We came over to the show right about the time that The Whigs started their set. Unfortunately, the bass player had a personal issue and was unable to make this show. Since the band is a power trio (drums, bass, guitar/singer) they were seriously undermanned. The guitarist/singer did a few man-and-his-guitar songs that were pretty impressive, including a Sparklehorse cover. The drummer was selling merchandise in the back of the venue, but he joined for the last five songs. They recruited the tour manager for The Hold Steady on bass, and frankly, they sounded awesome. I’ve seen The Whigs a handful of times, and they never fail to impress. Even a man down, last night was no exception. These guys remain the standard for edgy power rock. They are great guys, very approachable, and just love their audience. There’s no fake angst, rocker fatigue, or ego with these guys. Just some great rock-n-roll. Check out this video for “Right Hand on My Heart”

When they finished and were leaving the stage, I told my buddy that I could have done with another hour of The Whigs. It’s the truth.

I wish I could say good things about The Hold Steady, and I’m sure they’re great, but the sound was so poorly mixed that it was painful. It was too loud (yes, that is possible), it was mixed poorly, and the band noise overpowered the singer. I mean you seriously couldn’t hear, let alone understand, the lead singer. As for the band, it just sounded like a bunch of noise and I don’t think I heard the keyboard after sound check. It was very disappointing because they seem like a great band, but they need to fire the sound guy. We left and walked down the street to another little hole-in-the-wall, where we chatted and listened to a local group.

Overall, The Whigs continue to rock… The Hold Steady may rock, but I have no way of knowing.

Clash of the Titans–Yes, I know it’s a remake, but the original was a favorite growing up as a boy. I remember watching it on TNT when spending the night at my Granny’s house. I recently asked/forced my wife to watch it and she made it through the whole movie, which is an accomplishment for her. I’m really hopeful that the remake is going to do it justice, and I think the special effects technology has reached the point of really giving us some cool scenes.

The Rum Diary–Hunter S. Thompson is someone that I’m fascinated with. His writing, his political views, his musical taste… all of it. Jonny Depp playing Hunter is even better (he played him in the film version of “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” also). This is one of Thompson earlier books, before he got REALLY into the psychedelic drugs. It’s actually enjoyable without making excuses for the incredible talent hidden in sloppy jargon and syntax.

Jonah Hex--Two beautiful ideas meshed into a glorious product–comic book and western–in this post-confederate graphic novel. To boot, Megan Fox plays the gunslinging harlett and John Malovich plays the bad guy. Take your wife to this movie and you’ll probably lose move picking rights for a month… but it would be worth it.

The Wolfman–Also made my list in 2009, but release of the movie was delayed. This may be the movie I’m most excited about for 2010.  It’s another remake, but it looks fantastic. And the casting is incredible–Anthony Hopkins and Benetio Del Toro.

Tron Legacy-Combined with Clash of the Titans, 2010 is the year of movies from my childhood. If only Cloak and Dagger would make a return, but alas… The trailer looks awesome and the casting is true to the original. Also, the story sounds like a good way to explain the 30 years between the first and second movie. My only question, why make us wait so long?

Shutter Island–It’s hard for me to admit this, because I think DiCaprio is over rated, but this movie looks phenomenal. And after The Departed, I’m willing to accept that I may be wrong about DiCaprio. Murder, mystery, and Scorsese sounds too good to be true.

Robin Hood–I loved the original one, even with it’s cheesy Bryan Adams theme song, but this remake looks equally amazing. The casting is fantastic with Russell Crowe as the lead and Siene Miller as Maid Marrian (with a lot less emphasis on the maid portion than we’re used to). I get the feeling this will be a blockbuster budget action movie that will blur over some of the finer political points of the Robin Hood story… but I expect it will be so good that I’ll maybe forgive it. Did I mention Ridley Scott directs?

Honorable Mention: Alice in Wonderland looks like it will be beautiful in that Tim Burton kind of way; Iron Man 2 because RDJ was awesome in the first one and its hard to screw up a super hero movie with that solid of a lead; Toy Story 3 because they are that good, even for a kids movie; Harry Potter Part I of the Last Book and, yes, I’m glad they broke it into two movies.

I love to read. It’s probably no surprise that my job requires reading dozens of business plans, industry reports, market analysis, and other professional literature. I’ve almost always got a book or two by the bed, and I try to read for 30 minutes to an hour every night before going to sleep. The office closet in my house is packed full of boxed up books because we don’t have the book shelf space in the house (yet). My wish list for Santa this year (yes, I said Santa… got a problem with it?) includes Thunderstruck by Edward Larson, Dante Club by Matthew Pearl, and What Goth Hath Wrought by Daniel Walker Howe. I think you get the point… I love to read.

I stumbled across a list of 50 Books for Our Times from Newsweek. I’m not really a fan of most media outlets, and certainly not your watered-down-for-the-masses types, but my love for reading pulled me to this page. The number one book they recommended was a satirical novel from the 1870′s– The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope. I wasn’t familiar with the book or the author, so I did the normal thing. I googled it.

The book is written to capture the general dishonesty of British society during the Victorian-era. The reviews call it a satirical criticism of the commercial, moral, political, and intellectual dishonesty of the age. The more I read, the more I thought about current events. Do we live in an age of rampant dishonesty? I’m not sure, but I can say that I personally feel so disengaged because of the sheer complexity of things. From social to economic to environmental challenges, I’m having a difficult time discerning fact from fiction. Frankly, I feel that  so many issues are driven by disinformation, often in the form of hidden agendas or conspiracies. How do you take your news? Bias parading as fact? Or opinion-driven with a factual grounding? In the digital age, the exchange of information has increased, regardless of value or quality. It’s like the old saying that a lie makes it halfway around the world before the truth even gets its shoes on… Take national security, institutional religion, health care, global warming, the financial system, etc. You spend most of your time digging, looking for something that you can build on. In the end, you’ve got postulations, theories, and eloquent speeches… but do you really have substance? Or just some well constructed theory? So much of it is just smoke and mirrors.

Life deserves to be lived with a sense of honesty. Honesty comes from the truth. Truth comes from questioning.

My life has been a blur over the past few weeks, which is why I haven’t posted anything. Thanks to a little prodding by a MBA classmate, I thought I’d jot down a few things.

Here’s the story, if you care…  I remember a time in my life when I felt like superman. I was juggling lots of responsibilities at work with an active social life and  still finding time to work out, read, and stay current on issues. At the time, I was working 80+ hours per week, running every other day, reading significant books on a weekly basis, and still finding time for weekly trips to my favorite watering hole/music joint– Elwoods Dixie BBQ and Blues. Somewhere between there and here, some things changed. I lost some things and I found others.

Few years ago, I was constantly pushing forward with my career and life. It was as if I was driven. Ironically, I didn’t have a good goal that was directing my actions. I certainly didn’t have any goals that compare with my current state. Now, I can clearly tell you what my personal, professional, and spiritual goals are. What changed?

So, my dilemma is balancing this change. Many of the things that changed I like. Specifically, I don’t want to lose any ground with The Girl or my involvement with church. In comparison, I’d like to get back that “fire” that got my going every morning, had me immersed in my work, and drove me to exercise regularly.

Today, I’m not exercising, I’m very distracted at work, and not getting the “win” I want. I could make excuses, but that’s not going to help. So, as I come up on my 29th birthday and another summer in East Tennessee, I think its time to identify a new destination. Of course, this means setting a new course and preparing for the trip. In the end, there needs to be some changes– mostly “tweaks” but some “shifts”– in my life. I’m not sure exactly what that looks like, but here are some first steps:

• Priorities– figure ‘em out; stick to ‘em
• Get rid of the clutter/junk– got to figure out what this includes
• Vacation in late May– chance to recharge and examine priorities
• Read, read, read– try to read every night before bed
• Exercise– no lofty goals, just get back in some kind of routine including stretches
• Work–on going challenge… find a way to make meaning

Closing thought, I’m not aiming to be that guy that is always working and busy. I’m just evaluating my lifestyle and trying to figure out what kind of purpose do my actions support and what kind of meaning I’m making.

I flew into a snow covered DC last night, a city that I’ve long had a love affair with. With the political structure, the museums, the culture, the universities… I’ve always been swept up by the conversations you can find in a coffee shop or at the bookstore. If you know the right places, merely keeping your ears and eyes open can bring you face-to-face with some of the most respected and powerful people on the planet. To top it off, the city is an incredible congregation of 20- and 30-somethings. I grabbed drinks with a friend (and DC blogger) from a former life last night, chatting about politics, the district, policy, etc. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of things about this city that irritate me (local government, the ideologues, etc)… but it will always have a place in my heart.

As I landed, I couldn’t help but wonder what could have been? Instead of Knoxville, why not DC? Instead of UT, why not American, George Mason, or GW? Instead of venture capital, why not public policy or legislative affairs? Of course, I know the answer to those questions. In the long-run, I’m just a country boy that likes a simpler life. And I don’t have the patience for bureaucracy.

So, I’ll sip my fancy organic (and complimentary) coffee while watching CNBC in my fancy hotel room (provided by my employer) right off Capitol Hill. I’ll attend my conference and meet with House members and the new SBA administrator. I’ll keep my mouth incheck as my more liberal colleagues share their opinions on the new administration and congress.

While I’ll love my time here, I’m already missing The Pup and The Girl. Besides, how can Washington, D.C., in all its splender, compete with football season in Tennessee? Or mountains? Yes, I think three days is long enough.

Valentine’s Day… A commercial holiday that is the hay day for card, chocolate, flower, fragrance, and lingerie companies every where. But what is Valentine’s Day, really?

This holiday started as a pagan celebration of sexuality and fertility. Early festivities were less romantic and more physical (if you catch my drift). Thanks to some careful branding by the early Catholic church, attention was switched from worshiping a pagan god to celebrating the life of Valentine, a medieval priest that was beheaded by the barbarian turned Roman emperor Claudius II. Claudius II had Valentine beheaded because he was providing wedding ceremonies outside the constraints (and taxes) of an overbearing Roman government.

Today, Valentine’s Day is a designated day of commercial romance. We all know the drill… I don’t normally “celebrate” Valentine’s Day, since I think it is a little hoaky and silly. This year, I’m making an exception because I needed an excuse to shower someone with a little special attention.

The Creative Girl is my valentine, and I’m taking her to dinner and the movie of her choice (“He’s Just Not That Into You”) this evening. We’ve had a pretty full week, so it will be very nice to have a few hours dedicated to each other. In return, she’s taking me to the UT/Vandy basketball game tomorrow afternoon. I’m still not sure Valentine’s Day is going to make my list on an annual basis… but this one is looking pretty good– dinner, movies, and a basketball game. This is shaping up to be a good weekend, so I may even drop my usual sarcasm for this holiday. Maybe.

When we talk about experts, I think there are very few on the planet collectively. Naturally, that means there are few experts in any given topic. I think some areas have more experts than others, given the economics of the topic, but generally most “experts” aren’t real experts. Their practitioners passing themselves off as experts through opinion, a PR campaign, etc.

I love guitar and guitar players. I live in a state that is home to a number of guitar companies and my dog is named after one of them (Gibson). I’ve learned the basics of guitar, and I enjoy picking around… but I’m not even good enough to qualify as an amateur. My brother, on the other hand, plays the guitar, piano, drums, etc. He is no expert, but he has the natural talent and skill to become one if he wanted and had the discipline. That is the difference between us in the guitar playing arena… I have passion, but he has passion + skill.

To take it one more step, Stevie Ray Vaughn is a phenom on guitar. Arguably, he is one of the best ever. Before he passed away, I think we can claim that he had become an expert at guitar. How did he get there? When you watch him play, you know he loved it… so there is the passion. He does things that are amazing, both technical and innovative playing… so there is the skill. And I once heard a story about how he played so much that they had to super glue the calluses back on the tips of his fingers… so there is the commitment. Want more proof of commitment, just look at his guitar (Lenny)…

Passion + Skill + Commitment = Expertise

The question I want answered– will I ever be as good at something at SRV was at playing the guitar? Watch the video below… He was really amazing.

This weekend gives me the opportunity to participate in the wedding of a close friend. This is kind of a special wedding for a couple of reasons. First, this friend is someone that I met a few years back when we both worked in Washington, DC for LeadAmerica. Almost from the start our mutual interests tied us together… baseball, country music, and the outdoors. Regardless of the distance, we remained very close friends and our paths have found a way of crossing from time to time. When he called me around 16 months ago at around 1am and informed me that he had bought a wedding ring, I was both excited and astonished. This was, after all, one of the friends that I expected to hold Fort Bachelor until the very last possible moments. After years of patience by his girlfriend (and some careful coaching by his father), he accepted that he was ready to take his relationship to the next level. The second reason this is a special wedding is because it is located in middle-of-nowhere Iowa. Getting here required two flights, a shuttle, and a four hour car ride.

So here I am, sitting in a deli in downtown Milwaukee enjoying a cup of coffee and free wifi. Across the street, another old friend is wrapping up his day as an associate in a law office. Once he gets off work, we’re loading up and driving four hours to the middle-of-nowhere Iowa to our friend’s wedding. It will be a fantastic weekend, and I am very glad I was able to make the trip.

My trip up was a little adventure, with an exceptionally long flight. It allowed me to finish the book I was reading– The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. I’m not gonna lie, I had to fight back tears a couple of times. I moved on to Little Green Men by Chris Buckley, my favorite modern political satirist. I also managed to tear through the Wall St. Journal, which had a very interesting but brief comparison of John McCain and Barack Obama. Lastly, Knoxville received mention in national news twice. First, it was the subject of a New York Times travel article on the wonders of Knoxville. We even got a new nickname– The Couch. Second, one of our local companies, Goody’s, is rumored to be filing for Chapter 11. Now to be clear, Chapter 11 is not lock the doors and liquidate the assets; it is more accurately described as a court assisted reorganization and debt forgiveness. Regardless, I hope it isn’t too upsetting to the many locals that report to work at the headquarters in West Knoxville or the many stores across the nation.

Lastly, I left The Girl in Knoxville with our new dog, Gibson the Beagle (named after the guitar company). So far, getting him oriented into our situation has been very rewarding and fun. He came from the pound and was taken from an abusive situation. Having him with us and showering him with love and care has really helped this shy little boy to develop a personality. He is already recognizing that he is a part of our “pack.” I miss The Girl and The Pup… but I think I’ll be okay for the weekend.

Really, the girl has been such an incredible help making this move possible. Not only did she practically pack my apartment, but she also came back early from being with her family to help me move, unpack and organize my new apartment. To top it off, she cooked some awesome meals and made cookies for my first day at my new office. I’m excited about the next couple of months of her life as she wraps up her graduate degree and makes some career decisions. Hopefully I can be as valuable to her.

Also, my parents and family have been very supportive and helpful with making this transition. I’m blessed to have something so strong and wonderful to come from.

So now I’ve taken the next step and settled into an area. I’ve got a great apartment, a good car and an awesome job with a really great team of people. The work is personally rewarding and I’m excited about the opportunities on the horizon.

So, quick recap of three headlines that deserve commentary…

• Iowa Caucus and New Hampshire Primary– Proof that the media and the pundits don’t know their heads from their elbows half the time. Drama-queens and tea-lead readers. Even though I’m a Thompson supporter, McCain gave an awesome speech in New Hampshire last night.
• Writer’s Strike– I don’t really watch enough television to really be affected, but I’m amused by Hollywood getting a taste of its own medicine. It would be nice to have the late night and SNL writers back… And “Heroes”… And “The Office.”
•  Steroids in Baseball– And I thought it 100% natural for 40 year+ men to throw 96 mph split-finger fastballs and people to have arms with a larger circumference than their head…

That’s all I’ve got time for now. With my work, I’m sure I’ll get back to my usual dribble of business and political commentary. Also, with my new Blackberry 8830 I’ll utilize twitter (see side bar) for more routine updates.

PS: Just watched the UT men’s basketball team win against Ole Miss at the buzzer. Go Vols!