Met with my research group for six and a half hours straight today. We went so long that we actually finished while I was at work, with me going from the register back to them over and over. If you are in my group and reading this, you rock. If you aren't in the group and are reading this, you still rock, but they rock, too.
Got to hang out with Nick today when I drove him back to T-town. This weekend was great. Being with my family really recharges me. Now all I have to do is learn to play the fiddle I bought.
I still have about 150 pages of reading to do and its 10pm, so I'm going to go. I'll probably find a place outside, it looks like a pretty storm is brewing.
I hope everyone is well.
Peace,
Joe

I GOT A FIDDLE TODAY! Yep, I sepnt my money on another instrument that I will spend just enough time on to get ok, and then go back to guitar. But that is secondary to the rest of the day so far. Let me tell you about the Fiddler's convention, since that's all I've been talking about on this site all week anyway.
Carl and Nick and I got to Athens in the middle of the banjo competition, around 8:30pm. Mama and Daddy had already registered me to sing in the Old Time Singing competition, and Carl and Nick bought tickets when we got there. We got there just in time to meet up with Ma and practice my song maybe twice, only to find out that she couldn't back me up without an instrument (besides her voice). Will and Meghan were running late (they ran into every conceivable type of traffic) so I thought that I wasn't going to sing (that didn't seem too bad to me after the reality of singing in front of many people set in). But Will got there in time, registered (they wouldn't let me and Ma do it for him) and backed me up, so I did sing. I was nervous (it came across verrrry much in my voice) and a siren went off in the middle of the song, and I forgot a verse (I blame it on the siren, but actually I didn't know it went off until Will told me afterward). But I got to sing with my brother, which made me feel important and somehow a better musician than I really am, and he harmonized with me on the chorus, which I think (if we have time to practice together next time) could be verrrry niiiice in the future. Will sang "Angel Band" and absolutely blew everyone away. I had no doubt that he was going to win first place, but then some magic ray hit the judges and made them forget that he even sang, I guess. Mama sang something I had never heard her sing before, "Queen of Hearts" a cappela, and it was mesmerizing. I hate it that she never wins there (she doesb't sing the "right kind of songs" apparently) but its a safe bet she always has the prettiest voice at the whole convention. Yep. Daddy looked great, like he had much energy, and it was very fun getting to see Jamie and Dave again. We all jammed Saturday afternoon (Dave bought a new guitar!) until our fingers started to hurt. We ate funnel cake and the like, and then Nick came back with me and Carl to 'Southern and we hung out and played my new fiddle very badly. Liz and Josh and Peeg and Stacy were missed a whole bunch.
So there's my weekend. The best break ever. I feel very much refreshed and ready to go for school next weekend. Family, friends, and bluegrass (not to mention a new instrument) will do that to you.
Gotta go to bed. Nick and I are going to mass in the morning. I hope everyone had as good a weekend as I.
Peace,
Joe

THOUGHT OF THE DAY:
If a monkey has knife fight with another monkey and no one is there to referee it, who wins?

SECOND THOUGHT OF THE DAY:
Fiddler's Convention + Hot Cider + Many Guitars + Family + Friends = WOOOOHOOOOO

LAST THOUGHT OF THE DAY:
(Fill in thought here)

I hope everyone is well.

Peace,
Joe

Wow. Stuff has been so crazy the last few days that I almost forgot I had this site. I have a formal APA presentation coming up, the Rhodes is coming to a crrrazy close, I had the most involved test I have ever had in Cognitive Psych, and meetings with groups that I never knew I belonged to. I just got off work and I thought, "I should post on my site, that would be a happy thing." Fiddler's convention is in two days and I've practiced my song maybe twice. I need new acoustic strings before hand, which is one of my quests for tomorrow. I get to get up @ around 8am, finish my Rhodes essay, go to two meetings, got to T-town to give Nick some stuff, come back, have band practice, then meet with my research group to keep up with the APA presentation for next monday. But then friday I drive away to cider and funnel cakes and family. It will be grand. The more I think about Peeg and Stacy not being there, the more sad I am :( I really need to get up to DC to see them. Yep. Besides all the work, I am enjoying the life oh so much. I complain, but its verrrrry niiiice indeed. This morning I was so tired I decided to shave a very odd pattern in my beard. It seemd like a good idea at the time, but one of my friends said it best when she said, "Joe, what's that on your face?" Sometimes ideas seem good when you're sleepy, only to come into their true form later. Tonight Charled played some very cool Johnny Cash music in the Cellar. It was covers and the like. He did a cover of "I won't back down" with Tom Petty himself singing backup. Yet another CD that Joe would like to have. Oh yes, and some Nickel Creek. I hope it doesn't rain this weekend. Mayne the hurrican thats coming will say "Oh, its fiddler's convention time!" and magically disappear. I would like that. Will is singing this cool old song about angels for the convention. I heard it last year when he was getting it ready, and it was supa keen. I look forward to hearing it.
I hope eveyone is doing well. I'm going to go to bed now to stop my rambling. Yes.
Peace,
Joe