SUMMER 2006 LOST AND FOUND NEWSLETTER
So, remember way back in the old days? You know, back when I used to write a little monthly newsletter and you would come to our website and read it? Yeah, I remember those days too. But, times change. And it's a new day. And in this new day, I just don't write that much anymore. Well, that's not true. I write more than ever, actually. It's just that my writings tend to be on fascinating topics like, "The Ecclesiastical History of the English People," and important and scintillating topics like that. Though I pine for the days of old when I could give you up-to-the-month updates, we can't go back, people.
All that parental-sounding, admonishing-to-cover-my-own-sloth aside, I thought I might offer up a tidbit or two of what has been happening since our last little session together. But first, we have some house-cleaning to do. (Talk about sounding parental!) Here are three things for you to take note of:
1) Usually (though not always) we record each concert's rendition of Slide Girl. You can find these at the Downloads page in Stuff to Buy section of the website. Or, specifically, right at this link: https://www.speedwood.com/store/index.php?cat=downloads
2) We have added a link at the website for you to let friends know when we're coming to their area. Or, you can warn your friends that we're coming through and to head for the hills. (We try to be a full-service band in that way.) We store it under the cryptic name "Tell a Friend." You can find it at this link: http://speedwood.com/promote/
3) Sheet music is now available for download. This allows for downloading just what you want, and avoiding just what you don't want. We also have a few versions of piano pieces from the Just George album. You can find all these in the Printables section of the Stuff to Buy page, or at this link: https://www.speedwood.com/store/index.php?cat=printables
All that said, on with the narrative . . .If you'll recall, June is the beginning of summer (hence the name of this little epic). Around the middle of the month, we both flew to Chicago. Having both just read "Devil in the White City," we were psyched to check out the Science and Industry remnant of the World's Fair, but that's another story. The real reason we were there was to play for a group of young people preparing for extended mission trips. Had a great concert, and had lunch with the missionaries themselves the next day. Then we both returned home.
A few days later, we flew to Cleveland, and played right downtown. (And, incidentally, right downtown Cleveland is where I met my wife, 17 years ago. But, of course, Cleveland IS known to most people as Romantic City USA.) Ate hot dogs, played some basketball, played a concert in an historic room. A pretty good day, I'd say.
Does this keyboard make me look thin?
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From there, we drove up to Olivet (why not take Olivet) Michigan. Played some songs for the UCC folks gathered there, and had a great time. If I'm not mistaken, town is actually named after Popeye's girlfriend. That night we drove to Detroit and stayed near the airport so we could fly to our nation's capital the next day. It was time to return to DC/LA, which happens in DC and Anaheim California. I think they picked that name because it used to be held in D.C. and Los Angeles, or maybe they just wanted to avoid calling it AC/DC. Who can know these mysteries? Anyway, my family met me in DC, and we all had a great time participating in the event. While we were there, someone named Mary executed a fine artistic rendering of us. We played a few different stages, and were reunited with lots of old friends. (By which I mean, friends we've had for a long time, not necessarily geriatric candidates.)
"Can ANYONE stand like this?"
"How 'bout a little fire, Scarecrow?"
"Not just the president, but also a client."
Michael & Emmanuel
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Leaving our nation's capital, we headed for the state of our nation's president: Texas. We spent two weeks in San Antonio, playing at two back-to-back gatherings for the youts of the ELCA. (As you'll see when you get to the Photo Phrenzy, most of the pictures taken over the summer were taken in San Antonio.) Among the many interesting things that happened while we were there was our being talked into a dancing/lip-synch debut. Even though Cynthia our instructor is an actual dancer (a Rockette, in fact!), we struggled mightily in our new role. However, after lots of lessons, we put on our dancing shoes and were thrown into the fiery furnace in the Alamodome. I am happy to say, Michael's hair survived, and actually seemed to grow out a bit, in spit of the pyro danger. One of the highlights for both of us was to meet Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah. As two guys who simply rode our bikes around the perimeter of the United States, we were in awe of this man who rode across Ghana with one leg. His story is compelling and inspirational, and if you're interested you can find out more by visiting his website.
During the second week in San Antonio, the dancing went much better, plus we were joined by the Bishop of the ELCA, which bumped up the level of the pyro stress for all of us. One wrong move, and the church would be having to schedule another Churchwide Assembly. (And nobody wants that.) Michael took the opportunity between the two weeks to try a little experiment. Now he knows what it would be like for an airport cop to lead worship in a liturgical setting. And speaking of bicycles in the previous paragraph, no trip to San Antonio would be complete without a quick stop in the basement of the Alamo. Remember the Alamo? Well, it remembers you. Says to tell you "hey," in fact.
And then, after our two-week stay among the Lutherans, it was time to move on north, which we did. (Strange to think of going north to get to Knoxville.) We were psyched to return to the CHIC gathering in Knoxville. (Before you get any weird ideas, CHIC is an acronym that has to do with the Covenant Church.) Spent a couple fun days with these folks, and played everything from a tent, to a lecture hall, to a stage in a parking lot. (If nothing else, we get the multiple-venue award.) Following CHIC, I drove on up to Ohio, while Michael flew on west to his home. During the break, I met up with my family at a camp in northwest Ohio called Camp Luther—which, oddly enough, is a Lutheran camp.
Uh-Oh!
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After the brief break, we both flew to—get this—Albuquerque. Yeah, New Mexico. Land of Enchantment and so forth. (Though I once knew a girl from there who called it the Land of Entrapment.) Had a great time, and in the morning we began a serious day of travel, 4 flights, a long drive, and one concert. We flew into Billings, Montana, rented a car and drove way up north to Kalispel. Had a great concert, and saw a whole lot of people we haven't seen in a v-e-r-y long time . . .from back when the president was named Ronald. The drive through Montana was really something, and included a few frightening moments like the one where we saw that sign in the photo there. After the concert, we went to the Kalispel airport and flew to Los Angeles, and Michael slept in his very own bed.
Do I have snake eyes today?
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The next day, we began our series of appearances at the Anaheim half of DC/LA. Had yet another great time, with lots of old friends, and just like in DC, someone drew a little portrait of us. After that fiesta, we had a big chunk of time off, which gave me time to gear up for the next semester and gather up $300 for books.
Toward the end of August, we flew south so we could play in the Natural State (by which I mean Arkansas, not the nude) so we could play in Fayetteville. (Technically, Michael flew to Dallas, and drove halfway across the country to pick me up and take us to the gig. But from my perspective, we flew there.) Played in a really nice church and had a good turnout for our little concert. Then I flew home, and Michael continued driving across the country on our behalf. Once we were both home, I started back with taking some classes, and Michael began taking on some of Troy's work so that he also could take some classes. (The pattern seems to be forming: Troy and I try to catch up with Michael's graduate degrees by getting him to do our work. If you have some work you need done while you go to school, call Michael and see if he'll add that to his plate.)
Then, to begin September, Michael and I met up in Georgia and drove over to Rome where we played some songs in our natural habitat, while some folks watched from the safety of the cement slab on the other side of a fence. The fellows who played before us were called "Forever Down," and they totally rocked. Unfortunately, when they were done, it was time for our abrasive sound, which we dutifully played. But, nice hosts + nice people + nice park = nice time. Afterward, we drove toward South Carolina. We were headed back to Greenville, where we've played in the past. Beforehand, they let us graze on the food from the seniors dinner, and that was a delight indeed!
Then we both went home to our respective coasts. A couple days ago, well before the time anyone should be flying, I got on a plane in New York and met Mr. Bridges in Idaho. Yes, great potatoes and all. We flew in to Idaho Falls, which claims to be the "Threshold of Adventure." Maybe it's me, but that doesn't seem like the most edifying slogan for one's town. You know, once you leave here, adventure begins? Or, if you have one more inch of adventure you will pass into a state who knows what? Anyway, we left there and drove up to Pocatello to play a concert. Had a nice turnout, and pizza in the gym afterward, and that was about all the adventure we could take. The next day we flew to Sacramento, California, drove on over to Placerville (we're working our way backwards through the alphabet now), and had a fun concert-type time. Before we played, a group of ladies played some songs in English and Spanish, which gave Michael a good chance to work on his reflexive verbs. (Though it just occurs to me, those ladies ought to do well in Idaho, being the Gem State and all.) After the concert, Michael dropped me back at the airport and drove on a good portion of the 5 to get home; I arrived in Atlanta right about the time he got there. Now I'm finishing this up waiting for my flight to New York, where I will walk into class halfway through a couple sermons by fellow students. (If there were ushers, they would no doubt make me wait until a hymn. Fortunately, this is just practice church.)
And now we have a week or so off before the next big swing of adventures, which means we're now on the threshold of adventure, I guess. So, by way of wrap-up, if you want to look at the many, many, many photos of the folks who sat in rooms and heard us play, you can click on Photo Phrenzy.
Gulp!
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I'll write sooner. Promise. In the meantime, I suggest you not go in that room if you've got plans for the rest of your life.
Later on,
george
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