Upgrading From Cloud Seven...

Saturday...definitely one of the best days of my life!  It has been a great Christmas holiday thus far and Friday was excellent.  I spent the day with my parents, lounging around, hanging out, enjoying some time in town searching for a phone.  I ended up replacing my old one with a new one.  It's the same model and everything, just a little newer.  I like the fact that I can see the screen and it's not all whacked out like the old one was.  It was definitely getting a little aggravating, not being able to read the texts and see who was calling.

I had dinner Friday night with someone very cool, very cute, and very amazing.  Needless to say we're hitting it off very well and I'm very happy with the way things are going.  It's going to be interesting to see where this goes.

Today was even more incredible, spending time with said "cute and amazing".  Hanging out, having coffee, walking through a few thrift stores, and then shopping at a scrap booking place.  It was fun, simple, nice, and extremely real.  Something about this day has been very different, and I like the way it feels.  Being on cloud nine is a nice change from the everyday cloud seven...ha ha ha.

Ciao!

Looking Forward...

Christmas was awesome.  Need I say more?  The Christmas holiday is always memorable here at home with family.  I spent the early portion of the day finishing up my gift wrapping and worrying about the snow fall and accumulation in Durango.  I finally worked up enough nerve to drive out of Durango (which was a small miracle in and of itself) and made my way home for the day.  The gifts were plentiful the the family was together.  We are truly fortunate to have each other, to be together during the holidays and to have so much in our lives.  I know that things could be different.  They are for quite a number of families in the world.  I did indeed count my blessings instead of sheep on Christmas Eve.

With my family in good health and everyone making their way through the aftermath of the holiday, the new year approaches.  I can't wait to spend it with my friends and welcome it with high hopes and a smile on my face.  Living for today is a great way move through life, to work and make progress on a daily basis.  (And looking forward to the bright future ahead is always fun and uplifting.)

I can't wait to spend some time with my BAMF.  She's played such an incredible role in my life, my growth, and my idea of friendship has changed and made progress because of her.

Here's to the new year and knowing that, come what may, life will indeed be wonderful!

Ciao!

And To All A Goodnight....

"Twas the night before Thursday, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except a certain family who like to give one person crap, all the time!  The stockings were hung by the fire with care, and her socks were in her bag, her feet weren't bare...ya, so it started to snow and the roads turned to ice, and another day passed and everything was nice.  Back to Durango for another weekend of fun, some new toys to play with and DVD's to run.  Much love to my BAMF and I hope she's OK, and that her lip heals up quick, because I know she wants to play!!!"

A holiday poem by Jared

It's Christmas time for me and I'm so ready for a wonderful holiday with my family.  I know that there are so many people out there who can't get home for the holidays or can't be with family.  I'm going to count my blessings instead of sheep tonight when I hit the hay.  I'm truly fortunate and I know this is the season for giving and receiving.  I'm going to open up my heart and my mind and share my love with everyone.  I hope that it's a wonderful holiday season for you and yours and that love and merriment are in the air this weekend!

Ciao!

Of Crazy Parties, Popcorn, and Snowfall...

As I watch the snow fall gently outside my bedroom window I think about how quiet the world is at this moment. (Well, at least the world outside my window...) It makes me stop and think, possibly ponder my own life at this point in time. Being up this early always scares me a little. Wondering whether or not I should be sleeping, taking this time to reflect on this past weekend, and then trying to live in the moment once more.

It seems that my holiday break has begun without me. I always run around the first few days wondering what I have to do, whether or not I should be at some rehearsal, why I feel so busy when clearly I haven't any schoolwork to which I should attend. Then the feeling sets in and I finally make the switch over to vacation mode. The days are extremely shorter and the nights, while they come earlier and earlier, seem to last forever. I remember commenting just this weekend that it seemed to "feel" like it was nine at night when it was in reality only six-thirty. I suppose that's another thing I still have yet to get adjust in my life. That whole time change thing still freaks me out...

Sunday was extremely relaxing. Enjoying a nice long day of lounging seemed to be just what I needed. Late in the afternoon I found my way upstairs to "begin the day". A quick shower and some clean clothes always makes me feel better. Then off to K's place to hang out with my BAMF. Life is always better, more focused, and safe when I'm with her. She centers me and makes me reassured that life is indeed a good thing! We ended up vegging out, in ever sense of the word. Movies and some empty calories were also what I needed. (Oh, and first time seeing "Lady in the Water"...awesome!)

Saturday morning was frantic, wrought with performances and rehearsals. Though, I do feel that it was more because of the night before and not because of the events of the morning. Bar tending has certainly proven to be much more of a challenge for the morning portion of my day. Getting in early, after tending late, and then getting up to get to a performance was rough! But, it felt good to get some playing time in and enjoy a last go 'round with Tim before he left for his break. I enjoyed a wonderful evening of Tarantino films with my sister and her husband as well as some friends of ours. Family, friends, popcorn, and bloody/puss popping zombies were definitely needed that night.

And now, as the snow falls gently outside my window, I realize that the universe had all of this planned from the get-go. A crazy Friday night, full of alcohol pouring, money flying, margarita drinking co-workers, to a peaceful early Monday morning with a soft and quiet time for personal thought and reflection.

Intense, yes...needed....more than I could have ever imagined.

Ciao!

Something To Fill The Space...

I guess I'm not quite sure about what to write...

It's Thursday, yesterday was Wednesday, the holiday season is here and for all the masses who celebrate Christmas, there's only a week left until the big day.  I guess it's kind of funny how we still, to this day, mark the calendar by big dates.  Regular days probably turned into those world changing moments, altering the lives of countless others and that's why they made the calendar and days like today might not.  (Guess I'll keep my fingers crossed for something incredible!)

Rehearsal yesterday went fairly well and it seems that most of the people in that ensemble rehearse and perform better in a very low pressure situation.  Our professor is definitely a great leader.  Inspiring others and acting as a shining example of how to approach this lifestyle we call "music" is what he does best.  I really look up to him and hope to someday approach the level he has attained.  If you ever get a chance to hang out with him, do it!  It's awesome and he's a great friend.

In other news, the club is holding our annual "Holiday Family Party".  A chance for the kids and their families to come to the club and enjoy some time together.  Games, food, music...you know...all the important stuff that we all should do everyday instead of this crazy bull-stuff that we call "work".  Were the world as great as it is inside our building, everything would solve itself and we'd all enjoy snack-time as an added bonus!

Looking forward to that day...

Ciao!

Weekend Update...Gigs!

Days off from writing are something I hate taking.  With all the performances, gigs, and finals over the last 5 days, the world of blogging has been something of a blur.  The term is ending today and the world is looking brighter and brighter (despite the clouds and impending snow).  The end of last week was wrought with music and gigs all over the place.  Final rehearsals for jazz band are going well and a gig at San Juan College in Farmington was a blast.  I was happy to play with that ensemble again and the charts were really fun to play.  Couple that with a week long visit from my uncle and the week was killer!

Saturday's gig at the DAC was something of a bust.  I was a little depressed that more people didn't show up, especially for a Saturday night event.  The world of Durango just doesn't seem to have much interest for the world of Jazz.  I did however have a great time playing with the best rhythm section.  Those guys are getting tighter every time and it seems that they are moving closer and closer to the "gel" mode.  Michael came and sat in with us for most of the event and that was sweet!  He can play and has ears from another dimension!  I was glad I got a chance to play in a combo setting with him, and it definitely helped the night move along!  Kudos to him for stepping up and having some fun with us.  I really appreciated it.

My BAMF was there and that makes the night the most special of all.  She's the best, my (s) pic, my friend, and my confidant.  I can't imagine the world without her in it.  I was glad to get to hang out with everyone after the gig and enjoy some early, early, early morning breakfast.  It was fun and I hadn't done it in a long time.

Sunday was a club day, full of holiday merriment and bowling (of all things).  I hadn't been for years and I really had a great day with the club folks.  It was one of the best holiday parties I'd been too in a long time.

So, 10 days to the big show and a happy ho-ho-ho!  I hope that everyone has their lists out and are checking them twice.  The season is upon us and the spirit of the holiday is everywhere, I hope we can share it together!

Ciao!

...DARY...

It seems with the end of the semester finally arriving and all the work behind me, the motivation ratio is starting to take a dip.  I'm finding new music to play and projects to keep me occupied, but I'm not sure how I'll be able to spend a month at home.  Usually I'm in Santa Fe working with the Desert Chorale. (if you haven't seen or heard them, do yourself a favor - www.desertchorale.org)

It is intense for a holiday season, but with the change in administration and new ideas, they seem to have things in hand without me this year, so I'm finding new things to keep my days working.

Spending some time at home and work extra hours everywhere seems like a great place to start. Having quite a bit more personal practice time is definitely going to be wonderful.  I'll probably even start some other jazz studies and work on some new licks!  Can't wait to see where this month takes me.  I hope that everyone out there has a wonderful month off from school and that we come together refreshed and ready for another kick-ass term!

Ciao!

Notes Gone By...

Juries, finals, papers, homework, exams....

It seems that this time of year this terminology always enters our college bound lexicons.  I found myself standing in front of the music faculty once again, playing solo and showing them that I really do know what I'm doing.  (for the most part...)  It was a little different this time as I have already performed my senior recital and I'm pretty much ready to move on to the next level of my education.  It felt like I was playing my swan song, at least one of a few left in the year, and I was kind of sad to see them all sitting there watching and listening.  I've done it so many times now that I don't hardly think about it anymore.  Maybe this is a good sign that I am really ready to move forward in life and take that next step.

As for finals, I've kind of felt a bit of a slacker this term.  I really only have one final left and I'm planning on taking that online.  The rehearsals for school are over and there are no more performances left.  It seems that the year really is winding down and our department is getting ready for a nice relaxing holiday.  One more semester, one more term, one last go 'round...

I can't wait.  It's going to be legen...wait for it...

Ciao!

There's Music...and then there's MUSIC!

Practicing always makes me feel better...about everything.  No matter what is going on in my life, good or bad, strong or weak, real or fake, practicing my horn and making music always helps me regain my focus.  It brings out the vibrant colors of my soul and heals my heart.  The music that I emote makes me feel centered and whole again.  It revives that spark, it kindles the low flame and helps it grow into a raging bonfire of expression once more.

Tonight I practiced and played some music.  What makes it better?

Playing for someone else.  Sharing that music with another person.  This time....my BAMF.  Ya, it was awesome and when I heard her play it made me realize just how amazing a musician and person she really is.  If me practicing by myself helps me regain my focus and grounding, then playing for another person (especially my BAMF) takes my world of music to a different plane of existence.  That elusive "undiscovered country" appears on the horizon for a brief moment in time.

Share it, live it, dream it.  Regain your focus, center yourself in the moment, play some music, do what makes you happy.  Live the dream....

Ciao!

The Joys of Being Home...

Days like today are few and far between.  I guess that can be said for everyday as we should try to live them like they were our last.  But, having family in from out of town makes days like these even more special.  The first week in December is already checked off the calendar and the skies shown sunny and clear blue.  Though crisp and clear, the days and nights are still very cold and a foreboding winter is definitely on the horizon.  It is simply amazing that there is still lots of sunshine and warm afternoons to go around this late in the year.

I spent the day visiting with family and enjoying stories and conversations over some fabulous home cooked fare.  It was truly a wonderful day.  Working on computers for my parents, and shuffling music around for my grandparents, spreading the love and enjoying each other is definitely my idea of a good time at home.  I'm really fortunate to have them in my life.  Just knowing that they are there makes my days easier and my soul feel good.

I hope that everyone gets to spend some time at home with family, especially during this holiday season.

Ciao!

A Most Enjoyable Evening Indeed...

Today was filled with the holiday season.  A finale concert we affectionately refer to as the "Holiday Bash" went surprisingly well.  (Even for an event with such a violent seasonal title...)  For the most part everything fell into place and I was glad to say that I was there on stage enjoying myself.  I've performed in so many thus far, rarely do I have a chance to sit back and enjoy myself during a performance.  It seems that I am feeling my time coming to a close on that stage.  The literature is coming full circle and I'm seeing more and more of the same notes and passages from my early days at the Fort.  I do know that it is time to move on and find some new music into which I can sink my chops.

Sushi after the show was incredible.  It had been a while since I'd had any and that made it all the more special and savory.  Each bite was delectable and the chefs at the restaurant were on fire this evening.  If you ever find yourself in Durango Colorado, please, do yourself a favor and stop by our sushi place.  "East by Southwest" is a wonderful place to eat with great atmosphere and wonderful food.  A little pricey, but so worth it every once in a while, especially after a good show!  I think what made it best was that I was there with friends enjoying a nice evening out.  It has been a long time since we've been out like that, it was genuinely awesome, in every sense of the word.

The classic "Larsen" after party was great.  Lots of musicians cavorting and enjoying themselves.  Holiday "cheer" being passed around in great abundance, and my jug of water keeping me  company amidst the plethora of "spirits".  Needless to say I went home earliest to avoid any sidestepping confrontation or awkwardness of the "less that sober".  It was a good time, but I need some peace and quite, slow standards and some hot tea to keep me sane.

I hope that everyone out there is having a wonderful weekend already.  Keep it real and have some fun!

Ciao!

Ending for the Beginning...

Now is the beginning of the end...of the year. 2008 is moving steadily towards the finish line and the beginning of the down hill slope has come. Thirty days will see us to the end of this year and the beginning of the next. I myself was a little taken aback at the fact that the first of December had arrived. It seemed only yesterday (now I know I'm getting older) that summer was just getting started and the days were hot and long.

I'm excited for the holidays to come and for the new year. 2009 is already looking like a year full of progress, change, and illumination. This year still has some time remaining and, while it is fleeting, it's that time that is most precious, most endearing, and most valuable. I hope that we can live each day like it's our last. (Even as they give way to the next...)

I look forward to tomorrow, but live in today...

Ciao!

...It is Inevitable

Sometimes change comes when we want it to. Other times it comes when we least expect it. Then there are the times when we focus, make a conscious effort to change, and then (like the Nike ads say) we just do it. Now at the end of our holiday break, with the burden of the final three weeks of the fall term staring us down, the students of our college return once again to our institution of higher learning. With true grit and rested mind, body and soul, I too return with a hope for change.

Striving for evolution of the self, progress, both academic and personal, as well as a new air about my life makes me hopeful that the next level has arrived and a new struggle will begin. Taking those first renewed steps makes me anxious for the unknown. Making my way, moving through it one day at a time, and remembering that it is because I get up and move, get up and smile and know that today will be amazing because of those first steps. I hope that we all wake up and sing, dance, play, move, and groove to a new beat each day, each hour, each minute, and remain focused on change...on making true genuine progress.

Ciao!

Wakey, Wakey...

With the recent holiday in the past I find myself back in my "quiet, little, redneck, one horse, mountain town". The winter season has definitely come to fruition with a crisp chill in the air at all times and fair amounts of snow lain upon the ground. The streets are beginning to become icy and the hope that the fleeting days of sunshine and blue skies will not falter are now at a very real impasse.

Still in tryptophan recovery, I feel a little groggy today, it is better than yesterday. (Might even explain the absence of a post...) The day after a major holiday always feels so surreal and with addition of what the country called "Black Friday", I knew that it would be in my best interest to stay home with the family and not venture out amongst the masses, yearning to dominate the consumer market. Instead, I slept in, which was awesome. I then went to the movies with my mom, which (you guessed it) was awesome as well. Spending a day of giving thanks, followed by a movie and an afternoon with the fam averting electrical fires seemed a befitting close to a wonderful holiday away from the little mountain town where I attend school.

Now returned, I have progressed beyond sleeping on the floor...to sleeping on the couch. Another night of DVDs and late night tube exposure can pretty much trigger the sleeping drug in anybodies system.

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thursday and Friday. Saturday looks promising...with a slight chance of opportunity on the horizon, good days and better days.

Ciao!

This Our Day Of Thanks...

Today, a majority of Americans celebrate our holiday called "Thanksgiving". It is meant to celebrate our history, our family, our friends, our relationships, basically the many people in our lives for which we are thankful. Some rejoice in being with good company, some pay homage to their friends and their many blessings.

I think that, after my very short time here on earth, the concept of being thankful has come to mean a great many different things for each of us. The dictionary defines "thankful" as: Aware and appreciative of a benefit; grateful. I hope that I can express my gratitude for my life, the quality of that life, my family, my friends, my mentors, my education, and each of the many blessings in my world that have become too numerous to calculate.

I do know one thing thus far...it takes more than just one day in the year to truly show how much each of us have in our lives. It takes constant vigilance, determination, and a very conscious effort to remain thankful, to remain steadfast in our humbleness as a family member, as a friend, as someone who can show they are blessed by expressing thanks each and everyday to everyone they know.

My personal gratitude cannot be expressed here in this blog, it cannot be quantified by numbers nor can it be visualized in picture. It can come only from my heart, my words, my thoughts, my work and deeds towards others and that constant unwavering effort to lead by example and show everyone just how "thankful" I am for everything I am, everything I have, and everyone that shares in my life.

Thank you all.

Ciao!

The Future Is Now...

The sense that the world is in good hands is always present when I'm at work. Though, to say that I'm at work is really misleading. My career has taken me to several places, however none of those compare to working at a Boys & Girls Club. My current club is very special in that I have been present since its inception. The first of its kind here in Durango, the organization represents a much needed outlet for growth in our community. The members here are stellar, and even then, that is an understatement. Each child has their own personality and each is very special to me. They complete that youthful vicarious need in my life and allow me to influence them in a positive way. Nothing on this planet is more rewarding or more satisfying.

Today there have already been countless signs that the future of our world is, truly, not without hope and prospect. We've been here for a little over a year and our club feels like a home away from home. With a jump start in technology, games, and wonderful program leaders, this club is sure to grow and expand beyond anything this town could possibly imagine.

Look out world, these kids are coming and they are ready for anything!

Ciao!

Primary...

(Insert Greeting Here...)

This is my first post. (High Five!) I read many different blogs online and find that each one carries its own personality. I hope that this one will do the same and add to the myriad of blogs that already exist. If I happen to write something that resonates with the public (you...hey you...ya you) then please feel free to leave a comment.

OK..."get on with it!"

So, I'm currently listening to "Mark and Brian". They host a live morning radio show out of southern California and, lucky for me, they finally have their online radio module up and running. For a while it was down and I was going through massive DT's. There really isn't any kind of withdrawal like not being able to hear these two jock's. They have, in my very modest opinion, one of the best morning radio shows in the country. (www.markandbrian.com/markandbrian) I highly recommend them if you haven't partaken thus far...

The sun is coming up, it's really early and I totally slept on the floor at a my best friend's place. We enjoyed some late night Family Guy DVDs and for some reason she wanted to get pancakes at like 11:30pm. So, we went down to the local pancake place (well, the only place that's open in this town who serves cakes that late) and she had a fat stack. It was different to just watch someone eat that particular breakfast item, as I had already eaten and was quite satiated for the night. She obliterated the meal, it was awesome! I don't think I've been scared of someone who wanted food like that, but her eyes just kept getting wider with anticipation and she kept saying it over and over, "Pancakes!". Needless to say I was relieved when she had devoured the griddle fodder. So, butter and syrup wiped away, we ended up finishing off the early morning with some Animatrix, which I highly recommend, and could not believe she hadn't seen! Then again, she hasn't seen a lot of things and this truly is an endearing quality.

So, after waking up on the floor (I love to sleep there as of late) at 5:20 this morning I finally made it to bed. Ever wake up on the floor after some late night DVDs?

Ciao!