Come on Irene

Well, time for a tropical storm it looks like. I hope there is minimal damage and little loss of life. Mother Nature can create some wild experiences. Even in the midst of devastation, we stand in awe of such power.


- Drew

Shotgun

Accept that your friends are getting older along side you. Your life will change, so will theirs, but we're on the same ride. Comforting.

Adventure in spite of fear

It's easy to become a homebody as you get older.  It's not necessarily a desire so to speak, but a complacency that sets in.  Why venture out and try new things when you can sit at home and be comfortable with what you know?  This, in my opinion is the begging of the end.  A day you try nothing new, learn nothing new, experience nothing new, is a day wasted.  You are only given so many days.  Don't waste today, live it.

mewithoutYou

New band for me today.  They're opening for one of my favorite bands, Alkaline Trio on Sunday at the Black Cat in DC.  I'm digging this stuff.  Wide variety if you listen through them all.  Check em out:

mewithoutYou SoundCloud

Go Humming Bird

Like all of the birds of the sky, the mammals on the Earth, and the fish of the sea, I believe we are all born to be free.  Rules, regulations, laws, expectations, social norms and fear all lead us to lives of restriction and slavery.  Open your eyes, listen to the wind, smile at the living being beside you and live.  Live free.

Clean Up

Clean up the messes in your life.  Even if you think they're out of sight out of mind, subconsciously they're eating away at your sense of peace and calm.  Rid your home of clutter, clean up your desk at work.  Get the trash out of your car.  Purposeful and planned chaos can be a wonderful thing, but in general, having order in your life better prepares you for the unknown or unexpected.  You're difficult to push over if you already have your feet in their proper place.

Open Eyes

Worrying over the inevitable ruins the joy of the surprise.


- Drew

Panic Anxiety and Depression

Partly because it’s therapeutic for me and mainly because I hope it may bring some future good, I wanted to fill everyone in on my health issues over the past year. 

In October of 2010 I had my first full-blown panic attack and spent the evening in two different ERs pretty sure I was having a heart attack and would die.  I saw a half dozen doctors and took a slew of tests, but was continually told there was nothing wrong with me.  Over the next few months I continued to have spikes in anxiety and eventually was having daily anxiety attacks, even hourly, every day of the week.  Depression and anxiety are like the chicken and the egg so it’s difficult to say which one came first but they always go hand-in-hand. In April things got worse.  Eventually the 24/7 anxiety led me to decide I was going to kill myself.  I was admitted to Arlington Hospital and spent three days in the psych ward against my will. They decided I needed to be on drugs of course and I had to take them or I wouldn't be released.  Once I figured out the game, I knew what I had to do to get out and did.  It reminded me of what I suspect prison to be like.

For 4 1/2 weeks, taking Zoloft was pure hell…pure.fucking.hell.  The side effects were unbelievably torturous.  Eventually things started to level out and I gained a greater understanding of what was happening through therapy and education. 

In general I have my life back now, for the most part.  I bring all of this up because when I was in the midst of it all, I thought all of these problems were uniquely mine and that no one would understand what I was going through.  I have since discovered there are millions of people like me and many even in my own family and circle of close friends.  I should have reached out for help sooner.  You have an incredible support group in your friends and as we continue to age we’re all sure to hit some obstacles in life.  Everything is easier with support.  Thank you to everyone for being supportive in your own way.  There is always hope, never lose faith.

Musical Inspiration

I played a show yesterday morning for about 200 little five -year-old kids. Inspiring children is an extremely rewarding experience. I played a show later that night as well. It is great to share musical moments with friends and family. I wish I could play music for a living there's just something about the give-and-take between a musician and the audience. It's a beautiful thing.



- Drew

What's That Now?

Not really sure what to make of this:

EAT ZEN?

Loss and Hope

10,000 Toro Nagashi

    On August 1st, Toro Nagashi was held as part of the Kawabiraki Festival, and 10,000 lanterns were floated down the Kitakami River.
 
As of July 29th - 3,149 people were confirmed dead and 890 others missing in Ishinomaki alone after the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. 

Usugrow Shinganist

If you don't know, check this guy out.  Amazing pen and ink work.

Time Sink

People can waste your time.  When it comes to an office environment this rings far too true for many.  Learn to keep people away from your workspace, learn to say no when asked to do something that does not relate to your main goals of the day.  With focus, we could all work 4 hour days and be far more productive than the 9-5ers who constantly interrupt their train of thought with distractions.  Focus on the goal and get it accomplished.