First holiday of the Holiday Season

Skot's Tattoo, my drawing
Originally uploaded by legally_beaumont

It has been a long weekend and it's only Saturday. I got Wednesday off from B&G, Thursday was Thanksgiving, and Friday was also a day off.

Thanksgiving was what I expected, and not all that bad. If we've wanted to be all together as a family, it was Thursday.

The issue of me going to Mexico for three weeks has been on my mind. Initially it didn't seem all that important, but now I am starting to see it as mandatory. I haven't seen my mother or sister since August. They'll be coming back in January, but I still feel like I need to go.

I'm worried about Sierra. I'm going to miss her, I'm sure I can't even imagine how much I'm going to miss her yet. It makes me sad to know that those feelings will be even worse for her.

Whatever happens, I know that I will make the most out of it. I'm not looking forward to being away from my girlfriend who is the closest person to me on all levels, but I am excited to be going to a place I love. I am excited for the opportunity to get out and explore the hillside.

On another note, I can't believe the tattoo that Skot put on himself! It's the same drawing I did of the Cruz Missiles logo! From this first picture, it looks really good with just the outlines, I can't wait to see it filled in.

I'm putting it up on my website.

The website and the new issue of the Spinning Compass are both due on Tuesday.

Progress

There has been a lot going on in the past couple of weeks. We've had our big open forum at the Di Rosa. The turnout out was the best we've ever had! There was a diverse crowd of young and old and many different perspectives on art, but we were all united by a common desire for more opportunities and representation within the city of Napa.

I led a small group in our discussion points. Out of the five, we only covered two and a half. We had a lot to say.

We've moved forward with the Strong-Hayden conversation and we are hopeful that we will one day be able to use one of the spaces downtown.

I've been receiving a lot of responses to my Facebook blasts regarding our meetings and workshops. This week, I advertised the artists workshop on Saturday instead of the night before. I never thought of doing this because to me I have always seen my posts as a night-before notification, as well as a week-before. It's a weekly workshop, if I'm telling you about this week's meeting, I'm also telling you about next week's.

Anyway, I got positive responses after this early notification and I hope to see a ton of new faces!

Six Months!

Six months ago today, Sierra and I went out to Skaggs Island, drank bourbon, shot out windows, and had our first kiss.

She's horribly sick tonight so we're not going to get a chance to get together. It is depressing.

As depressed as I ever get these days, I can't stay upset very long about anything anymore. Sure, you might think it sounds generic, but having Sierra in my life has given me very few things to complain about. I am no means in the best place financially, professionally, or even physically, but being with her makes everything seem so secondary.

Last Thursday we went to see Lawrence Arms. It was around my sixth time seeing them, it was her first. There were a couple times during their set that I looked at her, looked over at my best friend, and just got overwhelmed with how perfect things were in those few moments.

Pabst never tasted better.

It has started.

Hello everyone,

My name is Hugo. As I am writing this, I am currently 24 years old, employed part-time, in a serious relationship, and very much involved with art, design, and making the Napa Valley a better place to live as according to my standards and those of my young hippie/yuppie friends.

I have had blogs before, one comic based and one journal/review based. Neither of them are any fun to read.

Since throwing myself into the world of digital journaling, I have given up on doing things to gain and please a regular readership. Gone are the days of shoddy comics and hasty reviews praising bands I don't even remember listening at all.

My only goal is to document my life and that of those who come in contact with me.

I joked around with Alix about wanting to do the "oral history" of the St. Helena music scene from 2000-2003, but I honestly regret not taking more pictures of my friends and their friends during a time of much vibrancy and independent efforts. The punk and metal scene of the Napa Valley is now something much different, as much it very well should be, but sometimes I wish I could take a look back and reminisce.

I've vowed to not sit back as idly as I once did. Today I am not a young high school student, I am a college graduate with experience and knowledge that should allow me to not only appreciate the current music and arts scene, but to also make a case for its preservation and promotion into the lives of many more than the few young people "in the know."

I hope we all stick around long enough to see something positive come out this valley, whether it is a dedicated music venue, studio space, or any other space we can enjoy ourselves and forget (or simply postpone) the impending hardships of maturity and time.

No more bad town.