joelk

I'm in that end stage of my sickness where everything starts coming out of your nose and lungs. Really gross but you know it's true. Like when you blow your nose so much it actually feels chapped. Blah. Anyways, being home has been great but I get bored a lot. When I'm out on the road it's like non-stop activity. When I'm at home it's a completely different story. I think I'm finally learning to accept how sporadic this lifestyle is.

In other news, my love for grape juice has been reignited thanks to my mom buying two larger than life cartons of the delicious purple drink from Costco. I drank so much one day that I actually got concerned and googled what the consequences of drinking excessive amounts of grape juice were. I read that it could cause iron deficiency, but luckily all I got was joy and laughter. Do yourself a favor and buy some grape juice..you won't be disappointed.

I just got home. My tire blew out on the freeway and I had to change it in 115 degree Arizona heat. I think that's all I have to say..maybe you can understand how irritated I am.

Anyways, now I'm in one of those moods where you don't want anyone to talk to you.. not even look at you, or you might just punch them in the face. :)

 

115 degrees.. really?

I'm in the process of creating an apparel brand. It's gonna be rad. If you wanna help me get started, you can.

 

BAM!

I'm enjoying reading Sean's blogs lately. Is that weird? Nahhhh son.. nahh. Just because he's in my band doesn't mean I can't read his blog.. aight!?

Anyways, that's all I really had to say. Actually no, not true at all. There are a million things I'd like to say but I will refrain from saying them. I like to speak pretty generally when I write and I'll keep it that way for now. Usually people know if it's them anyways. But...

Don't you wish you could just see into someone's heart rather than settle for how they want you to see them? Just to know how they truly are. To know where their heart is.

 

So where is your heart?

Lately things have been pretty busy with the band but it's all things good. You know how you can have days that are full of stuff from start to finish but you don't get sick of it since it's all fun? That's what it's like. We're finally releasing our EP in a couple of days, but the pre-orders are already up! I feel like I've been waiting forever for it. I'm so proud of this recording..I'm sure everyone else in the band feels the same. I can't wait for everyone to have a copy in their hands and be able to listen to it (preferably very loud). We're also blessed to be able to go on about half of Warped Tour. We'll be playing acoustic sets there. Although that will be fun, I'm more excited about getting out there and talking to people..becoming friends with new faces. The only down side to Warped is not as much showering..or at least that's what I hear. I may or may not smell. Just warning you. But I'll just bring lots of cologne.

So as you can see there's been a lot happening lately and I couldn't be happier. I'm hoping to see some of you on tour.

Here's my thought for the day: Don't base your entire judgement of somebody purely off assumptions. I've had this happen to me and I'm sure it's happened to many of you as well. Someone thought I was actually mad at them just because I didn't smile when I talked to them. I was completely polite but apparently I didn't smile.. I'm sure I was tired. Since they assumed that I was mad at them, they actually went out of their way to badmouth me and tell everyone that I was a complete jerk. All over a smile. Crazy right? But this happens a lot to people and I'm sure you can relate. Assumptions, more often than not, will make both you and the person you talk about seem uncool in the end. Let's all be nice. :)

 

Yar! Here's a picture of our baby!

Sometimes people seem to change for the worse once you get to know them better. The crazy part is that they're usually not doing anything different or wrong. You start to wonder what your problem is. We've all been there.

 

Long weekend. Not much sleep. Need rest. Big months ahead.

Last minute trips to California are rad.. and that's exactly what's going on tomorrow. I might even go as far as saying that I kind of enjoy the drive there..but not the drive back usually. Regardless..I'm stoked. Lately I've been busier than usual but I've felt more awake somehow. I think constantly moving and doing something helps. Hmmm..what else. Well it's incredibly hot in AZ..I've been swimming quite a bit.. in fact I think I'm going to jump in for a bit now. Please excuse the unorganization of this post..I just got internet on my phone and I'm still getting the hang of all of this. The goods news is that I'll be able to post more often! I gotta figure out how to make paragraphs on here.

This is a late post.. sort of. Unfortunately this doesn't feel very late for me. I'm not even tired. I rarely go to bed before 12.

I'd like to get back into a better sleeping schedule but it's so hard. If I could actually do it I think it would help with a few things. I would actually eat breakfast (the most important meal of the day.. so they say). It would be easier to get up when I actually HAVE to be up early. Maybe I'd have more energy? Who knows.

Today was one of those days.. which is why I'm not going to spend much more time writing about it. I'd rather be asleep and on my way to the next.

 

I'll write more very soon.

I wanted to share some pictures from fans that I thought were cool.

 

this one is from Kat.. and she is A W E S O M E !

 

thanks Bre!! I look happy!

 

I have a tree named after me thanks to Casey and Hayley.. meet Joel the tree!

I know it's been quite a while since I've written in this blog and I aplogize for not keeping it updated for the past few weeks. I'm going to go ahead and explain what's been going on lately with me and my family. I didn't want to make this a big thing but I feel like I should fill people in so they know why I may have been different lately.. and I also know how supportive and caring our fans are.

Today my Grandpa died. The past few weeks have physically taken a toll on my grandpa and emotionally taken a toll on the rest of my family. Things were going downhill for him for a while after a recent hospitalization. The doctor decided that hospice would be a good thing for him. If you're unfamiliar with it, it allows the patient to be at home with family and have a hospital bed there. Nurses come every day and help with medication and anything else that needs to be taken care of. It finally got to the point where my grandpa had to stay at a hospice facility so he could have 24 hour care. This was not only an amazing blessing for my grandpa, but for all of us. We could visit him whenever we wanted and my grandma was able to get a litle more sleep. Yesterday we all went as a family because they told us he had a couple days left. The nurses told us even though he seemed unconscious he could still hear us and feel if we held his hand. I told him about my day and told him that I loved him one last time.

This morning he passed away with the two people he was closest with right next to him: my mom and his wife, my grandma. His favorite hymn happened to be playing on the cd player in the room as it happened, which I thought was amazing for him. I know he's in heaven and isn't feeling any more pain or sadness. It's a blessing for him to finally be there, but it's also hard to say goodbye to such an amazing person that you were so close to. Fortunately it's only a temporary goodbye. I'll see him again one day :)

I'll be writing more in a couple of days. Until then, take care and be sure to tell your loved ones how much you really do love them.

I'm beginning this at 1:06 AM.. today we leave for California yet again.. and I need to be up at 7:15. I'm starting to feel like California is my band's second home. I don't get that anxious feeling when we drive there anymore because I feel pretty familiar with the place. We're playing the Buzznet/Urban Outfitters show.. I really hope UO hooks me up with some fresh clothing.. AND I MEAN FRE$H!! I'm really craving sushi at the moment. I think a sushi dinner has to happen in Cali. Anyways, very excited for the trip.. hoping to see some new faces. Oh hey! I think you should go to myspace.com/thiscentury and add my band's newest song to your profile. It's called "Hard To Get" and it's a love song. It'll get you more comments and stuff.. okay that's a lie but who knows, it could. So go check it out and report back to me with your feedback :) I'll see some of you in California!


-Joel

Don't talk about it, be about it.

Been a little over a week since I've written. I always feel like there's supposed to be something specific that I'm going to talk about rather than just writing random thoughts. Well that usually doesn't happen with me and I realize it doesn't matter. Lately life seems very unpredictable.. which I know it already is, but more so recently. But yeah.. I'm enjoying giving guitar lessons now that I've gotten the hang of it. It's actually pretty fun. I'm also enjoying hearing my band's songs mixed and completed.. ridiculously excited for this EP coming out. I'm just gonna leave some lyrics of a song I really like by an amazing band because I can't think of anything else to talk about.

Relient K - Up And Up
Yesterday was not quite what it could've been
As were most of all the days before
But I swear today with every breath I'm breathing in
I'll be trying to make it so much more
Cause it seems I get so hung up on
The history of what's gone wrong
That the hope of a new day is sometimes hard to see
But I'm finally catching on to it
Yeah the past is just a conduit
And the light there at the end is where I'll be

Cause I'm on the up and up
I'm on the up and up
And I haven't given up
Given up on what I know I'm capable of
Yeah I'm on the up and up
Yeah there's nothing left to prove
Cause I'm just trying to be a better version of me for you

Now I have
All that I could ever need
The confidence of knowing there's still time
Time to make amends
And try to build a better me
And to take the right steps as this road unwinds
You see, I'm finally catching on to it
Yeah the past is just a conduit
And the light there at the end is where I'll be

Cause I'm on the up and up
I'm on the up and up
And I haven't given up
Given up on what I know I'm capable of
Yeah I'm on the up and up
Yeah there's nothing left to prove
Cause I'm just trying to be a better version of me for you

You never cease to supply
Me with with what I need for a good life
So when I'm down I'll hold my head up high
Cause you're the reason why, yeah you're why

Wow it's been too long since I've written. Let me list the major things that have happened since I last wrote.
-Played a sold out show in Anaheim
-Went back home to AZ and watched the superbowl
-Went to the zoo
-Played an amazing show in Tempe
-Got some of our song mixes (they sound so good!)
-Ate sushi... mmmm..

It's been a fun past week. We really lucked out on it not raining until our show was over.. it was perfect timing. Oh, and about the zoo.. it was pretty incredible. I petted sting rays and they are almost like dogs. How so Joel? Well when I'd pet them it was like they enjoyed being pet because they'd turn around and come back for more.. craziness! Marine biology intrigues me.
BLINK 182 IS BACK!! I couldn't be happier right now.. I grew up on that stuff! They are a huge reason why I got into music in the first place. Pretty cool. You know what else is pretty cool? Someone turned me into a great white shark (because that's what I'd be if I were an animal) Check it out.

WATCH YOURSELF!
(thanks to Eleni for this!)

I'm waiting for my clothes to be done in the washing machine.. gotta make sure I'm fresh for California. Not a whole lot going on right now. I gotta say.. saltines with peanut butter=kinda disappointing. Not gonna try that combination again. I'm thinking about starting a Skyler street team or fan club because she's way cooler than me and deserves it more than I do. haha. check it!..

"Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."   Abraham Lincoln

Since when has being into drugs become cool? Am I the only one who thinks doing that is the dumbest idea ever? I'm talking about all of them..
"Oh well you know..weed isn't that bad"

Really..? Even if you believe that, it's still illegal.

Oh boy..how uncool is Joel now.

I'm writing after a long week in the studio. Everything is finished and that feels amazing.. but I've been terrible at writing blogs lately. We did a lot of studio stuff though.. and I've realized that Ryan (drummer) turns into the funniest person ever when the camera is on him. I've also realized how thankful I can be for the three other dudes in TC with me. I wouldn't want to be in any other band if given the chance, the guys who I share the stage with are way too down to earth to have things any other way. I was so anxious before to get into the studio, but now that that's over I'm anxious to get the final cuts of the songs. I'm going to California this week with the band, pretty darn excited about that. I feel like just falling asleep for a day right now cuz I'm pretty tired. These are all very random thoughts I'm just writing down. That's usually how my blogs go.
So I've been thinking a lot about influences and the people who inspire me.. and nauseate me. It helps to have some role models picked out in your life. Pick some people who are doing exactly what you'd like to do and make it your goal. Then pick the people who are great examples of what not to do..people you'd never want to be like. If you're like me, then I'm sure you can think of those people almost immediately.

DO WORK SON!

Been in the studio the past coupe of days. I haven't really done much in there since it's not time for vocals, but it's still exciting to see the songs piece together slowly. Monday is the day I start recording vocals. I'm super anxious.
I had Jamba Juice yesterday and it was amazing.. it's been a while since the last time I had it. Hmmm what else.. well I'm about to go vacuum.. fun right? Dyson vacuum cleaners are pretty awesome though. Finally, here's a little bit of real talk..

It is impossible to make everyone happy.

I feel overwhelmed lately. I need a new approach to getting things done. Still feel like my head is spinning.
I want to get in shape again. I want to run like I used to. There's a lot I'd like to do. You know when you feel like you just can't ever get enough time? That's how I've felt lately. I'm hoping to write more next time. Here's an interesting fact to end it. This was something I remember hearing about a while ago and thought I'd post about it. Seafood is shown to make people more optimistic. Here's part of the article:

Having salmon for dinner is not just good for your heart, it may also make you happier, according to a University of Pittsburgh study. It found that omega-3 fatty acids, which are plentiful in fatty fish such as salmon, seem to affect areas of the brain associated with emotion.

Dr Sarah M. Conklin presented the findings at the American Psychosomatic Society's annual meeting in Budapest, Hungary. The team previously observed that people with lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids were more likely to have a negative outlook and to be more impulsive, while those with higher levels were more agreeable and less likely to exhibit a sour mood.

We need more seafood.

This is my first official blog on buzznet and there will be a lot more to come. Some days I may write barely anything and others I may write a novel. It all depends on how long I can fight off the ADD and focus on a journal entry :P
I probably won't be responding to comments on here. If you'd like to talk check out my personal myspace. I'm using this as my designated blogging spot, but please feel free to leave me a little something to read.

Today I feel like my head is spinning..there's so much to do and so much that's about to happen in this upcoming week. The most important thing, of course, being recording the new EP. I love the group of songs that we've decided to record and I'm confident that you'll love them too. I'm pretty cold at the moment. My room is the coldest in the house during the winter and the hottest during the summer.. lucky me.
Well there's not really much else I have to say today other than get excited for new music. I'll try to end each blog with a little food for thought.
I was in a meeting at my church today and there was a guy who was a great speaker giving a presentation. He was talking about building relationships with others and what you should and shouldn't do. One thing that was mentioned not to do which really stuck out to me was excessive sarcasm. People who are excessively sarcastic tend to push others away without even knowing it. I realized how true that was as I sat and thought about people I know who are like that and the fact that I'm not really good friends with them. I'll bet that you could make a list of at least three people who you know are like that. I'm sure all of us are guilty of being like that at times too. Now I'm not saying sarcasm is a bad thing, but taking a step back to think about a person's feelings before speaking never hurts. We don't know how someone will react to our jokes.. everyone is different. Besides, you don't want to ruin your shot at building a strong relationship with an awesome person. Sarcasm is a great thing, but so is knowing when to stop.  :)