Mike's Blog

from the deep...

2011-08-27T19:29:00.000-07:00

Just stumbled upon this old, worn down blog that I hadn't posted to in years.
Time to knock the dust off the old blog, and get it started again.

Maddie senior pic

2008-09-02T11:10:00.001-07:00

Maddie's Senior Pics

2008-08-19T13:16:00.000-07:00

Wow. Madeline had a local artist take her senior pictures earlier this summer, and we just got an email from the artist that a sampler is online on her blog here
Check the entry titled "Poet in the Park", dated August 18th!

blogger from my iPhone

2008-08-05T19:08:00.000-07:00

google has done it again!
I've used direct email from my iPhone in the past to post to my blog...
Now I can use google's mobile UI to post directly! (yeah!)

Triple Falls

2008-06-30T17:25:00.000-07:00

Gorge Hike

2008-06-30T10:46:00.001-07:00

Climbed the trail from Horsetail Falls
And rested at this vista.

She Wants Revenge

2008-06-20T11:02:00.001-07:00

Last night Will & I finally saw SWR.
It was a great show - they moved it from the Crystal Ballroom
( presumably due to low ticket sales )
Saw my neices Caitie & Jana there, then, while having a beer on the
sidewalk patio, saw my sister Korin in a car at the light on Hawthorne.
Was told (again) that I look like Portland mayor Sam Adams by a
complete stranger. That's three for three times in Portland that
someone has mentioned that.

The opening bands were great!

Sent from my iPhone

Maddie gets a picture with the Nada Surf bassist

2008-06-13T20:53:00.001-07:00

Spoon, Presidents, Nada Surf

2008-06-13T17:54:00.001-07:00

Ladies Rock Camp

2008-06-01T22:50:00.001-07:00

I was invited to the showcase today to enjoy some great original
music, by women that attended the ladies's rock camp in Portland,
Oregon this past weekend. My friend Erin learned the bass and played
with her band! She was great!

Nada surf

2008-03-26T22:25:00.001-07:00

Saw nada surf with William and Maddie

Nice day for a walk.

2008-03-04T17:47:00.000-08:00

Snowboard Day

2008-02-15T11:46:00.001-08:00

Maddie is really picking up mad skilz on the mountain! Her second time
up this season, and she is turning with confidence.

The sun is out, and yes, Shelli, we both have our SPF40 applied!

Sent from my iPhone

2008-02-15T11:42:00.000-08:00

Merle turns 94!

2008-01-28T19:36:00.000-08:00

My Grandparents are doing great for 94 years of age. They continue to live in their home, with the help of their kids, and grandkids. We celebrated by sharing a cake for the 94 year young Merle!

Portland Auto Show

2008-01-27T19:32:00.001-08:00

Shelli and I went to the auto show today, and saw some great cars!

The Audi area was my favorite! The ne A5 is more stunning in person
than in pictures! I loved the styling, and those headlights were
awesome. The R8 was Shelli's favorite of the show.

We snapped many pics for Maddie, since she had to stay home to study
for tests.

Sent from my iPhone

My hotel room (test)

2008-01-22T21:58:00.000-08:00

Business trip to Boise Idaho

2008-01-22T19:43:00.000-08:00

Hopped a plane to cold Boise this afternoon. I have a 2 day meeting at
the Boise HP facility.
My new firmware on my iPhone is awesome! I used the locator feature in
the map app to set my phone to the Boise area, then searched for my
hotel by name, and got directions. It was so easy, and while at red
lights, I woke the phone up, and looked at major crossroads to see
when my next turn was immenent. Seamless - who needs an auto-nav? Not
me!

Heading back home Thursday night.

Sent from my iPhone

Access to blog from iPhone

2008-01-22T19:26:00.001-08:00

Test message to start blogging from my iPhone

Sent from my iPhone

Rock Camp for Girls... Day 1

2007-06-25T21:14:00.000-07:00

So, today was Maddie's first day at RnRC4G (Rock N Roll Camp for Girls)

William and I went to the first ever RnRC4G showcase to see our favorite band (Sleater-Kinney) perform years ago...
During the showcase, everyone was seated at the Aladin Theater... no one was standing in the large open area just in front of the stage. The three of us (I think Scott DeAlvarez was with us) walked up and stood right at center stage - resulting in everyone else joining us in the 'pit'.
After the S-K set(they always deliver!)William said to me, "Mike you HAVE TO get Maddie to do this camp!"... well, I can't take any credit for her wanting to do it this summer - that comes from her friends at the Art School all deciding to start a band at rock camp... but she signed up. And today was day 1.

Due to a mechanical issue with our CR-V, Shelli and I both ended up driving down to Portland to pick up our little rock camper together - and am I glad I was there for the debrief during the ride home!

Maddie talked the entire way home (due to traffic it was about 45 minutes en route)
She described meeting a girl that was in camp last year, an accomplished guitarist from Eugene Oregon, and a "quiet" girl that played the drums like a 'loud' girl :) - a complete band was formed.

During their day, they noodled on some sounds and wrote several parts of their first original tune!
The band has a camp supplied 'manager' and a camp supplied 'band coach' - both were very helpful in guiding the girls through a discovery process to find a sound they liked... as well as other things.
Oh, yeah, and Maddie was using a distortion pedal! (woo hoo, my dream has come true).

Her excitement was electric - literally.

After her regular guitar lesson this evening, Maddie and I had a guy at Beacock Music help her pick out her very own distortion pedal - and we picked it up...

Later at home, Mads played us the parts of their song that they had worked out... and it sounded so great! I can't wait for the showcase this Saturday night!!!

The camp produces a DVD for campers of the experience - and a film crew was taping her band today... I'm definitely buying a copy when its ready!

I could not have dreamed of a better first day experience for Maddie - this camp sounds like a life changing event! Girls Rock!

Timbers Vs AC Milan (under 21)

2007-06-20T14:13:00.000-07:00

We went to see the Portland Timbers play a friendly against the under 21 team from AC Milan last night at PGE Park.
Good game, great seats. The officiating was a bit off - one of the Timbers was red carded for screaming at the ref... a bit strange - must've said something really bad...

The game ended in a 1-1 draw - and we were treated to PKs...
I feel sorry for those young players from Italy... the first 3 missed their PKs... so the Timbers ended up winning the match.

It was our first Timbers game that we drove to, and it was so much better than the experience takin MAX from Gateway - that we'll probably drive next time (even though I'd really like to reduce our carbon footprint)

Go Timbers!

Back room with Carrie Brownstein

2007-04-28T17:48:00.000-07:00

We planned to catch a family supper prepared by Naomi Pomeroy - with our good friends Doug and Toni.
Doug had found this special event in his inbox, and the words that caught his eye were, [...]live music by Carrie Brownstein (ex-Sleater-Kinney).

Turned out that Doug and Toni had double-booked their evening, which is too bad we were looking forward to a chance to talk...

Last week, when I mentioned to William that we were going to see Carrie, AND eat a family supper - he nearly freaked-out!
He was immediately online trying to get a reservation... but alas it had sold out. (I really should have sent him a link when I found out about it... he was my ripe "sire" (for those that don't know about ripe, here's a good read on that incredible phenomena that burned so brightly in Portland for a while)

So, anyhow...
William was ecstatic that he could accompany us to see Carrie, and enjoy a Naomi family supper meal... (thanks to Doug and Toni)

The back door

Interesting event. The theme was a discussion around the way a city writes itself - the ways that writing can shape the future of a city, and the marked differences between literature of Portland and Seattle.

but... honestly, we were here for 2 reasons... in order:
1. Carrie Brownstein
2. family supper

and neither disappointed!

wine was provided, fantastic finger sandwiches, then Carrie took the stage.
It was a very intimate setting, and she noted how nervous she was (isn't that funny to think how many fans she has played to in huge arenas...)
She played several covers - I don't remember them all, but a Ramones song, a S-K song (funeral song), and Bruce Springsteen (Dancing in the Dark) to boot.
Her set was short, and may have not been a direct hit with the authors attending (but those of us that are die-hard S-K fans were certainly very happy)...
after she was done, she simply walked over to her seat and enjoyed the family supper!

My favorite part of the evening was calling Doug while Carrie was playing - in part to get him back for his call to me during the Nirvana set at a Lallapalooza I had to miss many years ago... (we're even Doug)

Kaiser Chiefs Show in Portland

2007-04-27T09:25:00.000-07:00

The whole family has loved the Kaiser Chiefs CDs - and when Yours Truly Angry Mob came out, we bought it via iTunes that day...

I saw that they were coming to the Crystal Ballroom, thanks to my new favorite website tourfilter! So I bought tickets for me, Shelli, Maddie and Maddie's friend Tovia.

The show:
Three bands played last night:
- The Little Ones
- The Walkmen
- The Kaiser Chiefs

The Little Ones...
Were playing when we arrived just after 9:00. This band had a great stage presence, and played an enjoyable pop sound. I quite liked their set - have to go get some of their music - the sound was well produced, lots of tight melodic guitar, and lots of reverb on the vocals...

The Walkmen...
were, in a word loud. I think I would like their music, but they were WAY TOO LOUD. I went scrambling to buy earplugs (I usually bring a pair to every show, but spaced it last night) they were sold out everywhere... my ears are still ringing.

Kaiser Chiefs...
As is customary any time I'm at a show with William (did I mention that Will joined us?) we provided a service to the teens of getting to the front. At one point I stopped, about 10 rows back, and William had to prod me to go further... so we pushed on.
We ended up getting Maddie and Tovia with only 2 people in front of them! perfect viewing!

At one point, the lead singer reached out to stand on the crowd barrier, and Maddie ended up holding his hand. She liked that :)

At one point, I told Maddie that she can't leave without the playlist.

After most of the set, William and I retreated to the back to find Shelli, she had a perma-grin from the show so far...

At the end of the concert, we heard, "Mike, Shelli!" - and up walks Carly with friend. It was good to see our niece, up from Corvallis for the show. She said, "I should have known you'd be here!".

We told her that Maddie was with us, and she was excited to see her cousin - whom at that moment was turned and waving her set list! We all got together and talked... what a night.