Elliott Smith.

I love Elliott Smith's music (the soundtrack to Good Will Hunting [a brilliant movie, the music is perfect for the feel and vibe of the story]is mostly his music). He died in 2003.

I was reading an interview with him tonight and there was a quote that I liked especially in regard to creating. Many times, artists can be their own worst critics and won't give the time for something (song, dance, play, video, design) to evolve fully and kill it right away. However, we grow so much from just producing. It's not that every idea will be great, but if you put out enough ideas there will be something that is worth pursuing. He said:

"It's very important to try all things that occur to you. You can't not try something just because it might be cheesy. It's a fine line between something that sounds like bullshit and something that sounds really cool. A lot of people agree that Picasso is the greatest painter of the 20th century, but I was told that he has more terrible paintings than everybody else too. He just painted more than everybody else! He didn't demand of himself that everything he did had to be stellar. It's sort of like, do everything and sort it out later, because you learn from your mistakes."

I know this sounds obvious, however while I try to teach this idea to people I come up short in regard to living this principle in my own life. Mostly when it comes to songwriting. As one of my resolutions for this year I want to continue growing as a musician and write more songs. I typically think everything I write is just shy of being mediocre, but I need to keep writing if I every to expect anything to be worth a damn.

I was just thinking about that tonight and was reading a little about Elliot Smith. If you've never heard him before, you should search some stuff out. Its typically mellow and haunting, which is a perfect combination for some car music. There is also a lot of his music on YouTube so you can check it out for free. Hope you like it and don't be afraid to try something, even if you fail wince we typically grow from our failures (except for algebra, failed it in 11 grade [only class I ever failed] and I never recovered). Cheers.

Chris

Happy New Year.

Its amazing to think that its been a year since we moved back to America. On 1-1-08 we landed in DC, got a connecting flight to ATL and then got a ride to Ray's sisters by our good friend Kerrey. Starting a long and tiring 2 weeks of driving, packing and more driving (over 60 hours total) to arrive at our new home in Arizona.

WRAP UP

2008 was a good year. Any time you make a huge life change there are things that take time getting settled. From touring to having office hours is a major shift for a person like me. I also struggled living back in the States for a while. I LOVED living in a foreign country. For me it was always an adventure and I loved that there was always something crazy happening (go to Africa if you have a chance, you will just smile the whole time because there is always something funny or odd happening). Plus, all the traveling we had done before moving to SA was an adventure and I struggled with being in a 'normal' life.

For Rach, I know it was a great year. Not living out of a suitcase meant the world to her. Finally getting a job as a teller and then being offered a personal banker position at Chase was exciting. She is amazing and excels at everything she does. What a freaking awesome woman!

As a couple it was a really good year also, I honestly feel that we grow closer and closer as time goes on. Rach was really there for me in my transition from the road to the office and it would have been a lot harder without her there. Thanks Ray.

RESOLUTIONS

Resolutions can be so trivial, but I think its a good way of looking to the future and finding areas in your life where you can grow and develop.

For me I want to grow in my fiscal responsibility and learn more about money. I was never taught much about money growing up and want to really develop that area of my life this year. Rachel and I will probably never have huge salaries, however the more we learn how to let our money work for us the better we will be. Or worst case I'll just start producing and selling meth, its big business around here.

I also would like to learn more about different crafts or trades. In particular I really want to learn more about coffee. If you have spent more than 11 minutes with me you probably know that I love coffee. I want to learn how to roast coffee and more about that business, its interesting to me. I've already contacted a local roaster and will be helping out with him coming up in the next couple of weeks. I am also wanting to continue to grow as a musician/producer and also learn more about the mechanical side of cars and trucks. I think its interesting, but something that is not really taught when you are raised by women.

Lastly, no new years resolution can go without something about fitness. I am fit in spurts, but never stay on track. I hope to be more active this year and eat a more healthy diet, staying away from as much processed stuff as possible. A goal that Ray and I set for ourselves (which I might add makes me sad) is to not eat any fast food this year. I know its a goal that sounds impossible to do in America, but we can try and I will keep track on here if we are able to keep that up. (I will miss you Taco Bell, Chick-fil-a and In-n-Out like close friends). We both have put on quite a bit of weight since moving back and it makes me feel gross.

I hope you all have a great New Years and would love you to post your resolutions in the comment area. Cheers.

Chris

Oh yeah.

Right now on my TV Rocky is driving fast in his car reliving all his memories while Survivor rocks "No Easy Way Out" in the background. Life doesn't get much better.

Oh wait, it will, when Rocky starts training in the snow in Russia. I love my life right now.

Jana's New Blog.

Rachel's mom, Jana, starting crocheting when she moved to Saudi Arabia and has really started to love it. She has a new blog where she will show the things she has been making. They really are well made. Check it out here.

Movie Night.

Ray and I went to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button last night and we both loved it. I think its a great story and the execution of the story is amazing. Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett both did great jobs playing the different stages of life. Plus, the make up artists did a fantastic job making them look the ages they were playing. Check it out. Cheers.

Chris

Merry Christmas!

Ray and I had a great Christmas at home in AZ this year. We both agree that a winter Christmas is waaaaayyyyyyy better than our summer African ones the past 3 years. However, we didn't have a white Christmas like we thought we would, instead we had a rainy, muddy, cold, nasty Christmas. Oh well.

We got up and opened our presents this morning. Ray got a bunch of Bath and Body Works stuff from me, including a sweet new robe. Plus she got some great gift cards, scarf and nice nativity scene candle things from her family.

I got some Jeep stuff, WOOHOO! A Daystar dash panel to hold cell phone and other sundries. I also got some grab handles, a little took kit and flashlight to keep in the Jeep. Besides Jeep stuff I got a couple Xbox games, a sweet hat (kind of like the one in the link, Ray hates these hats, hahaha) and a couple of gift cards from family and friends.

It was a nice Christmas. I hope you all had a great holiday and have a wonderful new year. Cheers.

Chris

Tis the Season to be Merry....Thats my name....

Christmas Eve is a great night. Ray and I went to church and on the way home picked up some sushi and some Red Truck and then made a fire and watched some Christmas Vacation. Doesn't get better than that. Cheers.

Chris

Diamond Dave.

I think this is so funny that I cracked up on my couch, alone, until I starting coughing. I hope you find enjoyment in it.

South Africans that see this site may have no idea what is going on....just a warning.

Beans, I think you will appreciate this.

My friend's, Justin Unger, song, "In You Alone," is up for Song Discovery Independent Song of the Year. You can help by voting; follow the link below to vote (Justin is the 9th song listed in the first category).

http://www.worshipleader.com/praise-awards

He's the worship leader at the church Ray and I go to. I also get to play with him so it would be cool if he won this award. Cheers.

Chris

Let it Snow.

We are getting our first real snow over the next few days, I love when it snows. Cheers.

Chris

Update.

Heres whats been going on with us.

-My best friend, Chad (and his wife), came to visit for his 30th bday. We had a blast hanging with them, hadn't seen him since 2005.

-I'm learning to work with After Effects and I love it/ hate it when I can't figure out what I am doing.

-The worship leader at church, Justin Unger, has a couple of albums out and I am getting to play electric guitar for him for a couple of shows coming up. Thats going to be fun.

-Ray and I got a Xbox 360.

-Its supposed to snow in a few days, I hope we get a couple of inches at least.

-Ray is kicking butt at work, I am so proud of her.

-I love Christmas time!

-I love my Jeep! I'm getting a little lift and she's gonna look sweet!

-Rachel and I have met some cool friends in town, that neither of us work with, and its fun getting to know new folks.

-I'm so lazy and can't get motivated to work out.

-I am in love with eggnog.

Thats about it. Cheers.

Chris

Coyne's Cancer.

My friend David had some skin cancer removed from his eyebrow the other day. He went today and had it stitched up and everything went well. He has some great shots of the piece that was removed from eyebrow, check it out here. Cheers.

Chris

Guinness.

Our friend Megan made this pic of Guinness on Facebook, its great.

2 Down, 1 To Go.

Ray is still in the certification process to be a banker at Chase and today she passed her second test that she needs to be licensed. She had to drive up to Flagstaff for the test and there are a couple of youth ministers up there that we work with so I got to go along and have a couple of meetings while she was taking her test.

She has one more test and then she starts her training for her position. I am so proud of her and the work she is doing. Right now all she does is study, all day, every day. I know she can't wait to be done with studying and start being a banker. Congrats Ray Ray. Cheers.

Chris

Sad but True.

A fun video from beyondrelevance.com about how silly church can be at times. I love the crappy logo with the diamond plate background, classic. Cheers.

Chris

First Snow.

We got a tiny bit of snow this evening. Its cold out today, but its supposed to warm back up this week. Ray and I drove up to a higher elevation tonight to see how much they got and it was a couple of inches. Cool. Cheers.

Chris

BMX.

I have always wanted to learn how to ride BMX and yesterday morning I took a bike down to our local skate park to teach myself how to ride the ramps and bowls. IT WAS AWESOME!

The bike rides so smooth and its great riding up and down the ramps, around the tight bowls and jumping the jumps. I was too chicken to drop in to a quarter pipe.

So today I went to another park in Prescott Valley and taught myself to drop into the quarter pipe, I was so freaked, but made it no problem. Then right before I left I tried one last time and crashed on my head and elbow, I wasn't hurt, but I saw the most beautiful starts. Haha. Cheers.

Chris

Proud to be an American.

I am excited about what happened last night in the election, congratulations Mr. Obama.

I know that people tried to not speak about or even acknoledge publicly the fact that Obama was a black man and I am proud of America for that. We as a country have come so far that we aloud policy and hope to guide us rather than the color of a candidates skin.

In Obama's acceptance speach he spoke about a 106 year old black lady that voted and he talked about all the changes that she had seen in her life and how far we have come from when she when born (a gereration out of slavery). It gave me goose bumps and made so proud to be an American.

Is racism over? No. However, I am hoping that this sets us on a path that allows people to be seen as people and not as the color of their skin. As a man or woman rather than a black man, white man, asian woman, hispanic woman etc. We can, hopefully, all just be the people that God created us to be.

Do I agree with all his policies, no. However, I do think he does have the ability to unite this country if people will allow him. I don't think everyone will, but I hope and pray they can, so this country can continue to be the greatest country on earth.

Congratulations Mr. Obama and I pray God gives you the wisdom and strength to lead our beautiful country through the next 4 years and beyond. Cheers.

Chris

PS.
Heres Obama's speech.

Election Day!

I am so excited that its election day!

I have been watching and debating and praying and thinking about this election for so long that I am so pumped that its finally happening today. I remember watching the 2004 election in the Traveling Mercies RV in a campground in California so I look forward to sitting up late, getting a bottle of wine and enjoying watching this thing unfold.

Right now I am babysitting, my friends, the Herrington's, kids while they go vote. How cool that we live in a place where we can openly elect our leaders. God bless America.

Go Vote.

Chris

90's

90's music rules!

I realize every generation believes that the music they listened to in high school was the greatest, but all other generations can kiss my Beck/Joan Osborne/STP/Pearl Jam/Alanis Morsette/Rage/3rd Eye Blind/Couting Crows/Nirvana/Everclear loving rear. Palabra.

Chris