2013 Highlights

Last year was full of ups and downs just like any other. I hate to be one of those people who constantly bitch about the negative things in their life or one of the people who pretend their life is perfect. Nothing is without faults, especially life! Every new year brings us a chance to start fresh. I’m not crazy about resolutions so I don’t make them. My goal is to always be a good person no matter what and not make it into a contest or condition. I am just very grateful to have had another year with my wonderful family and friends. I can only hope for another happy & healthy year. Without sounding too braggadocious, I thought I’d share some key highlights for me.

In no particular order:

Texas Frightmare Weekend 2013
I’ve always wanted to go to Texas Frightmare Weekend, but never got a chance. Last year we were lucky enough to win tickets. It was a ton of fun! I got to see so many great horror icons like Tom Savini, Danny Trejo, Virginia Madsen, and Chris Sarandon. It was also nice to get out of town for a bit. I got to eat breakfast at Grandy’s which was one of my favorite places to eat as a kid. I certainly hope we get to make it out this year!





My Bloody Valentine
I love MBV and was so bummed I missed them last they came to town. I was not missing them this time. Kenny and I had a great time at the show. After all these years, they still sound great. They were so loud; I could feel it in my teeth!





Washington DC
Last summer, we got to visit my friend John and his wife Erin in DC. We had a wonderful time catching the sights and watching fireworks on the Mall for Fourth of July. More importantly, it was great to catch up with old friends. I really love to travel and hope to do more of it in the future.



New Order
I was fortunate enough to see New Order in 2012 with my friend Ruth & her husband. Less than a year later we got to see them again, this time in Austin. I can’t even decide which set I enjoyed more because they were both incredible. However, this time around they did play my all time favorite song, “Regret.” I can’t tell you what an awesome experience it was.







Arizona Adventure
We try to make it back to Arizona at least once a year to visit Ross’ family. Due to work constraints, we haven’t been back for Christmas in nearly five years. The weather in Tucson was just lovely this time around. This also marked Zira's first visit to Arizona. We had a great time celebrating the holiday with family and friends. I come from a very small family and our holidays are very low key. Ross has a lot of extended family so we had a few parties to attend. It’s really nice to be apart of that because truth be told, I miss it sometimes. We also got to spend some time in Bisbee and Tombstone.



We’ve been to Tombstone before and had a great time. We watched the shootout at the O.K. Corral again which is always fun. We also did the tour of the Birdcage Theater Museum and the Tombstone Ghosts and Legends Tour which was my favorite.



Bisbee is an awesome little town filled with antique shops and other tourist attractions. The highlight was the ghost tour we went on at night. Before our tour, we wandered around exploring various locations. We came across this empty city park in the middle of the town. As we walked around I got such an eerie feeling about the place. How could a place for children to play be so creepy? Come to find out on the tour, the park is the former location of Bisbee’s cemetery. They moved all the graves to another site with the exception of a few unmarked graves that were unable to be found. Totally creepy! Ghost tours are awesome and a favorite activity of mine. Even if you don’t believe in supernatural occurrences, you end up learning a lot about the place you visit.



Austin Comic Con
I usually go to comic con every year and this year was bigger than ever. I’ve never seen that many people in the convention center (except for SXSW). There were so many great guests including Stan Lee, James Marsters, Robert Rodriguez, and Bruce Campbell. Bruce Campbell’s panel was by far the best panel I have ever been to. My biggest pet peeve about conventions is the asinine questions people get up to ask. Eighty percent of questions are things one could find out by reading IMDb or watching audio commentary. The other twenty percent of questions are wasted on professions of love and shameless ass kissing. Bruce Campbell ripped all these questions apart! He’s even funnier than I ever thought. If this whole acting thing doesn’t pan out for him, he has a solid career in stand-up comedy.



ACL Fest
I know I have denounced ACL Fest and the people who attend it many, many times. I still stand by my arguments. On the other hand, I couldn’t miss an opportunity to see Depeche Mode AND The Cure in one weekend.

Depeche Mode played all the hits and let me tell you, Dave Gahan can still shake it like nobody’s business.. Even Martin Gore looked good! The dog video during “Precious” was amazing; it even had a pug! I thought my head would explode from excitement.

Setlist: Depeche Mode, Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, Texas, 10/11/13

1. “Welcome to My World”
2. “Angel”
3. “Walking in My Shoes”
4. “Precious”
5. “Behind the Wheel”
6. “World in My Eyes”
7. “But Not Tonight”
8. “A Pain That I’m Used To”
9. “A Question of Time”
10. “Enjoy the Silence”
11. “Personal Jesus”

12. “Shake the Disease”
13. “Just Can’t Get Enough”
14. “I Feel You”
15. “Never Let Me Down Again ”

The Cure played for more than two hours! They also churned out all the hits and several B-sides. After the first hour, it began to rain. At first, it was a bit surreal standing in the rain watching The Cure (how poetic). Obviously, the last song was “Boys Don’t Cry” and since they went over their set time, the sound was cut. Robert Smith kept grabbing microphones on the stage to see if they worked, but the whole audience kept singing along without missing a beat. It was truly a beautiful experience.

Setlist: The Cure, Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin, Texas, 10/12/13

1. “Open”
2. “A Night Like This”
3. “The End of the World”
4. “Lovesong”
5. “Just Like Heaven”
6. “From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea”
7. “Fascination Street”
8. “Pictures of You”
9. “Lullaby”
10. “High”
11. “The Lovecats”
12. “Close To Me”
13. “Hot Hot Hot”
14. “The Caterpillar”
15. “The Walk”
16. “Stop Dead”
17. “Push”
18. “Inbetween Days”
19. “Friday I’m In Love”
20. “Doing the Unstuck”
21. “Want”
22. “The Hungry Ghost”
23. “Wrong Number”
24. “One Hundred Years”
25. “Give Me It”
26. “End”
27. “Boys Don’t Cry”

Granted the torrential flooding was horrible and I would never do that again, but it was worth it to see two of my favorite bands. The best part about the third day being cancelled (we had no intention of going anyway) is that we got a partial refund!

Blake Schwarzenbach
It’s hard to say if this was a highlight for me; it certainly was out of the ordinary. Jawbreaker has always been important to me. It’s the backdrop to my adolescence and the soundtrack to my love life. I’ve supported every musical project Schwarzenbach has embarked on since Jawbreaker (especially JTB). I’m not sure if I can support his solo music efforts. Something about it seems so self indulgent and narcissistic almost like Morrissey (it’s appropriate & expected of Moz). Schwarzenbach has always written very sardonic songs (that’s what we love about him), but this performance just seemed a little awry. Is this a paltry ploy to stay relevant? I don’t know. What I do know is that I hope we don’t see a Jawbreaker reunion anytime soon. At this point, it will only tarnish a once beautiful thing. I could be wrong, and if I am please help me understand but I get the feeling it’s about making a buck now. You never want to see your heroes fall from grace.



Veronica Mars Kickstarter Party
I couldn’t be happier to see the Veronica Mars movie finally come to fruition. To see everyone rally around such a beloved show like this has truly been a Firefly moment. I’m so lucky to have been able to be apart of it. Rob Thomas hosted a party at the Dog & Duck Pub last spring to celebrate the close of the Kickstarter campaign. It was so much fun! No one really knew what to expect. As a surprise Jason Dohring flew in to celebrate with all of us. When he showed up, the whole bar erupted in high pitched screams (including my own). That’s right folks; I got to meet Logan Echolls himself. You can’t imagine how stoked I was!



Dr. Zira
As most of you know, I am an avid pug enthusiast. I’ve wanted a pug of my own for years. I had to wait a while due to housing constraints and funds; I needed to be completely ready for a new fur baby. My only condition was that I wanted a pug that needed a good home. I absolutely refuse to go through a breeder or worse, puppy mill. The adoption process is a long, stressful road, but in the end it was completely worth it. I can’t stress the importance of adopting a dog no matter how hard it can sometimes be. The process is often difficult because these dogs are coming from abused or neglected homes. The rescue groups want to be certain that this will never happen again. It was truly fate that Zira came to us and I could not imagine our lives without her. She fit in nicely with our little family. She loves us endlessly, even her big brother Spike. I think Spike would still like to be an only child, but he warmed up to her quickly. She keeps him active and young. It was a struggle at first getting her adjusted to her new home. In less than a year, we were Zira’s third home. Sometimes I wonder what her life was life before, but then I remember she will only have the best life possible with her fur ever home from now on. We still have challenges with Zira, but it takes patience to really take care of a dog. I look forward to our years together.

Feel free to follow Zira & Spike's adventures on Instagram!



I hope you guys have a wonderful year full of happiness!

2012 Highlights

While I am in the reflective mood, I figured I would talk about some of the highlights of last year. It was a huge year for everyone because it was our final guffaw for “end of the world” jokes. The year brought us many ups and downs, but overall I would say 2012 was a great year. I know personally I experienced some serious life/career changes that were met with great trepidation, but I have since whole-heartedly embraced. Change is fucking scary guys! Ten years ago, I definitely would have never thought I’d be where I am today but I am pretty happy with what I’ve done. Sometimes I think I’m such an adult and I really have it all together, then I find myself at Toys R Us debating over which Hulk Hands I need to buy. I think it’s important not to take ourselves so seriously all the time.



As I get older (I really hate that phrase), it’s harder to get excited about things especially music. I’ve been to enough concerts to last a lifetime, but this year I saw some really special shows. I had some really great opportunities that I am so thankful for. So without further adieu, here are my favorite moments of 2012:



I hate to be the jaded, old asshole who complains about music these days, but it is inevitable. For the most part, current music is bullshit. It lacks honesty, heart, and most of all creativity. If you disagree, by all means show me a band that will blow my mind away. Show me a band that will have me sobbing in my Lone Star tall boy the way Paul Westerberg and company can. Play me a song that will break my fucking heart to pieces the way Jawbreaker does. I dare you!



Blondie/Devo
This last year I got to see some truly amazing bands live. I got to see Devo and Blondie on the same bill in my hometown no less! That show had maybe the best crowd I have ever seem. It was nothing but exuberant 40 somethings in their casual Friday attire just having a good ol’ time listening to awesome music. There were no attitudes, no pre-judgments, no shade, and no hipsters. Both bands sounded great. It was really pleasing to see Devo at a big venue like Stubbs and not some cramped music hall like I had before during SXSW. Blondie was amazing. Debbie Harry is old enough to be my mom, but she can still command a stage better than Taylor Swift or X-Tina any day. Debbie Harry has always been an icon for me and I am so glad she did not disappoint. I can’t tell you how much fun I had.




JAMC
Getting to see JAMC at House of Blues in Houston was a wonderful experience I will never forget. They have been a long time favorite of mine and it was such a fun and LOUD show. They played all the hits. And we got to see a full set with encore, not some shitty “industry only,” 30 minute set at SXSW. Equally amazing was the dinner Chris P and I indulged in at House of Pies beforehand. I’m kinda glad we don’t have one in Austin; otherwise I’d be in big trouble.



Forgetters
2003 was the last time Blake Schwarzenbach (with JTB) officially recorded a full length album. In 2012, he finally released a long overdue album with his latest project, forgetters. To be perfectly honest, I’d listen to anything Blake put out. He is by far my favorite songwriter of all time. When you’re a teenager, new and exciting music is so accessible. It’s when you get older that you become less enchanted and sometimes I really miss that feeling of being memorized by a new song. I read this really whimsical article about growing up with a band, specifically Jawbreaker. It really hit home. For me, listening to Jawbreaker or even JTB is like looking through old photo albums. I can see myself stumbling around the streets of San Francisco in the middle of the night, late night sing-alongs, gazing out the window of a tour bus watching the stars on a long drive, or throwing on “Jet Black” on the jukebox at Emos. To see one of my old standbys create something new and invigorating is incredibly breathtaking. This album is great and it reminds me why I fell in love with Schwarzenbach’s words all those years ago.



FRANKENWEENIE
My dog (Spike) and I got to attend our first red carpet movie premiere. We were fortunate enough to win tickets to the world premiere of Tim Burton’s delightful film about a boy and his best friend, Sparky. I know I have talked endlessly about this special event, but I can’t tell you how exciting it was for us. My little gentleman was on his best behavior too. It must have been the bow tie. The whole experience was a dream come true for this little Goth girl.

Fassy
One of my favorite current actors is Michael Fassbender. I thought he was just brilliant in INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS and I was blown away by his performance (among other things) in SHAME. He was the only saving grace of PROMETHEUS. I cannot wait for the new Terrence Malick film he was shooting here in Austin. I really think Fassy has a long successful career ahead of him. Not to mention that he’s absolutely gorgeous. Kenny and I often frenquent Big Top Candy Store on South Congress following our usual Sunday Brunch. So there we were, sitting by the window at Big Top when you know who walks by. Kenny said, “Isn’t that…” As I turned to look, I nearly choked on the Jelly Bellies I was in the middle of eating when I realized he was standing right in front of me! We immediately got up and ran out to see where Fassy was headed. He looked so effortlessly casual sipping on a Topo Chico while strolling down the street. I was completely start struck!

San Antonio Spurs v. Boston Celtics
Last year I was able to attend my first NBA game and more importantly, I was able to take my mother to her first game. My mother is a die hard basketball fan and lifelong Spurs fan. I could care less about the Spurs, but I do love Boston. As a surprise early Christmas present, I got her a ticket and did not tell her until game day. She was so excited and we really had a great time. It's a good thing I got to see Rondo play right before his season was done due to an injury. I look forward to more games and maybe next time Boston can win.



THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
This summer marked another first for me, the first time watching a film in IMAX. Despite your opinion on TDKR, it was truly exhilarating watching a film on a screen that spans six stories. A huge portion of the film was shot in IMAX which made it look all the more tremendous. Also, getting to see this film a few days before the actual release was really exciting. For a brief moment, we could enjoy something special without it being marred by some psycho with a gun.



Steve Niles & Bernie Wrightson
In December my favorite comic book writer came to our local comic book shop to do a signing with a legend in his own right, Bernie Wrightson. Steve Niles has virtually changed the face of horror in comic books; he’s made it refreshing & fun. I saw Wrightson at Comic Con this year which was a blast. If you haven’t checked out his amazing artwork, you are missing out. I highly suggest his current book, Frankenstein Alive Alive which is also written by Niles. It’s funny, when you follow people on various social networking sites; you become very familiar with their personal lives. I know all about Niles’ tortoise Gil, his sick cat he recently had to euthanize, and his lovely partner Monica. However, I still felt a bit nervous meeting him. I spoke briefly with Mr. Niles who was genuinely nice and hospitable. It was a lot of fun!



2012 Presidential Election
How can we talk about 2012 and not mention the presidential race? I often forget that The Peoples Republic of Austin is very different from the rest of the conservative state of Texas. My first time voting was during the 2000 election. I voted (more than once) for a man I whole-heartedly believed in and trust, Ralph Nadar. I still stand by my decision. It was an exciting and eye-opening time for m then. It sounds really clichéd, but I think we really owe a civic duty to vote. I hear so many people complain about the state of the county and do nothing to change it. I have been that same person and I have also been the person in the streets rallying together with other like minds. I know people who can quote bullshit football statistics, but have no clue what our foreign policy is. I’m not saying I’m an expert on politics, but I know enough to choose a side. No matter who you support, you should always vote! And don’t be afraid to discuss your opinions with others in a mature respectful manner. You do a bigger disservice to yourself by being ambivalent.



New Order
Probably the highlight of my year was getting to see one of my Top 5 favorite bands of all time live in person! Finally getting to see New Order play was completely mind blowing. Getting to see them with my dear friend Ruth made it even more special. It meant just as much to her as it did to me. This was truly a good year for me and music. I consider myself a diehard cinephile first and foremost, but this last year really reminded me of how important music is.



The year is yours for the taking and it is truly what you make of it. I hope you all have a great 2013!