Well, it appears nobody reads this 
It's cool, I don't really write for anyone else, which is why I don't write much. Every so often I like to share my thoughts. Sometimes they boil over and I can't contain them. Usually that's not the case... usually I can organize my ideas and plans.
Today, organized.
Just thought I'd update anyone who does read this.
I've been reading a biography of Bob Dylan, and it's gotten me to look a little deeper into American folk music in a way I've never done before. Been listening to a lot of Lead Belly, Woody Guthrie, Robert Johnson, etc. along with my regular Rock n' Roll listening... Been rediscovering arena rock of the 70's and 80's lately, too. Current obsession: .38 Special "Caught Up In You"
It's cool knowing from a certain perspective what kind of guy Bob Dylan is. Rock stars (in his case, American legends) tend to get segregated from normal society, because they're so highly in demand, and then they put up barriers to protect themselves. On top of that, Bob Dylan's shy and reserved. His 'mechanism' for coping with media and fan pressure was sometimes ridiculously untrue responses to questions. Then he had his motorcycle accident and in about 1967 disappeared from the public eye for a couple of years.
Note to self: If I ever become famous, I need to take a couple of months a year just to disappear... maybe more. The pressure CAN kill.
Anyways... I don't even remember why I started writing this... just felt like feeling my fingers move across a keyboard, I guess.
If anyone is in Reno, my band is playing 3 out of 5 weekends in October, starting Oct. 1st at Davidson's Distillery. Stop by and show us some love! Any SG's who come, I'll even buy you a drink (or two)!
www.myspace.com/drivenbyastronauts
<3
--RZD
It's cool, I don't really write for anyone else, which is why I don't write much. Every so often I like to share my thoughts. Sometimes they boil over and I can't contain them. Usually that's not the case... usually I can organize my ideas and plans.Today, organized.
Just thought I'd update anyone who does read this.
I've been reading a biography of Bob Dylan, and it's gotten me to look a little deeper into American folk music in a way I've never done before. Been listening to a lot of Lead Belly, Woody Guthrie, Robert Johnson, etc. along with my regular Rock n' Roll listening... Been rediscovering arena rock of the 70's and 80's lately, too. Current obsession: .38 Special "Caught Up In You"
It's cool knowing from a certain perspective what kind of guy Bob Dylan is. Rock stars (in his case, American legends) tend to get segregated from normal society, because they're so highly in demand, and then they put up barriers to protect themselves. On top of that, Bob Dylan's shy and reserved. His 'mechanism' for coping with media and fan pressure was sometimes ridiculously untrue responses to questions. Then he had his motorcycle accident and in about 1967 disappeared from the public eye for a couple of years.
Note to self: If I ever become famous, I need to take a couple of months a year just to disappear... maybe more. The pressure CAN kill.
Anyways... I don't even remember why I started writing this... just felt like feeling my fingers move across a keyboard, I guess.
If anyone is in Reno, my band is playing 3 out of 5 weekends in October, starting Oct. 1st at Davidson's Distillery. Stop by and show us some love! Any SG's who come, I'll even buy you a drink (or two)!
www.myspace.com/drivenbyastronauts
<3
--RZD
It's still a couple weeks away, but if you find yourself in or around Reno on August 14th... my band's playing a show!
Driven By Astronauts
w/
Scarlet Presence
9:00pm
Knuckleheads Bar and Grille
405 Vine St.
Reno, NV
FREE to get in... come down, enjoy a couple great Reno area bands!
www.myspace.com/drivenbyastronauts
www.myspace.com/scarletpresence
I'll post this again in a week or so with the flyer!
--RZD
Driven By Astronauts
w/
Scarlet Presence
9:00pm
Knuckleheads Bar and Grille
405 Vine St.
Reno, NV
FREE to get in... come down, enjoy a couple great Reno area bands!
www.myspace.com/drivenbyastronauts
www.myspace.com/scarletpresence
I'll post this again in a week or so with the flyer!
--RZD
Well... it's been a long time since I wrote in a blog.
Last time I talked about how I was going down to AZ for a recording school....
That didn't happen... however, I'm still on a musical path with my life. Just taking a different approach.
As opposed to spending $30k to put myself through school and probably not make enough to pay that off until I'm 40, I'm doing things on a much smaller scale. This past spring I took a 4-hour/week class in a real recording studio in my hometown, learned the basics of the gear, Pro Tools, physics of sound, etc etc. It was incredibly educational, and it was the best I've ever done in a class. There was no pressure because there wasn't homework, or grades... just come in, learn, and don't be afraid to make a bunch of mistakes. The second part of the class (more physics, and engineering) commences in September, and you can bet I'll be there. Hopefully after it all wraps up I can get in as an intern in a studio somewhere.
Plus, the experience of that class has given me new confidence regarding school in general. I'm seriously contemplating going back to TMCC to begin pursuing a music degree. Maybe later I can transfer those credits to the University and make a full education out of it, but for now I'd just like to see what I can get out of school, now that I'm older and (gag) more mature.
Going to start blogging more. I haven't ever done a 'journal' in the traditional sense... but I might start using this one, so I can gather my thoughts... and practice writing things. We'll see.
Happy Friday everyone!
<3
--RZD
Last time I talked about how I was going down to AZ for a recording school....
That didn't happen... however, I'm still on a musical path with my life. Just taking a different approach.
As opposed to spending $30k to put myself through school and probably not make enough to pay that off until I'm 40, I'm doing things on a much smaller scale. This past spring I took a 4-hour/week class in a real recording studio in my hometown, learned the basics of the gear, Pro Tools, physics of sound, etc etc. It was incredibly educational, and it was the best I've ever done in a class. There was no pressure because there wasn't homework, or grades... just come in, learn, and don't be afraid to make a bunch of mistakes. The second part of the class (more physics, and engineering) commences in September, and you can bet I'll be there. Hopefully after it all wraps up I can get in as an intern in a studio somewhere.
Plus, the experience of that class has given me new confidence regarding school in general. I'm seriously contemplating going back to TMCC to begin pursuing a music degree. Maybe later I can transfer those credits to the University and make a full education out of it, but for now I'd just like to see what I can get out of school, now that I'm older and (gag) more mature.
Going to start blogging more. I haven't ever done a 'journal' in the traditional sense... but I might start using this one, so I can gather my thoughts... and practice writing things. We'll see.
Happy Friday everyone!
<3
--RZD
So, almost a year since I posted my last blog... time for an update:
I'm heading off to Arizona in September to start school. I'll be down there 8 months, and then 12 weeks of internship in 'a major city of your choice'. I expect I'll end up in the L.A. area, although I'd rather go to New York or Nashville.
It's a school for the recording arts. Months ago, I discovered that I'll never be truly happy or inspired unless I'm around music for my career, so I stopped evading it. Years ago, it didn't seem viable, it didn't seem like I would be able to make a decent living with it. Then, I figured out it's not WHAT you do that makes you successful, it's HOW you do it. Seems basic, right? Hardly.
I lack clarity of mind to sufficiently explain it but here's the rundown:
Where other people have known from early on, perhaps even in their teens, what they would focus their energy on during their adult years.... it took me half of my 20's to figure out. It's an amazing feeling of peace when you know you've reached that plateau... when you know you've decided something and it becomes your obsession without looking back or feeling the crippling sense of regret, or second-guessing.
Music is it for me. It's the only thing that stimulates my mind and warms my heart without significant effort. It's the one thing where I can contemplate all the negatives and still conclude "I get to stay in and around music the rest of my life" and make the negatives meaningless. It's truly my first love, and women will have to contend with it for my time... but I could think of worse things to contend with...
...like another woman. If my committment to music is any indicator... I'm a one-woman man when it comes to matters of the heart. When I know it's the one, that's it, end of story.
I'm heading off to Arizona in September to start school. I'll be down there 8 months, and then 12 weeks of internship in 'a major city of your choice'. I expect I'll end up in the L.A. area, although I'd rather go to New York or Nashville.
It's a school for the recording arts. Months ago, I discovered that I'll never be truly happy or inspired unless I'm around music for my career, so I stopped evading it. Years ago, it didn't seem viable, it didn't seem like I would be able to make a decent living with it. Then, I figured out it's not WHAT you do that makes you successful, it's HOW you do it. Seems basic, right?
Hardly.I lack clarity of mind to sufficiently explain it but here's the rundown:
Where other people have known from early on, perhaps even in their teens, what they would focus their energy on during their adult years.... it took me half of my 20's to figure out. It's an amazing feeling of peace when you know you've reached that plateau... when you know you've decided something and it becomes your obsession without looking back or feeling the crippling sense of regret, or second-guessing.
Music is it for me. It's the only thing that stimulates my mind and warms my heart without significant effort. It's the one thing where I can contemplate all the negatives and still conclude "I get to stay in and around music the rest of my life" and make the negatives meaningless. It's truly my first love, and women will have to contend with it for my time... but I could think of worse things to contend with...
...like another woman.
If my committment to music is any indicator... I'm a one-woman man when it comes to matters of the heart. When I know it's the one, that's it, end of story.So it's been a looooong f'ing time since I posted a blog here. I'm not sure if anyone reads it, but I suppose I have to try and keep up appearances here if I'm going to be a member.
Since December.... I quit my job... spent 2.5 months unemployed... felt the pinch of my debts.. got over my last serious bout of depression. I feel pretty good actually. I have grounded some things in my life that were otherwise undecided, and now I feel like I can move forward with some things. I have decided pretty much how I want the next couple years of life to go.. and past that, I don't care. I have a job that isn't great, but it sucks a lot less than my last job, basically meaning I could never ask for perfection. I'm able to enjoy some simpler pleasures and 'rosebuds' of life now and I'm enjoying living a little simpler. It's great.
So yeah... not much else new. Added some new pics.
Peace,
Ryan
Since December.... I quit my job... spent 2.5 months unemployed... felt the pinch of my debts.. got over my last serious bout of depression. I feel pretty good actually. I have grounded some things in my life that were otherwise undecided, and now I feel like I can move forward with some things. I have decided pretty much how I want the next couple years of life to go.. and past that, I don't care. I have a job that isn't great, but it sucks a lot less than my last job, basically meaning I could never ask for perfection. I'm able to enjoy some simpler pleasures and 'rosebuds' of life now and I'm enjoying living a little simpler. It's great.
So yeah... not much else new. Added some new pics.
Peace,
Ryan
I'm gonna break my rusty caaaaage.... and ruuuuun...
So yeah, I quit my job yesterday. It was sorta just time. I nearly got into an argument with my boss over a very inconsequential thing, and thereafter I couldn't justify staying another minute. I got my things together and walked out. Sort of ill-advised move considering I don't have another job lined up, but there was no way I was giving any notice. After all the crap I, and the people around me, have dealt with, they didn't deserve my notice. So I went around and said goodbye to the people I actually like around there... grabbed my stuff, and bailed. Didn't even look back. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Honestly, I'm not even worried about whether I'm going to find another job. The job market is rich here and I'm a very capable human being.. smart and all that crap.. so I can find a job. The main thing is going to be "How long can I stay at a pointless job before I'm actually ready to start a career I like?" Which would be web design. I'm sorta re-learning from scratch, because the last time I did any serious web design work I was a freshman in high school... and those were like fan pages for video games.. they were pretty good for amateur crap... but I can't recall why I stopped. I seemed to enjoy it. I sort of attribute the stoppage to just being a stupid teenager who didn't know what he wanted....
has anything changed in 9 years? Probably not much. But I know this is something I can be good at, and set my own hours, and create my own incentives, and enjoy creating things... so yeah... not to mention, oddly enough, I'm enjoying learning it. But for now I need a 9 to 5 to pay the bills. The job hunt begins.
Peace,
RZD
So yeah, I quit my job yesterday. It was sorta just time. I nearly got into an argument with my boss over a very inconsequential thing, and thereafter I couldn't justify staying another minute. I got my things together and walked out. Sort of ill-advised move considering I don't have another job lined up, but there was no way I was giving any notice. After all the crap I, and the people around me, have dealt with, they didn't deserve my notice. So I went around and said goodbye to the people I actually like around there... grabbed my stuff, and bailed. Didn't even look back. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Honestly, I'm not even worried about whether I'm going to find another job. The job market is rich here and I'm a very capable human being.. smart and all that crap.. so I can find a job. The main thing is going to be "How long can I stay at a pointless job before I'm actually ready to start a career I like?" Which would be web design. I'm sorta re-learning from scratch, because the last time I did any serious web design work I was a freshman in high school... and those were like fan pages for video games.. they were pretty good for amateur crap... but I can't recall why I stopped. I seemed to enjoy it. I sort of attribute the stoppage to just being a stupid teenager who didn't know what he wanted....
has anything changed in 9 years? Probably not much. But I know this is something I can be good at, and set my own hours, and create my own incentives, and enjoy creating things... so yeah... not to mention, oddly enough, I'm enjoying learning it. But for now I need a 9 to 5 to pay the bills. The job hunt begins.
Peace,
RZD
So yeah, I've been a member of SG now for about three months. I have to say I'm lovin' it. I'm McLOVIN' it.
If you're interested in chatting, I'm sorta always online whenever I'm not at work. Check out my profile.
SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION:
check out my band too if you're interested... tell me what you think. If you live in the Cali/NV area, you should drive up and see us... we're playing a few shows in the next couple of months!
http://www.myspace.com/drasticmeasuresreno
If you're interested in chatting, I'm sorta always online whenever I'm not at work. Check out my profile.
SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION:
check out my band too if you're interested... tell me what you think. If you live in the Cali/NV area, you should drive up and see us... we're playing a few shows in the next couple of months!
http://www.myspace.com/drasticmeasuresreno
My name's Ryan. I enjoy the beauty of all women, but I especially dig the Suicide Girls. If you're interested in chatting, hit me up.
