I'm Still Alive

Sorry I haven't been posting at all lately. To be perfectly honest, the past two weeks I've had a lot on mind. I recently become a victim of the recession. My job at The Cube Farm is finally over, so I've been forced to go on the job hunt. Tomorrow is my last day working for Manley Deas Kochalski, and hopefully I'll have something lined up to start very soon.

Beyond that, I've had a hard time recently (read- past six months or so) putting my thoughts about music into words, which scares the shit out of me. I never really had a huge problem before, but I'm sure some of you may have noticed the diminishing quality and quantity of my writing over the past year. It may mean the time for ThaBombShelter has officially passed, but who knows. I still feel like there's some life left in this old beast. I know I still love music, I still listen to more music than probably 90% of the population, I still think every time I listen. I think about how I feel, but I've pretty much given up on listening to anything I don't like, which I know is what some folks who have blogs do, but it kind of goes against my original goal for this blog.

If you didn't know before, I originally started this blog at the behest of Hugh Forrest, a big wig at SXSWi and mutual friend of ThaBombShelter's own man in the field, The Dave Hanson. Anyway, back in 2006, my goal was to get a paid writing gig with a paper or a magazine or something, you know, to become a real music critic. As time went on, though, I realized that I don't have the drive, the talent, or the ambition to become the next Lester Bangs or Chuck Klosterman.

Add to that the fact that I recently decided to go back to school to become a High School English teacher, which completely changes the course of my life. I have a career in mind, I have a goal, a life, a future. I've learned that I would be a great teacher, much to my 21 year old self's chagrin. I learned how much fun it was to be with people, even if they're high schoolers. I also realized how much fun it will be to teach for the rest of my life, it feels like it was something I was meant to do.

So I'm not sure what the next month or year or five years holds for ThaBombShelter, but then, I doubt many folks truly know what the next month or year or five years holds for anything, let alone a mere music blog.

I do know that next weekend I'll be at ComFest (we're driving all the way from Central, IL). If you're in Goodale Park on Saturday, you should look for me. I'll be the kid with two or three cameras, a laptop and a Moleskine hanging around the Off-Ramp stage.

Until next time, enjoy these uplifting tunes, I know I am.

-H-Bomb

"So Alive" Ryan Adams
"Alive" VHS or Beta