Thanks Doc

In March 2006 Dr. Little performed his second surgery on my brain. This removed a tumor approximately the size of a grown woman's fist from the deepest caverns of the left side of my head. This surgery took more than 10 hours to perform and touched upon some of the most sensitive areas of the brain dealing with language.

Following the surgery, swelling affected these areas of language and led to a couple of weeks of me slurring words and at times saying words that in no way were associated with what I was trying to say. As a result, Dr. Little prescribed some speech therapy, occupational therapy, and neuro-psychology visits. Though I found almost no use in the speech therapy and occupational therapy, I found that my neuro-psychologist was a very motivating man.

In getting to know me, he discovered my passion for music. I love seeing concerts, listening to all kinds of music, and even writing about music. However, I've never been good at playing the guitar even though I've tried on several occasions. The doctor pointed out that having had two rather large tumors removed from my brain was significant towards my learning process.

As you've probably heard, the brain develops certain pathways to handle specific kinds of thoughts. Since I've had two tumors growing in my head for years, my brain had to alter its pathways to adjust to my learning patterns. Since these weren't the most direct ways, my brain wasn't being as efficient as possible even though I've always been near or at the tops of my classes. So my neuro-psychologist suggested attempting to learn the guitar again.

That was a wonderful prescription from my doctor. Since I didn't have a guitar, he said to go out and purchase one, which I did. I went out and bought the squire version of the Stratocaster. A nice place to start learning again. With my friend, Patrick's, lessons I was on my way toward becoming a much improved player. So I messed around with that guitar for about 6 months, learning what I could and sounding better all the time.

Now musical experts say that playing music isn't all about your equipment, thank God because the Squier Stratocaster is pretty cheap, but they also say that it is important to really bond with your instrument because it fits well both in size, sound, and easiness of play. This is what my Strat looks like. She's a beauty, but made out of some pretty cheap materials. Thus, it's not the easiest guitar to play and it isn't the best sounding.


Now in my search for a new guitar, there were three main criteria. First, the guitar had to sound good while being easy to play. Second, it had to have a cool look and feel to it to encourage me to play it. Finally, the price had to fit within my range, which was less than $1,000. So I did a bunch of research online into specific styles, their sounds, and price. Then I headed out into that great big world of guitars with a short list to try.

While at Guitar Center this Sunday, I had to try more than 30 guitars out. Many of these met my criteria. Finally, I noticed the following Gibson/Epiphone ES-335 Elitist.



Gibson, which now owns Epiphone has a long history. The company produced its first guitar in 1894 and was an instant success. It made its first electric guitar in 1938. Gibson was owned by Chicago Musical Instruments (CMI) and in the late 1950s, partly as a result of a guitar made by Less Paul, purchased Epiphone, which had been making stringed instruments since 1887.

This purchase created an interesting mix of guitars. At first, guitars were made using standard Gibson bodies along with Epiphone parts. Then in the 1960s Gibson/Epiphones were made using Gibson bodies and parts, thus making the guitars produced during this period truly Gibsons. Now Gibson lets Epiphone handle the entire deal.

While looking at the ES-335 Elitist, it became obvious that even the modern ones made by Epiphone are worth $1,300. However, at the Guitar Center, I realized that the model I was looking at was really from 1963 and was really a Gibson. When I got it home, I checked serial numbers out on-line and found out that this was the real deal. Searching through on-line ads made me realize that the top end price for a true Gibson was $11,999. That's $11,399 more than I paid for mine.

Besides the great bargain that I received on it, it also felt wonderful, and sounded great while being easy to play. Thanks guitar gods for leading me to this instrument.

Let Michigan In!

Playing a sport requires tons of sacrifice, especially if you play a sport like college football. It's bad that college football players have to go through grueling "two a day" practices in the hottest months of the year and be hit by players with the strength of Hercules and the speed of the Flash. However, the worst circumstance surrounding the sport is that corporate greed keeps Division I-AA from having any sort of logical playoff system. Schools and the NCAA seem hesitant to give up traditional money bowl games just to have a playoff to see who is champion.

As a result, the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) has developed. It's a half-ass attempt to logically compare schedules, victories, and points via computer to create the official rankings to determine Number 1 and 2 teams. This sounds good, but it never really lets the championship be decided on the field in a straight-up tournament style.

For example, this year the Number 1 team has been the Ohio State Buckeyes all season. This team has dominated everyone they played, except Michigan who hung within three points of them. They've taken apart Texas (last year's champs), Penn State, Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, and Northwestern.

Picking the Number 2 team has been the difficult point. Of course for the last four seasons everyone has had a hard-on for the University of Southern California (USC) Trojans. Deservedly so, the Trojans have won the 03 and 04 national championships while losing to Texas in 05's championship game following a miraculous comeback led by Vince Young. Be that as it may, the University of Michigan Wolverines seem to be getting screwed regarding this year's championship game. Michigan has only lost one game this year, just as USC did; however, they lost to the Number 1 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio. Meanwhile, USC lost to Number 24 ranked Oregon State at USC.

What I don't understand is how the weekend following Thanksgiving after beating Notre Dame, USC moved from third in the BCS rankings to second with Michigan slipping to third. Grant it, beating Notre Dame is a big accomplishment that I relish seeing, but both Michigan and USC beat Notre Dame this season. As a matter of fact, Michigan beat Notre Dame by 26 points with a score of 47 to 21. USC beat Notre Dame by 20 points, 44 to 24. Not only did Michigan beat Notre Dame by more points than USC did, but they did it under harder circumstances marching into Notre Dame's sacred South Bend, IN home with the game being played under the watchful gaze of Touchdown Jesus. USC had the luxury of beating Notre Dame under the sunny skies of Southern California. Where would you rather play Notre Dame? And how can such a victory catapult USC over Michigan to play in the National Championship game?

Some people claim that if you don't win your conference, you shouldn't be able to play for the championship. But if your conference is the toughest in college football and the BCS just lines up the top two teams, then there's nothing standing in the way for Ohio State vs. Michigan for the championship unless USC's marketing is really the key.

For instance, there are only eight teams in the nation that have one or less losses. Three of these teams, Ohio State, Michigan, and Wisconsin, are members of the Big 10. Prior to their narrow loss to Ohio State, the University of Michigan had given Wisconsin its only loss of the year. They were also the first team to give Notre Dame a loss this year and they did it at ND while the club was playing well. USC hasn't beaten any one-loss clubs, but they have beaten a 10-2 Arkansas, 9-3 Nebraska, 8-3 California as well as Notre Dame.

It seems to me that bias for USC or against Michigan/Big Ten is messing up this year's BCS Championship. Sure, Michigan lost to Ohio State, but on the road in Columbus. Who knows if that game was played in Michigan, would Big Blue have won. We should at least get the chance to see what would happen if the powerhouses played on a neutral field, but the BCS rankings at this juncture of the season won't let us. Our only hope to see the true National Championship Game is to hope the USC loses to UCLA in the final week and the BCS raises Michigan back to Number 2.

Feeling Thankless on Thanksgiving Day

Sure, Thanksgiving is an American holiday created to show the Lord how thankful everyone is for the gifts that we've been given. So how do you celebrate it if the last year has basically been a disaster for you? That is how I'm feeling this Thanksgiving. Not that I'm not thankful for my life or for what God has done for me all these years, but since last Thanksgiving life has felt more like a constant test of whether I'll live or die.

To start off with, when people think of me, they generally think of a physically impressive man with tons of strength and a wide array of physical abilities. Coming into this year, I was able to bench press more than 350 lbs, squat more than 500 lbs, and dead-lift nearly 500 lbs. Basically, that's stronger than many pro football players.

Many sports also came easy to me and I easily achieved a respected status at them. I was captain of my college rugby team and was named to the Midwest select side team. In high school, I also captained my wrestling team and won M.V.P. honors. Before that I was a all-star baseball player on several levels of Little League and Babe Ruth. I also ran track in grade school being very competitive in shot put, discus, hurdles, the 400, and as the anchor man of the 4 x 100 relay. I even held the league's highest average in several years of bowling. Don't get me wrong, I've never been obsessed with these achievements, they have always been just a part of who I am along with being an honors student and even receiving two awards for my work as an editor in the textbook publishing field.

Over the past 10 years, I've become interested in, almost obsessed with, cycling. I've learned to mountain bike some of the hardest trails around and have even managed to ride to Bogus Basin, the ski resort located nearly 4,000 vertical feet above Boise. However, last Thanksgiving I flew to Georgia to stay at my sister's mountain house but became ill during the trip. It seemed like migraines so that is the way the doctors started treatment. By January 5th some problems had become obvious with my right eye, such as the lid drooping and having a sort of tunnel vision. So my doctor sent me for a CAT Scan and MRI on that day. Then he had me come back to his office and informed me that there were two tumors in my head.

The following day, I visited Dr. Little. He's a young neurosurgeon and an incredible man and surgeon. He has an ability that few neurosurgeons have. He doesn't talk down to you and he's willing to work his butt off to make you better. From the MRI that he showed me and my medical writer friend, Chris, it was obvious that the two tumors were friggin huge. They appeared as giant black orbs in my head. Dr. Little thought that the one affecting the eye may have burst already, so he scheduled surgery to remove the tumor for the following day, January 7th. It's funny because all of my life I've been a relatively tough guy, but just finding out that I was having brain surgery turned me into a weeping mess. I didn't just cry that day, the tears seemed to keep coming for weeks and even months.

The 9 hour surgery was a partial success. Dr. Little was able to remove most of the tumor, but since it was growing out of the third cranial nerve, he had to leave a portion of it in my head so as to keep the nerve intact. That would give this poor writer/editor an opportunity to use that eye again. My recovery from the surgery was fairly remarkable and by the end of January I was even out riding my bike again. These weren't 30 to 50 mile rides as before but ranged from 5 to 10 miles. My idol, Lance Armstrong, would have been proud of the effort.

Perhaps the hardest part of the first surgery was ending up with a right eye that didn't work. The lid wouldn't open, the eyeball faced out the side of my head, and my pupil always remains dilated so that even if the eye would open, there'd be too much light to see.

My second surgery was on March 14th. The tumor was supposedly the furthest into someone's head that Dr. Little had ever gone. It was about the size of my sister's fist, which is scary for something growing inside your head. Once again, after a few tough weeks of adjustment, I was back on the bike again. I even went to Yellowstone to ride the park with the roads closed to general traffic. This occurred on April 14th. Unfortunately, I took a good fall from my bike, which set my progress back.

The problems that arose from this fall included significant swelling of the head, a discharge of cerebral spinal fluid, and infection, which led to having a significant portion of my skull removed to allow it to heal. Since I now had a hole in the protective layer covering my brain, I was given a custom designed helmet to wear to protect my head for the summer. It was actually just a professional level hockey helmet, with some minor adjustments that cost a shitload of money. Boy was it unpleasant to have to wear around on 90 to 100 degree days.

In June and July I had to endure 26 sessions of radiation to attempt to knock out what was left of the first tumor. These sessions cut my energy level drastically and even gave me a bald spot on top of my head. Once these were finished, I had the easiest surgery of all in which a fake skull-like material, similar to Bondo, was used to form my head. After a few more weeks, I was back on my bike a bit. I even rode in the Fat Tire bike parade dressed as Elvis. Boy it's hard riding with about 1,000 people when you cannot see out of your eye.

On November 17th, Dr. Little went back into my head to remove the third cranial nerve, so that that first schwannoma tumor would be completely gone. The main reason for this is because even after significant testing of the tumor at Emory University and the Mayo Clinic, doctors cannot conclude that it isn't cancerous. They don't think it is cancerous, but there are enough unusual variants that cancer cannot be ruled out.

Following this surgery, Dr. Little informed me that a portion of the tumor had migrated to the brain stem in an inoperable spot. He set up an MRI and CAT scan for the following day. He then determined that in 6 weeks I'd have another MRI and that we'd use the data from that to go in and finish off the tumor with a massive dose of radiation. This surgery left me looking like this:


However, with how much my life has been affected this year, I feel like this:


So enough feeling thankless on Thanksgiving. This year has demonstrated for me how many people around the country, no matter what religion really love me and have been praying for me. The efforts my friends and family have made, show me that even though life isn't looking so bright right now, there's still a lot of opportunity that lays ahead for me.

In January I'll return to school after 15 years to start a masters in technical communications program. This should utilize my experience as an editor/writer as well as teach me the skills needed for web and page design. Hopefully, once I'm back on my feet, I'll feel like this:

Hi Ho Cindy Away

Some people are cursed by families that just have no idea what it means to be family. Not me, my family really knows what it means to stick together and to go out of your way to help one another. This picture is from March 2006, when my sister Cindy came to town to help me recover from my second brain surgery of the year. Like the Lone Ranger relying on Silver, my sister has been a constant source of support and humor.

Here's where here legendary tale begins. On January 6th of this year, Cindy and I found out that I needed an emergency brain surgery the following day. She flew all the way from Florida to Idaho and was there by the time I got out of surgery on the 7th. My brother John also made the journey in the same time frame but from Chicago.

Cindy stayed with me for about two weeks and got me out and about, mostly shopping but there was very little else I was able to do. She kept me happy and took over the responsibilities of giving me my medicine and cleaning up after my horrible streak of vomiting. By the time Cindy left, I seemed well on my way to healing. She gave way to my Aunt Monie and Uncle Roy, who also flew up from Florida. They were great company and really understood how to be friends at a time when I really needed that help.

However, within a few weeks, I found out that another brain surgery was needed, this time on March 14th. Cindy, John, and my parents all made it out here this time. The above photo was taken on a trip from Boise to Lowman to Banks, and back to Boise that my brother, sister, and I took the day before my second surgery.

Again, I healed quickly and was even out riding my bike a little bit by the end of March. It seemed like I had beaten the tumors. Feeling awesome, I even went on a trip to Yellowstone with my friends for some bike riding through the park when the roads were closed to traffic. Everything went well on my ride right up to the time that I pulled into the parking lot of my hotel. At that moment, I wiped out. Immediately after that, my feeling good went to feeling bad.

In late April an infection developed in my head, making it swell in quite a grotesque manner. Again, my sister Cindy was here in Boise the very next day. This infection led to two hospitalizations to treat it. Cindy was here again for another two weeks. As a result of the infection, a portion of my skull was removed and I was forced to wear a custom helmet at all times to protect my head.

To make matters worse, an MRI revealed that the schwannoma was growing back at an alarming rate. This meant that doctors would have to start radiation on my head, leading to a longer time before putting in some fake skull to replace the portion they took out. I'd have to wait until radiation ended to replace that portion of skull.

In mid-August Cindy once again flew out to help me through the surgery in which Dr. Little reconstructed my head. All went well this time, and within a couple of weeks, Cindy and I were able to have a bit of fun, seeing some bands, etc.

To my surprise an MRI that I took in October revealed my pesky schwannoma was once again growing back at an alarming rate. Dr. Little let me know that we'd have to remove it. Since my third cranial nerve wasn't healing, he'll have to take out the entire nerve. Since this is the source of the tumor, Dr. Little believes it shouldn't grow back once the nerve is removed.

Once again my sister was right on the ball and is coming out here to help out. She even booked a flight which she had to change when the surgery was postponed. Knowing that Cindy is coming makes me realize that I'm in good hands. I cannot possibly thank her enough for everything she's done and will do for me.

God bless you Cindy. I appreciate you more than you'll ever know and am proud that you're my older, oh I mean younger sister!

Borat a Blast

Many Americans are hung up with being politically correct, so hung up that they refuse to see the humor in certain comedy especially comedy poking fun at life in the United States. Borat is a movie that requires a willingness to accept the politically incorrect in order to enjoy the fun. What makes this movie so good is that it pokes fun at everybody.

This sensational full-length mocumentary features Sacha Baron Cohen who plays a kazakhstani journalist sent to the United States to find out what life is like in the good ole' U.S. The real humor comes from the fact that Cohen actually went from place to place playing this culturally bizarre Kazak. From New York to Los Angeles he entertains in various ways, such as constantly kissing every male who tries to interview him, singing the Kazak national anthem to the tune of the U.S. anthem at a rodeo, bringing a hooker to a gathering of cultural elites, and trying to put Pamela Anderson in a sack so that he can marry her.

Numerous people have raised a fuss because Borat isn't sensitive to many cultures, but that's the entire point of the film. Cohen uses the role of the Kazak journalist to show how his cultural background interferes with his interactions with alls sorts of Americans. He makes the audience realize that lots of negagive sterotypes that we hear about other cultures are just plain wrong or misunderstood.

So take the chance and go and see Borat. You won't be disappointed. Just beware the wrestling scene, I'm still waking up in the middle of the night in cold sweats with that visual in my head.

Black Lipstick

When you think of Black Lipstick, images of people dressed in Goth fashion come to mind. However, if you're lucky enough to have heard of Austin's experimental band, Black Lipstick, sounds reminescent of Velvet Underground or Luna come to mind. Their simple experimental sound eventually transforms into straight on groove. It's an amazing mix of sound combining fuzz and wha wha into smooth melodies, especially when the piano takes charge.

The Austin-based band was first formed by Travis Higdon and Phillip Niemeyer formerly of the Kiss Offs and Nigh Vandals. They share the guitar and vocal work. In the late 90s they asked Leslie Sisson to play bass and piano and Elizabeth Nottingham to handle drums and other vocals. By 2001 Black Lipstick was touring nationally and even landed a spot at South by Southwest.

Sincerely, Black Lipstick is the band's third effort. It evokes images of the Feelies, Yo La Tango, Velvet Underground, and Luna. The song "B.O.B.F.O.S.S.E." is best described in All Music Guide as "Fuzz Pop" and clearly lets the listener know where this CD is headed. In "No Mercy" the piano play and tempo of the song just scream we love the Velvet Underground, and Black Lipstick know how to show it. Perhaps the greatest song on the CD is "All Night Long Together." It combines the best elements of Black Lipstick's sound, such as sound changes, rhythm, and lyrics, yet is nearly lost so close to the end of the CD.

So if you get the chance, check out Black Lipstick. So far, I haven't seen them live, but have been blown away by their recorded material. However, having lived for six years in Austin, I know that musicians from there really learn how to play. So seeing Black Lipstick live should be amazing.

A little hot springin'

All hot springs have a source. It can be a small underground stream or a large geothermal area like this one just past Vulcan Hot Springs. This geothermal area has steam rising up that is visible from at least 100 yards away. Its bubbling pools remind one of Yellowstone. Water from these pools bubbles into little streams that mix with the creek forming the hot spring below.


Although many hot springs aren't deep enough to cover your entire body when sitting, Vulcan will cover you and a good number of your friends up to your necks. Speaking of being covered, official Forest Service policy prohibits nudity at hot springs. However, a generally common practice that occurs is the first people to arrive at the springs determine whether or not to wear clothes.


Some hot springs require a considerable amount of work to keep running. Vulcan contains a small dam. Others use river rocks to form tub walls. Some springs utilize pcv pipe to run water to built tubs. The main courtesy to keep in mind is that generally it's best to leave the adjustments up to the people who did the main work. It's ok to let in cold or hot water to adjust temperature, but in general, it's best to leave no trace in the area.

This is my first entry on hot springs. In the future I'll try to describe specific springs and the features of each.

Built to Thrill

On this cold Halloween night Boiseans swarmed out of the cold and into the Egyptian Theatre to glance a look at Boise's only major label recording stars, Built to Spill, led by local legend Doug Martsch. But first they would have to wait for what in Boise could sometimes be misery, the opening act.

Fortunately, this time the opener was locally renowned band, Dirt Fisherman, which on Halloween featured Jim Morrison, Howard Stern, and three other creatures from beyond the grave. The band rotated performers often featuring Gina Gregerson and KT Shanafelt as driving forces on their Gibsons. Well at other times they'd bring in frontman David Grapp (Jim Morrison) on his Strat, while one of the ladies would sing as the other played guitar.

The crowd seemed to favor the double Gibson barrage that the ladies put on. The driving beat at times sort of grungish and times a little punk caught the attention of the crowd waiting to see BTS. When Grapp entered the stage, he at times seemed on while at others didn't seem to be taking the show seriously, maybe too much Jim Morrison filled his soul. As the Fishermen worked through their set, you could sense the crowd's energy growing in anticipation of Built to Spill.

While Built to Spill set up stage, you knew they meant business as evidenced by the three Strats across the front. From the first note the band took off with their melodic, jamming, yet almost hypnotizing music. From the first note the crowd knew it had chosen the right place to be on Halloween. As Borat, Wayne and Garth, and a superhero named Tony moved to the sounds BTS made, it became obvious that the three guitarists were more concerned with working together to form a driving groove for the crowd, rather than fighting among one another to be Johnny extended solo. That cooperation rather than competion was beautiful to see especially with three such talented guitarists-Doug Martsch (guitar and vocals), Brett Netson (guitar formerly from Caustic Resin, and a guitarist that I didn't know. Any one of these guys could have impressed the crowd by himself.

The show was amazing from beginning to end. They hit one of my favorites, The Plan from Keep it Like a Secret, in just their second song . They casually moved between older and newer music playing just about everything the crowd wanted to hear from Keep it Like a Secret's You Were Right to Goin' Against Your Mind from You in Reverse.

As the show ended with Randy Described Eternity (I Think), happy Boiseans filed back outside into the cold night air. Walking back to my rig, I wondered when Boise would have its next good show. While thinking about it I realized that good shows seem to be coming through more often than when I first moved here four years ago. That is definetly a blessing and so is Built to Spill!