Crashing California

This weekend was spent -- with music. It was our first weekend (perhaps many more?) playing at SanDiegoChurch with the team. They practice on Saturdays, at 1:00 at a really cool little church just outside San Diego...so we arrived earlier, and helped set up. There were 5 songs for the service on Sunday -- we practiced for five and a half hours -- it was very exhausting, in fact, I couldn't even describe to you how tired I was. Emotionally and Physically drained afterwards, I felt borderline sick (or coming down with something-ish) and I was ready to crash when we got home (Jay and I went for supper at our neighborhood Chilis) I promptly went to bed when we got home. Today we went to church and set up (they hold church here in schools, since land is really hard to come by, they literally are a 'church in a van') did the service and spent some time with our friend Werner (I'll have to post some pics at some point) We went for lunch to this little fast food joint called ...

What could be better than (almost) finishing the week with a sunset over the ocean? Jay and I drove out to Sunset cliffs Blvd. (along with a host of other 'travellers') and sat on the cool hard earth, on the edge of North America, to watch the sun tuck itself into the ocean, one beautiful second at a time. I hope that I never get used to this... Praise Adonai (click the photo to see our 'time-lapse' photography)

Today Jay and I trekked back into Anaheim for the last day of the NAMM show, namely to see our old friend Norm Stockton play in the morning (at the Roland Booth) with Lincoln Brewster. (Lincoln Brewster is a SERIOUS guitar player, worship leader/songwriter, pretty big in the Christian Music scene. Oh, and btw, if Jay Dyrland ever reads this, Lincoln Brewster TOTALLY reminded me of him -- just wanted to let him know...) It was pretty cool, they played a "mini-church-service" type thing right in the middle of the NAMM show -- and Lincoln was wailing all over the guitar, while we got to watch Norm play bass -- and sing! (Norm Stockton and Jay, after the show) Afterwards we all got together for a picture. We got to meet Norm's wife, who is super cool, she just finished a CD as well, which she gave to me. And the highlight (for me) was meeting the Executive Editor of Worship Leader Magazine (HELLO!!) she was sitting right in front of us and just happened to turn around and wa...

Today we cruised into Los Angeles via the 405 and very quickly made a wrong freeway exit (always a tense moment for me ... the official navigatress) but, soon found ourselves back on track again, and cruising through Bel Air (who wouldda thunk..) and on to Ventura Blvd. Our trip destination was the Amp Shop , a music boutique Los Angeles style, right on the corner, where Jay wanted to check out Bogner Amps. So, after quite a trip, we arrived at their closed and barred doors only to read a small typed paper stating that they were all at the NAMM show (go figure) Jay was 'irritated', and I felt his pain, but we had parked so we walked the street for a bit. Ventura Blvd. is very similar to an exaggerated Whyte Ave. (which is actually very cool) and about 10 times as long with Ferrari Dealerships ... the exciting moment for me, checking out a Rodeo Drive Consignment store, with Versace and REAL Louis Vutton bags (the prices seemed just as ridiculous to me) we made our way from t...

Sunset strip and Sadness sits on the corners streets lined with dreams wannabee stars asphalt and cars stars who went too far fallen and famous fleeting concrete catastrophe's dance about silent cocaine coffins Lonely and helpless hopeless by society an existing exercise of Super American futility Hollywood's well kept well swept under the rugs Boulevard

Thank you Byron! We had a BLAST! Jay and I decended upon Music Industry Elite today at the annual NAMM show in Anaheim, CA. ... and WOW ... words cannot completely contain the experience that is wrapped up in walking through the packed convention centre. Surrounded by the best and most beautiful musical instruments, the most bizzare people (and groups of people) you would ever see... from goth rockers, to long haired hippies in tye-dyed suits, to scantly clad women wearing rubber 'nurse' uniforms ... I think we pretty much saw it all (although, even as I type this, I know that's not true!) Both Jay and I got to rub shoulders (literally) with some pretty cool people. I think pictures will say it best with this one...enjoy! Jay and I hangin' at NAMM =) This is Kerry King from Slayer fame -- I could NOT get a 'clear' picture of him (camera was always blurry...for some strange reason...) This is Natalie Cole (Nat King Coles' daughter) Jay and Scott Ian (of A...

Could you say No to this face? This week has been a busy one -- I think this week has been one of the more 'social' ones Jay and I have ever had. On Wed. eve. we were invited for supper by our pastor Chad and his wife Nicole, with another new couple from our church (their first weekend was this last Sunday, they sat beside us). It was a really good time -- of just getting to know each other and learning about others lives. Chad and Nicole are REALLY neat people, totally love God, and they really live what they teach. They have two children, one is a foster child -- they just display the love of God in how they are, I am really encouraged by them. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The new couple moved down from L.A. for school and a job opp. and we really connected with them. They invited us over afterwards (just Jay and I) to see their home, very quaint. I guess I should give them their names!! Laura and Andy have re-located to S...

Today we had the opportunity to watch an NFL playoff game featuring our very own 'home' team the San Diego Chargers. The game was a quarter-final against the New England Patriots, leading up the AFL final and then the almighty SUPER BOWL. Our church is apparently filled with many people who are football fans, including our pastor, who invited us all over to his house to watch the BIG GAME. Now, Football, is an interesting sport, I don't fully understand even a quarter of what goes on. But it seems to be a game of strategy, brutal pain, advancement vs careful retreat and ultimately teamwork...all the players MUST work together to advance the ball, and eventually make a touch down. Plays are carefully planned and executed, some with success, others with defeat. There is alot of emotion tied into watching a game, and it's interesting to realize how much we can actually care about things that have no bearing whatsoever on our lives. We can become absolutely engrossed, albei...

So, today was/is my birthday (for at least 2 more hours by my clock). Birthday's can always be strange, I think sometimes more for women than men. Seems to me that when men age, they get 'dignified' and when women age, we just get older. (Hopefully wiser too...hmmm) anyways, I'm trying to embrace the first day of my 29th year with enthusiasm, and with the attemp to resolve not to be so controlled by my emotions. I realized eventhough I am so far from everyone, I had, infact, been touched by the people that were very important in my heart already. My good friend Em (teaching in Korea right now with her hubbie) sent me a package (!!yays!!!) that included an 'e.' original... so special to my heart... it's the only thing hanging in our house now -- besides my mom's quilt -- which suits me just fine. My birthday was very good, Jay did REAL good this year. For my birthday he bought me my very own palm tree (the indoor variety -- and our very first houseplant, ...

So, I feel that, after living here in this little apt. for just over one week, I need to 'correct' an earlier blog. One called 'Our View' wherein I refer to the tree just outside our window (carefully obstructing our view of the glorious ocean) as (and I quote) "Dumb Tree" I have noticed that our little dumb tree is only dumb , because she lacks the ability to speak . There she stands, day and night, rain and shine, through ocean gales and the cool winter sun, holding her own against a natural world that shows no mercy to her perilous place. I may be unhappy too, if I were cemented and asphalted into a bluff, precariously perched, never to move, my roots, growing deep -- hidden beneath city ash and apartment parking lot. all the while standing. Sheltering birds of all colors in my branches. Looking out one way at the ocean, yet never being able to get closer. Overseeing the humanity that lives around me and beside me, never being able to say what is ingrained...

Today, I spent most of the day doing this (working) I had a deadline for Break Forth today, the BIG one (program/magazine) so I felt busy, because having to do that, amoung other things, can leave you just that. Jay spent the day looking for work and checking out the music scene here in San Diego on the internet. --- [A little background here, we don't have a T.V. (and haven't since we got here, even when we were staying at Bardy's house) so we have NO idea really what the culture is like down here, we joke that we're 'prolonging our American Conversion' ... but it amazes me how much we can depend on T.V. and radio to be "plugged into" things, so without T.V. our laptops and internet have become our "plug in"] So, It was cool too, to check out what the music scene is like here. Jay posted an add on a classified site down here that caters to musicians, for a bass and drum player. I don't know what we'll find, or who will reply, but it...

I have been doing alot of thinking just about life, and how we're really here. We really are (I know that sound obvious) but I feel like I need to state it to myself It seems so far away, but unreal, since I still talk on the phone to people in Edmonton I remember when Friday nights were the crazy times you called your friends and were a looser if you stayed home and now I find myself just content listening to quite soul music and thinking about life ... It's just giant city here, water and sun, and the steady humm of humanity, the sunsets are amazing, they bring a quiet glow to everything, like all the busy-ness just stops for the moment you stare at the sky... I am sure that the sky is a different shade of sunset here.. --------------------- Some assorted notes of interest... I have found THE most WONDERFUL clothing store EVER, it's called Closets' everything is CRAZY CHEAP and really cool looking, I spent 35 $$ and got 5 pairs of socks 4 shirts and a pair of RAD (!!!...

Today was move-in day for us at Point Loma Towers., and oh my goodness -- I can actually UN-pack!!!!!!!!! We stuffed all of our possessions (they could still fit into one vehicle!) into a station wagon and headed to the coast in the morning. The move was easy enough -- the building is only 3 stories high, so we used the stairs for the most part. It was nice to finally get things into place and begin to make the 'hole in the wall' a home. This is our little cute as a button kitchen... Our cute as a button bathroom...and husband... We went grocery shopping later at the neighborhood 'Ralphs' (which I still think is a hilarious name for a food store...considering 'RALPH' is used in Canada to refer too...well, nevermind, you get it...) anyways, after getting some needed 'home supplies' we had a quick supper and went to Costco courtesty of the Contratto's (the family that had us over for New Years -- which, by the way was great, a wonderful time, we got ...