yellow-bushes

yellow-bushes
Originally uploaded by stevelamps.

Alright, so here are some plants. Confused? Here are some hints. Brown Van, Reverse, steve/Ben bail, Andrew ruins landscaping. These looked a lot like those poor little plants. Here's to you Andrew, keep up the good driving. Love ya. Happy B-Day!

steve and shea

A Black Dog in the Dark

A Black Dog in the Dark
Originally uploaded by jacobgaines.

23 years and still none can hide 'em any better than Andrew. Keep up the good work. This one is way inside. Blessings to you on your b-day bro. Much love to a guy who is not afraid to risk and who is loved greatly by his family in G-dora. Come back and complete the Gaines Triangle!

Happy 23rd Birthday

Birthday wishes to the best hider of black dogs in the dark
the best rider of bikes at Brighton State Park
the youngest of four, now 23
Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday to Thee!

Hippy Halloween

Petey and June were going to dress up for a "Happy Birthday Uncle Andrew" photo, but June was throwing a terrible-two's tantrum and Petey, well, he said he doesn't even know who you are.

Hope your day is going swell, oh corporate man that you are, and that you don't overly exert yourself--relax, you deserve it. You're such a funny, adventurous, unique brother (in-law).

Never change.

Cheers Andrew

Heres to another great year! Cheers!

B-DAY

Happy 23 Andirooo!!! Here is a "Guacamole Alien" to help you celebrate with. This was my dish at the company Haloween Lunch. I won a copy of Texas Chainsaw Massacre for best dressed dish. Are you passing candy out at the new place? Have a good day, we'll give you a call.

wes...have fun with this HIP HOP DEBATE between G. Bush and J. Kerry (Bye Bye Kerry is my favorite)

Play entitled "The Sweetest Victory of my Life"

The Scene: K-Mart where Wes and Sarah proceed toward the exit, Wes first, passing by an arcade Crane Game.

Wes continues through automatic doors, pulls out a quarter, and buys a gumball.

Sarah: (glancing into cranegame as she walks by) "No way! There's a Max stuffed animal in here! I've never seen one of those. Wes, get over here."

Wes: "Who's Max?"

Sarah: The little guy from "Where the Wild Things Are." I'm going to try to win him."

Wes: "Sarah, those games are rigged. I've never won at one of those. Just use your two quarters to get gumballs instead of wasting them on a game."

Sarah: "But I think I can get him. Look, he's so cool. Stand on the other side and tell me how far back to move the crane."

Wes sighs yet complies. Telling her to keep moving back, no forward, no. . . back.

At the last minute Sarah realizes she's run out of time and the crane drops before she's got it all lined up. Oh no! It grabs with it's loose jaws, and pulls back up a Mad Max stuffed animal. Wes's jaw drops open. He begins laughing hysterically. Sarah falls to the ground in disbelief. The crowd at K-Mart is watching them. Sarah reaches into the hinged door and pulls out Max. Oh sweet victory.

Friday

Greetings Family, friends, and Cousin Joel,

The blog seems to be getting a bit idle so I thought I'd send in a quick update and then maybe you will too. It's Friday afternoon, 1:41 pm, and I just ate a plate of california and spicy tuna rolls. It feels good to finally have a still moment to sit and think and write a little bit about what has been going on lately.

I've been working hard lately completing this survey for the AQMD (Air Quality Management District). Because we have so many employees working in one building in downtown we have to comply with Rule 2202 which states that we have to have an AVR (Average Vehicle Ridership) of 1.75 or higher between the hours of 6:00-10:00AM. Basically they want to make sure that people aren't driving by themselves to work to ensure that air quality improves. To do this we had to have every employee to fill out a survey form, which is no easy task when you have more than 3000 employees and 90% of them don't speak English. We hired two translators and we surveyed groups of 40 employees from 8:00am to 9:00 pm every day for a week and a half. I explained the same thing in Spanish over and over and over. 'Esta es una encuesta de transporte', Over and over. But this was an awesome opportunity to meet and talk to all of our employees. There are some really amazing people working here. My friend Emily came out here to help translate as well and she ended up intervewing for a job while she was here and yesterday she called and told me she was offered the position and she accepted it. The position is titled Environmental Programs Representative and she will be working on a bunch of different projects to make American Apparel a more Eco friendly company. So Emily will move out here and begin work right after Thanksgiving.
So Emily will move out here and begin work right after Thanksgiving.

I also recently moved from Hollywood to East LA. My new address is 602 Moulton Av, Los Angeles, CA, 90031. Do a google maps search and check out my new neighborhood. I live right on the edge of the Industrial District in a place called 'The Brewery'. It actually is an old brewery that they've converted to loft apartments and art gallerys. Supposedly it's the biggest artist community in the USA and twice a year all of the artists open up their studios for an art showing. There's an Art showing on Nov 11-12 if any of the West Coast core would like to check it. I still share a place with my friend Patrick but we both have our own bedroom now and we have plenty of space. It's simple and nice and there's a picture on the wall of my 3 brothers and our second favorite cousin, Brent.

Patrick is out of town for about a month so I've compiled a list of things I want to do while he's gone. Some of the items on the list are learning to make sushi, taking a class on jewelry making, and completing my list of books to read.

There's this band I've been listening to all week that you might want to check out. They're called 'Animal Collective' and they sound different than anything I've ever heard before. I can't really describe it, you just have to listen to it and I will probably not be getting this for Uncle Eddie for Christmas. You gotta check it out:

Did you see the words?
Grass
Banshee Beat
Leaf House

I played pick up basketball in Echo Park for the first time in months last night. It evoked memories of The Boys in Blue and our legendary days in APU intramural basketball. I'm sore.

Hmmm, that's good for a Friday afternoon update. I've gotta finish up here and work on my Halloween costume. I'm going to be an iPod.
Ok folks.
Love,
Andrew

DJ WES' picks

Here are some links to some songs that have been getting a lot of playtime at the Fort.

To Be Alone With You - by Sufjan Stevens, a soft, subtle love song about Jesus.
Jenny Wren by Paul McCartney, his best post Beatles work.
Just be Simple by Songs Ohia, a song touting the simple life.
I Wish I Was the Moon by Neko Case, its been spinning a lot in the ole Accord lately.
The End from Ryan Adams - Jacksonville Nights. I might get Uncle Eddie this one for X-mas. Some well written, beautiful country music
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel - great musical saw
That's all from DJ WES

"Utter Devastation"

see link http://www.pcs.k12.mi.us

and read article

also pics of our sister village http://www.worldpress.org/link.cfm?http://www.headout.net/

Happy Fall!

Hey everyone! Just some pics from last Sunday's Harvest Party at Jami and Ben's parents' house. I'll send more later.


P.S. Anybody agree with me Caleb tells stories through his "drawrings"??? The one with the dog in it, I drew the truck and dog, and he came over to finish it.????????Amazing

Jingle Bells batman smells

Hello, everyone. Sorry to bring this up so early, but do any of you know what you are doing for Christmas? Anyone coming to the Midwest?

Days off around the holidays are hot commodities here, so I have to get my days off soon.

hope to be together!

Experiment

Here is the requested video. Link

Pitiful

Today I got pulled over and ticketed for not wearing my seatbelt for the third time (cue Gramie, "Now that's pitiful"). That brings Wes's grand total up to about 15 traffic violations. Not bad; awful. With each subsequent seat belt violation I have become more Libertarian. Come on Smoky! Get off my case, its my life.

furðulegur

Wes was right, this does sound like what you'd hear when you enter into heaven. Listen to it again ( I think Wes put it on the blog before).


Sigur Ros - glósóli

Listen Here

Takk

brussels,
originally uploaded by andrewgaines.

Last night was the epic Sigur Ros show at the Hollywood bowl. Jake and I were the Gaines representatives for this show sitting comfortably in the Terrace section under the stars. This band surprises me everytime I see them. They started off playing behind a curtain which was pulled away after the first song and then pulled back for their last song. They played a great mix of songs off of every album and the new songs they played were amazing. I don't really know what else to say other than it was a beautiful show and I wish you all could have been there.

Astrocamp & Worship Night with The DCB

Fresh 2005
Originally uploaded by jacobgaines.

Just checking in from Astrocamp located in Idyllwild, CA at about 6,000ft. It's amazingly beautiful sitting in a green meadow surrounded by mountain peaks with tall pines and periwinkle blue skies. The only thing that would make this better would be for Abigail to be able to come hang with us. The air is cool and crisp and the junior high students are in classes so I had a few minutes to blog some recent happenings.

Saturday night we (Abigail and I) took 120 students and parents to a night of worship with the David Crowder Band and Erwin McManus from Mosaic in LA. This year they had probably around 15,000 students show up and the DCD certainly didn't disappoint. This is the 2nd year we've done this and the highlight for me is seeing my students set free in worship. For many of them this is their first time experiencing worhsip in a larger setting like this and at first you can tell they don't know what to think. But 2 songs in they were jumping and dancing and just enjoying the Lord.

My other highlight this year was getting called by the promoter the night before asking if one of my students would share a testimony before the DCB band played. I was so proud of one of my 8th grade girls who pushed through her fear and did great in front of such a huge crowd. Jeff said I had to blog about my interaction with David Crowder backstage as we waited for her to go on stage. We sat there and made small talk about Sunsets and Sushi for about 10 minutes...then...awkward silence and a prolonged pause in the conversation. Carly (my student) looks at me like say something so I come up with the only thing on my mind which was...

Jacob: "How bout that Lady Bears B-ball team?" (Referencing the 2005 NCAA championship team from Baylor U)

Crowder: "Yeah, we was pretty stoked about that team"

Jacob: "Didn't they beat MSU?"

Crowder: "Sure did"

Jacob: "Yeah, I got some friends from there"

Crowder: "Cool"

Back to awkward silence!

Anyways, it's about time for dinner at Astrocamp so I gotta run. Much Astrolove to all!

Early Christmas wish - FYI - Uncle Bill & Andrew

I was checking out American Apparel online and came across this fashionable outfit that I would love for Christmas.

Uncle Bill - possibly it comes in Michigan colors or with the Michigan logo. (hint, hint)

Just in case you had plans for this coming Christmas and had me in mind.

I think it would go well with my Michigan earring.

Love you all,

Joel

If I hear one more kid say, "MSU sucks!" today I'm going to throw a brick through my classroom window (second story)

Oh yeah, also...this one I heard this morning from dos inteligentes de Pinckney :
"Oye, profe, Michigan won."
and...
"Did you watch the game this weekend?"