Well I woke up today to fresh snow and tundra weather. It is 0 degrees Fahrenheit and a far cry from the weather my life is used to in sunny California. The trade off is a much calmer way of life than I'm used to, (well if you don't include the chaos that Christmas drug through). It has been a great trip though... hanging with the fam. I may even meet up with a good buddy from the Denver days. While he resides somewhere in the US Midwest, his parents are cordially blessed to deal with this fridged weather permenantly, as they live just minutes south of the Canada/US border. New Years also proves to be a possible blood pressure increaser because I have been asked to sit in on bass for the band The Tailgate Outlaws. There is a new line up this year. Jen Martens will be doing all of the Singing, Kevin Earl will be on Drums/Guitar, Mike Martens will be on Guitar/Drums, and me I will be on Bass and will sing a cover called Mr. Brightside. TGO will be the musical entertainment for the slighly, locally famous, New Years party at Andy and Jen Martens of Morden.



TGO



Here is the song line-up:
Hit me with your best shot - Pat Benatar
Umbrella - Rihanna
I kissed a girl - Katy Perry
So what - Pink
Unbelievable - EMF
Mr Bright side - The Killers

It is always a good time, many people coming together that haven't seen each other all year much food ...much drink... and then we watch the ball drop.

Lost in transit Christmas EP 2008 - "When the snow is gone"

"When the snow is gone" is the latest release from Lost in transit. It is a short Christmas EP. It definitely is a deviation, stylistically, from the usual Lost in transit style... The other point to make is that, contrary to the Self-titled 2007 EP "Lost in transit", "When the snow is gone" was not a solo project... Olyvia Franklin was involved in the writing and recording process.
Tracks:
-When the snow is gone
-Oh come Emmanuel
The track, "When the snow is gone", is an original. It has a catchy 1-2 beat and is mostly comprised of piano, organ, with a minor accompaniment of strings.
"Oh come Emmanuel" is an old carol that we put a new twist on. The vocal melody is the same as the original version but the music and arrangement have been re-created.
-- This EP is available for purchase through snocap.

Big trip and "summer like" Christmas

So I checked the weather where we are flying tomorrow (our flight leaves at 6AM)... ya here you go

Winnipeg Weather

Winnipeg Time

...quite the contrast to the balmy 50F, here in California. What a shock it will be when we hop out of that warm plane onto the tarmac. ...oh blessed tundra. Although Christmas is kind of a rip off here in the sunny state. I was walking down a road, overly strung with Christmas decorations, the other day, and I had to chuckle to myself at the painted sheets of plywood laying in peoples lawns that were supposed to represent snow. Christmas here is like a Hollywood set. We try to "make" winter. You have to wear coats, gloves, and scarfs almost as a costume... you don't really need them, we just wear them because it makes us feel "wintery"...or so we hope... as we sweat away the day, bundled up. Anyway... Merry Christmas... and have a great New Year.

Today, Dec. 1st, is World AIDS Day. 2008 marks the 20th anniversary of this world wide 'Stop AIDS' campaign.

"The WAC was established to support and promote a global campaign on HIV and AIDS. The campaign strengthens and connects together many of the AIDS-related advocacy and campaigns happening in our countries and regions – each are supported by a multitude of groups who are demanding that their governments and other key stakeholders deliver on previous promises and commitments on HIV and AIDS. The civil society-led WAC campaign targets politicians and policy-makers countries most affected by HIV as well as donor governments, international agencies such as those of the United Nations, as well as civil society. It supports people and organizations to work together more closely, unite and soundly advocate at the national and international levels, so the campaign can deepen the partnership for a stronger response to AIDS."

www.worldaidscampaign.org