soooo one of the things that has kept me down for some time now is the fact that i got really out of shape in the past 18 or so months.  translation : i got fat.  i could blame certain events, but whatever, i gave in to stuffing my face with the finest foods NYC has to offer. i've noticed a difference in my voice singing, losing wind to hit those high notes, etc.  lost desire to go out and hang out with friends and people i enjoy being around.  so baby steps is the best way to achieve happiness.  i figure one of the best ways to fix this, is to just put it out there into the world, into the public eye.  it has worked for perez so far.  

as for goals, not totally sure, i'd like to be back to where my one love picture is an accurate display of me.  so with that said.  for starters, i am going to goto the premiere of "NY Lately" (the film by Gary King that Ben and Nate wrote the music score) wearing a shirt i haven't fit into in awhile.  what shirt, i don't know yet.  they are all stuffed in my "maybe someday" bag.  hell, maybe that CBGB shirt i'm wearing in my picture.  That gives me 2 months. I'm a boy, i could probably melt by then.  I will try to do some sort of video blog update and pictures as I progress.

I don't have a scale because I can't afford one, and they are the devil anyway.

I'm doing this because I want to feel better about myself, and that will make me a better friend.  i've pushed so many people out of my life because I don't want to leave my room... and i adore children and want to have some of my own someday, and I want to increase my chances of being around for as long as I can for them.  healthy healthy healthy!!

I know i've lost some weight.  I had to poke a new hole in my belt to make it tighter because my pants were kind of falling down.

this whole week i've been running 2 miles in 12-14 minutes.  i'm really sore from lifting weights again.  it is a good soreness.  that's what she said.

love love love

Growing up is something no one really wants to do.  2003-2005 were awesome years.  getting lost going to ohio with micah to see the used and boxcar racer. should I have told her how much I liked her?  where is terry, or mike, or darren, or nick, everyone that I was friends with and upon receiving that diploma, never spoke to again.  only worrying about whos house I was going to stay at on the weekend.  when 6.50 an hour to move lumber all day and 80 lb bags of concrete around seemed like enough money to get by.

these days i'm 2-3 tears shy of a xanax prescription.  my track record with actually attending or showing up to a first meeting with a doctor that hands that stuff is 0 for 4.  i get scared to death of the outcome, and don't show.  i don't even know what I would talk about.  It seems like everyone these days has the local pizza place, chinese place, their drug dealer, and a shrink on speed dial.  how can nerves be so unpredictable. it's 2 am and my heart is racing like a sprinter and it's hard to move the damn mouse pad on my laptop because when your hands are sweaty, the pad doesn't like the moisture and it starts freakin' out, and there isn't any good reason why I should feel like this right now.  i support run on sentences.  

5 doubles in a row.  12 hours.  all day.  i've got to get away from this job.  i hope to go see weezer and angels and airwaves at madison square garden in september.  sometimes you are just trapped between a rock and a hard place.

i want it to be sunday night already.  

Feeling lost.  no purpose.  no direction.  no appetite.  no sleep.  neutral.  

kinda sucks.  keep trying to reach out for a pick me up but not much to grab ahold of.  finally got to watch charlie bartlett and finish it.  loved it.  yo Tyler. blog about your experience doing that.  had to have been awesome, yes?  it is also the number 2 rented movie on iTunes!! congrats!!

i need to have a conversation soon that is long over due.  i don't need to feel like i was forgotten when new chapters started in peoples lives.  maybe that will make me feel better.  maybe that is the pick me up I need.  

just one good night of sleep please.  just one.

Sometimes doing things or getting things done seem alot harder than it actually is.  You just have to start the first step and the rest will usually follow.  Well my piano has been broken for about a month and all I had to do to fix it was reconnect the wires that came undone where I plug it in.  Well I finally got around to doing that because I really wanted to play.  I'm trying to learn the piano the same way I learned guitar some 10 years ago, which was by learning songs that I liked.  I tried to learn to read music several times and feel kind of like an idiot for never being able to.  I guess being american I want the instant gratification of sitting down and being able to play something immediately as opposed to probably doing it right. 

So I got it working and I thought I would start simple so I learned The Scientist by Coldplay.  Sounds right to me so after playing that a million times I am now trying to learn (don't laugh) open arms by Journey.  I remember seeing a video of them playing that live when I was little on T.V. one night with my mom and dad and I always have liked that song.  So now it has got me frustrated because my fingers aren't working how I want them to.  I am trying to think back of when I started playing guitar and I felt like I would never get any better.  I just don't see myself getting any better on this piano thing.  But I remember the day my dad gave me this keyboard when he was getting a new one and I sat down and... didn't know a thing.  I played a G chord on my guitar and then found each note on the piano that I was hitting on the guitar and learned to play a G on the piano, and so on and so forth. 

Now I can sorta play open arms, the scientist, dark blue, and dream on by aerosmith, and then various things I have been writing.

I just want it now.  not later.  maybe in a year I will be good at it, or atleast consistent.  I like writing better on the piano.  ideas seem to flow alot better.

I also have a new little puppy named remington.  He is a boston terrier.  he is so ugly he is cute.  it's not actually mine but belongs to my roommates, but i play with it.  i call him lil' rem.

call me

then what's the point?

So I've had a pretty lazy Monday.  Technically it is my weekend since I work 3 doubles in a row Friday through Sunday.  Did laundry, washed the dishes, dusted my room and cleaned it as well.  Watched an episode of Entourage on HBO On Demand.  

The past few days my mind has been racing.  We keep confirming dates throughout the summer.  Right now we are only able to practice once a week so I get very anxious waiting for the next day to jam with the guys.  I've been doing alot of life thinking to be honest.  I realize being 23 isn't THAT old but I feel like that is the official age of becoming an adult.  When I see someone that is 18 now, I am shocked at how young they seem generally.  That is, in my opinion, no age to be deemed an adult.  I remember 18.  I had just graduated high school and my band started to get popular in my hometown of Kentucky at the end of 2003.  We had gotten a new bass player who had quite the connection in the neighboring county Devin and I grew up in.  It just kept growing from there all the way up to moving to NYC in February of 2006.  Then it was pretty much a good two year hiatus.  I wouldn't call it a waste.  Definitely have learned alot and grown up and know more of what I want, and know more about me.

But when I was 18... I'm pretty sure I figured by 25 I'd be married and have a mini me or one in the works.  Hell,  My dad was my age when he married my mom and I was born.  Don't get me wrong, I love kids dearly and can't wait to have a few, but there is no way I could raise one right now.  Not the way I would want to anyway.  For me to be married by 25 now that I'm 23 would require a serious relationship, and a job that provided a better income.  Now I can't completely rule out the possibility of my band playing a show in Vegas next year and meeting someone and a few drinks later... newly weds??  But that's not my style.  

I am very dangerous when I am idle.  It's sad because I don't have very many interests.  My main thing is playing music and cuddling.  I don't mind playing by myself but I prefer the whole package.  I don't care much to go out.  I pass my days that I don't work waiting tables being a domestic loser.  Laundry, cleaning, cooking, reading useless information on the internet, the occasional book, rewatching any and all kinds of movies.  Usually something with John Cusack that leads toward the romantic comedy/chic flick end of the spectrum, to action movies like Die Hard.  Who doesn't love John McClane or Lloyd Dobler though?  I could fill the voids by working more, but then I would get burnt out on it.  I'd hate to get so angry at someone and get fired because I start screaming at them about how they are idiots and don't now how to dine out or treat people blah blah blah.  Then I'd have nothing to do.  I enjoyed going back to college for a semester.  I like to learn.  I'm not going to just sit and learn stuff by myself.  The classroom setting is a motivator, and I had some cool teachers, but I didn't really want to go back after mom died.  

I'm just kind of rambling.  I envy anyone that gets to walk out on a stage every night and play for an hour or two (are nights off really that great?) . I'm working on it though.  

So the moral of my rant was that times change and what you think will be doesn't turn out that way.  I'm not upset by this by any means.  I am just shocked at how fast time is flying by.  

Love Love Love,

Chris

Ya'know.  Most of us on here have probably worked in the restaurant industry to pay the bills when our art doesn't seem to be paying them for us.  Sometimes waiting tables makes me hate people more and more.  This evening at the restaurant I work at, I had several people that just.. ugh.  One man who seemed to be the host of his party of four was a complete douchebag.  More like a big bag of douche actually.  If there is such a thing.  I did my thing, took care of the table but he was just always really rude.  At the end of the meal I played the bill down and he took it and looked at it and then slipped his card in and set it down.  I quietly grabbed it, ran the card, went back to the table, thanked them and placed it down.  10 or so minutes later he about halfway stood up and yelled waiter, are you ever going to run my card and handed me the book.  I took the book, smiled a bit and said oh sir, I already took care of it, I just need you to sign the receipt and opened the book and showed him, smiled an evil smirk, and handed it back to him.  "Have a wonderful evening and thanks again" I said in a very obvious sarcastic tone.  His face got a bit red and he muttered something and that was that.  They eventually left and I went and got the book off the table to close out the check and see what my tip was.  Bastard took the merchant copy receipt (which is the one I keep) and left the customer copy with some sorry excuse for a signature and nothing in the tip line.  For a second, I was pissed that he stiffed me on a 150 dollar check.  Then I was pissed he was a total shed of tools.  Then I took care of the problem.  I assumed that someone of his platinum american express card status meant to leave 20% but took the wrong receipt by mistake.  So that is just what I gave myself. 

Now I know I'm a good waiter, and if I mess up, I know it and don't expect as much of a tip.  But we weren't busy tonight and I gave them outstanding service.  This guy had a chip on his shoulder from the start.

</end rant>

p.s. 

make sure you put your credit card in the spot designated for a credit card when trying to pay the bill.  I think nothing is more rude than taking the check presenter when my guests haven't even opened it yet to look.  It is like I am rushing them out.  You look like an idiot standing up waiving the check book at me.  If you slip the card in the book where I can't see it, I don't know you're ready to pay.  Same with cash.  Stick a little bit of it out.  Otherwise I'm not coming by until you stand up and waive that thing in the air.

Cassie come have cupcakes.

I think i had forgotten how incredible the stage feels.  Big thanks to everyone who came out to the one love show last night.  I apologize for not remembering the verses to "Before He Cheats".  Maybe another time.  But anyway, I hadn't played a show in almost a year.  I had been in the biggest slump I have been in and it was starting to take a big toll on me.  I think it was purty good considering we got to rehearse twice with the new guys.  Anyway, I had a great time.  I am also settled into my new apartment in sunset park in good ole' Brooklyn.  Complete with our own washer and dryer and dish washer.  Devin got all the channels on cable so it's possible I will never leave the apartment now.  

Currently listening to Thrice - Alchemy Index I-IV.

Pick it up.

Thanks again for an amazing and much needed night last night.

It's like 75 degrees and sunny here in the soon to be urban oven NYC.  I'm packing up my bags and ready for a longggg weekend of work at my little brooklyn restaurant I work at.  3 doubles in a row for any of you restaurant workers out there.  Then I have a 7 am flight out of JFK with a layover in Chicago.  I hope Chicago has a presidents club in the airport I can hang out in.  I'm going back to my ole' kentucky home to get our furniture and musical equipment and van since we finally found an apartment.  Three months of crashing at my sisters teeny studio apartment in Manhattan has been quite a learning experience.  It has made me learn to not really care about sleep or any normalcy.  I have learned I need my own space to get things done.  I am excited for the rest of the year.  The One Love show in May, trips in the van and many other things.  I've been way down on myself lately.  Not finishing songs, not really doing anything.  I was actually called a waste of talent by two different people I care about.  Ouch.  We are also supposed to get our tracks back this weekend so maybe a new tune or two will appear online somewhere.

So anyway, as much as I hate summer unless I am in a tropical area with white sand and a drink inside of a carved out pineapple or coconut, I am excited about this one.

I just finished reading A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby.  A quick but really good read.  I just picked up The Road by a recommendation from our own Nate Campany. 

See Ya May 6th!!

happy birthday to me

A year ago today was the last day I saw my mom alive.  She was terminally ill with cancer.  I had traveled back and forth between NYC and Kentucky to be with her.  My sisters called me one night and had been told by the hospice care givers that she would probably pass in the next 24 to 48 hours and I should come home right away.  So I did just that.  Every night I was in my bed wondering if she would be gone by morning and I still hadn't gotten to talk to her alone.  Family members were always in the room and I could tell she was exhausted by the endless line of company.  Finally, I knew I would really regret it if I didn't get to just tell her things, so I walked into the room one evening and told everyone they needed to leave.  I got these blank stares but everyone did as I asked.  We spoke for probably an hour about all kinds of things.  She was getting tired and eventually fell asleep so I left the room and went back to whatever I was doing.  Two days later she was up moving around and she told me she wanted me to go back to NYC, and not mope around the house any longer.  Dad agreed and I packed my stuff and loaded it into my car.  She had stumped the doctors and the nurses and everyone because she was supposed to be gone already, but was still hanging in there.  She was awake enough to say goodbye and the last words she actually said to me were "nice knowin' ya".  I hugged her while sitting on the couch, stood up, and started walking out of the room.  I turned to my dad, cracked somewhat of a smile and looked at my phone to see what time it was.  6:32 p.m.  That was the last moment I saw my mom alive.  I don't know why I remember little things like that, but I do.  I could retell people some of the weirdest, most useless information I keep in my brain somewhere. 

I remember my heart was beating really fast, and my palms were a bit sweaty.  Walking away from someone when you know it will be the last time you will see them isn't an easy thing to do.  I kind of took a deep one and just walked away.  I guess that is all you can do right?  She passed a week later on my birthday. 

Today has been exciting.  I got up and did my usual website browsing which includes checking the classifieds at absolutepunk.net for musicians looking for a band.  A guy posted Long Island guitarist available so I clicked on it and it had his aim name so I messaged him and luckily he is a sidekick user like myself and was online.  We ended up talking most of the day and I am uber excited to meet him and start jamming.  Hopefully it works out.  He seems like a rad kid.

Some of these questions might confuse you all as they are about musicians local to my hometown in Kentucky but anyway.. thought I would share...

ps. this is like 4 years old.

-----------

Chris Stahl of the band East 146 was quick to reply when I asked him to do 20 Questions, plus I thought I might could get him into trouble with his girlfriend, so here goes nothin'...




1. When did East 146 form and what is the first song you played together ?

October 2001. Devin (our drummer) and I were in a previous band where I was not the singer. We weren't really happy with how it was going and we had just ordered a p.a. system. Our fall break was just starting and my parents were leaving for Florida for a week so we told the other 2 members in the band (the singer and bass player) that I was going to Florida with my parents, even though I wasn't and we got Chris Cross (our rhythm guitarist now) to play bass, making us a trio. The 2nd day, we wrote our first song "Don't Leave" which is on our current mp3.com site to download. It's the 5th time we recorded it. It was the first song we played.


2. Where are you going to college and what degree are you going for ?

I attend JCC in Shelbyville. was accepted to Bellarmine and Middle Tennessee State University to pursue a music business or music technology degree but I stayed @ home to 1st pursue a music career. its worth every second. I'm only 18 and I have time to make a mistake, or make the greatest choice of my life. At JCC I'm just taking classes to stay on parents health insurance and getting core classes out of the way. I'd like to be an entertainment attorney though.

3. What inspired you to play guitar and and who are your influences ?

Well, I wouldn't be playing guitar if my grandmother didn't bring my grandfather's acoustic guitar to my house during Easter when I was 12. As for influences, I always loved The Offspring and I thought how cool it would be to play guitar. The first song I learned all the way through, I think was, " Kid's Aren't Alright" off The Offspring's "Americana" album. I like their old stuff mostly though. My dad is a musician too. He played guitar too... (sold his 59' gold top Les Paul for 300 bucks to buy a keyboard when he was 18. Arg !!!). So, I guess my parents and just bands I listened to. I have 2 older sisters, One is 33 and lives in Manhattan, and the other is 24 and lives in Nashville, and they wouldn't let me listen to anything dumb. I listened to Green Day, Offspring, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Soundgarden, Gin Blossoms, the band that had that song "I'm Going to Disney Land" ha ha (Da Da) I think. So those are my influences.

4. You have a new bass player. What happened to the old one ?

Our old bass player just wasn't able to support our growth as a band. Various comments he would make that showed his lack of dedication. Not helping out financially (a band is a business). that's really about it.

5. Would you give us a run-down of your gear ?

My first electric was a usa fender strat which i played forever. Then when Teague started working with us he had me play a les paul in the studio and i loved it so i went and bought a white les paul studio. I still have my strat and I have a black epiphone les paul covered in stickers as a backup. I have never played it live yet. I'd like to get an SG Standard though after playing Rahul's of Breckinridge. My first amp was a Line 6 Spyder series combo which was great but wasn't powerful enough so I up'ed to a Single rectifier which our other guitarist uses now. I use a 3-channel Dual rectifier through the mesa 4x12 recitifer cab. I haven't gotten into effects yet though I might experiment. I use AKG Airbug wireless system as well.

6. Have you ever worked a part-time job and if so, where ?

A lumber yard for 2 summers and Kroger. I live on a farm so the past 3 months my grandfather hired our band to work on the farm cleaning it up for 9 bucks an hour, whenever we wanted to work.


7. I will list some bands and you rank them from 1 - 10. 1 being the lowest, 10 being the highest.

1.) New Found Glory - 1

2.) Blink 182 - 10

3.) Metallica - 6

4.) Journey - 10 (steve perry can sing like no other, laugh it up)

5.) Black Sabbath - 1

6.) Jimmy Eat World - 8

7.) Cheap Trick - who ? :)

8.) Smashing Pumpkins - 8

9.) Good Charlotte - 1

10.) Beastie Boys - 7

11.) Poison The Well - 7

12.) Pearl Jam - 6

13.) Nirvana - 7

14.) Sum 41 - 9

15.) SR 71 - 1

8. In the last year, has Chris Stahl...

1.) Lied to a girl ? Nothing Devastating, but probably.

2.) Lied to a band member ? Yes.

3.) Seen BJ Abner naked ? Yes.

4.) Watched a "chick flick" ? Just watched Serendipity, its my favorite movie and John Cusack is my favorite actor.


5.) Wrote a song that sounds like a Blink 182 song ? Ah we had one called "I'll see you soon" It was insanely fast. We don't play it anymore but I like to think if we wrote a song that sounded like a Blink 182 song we would not be writing at our full potential so I'd say I haven't.

6.) Asked Teague Ridge to buy you beer ? Don't Drink/Do Drugs so Never.

7.) Looked at Teague's girlfriend's boobs for more than two seconds without stopping ? Ex and Current... Hah

9. I will list a few people and you rank how "stoked" you would be to meet them and why...

1.) Tom Delonge (Blink 182) - Met him, Look up to him, very talented and cool person, huge influence.


2.) Jack Black - Be very fun to have a conversation with him. He's hilarious and random.

3.) Robert Smith (of The Cure) - I remember loving the song "its friday i'm in love" One of my sisters had it on a cassette tape. It'd be cool to meet but I wouldn't have anything special to ask or say.


4.) Brittany Murphy - Who ?

5.) Christina Aquilera - She's a drooled over celebrity. I wouldn't push through a crowd to catch a glimpse of her.

6.) Travis Barker - Met him, Very nice, amazing drummer and musician.

7.) Travis Meeks - Never heard anything from him that was stuck in my head later. Wouldn't care to meet him. O.K I'll say it, Don't like his voice.

8.) Stephen King - Very interesting person, would like to meet and beg him to actually create a scary movie worth sitting through.

9. ) Devohn Moore 322 la salle place Algonquin parkway - Who ?

10.) Tom Petty - He's great and all if your my mom.

11.) Eminem - Ah, Would like to meet but I wouldn't feel special if I got the chance to.


12.) Billy Corgan - I'd meet him based on the Pumpkins. Not ZWAN. ah ah what Is he thinking.

10. You are chosen for a new reality show. You will spend 30 days on a cruise ship. You must choose some people to go with you. I list some people that want to go. You decide who is going with you.

1.) Teague Ridge - Can Go.

2.) Bukshot - Can Go.

3.) Butch Walker - Who ?

4.) Jennifer Love Hewitt - Jennifer Love Hewitt in The Trojan War, or in Can't Hardly Wait .... :)

5.) Dylan (GGGG G-Unit) - No.

6.) Mike Winbun - Yeah, he can come, he has always been cool.

7.) Axl Rose - No.

8.) Kris 502 - Yes.

9.) Andrew WK - Yes.

10.) Fred Durst - Yes.

11.) Chris Cross - Yes.

12.) Chris Kattan - YES.



11. Not including your girlfriend, who is the hottest girl in the 502 scene ? Hah... see Question 8 (# 7) Which was... 7.) Looked at Teague's girlfriend's boobs for more than two seconds without stopping ? Ex and Current... Hah


12. What band would you most like to play guitar with for one tour ? I played Guitar with the Ataris for one song @ the 2003 Cincinnati Warped tour. It was amazing, so... The Ataris. I'd Like to see East 146 do a tour and I hope I'd be playing guitar for them too :)

13. Your guitarist goes by the name Chris Cross. Did his parents really name him Chris Cross ? Were they fans of the singer Christopher Cross who sang the 70s hits "Ride Like The Wind" and "Sailing" ? Yes his name is Christopher Wayne Cross. I don't know if they knew what they were doing. Hell my parents named me after an expensive champagne hah. Crystal.

14. Speaking of Christopher Cross and famous people, are you related or have any ties to anyone really famous ? My uncle managed Tim McGraw for about 6 years, that is my only claim to famous relations. My Great great great grandmothers sister was Abraham Lincoln's mom so that would make him a very close cousin. My dad was asked to play keyboard for Billy Dean, a country star in the past that had hits like Billy the Kid. That's about it.

Then he added this, which is really cool...

Believe it or not, but one of our new bass player's friends went on a cruise several years ago and she and 1 other girl her age was on the boat. That other girl happens to be Hillary Duff or Lizzie McGuire. They became good friends and kept in touch. Nathan's friend told Nathan she wanted him to meet somebody so they got on the phone line and did a 3-way thing and dialed a number and a man answered who asked 3 off the wall questions and Nathan's friend gave 3 off the wall answers and he put them through to Hillary Duff. Nathan didn't believe it, so Hillary said to turn on Disney Channel and she talked along with the Lizzie McGuire show for several scenes and then told Nathan to go to her website which she has some control over and at the bottom she added a text that said "hi nathan" then deleted it. She loves our song "Unopened Letters" and said depending on copyrights and that sort of stuff she can possibly have it playing in her CD player during a scene on the show or if we send her a poster of our band she can put it in her room. How cool is that.

15. I forgot two questions, so I caught Chris online before he signed off and added the next two questions, here is the post directly from our online conversation...


KevinClarkHarley [1:11 AM]: ok, you are recording in LA and meet Dave Navarro, he thinks you are super cool and asks you to be in his newest video which they are filming the next day...
KevinClarkHarley [1:12 AM]: nah, scratch that question
East 146 Band [1:12 AM]: hah
KevinClarkHarley [1:13 AM]: nah lets go on with it
KevinClarkHarley [1:13 AM]: you get to play guitar in one scene
KevinClarkHarley [1:14 AM]: but in one scene the director asks you to do a make-out scene with Jennifer Love Hewitt (Jennifer Love Hewitt from Heartbreakers)
KevinClarkHarley [1:14 AM]: you know your girlfriend will see it, and its a long kiss that will take a couple of hours to shoot, will you do it or pass ? you still get to be in the video if you say no
East 146 Band [1:15 AM]: am i getting paid for the video
KevinClarkHarley [1:15 AM]: yeah, sure
KevinClarkHarley [1:16 AM]: and get a free guitar, les paul
East 146 Band [1:16 AM]: Yeah, my girlfriend is understanding
East 146 Band [1:16 AM]: your trying to get me in trouble hahahah
KevinClarkHarley [1:16 AM]: hey its just a question
KevinClarkHarley [1:17 AM]: hypothetical one anyways right ? right !

16. Next question...

KevinClarkHarley [1:27 AM]: You are on a cruise ship with your band, Chris Cross comes up and says...
KevinClarkHarley [1:27 AM]: "Man, Chris you are gonna freak out when I tell you what hott celebrity babe is on this ship with us"
KevinClarkHarley [1:28 AM]: your girlfriend isn't on the ship. What girl do you really hope its NOT, cause you might get into trouble ?
East 146 Band [1:28 AM]: Kate Beckinsale
KevinClarkHarley [1:28 AM]: who is that ?
East 146 Band [1:28 AM]: serendipity
KevinClarkHarley [1:29 AM]: oh ok
East 146 Band [1:29 AM]: her accent
East 146 Band [1:29 AM]: its killer
East 146 Band [1:29 AM]: make sure you add that
East 146 Band [1:29 AM]: hah


17. Last of Chris Stahl -

1.) Last good movie you have seen ? The one w/ George Clooney and Catherine Zeta Jones (I'm sorry I'm a sucker for Chick Flicks)

2.) Last CD you bought ? Story Of the Year - Page Avenue

3.) Last girl you have seen naked ? Some chic showing it all off in the Jillian's parking lot... Don't know who or name.

4.) Last person you pissed off ? Probably someone in my band hahah

5.) Last really good concert you have seen ? Matchbook Romance/Yellowcard @ the Muse in Nashville.

6.) Last really bad concert you have seen ? Don't Know. Don't waste my time going to see bad bands.

7.) Last time you signed an autograph ? I think I signed 37 @ our video shoot @ twice told. I got off stage and 1 girl asked me and I thought it was cool so I just kept count and It was 37 If I remember correctly. So the last autograph I signed was @ our video shoot.

18. Who has been the biggest influence on you as a person ? My Mom.

19. Who are your favorite 502 bands ? Breckinridge, Blyss, Nemesis, Apogee, Thank You Jade, Tornacade.


20. What person in the 502 scene do you have the most respect for and why ? Teague Ridge. We wrote our songs and have worked our ass off but without him and his guidance and advice we would be no where near where we are today. Thanks bro, really.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let's recap...

Chris likes chick flicks and his favorite actor is John Cusack. He has a girlfriend, but would make-out with Jennifer Love Hewitt in a music video if he was asked to. He also would probably say yes to making out with Kate Beckinsale (From the chick flick "Serendipity"). He has admired the chests of two of Teague Ridge's girlfriends. (ex and current). Not including his own girlfriend, he also thinks one of them is the hottest chick in the 502.

He has seen BJ Abner naked.

Chris did a great job and stayed up to help me finish the last 2 questions. He risked getting in trouble with his girlfriend for the sake of being honest.


Thanks Chris !

I give Chris 5 out of 5 stars. êêêêê

So it is 7:30 in the morning and I am in Cleveland on a layover en route to NYC. A quick flash of my amex card and I am relaxing in the presidents VIP club, which has an open bar, so I am enjoying a mimosa and a nice cold beer at the same time. I love these VIP lounges in airports. Call me a bit spoiled, but it is worth it. Free WiFi, free breakfast/lunch/alcohol/nice chairs/etc. I'm pretty sure I am the only person drinking though. Families with children are staring at me. I have been meaning to write this week but have been uber busy. I flew into my hometown of Kentucky for some various things. I ended up going into the studio last minute and my band recorded 3 songs and I laid down an acoustic track. Should be up for listening in the next 2 weeks or so. Coming to Kentucky is always a bit inspirational. It is so quiet in my hometown. It's a small farmtown between Louisville and Cinci. It's always nice to drive around and check out the sites, not that there are very many to see. I got my haircut which was badly needed, saw my family, saw some friends and now here I am, going on no sleep, heading back to NYC. When I arrive, I have to go straight home, put on my work clothes and goto work. Wow I can't wait for tonight. I am going to crash hard. I hate when you go to bed just because you have to be up early, but you aren't tired. I LOVE going to bed when you are so exhausted, that you drift away right when you lay in the bed. Now that is a refreshing feeling. I do believe I will have 1 or 2 more morning beers and I will be set for the rest of my trip. This flight has 2 layovers. Pittsburgh is next, then NYC.

Holla

So I was browsing the web and came across this dish called a luther burger.  It is a bacon cheese burger served with two (2) krispy kreme donuts as the bun.  It is rumoured to have been invented by a cook that ran out of buns and used the donuts instead.  He named it after Luther Vandross.  It sounds like a very interesting thing, although I don't know if I could put ketchup on it like I do with my normal burgers.  This sounds like a Nate Campany and myself adventure.  I hear he will eat anything.  I have attached a photo so no one can say 'pics or it didn't happen'. 

That is all.  Has anyone ever tried one of these insta-cardiac-arrest dishes?

I like to spend my Sunday afternoons being a bit lazy. Reading the paper, some coffee, some cheap lunch at the nearby diner, or catching a matinée movie by myself. I just got back from seeing "Definitely, Maybe" and I honestly haven't heard that many sniffles since I saw Titanic opening night in New York in 1997 on my first trip to New York. I thought it was a nice story for a Sunday afternoon. Ryan Reynolds has definitely put the "Van Wilder" character in the closet, and Abigail Breslin did a very nice job as well. I highly recommend this movie to just about anyone.

AFTER THE MOVIE. I was walking back to my apartment and I saw a man fumbling with some change trying to pay a parking meter for his car. I gave it a thought and decided to be a nice person and tell him he doesn't have to pay on Sundays. Immediately he got a bit huffy and said "Yes you do!!! That blue car just got a ticket!!". I said yes they did, but they are parking in a "No Standing Anytime" spot, and pointed out the big red sign labeling this zone to not park in. "Whatever kid, better to be safe than sorry". While I agree with that mentality, the signs were there, in black and white, well red and white for this matter, and a kind person (myself) points it out, you should be in the clear, and no reason to be rude. Manners have been thrown out the door in NYC.  Kind of like the time I held a door for someone at a Dunkin' Donuts and they looked at me like I was a terrorist.

Hope everyone is well and thanks for listening to my little rant!!

Stahl

Is not around tonight.  I am having delivery and am going to watch Bed of Roses with Christian Slater.  I think he should come back and do some movie again.

Happy Valentines Day One-Lovers!!

<3

Chris Stahl

First, I would just like to say I am super excited to be involved with The One Love!!  I thought I would introduce myself since I am new to the blog.  My name is Chris Stahl and I will go ahead and answer the question that many of you are already wondering.  Yes, my parents named me after the expensive bottle of Champagne.  Now that that is pushed aside and out of the way…

I wanted my first entry to be about how I have met everyone involved with The One Love.  It is very Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon-esque. 

I met Cassie Petrey on May 23rd, 2004, in a Target Parking lot under a shady light.  I pulled up in my Blazer (RIP) and she was in a Jeep with several other people.  I had never met any of them before but we had spoke on the phone.  I was only meeting them there to follow them somewhere else, so I asked if anyone wanted to ride with me, and they all declined.  Cassie is fascinated with Strobe Lights and El Nopal. 

I met Jade going to Cincinnati to see The Click Five in spring of 2005.  We were both really loud and after that night, a picture of her and I with Ben Romans appeared on the Internet.  The photo had been cropped and cut everyone else out of the picture.  I don’t know who is responsible for this.  In lieu of the photograph that I cannot locate, I will show a picture of Tic Tac’s instead, because they remind me of Jade, and sometimes Cassie.

This is the night I met Ben Romans.  For some reason, he remembered me years later.  Maybe it’s my name, or the mystery cropped photo.  For whatever reason, Ben and I were reunited after The One Love show in NY only to share something we like to refer to as “Brain Damage”.  Ben can rock a Fanny-Pack, and I have one he can borrow anytime. 

Luke Luke Luke.  Luke and I have a criminal past together.  We were once both caught going through a NYC MTA Subway turnstile on one swipe.  Granted he had a monthly metrocard, and I had a limited swipe card, and we used mine, the NYPD decided to bring us in for questioning.  I want to state for the record that the city of New York did not lose any money on this minor infringement, so we didn’t look at it as stealing, but they didn’t seem to care.  After going through the turnstile, and turning a corner, two officers dressed to the nine (and carrying one too) approached us and took us into the station.  I wish I could say we were handcuffed, but we weren’t.  After sitting for a bit, he returned with our ID’s and gave us tickets in the amount of 60.00 each.  We have been more careful since this night.

I met Nate Campany at my 21st birthday party in NY.  His beard was bigger then than it is now.  As for our first formal meeting (one on one time I like to call it) we had lunch at the Chip Shop in Brooklyn.  This is an English-pub type setting.  Nate enjoyed the Bangers’n’Mash while I had the fish and chips.  To finish, we both shared fried candy bars/twinkies.  It was a heart healthy meal to say the least.  Then I typed a lot of things for him really really fast.  I believe you can read about it in one of his blogs.  I hope to one day stump Campany on a history-related question at one of his shows.  I never am able to think of one fast enough when he puts the pressure on while tuning his guitar for the next tune. 

I met Chap Stique with fellow One Love Bloggers at a restaurant in Little Italy in New York.  I’m pretty sure it was meant to be.  We both ordered the Cheese Tortellini with cream sauce, and both share a love for chap stick (the lip moisturizing product), however, we use different brands.  We then shook our napkins.  Afterwards, I held up, and waited a minute, and then I put a little love in it, at his show following dinner.  It was a night to be remembered. 

Eric Angelo and I share a common love for S’Mac.  I won’t be able to express the true greatness of this restaurant, so I recommend reading his recent blog about the stuff.  This is actually what our first conversation was about, when I saw his band Atomic Tom open for The Click Five in NYC recently.  I would love to go to this place one day with everyone. 

My first meeting with Danny Roselle was him being called upon in the middle of the night to drive everyone to Kellogs diner in Williamsburg.  He rolled up minutes later in his minivan, and 11, yes 11 people fit in it.  It was a very tight squeeze.  Cassie used my hand as a pillow whilst lying across of Jade and myself.  At the diner we talked about our love for The Gin Blossoms and flatirons. 

I met Gia Farrel at the after party of The One Love show.  I started singing “A whole new world” which is not uncommon for me to do, and I think she chimed in when Jasmine normally would.  I could be wrong, but this is how I like to think that it happened.   

As for the other bloggers, we haven’t officially met yet, but I am sure we will in the future.  There are a lot of great people involved with this website all for the same reasons.  Again, I am very happy to be apart of this.  I picked the American Cancer Society as my charity of choice because I lost my mother to cancer last year to a long 8 year battle with cancer. 

In real life I am often referred to as “Stahl” because my band has had a total of three different people named Chris, so it was easier to call me by my last name to avoid confusion.  Some people call me strictly by “ChrisStahl” like it is one word.  Some people call me Chris (rare).  Anyone related to me, mostly immediate family, call me Christopher.  I am okay with any of these.

This is a long first blog, but I had alot of corners to cover.

Thanks for reading and supporting The One Love!!!

- Stahl