Summer Solstice

"When I try to show you this

Song is meant to keep ya

From doing what your supposed to

Like waking up too early

Maybe we can sleep in

Ill make you banana pancakes

Pretend like its the weekend now"

Jack Johnson

I spent Saturday night with my wife, good friends Bill and Sarah Dermody, and 40,000 other people at Alpine Valley Music Theater. And by theater they mean one big-ass indoor/outdoor amphitheater. The hills that went up from the stage were easily steeper than the hill I used to walk in Utah and I am amazed that with the combination of booze and gravity that I didn't see people tumbling down the hill all night long. Jack Johnson put on a tremendously entertaining show. This guy personifies everything that is right about music. He writes tremendously fun songs, addresses important issues in his music and is without a doubt in a very small group of people who can get 40,000 people to show up to see one guy play a guitar. He also made a point to let people know that money from the show was going to help families displaced by the recent flooding, had eco-green info groups and voter registration booths throughout the venue.

We had pretty nice seats about 30 rows up from the stage and dead center. Not quite as cool as our last two set of seats but still it was better than the hill where people at the top would need a telescope to see the stage.

Here's Jacky and I in a self portrait with our friend Sarah adding some background.

















Here's some pics from our volleyball tournaments this week. We played in two eight team double elimination tournaments at Club Tavern, our volleyball home court.


Zach, Alex, and Luke. Alex went on injured reserve about halfway through game 2 when his knee blew out and is currently on crutches and limping around Bourbon Street waiting on an MRI this week.









Jenny and Elijah and Leah and a small bit of Jenn. Leah is also on the reserve list this year after playing the last couple years. She has a nine month engagement with a new addition to their family.

Another shot of Mrs T. and I. Looks like it's time for haircut and a shave.

Let's wrap up everything else. Starting with Volleyball where we won both of the tournaments. We were the favorites Monday night but not Wednesday and it was extra sweet beating a team that had beaten us twice this year. We won 4 matches each night, and we are playing really well. I had my tenth weigh in this past week at Weight Watchers and for the first time in my life I have wrung up ten consecutive weeks of losing weight. 32 lbs in the ten weeks I have been back from the Ridge, and really close to triple digits overall.

I have been contacted by a handful of people who have wandered onto my blog while investigating Fitness Ridge. I am happy to hear from you guys and happy to answer any questions you might have. Let me reiterate that it is a great, tough, program stocked full of friendly helpful people.

We have a busy week ahead; 3 nights of volleyball, Jacky's birthday party and Summerfest(more music). My parents bought a house with a pool in Venice Beach, Fl and I can not wait to visit but probably not until November. That's all the news from here. I hope you guys are having fun...Peace, Jim