Blue October's new album

Many of you know that I am a huge Blue October fan. I've been to over 20 of their shows, many of which were at the old Music Box in Omaha. So, I've been following the band since roughly 2002. Tuesday, March 24th, Blue is releasing their 5th studio album. Their first single on the album, "Dirt Room," highlights why Blue is such an incredible band. Check out some of their more popular songs..."Hate Me, Into the Ocean, Calling You, 18th Floor Balcony, HRSA, Breakfast After 10, Inner Glow, and Italian Radio." Seriously, these guys put on a great concert and have a large following here in Nebraska. In fact, they added a second show at Socol in April. You should really get a ticket to see them.
The band engages the audience in the form of inspiration, amazement, and excitement. They congregate an audience with a passion for their music and the meaning behind their lyrics. They've taught me that not everything needs to be perfect nor will it be. It's about feeling "independently happy" and knowing that the "weight of the world" is not a sole burden. Favorite lyric = "To kill a young man's point of view is to kill his only friend." BLUE!

Engaged!

Wanted to fill you in on some FUN news via the blog. As of Feb. 14th (Valentine's Day), Sarah and I are engaged...to be married, of course! However, we occasionally "engage" in thumb wars in which she has to cheat to win (she uses her index finger). I digress...
I'm sure you're wondering, how did you propose? I will provide a brief narrative. We had just returned home from a Valentine's Day dinner sponsored by our church. I had pictures strategically arranged around the house in the form of a scavenger hunt. The hunt for the beautiful ring started with the roses on the kitchen counter. Written instructions next to the flowers stated that she should follow the pictures, arrows, and music. Sarah correctly followed these items to the spare bedroom where I had her sit down. There, I sang and played a "romantic" song on guitar. By the way, I wrote half of it myself...the rest was compliments of Blue October. Following the song, Sarah was almost crying, but not yet. I then began expressing my deepest sentiments and love (ahhhhhh). Here is where she started crying a little. I got down on one knee and proposed. This is the part when she said, "Yes."
We spent the next few hours calling immediate family, taking pictures, and sipping champagne. Oh, and Sarah dedicated much of this time to admiring her ring.
So that's the FUN news from Lincoln.

Ride'n at Breck in CO

A recent trip to the mountains of Colorado was nothing but fantastic. Greg, my buddy from California, and I visited the resorts of Keystone, Vail, and Breckenridge for 3 days of snowboarding. Luckily, we arrived just after snow had fallen, then we got more freshies the night before our last day. Fresh pow and the Colorado mountains...very nice!