Mine. Mine? MINE!

Finding Nemo seagulls. My pal Jeff Pageau, who is studying to be a tattoo artist did this for me today. It was his 23rd tattoo. Im way too laid back on the subject matter of my tattoos as of late. Oh well! If you know the movie, you'll laugh. If you dont....

Finding Nemo Seagull Mine Clip


thats all i got in me for today.

One thought.

The night time is the worst time.

goodnight.

Its official. We're all grown up now.

Ok, im going to have to admit. I cried right after i took this picture. I had to hide for about 5 minutes before i went back to the family.


Mom, Me, April and Kimbery.







yesterday, my sister April (younger of 2 sisters) graduated from high school. Last june, my sister Kimberly, graduated from the same high school. I didnt get to go to Kimberlys graduation because i was in Europe somewhere tuning guitars and being miserable. Anyway.
This was a very big deal for me and my family. The youngest sibling is now out of school and this presents opportunity for everyone, especially my sisters and my mom.
It also made me realize ive missed so much of both my sisters growing up years, but, they are doing just fine, and are two very smart and beautiful girls.

Now, we are all in the same spot, just 12 and 13 years apart. Looking to start anew and succeed at our adventures that life brings us. It's going to be one hell of an adventure, i'll tell you that much.

Dont stop, Dont stop, my pretty baby says....

So, almost 2 years later, Reggie & The Full Effect came calling again. This time, is going to be the final time. James has decided to go out in style, and do a 3 week US tour supporting the new Reggie record and also play a ton of older songs. James got in touch a few weeks ago, but i didnt hold my breath, because there were a lot of promises made at the end of the last tour ( ended in november 2006) and none came through. But this time, James has his shit together and the tour is booked and ready to go. James lives on Long Island now, and this past Monday he filmed a video for the song "J Train" off of the new record. He asked if i would play the role of a bouncer/door guy at a club. So, of course i said yes. The video concept is Draculas Bachelor party. I dont want to give too much away, so keep your eyes out for the video, its going to be hysterical.... but here are some pictures:

















I'm also playing guitar in Reggie for this final tour. Here are the dates, come visit me and have fun with me. I need it.
Wed 08/20/08 Orlando, FL The Social
Fri 08/22/08 Houston, TX Warehouse Live
Sat 08/23/08 Austin, TX Emo's
Mon 08/25/08 Tempe, AZ The Clubhouse Music Venue
Tue 08/26/08 Los Angeles, CA The Avalon
Wed 08/27/08 San Luis Obispo, CA Downtown Brewing Company
Thu 08/28/08 San Francisco, CA Bottom Of The Hill
Fri 08/29/08 Sparks, NV The New Oasis
Sat 08/30/08 Salt Lake City, UT The Avalon Theater
Sun 08/31/08 Denver, CO Marquis Theater
Tue 09/02/08 Minneapolis, MN Triple Rock Social Club
Wed 09/03/08 Chicago, IL House Of Blues
Thu 09/04/08 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
Fri 09/05/08 Pittsburgh, PA Diesel Club Lounge
Sat 09/06/08 Buffalo, NY Club Infinity
Sun 09/07/08 New York, NY HighLine Ballroom
Tue 09/09/08 Cambridge, MA Middle East Restaurant
Wed 09/10/08 Farmingdale, NY The Crazy Donkey
Thu 09/11/08 Towson, MD Recher Theatre
Fri 09/12/08 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom
Sat 09/13/08 Atlanta, GA Chameleon Club
Sun 09/14/08 Philadelphia, PA Theatre Of The Living Arts

No matter what, he will always love me.

This is Gershwin. I adopted him about 10 years ago, at the time i adpoted him, and his brother, Zizak. Zizak died of liver failure in 2001 while i was on tour. It was really sad. Gershwin has lived with Jim since i have been on tour/traveling/living other places for the past couple years. Gershwin loves me no matter where i go and how long im gone. The minute i walk in the door, it's like i never left. We love each other.

Vegan Peanut Butter & Jelly CAKE!

So ive made this cake 2 times now, with both times going over very well.
it is a very rich cake, and a small piece will fill you up, and goes well with a tall cold glass of Vanilla soymilk.

here is the recipe converted to vegan ingrediants. feel free to experiment.

This cake can serve 6- 8 people. Like i said, its a RICH cake, so smaller pieces are recommended when serving. Pictures make it look smaller than actual size.

VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY CAKE

i got 2 smaller size (6"x6"ish) disposable foil baking pans for this. any bigger, you lose the "big PB&J sandwich" aesthetic.


2 c. all-purpose flour, unsifted
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. earth balance whipped spread, softened
1/4 c. whole foods 365 peanut butter, creamy type
1 1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/2 ripe banana ( cut and smooshed) this is to replace the egg. feel free to add egg replacer if you dont like banana, but adding this you can BARELY taste it in the finished product.
1 c. very vanilla Silk soymilk
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 to 1 c. raspberry fruit spred/preserves


you will also need 2 cups of confectioners sugar for the frosting part of the cake.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9x1 1/2-inch layer cake pans. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt onto wax paper. Beat together butter and peanut butter in large bowl with mixer at high speed until well blended. Gradually beat in eggs. Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk until well blended. Add vanilla.


Pour into prepared pans, equally dividing batter. Bake in preheated oven (350 degrees) for 30-35 minutes or until tests done. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto cake racks. Cool completely. Spread jelly between layers. Frost top and sides with Peanut Butter Frosting:


Beat together 2 1/2 tablespoons softened butter and 2 tablespoons peanut butter in small bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla. Beat in 2 cups sifted 10X (confectioners) sugar alternately with 3-4 tablespoons milk until of a good spreading consistency. Garnish top with stripes or circles or webs of jelly.

Vegan Dinnertime.

Tonights VEGAN Dinner!

Bartoli tri-colored wheel pasta.

Trader Joes Lightly seasoned Chicken-less strips

Trader Joes Goddess Dressing.


Cook the Chicken strips over a light heat in a lightly oiled pan. I added garlick salt and dried onion and constantly flipped for about 10 minutes.

Cooked the pasta to "al-dente" , drained, then added a tablespoon of earth balance spread to the drained pasta.

pour into bowl, cover with chicken strips then the dressing. Enjoy.

mmmmm. Food rules.

Quick Vegan Snack

Here is a real quick, simple yet satisfying treat i just put together.

Trader Joe's brand Cinnamon flavored English Style Crumpets.
Jif Smooth peanut Butter
Trader Joes "Just Strawberry" fruit spread
1 banana

Toast the crumpets about 2 "light" cycles in your toaster.

Spread on peanut butter, then spoonful of strawberry spread on top.

then eat.

You can go wrong with adding a glass of soymilk or even some orange juice.

great mid day snack to tide you over until dinner.

And like that.......He was gone.

Click the map to see more detail.






So. Life in reverse. August of last year i drove from NY to LA and started a life. Made friends, made relationships, smiled, laughed, cried, learned and lost.
I made a hard decision to move back to the east coast. I left a few things behind that i wish i hadn't. Hopefully one day i can go back and get them. One thing in particular.

Anyway. I drove alone. From Hollywood at 7:30pm on June 12th 2008. I Drove the Interstate 10 East to Houston. I met up with my friends in Soul Control there to hang, see a show and just break up the drive a little. Then i headed north east finally getting back to my mothers house in long island NY at 3:36am on June 17th 2008.

The following is a collection of thoughts and pictures from being alone in a car for 3 days with a very limited music selection on a 20gb ipod.


Some Totals:
Miles: 3156
Gas $ spent: $527
days driving: 4
Motel $ spent ( 4 motels): $244
gallons of water drank: 8
number of car repairs: 1 (fixed a tire before it blew out on me, whew.)
Number of hatebreed songs listened to: 63
number of speeding tickets: 1
number of starbucks stopped at: 4
number of "Coexist" bumperstickers spotted: 5
times considering picking up sketchy hippie hitchhikers: 2


Music that kept me going:
ADRIFT
BLACK MOUNTAIN
BLACK SABBATH
BLACKLISTED
BLOWBACK
COLOUR HAZE
CROWBAR
CULT OF LUNA
DEAD MEADOW
DOWN
EYEHATEGOD
FLOOR
THE GET UP KIDS
HATEBREED
HUM
I BEAT A CHEETAH IN A RACE
INTEGRITY
IRON MONKEY
KYUSS
LOW DIVIDE
MACHINE HEAD
THE MARS VOLTA
MUSE
PANTERA
REBREATHER
REGGIE & THE FULL EFFECT
RISE AND FALL
ROKY ERICKSON
SLAYER
THIS IS HELL
THOU
TORCHE
VERSE
YEAR OF NO LIGHT

There were a couple points where I just listened to the local radio stations and some weird religious talk radio while coming up through the south, into Tennessee and Virginia.

I need a bigger ipod.


I had to spend 3.5 hours in a Wal Mart to get my car fixed in the middle of western Virginia. I saw the most awful collection of human beings in this Wal Mart. Apparently NASCAR shirts and a minimum of 3 crying children are mandatory if you live in this area.


Starbucks is the best place to stop. Clean, lockable one person bathrooms. Coffee. Snacks, juice and water. Also a comfortable place to just sit and relax for a few.

Be aware at what Motel 6 you stay at. Some can be really nice and clean and comfortable. Some can have one towel, flies and a bed that vibrates in the morning to wake you up...but it wasnt an actual vibrating bed. I have no idea what went on there.

I really wish i could have had one dinner at Denny's along the way. All i wanted was a boca burger and seasoned fries. Alas, i didnt get it. See picture below of the sign on the door at Denny's that i got to when i finally found a Denny's. BOO.

I embraced the feeling of not wearing underwear this drive and i think i have discovered a new way to live my day to day life. "Commando"

I documented the entire drive via my blackberry and the world wide superhighway.

The following are a collection of random thoughts that i had and kept track of on my notepad on my phone, throughout the the trip:


Being behind cattle trucks bums me out in a few ways. Smell and the thought of all those animals dying.


Black sabbath wrote the best songs ever.

The desert is hot even in the middle of the night.

How does an 80 year old lady end up working the overnight shift at a rest stop in the middle of nowhere arizona.

Why cant i ever accept that if something turns out bad, im not always 100 percent responsible. Especially when one or more other people are involved.


Driving over 100 miles and not hitting a starbucks is a weird feeling.

Sometimes i run out of things to think about.


Slayers reign in blood, seasons in the abyss, south of heaven trifecta MIGHT beat sabbaths self titled, master of reality, paranoid trio. Might.

I love the vibe of filling up at a gas station in the middle of the desert with mountains surrounding you, and the sound of country music coming through those tiny speakers at the gas pump.


Gas 50 75 36 50 50 60 50 65 46 45

I have way more grey/white nose hairs than im comfortable with.

There is a distinct smell to the south. Its either the dirt or the grass or the trees, whatever it is, it instantly reminds me of being little and visiting my grandparents at their house in florida.


There were 2 ways i was treated in texas. One was very nice and friendly, inquisitive about my tattoos and if "im in a band or somethin?"
The second was complete disgust and horror to the extent of going out of their way to not walk past me in the store.
No middle ground.


If i didnt have a cigarette lighter in this car, my trip would be 1000000 times more boring. Viva car chargers.


"Love scenes" in movies make me extremely uncomfortable.

I still stand by my theory of " fuck waffle house". Just seeing their sign makes me want to puke.


I love the feeling of putting your arm out the window while driving and kinda pretending your arm is a wing and seeing how long you can make it hover alongside you.


This new mars volta cd just sounds like a mean old wizard troll trying to put a spell on me with spooky noises in the background. Not really feelin it. Too weird.

Listening to Blacklisted. One of the lines in "wish" he says " ...wish i wasnt an emotional wreck". That sums it up. I wish i wasnt. But i am.



Seriously. Frontage road. There is one everywhere. Is it a magical road that you can take from one frontage road, say in like, texas, and it will take you to the closest frontage road near your final destination? Next road trip, youll see. Frontage road.


Why does housekeeping staff at motel/hotels feel the need to bang on your door at 8am when checkout is at noon? Isnt there a simple way to check what rooms have been checked out of before they start randomly waking me up?!
Shit.

I dont get how a road can be 2 roads in one. Like im on a road that is I-77 south and also I-81 north. What?



Why are you in the passing lane if you are just gonna drive the SAME SPEED as the person in the travel lane and have both lanes of traffic trying to pass you?


The chik-fil-a billboards are absolutely brilliant.


I thoroughly enjoy the relationship between cars and tractor trailers while night driving. Helping out with a friendly flash of the lights when its clear for the truck to change lanes and the friendly * blink blink* back at you. That little exchange is nice.


Listening to the radio reminds m of why i dont listen to the radio.

And now for some pictures. CLICK ON A PICTURE TO SEE A LARGER VERSION!