if there has been one band which has just blown me away through one performance it's been The Who.

I remember when I was in high school my father has a cassette copy of their concert album "Live at Leeds"....if I remember correctly, I wasn't necessarily impressed.

But as time has gone on, I grew more and more impressed with their energy, their musicianship, their passion. Partially because of their records I came to believe that those three values are the cornerstone of Great Music, and whenever I've listened to music I've used those values as a system of evaluation. And on my own music, while I hope I don't just play to emulate The Who's interpretation of those values, I always tried to push myself to play at their level.

I went on a bike ride this morning and last night. 20 miles, combined. Some of you may say "WOW! Kohout's a stud! 20 miles on a bike! Wow!". Well, in about 3 weeks I'm doing RAGBRAI-the (Des Moines) Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa....it's 60-80 miles of riding, 7 days straight. I did it last year and while it was one of the best things I ever did(it was so empowering....if you can ride your bike across a state, you think you can do anything) it almost killed me. And last year, I did far more training. By the time I left last year, I had rode about 450 miles. This year, I've only rode about 200 miles.

I don't think my ride is entirely hopeless, as I think I'm a much smarter rider. Last year, I rode as hard as I could, as fast as I could, and I was really hurting by the third day. This year I'll ride at a much easier pace.

Oh, I decided to get my mother a really nice picture frame (eventually) to be used for a family photo. I can't remember us having a portrait since I was 7 or 8, so she should enjoy it. At some point, I'll go to Dayton's or somewhere and pick one out. Or I could go to my uncle who does interior decorating and maybe he could hook me up with a deal.

see you later campers.

Last night, for all the help my parents have given me this last month, with my moving, my car problems, and for allowing me to come home when I can't stand going to my empty condo (I don't think I was ment alone. It's sad. It's boring.), I got them some gifts.

For my Dad, I got him a guitar. An Epiphone 6-string(a 350-S, to be specific). Nothing really nice, it only cost $130, but a accoustic with a solid wood soundboard. He used to play a long time ago, and he's wanted a new guitar for a long time, so I figured that it would be nice if I helped him with that. Now I just have to reteach him how to play...I figure by the 4th of July, he should have enough knowledge to play some basic stuff.

For my Mom, I don't know what to get her. I'd get her jewlery, but I couldn't get her anything really amazing. I guess I could get her a bunch of little nick-nacks, like a number of those adorable "Little People" dolls they sell at Hallmark or something. If any ultra-fine, ultra-tasteful ladies can think of an awesome $130 gift that a momma would like, please send me any ideas.

up till now, so like the last week, I've been writing this primarily for my own enjoyment. well, today I decided to let the cat out of the bag and let my small world know this was something I was doing.

continuing on my entry from yesterday, about dressing nicely:
Today, I intentionally dressed like a slob. Didn't comb my hair, didn't shave, wore jeans that were pretty sloppy(and hadn't been washed after 3 wearings), and picked out one of my old st john's work study shirts (which has held up pretty well for almost 6 years, but is still 6 years old). No one said a word. I guess I am a slob.

I guess I need to go to JC Penny's and get some more sweater vests(maybe I could hitch a ride with Tom Bell! Get fashon tips from him). Suave myself up a little bit for the whole office crowd.

Or not.

So, today to liven up the mix a little bit I wore a nice shirt, a nice pair of slacks, and a tie. EVERYONE has asked me how the interview went. While I'd like to say that it went well, I didn't have an interview today.

I guess I must be a real slob if when I dress nicely everyone thinks it's an event.

I have really good friends...often, and normally I bitch about them pretty hard core. But they're really there for me, in the ways they can be.

Yesterday, and today, as soon as they got off work they called me begging me for my company. Playin' the cards, livin' it up at Uncommon Grounds.

For the most part, I never spend time around people I don't like. The people I work with? I like those who are my peers. The people from school I still see? Yup, they're pretty high on my list.

The Funeral for my Grandfather was pretty nice-it was the first time in a couple of months that the who extended family came together. After the funeral, my parents, and siblings, and I went to my cousin's place to go on a boat ride down the river(he and his wife own a house on the Mississippi in Champlain). We ended up watching old family videos, one was a tape of my cousin Doug getting married, about 12 years ago. I think the whole mess really hit. I realized my grandparents, who were alive and attended my cousin's wedding would never be able to attend mine. Pretty sucky.

well, off to Uncommon Grounds and a fine game of cards and second hand smoke.
kohout

So-it seems like this is the thing to do, and I'm not afraid of jumping on(and subsequently breaking) the bandwagon.

plus, I do have interesting things to say (as long as I don't all of a sudden get shy), and I might even have people that would read it. we'll see, won't we?

As a first post, yesterday my Grandfather died. My family wants me to say something for the wake. I was kind of thinking about saying something about how he really is here, alive, as much as he was before Tues at 8:30-because whenever I look in the mirror, or look at my family, or listen to how they and I speak and think, we've all got traits of his. Often his best...so, really, if you look it in the right way(MINE, of course), he really is now a perfect human being.

The wake is on Thursday night, 5-7 and the Funeral is on Friday. Hopefully none of my relatives that have less-than-perfect traits will do something stupid.