(click the thumbnail for a larger image)

Also snapped a few shots of the moon high in the clear blue sky from our back deck around lunchtime the other day:

The Black Keys / My Morning Jacket @ Red Rocks - Thursday, 8/21/08

Me: Row 25, Seat 44. Happened to be my birthday.
Guy next to me: Row 25, Seat 45. Happened to be his birthday.

Red Rocks Capacity: 9,450

Crazy…

http://www.adambrucker.com/what-are-the-odds/

Managed to hike or drive to (Herb had a very cool new jeep 4×4 to get us around) the base of three of the four main waterfalls in the area and snapped a few good shots along the way. Most of the “nature” shots are from an easy 5 mile roundtrip hike up to the base of Bear Creek Falls.

25 more pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/adambrucker/

{the third one flew away before I could snap the picture}

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{Colorado State Flower:  Rocky Mountain Columbine}

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{not sure what this mean looking flower is called}

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{very cool sunset on the ride into Telluride}

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{family having lunch on a big rock looking back down the 3 mile canyon from the base of Bear Creek Falls into Telluride}

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http://www.adambrucker.com/quick-trip-to-telluride-this-past-weekend/

“Yeah Sapphire” -The Hold Steady
[See post to listen to audio]

http://www.adambrucker.com/the-best-song-lyrics-of-2008/

I got thinking about the common elements that make up a good toast on the plane ride home this morning and, in an effort to relieve a little stress for the people who get nervous about getting up in front of a group (at weddings or otherwise), I thought I would float a quick template that covers enough of the bases to have even the most shy person looking good.

1: Get your “speaking legs” under you by briefly introducing yourself and thanking the hosts of the event.

Hi everyone, my name is _____. I’m a friend of _____’s from _____ and I’ve had the distinct pleasure of getting to know  _____,  over the past _____ years.

Let me begin by thanking the _____’s and the _____’s for hosting such a wonderful event. This has been an amazing weekend so far and I know that everyone here appreciates your generosity and wishes we could be a part of something as great as this more often.

2: Share a humorous, yet innocuous & tasteful, anecdote that ultimately paints the couple in a positive light.

Before I offer a toast to the couple, I’d like to share a quick story about… {insert your best 45 second story here}

3: Say something heartfelt about the couple and, most importantly, raise your glass and offer an actual toast.

But seriously, all kidding aside, I want to thank you both for including me in your special day and I’d like to invite everyone here to raise their glass and join me in congratulating _____ and _____ on their beautiful wedding and wishing them _____ for many years to come.

To _____ and _____, cheers!

Additionally:

1: BE BRIEF: Seriously, 1 or 2 minutes max. Avoid the temptation to do the ever-so-common chronological recap of year-by-year inside jokes that nervous, unfunny people seem to always default back to.

2: STAY WITHIN YOUR LIMITS: Don’t try to hit a comedy home run unless you can really pull it off. If you just can’t resist, try out your stand-up material the night before at the rehearsal dinner.

3: BE RESPECTFUL & MAKE IT ABOUT THE COUPLE: It’s their day, not yours, so don’t say anything to embarrass them beyond the “very-mildly blushing” stage. Trust me, their grandparents don’t “get” your sense of humor and the bride’s dad definitely doesn’t want to hear about that “one night in Mexico.”

4: PREPARE & PRACTICE IN ADVANCE: Write your toast down and say it out loud to yourself at least a day or two before the wedding. I guarantee that the people who give great toasts and look like they are “winging it” have practiced a lot more than they will ever let on.

5: HAVE THAT TEQUILA SHOT AFTER YOU’RE DONE. Nice job, you’ve earned it…

http://www.adambrucker.com/give-a-great-wedding-toast-in-3-easy-steps/

If you’re in the Bay Area on August 16th, sign up and roll some bocce ball for a good cause: http://rollformagglio.wordpress.com/

“What a workout” was the only review I could muster after the hourlong sonic assault from this towering figure of guitar (and guitar effects) mayhem.

To be fair, there were a few moments where the band locked in to a tight, driving heavy metal type groove, and a few slower songs that teased the occasional melody, but for the most part, this was “out there” stuff that was borderline accessible.

The FAQ on his site is a great window into what you can expect from a night with Nels Cline, answering such questions as:

• IS IT HARD FOR A JAZZ/EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC WHORE TO PLAY REAL SONGS IN A REAL BAND LIKE WILCO?
• WHY DO YOU USE ALL THOSE EFFECTS PEDALS - DON’T THEY DEGRADE YOUR SOUND?
• YOU’RE LEFT-HANDED BUT YOU PLAY WITH YOUR RIGHT. WHY??

Overall I liked the performance, and this guy is certainly onto something, but it certainly took a lot out of me.

Next up, Charlie Hunter, also often (coincidentally?) described as an alien, opened his set with a couple of jazz/funk/slightly experimental tunes that, comparatively speaking, seemed like a night of straight ahead standards at the local lounge.

He was still awesome to watch (I’ve seen him play at least once a year since the mid-90’s), and it’s certainly humbling to see him play two instruments at once better than I can play either one separately, but overall, his set seemed a little flat compared to the opener.

Also noticed that his new drummer, Tony Mason, had a big rock / funk sound that didn’t leave as much room musically for Charlie to shine. Compared to Hunter’s last couple of drummers, Adam Cruz & Simon Lott, who both played with smaller, stripped down kits, Tony dominated the overall sound of the band quite a bit. Not a bad thing, just different.

But anyway, enough with the nitpicking - it’s Charlie Hunter! - the guy kills it. Already excited to check him out again next time he comes around around.

Camped right at the base of the dunes in the park and had a great time. Also hiked to a mountain waterfall and climbed the dunes in the dark on Saturday night.

More pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/adambrucker

Screwed the carpet to the wood platform (instead of stapling it) and created two channels for the pieces of 2′ x 4′ pegboard to slide into. Then hung two bungee cords around the headrests to support each piece.

This results in 6 feet of solid support and leaves enough room for two full size camping pads - much more comfortable than having our feet hanging over the shortened edge.

Very comfortable, easy to set-up, and still tons of room underneath for the coolers and all the gear. Click the thumbnails for bigger pictures of this very exciting project: