Graduation Mandolin

I Graduated.

I walked on June 8, 2012 in a stuffy burgundy cap and gown and everything.

My mom, stepdad, sister, and a bunch of my friends were there. A couple of them were even walking with me... There were four of us graduating together.

My grandma got me a mandolin for my graduation present.

Did I play the mandolin 2 weeks ago? Nope. Not even a little bit. The only time I had even touched one was when Zach had me hold his for like 2 minutes at the Big Bear renfair.

My mandolin arrived Monday afternoon. I knew how to play 2 songs by the end of the evening.

Today is Wednesday, and I play mandolin as well as I play the guitar... Better, in fact. It is a smaller instrument, so the frets are closer together. This means that chords that I couldn't play on the guitar because my fingers didn't reach are no longer a problem.

I love this thing!

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Big Bear Pirate Faire, June 2-3, 2012

Was a blast.

My band had 5 sets a day for 2 days and started selling our first full(ish) length CD.

I met new people, hung out with my friends in Gallows Humor, had hot tub time and hotel room parties after hours. What more could you ask for?

Northwoods Resort in Big Bear is amazing, by the way. If you're ever looking for accommodations in Big Bear, go with them.

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Big Bear Victorian Faire, June 9-10, 2012

My band was only up there on Saturday. We had 5 sets again, and sold a few more CDs.

Most of the band was costumed out of my closet. Perks of having a band mate who makes costumes I guess.

We stayed at Northwoods again, had more hot tub time Saturday night, then a few of us invaded Denny's.

Sunday was awesome too. It has been a long time since I had a whole day at a renfaire that I had NO obligations, and could just run around and do what I wanted.

So I filmed Gallows Humor shows.


OH. My band's website is now up and functional... although a bit skeletal still.
Pardon My French

Frazier Mountain Renaissance Faire

Spent 2 weekends up in Frazier Mountain for the new little Renfaire up there. It was great. There were oak and aspen trees everywhere and the weather was lovely. If the sailboat thing doesn't work out, I would SO move up there instead.

Spent most of the time over at the Gnarly Oak Alestand. It was kind of the musician's hub of the faire. I had my drum and my guitar, and I got to play with a lot of other people. I was talking to one of the minstrels, and I mentioned that I can pick up most instruments and within 20 minutes or less play them like I've been playing for years. He pulled out this really cool looking thing that I had never seen before, and asked if I could play it.

It was a stringed instrument.

I asked what the tuning was, and he said it was in the key of C, lowest string was an octave below middle C. I started playing The Rose. His jaw dropped. I started playing a medley of whatever came into my head, and he just sat there staring. It was way cool. I forgot what the thing was called, but if I find one, I'm so buying it. I loved it.

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He called it a Cantella. Saw him again at SLO