Due to some more bad scheduling, the band wasn't able to rehearse today. Frank was incommunicado and when I finally tracked him down, it was too late to schedule anything. He's supposed to be back in Athens to stay starting tonight. It should make our lives a lot easier...I hope.

Joe came over and we worked pretty hard. We decided to pull "Goodbye Tuesday" together and his harmonies are perfect on it. I couldn't do 'em better. It's so nice working with people that can do it so easily. I can't say how thankful I am to have Joe around. We then began our discussions about image, the future, our plans and how we're going to get to them. It was good for us. About halfway through Frank wandered in looking worn out. The three of us seem to be of a like mind. Let's just hope the fourth will join us and we'll be home free.

Sometime around 10 pm, everyone took off at which time I realized I hadn't eaten. I had a late dinner about the time Amanda returned with her co-conspirator Sarah. Sarah then hung around for about a half hour. Then it was crashing time again.

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Yellow Shirt Man gets his question in to the panel.

Alright, I'm okay today. Yesterday just kind of sucked. In the morning, I did some work on this sight. Then I was off to my shoot. When I got to the big music business seminar at UGA, Joe was there waiting on me. That was a good feeling. I introduced him to some of the movers and shakers and we settled in for three very informative panels. The first one had great info but was a little dull if truth be told. Joe wound up taking off after that one which was kind of a shame because the next one was great! Like I always say, enthusiasm is contagious. The third panel was technical but still entertaining. I learned a lot today and got reacquainted with a lot of friends I haven't seen in a while.

Joe and I had discussed getting together tonight but I was just too tired. Instead, I edited pics while Amanda went to an early play downtown. For once, we were in bed at bed time and got a decent night's sleep.

No sleep last night. Was out of bed at 5:45 am working. Exhausted and out of it due to Amanda's not being able to sleep. She came home at 2. We went for an early dinner. To relax she watched Napoleon Dynamite and some Meerkat Manor before crashing.

I was supposed to be photo'ing The New Cars and Berlin. I can't believe I didn't get to go. I just felt it was unsafe for both of us to be traveling that far in the condition we're in. Plus, I've got a shoot for most of the day tomorrow that I need to be able to handle.

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Thursday September 7, 2006

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRANDMA!

Today all I can think about is where I'm not. I wanna be home with my Grandmother celebrating her birthday but I can't. It actually physically hurts that I can't be there. I spent my day reflecting on all she's been and done for me for my whole life. When I think of all the things she's done for me that she didn't have to do, I'm awed. She's a big part of who I am and will be. For God's sake, she taught me to play guitar and sing (especially harmony).

I love you, Grandma and hope you're having the best day that you can.

On the sad side, I don't think a single person visited her today even though she has a flood of so-called loved ones within a 10 mile radius of her. What can I say? I can't believe people can be so cold. I will never be that. If I can ease suffering and help out, I will. It's so sad when you can't see past yourself. Well, I called and had a nice conversation with her in the evening. Amanda talked to her and Amanda's parents checked in by phone too. As for the rest...

I spent my day editing and uploading. If you wanna see what I got last night, here's the place.

You can see my pics of Snow Patrol here.

My pics of the opener, Augustana are here.

Joe and I had a decent conversation tonight too. He's ready to go and enthusiastic. That's what I need to hear. It amps me up. When the Darlings come back better than ever, he'll be the man to thank!

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I had to spend way too much of my day making space on my computer. Since I've had so little time for keeping caught up lately, I've filled everything. I'm also trying to figure a way to clear space on the VS-880 because there are a lot of new demos that need to be done. I'm going to need to buy another external harddrive I believe.

In the evening, Amanda and I went out to photo Snow Patrol's tour opener at the Tabernacle. They've already cancelled Atlanta twice this year due to illness so when their equipment got lost this time, they decided to rent equipment to not have to cancel again. Unfortunately, the equipment was quite defective. The guitar tones were off and the amps kept crackling and going out. Gary Lightbody called it the "most petrifying night of my life". The bass player actually went nuts and began pounding his amp with his bass. It wasn't petulant and ridiculous either. It was justified. When one of the rented guitars wouldn't get in line, Gary gave up and handed to someone in the front row and then promised that any piece of equipment that broke down from then on would be given to the audience. After that, nothing else broke down. The show was certainly interesting and a unique one. Thank God Molly Sandman was there to straighten out the pre-show credential issues. Now if only I had my D-200 back, I'd be doing okay. The D-100 worked alright under the circumstances but I did lose shots I would've gotten. It was kind of frustrating...

By the way, you know the problems with our bass player. Well, as it turns out our drummer is now in therapy a minimum of 3 days a week due to that hand injury he suffered a month or so ago. It's been a rough time for the Darlings rhythm section lately.

I'd like to think "the universe" is telling 'em to get back to Athens but it doesn't make it reality.

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My latest Pollstar cover. It's been a while since the last and I'm proud to have another one.

I'm still sore today. Don't it figure? Still, even if I'm not used to it, it really wasn't that hard work and I'm happy to have done it. Today was a traveling day. So after saying our goodbyes, we headed back to Athens. When I got back, I had the new Pollstar in the mail. To my delight, I had the cover shot!

I spoke to Frank briefly and he was apparently in a wreck that totaled his transportation. As he lost his transportation about the time his old reality began crumbling earlier this year, he's looking at this in a positive way. He says "The universe is reversing itself".

He's moving back to Athens on Sunday and he'll be back. When he's back, the Critical Darlings will be.

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Monday September 4, 2006

Amanda and her sis take in the Pavilion's Hurricane one last time. They're in the back seats of the 2nd car.

Happy Labor Day!

We woke up today to some bad news. Apparently, "The Croc Hunter", Steve Irwin was killed by a stingray in a freak accident off the coast of Australia. I can't say I was a big fan or anything but I always appreciated his enthusiasm and love of nature. I've a feeling he will be missed more than people may have thought a week ago...

Today, I was a man on a mission. I had to get Amanda and her sister to the Myrtle Beach Pavilion before it closes for its final season. We all spent a lot of time there growing up. My Dad used to take me there. My Mom and the whole family went there a few years back and had a blast. At least 3 consecutive generations of my family loved that place. It sucks that its being closed but that's business. We're not gonna let it go without saying goodbye though.

So after my swing by the cemetery and my Grandmother's house, the 3 of us took of for the beach. We got there in the late afternoon and took our time getting to the park. First we went to this Chinese buffet place on restaurant row. Amanda and I used to go there but it wasn't Chinese. Plus - it used to have a great view of the Intracoastal Waterway and its wildlife. On top of that, they played all this great '60s AM pop music. Now they've been sold, they're an okay Chinese buffet with no view or real ambience. They did have a truly, truly bizarre gift shop with some of the weirdest things I've ever seen. There were some cool examples of Engrish, too. Amanda couldn't leave without buying a couple of more reticulated wooden snakes. She got a cobra and a big honkin' python. She named the cobra Nagaina and the python Irwin. They'll be on display with the rest when we get home.

When we got downtown, we wandered the streets, walked along the beach and even shot some pool. I've never played worse in my life (literally). I blame the soreness in my hands from all the mowing yesterday. We finally wandered over to the Pavilion at about 6. When we got to the gate, Amanda almost freaked out. Apparently, the park was closing at 7 tonight (It's a school night!). Oops!

Still, they got their tickets and ran for it. Considering they only had an hour, they made the most of it. I took pictures of them on the rides. The weather was perfect and they didn't spend too much time in lines. They rode on everything that they felt like they had to ride. They even rode some things twice. I considered going on the log flume with Amanda just like we did just before we started dating but I decided that I'd rather not. I'd rather know that the last time I did it, I didn't know would be the last time. I'm not a big fan of goodbyes. But I am a big fan of documentation. So I documented.

I believe they had a great time but as the sun sunk down and the ocean began to reflect all the colors of dusk, it was time to leave. We all took a couple of last longing looks, turned our backs and headed out. It was definitely bitter sweet. But I'm glad we did it.

We got home about 11 pm, tired and triumphant.

Click here for not all that much to write about for a change...

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