rickyleepotts.com | a voice of rhythm, reason, & reality

Get over it, I’m fat. And to be honest, the older I get and the fatter I become, the less I care. I love food. I love to eat. Nothing in this world beats a cheap Chinese buffet. From the egg rolls to the sweet and sour chicken, there is just something about that tasty MSG I can’t get enough of.

I think my point in being fat, and not caring as much about it as most people do, is that I am going to die. Yep. I’m going to die. Oh yeah, and so are you. And you and you and you. We are all going to die at some point in our lives. The beauty of life is that we all lose. There is nothing that anyone can do about it, either. So why not enjoy my time here? Sure, you might argue that my eating habits are going to take three, five, hell even ten years off my life. By the time I get that old does ten years really make all that big of a difference?

Being fat comes with responsibility. I am asked all the time what restaurants are good in the Circle City. People ask what the best steak house is or the best plate of Thai food. Even where the best cheeseburger is or where they can get a helping of spaghetti and meatballs. I have heard it all. And I have had a recommendation for it all as well. I eat out a lot, and while you might spend your money on a fancy car or a big house, I spend mine on food and drinks.

There are times when I can’t sit down for a three-course meal. I need something quick. That’s why God invented McDonald’s. Better yet, that is why He invented the drive-thru. So I can run to any given restaurant and grab a snack, a meal, or just a drink or ice cream sundae. The easier it is for me, and the less I have to wait for my food, the more I tend to eat.

There are some fast food joints that I avoid though. After seeing a handful of videos on YouTube about what corporations are pumping into their food, it does make me at least conscience about what I eat. No matter how tasty it is. I wanted to break down some of the worst fast foods out there today. What’s for dinner tonight? Maybe this will help you decide what’s not for dinner tonight.

Long John Silver’s Fish Combo Meal

I love Long John Silver’s. They have the best hush puppies of anywhere I have ever been. But this particular dish is quite unhealthy. Packed with over 750 calories, this dish will fill you up in a hurry. The entire thing is deep-fried. From the two pieces of deep-fried fish, to the handful of fries, to the pair of hush puppies, all of this stuff is dipped in whatever kind of oil they have back there. But it’s so tasty. I save myself for Long John’s once or twice a month, if that. It’s cheap though, and if you are looking for some valuable seafood, you can’t beat it.

Hardee’s Loaded Biscuit and Gravy with Hash Rounds

They say that the most important meal is breakfast. If that is the case, then treat yourself to one of these. Well, of course, that might be the only meal you eat all day. The average adult is supposed to eat around 1,500 to 2,000 calories a day. This little meal packs well over 1,500 calories. But it is so good. The hash rounds are incredible; you don’t even need ketchup to cover the taste. And the biscuits, holy crap. There is a sausage patty, a stack of eggs, and some cheese all topped with some sausage gravy. It’s heavy too; if you order one, just lift it before you eat it. Imagine that in your stomach. Anyway, it’s delicious, so add that to your bucket list if you are on a diet.

Dairy Queen Chicken Strip Basket

Have you ever eaten dinner at Dairy Queen? Try it; their food is quite good. Not all Dairy Queens serve dinner, but the ones that do are solid. One of the items that you should try is their six-piece chicken finger basket. It comes with two pieces of Texas toast as well as a handful of fries. And don’t think about dipping your chicken in BBQ or honey mustard. The folks over at DQ do it right serving their chicken fingers with a side of sausage gravy. I always say, you never can have too much gravy.

Wendy’s Triple Baconator Combo Meal

Have you had one of these yet? Holy crap, this burger is retarded. And I say that in the absolute best way possible. This burger is huge too, and not what you would expect from a place like Wendy’s. This burger, served with a side of fries and a soft drink, will pack in nearly 2,000 calories. So make sure you don’t eat anything else that day, as this will give you all the energy you need for that day. This burger is a little expensive too, but for the size and the taste (let alone the guilt this thing has), its well worth it. If you feel guilty ordering one, get a Diet Coke instead.

Quiznos Tuna Melt

Now here you go, a healthy alternative to all of these belt busters. Oh wait a minute, not really. This little sub sandwich has nearly 2,000 calories in it. Yeah, I know! And they are only $5 now. They are trying to compete with the hit deals that Subway started last year and are offering their large sandwiches with more meat for the same price. They also have a lot more calories. The foot long tuna at Subway has nearly half that many calories. Either way, you will feel a little better about eating it.

As you can see, there are a ton of options out there for a quick meal. But at the same time, there are a ton of calories in those selections. So if you want to eat out, and you have no choice but to grab something on the go, then think smart. Head over to Panera Bread for a soup and salad. They actually have all of their calorie counts on the menu itself. Also, you can head over to Taco Bell or When Eddie Met Salad for a more natural and organic option. You can never eat too much salad. (You can eat too much dressing though. A salad no longer becomes a salad when you drown it with fatty salad dressing.)

No matter what’s for dinner, make sure you order a Diet Coke. That will save you a ton of calories right off the bat. Let’s eat!

It seems like every DJ I listen to I find something new. From beats to vocals, each DJ I hear provides something new and something unique. I want to be pushed to the limits of my taste, and I want to be sent to a new level of skill. The man I am sitting with today does just that. His work is new, and not very well known here in the states. But that doesn’t stop him from producing some sick beats and some incredible tracks. I first heard him on last.fm while flipping through various artists similar to Armin van Buuren. Anyone that can be tied to Armin is decent in my book. But this man goes to a whole new level of decent. His work is known all over Europe and further and he has landed a place on this year’s Electric Zoo. Sit down and get to know a true talent in today’s scene. It is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to Joris Voorn.

So please tell me how you pronounce your name!

Your’is Vorn.

How long have you been a DJ?

I have been a DJ for about fourteen years now.

When did you decide that you wanted to pursue a career in music?

In 2003 I had a chance to survive making and playing music instead of working at my day job as an architectural designer. From there it was over. I was meant to be a DJ.

Where do you get inspiration for a new track?

Form anything; could be a sample, could be a synth sound, my mood, a movie clip…

Where are you originally from?

I am from Moergestel, which is a small village in the Dutch coutryside.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would you go?

I like Amsterdam; where I’m now, but I’d love to try out New York, Tokyo or Hong Kong for a while.

What is the biggest crowd you have ever performed for?

That must have been Sensation. It was held in Amsterdam in a football arena for 40,000 people or so.

The smallest?

I’ve done some home parties for a few people when I just started playing, which was just as much fun as playing for thousands of people now.

Are you excited about Electric Zoo coming up this September?

Of course, I heard many good things about it, and as I said, “I LOVE NEW YORK!”

Do you play a lot of festivals like that?

Very many, especially during summer, countless actually.

I really like your MySpace design. Who did that?

Thanks! My brother Christoph designed it, with a little bit of my help. It brought him a career as MySpace designer. (Laughs)

What are your thoughts on MySpace?

It’s over its peak. Facebook is much nicer and more personal.

Are you on Twitter?

My Facebook page is linked to Twitter; that’s all.

If you could be any cartoon character which one would you be and why?

Dexter (not the killer but the scientist).

Has your music really been featured in all of those films listed on your website?

I wish. Where does it say my music is listed in those films?

What is the best concert you have ever been to?

I have to dig deeeep into my memory for that, but to keep it simple I saw Prince in France and that was deffinately something very special.

Tell me a little bit about Balance.

My second mix DJ mix CD, a cross boundary a musical adventure that represents everything I love about music.

So you are a producer as well. Do you like production more than performing?

I love both, but making music is where my heart lies most. Very amazing is to play my own productions for the first time and see how the crowd reacts. I couldnt be a DJ without playing my own tracks also.

How many stamps do you currently have on your passport?

I have a business passport with double amount of pages from December 2006 and it’s almost full!

What is your favorite city to visit?

Tokyo or Hong Kong.

Describe your genre in one word.

Crossgenreelectronicmusic.

What does a typical Friday night look like for you?

Normally flying to my destination, having dinner if there’s time and then sweating the night away in a dark club behind the mixer.

You seem like a pretty stylish guy. Where do you buy most of your clothes?

Same three cities; New York, Tokyo and Hong Kong. Although Paris is good for shopping too, and Amsterdam’s not bad either.

Tell me about working with Ultimate DJ Gear.

My Ultimate DJ Gear is Traktor DJ software from Native Instruments.

So if someone has never seen you perform before, what can he or she expect from a live show?

A great amount of groovy high quality dance music that doesn’t stick to one sound.

What was the last movie you saw?

L’été Meurtrier, a freaky French thriller from 1983.

Did you like it?

I loved it!

What are you drinking up there on stage?

Champagne is my drink of coice. Not too much beer, as the bathroom is usually too far away to take a break in the middle of a set.

Does it ever get lonely on stage?

I like having people around on stage making a party. Sometimes you can be very lonely playing on a huge stage for a huge crowd that’s too far away.

What would you be doing if you were not performing?

Answering interview questions like this!

What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you on stage?

I’ve had many sound issues with my laptop last year, hard to describe the feeling when the music stops and everyone is looking at you and you don’t know what went wrong.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Hopefully still coming to New York once in a while, maybe even for Electric Zoo!

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

By someone who made one or two unforgettable pieces of music, that would be nice.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

It’s hot here in my studio, and I think I need to take a break… See you at the Zoo!

First, let me thank Ricky Potts for giving me the forum to write a guest post.  I hope this story finds a lot of people because it is an important one for me to tell.  By the time you finish reading this you are sure to think: “Really, I had no idea” or “That doesn’t seem right” and I agree.  How could this be?  The story I want to tell is a personal one about a particular immigration policy, that still has me reeling with heartache, depression, and disbelief.

It all started in late 2004 when I first met my wife.  We worked together and from the first day that I met her I was instantly attracted to her.  She was a beautiful young energetic girl from Mexico.  I wasn’t sure how good her English was, but I soon found out that it was above average for someone that wasn’t from here.  I decided I just had to ask her out.  Some how despite being from two totally different places we really connected. After a month we really knew that we had something special and were completely in love.

Somewhere along the line, she had admitted to me that she came to this country illegally.  I was kind of astonished, because I wondered how she got a job.  Well, I was naïve because now I believe that 90% of Mexicans working in restaurants are illegal from my experience.  I was kind of surprised when I learned this, but I didn’t care.  I was in love, meeting her was the best thing that ever happened to me and if we ever got married, she could become legal.  I had already considered the possibility. My wife was in a different situation than most people like her because she came here as a teenager looking to reconnect with family that basically abandoned her in Mexico.  She learned English incredibly fast, she graduated high school, she got a job, she worked hard, and she got her own apartment.  She didn’t come here and not learn English, she didn’t get pregnant, and she didn’t end up on welfare, or anything like that.  She assimilated into society.  So well in fact that years later, many were surprised her status was that of an illegal.

So it was finally decision time, I love her so much and knew despite that it would take a little time and money to become a permanent resident; I knew it was time to get married.  We wanted a family and it shouldn’t be too hard should it? To get a green card, one just needs to marry a US citizen.  Well it turns out that it is extremely difficult, and a lot more complicated than that.

Proving our marriage is legitimate? That took some time but not too hard.  After that we start the visa process to immigrate.  Well because it is an illegal situation, she needs to physical return to Mexico and enter the country legally.  We are advised that she will go to Mexico, and have an interview at the US Consulate.  There is an interview, where she is found to be inadmissible.  This is expected because if you have been illegal for more than a year you are banned for ten years! That is ten. That is scary, and is it even worth it? We thought of this but, to wait for immigration reform didn’t seem wise, and really it isn’t right that my wife has to live without a driver’s license, without health insurance (since I can’t add her to mine without a SSN), so yes we felt it was important to do now for our well being.  Wow, well is there anything else that we can do.

Turns out, yes, no big deal.  All we have to do is apply for a “Waiver of Extreme Hardship”.  This is an interview, which was scheduled two months after returning to Mexico.  For this I must prove that I am going to experience an “Extreme Hardship” by being separated from my wife.  My thought was, “Obviously? Yes of course.” How am I going to pay for everything on my own?  I need her to work.  Who isn’t a two-income family these days? I assembled some evidence of the financial difficulties that I already had, from paying for the wedding, to being unemployed for an extended period in 2008, and so on.  I can’t move to Mexico City, I have a house that I can’t sell, my mom and dad, three siblings, and eleven nieces and nephews all live here.  Indiana has always been my home.  The standard of living is much worse there, in Mexico City especially, and I have asthma and the air quality is really bad there.

My parents write a letter, my siblings, my wife and I also all write a letter.  It more or less says, “Please approve this waiver, so that my pregnant wife and I are not separated”.  I provided a lot of financial records, etc.  The main issue for me is that we have a kid due in August.  I can’t let that child be born in Mexico.  What if something goes wrong?  We need to do regular prenatal appointments and get quality care.  For two months we were confident, everything will be fine and when this is over we can move on with our lives.  She can go back to work for four or five months; we can pay off our debt and prepare for our first child.  Guess what though? The US couldn’t care less about my needs, or the simple fact that if they don’t approve the waiver that my family and I will be separated for over a year.

Doomsday came. Case referred. Wait…what? What does that mean? It means that either no one had the time to look at our case, or they approved too many cases recently, or that we didn’t prove that I would experience an extreme hardship.  The case is referred until a later date. Possibly for longer than twelve months even.  Really? Yes. Really.  It is unreal that they arbitrarily can toss my case into the “look at this some other time” pile.  This is how it works apparently.   We have the opportunity to at least send in more proof and documentation for our case until it is reviewed again.  So the good news, is that it is not at this juncture a flat out denial.

The government doesn’t care that they are breaking up my family, that I could miss the birth of my child, or that I have to pay my bills here and support her in Mexico.  Now I am faced with a terrible decision, where I have to either move to Mexico to be with my wife and child or to just wait it out here for a year.  Now if we lived in a border area, maybe that would be an option but that is surely not an option living in Indiana.  The irony is that if I wasn’t experiencing a hardship yet, then I am now.  I am so shaken, heartbroken, and depressed over this.  The whole system is insane.  The burden falls on me, a United States born citizen, to prove that being without my wife will cause me to experience a hardship.  They don’t even care about her.  She doesn’t matter.  It is all about my ability to cope without her.  Being apart? That isn’t good enough. Being broke or bankrupt? Not good enough.  Being apart from my child? Not good enough.  All people applying for this waiver are likely in this position.  I got the lovely quote explaining “these factors are not, in and of themselves, sufficient for consideration”.  Also note though, that other people could be applying for these with varying relationships, not only a spousal relationship. Any US Citizen can petition to have a relative immigrate to the United States.

Most are surprised at this story I’m sure.  You can have a strong opinion either way on our immigration policies or what a reform bill should look like.  One thing is for sure though, and that is I should not be severely punished as I am for this.  This is a law that just doesn’t seem right and I hope for the sake of others like me that something is done soon.  I’m tired of our government running so inefficiently and doing nothing for its people.   What happens now is that I have to wait for an indefinite amount of time.  Some are saying it takes 12 months, but they have a new office and they are trying for 6 months.  However, I am told by the government to expect 17 to 20 months.  How can I plan my life with that sort of uncertainty? My first child is due in August and it seems pretty certain that will be happening in Mexico.  I guess he won’t be running for President.  One thing is for sure though and that is I will not miss that occasion no matter where it occurs.

If you want to help you could contact your Senator or House Representative, or even trying to contact the White House.  They need to know that this is an issue and system that needs to improve because I have the right to marry who I want.  We don’t disagree that we should have to go through a rigorous process.  We just disagree that this process needs to require us to be separated from each other.

Last summer, I bought a new car.

I had been driving a hand-me-down truck from my father. From the day I got the keys, the truck had been falling apart. Where do I begin? The windshield wipers didn’t work. The passenger window never went down. If the driver’s side window went down, well, good luck getting it back up. Oh, and the brakes didn’t work all that well. It got to the point where my friends and I used to joke abut playing Russian roulette while driving. Will the brakes work, or won’t they?

Needless to say, it was time for a new car. I had never purchased a new car. I had always driven used rides or hand-me-downs from my folks. But this time, I wanted something brand-new. I had read all of the ups and downs of getting a brand-new vehicle, but I wanted to buy a car that no one else had owned. I wanted to be the one to get the first oil change, and to pump the first gallon of gas. I wanted a car that was all mine from the start.

I started by looking at the variety of options. I checked out the new Honda Civic, a new Scion XB, and a Chevrolet Cobalt. But nothing seemed to fit until, one day,  on my way home from the Scion dealership, I swung by Smart dealership. I knew these would be out of my price range, but I decided to at least take a look. I ended up talking to the guy that would eventually sell me my first brand-new car. Before the month was out, I ended up walking away with keys to a brand-new 2009 Smart.

With my new car purchase, I knew that I would have a new set of responsibilities. I would have to make sure she never ran out of gas. I would have to keep her clean and make sure she always had an oil change on schedule. I would have to make sure her tires were rotated, and that nothing mechanical went wrong. Basically, I was taking care of a new family member.

Her name is Zipper. I have had the car for a little over a year, and I have never been so happy. It was a great investment and my monthly payments are low. But if you are in the market for a new car, recently purchased a new ride, or may buy a new car in the near future, I wanted to share with you some tips on how to take care of your new purchase. Follow these tips, and you will have more reliable transportation in the driveway.

Stick to the Routine Maintenance

Your car goes through a lot. Considering the weather it sits through day in and day out, and the miles you demand of it during the weekends. Your car gets tired. Of course, newer cars take wear lot better than older models, but you still have to take care of them. My car has a scheduled yearly maintenance. Actually, my car has a timer that tells me how many days it was since my last service call and the number of days before my next one is requested. I just had a yearly routine maintenance call on my car. They changed the oil, filled and refreshed all the fluids, washed the car inside and out, and managed to make the ride look brand-new in only a few hours.

Even if you buy a used car, make sure you take care of it. Of course the dealerships will charge you more, but their service and products will be top notch. Take the plunge once or twice a year. Take your car in for a checkup. It will save you tons of money in the long run.

Keep the Beast Well Oiled

Oil is the lifeblood of an automobile. Your car, assuming it is a typical vehicle, needs the oil changed every three or four thousand miles. You can get this done just about anywhere, and can usually find discounts to get your total under twenty bucks. Heck, Wal-Mart even has a place for you to get your oil changed while you shop.

My car, being a Mercedes, only needs the oil changed once a year or every ten thousand miles. Based on various discussions with Smart car owners and representatives at the dealership, I could drive this car twelve to fifteen thousand before getting the oil changed and be just fine. I have had my car over a year and have only put a little over seven thousand miles on it. But she was due not too long ago, so I took her in. Change the oil in your car on a regular basis, and your car will last forever.

Getting a Good Charge

Your car’s battery is so important in getting from point A to point B. Your battery helps the car start, and keeps it running at a stoplight or in the drive-thru. But your battery can easily become corroded, and eventually stop working all together. Make sure that not only are the positive and negative ends of your battery clean and free of corrosion, but that your battery is replaced every so often.

On the Smart car for instance, the battery is below the engine in the back, so if my battery went dead, I would have to take her in for service. With most cars, all you have to do I pop the hood and you can see the battery on the left or the right hand side. And you can buy a new battery almost anywhere. Make sure that if you install the battery you know what you are doing. You don’t want to risk messing up that process.

Check Your Tread

Man first created fire. And not too long after that, he created the wheel. Your car has at least four of these, and you need to make sure they stay in top shape. Tires last for only so many miles before they begin to lose tread. You also have to consider the threat of nails and other natural causes of a flat. Make sure that your tires are not only aired up all the way to a safe and reasonable pressure, but that you get them rotated regularly, and that you have the tires replaced when the tread begins to wear.

There are many other things that you need to pay attention to when driving a new car. Things like the windshield wiper fluid and making sure that other fluids are always topped off. You can stop in your local car shop and have them take a quick look, or take it to your dealer and they will tell you. Of course, the dealer will charge you an arm and a leg. But is a high priced maintenance fee worth it if it saves you from being stranded somewhere in the middle of nowhere? I know that I will keep my car as clean as possible and make sure that her oil is always changed on schedule.

Those yearly maintenance plans are a great investment, as is your car, and I hope to see you on the road soon!

Dance music is a passion of mine. I don’t produce this stuff, but I listen to it more than anyone I know. In the world of dance music, it is tough living in the Midwest. We just don’t have a very good scene here in Indiana. You need to go to Chicago, LA, Miami, or New York to see some of the bigger and better DJs. Every now and then, however, this city will feature a huge name like Paul Van Dyk or DJ Irene. And last year, when these guys came to town, there was no question we would be in attendance. They played at Talbott Street, located in downtown Indianapolis, and they played an incredible set of tracks. Now, what makes these guys different is that there are three of them. You don’t see that very often. But when they were done playing that show in Indianapolis, all I could think about was seeing them again. They are going to be performing at Electric Zoo this September, a two-day music festival in New York City, and I can’t wait to see them again. Sit back and get to know one of the biggest and best names in the business, Above & Beyond.

What is it like being considered one of the biggest and best DJs on the planet?

(Laughs) What is it like? Pretty normal actually. I think the best part about it is that you are famous for only five minutes. Then you go home and everything is normal. It’s just a dose of fame when you first walk into the club or festival. You are quickly brought back down when you get back home and step off the plane.

Do you like living in London?

I really like it here. The weather is nice today. We don’t get too many decent summers and this summer has been really great. It makes a mass of difference when the weather is nice. London is such a cultural hub.

The name Above & Beyond came from a poster you had hanging on the wall if I am not mistaken. Do you still have that poster?

That’s right. I don’t. I don’t know what happened to it. It’s a part of history now I guess. It’s probably sitting in some closet somewhere or something. I don’t know; wish I still had it.

What is the largest crowd you have ever played for?

In 2007 on New Year’s Eve we played to a million in Brazil. I think that is the biggest gig we have done. You don’t really realize how many people you are paying to. It was a big crowd going down the beach. It didn’t feel that much bigger than any other gig really. We just did EDC in LA. I don’t know the numbers but I think the event had over 100,000 estimated to appear and in the main stadium (where we played) I think there were 50-60 thousand.

You guys looking forward to Electric Zoo this September?

Definitely. To be honest, all the gigs we do in North America are always fantastic. Things like satellite radio help our scene. Dance stations are always being played and people are really starting to get educated about this stuff. The scene is bigger in other places like London and Amsterdam, but America has a great scene thanks to the satellite radio. The radio has actually gone less dance over here than anything. It is good for the scene here, as it has made it more underground.

At the same tine, the gigs where we play to 100 people on a Monday are really important to us. If you can do that it is important to make use of those nights. I would much rather be doing a gig than sitting in a hotel room. Those gigs don’t make us a lot of money, but they are a great way to spread the Above and Beyond name. We are just playing to more people that way. We are giving people a chance who wouldn’t normally get to see it on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday night. We save the weekends for bigger cities. Like I said, we would much rather be working.

Tell me a little bit about your new disc.

I think it’s more progressive than some of the other ones. It’s reflective of some more of the music we are getting into at the moment. Perhaps a little bit more groove laden and with a little more classic trance. We have some mixes on the disc that are more techno and funk. It covers the middle of that range I guess. I hope it’s a journey for some people.

You guys are also known as Rollerball and Tongue of God. Any reason behind those other names?

You are digging deep there. Years ago producers would work under different names so they could put our more material. The scene has changed and now it makes DJs put everything out under one name. These different names would produce slightly different sounds. Above and Beyond was for the lyrical stuff. The Ocean Lab stuff was specific to tracks and what not. Some of them were for even instrumental tracks.

What advice do you give someone thinking about a career as a DJ?

I think to learn off other people and copy other sounds. Learn the craft of producing. Listen and learn and then copy it. The most important thing is to always make sure there is an original edge to a track. We get sent stuff that sounds like Deadmous5, even though its good, it’s still a direct copy of that sound. Try to be original. You don’t have to be 100% original, use idea from other tracks, but if you copy a complete track and do everything the same, it will sound just like everything else. Take a bit of the Deadmous5 sound, then a bit of trace, then some house, then you have something original. There isn’t anything truly original, and it is all relative to something. This year we have had a guy called Archie, from Russia; he has done just that. He has taken some classic trance and has mixed it and it s a new sound that hasn’t been heard before.

You are good friends with Armin van Buuren. What’s he like?

(Laughs) We have known each other for ten years. We had dinner with him a few times but have never worked together. He is really professional at what he does. He knows exactly what he wants. He knows how to bring the scene together and sort of bridges all the genres of trace together. He is a very good leader.

Where are you originally from?

I am from the southwest of England. But I now live in London.

How do you usually prepare for a show?

It used to be a case of vodka and tonic. These days I hardly drink at gigs. I do sometimes, but in terms of the music we do a lot of preparation. We want to have an idea of which tracks we are playing. We know which of the big tracks we want to use. We leave some room to play what we want, but we try to prepare this stuff in the studio before hand. Some of the tracks might go on too long or we have even added drums to track when it didn’t sound right in the club. We add some more percussion to beef it up, we can do bootlegs, and we just make it fit the club and make those adjustments. We have even done stuff by remote desktop. Say we are in New York, get to the hotel, and go, “Oh god, the bass isn’t right.” The changes are something small, a little tweak here or there, and we will remote home, login and rebounce it.

Tell me why there are three of you.

It was just something we decided on; we just ended up working together. With any kind of band, unless you are missing a member of the band, you need a drummer in a there. What happened was I was working at university on my degree, and that is how we all met. Meanwhile Tony’s brother got in with him and introduced us. I used to work for Yamaha, and I made a sample CD that wasn’t too readily available. His brother bought the CD and we got talking and he gave it to Tony who was working at a record label at the time. He was at Warner Music. We ended up going out to listen to the music all together and they asked us to do a remix. We did a remix and Tony got offered a remix from Warner and that was the first we did together. That is how we started. It wasn’t a coincidence; it was just made sense. It makes us a bit different as opposed to what you are used to. Normally it’s always ones or two DJs. That gives us an edge in the studio as well.

Do you have a favorite club you like to perform in more than another?

It’s about the crowd. That said it is more than the club. Overall it’s about the crowd. One really club is Government in Toronto. The crowd is what makes it incredible. I like Decision in Chicago. Most of the gigs we do in the states are fantastic these days. Going back to the point about satellite radio, they hear it, know the songs, and are hyped up when they come. You don’t get that too much where they don’t have radio. In Poland and Russia you get that. They have a lot of radio support as well. With the Internet and radio, you will have a good night.

You have remixed tracks for Madonna, Britney Spears, Dido, and more. Do you get to meet these artists when working on their music?

Generally no, we don’t get to meet the artists. You get sent a link online, all the vocals are there, and then you put the remix together. They say yes or no, change this, and so forth. Can you just change this, or change that, and it is a very interesting musical cycle. Then finally its finished. They do make some really good changes to some things. The artist maybe you pump into them at an industry party. But not usually. It depends on the artist, really. If a small artist the chances are better.

Where do you see yourselves in five years?

In five years (laughs). Funny, I will probably be doing fewer gigs and do less work in the studio but to be honest I will be doing just that in five years. I want to take more time with the music and develop the stuff more. You find that you are very tired when you return from a tour. It takes sometime to get back into it.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

I am not sure if there is one thing. I will be happy being remembered for the fact that some people used our tracks at weddings. A few people have gotten married to Skies Fall Down. That I find touching. It doesn’t seem like the obvious choice for a wedding. It is nice to get into that area for people’s lives. Fans that send us letters are also really sweet. There was one guy who I met in Australia and he was having some medical treatments. He said that our music helped him recover from cancer. What can you say to something like that? You can just stay humble music helped him stay positive in more than one-way. You are not thinking about these when you are making these tracks. To have these tracks have that effect is kind of freaky, amazing, and all sorts of emotions are spent.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

Thank you for supporting our music. We try to think about the fans in the things that we do, as a company as Anjunabeats and as a band and I hope you continue to enjoy what we are doing and if not, I hope that you enjoy what we are doing!

Saturday nights in Broad Ripple usually consist of dinner, a few drinks, and hanging out with friends. You might start somewhere like La Jolla Mexican Restaurant for some chips and salsa, maybe a margarita. Then you might head over to Brother’s Bar & Grill for a couple of beers. Perhaps then off to a dance club like Landsharks or The Vogue. While this might be fun, I decided to spend my Saturday night this week at Birdy’s Bar & Grill. As you know, Birdy’s is a great place to see live music and you can see a band here every night of the week. Just check the calendar when you first walk in to see when your favorite band is playing next.

Birdy’s is actually known for playing host to a ton of great local and Midwest bands. But there have been a fair share of regional and national acts as well. On this very stage I have seen the likes of Daughtry, The Fray, Mat Kearney, the Detroit Cobras, and many more. But on Saturday, July 24^th, 2010, there were four bands taking the stage. For one low price—only $8—you could get your face melted by Kramus, Alter Ego, Glass Halo, and Fred Shafer. The bill promised to rock the house. When we got there, maybe fifteen minutes after the doors had opened, there were already about fifteen or twenty people sitting around just chatting. We grabbed a table and got ready to have a great night of music.

Kramus Kicks Things Off

It was just after 9:00 when Kramus took the stage. These guys have been playing the Indianapolis scene for quite some time and have made some major changes over the last few years. Sadly, their former lead singer passed away early in 2008, but they have managed to come back from that and in all honesty, are better than ever. Their old sound was too close to Breaking Benjamin to impress. But now, they are on a whole new level. These guys play with heart, emotion, and are a true rock band. They played first, which surprised me, as they had double booked the night. I disagree with bands playing more than one or two shows a month in Indianapolis (or the surrounding area), let alone on the same night. But they were there. They rocked the stage and managed to get me to hum along for a few minutes.

Fred Shafer Brings the Noise

Fred Shafer, who I felt should have been the headliner for the evening, actually took the stage second. Fred, a guy that travels all over the world playing his songs for anyone ready to listen, has so much heart and passion in his voice and his stage presence. His disc, Resistor, is nothing like what you see on stage. And there is a reason for that. You will like the disc, that’s not the issue. He wants you to like, even love, the album, and then see him perform those tunes live. He wants to take you to the next level. And I have seen him play for ten people before, and it’s the same show as when he plays for 10,000.

Fred is actually a good buddy of mine, and I have been following his work for quite some time. It is neat following his tour schedule and seeing all the places that he plays. It makes shows like this, in smaller and more intimate venues, that much better. You can feel the music here, and he will shake every hand in the venue if he has to. Fred is just a nice guy.

He kicked things off and before the first song is over, he is dripping in sweat. But you see past that almost immediately. Driving all the way from Nashville, Tennessee, he played to a room with about fifty to sixty people in it. But that didn’t stop him from playing like it was the last show he would ever play. His songs are rock, that’s for sure. But he adds, in some of the tunes, an almost country feel. He is wearing flannel (I am not sure I have ever seen him in anything else) and he wears cowboy boots well, but he still throws the hard rock front at you. Regardless, listening to tunes from his album, new songs he has never played before, and some older tunes that you can find floating around the Internet, we got a huge taste of who Fred Shafer really is. He is coming back to Birdy’s Bar & Grill in October, so if you have not seen him, or even if you have, come see him perform this fall.

Alter Ego Rocks the House

I was first introduced to the band Alter Ego by one of their band members. Myles Berry, on bass, asked me to take a listen to his new band. They have been tearing up Facebook and Twitter and are on their way to something big. They all still hold day jobs, but they are playing all over the Midwest and getting their names in front of people. Here in town you can catch a show every few weeks, and getting the chance to share the stage with Fred Shafer is an honor. Myles and Fred have been friends for a long time, and this was a neat show to see live.

I had not seen Alter Ego play live before. But as soon as they started singing, the dance floor filled up. Girls (some intoxicated, of course) began dancing and singing along to the lyrics. It was tough keeping up, though. I was not sure if they did that many originals. They did a handful of covers, some from Godsmack and other popular rock bands, offering a mixture for the fans. It was nice hearing some tunes that I was used to, especially since I had not seen these guys before. And I have to admit, they did pretty good covering Godsmack.

The guys in Alter Ego fit the rock band persona perfectly. They were all wearing black shirts, tight jeans, and boots. They had tattoos and wrist bands and were just playing good old fashioned rock music. I loved watching Myles play. He has so much energy and his facial expressions crack me up. He is not only having fun up there, he knows deep inside that is where he is supposed to be. The lead singer didn’t play an instrument, which I enjoy seeing. There are too many bands out there that focus too much on the instruments rather than the vocals. Alter Ego, however, put a ton of emphasis into their vocals. Their lyrics are just as good, and they match the vocals well. Regardless, I am glad I got to see them perform and they are a true Indianapolis rock band.

Glass Halo Sends Us Home

I have not seen these guys either, and came to this show excited to watch them play. These guys, fresh off of a Battle of Birdy’s win last year, they are $10,000 richer and ready to make something of themselves. They are a complete package too. They have merchandise, professional photography complements of Melissa Brewer Photography, and even a laptop allowing fans to sign up for their mailing list. But when you see their equipment, the way the guys all have that rock band (almost an adult alternative rock band) look about them, you start to see why they are so good.

They play a ton around the city, but they are also playing a lot around the Midwest. As a matter of fact, they recently just played a show with Fred Shafer at the Elbow Room up in Chicago. After winning the Battle of Birdy’s they have an excuse to get out and play more shows.

From the first song I was in love. The vocals are polished, and remind me of a harder Killers matched with a dash of Wilco. Their drummer, who is fairly new to the band, doesn’t get too into the songs, but doesn’t need to. His style, his ability to be heard yet not over the top, is just what this bands needs. No offense to the drummer, but the three guys up front are what we came to see. The lead guitar player was a blast to watch, too. He was dancing around, shaking his shaggy hair, and just having a blast on stage. And the bass player, sporting a similar and familiar faux hawk, was throwing vocals into the mic and just making himself welcome on stage. They were all comfortable up there, and it just makes sense they perform together.

Going on this late it is hard to keep a crowd in the room, but they did a good job of entertaining the crowd they had. I had no expectations coming into this, so I was curious to see what they could pull off. I was impressed, and had the chance to actually meet some of the guys throughout the night. The lead singer graduated from Rose Hulman. The guitar player I was talking about earlier has a degree in public relations. But yet they know how to make good rock music. (They gave me a copy of their latest disc, and I am excited to listen to that to say the least.) I can’t wait to know all the words to their songs.

This is just another night of great music in the books here at Birdy’s. This show was well put together, thanks to the likes of Myles Berry, and kept me entertained from the moment I walked in. if you have not seen these bands perform, at least do yourself a favor and listen to them on MySpace or on their official websites. Regardless, you will be treated with some original, raw, and healthy rock music. Throw those devil horns up and start rocking already!

Around four year ago (maybe more maybe less but I digress) Scotty’s Brewhouse opened on 96th St. in Indianapolis. Every time I drove by the parking lot was always packed. I had to go check this place out. A few of my co-workers and I headed to Scotty’s on a Monday after work. We had a great time, had some good food and plenty of cold beer. Even though the tab was higher than some of the other places we frequented we enjoyed it enough to return in the future.

Fast forward to March of that same year. NCAA March Madness was in full swing. My bowling team planned to try out Scotty’s after our normal Thursday league play. We hoped to be done in time to catch the second half of the late game. My teammates and I pulled into Scotty’s around 11:00 and the parking lot was still packed. Upon entering we noticed lots of bricks, on the walls and during the basketball games, and LOTS of people. There was only one high top table left open without patrons. There were basketball games on the multitude of TV’s and a packed house of young good looking patrons, we could get used to this place, or so we thought.

After fifteen minutes of not seeing a server or hostess we got a little concerned. Until this point the games and crowd kept our interest but we intended to get some food and drinks, not just watch basketball. About ten minutes later we finally saw a waitress. After flagging her down we were first told we couldn’t get a menu as the kitchen was closed. A lot of places don’t serve full menus at this hour but to not even offer an appetizer menu was odd at best. We then asked if we could get a drink. The bar is closed as well we were told. The team and I couldn’t believe it. Full house, live basketball games and no food or drink available? My teammates and I swore to never go to Scotty’s again.

Fast forward again to 2009. The new digital media world is all a buzz with Twitter and Facebook and, and, and. I started an account on Twitter for and I kept on seeing this account named @brewhouse pop up all over the local Twitter stream. The man behind the account seemed to be a funny, down to earth guy. I later learned that this was THE Scott Wise, owner of Scotty’s Brewhouse. I initially thought it was cool that a man that owned four (now five) restaurants would be interacting with us common folk on Twitter, so I followed the account. After numerous interactions and a few direct messages I felt a rapport had been built between Scott and myself. Mind you I had never met this man face to face.

I mentioned to Scott in a direct message that I had something I wanted to let him be aware of and asked for his email. Five minutes later I was sending Scott an email detailing the bowling teams previous experience. My intentions of the email were to let a business owner know of a negative experience I had. Maybe he didn’t know the manager at 96th St. had this “policy”. Maybe he wanted to know in case it was still going on so he could correct it and ensure happier customers and more revenue in the future. What followed was something I didn’t expect.

I received a response nearly instantaneously. Scott mentioned the manager at the time had since been let go. Scotty’s now had longer kitchen hours and even a separate section called Candlelight that stayed open later than the regular bar. Our conversation could have ended at that point and I would’ve been happy. The owner of the establishment had personally interacted with me and assured me an experience like ours wouldn’t happy again. What followed was again something I didn’t expect.

Scott offered to make our previous situation right. He said he relished the fact that he had a chance to turn a couple of his detractors into staunch, loyal supporters. Scott said he would cover food and beverages for the night should our team accept his offer one night after bowling. You heard it right he would cover our food and beverages for a night for a situation that happened 4 years ago. My teammates thought I was joking with them. You know Scotty they asked. I said no, not really. Not until I forwarded them the email did they believe me.

Fast forward another couple months. After a few emails between the private party planner and myself we had our night all set. Food and drinks on Scotty! The night was great. They were expecting us and knew my name when I mentioned our reservation. The manager on duty came over and talked to us and asked if we were the bowling guys. The food was a lot better than I remember from my first time. I had a bison burger that really needed to be eaten with a knife and fork it was so big. I had the (over) loaded waffle fries. I had my new favorite beer, Gumballhead. The only bad thing about the night? A couple of my teammates still weren’t buying the fact this was all comped by Scott and were skeptical until the waitress told us we were all set. Needless to say she made a lot of money thanks to Scott’s kindness.

For anyone looking for a great place to drink, eat huge burgers (and a million other things) and have a good time then Scotty’s Brewhouse is your place. For anyone looking for a great person to follow and interact with on Twitter, @brewhouse is that account. For anyone doing case studies on social media, customer interaction, customer service or anything business related you would be hard pressed to find someone better to study than Scott Wise.

Wine is more than just a drink. Wine is an experience. Wine, and the appreciation of wine, is a lifestyle. You can grab a cheap bottle of wine at the liquor store, sure. But why? Why not take the time to research the wine, learn things about the area the grapes came from, and enjoy the wine with your meal. Take the effort to pick wines based on what’s for dinner. I have a hard time drinking the same wine twice. (I am drinking a glass of red as I type.) For every wine that I drink, I want to drink a different one. It’s like seeing the same band twice or visiting the same country multiple times. There are just too many options out there. If you need help finding what wines you might like, look no further than this man. I have known this guy for many years, and it has been so cool seeing him grow from a man sitting behind a camera (he still does that, but it’s not the same as when he got started) to an author on the  New York Times bestsellers list. The only word that could describe him is passion. He brings 100% to everything he does, and he is someone I am glad to call a friend. I have been waiting a long time to sit with him and bring his story to my readers, but the time has finally arrived. It my absolute pleasure to introduce you to the one…the only…Gary Vaynerchuk.

Where did this all start? Not the wine or social media stuff, I mean you. Where did the personality of Gary Vaynerchuk come from?

I would say if you look way back, I am no different now than I was when I was at baseball card shows at fourteen years old. I have always had confidence and some brashness. I always felt I was capable. There was no shot I wouldn’t do it. No shot I couldn’t do it. It was what I did well. I very much feel like all that is going on now is a replication of my DNA. This is what I am good at. This is what I do. It has been a journey of my DNA. Any new genre, the Internet, ecommerce, wine library; it has always been the same game.

I am going through the HubSpot Inbound Marketing University. You are one of the instructors in this webinar series. Do you suggest it and have you been certified yourself?

I do suggest, of course. But no, I have not been certified with HubSpot. It is great though. I love it any time I get the chance to educate. For someone who was such a terrible student it is amazing how much I enjoy teaching. That has been a lot of fun. Getting asked to be a part of the Inbound Marketing University was a great experience.

Tell me about your obsession with the New York Jets.

It’s one of the first things I remember about America. It holds a deeper meaning because of that. It means more to me than you could ever know. I have watched every game since. It’s pretty intense. I am a BIG fan. (Laughs) It’s what I want to accomplish professionally. I want to own them. It’s something I think about and I absolutely focus on.

Have you seen the trailer for The Social Network?

Yes, I have seen them all. I don’t go to a lot of movies, but I will go see that. It’s our world.

If someone were only going to use one tool, only one social network, which one would you recommend?

I would say Facebook. A Facebook fan page (business page) is the most important place to be.

If you could only drink one wine for the rest of your life, which one would you choose?

Probably Salon Champagne. It is great stuff.

It has been said that you are notorious for returning every email you get. Is that true?

Yes I do. Although I am very behind on them right now, but I try to return them all. I am flying to Utah soon and I am excited to answer a couple hundred emails.

Do you fly first class when you fly or are you okay sitting in coach?

When I fly,  I do both. I end up traveling a lot of times with business so much is taken care of with the people I am doing the business with. It is funny; I almost never wanted to sit first class. I didn’t want to seem like a sell out. Just take care of yourself when you travel. I don’t think one way or the other is good or bad.

When should we expect the new book?

The next book is coming out in February. It is called The Thank You Economy. It talks about the return on investment (ROI) of social media and manners in marketing.

Please tell me you are carrying an iPhone 4.

No, not yet. It was crazy busy when it came out, and with the antenna thing happened I wanted to wait to see how it flushes out. I hate AT&T already with the number of issues they have. I didn’t need another one!

How cool is it being a New York Times best selling author with your first book?

Pretty intense. It is so humbling and awesome. I was a terrible English student and I could just laugh at thinking what my teachers think about it now!

You have been on a ton of television shows. Does any one appearance mean more than another?

I would say the first Conan appearance. It was my coming out party.

Is there such a thing as a social media expert?

I think it’s abused and that’s terrible. Every subject matter has people that are more knowledge about it than others. I do think superlatives are being thrown around too much. Things like expert, life changer, stuff like that. The truth is undefeated. I think anyone who is getting paid that doesn’t deserve to get paid will ultimately not get paid. The ones that suck and are cheesy will chance the next trend, and I think the people who have chops will work around the new marketplace.

What do I have to do to get a guest spot on Wine Library TV? If not a guest spot, at least a follow Friday on Twitter or something!

I stopped doing guests. I am going back to basics. I want it to just be the bottles, the camera and me. You have to patient first and foremost. Secondly, I think you are in the running. I appreciate your patience for this interview. You have been beyond gracious, that alone give you a shot!

Do you play golf?

Never. I want to. It’s so funny you brought that up. I better start learning now. Most people learned much younger, so if I don’t start soon I won’t be very good. I might never do it if I don’t start soon.

Explain a typical Friday night for you.

Spending time with Lizzie. You will find us doing things like seeing a movie or having dinner, that kind if stuff. It’s all about family time now. It has been that way for the last eighteen months. Prior to that it was heavy email work.

Not all press that you receive is positive. How do you handle the folks that have negative things to say about you and what you are trying to do?

I think by ratio it has been more positive than negative. That is good! But I would say I respect it and that I listen to it. Then I try to figure out why people feel that way. I understand I am over the top, high energy, and I respect their opinions. More than anything else actually. I try to wrap my head around why people feel that way. I hope I get the chance to meet them again and make them realize who I really am. I hope that if I get my head down and work I will win. Anyone that thinks I don’t have depth will be wrong, and if I don’t, then I won’t win. It’s not too difficult . You are good, or you are bad. You win or lose. I don’t spend my time trying to convince people I am winning player, I go out and let the chips fall.

What was it like being on College Humor with Jake and Amir.

I love those guys. They are crazy talented. I am a big fan of their work

Why do you always say, “sniffy sniff” when you smell a glass of wine?

Not really even sure. You know what, I have no idea how it started. I just started saying it one day. I think that is why it works. It came from a natural place. It wasn’t researched or anything, I just did it.

Do you ever go back to your hometown and visit?

No, because it is really a mess of a place. It still has a dictator. It doesn’t allow me to go back and experience it. I was three when I came to the USA and I have not been back since.

What is the Vook platform all about?

Vook is awesome. It is like having a Kindle or an iPad, but with videos thrown in through out. It is really cool. I am a big fan of it.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I don’t. I don’t think about it that way. I am not very focused on that short term. I think about being happy along the way and I think about buying the New York Jets, and that is kind of where that ends.

What do you want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

That nobody wanted to work harder and to do better and to care more than I did. I want to be known for all of my crazy DNA. That I was a good guy. I always say that there are two ways to be the biggest building. One is to tear down the other buildings. Or two, just build the biggest building. I just want to build the biggest building. I want every other building to be big, just slightly smaller than mine.

I always let the artist get the last word. Go.

Love your family because no matter what you accomplish financially, nothing tastes better than having love from your family. When you are 90 years old that is the thing you will wish you did more of.

I have been playing golf for as long as I can remember. I started playing golf when I was little, and kept improving the closer I got to high school. Then, when faced with the decision to play baseball or golf, I chose golf. I went to tryouts, did well, and ended up playing four years of varsity golf at Northview High School in Brazil, Indiana.

I ended up playing quite well through my years in high school, and when it came time to choose a college, I picked based on golf. I went to Marian College, now Marian University, and hated every second of it. Sure, I had some good memories there, met some good people and made some lifelong friends. But I hated the golf program. I hated the way the coach handled practice sessions, and basically ended up hating the entire way collegiate golf was run.

I left Marian and went to IUPUI to study engineering at the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology\. I tried to walk onto the team at IUPUI, but after about a half an hour of watching these guys hit balls I knew that college golf was not for me. I accepted this decision, quit the team, and ended up working at a practice facility for the next two years, working on my game the entire time.

I actually got down to a 1 handicap. For those of you who do not know what a handicap is in golf, or how one is calculated, basically I mean that I average one strike over par on any given course on any given day. To show you the different between me, and say Tiger Woods, he caries a +6 handicap on average. That means he shoots six shots under par every time he tees it up. That is a huge difference when you are talking strokes. Especially considering the courses he plays.

Playing golf has taught me a ton about patience. From missed shots off the tee to missed greens from the fairway or rough, golf can be a very aggravating sport. Some people play golf to relax and get out of the house. And while it does that for me too, it can still be quite the nerve-wracking experience.

Part of what makes my golf game so consistent is my preshot routine. Every player on tour, even amateur players, will tell you that this is the most important part of your golf game. Having a solid preshot routine will allow you something to focus on, something to back off and get your head on straight when flustered, and something to keep you sane when  you’re having a bad golf day.

My preshot routine started when I was in high school.  I played for years without one and then one day, while watching the Golf Channel, I saw a special about them. I decided to go out into the yard right then and there, and develop a preshot routine.

Driver

My preshot routine is different for nearly every club in my bag. Allow me to break this down into my driver, my irons, my wedges, and my putter. Let’s start with the driver.

When I grab the big dog out of the bag and stand on the tee looking at my shot, I usually am looking right down the middle. I have the tendency to hit the ball very straight from the tee. Don’t ask me why, but I hit the ball straight. Now, I never said I hit it far. if you look at guys on the PGA Tour, they are hitting the ball three hundred yards or more off the tee time and time again. I might hit the ball two hundred and eighty or ninety on a good day. But again, I am hitting fairways. I actually, through my four years of school, led the team in fairways hit and greens hit in regulation. Apparently, hitting the fairway means you hit a lot of greens.

With the driver in my hand, I look down the middle of the fairway and picture the drive in my head. I see the ball leaving the tee box and I see where it lands, how it bounces, and where it ends up. With that in mind, I look left and right and decide where, if I mis-hit it, where I want it to go. Recently I played a golf course up in Roscommon, Michigan. I had no choice. Hit it in the fairway or chop out of the trees. It was a very tight and strict golf course.

After picturing the ball flight, I take two smooth and full swings parallel to the ball. Not sure why I do it this way, but I just want to get a feel for my swing. I check where my hands are and where I am leading with my hips. Then I step up to the ball. I actually stand behind it to get a good placement in my stance. Once I do that, I grab the club and line it up on the line I had just envisioned in my head.

Then, I take a couple of waggles, look down the line, repeat, and am ready to swing. Once I take the club back, a million things run through my head. I worry about not making contact, about hitting it right, about hitting it left, or missing the ball all together. Lucky enough for me, I usually hit it. Not always in the fairway, but I always hit it.

Irons

Long irons are the same as my mid and short irons, and it is a similar pattern as on the tee. Let’s say that I hit the ball down the middle and I have about one hundred and sixty yards into the green. I grab my seven iron. I do the same by taking the two smooth and consistent swings, then I think out loud where the ball will go. I say, “Left to right ten yards.” I say that, spin the club in my hands, and repeat the same pattern of ball positioning and line of sight. I take only one look now, and focus on making solid contact and taking a heavy and solid divot.

After I hit my irons, I worry more about my follow-through than anything. I have to make sure I get through the ball, that I make solid contact with the ball and the ground, and that I picked the right club. You might hear me yell, “Be the right club…” or “Get down ball, get down!”

Wedges

Anytime I have a wedge in my hand, it means I missed the green. Or, I have hit a huge tee ball. But most of the time, it is because I missed the green. So, on the way to the hole (I always walk, I hate to ride) I am thinking about the green, the way the green slopes, and the possible position my ball is in. With golf, a lot of things can come into play. You can have greens sloping away from you, tons of green to work with, or no green to work with at all. It all depends on where you miss.

Now, I said earlier that I think about where my miss will come while on the tee. I hardly ever think about that with my second shot. I guess I just assume that I am going to hit the green. But when I don’t, that leaves it in the hands of my fifty-six degree wedge, or my sixty degree sand wedge. More than likely I will hit the fifty-six, but that is just a personal choice.

I will take an almost immediate stance, because I have been thinking about this show all the way to the ball. When I think about it, I just want to see what happens next. So I step up, stand behind the ball, and take three practice swings exactly the power and speed I want to hit the shot. If I can perfect that one of the three times, making perfect contact with the ground and the grass, then chances are I will hit a decent shot from the rough or the fringe.

Once I hit the shot, I watch and hope for it to check, to roll out, or to just go in the hole. I have been known for having pretty soft hands around the greens. That means that I have a lot of touch and can hit a ton of great short shots close.

Putter

Oh boy, the putter. This is the worst club in my bag. I wish I could make putts. I have incredible judge of speed, don’t get me wrong. I can get the ball there, and get it close, but it rarely goes in. Even when I was paying with the head professional up at Forest Dunes Golf Club in Michigan, he nearly raved on my speed. I had never played the course before, and I didn’t even get the chance to make some putts on the practice green before we went out and played. The first putt, a thirty-five footer, I left within inches. I didn’t make a birdie all day.

When I have a putt, whether short or long, I walk around it. I look at all the options and take in all the chances of where it might break. Depending on fast the greens are, and how smooth they are, I will stand behind it and line it up from the stereotypical catcher’s position behind the ball. Then I bring out the plum bob. Yep, I use the age-old technique of the plumb bob. The concept behind this is to stand half of the distance back behind the ball as it is to the hole. You then hold the putter up at eye level, leaving the tip of the putter on the top of the ball. Then, close your dominant eye. This shows you the break of the green from left to right. Does it work? Who knows? Must not, given the way I putt.

As you can see, a lot goes into making a single swing on the golf course. This does not take into consideration balance, swing speed, wind, hip rotations, or any one of the other million thoughts going through my head on the golf course. They say golf is easy, just put a little ball in the hole. I dare you try it and tell me its easy. It might be the hardest sport in the world to learn how to play by the rules and to be competitive in. I have been playing my whole life, and there are tons of guys out there better than me.

Golf is a game that we can play forever. Some of the best golfers in the world are older and retired. It is a great way to get some exercise, and there are literally courses everywhere. From the hills of northern Michigan to the deserts of Arizona, there are courses around every corner. I just hope this gives you a better idea on implementing a preshot routine and shows you a little bit more about my swing. Golf is tough, there’s no doubt about it. Fore!

I don’t believe in magic. I never have. I remember when I was little watching David Copperfield on television performing magic tricks. He would make things disappear or saw a woman in half, and the crowd would always go wild. But I knew it was all an act. Of course it was an act. There was no way that someone could actually perform these tricks in front of a live studio audience.

Never having seen a magic act before, I was a little nervous to attend the Mind Tripping Show. I had no idea what to expect and was curious if it was really a magic show, or more of a psychological thriller type of show. Either way, a good friend of mine had introduced me to it, and his brother was actually one of the main performers. Mind Tripping is brought to you by Christian Painter and Katalina Absolon.

Before I get into the show itself, let me tell you a little bit about the relationship I have with not only Christian and Katalina, but also his brother, Harrison Painter. I first met Harrison on Twitter. After coming to a handful of tweetups we became friends. Then I showed him to my blog and the rest is history. Harrison was actually the one that started telling me about his brother’s venture with magic. So I took immediate interest and started doing my own research.

Christian and Katalina actually met back in 1994. They were both soldiers in the United States Army and it seemed like love at first sight. Katalina was a captain in the military. Her focus was on intelligence, and after seeing the Mind Tripping show, you will see why. Christian, however, was a platoon sergeant. Because of his position in the military, there was a lot of yelling involved. That too is obvious during the show.

The two have been married now for fifteen years. During the show itself you can see how well they play off of each other. They tell jokes, they banter back and forth, and they just look like a couple that is meant to be together. They love each other off stage, and you can just see the love they have together on stage.

Part of what makes the show so enjoyable is their passion for the art. Christian studied psychology in college and became obsessed with the way people think. He also learned to watch people, to pay attention to small details, and to be able to spot someone who was telling the truth versus someone who was lying. He claims that the mind, and the way people think, has been a passion of his since his youth. This adds one more level of validity to this Mind Tripping show.

Katalina, while not having studied psychology in school, comes from a long line of Hungarian mystics. Based on her upbringing and her desire to follow her heritage, she has learned to be very smart, witty, and sharp. That, matched with Christian’s abilities to practically read minds and to understand the way people think, make these two a perfect match for a show of this magnitude.

The show itself has toured all over the world. They have played in living rooms and exhibit halls, and also play a lot of resorts and cruise ships. During our meal at 120 West Market Fresh Grill, I had the chance to chat with Christian about their résumé of shows. He says they like being on a cruise ship and staying at resorts, but miss being home. They live here in Indianapolis, Indiana, and travel more than they are home. But they are back, for at least six weeks anyway, and will be performing two shows every Friday and Saturday night at the Hilton Indianapolis Hotel and Suites.

Speaking of 120 West Market Fresh Grill, if you are going to the show, make sure you stop in for dinner. As a part of your ticket, you get a buy one get one free entrée in the restaurant. Sheryl and I decided to go to the later show, starting at 8:30, so that we could grab dinner after work. It was perfect timing making our dinner reservations for 6:30 and managing to sneak in a couple of filets before the show. You can also get discounted parking with your ticket purchase.

After dinner we headed upstairs, to the sixteenth floor, for the show. Seating only forty people or so, it provides for a very intimate experience. We sat in the back, hoping to not get involved in any of the action. Apparently this show includes a lot of audience interaction. Could that possibly be why all of these tricks work? Was it the audience interaction that does it? Who knows? But there was indeed a ton of audience interaction.

The show got started a little late. It was actually their very first showing, and they were still getting rid of some of the kinks. In the process of getting started, Christian started talking and telling jokes and keeping the crowd entertained. He told us where they had been the last few months, about their residency at the Hilton, and how we could all expect for our minds to actually be tripped that evening. About ten or fifteen minutes later it was time to get started.

When the show began, they did some introductions and told us all a little bit about where they came from. Then it was time for some magic. And while I won’t tell you every magic trick they did that night, I wanted to touch on a few of the ones I felt were the better tricks.

One of the first acts they did was basically reading minds. It started slowly, but eventually worked into the audience for some more detailed mind reading. Katalina put on a blindfold, walked to the front of the stage, and began answering questions thrown out by Christian. He walks over to an unsuspecting audience member and asked for his cell phone. Christian asked, “What do I have in my hand?”

“A cell phone,” Katalina claims.

“Yes, correct. What color is this cell phone?” asked Christian.

“I am getting a darker color, grey is the color of the cell phone.” Katalina sounded positive in her declaration.

“Yes, the cell phone is grey.” Christian was proud of his wife. The crowd clapped, the owner of the cell phone was impressed, and they went on to the next trick.

The evening went on like this with one trick leading to another. My favorite was either the guessing game or the numerous card tricks. I have always been impressed with card tricks, but for some reason, Christian had a way with cards. Sheryl and I were actually asked to stick around after the show for some personal card tricks, right in front of our faces. I was impressed through and through, and can honestly say that my mind was tripped during the show.

Another thing that excites me about these folks is their branding. With the help of Harrison on their side, they are all over Facebook, Twitter, and more. Even gaining ad space on sites like NUVO and Metromix and getting radio spots doing interviews and commercials. If you live in the Circle City, you need to see this show. If you live within driving distance of downtown, I highly suggest checking this out. You can buy tickets online, at the door, or just contact them directly for a true VIP experience. They have sold out every show since opening night, so make sure you pick a date and get your seats. You won’t be sorry.