tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80057282009-12-21T23:16:00.091ZA Washington, D.C. area native blogs about enjoying the ride of life: the pursuit of music, bands, road trips, relationships; living in Charles County, MD ("Where Eagles Fly"; motorcycling and motorcycle commuting (60 m.p.g.!); running an all-age music school in a wealthy community; and attaining whatever goals seem worthy of pursuing.Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.comBlogger365125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-80142815329111593762009-12-21T22:59:00.003Z2009-12-21T23:12:16.906Z

Waiting patientlyOriginally uploaded by beachheartedThe D.C. area got hit by its biggest December snowstorm in a decade this weekend. It's the first time I've been absolutely unable to ride my motorcycle since getting it in August. Here it is sitting beside a snowbank. I started it today and was so sorry to not take it for a spin. I've hated springtime for as long as I can remember, probably

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-85338767991823225482009-10-27T01:35:00.002Z2009-10-27T01:53:11.003Z

Hooray, I rode my motorcycle over 1,500 miles so far. Got it in August, then had a supposed broken toe and was off the bike... went on vacation for a week in September.... But generally, if it's nice out, and I've got no meetings or work to do in a day, and it's not going to rain, I ride, ride, ride! (Funny how when you have one whole day off a week, it rains on that day, whether it's Sunday or

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-20561166215803958032009-09-20T18:18:00.001Z2009-09-20T18:18:06.386Z

Myrtle Beach Heli 1Originally uploaded by beachheartedTook a helicopter ride yesterday while on vacation at Myrtle Beach. Saw some schools of fish--awesome! Here's the downtown strip (pictured.)

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-72197374841398721762009-09-04T04:07:00.001Z2009-09-04T04:07:14.380Z

H-D Iron 883 peanut tank with skull gas capOriginally uploaded by beachheartedConvinced now, to be a motorcyclist is one of the best decisions I ever made. When people ask about my motorcycle and what it's like to ride I keep saying, "It's just so basic--so punk." As my friend, Adam, once said, "...You're riding an engine down the road...."Today I strapped my Mac Powerbook onto my back along with

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-28747271980199021722009-08-05T23:05:00.001Z2009-08-05T23:05:01.994Z

My new motorcycle!Originally uploaded by beachheartedBought my first motorcycle today! Here's my new Harley Iron 883 in black denim in the showroom today. I've never seen a black Iron 883 because they are usually snatched up the second they hit the showroom floor. This time, my name was on the bike for at least a month prior to its delivery to the dealership yesterday... so I got first dibs. At

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-3805654057158694812009-07-21T02:07:00.005Z2009-07-21T02:26:36.914Z

I always knew it would come to this. It started with watching CHiPs as a kid, sticking a playing card into my bike's spokes, etc. I secretly always wanted to ride a motorcycle. I feel like I am coming out of the closet all over again. I don't dare tell my mom this time.So 35 years into my life I am learning how to ride a motorcycle. At 30 I did an odd pre-cursor--I learned how to ride a downhill

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-29083573841671909502009-05-13T01:56:00.001Z2009-05-13T01:56:13.065Z

Guitar Instruction, Sun Conure-styleOriginally uploaded by beachheartedI can't believe I lived without a pet in the household for so long! Here's my new parrot helping me play the guitar. I thought she might be afraid of it, but instead she crawled down from my shoulder almost immediately and sat on the body of the guitar while I played. After watching for a few minutes, she decided to assist. I

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-89317055530321982292009-04-25T22:53:00.001Z2009-04-25T22:53:41.218Z

Doin' what babies do: suckin' her toesOriginally uploaded by beachheartedDay two of parrot ownership went well. Yesterday I trained her not to squawk to get me to come visit her, which came in handy since today we had a yard sale outside. When she squawks she's about as loud as a blue jay, and sounds like one, too. But she only cried out a few times.She got extended play time at least five times

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-59405632537697206872009-04-25T22:43:00.001Z2009-04-25T22:43:25.465Z

Alert parrot, about to bite the cameraphone!Originally uploaded by beachheartedHaven't had a pet in a while because we wanted a bird but couldn't have one in our Silver Spring apartment. A couples weekends ago My Fair Maiden and I moved to southern Maryland... and can now have a pet. This sunburst conure "chose me" last weekend, and I brought her home yesterday. Overall, we're loving being down

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-56992389771933124202009-03-28T01:56:00.001Z2009-03-28T01:56:26.530Z

Three Plus OneOriginally uploaded by beachheartedSome friends and I shoot photos together whenever we can, which is not often at all. About a month ago we took this shot in the dark with the camera set on long exposure while on a tripod. We took turns shining the flashlight on ourselves from under our chins, Girl Scout ghost story-style. Of course, the spookiest part of the photo was the red "

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-31699543569869017372009-03-16T01:09:00.002Z2009-03-16T01:20:10.207Z

Imagine yourself at a concert full of loners, singing the same loner-music they've loved since their painful teens along with their Jesus-of-Loners, Morrissey. Now imagine yourself suddenly feeling out-of-place as you sang a song heartily while all around you stood still and silent because they didn't know it.That was me last night at the Morrissey show at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C.

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-77487582948463748752009-01-19T22:44:00.002Z2009-01-19T22:55:12.573Z

I always say I'm psychic enough to get myself in trouble. Case in point:Yesterday I bought my first-ever Fender t-shirt to show my Fender pride at work at the music school. I was only in my office for a few minutes today, wearing my Fender shirt, before I got an email saying that the CEO of Gibson USA was coming in the afternoon to have a meeting at my school. Of all things! I zipped up my hoodie

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-23784136029259341772009-01-12T03:04:00.001Z2009-01-12T03:04:34.752Z

Woobie animationOriginally uploaded by beachheartedIn 2008 I got a little too serious. Here's proof of life after work, and life on the lighter side: three girls, 8 DFH Midas Touches and 4 DFH 90-minute ales on vegan-fed stomachs, one camera, one blanket. This is what happens. Then we took it out into the hallway. I feel sorry for the neighbors if they had to see any of this.

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-39526438322596426292008-12-19T03:51:00.002Z2008-12-19T04:10:23.763Z

Roadtrip on a day offOriginally uploaded by beachheartedYesterday I had to have an asphalt exorcism. It was my day off, yet it felt like my phone was ringing off the hook. I logged into my work email to head off any looming disasters, gassed up my car, then hit the road. Text messages started coming in."Day off. Driviny," is what I replied.I drove about 400 miles yesterday. Max. speed: 90 m.p.h.

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-67527446271206409582008-12-13T22:27:00.002Z2008-12-13T22:32:37.577Z

Two bands from my music school earned 2nd place for their age groups at the Battle of the Bands at the 9:30 Club in D.C. last Sunday. (One band won second place for high school and the other won 2nd for middle.) Pretty sweet. Overall, I was really pleased with the quality of both the performances and the event itself. A seven-hour-long Battle of the Bands is a lot of amateur-level music to get

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-45597001481500635222008-11-26T02:06:00.006Z2008-11-26T02:27:05.255Z

Reeking like gasoline, I stripped down, showered, and did impromptu laundry.Once I started doing household chores, I figured I might as well scrub the toilet. Somehow some toilet water flicked off the brush, and landed somewhere. Where, I don't know. On me? Near the sink? From gas to ass.Decided to do some Christmas shopping online. The new Mac desktop machine would not power up. Back to the

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-87612693320741210392008-11-24T01:01:00.004Z2008-11-24T02:54:42.455Z

We all have our own self-soothing activities. Some of mine come in the form of rhythmic activities and/or exhilaration. Tonight on the way home from work I went from 0 - 60 m.p.h. in 6.8 seconds, which is pretty damn good for my totally-not-a-sports-car considering I started from a complete stop at a red light, hit the start button on my iPod stop watch the second I saw the light turn green,

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-70724726277674396202008-11-05T00:38:00.002Z2008-11-05T00:43:01.114Z

Like millions of others around the country, M.F.M. and I are sitting around the T.V. with our family, watching and waiting to hear the great victory announcement... we're bidin' our time with some steak, mango chutney, brownies and Dogfish Head ale. Yum. I squeaked my vote out at about 6:45 p.m. It took me about an hour and a half to drive the 15 miles from my work to home this evening. Crazy. It

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-88089776923877999522008-11-04T02:27:00.003Z2008-11-04T02:49:39.090Z

But screw the surface stuff... my main concerns are not tattoos, bands, office politics, or gadgetry. I am trying to solve a few mysteries, or one big one: my family. Almost one-third of my family has committed suicide. Why? And explain to me why mother, my father, my half-brother and I talk, but not a single one of us talks to all of the rest. I share no closeness with my family and vice-versa.

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-81428606222464066582008-11-02T22:53:00.016Z2008-11-04T02:12:15.115Z

There's nothing like coming into the music school and my Assistant Director having something very urgent to show me. Is it a billing issue? A scheduling snafu? A congratulatory email from a parent? Another hilarious email from marketing? I lay my laptop bag on the floor and walk around the desk to see a video by Oregon's Red Fang.My Assistant Director kicks ass. I'm so glad I hired him. Not only

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-15005911717762747372008-10-18T03:08:00.001Z2008-10-18T03:08:35.605Z

Bruise over 4-year-old cycling injuryOriginally uploaded by beachheartedToday while opening some ridiculously tough clamshell packaging for an iPod cord, I must've pressed the packaging too hard against my thumb, resulting in an instant bruise that started off blue but is now purple. I broke my thumb at this exact place over 4 years while downhill mountain biking. I was practicing for a national

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-85065999624464973312008-09-24T02:01:00.004Z2008-09-24T02:21:06.387Z

Things are going well. Usually I disassociate myself from my job, so it's a welcome pleasure to connect a part of my self-worth with my success at work. After busting my butt all year, I am seeing the rewards. My music school has doubled its private lesson enrollment goals for the month, as well as surpassing our private lesson enrollment goals for the year. Pretty sweet.Four years ago I was at a

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-15187862751215931822008-08-25T00:27:00.002Z2008-08-25T00:31:10.253Z

There's a point in life where you eat SpaghettiOs with fresh parmesan cheese from Whole Foods sprinkled on top, and wash it down with a gourmet ale that costs $8.99 a bottle. You could say I'm there.

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-38164165757645801582008-08-22T01:07:00.005Z2008-08-22T01:33:03.063Z

The year was 1986. I was in seventh grade and volunteered at a thrift shop in McLean, VA, every so often to benefit Fairfax Hospital. On my lunch break I walked over to the Music & Arts Center to look at sheet music and electric guitars. One day I had starved myself at lunch time enough times to buy a new cassette tape--Poison's "Look What the Cat Dragged In." I bought it and hid it in my

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005728.post-65435161815819921082008-07-17T14:38:00.003Z2008-07-17T15:04:34.975Z

I'm still exhausted, but I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel. I'm managing over 20 people now, and most of the time I feel like life is a horse and I'm just the rider, who's fallen off and is being dragged by a rope. But yesterday I felt a little better.Yesterday our company had a meeting in which we went over everything from the company's vision to our revenue goals and names for our

Capt. Jack Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11237383362907055971noreply@blogger.com1