Follow the link to read the latest essay I have concocted for the LitTunes site.

The essay is kind of a “what the heck have I been up to for the past six months” so if you are wondering, check it out. For those Chris Knight fans out there, I most recently finished an essay about The Grapes of Wrath in which I referenced his song “Broken Plow.” The coolest thing in the world is that I got to interview Knight on the phone and some of that transcript is included in the essay. That was quite an honor as I consider him to be simply one of the best songwriters in any genre. If you would like to read the essay in advance of its publication, drop me a line and I will be happy to send a copy. I plan to interview and highlight other artists in the upcoming weeks and months.

chrisgoering at gmail.com

g

Simply airing up the tires on that dolly will not do the trick. It needs to have one of two things happen to it: 1) Replace the pneumatic tires with solid rubber tires; or, 2) Take the dolly and kindly place it somewhere people not lifting very heavy things (i.e. your speakers and amps) can use it and replace it.

The problem with the dolly is the design. It was made for light residential use. You know, like taking a trash can to the curb or wheeling a UPS delivery of socks from QVC inside the house. By airing the tires you may have actually created more of a problem as when the heavy speakers, amps, etc are placed on the dolly, they will inevitably tilt and tip to one side.

I staunchly agree with your father on this issue. The dolly needs real wheels instead of toy wheels…

Have a great show tonight and tell Jim he is going to have to blog again soon or else…

g

Still making progress out here in sunny, ahem, Colorado. Yesterday it sleeted intermittently most of the afternoon. Today, they are expecting eight inches of snow up in the higher country. Brrrrr.

So far the critters have been pretty tame. I have been taking walks in the morning hoping for a glance of something cool. Today I did walk within ten feet of a deer. It looked dumb, like one of the deer which will probably end up in someone’s grille. I wonder what it thought of me? Hmmm. Fresh venison does sound tasty. Other than several of the aforementioned large hooved rats, I have seen a lizard, three ground squirrels, two rabbits, and several hummingbirds.

The writing retreat continues to be fairly productive as a whole. Currently, I am working on a book proposal that is due at the end of June. It seems I have more work than I remembered. Hmmm. Time for an ATB post, aka delicious distraction. Yesterday I worked on some songs including one I am co-writing with Effron White, a folk singer from the Northwest Arkansas area.

I am still hoping for a 2008 release date of my first cd, sort of a sampler of songwriting as much as artistry. If I could just play a Bm I would be set.

Back to work. Take care friends, g

I knew the Maddy family was big but had no idea they had their own COOP.

I took this picture yesterday in Montrose, CO on the way here to Ridgway which I misppelled in my post yesterday.

Today has been productive. I have two pieces submitted for publication and, if the internet holds out, I will publish at least one more here tonight when this post goes active. Aaron will probably get credit for it. Figures…since it is his band and all. I am the eternal offensive lineman.

I am on a regimented diet of exercises for the mind, spirit, and body. I read. I walk. I write. I watch. I listen constantly. I photograph. I dream. I play. I believe, I eat, I drink.

Is it Blake Shelton who has that song which says something to the effect of, “the more I drink, the more I drink, the more I drink” playing on the idea that drinking will lead to more drinking, etc. I have found this to be the truest thing…when it comes to writing. The more I write, the more I write, the more I write.

If I think back to some of the most literate times of my life, I was working on several things in several genres. Last night I wrote an ATB post and that will go down as the first of hopefully about 15-20 things I plan to accomplish during this trip.

One of those things is to get an up-to-date gauge on how my songs sound and more unfortunately, how not good at singing or playing the guitar I am despite doing it a lot. I swear I could do this music thing if I could only find someone to play guitar and sing my songs…but then I would be a hack.

g

Greetings to the ATB faithful from Ridgeway, Colorado.

I made it out to the ‘Western Slope’ after staying with Greg Seiler and family in Garden City, KS last night. That was sure a nice time; Greg and the girls are doing well. Today was a beautiful day for driving I say. Cross Country rocked the XM radio (except in the canyons). The Buick Riviera rolled over the 178000 mile mark like it was standing still.

I am inspired by the beauty. I am sitting on the back deck looking out at snow capped mountains for as far as I can see. I will try to get some pictures up in the next day or so. I am forever walking around with a 9mm in my hand because I keep hearing weird sounds, like the bear (this is an affirmation of your ATB faithfulness if you catch this reference) from last time. I don’t want to find out if he has grown by two years.

I am here on a writing retreat–blog writing, songwriting, LitTunes writing, research writing, essay writing, article writing, encyclopedia entry writing. Don’t know how much I will get done but promise to keep the ATB faithful informed.

I see Aaron has a couple more shows on the books. Aaron Traffas and The Combine are playing somewhere near Kiowa, KS on July 5th. Or are we Aaron Traffas and The Fiddlers still? Call us what you will.

Signing out from the Mountain Home Mesa Grande,

G