Saturday, November 27, 2010

Nutty Putty Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving we were short six people: two of our sons and their wives and two grandkids.  But, we gained four through a happy circumstance.  Matt's wife's sister is friends with two young men who are bicycling the width of the country from Huntington Beach, Virginia to San Diego, California, with two other friends.  It just so happened that their path led through El Paso and that they would arrive the afternoon before Thanksgiving.  We happily offered them rooms and Thanksgiving dinner with us.
I knew they would be interesting to talk to, but they surpassed my expectations.  Dan, Eric, Jon and Oliver are four of the nicest young men you could ever wish to meet.  They are all BYU students, but they have taken off a semester to do this ride for the adventure and for charity.  Dan's sister, Emily, was widowed a year ago yesterday when her husband was stuck upside down while exploring a cave and died.  She was left with a 13 month old daughter and pregnant.  Dan wanted to help his sister so that she could go back to school, but she told him people had already been so generous in helping her that she hoped he could help other widows with young children. So, they signed up with the Liz Logelin Foundation and they have raised over $7000 already.

They are called the Nutty Putty Cyclists because it was the Nutty Putty cave where Dan's brother-in-law died. They have a website at http://nuttyputtycyclers.com/. If you click on this link and then click on the word blog you can read about their adventures. There is also a map showing their trail and you can even donate to their worthy cause.

These guys had ridden across empty West Texas before arriving in El Paso and had ridden 110 miles the day before.  Yet, they got up early and ran in a Thanksgiving 5K race here in El Paso and one of them came in 2nd in their age group.  After they came home from that they went with Bill and Chelsea and helped clean up after the annual Thanksgiving parade which is what our stake does every year.

The next morning, since they were only going to Las Cruces and spend the night with some people there, they left at 11am and Bill and I rode with them.  We rode a little over 9 miles with them when Bill got a flat tire.  They fixed it for us, they're quite expert by this time, and although we had considered riding all the way to Cruces, I had talked to our kids and everyone had gathered again for left-overs so we decided to turn back and spend time with the family. 


Later we took Emma to see "Tangled" at the movies.

I hated to see those boys go.  They were so incredibly nice and helpful and polite and thoughtful.  It was a pleasure to be with them and I look forward to reading about their further adventures.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

It's here!

The day we've been waiting for has finally arrived!
WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD is available NOW at iTunes, AmazonMP3 & at our Official Online Store.  Or buy a physical copy of the EP at www.brickmanmedia.com/afterdaybreakstore  You can click on this link and it will take you there.  I've already downloaded the album and have been listening to it non-stop.  You won't be disappointed!  The voices of each of the three young men are beautiful and the harmonies they arranged are heavenly.  The three are such great musicians alone.  Together they are unbelievable!

DEBUT ALBUM available NOW worldwide! (click on album cover BELOW for OFFICIAL ONLINE STORE!)


Release Date:U.S. Release: November 9, 2010
Label:Bandhouse Music Group

Synopsis

Debut project from the classical crossover/pop trio: Drew Boushka, Daniel Fritch and David Beck.

.Track Listings

1 WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD

2 ADESTE FIDELES (O Come All Ye Faithful)

3 WORTH

4 O HOLY NIGHT (Cantique de Noël)

5 THE LORD'S PRAYER

6 DREAM ON

I can't decide which is my favorite.  But, "Worth" and "Dream On" are in my top three. That's Drew's voice at the beginning of "Worth" in case you can't tell.
 
Now, this what's really important.  Their next step, career-wise is getting on other labels. As their manager/producer put it: "I have been talking to several folks about licensing our next record (which will be the "Wonderful World" CD expanded to a full CD, but without the Christmas songs) with foreign labels. This is the next step we will be taking career-wise, to start working with labels outside the U.S. They will actually be promoting and marketing AFTER DAYBREAK in foreign territories, and setting up opportunities for career growth, radio and TV opportunities, and eventually, touring. Our sales numbers are VERY important for these labels...another reason why we MUST have a great first week. "
 
So, please, don't wait!  Buy the album for Christmas presents-because it's only six songs it's very inexpensive, but is an impressive gift.  The CD costs $8.50 and the download at iTunes is $5.94. Help us get the sales numbers for this first week up to numbers that will convince other labels to pick it up.  Thanks!
 
And another reason this is a special day is that our youngest child is 11 today!  Happy birthday litttle caboose. You're growing up too fast!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Why is (techno-)life so hard? Or, here are the halloween pictures, finally.


I couldn't find the cord to connect my camera to the computer to download the pictures from Halloween.  I took my office apart (and there it remains) looking for it, but still couldn't find it.  I finally stop at Radio Shack and buy a universal cord, now my camera has died and it must have power to download the pictures.  I can't find the battery charger that plugs into the wall.  Again, tear apart the office.  No charger.  I remember I took it on the last trip and it's in a little zippered bag somewhere, but can't find that.  Meanwhile, Emme shows me the little slot in the front of my laptop where I can put the SD memory card and get the pictures off my camera, so I finally am able to download the pictures.  This morning I find the bag with the battery charger.  Hurray!  Wait...where is the battery in the twice-torn apart office?  I-don't-know! Uggggggg!!!!!
Gardner with the Red Queen


Anyway, here are the pictures:
Garden Sprite



Watering the garden
 


  
Beautiful Garden




         



Ketchup eating a hot dog

Do you get it?  Michelle was the garden sprite, Chelsea the garden and Emma the gardner, who later changed into a ketchup costume.  Now, the precious grandchildren:

Cheerleader with her Doctor Daddy


Wolverine


Captain Moroni

Luigi