Record Store Day '18 (...and Some Other Stuff)

Happy Record Store Day, Internet.

I had been on the fence for weeks, unsure if I wanted to bother with Record Store Day this year.  There wasn't a whole hell of a lot I was interested in picking up this year - maybe a couple LPs that stoked my interest, but nothing serious.  I had spoken with Jim, the owner of Radio Wasteland (my local record haunt) the last time I was in there buying a bunch of shit I didn't need, and he more or less echoed my sentiments.  So I was leaning towards skipping the event all together.

My dad, however, was after a Jethro Tull release (Moths) that Radio Wasteland may or may not be getting (record stores never know what they're getting ahead of time), and since Dad was away at work he asked if I could swing in and see if it was available.  This was more or less the deciding factor in me going out - I figured, 'why not,' and showed up about an hour before they opened this morning.  I had asked Jim if it was wise to show up so early, and he didn't think it was necessary:  last year they had only had a handful of people lined up when the store opened.

(I'm behind the sign - you can barely see me.)

You can imagine my surprise, then, when I showed up an hour before they opened to find about a dozen people lined up ahead of me outside the store.  Some of these people had been waiting since 6am (you know - those weird-looking, audiophile types who spent hundreds of dollars on albums no one cares about, yet live in either a.) a super shitty apartment, or b.) their parents' basement.) 

Anyway, I was a little pissed, but through eavesdropping on the conversations around me I ascertained that no one was after any of the records I was.  Also, being one of the first 50 customers in line, I was guaranteed one of the free Radio Wasteland turntable mats (see below.)

Behold my new turntable mat.

Eventually, the line began to snake into the store, where they had a table set up specifically for the exclusive Record Store Day releases.  As could be expected, the store didn't get everything that was available for purchase:  they didn't get Rage Against the Machine's Live at the 2000 Democratic National Convention that I was after, nor the Jethro Tull LP my dad wanted.  They did, however, have a couple new ones I was hoping for:  another exclusive RSD release by The Animals (Nights in San Francisco), and a collection of unreleased Johnny Cash songs and poems.

(Jim special-ordered this for me a week later.)

Most folks that were there picked up their releases and left, but Yours Truly stayed for about two hours, picking through all the vintage vinyl that everyone else passed by.  As a result, I scored a ridiculous amount of plunder for next to nothing - one of my more rewarding scores (which is saying something.)  Definitely hitting up Record Store Day next year.

By the time I got back from Radio Wasteland, Kris and the girls were ready for the day and itching to go the Midland Center for the Arts for some random thing they were doing over there (I don't remember, I wasn't really paying attention when she told me about it.)  Something to do with recycling or something?  Who knows.

Anyway, here's a brief look at some of the other stuff that happened later on our ridiculously busy Saturday. 

Enjoy. . .

Kris, the girls, and a brachiosaurus. 

Some experiment thing that was inside of the Center for the Arts.  Kids had to make 'machines' out of random crap in order to collect oil from a 'spill.'  Or something.  I'm not sure what was going on here.

Did you know that Michigan has a frickin' Scuba Diving Club?  Neither did I.  Totally makes sense, though - there is an insane number of shipwrecks throughout the Great Lakes - that'd be badass to dive and check those out.

Later on in the afternoon, making a stop at Chestnut Hill's playground during a family bike ride.  With the dog.

(My wife is a lazy, lazy woman.)

Yes, that's snow on the ground.  Still.  It's f***ing LATE APRIL, Michigan.

Later on in the evening, Abby rocks some of her dad's aviators at a barbecue at the Collier residence (some friends of ours.)

Teaching little girls how to pole dance.  'Cause College is expensive.

- Brian

The End of April

Good to see you, Internet.  Hope all's well.

I know I've said this before, but I can't stand April.  At work, April is a forced march through Crapsville:  like March, all we do is test students, and as a result kids are burnt out and more likely to misbehave in class.  Nothing serious, obviously, but after two months of non-normalcy, one kinda gets 'fun'ed out' with Standardized Test Season.

On the home front, April lasted a long, long time this year.  Part of this probably had to deal with the fact that we nabbed our new home at the beginning of the month, and have spent the last four weeks waiting not-so-patiently to move into it.  In the meantime, the mountains of cardboard boxes strewn about our current rental continue to grow in size, and Kris and I continue to purge our house of all the random crap we've accumulated over the years that we don't feel like moving one last time.

Here we go. . .

On April Fool's Day, we met up with Kris' cousin Crystal and her family to celebrate her son Kyan's birthday, somewhere in the Roscommon neck of the woods at some random bowling alley.  Stayed for a couple hours, let the kids bowl a crappy game or two, the usual.

Devoured this towards the beginning of the month:  it's the book that the AMC series Turn is based on.  A great read, I especially recommend it to all of you out there who believe that America won the Revolutionary War through superiority of arms and tactical execution.  Most people don't realize we had ZERO chance of defeating the British army, and we only did  because of a.) Washington's leadership,  b.) our use of spies and intelligence, and c.) the French.

And now a series of shots from Abby's personal camera (these are always great). . .

We needed a picture of this.

And this (go Broncos.)

Alayna doesn't look thrilled her sister's up in her bed. . .

Surfin' the 'Net with one of the neighborhood regulars

I'm not entirely sure what's happening here.  This is from Kris' phone.  Did they go to school like this or something?

Another Sick Day (I get to take the day off when this happens.)

All dressed up for an afternoon play at the Midland center for the Arts.

Kris and Nicole took the girls to see a production of Beauty and the Beast (hence the yellow outfits.)  Fortunately, Chris and I weren't on the hook for this one (I'm not big on 'plays.')

They were selling these light-up roses to the audience (compromised of moms and their daughters, not surprisingly), so of course Kris had to buy them for the girls.

Alayna had to write a story for school - you can tell by her taste in subject matter she takes after her old man.

She could use practice with drawing armor and armament.

Watching another installment of Harry Potter - Alayan's really been into these movies lately.  Kris plans on starting the book series with her once school let's out.

Easter Sunday.  After church, we met the rest of the extended fam over at Mom's for an early dinner (Grandpa prefers eating around 4, thereabouts.)  Mom hid some Easter Eggs in her backyard for the girls and Jeff's kids.

Winding down after the meal

No idea why they're practicing the Waltz. . .

Uncle Chris proves he knows how to copy down what a bear looks like.

Abby, thoroughly enjoying Hendrix.

Another sick day.  This kid was on a roll this month.

(Must've been a shitty book.)

Visiting Kris' friend, Kim, out in the country near Harrison.

Bein' all science-y.

Finally warm enough out to eat some food outdoors.

More girl scout crap. . . 'cause we don't do enough of that in this family.

Kris took the girls shopping so that they could each spend $10 they got for Easter from some grandparent.  Both girls wanted to go to their new favorite store, Five and Below.

Alayna sent this letter to Nicole without our knowledge (I guess Mom posted it for her one day after she picked the girls up from school.)

Play date with Abby's friend, Scarlett.

The troop had a visit from the DNR - which deals with antlers, I guess.

Abby finds herself a moose antler.

Sitting in a DNR vehicle

Alayna randomly got a pen pal letter from her old friend from Florida, Holly.  She was pumped.

April this year was a definite roller coaster in terms of weather.  One day we were in t-shirts, grilling and eating outdoors, and shortly thereafter, we were forced to break out the winter coats, hats, and mittens.  MAKE UP YOUR FRICKIN' MIND, MICHIGAN. 

Of ALL the states Alayna had to choose for her state report. . .

I've missed out on the last few Record Store Days, but was determined not to do so this year. 

The owner of Radio Wasteland took pictures of some of his customers in front of the Wall of Vinyl and posted them online to commemorate Record Store Day,  including this handsome fella right here.

After watching Abby's soccer game earlier on in the day, I missed out on the store's early hours, so a lot of the limited releases were already picked through (though I nabbed a few online via Amazon, fortunately.)  I did score a best of collection of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, and a few really good compilations, plus some free merch they threw in as a bonus.  Can't complain.

This is how I spent the rest of my day.

Later that weekend, while Alayna had her friend Madi over, our neighbor busted out his barrel train and spent the new few hours (and I'm sure a few gallons of gas) shuttling kids around the neighborhood.

Abby and Sophie, Madi and Alayna

Biking around the block

While I was off camping in the woods with my high school buddies, Kris and the girls celebrated Watson's fourth birthday.

. . . aaaaand more Science.

- Brian