The Official Blog Of THE ELMS.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Yes... Merry Christmas, everyone.  How are ya?  Today was absolutely fantastic.  And now I'm calling it a night.  I ate entirely too much, and then spent over an hour on the treadmill at the end of the night to make up for it.  Plus, I think being around droves of people all day was not a little exhausting. 

I love Christmastime - everything about it.  Everything it stands for spiritually, culturally, and... and... (I need one more...) ...commercially.

The best part was getting to spend so much time with my family.  This is the first time that I've been home to Missouri in a calendar year.  That said, I do like my presents.  Here's what I got:

-Voltage/Ohm Meter (Digital)
-iPhone
-Giftcard to iTunes
-The Super Dooper Reindeer Pooper

How about you?  What'd you get?

-- Thom

MORE CONVENIENCE FAIL

-- Thom

CONVENIENCE FAIL

-- Thom

SEYMOUR STARBUCKS - CLOSED

[Jeff Burgmeier - Lead Bagpipes]

Last night was the last night of operations for Seymour Starbucks.  Despite constant pleading from the Seymour Chamber of Commerce, a petition signed by the city, and a group of doctors and other wealthy businessmen offering to buy the store, Howard Schultz still decided that our little town no longer deserved one. 

And while I wish I could say that I'm pissed enough about it to swear off the brand forever, I write this entry to you from the comfy confines of the Starbucks in Broad Ripple (Indianapolis.) 

I'm sitting here in front of a fireplace, drinking a five pump grande mocha, listening to jazz playing overhead.  Nothing else I'd rather be doing.  However, the baristas here aren't even half as congenial as the ones at our store.  I'll miss them quite a bit.  Sterling people.

So thank you, to all of them.  It was fantastic while it lasted.

This is winter.  A lot of things end in the wintertime.  A lot of things have ended just this week.  But we forge on anyway, people.  We forge on.  We look forward to the new possibilities born out of these endings.  I learned this years ago from... Semisonic, I think.

Gotta run.  Just wanted to share with you the latest from the 47274. 

-- Thom

WISH LIST

I finally sent an e-mail to the C4 with my gift suggestions.  Here it is:

[message]

I'm really at a loss here.  Just isn't a whole lot in this world that I want other than an iPhone, recording studio, and a Japanese mail-order bride. 

However, I've tried really hard.  You'll notice some evidence that I'm getting older, because I spend a lot of time watching the History Channel these days.

Here are my suggestions, in order of preference (excluding the last giftcard suggestion which is actually the most preferred (iPHONE!), but... it's... a giftcard, so I put it last.)

1.  THE WORLD AT WAR (DVDs) - $50
http://www.timelife.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=1001&langId=-1&top_category=90001&productId=7850

2.  HISTORY OF BRITAIN (DVDs) - $25
http://shop.history.com/detail.php?p=70739&v=history_dvds

3.  THE PRESIDENTS (DVDs) - $21
http://shop.history.com/detail.php?p=70678&v=history_dvds

4.  DON LATARSKI BOOKS:
http://donlatarski.com/books.php

- PRACTICAL THEORY FOR GUITAR (w/ CD) - $26

- CHORD EMBELLISHMENTS - $10

- CHORD ORBITS - $13

- BLUES GUITAR - $25

5.  HEAVY-DUTY SLEEPING BAG (BLACK)

(Not a cheaply-made one.  Something tough-as-nails.  Possible for $50?)

=====================

And last... but certainly not least...

=====================

6.  GIFTCARD TOWARDS AN 8GB iPHONE - $50
(They can choose how much to put on the giftcard.)
http://store.apple.com/us/personalize/iphone?product=MB891LL/A&mco=MjQxODg1NA

CLICK THE LINK ABOVE AND READ THE "DEAR EMILY" MESSAGE THEY HAVE DISPLAYED ON THE CARD.

Hope you guys are well.  Love you!

-- Thom

[end of transmission]

And that's that.  Comment away.

$50 & BLACK PEACH TABS (FIXED)

So here's the deal...

I need you, my humble readership, to make some suggestions.  I've got a big family back in Missouri, and because of said big family, rather than buy gifts for everyone, we draw names at Thanksgiving every year.  This may or may not be a practice common to your family, too. 

We are to provide a list of 3-4 items, and the limit is $50.  This eliminates asking for another vintage Les Paul, a Hi-Watt 100W Head w/ matching 4x12 cab, or... any other option that is a grossly exaggerated example within this context.

Everybody else in the family already has their lists in and delivered via the Central Command Control Center (parents) to the person who drew them.  Except me.  And the pressure is mounting. 

There isn't a lot in this world that I actually want for Christmas, other than a vintage Les Paul and/or a Hi-Watt 100W Head w/ matching cab.  Most of the stuff that I want, I've already acquired, or can pirate from the internet.  (Shhh.)  But I keep asking my consumeristic heart if there's anything else I want/need, and the answer I keep getting is, "Yes... an iPhone.  Ask for money to put towards an iPhone."

Seems fair to me, but this has been rejected repeatedly by the C4, because they'd much rather see their living room full of imposing, spacing-absorbing stuff on Christmas morning.  Looks cooler than it actually is.

So hey... please leave a comment with 3-4 suggestions where x is equal to or less than $50.  And please don't delay, because I gotta have my list turned in this weekend.

I'd be indebted to you for your help.

And in exchange, here are the Black Peach guitar tabs re-uploaded (PDFs).  Got some reports that the files I posted months ago were no longer accessible.  So here are the fixed links:

-Black Peach Live (Adapted for playing live)

-Black Peach Guitar Left (Album version)
-Black Peach Guitar Right (Album version)
-Black Peach Acoustic Left (Album version)
-Black Peach Acoustic Right (Album version)
-Black Peach Guitar Solo (Album version)

Cool?  Check 'em out and lemme know if they're working for you.

-- Thom