that I have acquired in the name of straightedge. They are from sticking up for myself. I am in spite of the "scene". I don't need anyone else who is straightedge to support my choice. It is a personal choice that is MY OWN. As soon as you look to others to validate your existence, you cease to be an individual.

You are not part of a "scene". You don't get points, or become revered by "belonging". You get all that by being who you are in a hostile environment. Hanging out with like minded individuals will just cause your view to become narrower. And your mind will become smaller.

You are part of a community. You are part of something bigger than you. It will go on without you or with you.

Straightedge needs people willing to be a voice of change. Not a force of change. We need people willing to become educated and become mouthpieces for the label.

People in general need to look past what the Reno Police Department (LOL) have deemed as a "gang-like group". You could deem any group like that. A football team that fights another team is not labeled a gang; they are labeled a TEAM!!!!

Tradition shapes a lot of peoples ideals and I am no different. I yearn for the days where we hung out, BBQ'ed and acted like kids. But sober. We did no harm to anyone that did not do harm to us first.

Nowdays, the internet glorifies and sensationalizes Straightedge, just as it does everything. I absolutely believe that not searching for the truth will lead you to lies.

The media does what it does, selling space, papers or air-time. And it didn't do it by reporting good news. Think about it.

Amazing....

2008-03-05T19:14:00.001-08:00

This story is nuts.

My endorsement goes to.......

2008-01-30T16:42:00.000-08:00

General Zod!!!

Kata Shotokan Style

2007-12-08T18:07:00.000-08:00

Chainface

2007-11-24T19:35:00.000-08:00

If you were there, you knew......

Time passes us by.........

2007-11-23T23:15:00.001-08:00

.......faster and faster as we get older.

When we are children, we have so much to look forward to. It seems like the next day, whether it be for our trip to Chuck E. Cheese or wherever it may be, takes goddamn forever. I remember Christmas or the month prior feeling like an eternity - then something happened; my youth left me and I didn't even realize it until it was gone.

Yeah, okay, this is random, but I see Luke kicking dudes asses, looking good doing it and I often wonder what would have happened if I wouldn't have taken breaks in training? Could that have been me? Is it too late. Jason and I talked about it - its a young dudes game. Everything is a young dudes game. Wasting fucking time in bands or wasting years on broads has gotten me to a point in my life to where it may be too late.

Is it fucking time to pack this shit up and head off into the sunset? Will I always be a workin' stiff, toiling in a career that I have yet to choose?

I think back and since 2000 my life has been a blur. What the fuck have I done? I now realize that SEVEN big years have passed and I am just getting my first sleeve done - the one I wanted probably ten years ago. Maybe had I not wasted my time I would have realized how fast my life was passing me by.

I guess it just boils down to the fact that one day you wake up and realize that your life has changed and you didn't pay attention.

I guess I should pay more attention.

I-80 straightedge - Reppin' Hard. Early 90's.......

2006-12-17T15:33:00.000-08:00

http://www.verydistro.com/moreinfo.aspx?id=17755

"With the fall of Syracuse, NY, as the Mecca for militant vegan straight edge kids in the late 1990s, the Reno/SLC area quickly assumed the role becoming a hotbed for straight edge bands like Unconquered and xClearx"

Moshing? Dancing? Pitting? WTF?

2006-12-10T14:00:00.000-08:00

You can call it whatever you want, but without a purpose it is just lame.

If you don't know what I am talking about, figure it out. ASAP!!!!!!!

I don't drink..........

2006-09-10T21:30:00.000-07:00

.........because I don't!!!

Lately, I have had alot of people ask me why. I even had a discussion with my good friend Ryan about this subject.

I have been straightedge for a long time. I am not going to start drinking out of the blue. I never liked it. I never liked how it made me feel. I never will. I am not going to wake up one day and go to the liquor store and get a six pack or a bottle of tuaca. It ain't gonna happen. Get that through your head.

But while I am on this tip, let me tell you exactly what it is for me when I talk about alcohol........

Don't you use it for an antiseptic?

I don't need it to be social. Or to fit in. I could carry around a bottle of IBC at a party and your dumb ass wouldn't know any different. I am having just as much fun as you are and you won't remember..............

I am a better person for it. Every single thing I have done in my life, good or bad, has been a conscious decision. I can say that with pride.

I am not a square. If you know me, you know that.

Why do chicks feel compelled to judge me when I say I don't drink? And yes, it has gotten me significantly less dates. Girls think that parties and social settings with alcohol are more important than having convictions. Trust me, your favorite bar will still be there when you die. Probably.

Getting ripped is expensive. Going out for drinks seems like it would suck your wallet dry. But if you are a chick, some schmuck will always be waiting in the wings to buy you a shot so he can GIVE you a shot later...............

So, let me say it again - I don't drink and never will!!!! If you don't like me for it, so be it. But I never judged you.

So don't judge me. It is who I am. Not what I don't do.

MMA, UFC, whatever......

2006-07-11T20:57:00.000-07:00

I watched the UFC the other night and a few things came to mind.

The head bleeds real easy. A cut on it will look much worse than it really is. But they cause fight stoppages.

Ken Shamrock can't fight the UFC style anymore. He just doesn't have it in him.

Vanderlei Silva is gonna tear Chuck Liddels head off and feed it to him. Chuck actually looked intimidated.....fight over!!!

Andrei Arlovski is not the fighter eveyone thought he was. He has a great skill set, but like a fighter before him (Vitor Belfort) he has no confidence. Shit, Frank Mir beat Tim Sylvia and Mir can't fight past the first two minutes now. The gay russian porn star can finally be out of your hearts.

Last, but not least, the Pride style of fighting lends itself to the actual mixed martial arts style that the Gracies intended it to be. I find it ironic that they invented the UFC and now Pride is what they have created.

The ring gives more opportunities for submission and more KO's as the cage leans more to the Tito Ortiz style.

Thanks.

Area43.net

2006-04-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

Go here for the best in political commentary.

Jose runs this blog and he has a definite political slant to it, plus he posts some cool assed hardcore clips from the olden days.

Give him some love!!!

If.......

2006-02-27T20:40:00.000-08:00

You say that you are trying to do something, but still do it, don't waste your breath telling me about it.

You want to be my friend, I should have some redeeming qualities.

Your boyfriend is a dick to you, leave him.

You have had problems with your boyfriend in the past, but choose to stay with him, then don't remind him how fucked up he is every chance you get.

You don't want people to treat you like a slut, don't fucking act like one. If I have to explain it, don't ever fucking talk to me again. Really.

You have something good to say, say it. I welcome well thought out and sincere thoughts vocalised.

You tell me something, I take it at face value. Don't tell me something then expect me to decipher it. I don't have time for it.

You are a girl that only cares about looks or status, don't talk to me.

You are a dude that is too cool, fuck off.

I did something for you for the sake of just doing something for you, and you didn't at least say thanks, then you can fuck off too.

You think I am not good enough for you, then I am probably TOO good for you. People aren't made up of their degrees, status or cool fucking tattoos or hair cuts. It is truly what is inside that counts.

You have the "Pocahontas" complex, leave me alone. Being nice to me might make you a good friend, and might even make me desire you, but sooner or later, I will figure you out, you fucking snake. I know alot of people.

You think you have it so hard. There are many other people that deal with REAL problems on a regular basis.

You are so self-absorbed and drowning in your own sorrow so much that you can't stop to help a friend. You suck. Real bad.

And finally, if you think I am TOO jaded and TOO bitter...... Oh well!!! Its my fucking party and I'll bitch if I want to!!

The edgebreak list.....

2006-02-06T22:01:00.000-08:00

Taken from the edgebreak website -

The Edge Break List Is Dead

The Edgebreak list was begun in 2002. To us (at least me), it was a huge joke, a gag, a farce. Over time, people became more spiteful with their posts and used this list as a form of revenge. I even received a few emails from kids who were harrassed due to some affiliation with this list. Based on all the hate, I have killed the edgebreak list.

All this hate
What is it for?
It's not something
That we can just ignore
A waste of energy, a waste of time
You can't see it
'Cause you're so fucking blind

- Side By Side

Going forward with HYE, please expect more POSITIVE aspects of the straight edge culture to be displayed and documented by this site. If you have any questions, you know where to reach me. Peace. One love.

B. Murphy, HYE?

I liked it. Take it for what you will.

The XthingsX that we do......

2006-02-06T21:34:00.000-08:00

So, with my infinite amounts of spare time, I have once again renewed my commitment to myself to be the best I possibly can be.

With this, I have taken part in and surfed my favorite forum group on Myspace. The one titled 'straightedge'.

Now what the hell does this have to do with making myself a better person? Well, it has everything to do with it. Maybe by having correspondence with the mass amounts of people that call themselves straightedge on myspace, I might learn something in my old age. Old dogs can learn new tricks.

But alas, I have not. I have only been able to reaffirm some things that I always thought all along.

1. There are so few of us that truly give a shit about Straightedge.

2. So few of us are actually talking about things that MATTER in life. What about the middle east and Irans refusal to let UN inspect their nuclear program. That is certainly important to me, you and well, everyone!

3. The discussions that do come up are rarely about anything but these few things - caffeine consumption and its place in straightedge, prescription drugs or porn.

These three things make me realize that I need to try my hardest to stimulate the minds of the people that I interact with. As I get older, I realize that my need for great conversation is at a paramount, and the people that I interact with on the NERD aren't doin' it for me.

My hope for straightedge is that with our "raised conciousness" that we become more than a force for change; that we ARE the change. We don't need to be the negative in the public eye. We need to be a positive and by not engaging in everyday conversation, then we aren't getting the message out.

I guess that I mean that I want more for the movement than it to die a slow death because of its commercialism; we need to show them that we are the true rebellion. Rebellion against rebellion!!!!

Brandon McGrath (Not til Daylight) Interview

2006-02-02T21:56:00.000-08:00

The following interview is with Brandon McGrath, longtime friend and former bandmate. He has been in Unending and toured and recorded in support of Unconquered's last record in Europe.

We have know each other for a long fucking time and we are close. We share kisses on the cheek and shred the gnar on our dirty bikes.

Fat kids rule......

1. Okay, who the fuck are you? How old are you? What do you do? Why are you so sexy? Will you marry me?

Yes of course i will marry you! haha.. Well my name is Brandon McGrath i am a born and raised Reno cat who has been straightedge for 10+ years. I am 24 years old. Currently i am a fulltime college student and have 2 jobs. I have been involved with music as far back as i can remember and my band and my Hip-hop project take up some of my time also. And i am sexy because i am myself and never in my life have i tried to "fit in" i just do what i enjoy.

2. You have a new band. Tell me about it. Who is in it?

Well my new band is called Not Til Daylight. I scream/yell/sing whatever you want to call it in this band. We have been together for about a year or so maybe longer but we all played music together before in a band called The bakers dozen letdown. Basically it is metal/hardcore fun stuff to shake your ass to. Some of the subject matter is light hearted and some of it is not. With songs that range in topic from the worlds addiction to prescription drugs and being "medicated" to relationship and "scene" related stuff like how kids live their lives on or through the internet. We play metal mostly with alot of hardcore influence and basically just enjoy rockin'. The line up is Me-vocals, Jason Jo-guitar1,
Alex Cardenas-guitar2, Troy Elizares-bass, and Chris Jimenez- drums, All of us have done music before in bands locally such as- Lionel Huts, Drugknuckle, Unending, Unconquered, and some other ones i cant really remember at this very moment.

3. What really bothers you these days? I mean, I am a hater, but does anything really get under your skin?

Heartless cowards that think they are hardcore/metal.
People who think they were part of something they had nothing to do with. Straightedge and the hardcore/underground "scene" having lost it's sense of brotherhood and comradery only to be replaced by kids with this psuedo-gang mentality that fuck up what took us years to build. Frat boys and their pink polo shirts. I could go on forever really.. haha

4. Along time ago, I saw you at a Clear show. How have you changed since then?

Wow well i am definetly a little older and alot wiser than back then. I still have fun at shows like i used to but it just isnt the same anymore. now i have a shit ton more responsibility in my life but i definetly feel young still. I have alot of good/great friends that i have made since then that without them who knows where i would be.

5. Straightedge has changed over the years. Does it mean the same to you as it did when you were first coming up?

It means the same to me for sure.. I feel that what it means to me is not even close to what it means for the other people in straightedge, especially the newer crowd of initiates.

6. Who stirs the pot of passion for you? Other than me?

Um well of course my girlfriend Valerie, and um i would have to say Kate Bekinsale is a close second haha.

7. It is 2006. What will you be doing in ten years? Will you be alive?

In 10 years i will finally be out of school. Still playing music. Still havin fun. Maybe even have a family and all that good stuff. As we all know the future is what we make it and i plan on making my present and future a splendid fuckin time. I imagine all of us sitting around as old men at a BBQ with each other .. Our kids playing together and all that mess and all of us still reminiscing about the "good ol days" still..

8. When was the last time you got so pissed you wanted to truly kill someone?

Anybody up for a game of rugby...? hahah yeah it has been a while for sure. I dont let things get to me easily at all anymore.

9. Not til daylight is not your typical hardcore band. I would say that you have an original sound, and definitely different lyrically. What inspires you when you rock lyrics?

Different things inspire me when i write. I take the emotion i am feeling when i write and reflect in that tone and inflection when i find a topic i want to write about. Usually it is about something that happened in the near to present past and i just flow it. I have never had writers block because i have this wierd problem where i think too much about everything haha. I am a wierdo. Hey has anyone seen Jacob lately?!?

10. Hey, weren't you in lame ass Unending? They sucked....

No fuckin way we rocked in that band!. Man i had alot of fun with you in that band. So many good times and many more to come my man!

11. What is your typical day like?

Sleep until i got class, then get up and go. I work on the weekends and a couple nights during the week but i basically make my schdule. Maybe have band practice. go to matty's house and make some beats/music maybe write a song or 2. Hang out with my girl if she is not too busy. Go to the gym or snowboarding or maybe even ride my dirty bike with friends. Basically everyday is what i make it. well that and class and work get in the way sometimes haha.

12. What is/was your defining day? Have you had it yet?

I think everything a man does in his life from what he does to how he does it defines who he is.. so i take it one day at a time and hope that the choices i make define me as i should be defined.

13. Can we kiss? Haven't we already? We did on Program mountain once. "Why can't I quit you?"

Because we love each other thats why! You are one of my Best friends and i will have your back whenever you need it til the day we die, or you get another girlfriend and disappear! ooooh! hahaha just kidden homie. Kenny loggins and dennis rodman called private snowball the other day to inform him that 3 men dont fit so well in a 2 man tent hahahahah.

14. Finally, what things should scene kids be doing to help it grow?

Support local music and bands, help promote when you can, join special interest groups that help raise awareness for underground movements, quit fighting amongst yourselves, pick someone up when they fall down,be there for someone other than yourself, and lastly if you have something to say to someone say it to them personally and hold people accountable for their actions.

Well, fucking do you?!?!?!?!

2006-01-19T20:41:00.000-08:00

This post was written in response to a post made by a young kid in our SxE community (he is 16). His original post was, in so many words, "Fuck sellouts". It sparked a pretty heated debate and it sparked a rant by me that even I didn't think I had in me. Maybe it was a long time comin.... here it is.....

I can truly see both sides of this coin. I mean, who wants to hear from a super new kid shit like, "FUCK SELLOUTS". Shit, he/she hasn't even had time to get into some shit that might make him/her re-think his/hers commitment. Read: The number of sellouts after the Gehenna incident....

I can also see that we need to be more supportive of the kids coming up. They are the ones that will carry the torch and they need a support group to keep them coming around.

Now I don't know who EVERYONE is who comes to shows, nor do I like all the bands that I hear from this town. But I do know that as long as there are kids around, I will support their right to be edge. They will always have my respect. But if they sellout, well, then I can't truthfully say that I will still. There are old friends of mine that sold out, but I still love them to death and most of 'em still come to shows.

Its not about who is around the longest. It is about who is around RIGHT NOW. Trust me, I have seen people sellout that have had fucking 10 SxE tattoos. I don't give a fuck about your level of commitment to the X. Who cares? I care that you are and that you continue to be. Thats all.

But if you do decide to be a sellout, don't leave a fucked up legacy for us dudes still around to fucking clean up. Don't be fuckers and use the edge as a status sign. Don't think anyone won't tell you you fucking suck if you fuck up and do something to make us all look bad.

If your band has shitty lyrics or a dumbass name - expect to get shit. And also re-evaluate those things. Do you want that kind of attention? Or do you want people to respect you no matter what?

Do you walk around blaring your edgeness or do try to do things that will promote SxE and its growth?

Do you carry yourself in a manner that people can respect? Do you fucking treat people like shit? Do you treat the girls in your scene like shit? Do you disrespect the old guys, the ones that held this fucker up while you were still sucking moms tit? Do you know the bands that shaped this scene? The bands that shaped the hardcore scene in general?

Do you think it is a fucking fashion show? Do you dance because it is cool, or do you do it because you are pissed and it is a way for you to go off?

WELL, DO YOU????!!!!!!

Sorry, that needed to be said.

Apartment 213

2005-12-26T15:18:00.000-08:00

http://www.verydistro.com/moreinfo.asp?id=15468

All I know, is that for years, just getting your hands on a seven inch of ANYTHING they have done is next to impossible. Now, they have a discography. Happy days are ahead. For those of you that know, you will be stoked, for those that don't, get it anyway.

Jose Galvan interview

2005-12-14T20:57:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't know, Jose has long been an icon to me and the rest of Reno. As you will read in the interview, he has a lot to say and has some valid points. Jose is a fucking stalwart of the NCRA community and a great dude. You should all take note, he could learn ya a thing or ten.......
1. Lets get to the compulsory questions - What is your name and what do you do?

HA! This question reminds me of "Kindergarten Cop"
"Who is your daddy, and what does he do?"
My name is Jose Galvan, I am a full time husband and father, I am a telecommunications drone. (meaning I work with with signals - voice video data).
In my spare time I read lots and eat lots.
I'm an online wiseass and all around teller of tales.
Basically I'm a family man who dabbles in hobbies that I used to be obsessed with.

2. Where are you from? How long have you been Vegan Edge?

I'm originally from San Francisco but now proclaim Sacramento as my adopted hometown.
I've been sxe since a little after high school (I graduated in 1988) and vegan since the mid 90s.
There's only one more person who's still around from my era of straight edge

3. You are a daddy now, what kind of things does your child need to know to make it in this shithole?

Faith.Hope.Sanity.Love. I'm going to try and instill these in her so the world doesn't get her down.
She has a clean slate, a loving family and nothing to stop her.
She definitely will need to believe in herself and in real family in order to survive and thrive.

4. Dude, you have been involved in the scene for years, what is the one thing in our community (hardcore community) that makes you cringe? What is the one thing that makes you proud to be, proud to be, Straightedge?!?!?!

One thing that makes me cringe: just the general attitude in hardcore nowadays that forgets about the meaning in the songs.
"They played the part, and they wore the right clothes, but they didn't know, what the fuck it meant"
I think Mike Judge said it best back then and it still rings true today.

Here's something that I came up with recently:
I am straight edge IN SPITE OF not because of the hardcore scene.
I have attended one show in the last few months, and will most likely not see another one soon (unless I see a metal show with Death Metal Dan)
I am proud that in 2005, straight edge is still represented by good dudes from coast to coast.
From Reno to Salt Lake to Seattle to Syracuse....
There are STILL dudes like you and the rest of the Reno SXE who are still down even though it's not "cool" anymore.
Living a lifestyle of self preservation and the pursuit of righteousness, is always something to be proud of.
I have no intention of selling out, but my lifestyle will endure even if the label dies away.
I have every intention of taking this to the grave.
This is how I live my life, it's more than just a t shirt.

5. Why is it that the in the late 80's to mid 90's were so good. Do you think the advent of the internet watered down the history of it? I mean, I got my info from zines and word of mouth, now you can go to a message board and be a genius, like you were there. WTF?

You hit the nail on the head. I think that there's more of an appreciation for things if you have to work for them.
It used to be a big deal to hear a new band, to see a show in another town, to meet another hardcore kid.
Besides the internet, I think that sheer numbers have a lot to do with why the 'good old days' were.
Nowadays there are hundreds and thousands of kids getting into hardcore.
Back then, if you saw someone on a skateboard, a bmx bike, wearing a suicidal tendencies or corrosion of conformity t shirt, you were stoked!
Wearing a band shirt now, and seeing another hardcore kid, the "nod" is rarely exchanged.
It's definitely not that big of a deal for someone to be involved in hardcore nowadays.
You buy some shirts, go to a show. Bam. Instant "CORE".
Sure you can get tattoos or whatever, but they are optional.
Having a smaller community also meant that kids in bands were just that.
Kids in bands.
There wasn't as much of a division between bands and the crowd, everyone was the same!
Nowadays it seems like there are bands, hardcore bands even, that act like rockstars.
That's BS.
I also blame the kids who put these guys on pedestals nowadays.
They are in a band. It's no big deal!
So someone comes up with catchy tunes.
Rad. They are still average dudes!
In order for hardcore to be radder, it needs to be more of a community and less of a social scene.
I predict that once this wave of popularity tanks, things will improve.

6. Big shit has gone down lately, like the shooting in Phoenix. What do you attribute to this?

Deaths and violence in hardcore are nothing new. We just have the internet now so we can hear about these things easily now.
In the early 90's my friend Paul Carallo and Aragorn fought nazi at the cattle club and were both stabbed.
Paul never survived the attack and died.
I've witnessed beatings, violence, all sorts of horrible crap.
The first show I ever attended was probably the most violent.
In 1988 DRI played in Sacramento, and 3/4ths of the crowd were seig heiling nazis.
At the end of the night, it erupted into a full on riot with police throwing tear gas into the club and fighting spilling out into the street.
I saw a guy swinging a chain on some dude and another guy get thrown onto a car.
What's different now?
Now it's hardcore kid vs hardcore kid.
Crew vs crew.
Different groups of hardcore kids fighting each other instead of the real enemy.
Not very productive...

7. Do you thing the whole wiggario mentality has fueled the "harder than a brick sandwich" mentality?

These questions are awesome because they are all related to the previous one...
There's a lot of people who have yet to feel the consequences for their answer.
To quote Sick Of It All "Someday, your luck will fail, then you'll wind up dead or jailed!"

8. Speaking of hip-hop culture, why does mainstream rap suck so bad?

I have no idea dude. Look, I joke around about this a lot but I mean it, I really don't like rap!
I never liked the message, it's mostly women hating pro-drug garbage.
You know me, when have I ever e
Yeah yeah there's one or two "intelligent hip hoppers" who are basically communists and far left weirdos.
No thanks!
I also really don't care who is the biggest and the baddest rapper.
I'll quote someone else this time "Because the music that they constantly play, it says nothing
to me about my life so hang the blessed DJ"

9. George bush doesn't care about black people?

Not true!
I've never met the guy but I think he likes black people a lot more than people in his own state do.

10. What makes Amy so fucking rad?

She's my best friend, she's a voice of sanity, and she laughs at my stupid jokes and puts up with my friends.
She's beautiful inside and out, greets me with a kiss each day and is an awesome mom.
I miss her every day I go to work, and get excited to drive home to see her and Elsa.
She's thoughtful, considerate, and selfless.

11. Reno is your second home, what is your fondest memory?

I have way too many hilarious/scary/awesome memories of that town.
left hand, casa margaritas, making dean the scene cry,driving there to see hatebreed and puking immediately after their set from moshing
Hatebreed playing to about 20 of us in that record store that sold white power records, and then jumping onto said records to dive on our friends.
The Bomb Shelter - Jason's birthday party at your house, waterballoons at snapcase,
Visiting mike ward and just listening to him spew hatred is always good.
Brandon and I saw David Coverdale of Whitesnake in Wild Oats.
Hahah! Death Metal Dan and I slept under a pool table at Mike and Glen's trailer in LEMON VALLEY before a 25 ta life show years ago.
Then of course, there's the ruckuses, but we always go over those when we hang out so I won't go there!
I love the Reno Hardcore and the Reno SxE scene, which are pretty much synonymous, but there are tons of dudes that aren't sxe that are good people.
Things are better in Reno.

12. Emo moment? Do you need a hug?

I'm always down for hugs dude, you know this!

13. Last but not least, it is close to XXX-mas, what do you want to see under your tree?

I'm a capitalist but not a materialist. I have all the things I could possibly want.
All I am hungering for now are bigger and better versions of those same material things.
IE fancier camera, fancier recording equipment etc.
My beautiful baby girl is seriously the best early Christmas present ever :)
I have the gift of life love and family every single day I wake up, what else can a guy want?

NCRA circa 1996

2005-12-10T12:03:00.000-08:00

This photo is courtesy of Jose courtesy of Keven VDC. This is the Nor-Cal Reno Alliance around 1996. It is at a show that I cannot remember, but I am sure it is at Berekely Square. Those were the days.......starting with top row, two chicks I don't know, maybe one is Jose's ex whom I can't remember, next row, Mike Schmidt, Jim Severt, Leapin' Larry?, J-moneyless G, don't know, Brian McClaughery, Glenn Lemon(leaning), Kevin and Luke?, me(in red shirt), bottom row, two dudes I don't remember, Jose Galvan (sac sweatshirt), Bob, and Jess Brown. True family.