Morning Weigh-In: 246 lbs
Total Loss: 6 lbs
Day three and the weight still is coming off, though Lunches have proven hard.
At MetalCloak, we've developed a habit of taking daily lunches and using the time to have an off-campus meeting of sorts.
So, during my 4-Hour Body adventure, I've had to skip this tradition which leads to two challenges.
First, the complete change in eating routine has led to immediate cravings. Of course, per the book, I've kept track of these cravings and chosen the best for the prescribed Binge Day, which I've set for Sunday.
Second, I'm getting stir-crazy sitting at my desk, in my office, eating lunch instead of taking that brief respite.
The Meals...
Breakfast:
6 Tbs of egg whites (ran out of regular eggs) and black beans mixed in a Pyrex Bowl and microwaved - salsa added for flavor.
Lunch:
Two Strips of Grilled Trader Joes Chicken Tenders, Brussell Sprouts, Broccoli and Cauliflower and a one cup of Trader Joes Steamed Lentils. Pre-cooked and re-heated at work. Sirachi sauce is used for flavoring.
Dinner:
Half a can of Trader Joes Jalapeno Refried Beans and mixed veggies. Incredibly satisfying.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Day 2... This Ain't So Bad
Morning Weigh-In: 248 lbs
Total Loss: 4 lbs
As I mentioned, I am taking a lazy approach to The 4-Hour Body this adventure. One element I eliminated was the measurements recommended by Tim which include getting an accurate BMI.
Since all I want to do right now is LOSE weight, all I am doing is measuring what weight I've lost.
In addition, since my wife has an electronic scale in the bathroom I've decided to take daily measurements for the purpose of this blog.
As you can see, in just one day 4 lbs were lost. This can easily be attributed to myriad factors including cutting out the sugar and cutting the quantity of food I was eating by almost half. But, this type of weight fluctuation can be normal for a guy my size (6'3").
The Meals...
Breakfast:
One whole egg and 6 Tbs of egg whites. Black beans and veggies mixed in a Pyrex Bowl and microwaved.
Lunch:
Two Strips of Grilled Trader Joes Chicken Tenders, Brussell Sprouts, Broccoli and Cauliflower and a one cup of Trader Joes Steamed Lentils. Pre-cooked and re-heated at work. Sirachi sauce is used for flavoring.
Dinner:
Scrambled Eggs, Steamed Vegetables, and Trader Joes Jalapeno Black Beans cooked fresh on the stove.
Total Loss: 4 lbs
As I mentioned, I am taking a lazy approach to The 4-Hour Body this adventure. One element I eliminated was the measurements recommended by Tim which include getting an accurate BMI.
Since all I want to do right now is LOSE weight, all I am doing is measuring what weight I've lost.
In addition, since my wife has an electronic scale in the bathroom I've decided to take daily measurements for the purpose of this blog.
As you can see, in just one day 4 lbs were lost. This can easily be attributed to myriad factors including cutting out the sugar and cutting the quantity of food I was eating by almost half. But, this type of weight fluctuation can be normal for a guy my size (6'3").
The Meals...
Breakfast:
One whole egg and 6 Tbs of egg whites. Black beans and veggies mixed in a Pyrex Bowl and microwaved.
Lunch:
Two Strips of Grilled Trader Joes Chicken Tenders, Brussell Sprouts, Broccoli and Cauliflower and a one cup of Trader Joes Steamed Lentils. Pre-cooked and re-heated at work. Sirachi sauce is used for flavoring.
Dinner:
Scrambled Eggs, Steamed Vegetables, and Trader Joes Jalapeno Black Beans cooked fresh on the stove.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Day One... The Adventure Begins...
Morning Weigh-In: 252 lbs
The hardest part with any diet is the dieting part of the diet.
The 4-Hour Body introduces the SLOW Carb Diet, a variation of the Low Carb, but one that is strictly focused on a minimalist approach and based on Ferriss's own personal experimentation and that of hundreds of others.
The essence of the diet is to stick with veggies, legumes, eggs and poultry, beef or fish. The absolute "NO"s include No Fruit, No Dairy, And No Whites... meaning no white rice, bread, potatoes or anything that is or was white.
Last night I prepared for the week by cooking some chicken breasts, steamed brussels sprouts, steamed broccoli and steamed cauliflower.
We also bought steamed lentils and black beans from Trader Joes and some more veggies and Cage Free eggs.
The Meal...
Breakfast:
Two eggs scrambled with cheese. (Note: the slow carb diet says no to cheese and dairy, but these scrambled eggs were made for my wife the night before but were cooked to hard for her, so I saved them and nuked them for breakfast). Also had some black beans.
Lunch:
Two Strips of Grilled Trader Joes Chicken Tenders, Brussell Sprouts, Broccoli and Cauliflower and a one cup of Trader Joes Steamed Lentils. Pre-cooked and re-heated at work.
Dinner:
Scrambled Eggs, Steamed Vegetables, and Trader Joes Jalapeno Black Beans cooked fresh on the stove.
A Note on Beverages...
I love soda. Specifically, I love Coke, Cherry Coke, Root Beer and, most of all, Mtn Dew. Over the last couple months I had been consuming more and more Cokes during the day at MetalCloak. This is a recent uptake as I had been completely off of sodas for two years prior. But recently, the need for more energy led me back to Mtn Dew and Coke.
For the purposes of this eating adventure I will be limiting my beverages to Brita Filtered Water flavored with Liquid Stevia Root Beer Flavor. This incredible natural flavoring is a good way to satisfy the craving for soda while increasing my water intake greatly. Only a few drops are necessary to make a great tasting beverage.
Also, lots of Yerba Mate
tea and coffee. ;-)
The hardest part with any diet is the dieting part of the diet.
The 4-Hour Body introduces the SLOW Carb Diet, a variation of the Low Carb, but one that is strictly focused on a minimalist approach and based on Ferriss's own personal experimentation and that of hundreds of others.
The essence of the diet is to stick with veggies, legumes, eggs and poultry, beef or fish. The absolute "NO"s include No Fruit, No Dairy, And No Whites... meaning no white rice, bread, potatoes or anything that is or was white.
Last night I prepared for the week by cooking some chicken breasts, steamed brussels sprouts, steamed broccoli and steamed cauliflower.
We also bought steamed lentils and black beans from Trader Joes and some more veggies and Cage Free eggs.
The Meal...
Breakfast:
Two eggs scrambled with cheese. (Note: the slow carb diet says no to cheese and dairy, but these scrambled eggs were made for my wife the night before but were cooked to hard for her, so I saved them and nuked them for breakfast). Also had some black beans.
Lunch:
Two Strips of Grilled Trader Joes Chicken Tenders, Brussell Sprouts, Broccoli and Cauliflower and a one cup of Trader Joes Steamed Lentils. Pre-cooked and re-heated at work.
Dinner:
Scrambled Eggs, Steamed Vegetables, and Trader Joes Jalapeno Black Beans cooked fresh on the stove.
A Note on Beverages...
I love soda. Specifically, I love Coke, Cherry Coke, Root Beer and, most of all, Mtn Dew. Over the last couple months I had been consuming more and more Cokes during the day at MetalCloak. This is a recent uptake as I had been completely off of sodas for two years prior. But recently, the need for more energy led me back to Mtn Dew and Coke.
For the purposes of this eating adventure I will be limiting my beverages to Brita Filtered Water flavored with Liquid Stevia Root Beer Flavor. This incredible natural flavoring is a good way to satisfy the craving for soda while increasing my water intake greatly. Only a few drops are necessary to make a great tasting beverage.
Also, lots of Yerba Mate
tea and coffee. ;-)
Saturday, December 11, 2010
About this Blog and The 4-Hour Body...
About two weeks ago I was excited to get my Signed Pre-Release Copy of the The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman
by notorious Life-Hacker Tim Ferris.
If you are not familiar with Tim, he also wrote the New York Times #1 Bestseller The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich a book which not only inspired and guided me to create several new businesses, but has inspired tens of thousands of people to do the same.
So I figured if his hack of the work-a-day world was good, how about his hack of dieting and exercise.
Lately I had bee sitting at around 250 lbs and was simply bored with all the exercise and diet options in front of me, but I needed to do something.
Now, I intensely dislike exercise for exercise sake or diet for diets sake.
I prefer to complete a workout regimen designed specifically to train me for some adventure like I did in 2008 when I backpacked part of the Pacific Crest Trail.
So the The 4-Hour Body is my next adventure. And this blog, in its simplicity is a diary of my progress.
The intention is to start slow and work through the different aspects of his book.
As a side note, I am doing this the lazy man's way... avoiding the science and not doing any other measurements then weight. Maybe as I progress, I will get more into measuring body fat or any of the other suggestions Tim has.
Enjoy!
by notorious Life-Hacker Tim Ferris.If you are not familiar with Tim, he also wrote the New York Times #1 Bestseller The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich a book which not only inspired and guided me to create several new businesses, but has inspired tens of thousands of people to do the same.
So I figured if his hack of the work-a-day world was good, how about his hack of dieting and exercise.
Lately I had bee sitting at around 250 lbs and was simply bored with all the exercise and diet options in front of me, but I needed to do something.
Now, I intensely dislike exercise for exercise sake or diet for diets sake.
I prefer to complete a workout regimen designed specifically to train me for some adventure like I did in 2008 when I backpacked part of the Pacific Crest Trail.
So the The 4-Hour Body is my next adventure. And this blog, in its simplicity is a diary of my progress.
The intention is to start slow and work through the different aspects of his book.
As a side note, I am doing this the lazy man's way... avoiding the science and not doing any other measurements then weight. Maybe as I progress, I will get more into measuring body fat or any of the other suggestions Tim has.
Enjoy!
Friday, January 02, 2009
Bear Keg Food Container
Dad,
Thank you for the great Christmas gift. I picked up the yellow Counter Assault Bear Keg from REI today. It's a lot bigger than I thought it would be but it looks like an excellent container. Definitely hold AT LEAST 8 days of food for me, maybe more, especially if we combine and split the storage of meals.
I'm looking forward to seeing you final meal plan. I will send you my preferences soon.
Love,
Matsonian
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
A note about our meals on the trail...
Dad,
In your meal planning I want to reiterate a couple of important guidelines to consider.
1- BE NATURAL. Please do your best to plan around natural ingredients. The less preservatives the better. I know that there are many different pre-packaged hiking foods, but I want to avoid those whenever we can. We will gain more nutrients and beneficial vitamins and minerals if we focus on natural foods.
2- NO "WHITE TRASH" INGREDIENTS. This includes absolutely destructive ingredients like High Fructose Corn Syrup (which is in almost every brand name product) and Enriched Flour. It is easy enough to use and find natural sugar when necessary and sprouted wheat or wheat products that are not Enriched.
Part of my reason for this is my personal diet. I found that I have mild allergies to sugar and to wheat, so I try to avoid ANYTHING with sugar or wheat in it. I will have sprouted wheat on occasion and will use a sweeter like Agave on my corn flakes, and I feel much healthier because of it.
As we get closer to departure day, I will modify my diet to better fit with what we will be eating in order to avoid any shock to my system.
My daily diet tends to be fairly simple: Fruit in the morning, black beans or lentils and a salad for lunch, turkey burger or fish and steamed veggies for dinner (and variations thereof), with snacks like carrots or fruit in between meals.
I will look for your guidance on modifying that to meet the high caloric needs of our PCT hike.
To the future,
Matson
In your meal planning I want to reiterate a couple of important guidelines to consider.
1- BE NATURAL. Please do your best to plan around natural ingredients. The less preservatives the better. I know that there are many different pre-packaged hiking foods, but I want to avoid those whenever we can. We will gain more nutrients and beneficial vitamins and minerals if we focus on natural foods.
2- NO "WHITE TRASH" INGREDIENTS. This includes absolutely destructive ingredients like High Fructose Corn Syrup (which is in almost every brand name product) and Enriched Flour. It is easy enough to use and find natural sugar when necessary and sprouted wheat or wheat products that are not Enriched.
Part of my reason for this is my personal diet. I found that I have mild allergies to sugar and to wheat, so I try to avoid ANYTHING with sugar or wheat in it. I will have sprouted wheat on occasion and will use a sweeter like Agave on my corn flakes, and I feel much healthier because of it.
As we get closer to departure day, I will modify my diet to better fit with what we will be eating in order to avoid any shock to my system.
My daily diet tends to be fairly simple: Fruit in the morning, black beans or lentils and a salad for lunch, turkey burger or fish and steamed veggies for dinner (and variations thereof), with snacks like carrots or fruit in between meals.
I will look for your guidance on modifying that to meet the high caloric needs of our PCT hike.
To the future,
Matson
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Re: Walking the Roadless Trails of the Sierra
Dad,
I am considering bringing the iPod, if for no other reason than to have some music when needed. Either that or I will teach myself the harmonica. ;-)
I will be taking Yerba Mate, probably Mendo Mate brand. It is an excellent source of non-caffeine energy and is great source of essential vitamins and minerals while on the trail. According to studies, each infusion of mate contains:
• Vitamins: A, C, E, B1, B2, Niacin (B3), B5, B Complex
• Minerals: Calcium, Manganese, Iron, Selenium, Potassium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Zinc
• Additional Compounds: Carotene, Fatty Acids, Chlorophyll, Flavonols, Polyphenols, Inositol, Trace Minerals, Antioxidants, Tannins, Pantothenic Acid and 15 Amino Acids.
Of course it is not for everyone. Mate has a bitter taste that can be countered with sweeteners such as honey, but I tend to prefer it strait. It comes in loose leaf and bagged forms. I will be bringing the loose leaf version. All you do is pack it into a gourd, add hot water, and use a special straw called a bombilla. It can be easily packed in the backpack.
I will, of course, want to indulge in coffee at times and cocoa on occasion, though in July, that may not be as "relaxing" as it is for me in the cooler seasons.
Herb teas can be good as well, I would recommend bringing Celestial Seasonings Tension Tamer, it is a good source of B-vitamins, and they have several fruit teas as well, including Lemon Zinger which is very good for helping the digestion process.
As for quantities, if I do not have coffee with you in the morning, will you reuse your bags? I expect that I will split my coffee intake with my mate mornings and the cocoa will be maybe a few days a week. Trader Joes has a natural cocoa that is tasty, but not quite Nestle. And I do have a large container of Nestle powder in my cupboard, from my days of sugar indulgence.
Looking forward to seeing your food supply list.
Talk soon,
Matson
I am considering bringing the iPod, if for no other reason than to have some music when needed. Either that or I will teach myself the harmonica. ;-)
I will be taking Yerba Mate, probably Mendo Mate brand. It is an excellent source of non-caffeine energy and is great source of essential vitamins and minerals while on the trail. According to studies, each infusion of mate contains:
• Vitamins: A, C, E, B1, B2, Niacin (B3), B5, B Complex
• Minerals: Calcium, Manganese, Iron, Selenium, Potassium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Zinc
• Additional Compounds: Carotene, Fatty Acids, Chlorophyll, Flavonols, Polyphenols, Inositol, Trace Minerals, Antioxidants, Tannins, Pantothenic Acid and 15 Amino Acids.
Of course it is not for everyone. Mate has a bitter taste that can be countered with sweeteners such as honey, but I tend to prefer it strait. It comes in loose leaf and bagged forms. I will be bringing the loose leaf version. All you do is pack it into a gourd, add hot water, and use a special straw called a bombilla. It can be easily packed in the backpack.
I will, of course, want to indulge in coffee at times and cocoa on occasion, though in July, that may not be as "relaxing" as it is for me in the cooler seasons.
Herb teas can be good as well, I would recommend bringing Celestial Seasonings Tension Tamer, it is a good source of B-vitamins, and they have several fruit teas as well, including Lemon Zinger which is very good for helping the digestion process.
As for quantities, if I do not have coffee with you in the morning, will you reuse your bags? I expect that I will split my coffee intake with my mate mornings and the cocoa will be maybe a few days a week. Trader Joes has a natural cocoa that is tasty, but not quite Nestle. And I do have a large container of Nestle powder in my cupboard, from my days of sugar indulgence.
Looking forward to seeing your food supply list.
Talk soon,
Matson
Walking the Roadless Trails of the Sierra
Son
I am listening to Mary Martin Stockdale. She plays the piano and she does it
with grandeur. I want to use her work for my slide shows.
I have a few tasks for you. For coffee I will be using the Folgers bags. One
bag will make two cups of coffee. I will also take herb tea bags. I am sure
we need to take hot coco. The task for you is to sit down and figure what
you will use.
I am preparing the list of everything we need and the quantities. I will
send you the list that I have in a couple weeks and then you can start
adding or subtracting. This list will be our road map to the weight we will
be carrying.
There is one thing you might want to consider. You should take the
Heartstart first aid and cpr. I just finished mine and it will help in
emergencies on the trail. The first aid class is 5 hours long and CPR was 3
hours.
I have experimented with my camp oven. The oven is a BackPacker lightweight
oven. I made some cornbread in it and it came out great. It will bake about
11/2 cups. We can bake cakes and other things in it.
Take the solar panel and try hooking up your electronic to it and see if
they will charge. One you do that send it to me so I can do the same.
See you later
Dad
I am listening to Mary Martin Stockdale. She plays the piano and she does it
with grandeur. I want to use her work for my slide shows.
I have a few tasks for you. For coffee I will be using the Folgers bags. One
bag will make two cups of coffee. I will also take herb tea bags. I am sure
we need to take hot coco. The task for you is to sit down and figure what
you will use.
I am preparing the list of everything we need and the quantities. I will
send you the list that I have in a couple weeks and then you can start
adding or subtracting. This list will be our road map to the weight we will
be carrying.
There is one thing you might want to consider. You should take the
Heartstart first aid and cpr. I just finished mine and it will help in
emergencies on the trail. The first aid class is 5 hours long and CPR was 3
hours.
I have experimented with my camp oven. The oven is a BackPacker lightweight
oven. I made some cornbread in it and it came out great. It will bake about
11/2 cups. We can bake cakes and other things in it.
Take the solar panel and try hooking up your electronic to it and see if
they will charge. One you do that send it to me so I can do the same.
See you later
Dad
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Define: Philanthrocapitalism
In case you were wondering, the great wordspy, which I follow on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/wordspy) has a great definition for Philanthrocapitalism.
philanthrocapitalism n. Philanthropy that uses the principles, models, and techniques of capitalism.
You can see more at http://www.wordspy.com/2583.asp
philanthrocapitalism n. Philanthropy that uses the principles, models, and techniques of capitalism.
You can see more at http://www.wordspy.com/2583.asp
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Downloading Google Chrome...
All right, I must admit I am excited! Google Chrome! Now, I am a true MacAddict, but I have a new ACER Aspire 7720 17" Laptop running Vista. It is good for entrepreneurs to have multiple platforms... allowing you to have greater exposure to technology and to what people are using.
While most of my work is done using by Intel Mac Mini, I like to handle email, and other functions on the Acer. The problem has been that #1 Vista is a cumbersome OS and #2 lately Internet Explorer has been giving me lots of problems, not loading sites, not running Yahoo Mail well, etc.
So it is with great relief and perfect timing that Google has created a Browser so I can finally dump Internet Explorer.
Of course, I am assuming that the Google Browser will be a good product, based on their history, it is easy to assume. If you haven't seen the comic-based instruction manual on how different the browser is go to http://www.google.com/googlebooks/chrome/index.html
It is extremely instructional and quite an innovative approach to web browsers. Some might say this is revenge on behalf of Netscape which was destroyed by Micrsoft. We'll see how well this catches on.
In the mean time, I acxiously await my chance to download the browser. As of this writing, it is available, but there are no links to download the file, and any effort to search for it, returns one back to the Google home page.
If you've found it, let me know.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Public school 1957 vs. 2007
Another great one from Michael Genung...
Comes around from time to time; its lessons remain sobering:
Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.
1957 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2007 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.
Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.
1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2007 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.
Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.
1957 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2007 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.
Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.
Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1957 - Mark shares aspirin with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2007 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.
Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.
1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, and goes to college.
2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.
Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, and blows up a red ant bed.
1957 - Ants die.
2007 - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, Homeland Security, & FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated; Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.
Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.
1957 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2007 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.
Comes around from time to time; its lessons remain sobering:
Scenario: Jack goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack.
1957 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack.
2007 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.
Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fistfight after school.
1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies.
2007 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.
Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.
1957 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by the Principal. Returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again.
2007 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. Tested for ADD. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.
Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt.
1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. State psychologist tells Billy's sister that she remembers being abused and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.
Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school.
1957 - Mark shares aspirin with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2007 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.
Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.
1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, and goes to college.
2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.
Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, and blows up a red ant bed.
1957 - Ants die.
2007 - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, Homeland Security, & FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated; Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.
Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him.
1957 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2007 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
1/2 Man - 1/2 Boy -- The American Soldier
Another great email from Michael Genung....
-------------------------
1/2 Man - 1/2 Boy
The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired,
tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half
man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but
old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he
would rather wax his own car than wash his father's, but he has never
collected unemployment either.
He's a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student,
pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a
steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be
waiting when he returns from half a world away He listens to rock and roll or
hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and a 155mm howitzer.
He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is
working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk. He has trouble spelling,
thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30
seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you the
nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one
effectively if he must.
He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional.
He can march until he is told to stop, or stop until he is told to march.
He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without
spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient.
He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his
canteens full and his feet dry.
He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can
cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts.
If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his
food. He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you
run low.
He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his
hands.
He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job.
He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay, and still
find ironic humor in it all.
He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his short
lifetime.
He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat
and is unashamed.
He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at
rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to 'square-away ' those
around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop
talking.
In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to
be disrespectful.
Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great- grandfather, he is paying the
price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the American
Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over 200 years.
He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding.
Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect a nd admiration with his
blood.
And now we even have women over there in danger, doing their part in this
tradition of going to War when our nation calls us to do so.
As you go to bed tonight, remember this shot. . .
A short lull, a little shade and a picture of loved ones in their helmets.
Prayer wheel for our military...
The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired,
tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half
man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but
old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he
would rather wax his own car than wash his father's, but he has never
collected unemployment either.
He's a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student,
pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a
steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be
waiting when he returns from half a world away He listens to rock and roll or
hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and a 155mm howitzer.
He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is
working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk. He has trouble spelling,
thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30
seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you the
nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one
effectively if he must.
He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional.
He can march until he is told to stop, or stop until he is told to march.
He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without
spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient.
He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his
canteens full and his feet dry.
He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can
cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts.
If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his
food. He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you
run low.
He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his
hands.
He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job.
He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay, and still
find ironic humor in it all.
He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his short
lifetime.
He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat
and is unashamed.
He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at
rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to 'square-away ' those
around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop
talking.
In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to
be disrespectful.
Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great- grandfather, he is paying the
price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the American
Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over 200 years.
He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding.
Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect a nd admiration with his
blood.
And now we even have women over there in danger, doing their part in this
tradition of going to War when our nation calls us to do so.
As you go to bed tonight, remember this shot. . .
A short lull, a little shade and a picture of loved ones in their helmets.
Prayer wheel for our military...
'Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands.
Protect them as they protect us.
Bless them and their families for the selfless acts
they perform for us in our time of need. Amen.'
When you [read] this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our ground troops in Afghanistan, sailors on ships, and
airmen in the air, and for those in Iraq ....
Of all the gifts you could give a US Soldier, Sailor, Coastguardsman,
Marine, or Airman, prayer is the very best one.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
CreativeCATS Update: Tickets on Sale Now for Unlimited Beer Tasting!
You're receiving this email because you have either attended one of our events, asked to receive information, or know me personally. If you do not wish to receive our updates, please UNSUBSCRIBE using the link that follows. You may unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive our emails. |
Friends & Beer Lovers! Tickets went on sale TODAY for our September events!
#1 - 2nd Annual SUDS on the GREEN - September 13, 2008
If you missed this event last year because of the rains, don't miss it this year! This event is really 3-in-1 - A Professional Team Golf Trournament - where you are encouraged to be loud and proud and yell on your team - along with a CreativeCATS brewfest featuring Unlimited Beer Tasting - and then the evening will see a Concert in the Park featuring area bands. All of this takes place at Land Park Golf Course near downtown Sacramento.
So, get your tickets today for this amazing addition to the CreativeCATS line-up!
Tickets are only $20 PrePay and $25 at the gate.
#2 - 4th Annual FAIR OAKS'toberfest - September 27, 2008
This event is our fastest growing and one of the most enjoyable of our brewer's festivals featuring Unlimited Beer Tasting in beautiful Fair Oaks Park at the Corner of Madison & Fair Oaks.
Tickets sell fast for this incredible event, so get your's early - only $25 prepay or $30 at the gate.
AND SAVE THE DATE!
Our first Bay Area Event is coming in October! SUDS on the GREEN East Bay - October 18, 2008 in Fremont, CA.
Cheers!
Matson "Matsonian" Breakey
CreativeCATS Presents
P.S. Don't miss your chance to get live recordings of the Northern California Blues Festival... www.jasonhaxton.com/ncbf
| ||||||
Monday, July 14, 2008
SCAMS are all around!
Friends,
One of the great advantages of Blogger is the ability to send an email directly to my blog and have it posted immediately.
Unfortunately, this email address made its way onto a spam list and recently I had no less than four email scams posted. I've left one up for you to see. The others were just as sinister... one claimed to be my long lost sister, one actually asked for personal information.
Very embarrassing on my part that I did not catch these sooner... but even more interesting is the question "how did they get access to this obscure email address?" Especially because it is one that is not published anywhere.
So, in an ongoing effort to solve this mystery, I am changing the posting email address for this blog and will see how long it takes for the scamsters to find it again.
VERY VERY URGENT
Friends,
This is one of the SCAM emails that somehow made it to my blog. I deleted the others, but wanted to share this one with you.
Matson
-----------------
MANAGER AUDIT AND ACCOUNTANCY DEPARTMENT,
BANK OF AFRICA ''BOA''.
ATTN:- DEAR,
HOW ARE YOU? HOPE FINE, MEANWHILE, I AM MR JAMAL YOUSEF THE MANAGER OF AUDIT AND ACCOUNTANCY DEPARTMENT BANK OF AFRICA (BOA) OUAGA, BF WEST AFRICA.
I AM CONTACTING YOU FOR AN URGENT BUSINESS TRANSACTION. THERE IS AN ACCOUNT OPEN IN THIS BANK IN 1999 AND SINCE 2001 NOBODY HAS OPERATED ON THIS ACCOUNT AGAIN. AFTER GOING THROUGH SOME OLD FILES IN THE RECORDS, I DISCOVERED THAT IF I DO NOT REMIT THIS MONEY OUT URGENTLY, IT WOULD BE FORFEITED FORNOTHING.
THE OWNER OF THIS ACCOUNT IS MR. SMITH B. ANDREAS, A FOREIGNER, AND A MINER AT KRUGER GOLD COMPANY, A GEOLOGIST BY PROFESSION AND HE DIED SINCE 2000. NO OTHER PERSON KNOWS THIS ACCOUNT OR ANYTHING CONCERNING THE FUND, THE ACCOUNT HAS NO OTHER BENEFICIARY AND MY INVESTIGATION PROVED TO ME AS WELL THAT THIS COMPANY DOES NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ACCOUNT AND THE MONEY INVOLVED IS
SEVENTEEN MILLION THREE THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS $17,300,000.00 MILLION ONLY.
I AM ONLY CONTACTING YOU AS A FOREIGNER BECAUSE THIS MONEY CANNOT BE APPROVED TO A LOCAL BANK HERE IN BURKINA FASO, BUT CAN ONLY BE APPROVED TO ANY FOREIGN ACCOUNT BECAUSE THE MONEY IS IN UNITED STATES DOLLARS AND THE FORMER OWNER MR. SMITH B. ANDREAS IS A FOREIGNER TOO. I KNOW THAT THIS
MESSAGE WILL COME TO YOU AS SURPRISE AS WE DON'T KNOW OURSELVES BEFORE.
MY DEAR, BE SURE THAT THIS IS A REAL AND GENUINE BUSINESS TRANSACTION.
I ONLY GOT YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION FROM MY SECRETARY WHO OPERATES COMPUTER,WITH BELIEVE IN GOD THAT YOU WILL NEVER LET ME DOWN IN THIS BUSINESS,CONSIDERING MY POSITION AS A PUBLIC SERVANT, YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON THAT I HAVE CONTACTED IN THIS BUSINESS, SO PLEASE REPLY URGENTLY SO THAT I WILL NFORM YOU THE NEXT STEP TO TAKE IMMEDIATELY.
YOU WILL ONLY NEED TO SEND YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS INCLUDING THE FULL DETAILS OF YOUR ACCOUNT INFORMATION TO BE USED FOR THE DEPOSIT. AND I WILL FLY TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR WITHDRAWAL AND SHARING AND OTHER INVESTMENT IN YOUR KIND CONTROL, MEANWHILE, I AM CONTACTING YOU BECAUSE OF THE
NEED TO INVOLVE A FOREIGNER WITH FOREIGN ACCOUNT AND FOREIGN BENEFICIARY.
I NEED YOUR FULL CO-OPERATION TO MAKE THIS WORK FINE BECAUSE THE MANAGEMENT IS READY TO APPROVE THIS PAYMENT TO ANY FOREIGNER WHO HAS CORRECT INFORMATION OF THIS ACCOUNT, WHICH I WILL GIVE TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU INDICATE YOUR SINCERITY TO CO-OPERATE WITH ME, AND CAPABILITY TO HANDLE SUCH
AMOUNT IN STRICT CONFIDENCE AND TRUST ACCORDING TO MY INSTRUCTION AND ADVICE FOR OUR MUTUAL BENEFIT BECAUSE THIS OPPORTUNITY MAY NEVER COME AGAIN IN MY LIFE.
I ALSO NEED A TRUTHFUL AND GOD FEARING PERSON IN THIS BUSINESS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO MAKE A MISTAKE SO I NEED YOUR STRONG ASSURANCE AND TRUST. WITH MY POSITION IN THE OFFICE I DON'T WANT ANYTHING THAT WILL JEOPARDIZE MY JOB SO I ADVICE THAT WE SHOULD MAKE SECRECY AND CONFIDENTIALITY OUR PRIMARY WORKING CONDITION, BEARING IN MIND THAT I AM A PUBLIC SERVANT.
I WILL USE MY POSITION AND INFLUENCE TO EFFECT LEGAL APPROVALS AND ONWARD TRANSFER OF THIS MONEY TO YOUR ACCOUNT WITH APPROPRIATE CLEARANCE FORMS OF THE MINISTRIES AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE DEPARTMENT. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS BUSINESS, YOU WILL BE GIVING 35% OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT, 60% WILL BE FOR
ME,WHILE 5% WILL BE FOR EXPENSES BOTH PARTIES MIGHT HAVE INCURRED DURING THE PROCESS OF THE TRANSFER. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR EARLIEST REPLY.
YOURS SINCERELY,
JAMAL YOUSEF
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Nor Cal Blues Fest - Corrections, Surveys & More!
A quick correction... if you want to hear the most incredible recordings of the two day sensation known as the Northern California Blues Festival... and support two wonderful non-profit programs (Blues in the Schools and Through the Mind) at the same time... go to www.JasonHaxton.com/ncbf (the previous URL I supplied was incorrect.
So, stop what you are doing and check out www.JasonHaxton.com/ncbf today and support some good causes!
Also, we REALLY want your survey response, so goto www.matsonian.com/blues/index.html and click the SURVEY button to share your thoughts with us and help us develop an event better event for 2009 - our 10th Annual!
Cheers!
Matson "Matsonian" Breakey
CreativeCATS Presents
Friday, July 11, 2008
To All My Music & Beer Loving Friends!
I still can't believe that it has been three weeks since we completed the Northern California Blues Festival! For those of you who bared the heat, I am sure you would agree it was an incredible event and one for the record books.
There is still time to complete our online survey to let us know what you thought and what you would like to see next year: http://www.matsonian.com/ncbf/index.html and click on the survey button at the top of the page.
In this, the latest edition of the Creative Cats update, I want to share a few important items:
- High Quality MP3s Still Available! Did you know that we recorded almost 80% of the Northern California Blues Festival? These HIGH QUALITY recordings are available for a limited time! So get yours today! To download a FREE sample of the quality of these great recordings, CLICK HERE. For a full listing of available recordings, go to www.JasonHaxtonProductions.com/ncbf
- Suds on the Green -
- FAIR OAKS'toberfest! Next is the Fourth Annual Fair Oaks'toberfest, coming to
Here are some of my preferred events this weekend:
Friday, July 11 –
Saturday, July 12 – 19th Annual Placer SPCA Blues & BBQ - Koko Taylor & Her Blues Machine, Coco Montoya, Cole Fonseca & The Rattlers, Mr. December Band, Blues Farm, Equinox, Pinkie Varner and more (1:00), Gold Country Fairgrounds, Auburn
Sunday, July 13 – Sacramento Blues Society Show - Two Cool Blues - Leo Bootz & Southside Shuffle, Equinox (2:00), Zigato's Bar & Grill - Clarion Hotel, Sacramento.
Matson "Matsonian" Breakey
CreativeCATS Presents
P.S. You can create events like we do with QuickPlanner Plus! the planning software for EVERYTHING. If you can dream it, you can plan it! www.QuickPlannerPlus.com
Blues, Beer & More: CreativeCATS Update: July 11, 2008
You may unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive our emails. |
To All My Music & Beer Loving Friends!
I still can't believe that it has been three weeks since we completed the Northern California Blues Festival! For those of you who bared the heat, I am sure you would agree it was an incredible event and one for the record books.
There is still time to complete our online survey to let us know what you thought and what you would like to see next year: www.matsonian.com/ncbf/index.html and click on the survey button at the top of the page.
In this, the latest edition of the Creative Cats update, I want to share a few important items:
- High Quality MP3s Still Available! Did you know that we recorded almost 80% of the Northern California Blues Festival? These HIGH QUALITY recordings are available for a limited time! So get yours today! To download a FREE sample of the quality of these great recordings, CLICK HERE. For a full listing of available recordings, go to www.jasonhaxtonproductions.com/ncbf
- Suds on the Green –
- FAIR OAKS'toberfest! Next is the Fourth Annual Fair Oaks'toberfest, coming to
Here are some of my preferred events this weekend:
Friday, July 11 –
Saturday, July 12 – 19th Annual Placer SPCA Blues & BBQ - Koko Taylor & Her Blues Machine, Coco Montoya, Cole Fonseca & The Rattlers, Mr. December Band, Blues Farm, Equinox, Pinkie Varner and more (1:00), Gold Country Fairgrounds, Auburn
www.placerspca.org/events.htm
Sunday, July 13 – Sacramento Blues Society Show - Two Cool Blues - Leo Bootz & Southside Shuffle, Equinox (2:00), Zigato's Bar & Grill - Clarion Hotel, Sacramento. www.SacBlues.com
Matson "Matsonian" Breakey
CreativeCATS Presents
P.S. Read the blog about Through the Mind, the nonprofit that benefited from the Northern California Blues Festival at http://throughthemind.blogspot.com
P.P.S. You can create events like we do with QuickPlanner Plus! the planning software for EVERYTHING. If you can dream it, you can plan it! www.QuickPlannerPlus.com
| ||||||
Sunday, June 29, 2008
How to Handle a Thief
I live in a bad neighborhood.
Okay, maybe that is not quite true. I live in Sacramento's Northern Ghetto... East Del Paso Heights. (South Sacramento is the Hood - where the gangs reside... we live in the Ghetto - its just full of poor people).
I bought my house here in 2004, a couple years before the Real Estate Peak in Sacramento and across the state. When I decided it was time to purchase a house I took many factors into consideration... location and price were keen among these.
Price-wise I did not want to exceed $200K because I did not want to have an unmanageable mortgage. My broker told me I could qualify for a house twice that price... but those who said yes to that tempting offer are now suffering the foreclosure syndrome.
I stuck with my figure and decided that North Sacramento, East Del Paso Heights would be my best bet. The other options was Oak Park. A more adanvced and developed neighborhood, but still a part of the Hood.
I chose a street North Sac with mainly homeowners, some who had been there for 30+ years, and a home that was recently renovated, and not yet on the market.
Overall the neighborhood has been great. Good people, occassional disturbances, but a far cry from my former residence in the beautiful and affluent East Sacramento, where I was a renter.
One of the most notable differences... in the ghetto, everyone hangs out in their front yards... in more affluent communities, we tend to hang out in our back yards. I guess here most back yards are filled with cars, junk or other stuff!
Anyway... back to the reason for this post... on Friday, June 27, my house was burgled. A couple kids broke in and stole my laptop and some other valuables.
Now, I happened to get lucky in that my neighbor (a couple Hispanics who rent) saw two kids walking through our back alley (all houses out here build in the 40s have alleys) carrying a laptop case. They followed the kids and saw them head into a house nearby.
But I am getting ahead of my story...
I had rushed out of the house earlier in the day to consult on the development of the 42nd Annual World Chili Cookoff and Music Festival in Sacramento. When I got home about 5:30 or so, I walked into the house and found the back sliding glass door ajar. It seemed strange to me... my first thought was "I can't believe I left that open... my AC bill is going to be HUGE!" Then I considered it further and realized that I did not, in fact, go outside that morning so it should not be open. I closed the door... walked cautiously into the living room... looking around with a odd combination of bemusement and dread. Then I saw it. My old Treo 600 and charger cord laying on the living room floor.
"How in the hell did that get there?" Then it struck me... my cool US Luggage ballistic nylon laptop back was gone. My old Compaq laptop was gone. And the cash I had stashed away was gone. Nothing else. The Golf clubs, the DVDs, the other computers... nothing else was gone.
I immediately went out the back door and hopped over the fence into the overgrown alley but saw no-one. I then ran back, got my keys and decided to drive around. Nothing.
When I came back home, my girlfriend had arrived from work, and I noticed my hispanic neighbors hanging out... in the front yard, of course. So I asked them...
Yes! They had seen the guys walking down the alley. Not only that... the previous day two other houses were burgled. Two laptops and a bike were gone.
But my clever neighbors had followed the suspects and saw what house they went into. Perfect!
I got a couple other neighbors together who had been robbed, confirmed the story and said "Lets go to the house!"
Uh... no. I couldn't believe no one else wanted to go!?!?! They had been robbed. Someone had come in their house and violated their privacy and stole their property! I was irate. I wanted to confront the robbers. Why didn't they.
I called 911 instead and reported that I was about to confront the house where the thieves were. The operator took a report, said the Cops would come and take a report. 10 minutes passed. I couldn't wait any more. I asked one of the others to get in the car, drove over to the house, parked so he could see the front door. Walked over and knocked. "Hello?" the heavy set woman said as she answered the door... "do you have a set of jumper cables?" I asked while scanning the living room... she politely checked and came back with a no. "But the neighbors next door are nice and they should have some." I got nothing but good vibes from the lady, so I thanked her and then headed to my car, faked talking with someone else, then got in the car and drove home.
Still no cops.
After about 20 more minutes, I drove back to her house by myself... knocked on the door and, when she answered, I immediately apologized for lying to her.
Then I apologized for my next comment: "I have reason to believe that two men who robbed our neighborhood today and yesterday came into this house." She wasn't even shocked. I described the men. She said her son wasn't home yet but they should be back soon. I gave her my number, took hers and told her I wanted to help her and handle this without authorities.
I returned home.
Still no cops.
I decided to go about my business and see to my house. Making sure that this would not happen again.
After an hour or so, I went back to the house. This time the mom was gone, but her daughters were home. The mom was driving around trying to find her son. Apparently, according to the daughter, her mom had already called the kid's probation officer. "Probation officer? What was he in for?" "Armed robbery." "How old is he?" "14, almost 15."
Fourteen years old?!?!? How incredibly sad is that?!?!?! A fourteen year old felon broke into my home, stole my laptop and some valuables. I talked with the mom over the daughter's phone, got her cell number and returned home.
By now, over two hours had passed and still no cops. So I called the non-emergency number and was told they will send someone over when they are not dealing with other calls. I got a little irate, considering it had been two hours, asked her when I could expect them... after a bit of a run-around from her... I started really getting heated "this is ridiculous! If I lived in a nice neighborhood, they would have been here in minutes!" "No, sir" she said, "we are the same department and follow the same rules. Have you lived in another neighborhood?" I told her I had - having lived in East Sacramento for several years prior to buying in North Sac - and we definitely got MUCH faster response... while I was telling her this SHE HUNG UP!!!
Now, I could have called back immediately... but I wanted to cool down first. So an hour passed. No cops.
I called back, spoke with another lady and explained what I told the others... I know where the perpetrators live, I've been to their house twice, we are waiting for help... "you know where they live?" she asked. "Yes!" "Oh, well that is a different kind of call, they should not have put you down as a report." And she changed the call status. Within 20 minutes the Sacramento PD showed up at the door. I explained what happened, they took their notes, talked with the neighbors, gave me a report number and went over to the house to talk with the mom. They also warned me that CSI would come out to dust for prints and they would call me first.
They did. At 2:30 am. But that's okay... I was happy to wake up, let the lady in and facilitate the dusting.
We will see what happens next. Hopefully I hear something on monday.
I am not worried about the cash, that is probably lost forever... I am worried about the laptop. So many files from recent events... designs, etc.
I'm ranted out.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Northern California Blues Festival... another great community event!
Well my friends...
It is over... the 9th Annual Northern California Blues Festival is in the can. And if you missed it, I am sorry... it was an event that shall never be the same again.
The biggest risk we took this year was turning a one day event into two days. And if you are not familiar with event planning... two days means a whole new host of variables that need to be tackled. Questions like... if you build it WILL they come? Because you are not only creating a longer event, you need you attendees to pay more for more days. Will they? Well... the question was undeniably answered for us... they DID!
While Saturday's attendance during the day was less than last year due to the 105 degree weather, the attendance by Saturday evening to watch Elvin Bishop was easily at 2500+.
Sunday's attendance for Maria Muldaur and the rest of the first ever Sunday Line-up was incredible at 1500.
But there was more than just the attendance. This year we had 35 craft vendors, 9 food vendors, two beer stations, and for the first time ever... Margaritas from Tequila 374.
And then there were the cars... incredible hotrods brought together by the Capital City Cruisers... six trophies were handed out to the winners including the Best of Show (confession here... I don't have the name of the winner but I get it for you).
The line-up of music for Tuesday was truly special... from Equinox to Elvin Bishop, from the Delta Wires to Steve Foster, from Lee Bootz to Mighty Mike Schermer (he's shorter than I thought)... it was a one day line-up any festival would be proud of.
If you want to purchase EXCLUSIVE live MP3's of the festival you can get them at http://www.jasonhaxton.com/ncbf.
Sunday started out with a wonderful pancake breakfast sponsored by the Orangevale Grange. Very tasty! The proceeds from the breakfast benefitted their scholarship fund and they are excited about doing it again next year!
Then the Sunday line-up went along with great aplomb... Jeff Watson, Strictly for Kicks, Sacramento Blues Review, Mick Martin and his new Blues Rockers and the ever so talented Maria Muldaur.
Reminder --- EXCLUSIVE live MP3's of the festival @ http://www.jasonhaxton.com/ncbf.
;-)
Maria was very gracious and sat around for at least 30 minutes signing autographs. Then the crews came in and we had the complete park back to its pre-festival beauty by 11pm that night.
If you would like to be on our email list for the upcoming festivals that I am doing under the banner of CreativeCATS presents, please go to www.matsonian.com and enter you email in the box on the left. We use Constant Contact so you can be assured of no spam.
Keep it real my friend and we will see ya at the next event.
By the way... a blatant plug here... we plan all our events using QuickPlanner Plus which you can get for only $34.95 at www.QuickPlannerPlus.com it is truly the best planning software for creating quick administrative plans. I should know... I designed it! ;-)
----------------------
Matson "Matsonian" Breakey
SAVE THE DATE - UPCOMING EVENTS!!!!
SUDS ON THE GREEN - Sacramento
Like Golf? Love Beer? Don't Play... Just Drink!
September 13, 2008
William Land Park, Sacramento, CA
www.SudsOnTheGreen.com
FAIR OAKS'TOBERFEST
An Octoberfest for BrewFest Lovers, by BrewFest Lovers!
September 27, 2008
Fair Oaks Park, Fair Oaks, CA
www.fairoaksbrewfest.com
SUDS ON THE GREEN - East Bay
October 18, 2008
Fremont, CA
www.SudsOnTheGreen.com/eastbay
CHILI COOKOFF & MUSIC FESTIVAL
October 4-5, 2008
Old Sacramento, CA
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)