Birthday Blog 2011

So if you're a regular to my blog, every year I do a Birthday Blog about what's going on with my life currently. Due to the magic of technology, I've set this to post on the morning of my B'day. However, today I will be snorkeling in Great Stirrup Cay. My girlfriend and I will be on a cruise until the 6th.
So over the past year, I lost my job at the startup arts and crafts company, but have been freelancing at a place in NYC. I do production work, but it's for Post Cereals and Nabisco mostly, which is pretty cool. I've also been working with a company doing device skins with the World of Warcraft license. Never played the game, but the graphics are pretty cool. We're very close to being finished, so hopefully they hit stores by the summer.
Musically, I had a productive year. Wormeaters had our 3rd (and I'd say best) EPcome out on one of my favorite labels, Sorry State. We're playing with Weekend Nachos in a few weeks, which makes our first NJ show in over 2 years. I guess my blacklist from the scene has expired. Bloodtype released 2 7"s, which were both extremely well received. Cowabunga released our s/t 7", and may do a second if all goes according to plan. We also had a split 7" with INJ/SYS from FL, but unfortunately our tour plans over the summer fell through. I also released a tape on my own Bleeding Edges records, which had songs from both 7"s and a Black Flag cover. Unfortunately Bloodtype's been on a hiatus due to members moving to other states, but "Scabtype" is playing a show in a few weeks with Noose and RazorXFade.
Lately I've been focused on a new/old band Phibes. The band started as a Wormeaters side project 2 years ago, then got shelved until the summer when we recruited Mike to sing. The music is very early 80's California punk sounding. It's fun to play a little slower, and with more complex song structures. It gives me a chance to flex my bass skills a bit. I released the tape on my label, and have started distro-ing it already. Initial reviews have been real good so far.
Probably the most exciting this I did over the past year was tour Europe with Coke Bust. I had never been on a tour longer than 10 days, so a 3 week European tour was huge. We went to the UK, and across northern Europe. I had a lot of fun selling shirts/records and singing a cover song or 2 every night. Here's a video of me singing a Youth of Today cover.
Some other awsome things to happen this past year was that I adopted a cat (which I named Kat Champion- KC for short), my sister got married (meaning I gained a brother in law), and my best friend Laura got married as well. I haven't taken any more baking classes, but maybe if the job market tanks again I will.
2010 turned out to be really cool, hope 2011 can compete.

Birthday Blog 2010

This year I turn the big 3-0. I was dreading turning 30 for the longest time, and a few month ago I finally accepted it. So back in like 2004, I got the idea to get an XXX tattoo for my 30th birthday. For those not in the know, XXX is roman numerals for 30. A man of my word, 6 years later and here it is! I think the best component to this story is that the tattoo was a gift from my awesome girlfriend, who is also straight edge. I am also getting another tattoo (as a present to myself), which is a Wolfpack themed design.

I've been pretty busy w/ my art lately. My website is still down, due to my own laziness, but I've been doing a lot of art shows and design work. Over the past year or so, I've done numerous art shows with the Autumn Society, with many more to come this year. I'm most excited to be doing a show at Gallery 1988 in California later this year. I was also fortunate enough to have custom painted toys in the Yoka show, It Came From Skullbrain II, SDCC, and a few more. I also collaborated with Sandtastic Toys on a few limited hand-casted toys, where I designed the header cards. There's some plans for other toys this year, but more on that when the time comes. As a graphic designer, you don't get to do much art that doesn't have to be approved by a client. It's nice to break away from the computer sometimes...
Work-wise, I've been fortunate enough to be working for a new company called WeVeel, which is a new arts and crafts company. I get to work from home, which at first was kinda weird, but I've grown to really like it. The job is a lot more creative than my last job, which is great. I get to work in packaging, which I always enjoyed, and it doesn't look like work will be slowing down any time soon. I also got to go to Toy Fair in NYC this year w/ the company. As pathetic as it sounds, it had always been a childhood dream to go to that one day. It was what I expected- a gigantic corporate event with toys. I had fun, and was being paid to be there.
Last year when I was unemployed, I was looking into other options career-wise, and came up w/ Cake Decorator. I enrolled in the Baking and Pastry Arts program at Middlesex County College. I took Baking Fundamentals last semester, and am taking Cake Decorating currently. I already learned a lot, but I'm not sure if I will continue to pursue the certificate. I do enjoy the classes, and am always up for learning new skills.

I'm still playing bass in Wormeaters, and we will be releasing our third EP on Sorry State Records next month. This will be the first record w/ PJ on vocals, and I may be so bold to say it's our best yet. The plates are at the plant now, but I still need to work on cover art. It's getting there, don't worry. We still don't play often, but hopefully we can get some weekend tours in once the new record drops. Last year I started up a new band called Bloodtype, where I sing and write all of the music. It's pretty much the closest thing I'll come to a solo project (haha). We recorded a demo over the summer and played 2 shows, then took a hiatus for other band members' bands tours. We started practicing again, and have new songs that we'll be recording some time soon for 7" and split 7" w/ FL's Injustice System. Hopefully both records will be out in the summer, and we can also do some weekend tours. I've also been playing w/ some people in a new band, but more on that another time... It will be loud and fast, I haven't gone soft in my old age.

So here it is, I'm 30. I have a stable job that I like, an awesome girlfriend, my art is getting some recognition, I have money saved for new tattoos and to finally move out of my parents' house, learning how to bake, playing in good hardcore punk bands, etc...

Birthday Blog '08

Well, it's that time again... Here's what's been going on with my life the past year. Had some ups and some downs, luckily the downs seem to be far behind me. Over the past year I left a horrible full time job, and freelanced for the summer. Got rough at times, but I've been working at a job I like since October. I'm doing pre-press and production work at a cool design studio in PA. I did a pretty big freelance project recently, designing environmentalist t-shirt designs. Ten designs were completed, and I'm really proud of how everything came out.

My bands have been more productive this year also. Wormeaters finished recording our "In God We Thrust" 7", which will be out on Hardware Records in a month or so. The mastered version should be coming this week, and I need to finish the artwork. SPG just finished our demo last night, and have our (2nd) first show tomorrow. We're going to re-mix it, but we'll have some limited "shit mix" demo tapes at the show. The Wormeaters boys also have an alter ego, which we've been calling Video Nasty. The name may change, but we sound like late 70's/early 80's California styled punk (Germs, Adolescents, Sin 34). We've got like 8 songs, so we'll probably be recording soon also. I've been booking shows still, but I'd like to be more selective since it's a real headache to organize.

Today my family went to Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que for my birthday dinner, and had this:

Yea, it's served on a garbage can lid...

So pretty much more of the same; work, punk bands and general complaints. Thanks for stopping by.

Birthday Blog '07

So here it is again, you may remember that I made a blog post on my birthday last year. Here's what's going on currently, if you don't already know.

I've been working at the same place for the past year, and it is absolutely terrible. I'd say that the majority of the time I was there I had nothing to do, and had to make up little projects for myself to keep me busy. The internet, while fun for slacking off, really doesn't hold my interest for 8 hours. When I was hired, I knew my salary was really low, but figured after a few months they'd see that I know what I'm doing and I'd be getting paid what I should be. Over as year later, and despite many efforts, no raise is in sight. Recently I told them I wouldn't design anymore, since I'm not being paid for it, and you'd think they'd fire me right? NOPE. I've been interviewing a lot lately; I had one yesterday that went OK I guess. At this point I'd take basically anything, but ideally a design firm located somewhat near Philly.

Aside from work, I've got 2 bands to occupy my time. SPG (stands for Special Patrol Group) has been together since July, but for one reason or another averages one practice per month. I wish it was more frequent, but the practices always rule, and I'm sure once we record it'll sound great. I'm crossing my fingers for a 4 or 5 song demo tape by the end of March. SPG started by me posting on some message boards that I wanted to do a band, and I was surprised to find 3 like-minded people. Our sound is similar to bands like Deathreat, old hardcore w/ Japanese thrash influences.
My other band, Wormeaters recorded a practice song a few weeks ago, and I'm hoping we can get a demo done before the April 13th show (see below). I also just found out that we got to play with the Inmates on June 2 in Baltimore. Hoping we have a 7" done by then. The music's prety cool,it sounds like older HC bands like Agnostic Front, Negative Approach, YDI, Mental Abuse.... Our singer's got a real gruff voice, like the singer from GISM or something, so it sounds real different.

To "celebrate," I'm going to a show tonite (big surprise), I gave myself a shitty mohawk, and I bought myself a sweet Project X longsleeve. Good times, I'm gonna see if root beer 40oz's exist because I want one...