Shocker....

"I like to begin our notes as if we're already in the middle of a conversation"...name that movie, (Hillary).  I don't think I have those words exactly right but you get the gist.  Well if you readers know me at all you know that I am not particularly a) a dog person and b) a kid person.  Well surprise surprise guess what I am doing right now?  I am house sitting/nannying/dogsitting for twin 9 year old girls and a bichon-frise named Tyler.  I like Tyler but sometimes he can be a little bichon (take off the "on" and add a "t" in there) when I can't catch him to put him in his crate.  But I for the most part surprisingly enjoy him and he doesn't smell bad.  He's actually pretty cute.  I don't have a picture of him but I googled his type.  He kinda looks like this:

He just got a haircut though so he is not that fluffy anymore.  Oh Tyler.

Anyways, so I had my first experience at being a mom today (minus babysitting Saturday night for the easiest most well-behaved cutest kids ever that live next door).  Today I had to pick up the girls from softball, get them home, make sure they did their homework, make sure they get ready for bed...etc.  I even had to discipline because one of them deliberately disobeyed me when I told her to go take a shower.  Instead of getting ready for bed, I caught her with the tv on in her mom's bedroom, NOT SHOWERED.  Ohh I was irked.  They are allowed to have dessert since they had an early dinner before softball (this was before I became "mom") so her punishment was a small portion of dessert (smaller than her twin sister's).  I told her that disobedience has consequences, "you understand?"  'yes ma'am'.

That's what I like to hear.  I am learning to lay down the law.  So, prayers accepted for the next 3 days...and after that too.

Interning was pretty fun today.  If you go to www.thousandfootkrutch.com and look at their tour dates, I pretty much filled all those in as well as www.derekwebb.com (which actually hasn't launched yet but will in a few days I think).  I also logged in to facebook as Dave Barnes and Derek Webb and made some concert events for upcoming shows.  Tomorrow, back to Gotee!  Should be more fun times ahead!  Stay tuned.

Also, yesterday I hung out with my new friend that I met on Tuesday.  We met up for church with the Hoekstras (my host family) and then she and I spent the afternoon getting to know each other in conversation and then went to see Post Grad.  It's a movie about a girl who graduates college and then can't find a job. HA.  Well, we both identified with it, except for the fact that Alexis Bledel in the movie has two hott guys interested in her.  Dangit.

Thanks for reading.  You stay classy,
Faith G

Mark Lee Townsend

I just shook hands/met one of my heros: Mr. Mark Lee Townsend.  I found out from work that a Beatles cover band called the "64 band" was going to be playing at a place tonight called the Bunganut Pig.  Of course that sounded like a good time and it was a free show.  So I went, only to find out that the frontman is Mark Lee Townsend.  His resume is outstanding and I have been a fan of his work for years.  Namely he has mixed and produced several of Relient K's songs/albums, plus played guitar for dcTalk just to name a few things.

I stayed for the full 3 hour set and only one song stumped me.  Turns out, I have heard it before but I couldn't sing along with it like I did for all the rest. 

Short post, but I wanted to write while it was fresh...like 30 minutes fresh.

thanks for reading, you stay classy,
Faith

p.s. I just pulled this bio from myspace.com/markleetownsend :

The multi-faceted career of Mark Lee Townsend is exemplified through his work as a producer, engineer, guitarist and singer/songwriter. These various positions have led to his continual influence on the music industry.

After playing in various bands in high school (including one with Flogging Molly drummer, George Schwindt) Townsend entered the national music scene in 1984 as a singer/guitarist/songwriter for CCM new wave pioneers, Bash 'N The Code. From here he worked with various artists, eventually becoming guitarist for Steve Taylor and Some Band in the early 90s. In 1995 he joined dc Talk and toured with them through 2001. In 1997 when they took a break from tours, he and the other members of dc Talk's backing band focused on their own music by starting the band Zilch. Townsend was the writer/vocalist/guitarist and they put out their album "Platinum" on Gotee Records.

Shortly after this release, dc Talk started touring again, and the members of Zilch put their project on hold and went back on the road with dc Talk. During breaks, Townsend continued on the road as Jennifer Knapp's lead guitarist, doing tours with Jars Of Clay, Third Day and shows at the acclaimed Lilith Fair.

In 2002, Townsend decided to take a break from touring and with this, he switched the focus of his profession but not industry. It turned out that he not only had talent for being a musician, but also a producer. He began working with a little-known band at the time called Relient K and went on to producing five of their albums as well as part of their most recent album. His work can also be heard on albums by House Of Heroes, The Wedding, The O.C. Supertones, Jennifer Knapp, The Evan Anthem and Deas Vail.

As if he hadn't already crossed an ample amount of boundaries in his career, in 2004 Townsend moved to Nashville and started Brave New World, a record company to focus on artist development and doing in house records, much like many of the record labels in the 1960's. In between productions, Townsend is currently working on his first solo record and the sophomore Zilch album as well, scheduled to be released early next year.

Mark has also recently entered the national pop scene as a writer, penning the music for the Kelly Clarkson song "Cry" on her latest release "All I Ever Wanted".

Recently, Townsend has been quoted as saying "I'm not sure what the future is of the music business or rock 'n roll (economically speaking), but I still see a need to make honest music that affects the lives of people in a good way, and I think that always has a future. I want to hopefully continue to be a part of that and leave some tangible positive thing in the world".

Don't Wake Me!!!

Howdy,

Well, the trend is to meet a band each week.  So far, this pattern has not failed.  Last night on facebook, I found out that my old acquaintance/friend Brian Bandas' band was having a CD release party at Best Buy about 30 minutes away.  I think to myself, sure, you should go!  So I did...

 

Here are the guys holding up their album!

Here is a picture of me and the guys.  Brian on the right is the one that I know.  It was so great seeing him.  He was like, "Faith Griffin! Blast from the past! How are you doing? Great to see you."....We got to catch up a bit.  They are about to hit a tour with Jason Aldean---pretty cool if you ask me.

So, when I was in line waiting to have the boys sign my cd and take a picture with them, a girl caught my attention when she goes, "Is that an AGGIE RING?"...I says yes.  So of course we are immediate best friends.  Not really, but we ended up exchanging numbers.  Basically, we are on the same journey right now.  She just graduated with a COMM degree, is interning up here (for Brian's record label) for no money, and she lives alone with her cat (I want to get a cat eventually).  So, hopefully we can hang out and get to know each other because we already have a lot in common based on talking for less than 5 minutes.

YAY Aggie network.  Yay new friends. Yay Nashville...

This is where I live...well, 30 minutes from here:

 

That is the "Batman building". It totally looks like Wayne Enterprises.

Well, I will leave you with some LNT lyrics:

"And I pray beyond the stars that you and me will stay just like we are. And I don't care if it's all a dream. But that's where I am and where I wanna be."

Thanks for reading. You stay classy,

Faith

I am ill-blog-iterate

I can't figure out very easily how to make my blog aesthetically pleasing.  I don't care enough to spend too much longer on it.  Hamburgers are calling me.  Checking out a new church tomorrow.  Still enjoying my time here.  I met Derek Webb yesterday at his house cuz I had to run an errand to drop off some stuff for him to autograph. HA! Is this really my life right now?

Short post, short attention span.

Stoked for what's next, yet I keep kinda having these crisis break-downs and I really want a pet kitten.  I need a job first though so I can afford the bills and food and litter for it.  Also, my own apt would be good.  Again, money being the backing for all of these ambitions.

Prayers accepted for my life,
Thanks for reading. You stay classy,
Faith

I Guess Dreams Really CAN Come True

As you can tell, and if you know me at all, I just had the best day of my life. I met 4/5 of my favorite band, Relient K. From left to right: Kevin (their manager), Ethan, Matt Hoopes, Me, Matt Thiessen, Jon Schneck.

Long story short, I got to go to a special board meeting with them at Word Distributors and listen to 4 tracks of their upcoming record: Shameless plug for Forget and Not Slow Down releasing October 6th)! We hung out and chilled and took a picture together. No big deal. HA...except for this fulfills one of my life dreams.

I even got the Matt's to "gig'em" with me.

Best day ever.

Thanks for reading. You stay classy,
Faith

Franklun and Nashvull

Well howdy everyone from the great state of TN! I arrived here on Thursday evening after about a 14 hour drive spanned over 2 days. Previously to this trip, I had never driven farther than 3 hours in one sitting. ha! It really was not as hard as I had predicted. I made a killer playlist and listened to about an hour of The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring. I regret not having updated in a really long time but I was really busy with moving out of College Station *tear* which my last blog circulated around. Then I was trying to move back into my bedroom at home which was difficult because I have way too much stuff. I am trying to simplify my life a little bit. Then we went to Boston to visit Liese and Phil. Anyways, I am somewhat settled in here at my host home. I still have some unpacking to do. I only unloaded my car this morning so I was living out of my car for 3 days literally. I am not a fan of it---not something I'd ever choose to do on purpose. I already have learned how to get around the Franklin area decently well and I went to visit Valerie in Nashville today. I got myself back "home" from Val's house without using Alfred, my GPS. I was proud of myself. Anyways, to make a long story short, I was also busy with preparations for one of my best friends, Kristen's wedding last week. She got married to Jeff on Sunday and it was a blast! On my way up to Franklin on Thursday, I stopped in Memphis and went to tour Graceland. I came to find out that this is Elvis week because the anniversary of his death is tomorrow. Tourism was up as a result. I had a good time and it was neat to see "the King's Cave" hahaha. I shall try to post pictures of Graceland once I get my pictures loaded onto my computer. I guess that is a shortened version of the past 3 weeks or so. Here are a few pictures!


Jeff, me, and Kristen


My last night in College Station, the boys took me out country dancing...my favorite thing ever!


Me, Liese, and Phil at Lynch Park in MA

Thanks for reading. You stay classy.
-Faith