Introducing Butters

Respecting the results of this past week's poll, my bunny's name is Butters. Though the little guy has no yellow color to speak of, I'm happy with the final selection. Thank you all for your help, in particular some of the more amusing and creative names that were suggested, such as Clooney (my second fav choice), Hef (appropriate for a bunny), Frank (from Donnie Darko, creepy suggestion, but witty), and Lettuce (uhhhh....). I'm looking forward to introducing the new addition to you all in the coming weeks.

Tonight: Portland Music Awards

I am attending the 2nd annual Portland Music Awards tonight with fellow NW Noise Boy Jason Gears and Jeremy Reid, former lead singer of LA metal bands Ragged and Ruin. Many friends of Northwest Noise are up for awards tonight, including Debra Arlyn, Oh Darling, The Dimes, Derby, Tea For Julie, The Slants, Blind Pilot, and Alex Steininger. My good friend, Matt, whose musical tastes are far cooler than my own, sent me this article from the Willamette Week which pretty much sums up my feelings of tonight's event. However, I'm going in with an open mind and I'm sure to have a good time, regardless of the validity, or lack thereof, of these awards. At the very least, organizer Craig Marquardo must have spent a lot of time putting this event together in an attempt to recognize the area's best talent, and I have to respect him for that.

Name My Bunny

As many of you know, yesterday I adopted an adorable bunny rabbit. The little guy is only 8-9 weeks old, but is full of energy and incredibly friendly. He is a white and gray dwarf mix and he has a little bit of Lionhead in him (notice the long hair on the top of his head sticking up).

I've been struggling to think of the perfect name for my little guy and am coming to you all for help. Butters (from South Park) has been a popular response on Gchat today, but there's also been some Trailblazer related suggestions, such as Outlaw, but I also like the sound of Batum. Then there's the idea that based on his white and grey fur, I call him Clooney, which I really like, and Taylor Hicks, which is funny, but not what I would want to call a pet. Of course, Tim threw in a wild card with Ghostface Killa.

What are your thoughts? There's a poll to the right. Click on a box and help me out. Leave any comments below if you have additional suggestions.

Weekend Recap Jan. 23-25

It was a weekend full of excitement, complete with fire trucks and ambulances, which I will not get into here, but feel free to ask me about it through a different venue.

Instead I'll focus on the more 'artsy' aspects of my weekend, which began with a trip to the Portland Art Museum, my first trip to an art museum that did not involve going on a school field trip. My good friend, Miriam, an artist herself, joined me as we explored the wonderful world of artistic expression. I'll be honest, I don't get a lot of it. The museum hosts a lot of modern art, which to me is just bizarre. Take, for example, the burlap bags stuffed with who-knows-what, two to three dozen of them, arranged to look like a cluster of over sized potatoes. Or a block of marble sitting on the floor with uncooked rice around the base, appropriately titled "Marble and Rice." Then there was renowned British sculptor Rachel Whiteread, who had an entire exhibition at the museum. One of her pieces featured a old metal chair frame with half a dozen painted pizza boxes on the seat. Pizza boxes on a chair, people! A few of her other pieces included old toilet paper and paper towel rolls painted in pastel colors in various arrangements. I guess I'm just not that cultured.

However, once we got to the actual paintings, they were amazing. They have a Monet and a Van Gogh, both of which were very cool to see in person. My friend Johnny of The Dimes has also recently got me interested in the paintings of Childe Hassam, who has a few pieces in the museum, including 'Isle Of Shoals.' The Dimes recently wrote a song using the titles of Hassam's paintings, entitled 'Celia's Garden.' You can download a demo of the song here. I also loved the Asian and Renaissance art work and spent quite a bit of time admiring them. Overall a great experience. I will definitely need to include a trip to the MET when I visit NYC later this year.

I also went with a group of friends to check out Revolutionary Road. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect. I wasn't familiar with the book and knew nothing of the plot. I only knew that Leo and Kate were in it and getting rave reviews for their performances. Admittedly, I have been a fan of DiCaprio for awhile, ever since I saw him in Basketball Diaries, and his performance this time did not disappoint. Kate Winslet has already won a Golden Globe for her performance, but, and maybe it's just me, I detected a bit of overacting on her part. Not much, but enough for someone with some acting experience to pick up on. As far as the story itself, it was just depressing. Think of American Beauty set in the 50's, the ideal of the perfect suburban life falling apart at the seams. But I never felt attached to the characters to really feel sympathy for them. It wasn't a bad movie by any means, but I can't say it is a must see.

Heading to the movies did encourage me to see more. I've been so reluctant to see anything since movies now cost over $10 a ticket. Lately, I've been reserving my movie watching to $3 tickets at McMennamins. That may have to change though. Any suggestions on what to watch next? I'm hearing Slumdog Millionaire.

New Year's 2009

Full disclosure: I'm stealing this post from my friend, Ryan, who I spent New Year's Eve with, amongst others. Ryan is one half of Pet Marmoset, an entity that manages two exceptional Portland bands: The Dimes and Derby. He is also an active blogger (and Twitter-er, and is trying to push me into signing up for Twitter, but my will is strong...) and his blog about music and the industry is one of my favorite reads, which is why I'm stealing his post to describe my own New Year's. On his site, Ryan discusses new ideas about marketing music at length and has some really great articles and opinions. The other half of Pet Marmoset, Joe, also writes for the blog. You can check out their thoughts here or click the link in the right column.

As far as my own experience for an exceptional night of music and ringing in 2009, I was very fortunate to run into the Marmoset boys that night as, while I was lucky enough to get into the venue that night, the rest of my not-so-punctual crew was not able to sweet talk their way into the sold out concert. In what could of been a ho-hum New Year's, I got the opportunity to enjoy an incredible music experience, take in some good drinks (the Jubelale flowed liked wine...), and meet some new people (the women instinctively flocked to the show like the salmon of Capistrano...) Oh Bree, our time together was too short...

Ryan's post follows, but you will have to go to his site to check out pictures and video of the night here. His story regarding James Mercer of The Shins from that night is classic. I thought he was almost gonna have to throw down.

"Fully realizing we’re two weeks into the new year, we’ve finally found some time to upload some photos and share what a wonderful night Team Marmoset encountered on December 31st, 2008. Better late than never, right? It was definitely one of those rare, yet classic Portland music experiences, where there was just a special vibe in the air that you simply cannot find anywhere else in the world. We were at the Laurelthirst Public House on NE Glisan for a special night of P-town music…

Who was there? Who wasn’t there is a better question. Along with all of Team Marmoset and our better halves, we joined forces with Northwest Noise, which made it plenty fun. The night was billed as Two Beers Veirs - rumor has it that Laura Veirs can only drink two beers before she has to pee. lol

The “house band” for the night was none other than Chris Funk, Nate Query, Jenny Conlee, John Moen (all of the Decemberists), plus Annalisa Tournfelt of The Builders and The Butchers, and Jon Neufeld of Jackstraw. Not a bad house band, huh? But it doesn’t stop there. Here’s who joined them on stage…one by one, each leading about five or six songs before inviting the next artist to the stage - for what seemed like the world’s greatest little blue grass folk rock jam of all time:

John McDonald (King Wilkie) and Annalisa Tournfelt (The Builders and The Butchers)
Casey Neil
Ashleigh Flynn
Little Sue
Kevin and Anita Robinson (Viva Voce/Blue Giant)
John “Spider” Moen (Decemberists)
Scott McCaughey (Minus 5, R.E.M.)
Laura Veirs

…and not performing, but there with the rest of us to take it all in included the likes of James Mercer of The Shins and at least one or two of the other Shins guys and Colin Meloy.

As a side note, I will say that I had to keep my eye on James Mercer throughout the night… The first time or two I caught him checking out my wife, Jeana, from afar, I really didn’t think much of it. But then he kept on and I swear, I caught him pointing her out to a friend of his. I thought to myself, “fair enough - Jeana’s a hot girl.” And then towards the end of the night, I heard him say to her, “you’re too cute” and then he complimented her on her clogging as she danced across the room. Hmmm…. I thought to myself, “what is this guy up to?”

However, in all honesty - Mercer was simply enjoying himself and enjoying the fun, festive atmosphere like the rest of us. While it gave me some good material for my Twitter feed, I’m sure he meant no harm. Again - what a fun night. Note to self: One hard cider is good. Two hard ciders is plenty. Three hard ciders is too much!

Happy New Years, y’all."

Justin Royce's Uber Pretentious Top 5 Indie Albums of 2008 List - #1

#1: Oh Darling Nice Nice

It should come as no surprise to anyone who I have discussed music with in any capacity last year that Oh Darling's Nice Nice would be my favorite album 0f 2008. I was originally drawn in by singer Jasmine Ash's vocals and the bouncy pop/rock of such tracks as "Electrocute" and "Against The Skyline" and the slower "Blindspot" which remains my favorite track on the album. More recently, I have been digging the songs found later in the album, in particular the Triple-Oh trilogy of the dream-like "Only Beginnings," "The Ocean," and "One And The Same" that close out the album. Rhythm section J. Marie on bass and Shane on drums (who is no longer in the band, replaced by the oh-so-enthusiastic showman Jake) keep you dancing throughout, guitarist Davey adds textures that add greatly to the surreal mood of the music while Jasmine's vocals bounce around, giving the band their original sound. Since June of last year, Nice Nice has been on regular rotation in my home and my car and continues to be. It is just about a perfect album, my one complaint being it is too short at 32 minutes, but that just leaves me wanting more. The Darlings recently left Portland to share their brand of music with a wider audience in Los Angeles. I wish them all the best and I am very excited to see what this great group of musicians accomplishes.

Justin Royce's Uber Pretentious Top 5 Indie Albums of 2008 List - #2

#2: The Heavenly States Delayer

Yeah, they're from the Bay Area and not technically a Northwest band. But they spend enough time up here for me to give them a pass. That, and their record kicks ass. Delayer opens with a flurry of keys and Ted shouting "It hurts so bad this goes on the record" on "Morning Exercise" and continuing to the exceptional "Lost In The Light." The band slows things down in the middle on tracks "Sun Chase Moon," "Butterflies," and "Roses" before giving kicking things back up on my favorite track "Pretty Life" and then taking a completely unexpected turn on the country-esque "Never Be Alright." Genevieve keeps things interesting on the keys and adds her violin skills throughout, Jeremy and Masanori hold down the rhythm section and guitarist/vocalist Ted may just be the funniest guy in indie music. Delayer is highly recommended.

Justin Royce's Uber Pretentious Top 5 Indie Albums of 2008 List - #3

#3: Blind Pilot 3 Rounds And A Sound

Could Blind Pilot be Portland's next big thing, following in the footsteps of the Decemberists and The Shins? The signs seem to point to yes as in the past year this duo has been the iTunes' "Single Of The Week" and Starbucks' "Pick Of The Week." Israel and Ryan keep things beautifully simple on 3 Rounds And A Sound with just an acoustic guitar and brushed drums, with the occasional horns and strings sprinkled throughout. Israel sings sweetly and with convincing honesty. Blind Pilot is also notable for their bike tours, carrying all of their equipment on their bicycles as they travel up and down the west coast. Fans of Sufjan Stevens and Iron And Wine would certainly enjoy this album as much as I have. I am really excited to see what 2009 has in store for these guys.

Petey 2006-2008

Petey was a gift to my girlfriend at the time, Bonnie. She had talked about she wanted a little bunny and I always told her I thought it was a stupid idea. But eventually I gave in, and on April 2, 2006, we headed to the pet store. We went to the Scamps at the Valley River Center in Eugene. Bonnie had a hard time picking between two different bunnies, a male and a female. The store clerk recommended we go with the female because she would be less aggressive. However, Bonnie picked up the male and connected with him immediately, but I think at the time she was trying to convince herself to get the female. A small child walked in and grabbed the male, while Bonnie was holding the female. She commented to me that the child was "holding my bunny!" Upon getting the male rabbit out of the small child's hands, he was soon in Bonnie's arms. She called him 'Petey.' I'm not sure why, even the store clerk remarked that it wasn't a good name. Bonnie didn't care. She was in love and Petey was soon in the car and headed to his new home.

Even though I wasn't sold on the idea of having a pet at first, I fell in love with the little guy rather quickly. For the first month we had him, I couldn't wait to get home from school or work to play with him. I would spend hours watching him explore Bonnie's apartment, doing figure-eights around her dining room table and random hops straight into the air for no apparent reason.

Bonnie and I eventually went our separate ways; Bonnie to her mother's in Beaverton and me to an apartment in Clackamas. She asked me if I would watch Petey as she was afraid that he might not last at her mother's place (a former rabbit pet of Bonnie's had disappeared while she was growing up under mysterious circumstances). I reluctantly agreed. I was new to Portland and a bit lonely and Petey offered me companionship during those first few months. I worked a very stressful job at the time and the highlight of many of my days was heading home and having that him run around the house. If I lay down on the ground at his level, he would come up to me and start nipping at my hair. His whiskers would tickle me. He was a great friend.

Bonnie was a great mother. Despite the proximity difference between the two of us, she always made a point to come out and visit Petey whenever she could, bringing him treats such as carrots and yogurt chips. He loved visits from his mom since he knew he was going to get a lot of attention and presents. It was incredibly cute to watch the two of them together.

Petey was sick over this past summer, some sort of digestive problems. He required regular medicine which was a pain in the ass for me to give to him, twice a day to boot. He hated me for those couple of weeks. He also could no longer have carrots or other treats that his mother and I were used to spoiling him with. Just a strict diet of hay, pellets, and leafy vegetables. He was not such a fan of that.

This past Thursday night, Petey and I watched the Blazer game together as we normally do (to be fair, I watch the game while he runs around). He was in desperate need of a bath as it had been awhile since his last one; he has the softest fur after a bath. After finishing up, I set him down to continue running around. He sat underneath a side table in the basement instead. After the game, I went and lay on the ground to have him nip at my hair since I knew he wasn't a fan of the bath earlier. He didn't come up to me. I was disappointed at the time, but didn't think any more of it. I put him to bed for the night and went to sleep myself.

The next morning I woke for my Friday-off routine which consists of making pancakes and coffee, then heading downstairs to feed Petey and let him run around while I catch up on the Tivo. This Friday morning though, when I went to open his cage, he didn't get up. I tried petting his soft fur to stir him, but he still didn't move. I started to shake him, my heart racing, while I begged him to wake up, but he was already gone. I sat there in front of his cage in disbelief as my special little guy lay in front of me.

I don't remember crying so much as I have this past weekend. I used to think it was weird that people got so attached to their animals. Now I understand. Every time I think of Petey, I tear up. Those of you that had the chance to meet Petey know what a special guy he was. He was such a ladies man. He got to meet a bunch of Portland musicians. He was always Mr. Popular at the parties. I like to think he lived a fulfilling life.

I miss him. I can't believe he's gone. I love that furry little guy so much. He will always have a special place in my heart.

Ghosts Of Blazers Past

So great! (Click picture to enlarge)

Justin Royce's Uber Pretentious Top 5 Indie Albums of 2008 List - #4

#4: Ehren Ebbage Ten Cent Souvenir

After years playing second fiddle (or guitar) to such front men as John Shipe and Justin King, Ehren finally steps out on his own. In additional to being a phenominal guitar player, including lap steel, Ehren is an exceptional lyricist and his words tell the tales of women who can't commit and men not worth committing to. Like Tom Petty's music, this CD would be perfect for a summer road trip with plenty of great sing-along songs such as the title track, "The Way She Does It" and "Bottlerocket." There are also some really pretty tracks like "Earthquakes" and my personal favorite "Snakes" which subtly discusses Ehren's decision to leave the very popular Justin King Band. Admittedly, it took me some time to get into this album; it's not flashy and doesn't really stand out in the first listen. But after a couple spins, you will find yourself singing along until Ten Cent Souvenir is on a regular rotation on your iPod.

Justin Royce's Uber Pretentious Top 5 Indie Albums of 2008 List - #5

It's December, so that means it's prematurely time for all of us who think our opinion matters more than everyone else's to put together our "Best Of..." lists for the year and amaze others with our knowledge in our area of expertise.

I won't pretend to have better music taste than anyone else, but the following five albums (to be listed, in order, in the coming days) made more of an impression on me than the other albums I listened to in 2008 (and there were quite a few). Of course, qualifying albums had to be independently released, no major labels, and all artists need to Northwest represent. One band does hail from the Bay Area, but makes frequent trips north. One Eugene artist and three Portland bands also make the cut. Oddly enough, Seattle/Washington aren't represented on my list in a year where both Pac-10 Washington college football teams went a combined 2-23 for the season, the Seahawks are 2-11 and the Supersonics no longer exist; coincidence?

And without further adieu, my uber pretentious Top 5 Indie albums of 2008:

#5: Tea For Julie The Sense In Tying Knots

At 17 tracks, it is the meatiest of the winning albums, but Tea For Julie keeps it all killer, no filler, on their second album. The idea of 'home' is a central theme throughout the album, and Tea For Julie makes their second album as warm and inviting as my mom's home in Central Oregon. The album is chock full of great tracks, from the opener "Tying Knots" to the dirty bass riff of "Pollyanna" to the drum machine beat of "Snow Globe." TFJ reminds me a lot of one of my favorite major label bands, Athlete, and fans of that band, or even U2 or Coldplay would do well to check out "...Tying Knots." A good mix of fast and slow songs and a final piano and vocals track, "Day and Age" should keep listeners entertained for some time. Hopefully it won't be another 4 years before we hear from Tea For Julie again.

News From The Darling Camp

While it also serves as an excuse for me to post another pic of Jasmine Ash, there is some cool news to report about Portland band Oh Darling. Although their album Nice Nice was just released in September, the Darlings are heading down to L.A. next month to record some brand new music. How the music will eventually make its way to our ears remains to be seen, or heard, but I did get a chance to hear a few of the tracks at their in-store performance at Music Millenium last week and the new material is solid. It's right up there with the ten tracks on Nice Nice, an album that I love.

The Darlings post regular updates on their blog here. I'm sure they will keep us posted on their L.A. experience while they are there via their site.

My most favorite Darlings of Portland band Oh Darling will be playing a free all ages show at Music Millenium tonight at 7:00pm. If you have not yet seen these amazing musicians perform yet, take my advice and do so.

You can read my album review of their CD Nice Nice here.

I Finally Took Ryan Wines Advice

...and ordered the nachos at Casa de Matador. They were every bit as good as he said they were.

http://www.petmarmoset.net/blog/2008/08/26/best-nachos-in-portland/

New England EP

Last week, I had the pleasure of spending time with my friend, Johnny Clay, lead singer of The Dimes, to preview new tracks from the band’s upcoming New England-themed second album, due early next year. By far, this is one of the coolest experiences I’ve had since getting involved with the Portland music scene. What a huge honor to be invited into the studio of one of your favorite bands and listen to music that the general public is still months from hearing. I can’t thank Johnny enough for the opportunity.

I had the chance to hear demos of songs that The Dimes have been playing at their shows the past spring/summer, including “Robert Goddard,” “Paul Revere,” and “Mary Dyer.” Johnny has also been working on some new material that has yet to be played live. “Celia’s Garden” is an up-tempo tune that gets its lyrics from the artwork of Childe Hassam. “Damrell’s Fire” tells the tale of the great Boston fire of 1872 a features some of Johnny’s best lyrical wordplay. And perhaps the prettiest song the band has written, “Trinkets” starts with a beautiful guitar melody that echoes Toad the Wet Sprocket’s “Windmills” while weaving imagery of New England inventors and authors. It is my new favorite Dimes tune and I can’t wait to hear it in its completed form.


Of course, The Dimes will be sharing with their fans a few of the new tracks on the New England EP, due out this Saturday. As mentioned previously here, the New England EP will feature a new mix of “The Liberator,” originally available on an EP released earlier this year, “The Ballad of Winslow Homer,” a newer demo, and the band’s cover of John Lennon’s “Watching The Wheels.” Most exciting about this release, at least to me, is the band’s decision to include “Clara” on the album. The song is about American Red Cross organizer Clara Barton and is one of my favorites from the new material. I had emailed Johnny last month about including the track on the CD and I’m glad he did (though I’m sure my begging had nothing to do with it).

The Dimes will celebrate the release of the EP with a show at the Doug Fir Lounge on Sat. Nov. 1. Derby and Matt Sheehy are also on the bill, ensuring an awesome night of music as you recover from the Halloween debauchery of the night prior. The NW Noise Boys will be there for an interview with Derby (excited about that) and to check out some of Portland’s best live music. See you at the show.

Weekend Recap

First, the low point of the weekend. I hate the NW part of Portland. Not so much the area itself; there are some nice shops, some great restaurants, and the Mission Theatre is close. No, what I really hate about NW is the parking, or lack thereof. Oh, how I loath the parking situation. I spent 45 minutes driving around looking for a spot, finally settling on one all the way out in the Pearl. I’m not gonna lie, there was a significant amount of cursing involved with my frustration. I also fear I may have scared my friend who called to find out where I was, as I was close to an hour late for our scheduled meet time. Luckily, the rest of the weekend was filled with highlights.


Friday was spent with Portland band Wow & Flutter, a "three-piece hot-shit rock combo" (as Tim likes to refer to them). The band met with us for an interview on the night of their show at the Towne Lounge and a couple weeks before their new album Golden Touch is released. It took me a couple of listens, but I’m digging on the album. Very Sonic Youth-esque, arguably a few touches of The Cure as well. These guys also had a sense of humor all their own. I’m interested in hearing how the interview turns out. In an hour and a half of drinks and conversation, there was not one honest answer that came from the band. Not one. I did, however, learn more about Italian Mormons than I ever thought I would.

Saturday we celebrated the day of birth of our good friend, Leslie. Leslie is a Guitar Hero master so we partied in style with a little Rock Band 2 (same difference). Between bottles of Sessions and St. Paulie Girl and blueberry-flavored shisha, Tim beat the skins like he was Phil Collins and the ladies sang their pretty little hearts out. It was an enjoyable evening and I hope Leslie had a special time; she deserves it.


After a day spent lying on the couch watching football (and sadly watching my Niners lose once again), Gus, Nikki, Paul, and I headed to the Mission Theatre for a showing of Tropic Thunder. The Mission is great for those kinds of movies: good food (well, my food was good; Gus ordered a Canadian bacon sandwich that he was not too impressed with), good beer, and a great atmosphere. The movie was enjoyable. Not great by any means, but worth the $3 admission. There were quite a few big names stars in it, certainly more than I was expecting. And it served as a good close to the weekend. Bonus, on a Sunday night, magically there is plenty of parking in NW. Oh parking, where were you on Friday when I needed you most?

I Won't Be Attending But...

If you haven't already made your Friday evening plans for this week, you really should consider heading over to McMenamins Mission Theatre for a performance from The Minus 5. Scott McCaughey, guitarist for R.E.M., leads a rotating cast of talented Northwest musicians, including the "other" guitarist from R.E.M., Mr. Peter Buck, who plays bass in The Minus 5.

I had the opportunity to interview Scott last April when he played as part of an amazing line-up of The Dimes, The Heavenly States, and his own band. Scott is a great guy, a huge fan of baseball, and just finished a world-wide tour with R.E.M. You can check out the interview here.

The concert celebrates the relaunch of NoDepression.com and also features the band Weinland. More info about the show can be found here.

I will not be at the Mission that night as I will be with my good friend, Leslie, hanging with Wow & Flutter before their show at the Towne Lounge. More info from that adventure to follow...

Crossroads

I generally don’t like to get too personal on my blog. It seems overly cheesy and cliché and just not something that I am a fan of doing. However, I’m finding that many of the people close to me don’t know a lot about the real me. This post is my attempt to remedy that somewhat, but I reserve the right to remove it at any time.

I wonder how many people can point to a specific moment in life when a decision needed to be made that would determine the rest of their life. Choosing one option would lead them down one path and the other option would take them on a completely different road. I know that one moment for me, at least as it relates to love and relationships.

About six years ago, I was head over heels for a girl. She was beautiful, smart, funny, and had the most stunning eyes I have ever seen. She quickly became my best friend. She was also unavailable, having been in a relationship for a couple of years. Despite that, we spent much of our free time together. My feelings for her grew stronger and I believe she felt the same for me.

After a night out, I walked her back to her place. I remember walking up the steps to her apartment and standing in front of her door. We embraced each other. Then she looked up at me with her beautiful green eyes and I knew she wanted me to kiss her. I did not.

I can’t say why I didn’t. Maybe I was scared. Maybe I knew I was too immature at the time to pursue something with her. Maybe it’s because her boyfriend was waiting for her inside the apartment while we had our moment outside. Whatever the reason, I made a decision. I’ve regretted it ever since.

Our friendship became less intense after that. I avoided her as much as I could. She ended up marrying her boyfriend, though they divorced later. I always knew he wasn’t the right person for her. She remarried. We saw each other for the first time in many years recently. It felt good to be around her again.

It’s her birthday today, which is probably why I’m thinking of her. I hope she’s happy. She really deserves it. She’s an amazing person and I have an incredible amount of respect for her.

Life is about making mistakes and learning from them. I regret my decision that night, but I hope to say I’ve learned from it and am able to move on. Of course, I found myself in an eerily similar situation last year and I can’t say I really handled it with the maturity of someone who has learned any sort of lesson. Hopefully by writing about it, I can put the issue to rest.

Thanks for reading.

Gus Greif at Vicinato

Some may not find the ukulele particularly sexy, but those people have not seen singer/songwriter Gus Greif, a musician that oozes sexuality from each of his pores while rocking a mean tiny lute (he ain't too shabby on the guitar either). Gus' music reflects the laid-back attitude of the small country town near Eugene where he grew up, with hints of Jack Johnson and John Mayer thrown in the mix. Recently relocating from Los Angeles to Portland, Gus brings his vocal stylings and guitar playing to the Vicinato Wine Bar on 46th and Freemont at 8PM. Come check out this talented artist in his second performance since moving back to the Northwest.