tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8023615.post-1153022414723334352006-07-15T23:38:00.000-04:002006-07-16T00:20:41.700-04:00Yay! One month between posts. I achieved my goal. I held out. It was hard work, but I did it.<br /><br />I actually wrote a quickie post a bit ago, but the blog demons swallowed it up. THIS one is for real. Man, it's hotter than hell blazes. Humid. Saps the desire to post to blogger CLEAN out of you.<br /><br />It's been a great summer so far. The Desdemona Music festival was a rousing success and I think Cincinnati drank enough to ensure they had a slight profit. <a href="http://nickspencer.blogspot.com/">Nick,</a> I hope you can do it again next year. I'll be there. (side note: wow! I just read that alchemize has closed it's doors! damn!) I met up with my buds in the <a href="http://www.theheartlessbastards.com/">Heartless Bastards</a> at the show and got a copy of their as-yet-released sophomore record. Good stuff, people. I also got to meet some <a href="http://www.goodhodgkins.com/">music</a> <a href="http://www.eachnotesecure.com/">bloggers</a> in person - that rare in-person feeling of community sprung from a sometimes imagined online community. <br /><br />When I was on the Appalachian Trail, (and I know many of you have heard this story, but hey), I had a near-death canoeing experience and not until this summer have I totally shaken off any stigma about man-powered water travel. I've rafted, canoed and even kayaked this summer, on the Shenandoah River, the Little Miami River and Lake Hope, respectively. And I cannot wait for more. <br /><br />Business is booming. Opportunities abound and I feel I am hitting my stride. I may work freelance from my home, but I have a nice little network of friends for advice support and even referrals (thanks, Jeff, Jim, Willo and Malone, you've made life easier and work more fun). I'm learning advanced CSS and a bit of advanced action script Flash (Erin - I finally feel good about the site and it is rolling, with Jeff, I think it is now manageable - I'll email you about it). I have been lucky to have some well-paying one-off projects and now I have a couple regular gigs too. I'm sleeping better and paying less late fees.<br /><br />The summer's really only half over. I head to San Diego soon for Joe's wedding, which is great, but it does mean, I miss Jones' wedding and I wish I could find a way to be two places at once. I so would. That I cannot do that is the bummer of the year, hands down.<br /><br />Heather, come to town and build a green home; Thann, let's do lunch, I should be in Akron soon; Mom, sorry I have not blogged; Gen I hope Colorado is wonderful; Will, welcome to the world of Mac, we've been waiting for you; Katie, your cat is doing just fine and perhaps is even sedate; Shawn, your patience is amazing, thanks for not posting mean comments in my absence and it was great to see you get a little crazy 'round the campfire.<br /><br />I'm looking forward to Fogerty and Willie, bummed that I may not make Tom Waits in Akron. Also, though a few months down the road, am EXTREMELY looking forward to <a href="http://www.tallstacks.com/">Tall Stacks</a>, what with Wilco, John Hiatt, Loudon and more...<br /><br />Anyway. I've missed you. Hope your summer has involved mosquitos, sunscreen, umbrella drinks, power windows, trashy novels and hot dogs on the grill. Or turkey dogs. Or Boca dogs. I do not discriminate. Drop me a line.Schmidtnoreply@blogger.com