sweet corn and tomatoes are in full swing right now in Illinois...

they are being put on shelves and in the farmers market here, but it is not the same, at all. I have had multiple discussions on how much is miss eating a bunch of peaches and cream sweet corn with sliced tomatoes for supper. my friends response is usually, huh? really? peaches and cream? ahhhhhhhhhh!

in other news one of my best pals from quincy is moving to the grand tetons! for good for a while! adventure we will!

hope this finds you all well.
matt.

in the past two weeks i have:

ran around the block with bella.
given her a greenie. (favorite)
played hide and seek. (favorite)
left her in quincy with my parents because the 90% apartments out here are bogus.
cried.
drove 1700 miles.
loaded 10 instruments, two bikes, suitcase into hotel more than enough times.
saw the badlands with my parents.
took landscape photos on 1600 iso. stupid. wouldn't have happened with film....
stayed in butte, mt. home of evil kenivel.
moved into an apartment that had flooded and rotted the floor out.
reasoned with unreasonable people.
moved stuff again.
the best sweet potato fries ever.
moved stuff again.
hells angels.
seen abagail washburn and the sparrow quartet at the wilma theater.
reasoned with unreasonable people.
saw mom get really angry.
attempted break in of cargo van at super 8, failed.
reasoned with unreasonable people.
moved stuff again, this time up three flights of stairs.
finally unpacked.
told my parents goodbye...until christmas.
volunteered at the local bike co-op.
bought a medium format film camera.
built a really nice single speed mountain bike for free.
met some great people.
door to place unlocked, opened, and closed by somebody other than me at 2 am.
paced kitchen with hickory sledge hammer handle in hand.
reasoned with unreasonable people.
got pissed off.
got locks changed in under an hour.
rigged my door to my fridge, home alone style.
met 4 people riding bikes cross country.
rode my first single track. (awesome!)
built at least a dozen bikes for other people, for free.
went on a bike ride with somewhat of a stranger (june.)
been asked at least 20 times what grade i was in or if i was going to school here.
done regular day hiking.
bear. deer.
bar-b-que, august, did not bring a jacket...
been fully informed on how to email using microsoft outlook. (unreal.)
oh i just missed a call. you'll survive? it was my boyfriend...lets finish this bike and ride around.
been in awe of the sky here every single day. amazing.

tomorrow?

oh the challenges of a new place, but oh the adventure!

see you out there.
be safe.
best wishes.
matt.

2007.

songs.
-blowin' down the road(i ain't gonna be treated this way) - woody guthrie
-rambling, gambling willie - bob dylan
-blood on my shirt - band of annuals
-in california - neko case
-elephant gun - beirut
-mama's boy - elizabeth and the catapult
-the big guns - jenny lewis and the watson twins
-hands in pockets - laura gibson
-white tooth man - iron & wine
-tears dry on their own - amy winehouse
-joshua james - fm radio
-to hush a sick transmission - califone
-i feel it all - feist
-owl eyes - headlights
-wild sage - the mountain goats
-looking for astronauts - the national
-how do i let a good man down - sharon jones and the dap kings
-the underdog - spoon
-big uns' get the ball rolling - stanton moore
-the hardest part - ryan adams

other things.
-learning to ride a motorcycle.
-rebuilding my grandpa's '74 kawasaki, riding it illegally for the one day it ran.
-6000 miles in two weeks.
-checking off all continental states west of the mississippi.
-seeing the atlantic and pacific ocean in the same year.
-rock climbing.
-camping with haus again.
-norsworthy & porter in chicago.
-crab cakes.
-finishing my record.

looking forward to.
-moving.
-a new city.
-art, pressing, & releasing record.
-taking even more pictures.
-backpacking.
-the road.
-a motorcycle.
-riding my bike when it gets warm.
-a positive progression.

all the best for 2008.
mt