The man in the jar

I still cannot finish this new song and it is driving me nuts. Work was slow today because most people have begun their holiday break. It was two above zero on the way downtown and the only thing keeping me together was my iPod. The office was bare and once again I felt caged, or like a dude in a jar. But it's alright. There's tomorrow and then my holiday begins and continues until January 6. It will be a frantic first month of the year because I am planning a move that has been almost a year in the making. I will be heading south and looking for new work. I am still considering the Peace Corps as well and teaching. We'll see what happens. The most important thing is that I will be able to see my girlfriend everyday. It will be so great to be done with long distance love! I will post a new short story that I have been chipping away at when it is done, but if it isn't up until next year then I wish everyone a happy holiday season!

Tundra

Today is one of those days that is so cold that you feel like your limbs will fall off before you even get in the car to go anywhere. Spent most of the day mixing a new song, recording bass parts and writing another new one. Yesterday I finished the artwork for the official release of Good Morning, Hummingbird. It is below.



It will be out in January on Series Two in the US and Canada, Vollwert in the EU, Fraction in Scandanavia and Apple Crumble in Japan. I am going to curl up in my sleeping bag and watch this History Channel show that I just got from the library on cannibalism. I know, random.

Top ten places

Here is a list of the top ten places that I want to visit in my lifetime:

10. Thailand
9. Poland
8. Iran
7. Norway
6. Mongolia
5. Brazil
4. Patagonia (mainly the Chilean side)
3. Kazakhstan
2. Faroe Islands
1. Ethiopia

Kazakhstan

Okay, so this may seem random, but I really want to go to Kazakhstan. Other than being a former Soviet republic and the completely fictional escapades of Borat, not many know what it is all about.

Oddly enough, Kazakhstan is on the top of my list of places to visit--- along with Chile, Argentina, New Zealand and the Faroe Islands. But why Kazakhstan people ask?

I don't have a good answer. Other than being the ninth largest country by area in the world, it is mainly open space. When I read Michael Pollan's book, The Botany of Desire, I learned that apples are native to southeastern Kazakhstan, near the city Almaty (which literally means city of apples or something like that). The city is known for its mountains (the massive Tian Shan mountains are minutes from city limits) and apple orchards. It would be cool to interview horticulturalists.

After querying numerous magazines with my idea to visit Kazakhstan to a resounding 'no,' it is back to the drawing board. Maybe someday soon!