Blanket apology for all future gratuitous iPhone posts

I apologize for the obnoxious post below. I'm afraid the that all these recent advancements in technology are all about the TMI and I am prone to indulging! The iPhone will exacerbate that in me kinda of like the status updates on Facebook, which are something I find myself participating in regularly, but also annoyed at just as often. There is a part of me that thinks it all very silly for people to be writing things like "Davin is hungry!" for all of their Facebook friends to see... because if we're going to do that then why don't we write "Davin has an unfortunate itch." or something of that sort. You get the idea, and I mean, I suppose I could write things like that but let's hope I don't get to that point.

Anyway, the iPhone is awesome. It really is. I left work yesterday in such a flurry because I needed to get home to get the packaging for my temporary phone to return it so to pick my iPhone. I scurried over to the store and proceeded to spend the next hour sitting at Starbucks playing because I was too excited to get on my bike and sacrifice the riding time. Mind you, I live about a 10 minute bike ride away from the store.

I'm glad it is here now and I'm glad to be able to take it to Michigan with me when I travel this weekend. It will give me ample time to explore its possibilities and maybe shut up about it after that.

This may seem like a funny thing to say, but I was thinking yesterday as I walked out of the store that I feel really blessed and grown up. It still strikes me as odd that I can desire something, save money that I earn at my job and then buy it. I mean, when did this happen? I remember being a child and wanting things and having to wait until Christmas to possibly get them.

Ok! Enough.
I have been listening to a lot of Michael Jackson lately and I came across this song which I thought sounded too much like Stevie Wonder.



Turns out it was written by Stevie Wonder. Its amazing how Stevie created such a signature style that even Michael Jackson vocals can't mask.

Live blogging!

Whoa! This is my first blog from my new iPhone.
I have no idea how most of this works but it is amazing how I am able to mistype most everyhing right now and it fixes it for me automatically.

Seriously, the technology is pretty mind blowing.

Actually! I just called Mary and I am blogging and talking on the phone at the same time.

Whoa.

Weekend Recap

This weekend was pretty much consumed by the Pitchfork Music Festival, which is a good thing because now that I've returned to work I've found the carpets in the hallways torn up and dust flying in the air. I ask myself, "why are we here?" So, I close the door and pretend I'm not.

The weekend was delightful and lovely. It rained every day, yet I never got wet. It is amazing that I could spend nearly 10 hours each day at the festival, and it rained Friday, Saturday and Sunday, yet it never rained when I was at the festival. The weather was generally muggy, but manageable and with good friends to spend time with as well as thousands of fashionably sweaty folk to look at it was and entertaining event. Oh! And the music! Yes, the music was fantastic. Friday and Saturday were my favorite days with highlights being Public Enemy and Animal Collective. As Jessica said, in the context of Public Enemy Flava Flav totally made sense and was incredibly impressive. Animal Collective really brought the best show, with a light installation that I just kept saying "wow!" to.





















This week will be a challenge.
We're passing mid summer and I'm feeling it.

Pitchfork

This weekend is the Pitchfork Music Festival.

I'm looking forward to standing in the heat with Chicago's finest hipsters listening to the latest and greatest in indie music.

This weekend is always a good indicator that I am midway through the summer. It is a staple of my last four summers and I appreciate it.

My crazy landlady cornered me to tell me she is having a yard sale and if I wanted to put anything in it I needed to do it by 7am on Saturday morning.

I just have one question... WHY DOES SHE WANT TO INCLUDE ME IN HER YARD SALE!?

I don't understand her for a second. I mean, it occurs to me that I do have a couple things I would like to sell and she is one of these people who regularly has yard sales and so she gets a good turn out from the hardcore yard sale people. I can't imagine I'll wake up by 7am, but we'll see.

I'm frustrated right now because my mother left me a voice message last night and I didn't listen to it, because I hate listening to voice mail lately. I hate talking on the phone lately. Maybe it is in general protest to my iPhone's delinquency, but the phone is becoming especially hard to me to spend time with. Anyway, I didn't get to the message until this morning and it sounded quite casual... but then it got weird.

"Daviiiiinnnn. This is mother. I just hadn't talked to you in a while and wondered how you are doing. We were in the ER most of the day today because your father hurt his hand on the lawnmower. I think he'll be alright. The Dr's said he didn't break any bones.... so, ok, well I'll talk to you later. I love you."

!?
!?

I've been trying to call all morning, but of course something is going on with their phone. I'm sure he is fine. My father always hurts himself with the lawnmower. Seriously. I remember numerous ER visits having to do with a lawnmower or a tractor, but I am still frustrated at myself for not listening last night.

Let this be a lesson to me.

I ate this on Monday.

And, it was awesome.

I also learned how to make eggs in a basket. I know it is a simple task, but let's face it... I'm a bit simple. So now I shall eat them every morning for breakfast. Well, maybe not every morning but if you come over I will surely show you how I can make them.



Also, I have a bit of a musical confession that relates to food, sort of. See, yesterday I walked myself over to Strack and Van Til with my canvas bags (which I have been doing a great job of using btw)and I got a little shopping cart and I proceeded to make my way through the grocery buying produce and such. As I began to go down the aisle with canned goods (in search of refried beans) I heard over the speakers a familiar voice and tune that immediately transported me back to my bedroom in 1991. It went something like this:



And really, I should be totally embarrassed to tell you that because well, it is Amy Grant and I was a little boy rockin' out to her... but let me explain. I grew up very conservatively and for a good portion of my early childhood I wasn't allowed to listen to "secular" music or the radio really which in all honesty, I don't regret a whole lot because I think the reason I got involved with opera has something to do with that... but regardless, I didn't listen to much and what I did end up listening to was usually "Christian." So! When Amy Grant came out with a pop tape, it was amazing because my parents only knew her as a "Christian" artist and so I bought the tape and they approved. I memorized every lyric. But who could possibly forget such classics as...



This is my excuse for walking around Strack and Van Til with my canvas totes, shopping cart, and produce singing quite loudly every lyric to Amy Grant's "Baby Baby". I imagine this would fall into the "Aren't you embarrassed by that?" category, and yes, sure, I'm embarrassed but I figure life is too short to be embarrassed for too long.

Confession complete.

A Staycation

Seriously, does anyone really get anything done during the summer?

I mean, I can really only speak for myself but I have accomplished next to nothing in the last couple of weeks and it has felt quite grand. This weekend was no exception as I had what was not intended to be but turned out to be a "staycation." Apparently, many American's are currently opting for the "staycation" as gas prices are high and the economy is biting it... so not one to be left out, I enjoyed one myself.

Basically what this meant for me is indulging in the beach as much as possible. Two full days worth of sun and sand and being close to the water. I would say swimming in the water, but unfortunately because I am a tall fella, they wont let me go deep enough to swim! I want to tell them how we do it on the other side of the lake, but I keep my mouth shut.

I will have two cavities filled tomorrow. I'm closing in on the end of the tooth disaster.

I'm waiting patiently for my iPhone.
*twiddles thumbs*

An Odd Day

I know I'm not usually a weekend blogger, but I have a few moments and nothing is on TV so I thought I'd share... because well, I'm all about the over share. (see all previous blog posts)

Feist was great.
What a lovely voice.
Ravinia is of course always wonderful and I appreciate the fact that at certain concerts I will definitely run into certain folks who I love to run into.

This morning I awoke quite early to head to the suburbs for a singing gig.
A memorial service to be precise, which frankly, is a weird gig. I often do weddings and funerals but funerals are an odd thing to be a part of as a stranger. My friend and guitar player, Marty and I were talking about this and he said that maybe in someways a funeral is more universal because not everyone will get married, but everyone will die... so in some ways it could be an easier ceremony to relate to? I don't know, but I continue to be amazed at the places life takes me.

Finally, I just spent some time at the AT&T store getting ready for the next shipment of iPhones. I made the switch. They preregistered me for the iPhone and switched my number to AT&T, which is the first time in my life that I have left a company with which I have spent a long time. I got my Verizon account in 2000. I remember it specifically, as I set it up in Muskegon, Michigan during my summer working by the lake and then one by one my friends got cell phones with Verizon and during my time working at Ravinia, we all had Verizon phones. But, times are changing and the iPhone is calling (punny!) so, I've switched and now I will carry this temporary phone until my sweet sweet baby comes home.

Lucky for us though, I've managed to record a couple of my favorite voicemail messages that sat in my Verizon mailbox for quite sometime. I'd like to share two in particular that make me smile. The first is from my parents. It was recorded in June of 2007 when I was returning from the Dominican Republic.




The second was left by and unnamed friend. It places lyrics from a classic pop song to one of the hymns we sing at church. Just take a moment and listen to this beauty...




Now, I'll wait patiently for the day when I can actually make posts like this from my phone.