...summer wind down.

I'll try to write about meltdown and weddings some other time. Now that summer is winding down I'm feeling a little down. Mostly because it started off so amazing and has been such continual high of great things, reunitions, love, family, music, nature and possibility. And if I know anything, as a Washingtonian this level of activity and joy can't (meteorologically, romantically, logistically) last forever.

While there is still many sun filled summer days to enjoy, fall is coming, and my heart has been a little bit heavier than it has been in a long time. Luckily for you blog readers (if any are still out there) crappy weather, solitude, and a melancholy heart seem to make this blog jump to life. So I apologize for the constant bragging about my awesome summer, just know that behind all those infinite smiles of GOOD THINGS I portray sits too, a mortal man with feelings and challenges and problems.

I do have some very GOOD THINGS to look forward too though. Here they are

TONIGHT: Playing my first open Mic Night at the Antique Sandwich Company in Ruston, WA since returning to the area. This was something I had planned on doing weekly but never seem to find the time for.

THURSDAY: Flying to Reno, Nevada with my family to sit by the pool at the Sands Hotel and to eat at the mighty buffets, and to try to strike it rich like so many before, and to soak up +90 degree weather, should be fun!

Next SATURDAY: Good things! Dave Matthews, Yonder Mountain String Band and G. Love and the Special Sauce at the GORGE! I'm going with my favorite human being and allstar of the summer, my brother Hal. Without him I think I would be a pretty sad person.

EVERY SATURDAY: Can you smell it? Can you? Thats right its College Football season and that means Cougar Football is on the way. My family (mom) has acquired tickets to every home game this year and a downtown motel room in pullman. That means pullman hear comes the Iversons!

And some promising job opportunities on the way.

SO although I've been better in some departments of life, I can feel that things are going to be ok. And ok is fine by me.

Enjoy the last of summer out there. Here are some lyrics to one of the songs I'm playing tonight.



If you need a little bit of attention,
then all you need to do is mention
that all you got is nothing but time
and I'll be right there, I'll be right there, waiting, waiting in line

But right now I am mending,
and the summer's ending,
and depending on weather or not you're coming back soon
or sometime after that, maybe in the afternoon
or maybe that in fact you don't really know
so for then I'm gonna move on down the road.

You and me we'll wait and see what our lives will turn out to be
If you need a little bit of space, I'll keep walking let me pick up my pace
don't you come chasin after me, I won't go chasin after you
we'll get through this eventually
and a hell, a well you always gonna do what you gotta do

But right now I am mending,
and the summer's ending,
and depending on weather or not you're coming back soon
or sometime after that, maybe in the afternoon
or maybe that in fact you don't really know
so for then I'm gonna move on down the road.

Good Things #6: Big Bottom, Phish at the Gorge

Boy oh boy I have been a busy summer lover this month.

Three weeks ago I went to Big Bottom Festival up near Packwood. I forgot my camera but spent 3 and a half days with a great group of about 250 people gathered on private property to camp, eat, play and watch Olympic Sound Collective funk our brains out with their amazing horn section on a really cool stage that overlooked the Cowlitz River. It was hot, and beautiful and I'm glad I ran into my Big Bottom Festival Friends.

Two weeks ago I went to see Phish at the Gorge. Not only was the weather amazing so was Phish. I had never seen them before and was actually really skeptical. Fortunately they were unbelievably good. I can see why people follow them around for years and years, they are that good! Friday night was good and many veteran Phish fans liked it better than Saturday night. I however thought Saturday was amazing and funky. I am all about the funk these days. I just want dirty, filthy funky base lines and funky guitar riffs, and the more horns the better.

Another cool thing about the Phish show was that I got to see my very first "Shakedown Street." This is where a bunch of illegal vendors create a sort of mainstreet for selling their products, wares, and bootleg merchandise. You can get food, stickers, music, clothes, art, and even see the second "Further" Bus driven by Ken Kesey and the Mary Pranksters. I got to meet and shake hands with Zane Kesey his son and that was pretty damn cool.

I spent the whole weekend with my brother and never left his side, we had a total blast. I got to meet up with my best friend from Australia (from NY living in San Fran) Jeff and his buddies Chauncy and Ames, as well as hang out with a bunch of revolving festival friends from summers past. I felt so at home! We went with Sam and Sharon, Met Mark and Kelsey, and saw Stephie and Liam. It was a great weekend.

Except for the new owners of the Gorge "Live Nation" they absolutely have turned the place into a corporate disasters and they staff were kind of jerks. Oh well their crappy management can deny the beauty of the venue.

Up Next: Good Things #7: Flowmotion Summer Meltdown, Weddings, Lake Cabins, Dave Matthews/YMSB/G. Love

I did make some progress on jobs, they HR Department from Tacoma School District called to check on references and found who they were looking for. My former principals gave me good recomendations and the HR guy said to make sure I check for new jobs implying that maybe they were interested in me.

I am definitely ready for work to start back up. All this summer fun has been great but I'm starting to feel a little restless about it all. I got my last paycheck from LKSD this weekend. I'm doing fine in the money department I just wish I had something to do. At least a substitute postition would be something.

Today I'm at a coffee shop all alone, writing blogs, checking emails, paying bills, job searching and later I'm going to buy some wedding/interview clothes. I'm feeling a little melancholy and a little lonely after 5 weeks in a row surrounded by so many friends and family and love. I guess you could call it a Lonely-Hangover.

Anyone still out there reading this? Enjoy the end of your summer!

Good Thing #5: Family Camp Conconully 2009

I could write a blog post about this amazing weekend camping with my family but my mom already did and it is a great blog post.

Click HERE to see it!

Anyways, off to see Phish at the Gorge tomorrow with the whole crew, Sam, Sharon, Stephie, my bro, and even my best friend from my Australian adventures Jeff is coming up from San Fran. My first Phish show!!!! WHoooooopeeeeeee!

Next week is Flowmotion Summer Meltdown with Hal, Sydney, Leslie, Kali and lots of other awesome friends. What a summer!

Still no job...