Phoenix Saga - Wrath of Sean/Khan Event

Phoenix Saga presents
THE WRATH OF KHAN - An AIA Fundraiser!




Independent Austin band Phoenix Saga is presenting a special screening of the sci-fi classic Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan in conjunction with the special "director's cut" version of their sophomore release, Phoenix Saga II: The Wrath of Sean. Phoenix Saga is being sponsored by the Austin Indie Alliance (AIA), of which they are a member band, which is a non-profit organization made up of local bands and music fans to help independant artists survive in today's music industry. All the proceeds from the ticket sales will go towards funding the AIA, and all sales of Phoenix Saga merchandise will go directly to Phoenix Saga. All food sales will benefit the Alamo Drafthouse for catering the event. For more information about the Phoenix Saga or the AIA, please come talk to them before or after the show, and they'll be glad to tell you all you need to know.

Presented on the anniversary of the original series debut, this event features a listening of Phoenix Saga's album Phoenix Saga II: The Wrath of Sean before the feature film, and a viewing of the video commentary that the band recorded as part of the director's cut version of the album. In the video commentary the band got together, wore funny hats, and discussed each song on the album. The original version will be available for sale for $10, and the director's cut version will be available for $15, as it includes, in addition to the audio CD, the video commentary DVD, digital re-mastering of the original track list, 3 bonus tracks labeled as 'deleted scenes', and the lyrics to all the songs printed in the CD liner notes. General admission is $10, and as an added bonus Phoenix Saga is offering a special "friends of Phoenix Saga deluxe package" for $20. The deluxe package includes specialty seating by Orion Slave Girls, a signed limited edition Alamo Drafthouse event wall poster, an autographed 8X10 glossy photo of the band holding an 8X10 glossy autographed photo of Bruce Willis, a limited edition Phoenix Saga brand reuseable canvas bag with flaming pig logo, your choice of Phoenix Saga t-shirt, Phoenix Saga 1" button, entry into an exclusive raffle for Phoenix Saga merch, and many other delightful goodies to put in the bag!

All general admission ticket purchasers will be offered left over gift bag packages as supplies last for $15 each, all other Phoenix Saga merchandise will be available for sale at the regular prices in the theather, and as a special offer, ANYONE (male, female, young and old) who buys a bucket of beer from the drafhouse may present their receipt to an Orion Slave girl for a free kiss. Anyone who buys TWO buckets of beer is eligible for a kiss from a slave girl to another slave girl, so be sure to bring spending cash! For more information contact: phoenixsagaband@yahoo.com

Dr. Danny Rouch Medical Fund Benefit

Dr. Rouch is my doctor. On May 23, 2008 he sustained a head injury and has been hospitalized ever since. The community has gotten together and is holding a benefit to help pay for his Rehab. I received the below information in an e-mail. Thought I'd pass it along. You can read more about his accident and condition in this story from the Hays Free Press.
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Dr. Danny Rouch sustained a severe head injury in May and remains hospitalized. This benefit is to raise funds needed to pay for the high cost of rehabilitation. All
funds raised will be used to defray medical/ rehab costs.

Sunday August 24, 2008
1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Painted Horse Pavilion
FM 1626 Buda, Texas

Please join us for BBQ, Music, Auction and Fellowship

BBQ plate tickets = $6.00
Music only tickets = $5.00
Combo tickets = $10.00

Monetary donations may also be made directly at any Wells Fargo Bank to the
Dr. Daniel R. Rouch Benefit Donation Fund or online at www.DrRouch.net

Auction tems may also be donated.

Auction item collection station:
Dr. Bob Rosebrock
Rosebrock Vet Clinic
2325 FM 967 Buda
Office: 312-0701
Cell: 771-4647

Vacation Bible School 8/11 - 15 in Kyle, TX

GOD'S BIG BACKYARD IN KYLE, TEXAS
KUMC VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

Outdoor adventure, fun backyard games, crafts, snacks, and music are just outside your back door. GOD'S BIG BACKYARD is the theme for this year's Vacation Bible School at Kyle United Methodist Church (408 W Lockhart Street, Kyle, TX 78640). VBS will be held on August 11 - 15, 2008 from 9:00a.m. - 12noon.

Invited are all children (Kindergarten [potty trained] through the 5th grade) in the area. Parents, bring your children, bring their friends, and come ready for an amazing time as we explore God's Big Backyard! Call 512-268-2331 for more details.

Thank you and God Bless!

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Kyle United Methodist Church
408 W Lockhart St
Kyle, TX 78640
(512) 268-2331

http://www.kyleumc.com/
kumc@austin.rr.com

Kyle United Methodist Church invites you to regular Sunday services at 8:30 and 11:00a.m. and holds dinner and a bible study Wednesdays at 6:00p.m. Pastor: Harold Dailey

A Sense Of Entitlement

NOTES FROM THE CUBICLE
A Sense Of Entitlement

How can you be angry about something that wasn’t yours to begin with? I’m starting to understand why some people just don’t believe in giving gifts (monetary or otherwise). People seem to take offense at gifts… or the fact that they don’t receive a gift that someone else gets. So, because they can’t give to everyone, they don’t give at all.

Some folks don’t understand… if someone gives you a gift, it is just that - a gift. It doesn’t matter whether it is a pencil or a quarter of a million dollars. It may be a free lunch. It may be a CD. It may be two tickets to a Spurs game. It may be a beer. If it wasn’t something that you worked towards or had an agreement on receiving… it’s a gift and the amount is the sole decision of the gift-giver.

If a friend or co-worker receives a gift, can’t you just be happy for them instead of judging their worthiness? It wasn’t your gift to give. It wasn’t their intention to get something that wasn’t offered you. They are just a person who happened to be the recipient. The gift-giver didn’t mean to piss you off by not giving you the same thing. If he did, that’s a bribe or power-play… not a gift.

I kind of feel the same way with tips at a restaurant. Tips are for good service. People are expected to tip 20% of the bill for good service. That’s a suggestion, not a rule. Now, before I get into this too much…I’ve waited tables. I know. I used to make $2.13 an hour + tips…so I’ve been there. I think if tips are expected income… they should be automatically added to the bill. Not just for parties of 6 and up. But, to all bills. Or, pay minimum wage to servers and don’t allow tipping.

I think all of the waiters and waitresses just balked at that. Why? Because many times, people tip way above the percentage that is suggested and above minimum wage. It’s all up to the diner’s discression. But… to be fair to waiters… 20% is the agreed upon standard for good service so maybe that should be the rule. Take the guesswork out of it.

To be honest, I think that’s a horrible idea. But, I also think it sucks to be a diner who had bad service, who didn’t tip the “suggested amount” and be cursed by the waiter. I was actually chased out of a restaurant once in San Marcos, Texas for not tipping a crappy waitress. She guilted my friend into giving her a tip. I’ve never been back to that place… and I really liked the food there too. Damnit.

In the same thought…how can someone be so down on people who hold signs on the corner asking for money? “Oh, they’ll take that cash and buy alcohol or drugs.” You know... they might. They might just take that cash and turn it into liquor… but they might also use the cash to feed their family. They may get a bus ticket to return to a long lost love. They may buy a cheeseburger. And yes… they might get high.

While at church last Sunday we talked a little about this. One member shared her perspective. “If they use the money for drugs, and that allows them to live another day, maybe something will happen in that day to bring them closer to God and they may make a life-changing decision.” I thought that was pretty profound.

But, my point is, if I am going to give you something… my say in what is done with my gift ends when it is given. If it makes a difference, if it doesn’t… that is not my concern. If I am to get anything in return, again, not my intention. It’s a gift. Not a free gift with certain expectations.

And, please don’t have a sense of entitlement. Don’t think that you deserve anything above what you have worked towards and earned. If talking about a job, I’m not talking about earning an office with a window view. That is a perk. You are compensated for doing a job. Your reward for doing a good job is the fact that they keep paying you… perhaps you get insurance… perhaps a vacation… the things that are detailed out in your job description that you agreed to when you took a job.

If you get a bonus, it’s just that, a bonus. The amount shouldn’t matter. It’s unexpected money. If your co-worker gets a bonus and you don’t, be happy for them. Don’t get pissy and think “I should have gotten that money.” It wasn’t yours to give. It wasn’t theirs to demand. It was a gift.

You work for what you get, and you have what you earned. Anything above that is a bonus, a lagniappe, a gift… and should be seen as such. If people would just understand that, there would be a lot less anger in the world.

Austin Bands, do you DO512?

DO512.com is a great tool to promote shows and network around. If you're not aware of it... you should be. The basis is... you can post all of your band information and/or show information and it creates a page for you complete with a linkable, repostable "poster" of the image you uploaded or the list of the bands that are going to be there. Now.. it gets put in the hands of the "people" next... as folks who are members of do512 can click "I like it" to any show... and the more votes a show gets, the more likely it'll rise to the top of the day's search.. and/or be included in the end of the week's "Top Picks" that is e-mailed out to the list of do512'ers.

INsite Magazine, has teamed up with DO512 and they are working together to produce the listings* that run in the magazine. They are also using do512 for the promotion of their INsite Nights. Here's the next 4 INsite Night links... you'll see examples of both with poster and without. If you are a do512 member, please click "I Like It" on these. It would rock.

INsite Night - Point of Contact, Under the Gun, Hazard of the Industry and Unnamed Project for Revenge
Squint, She Craves, Dented, Forever Falls, Call Me Sensei - INsite Night
Full Service + Friends - INsite Night
INsite Night - The Banner Year, She Craves, 6 Pack Deep, Litany For The Departed

*Deadline for inclusion of listings in INsite is always the 21st of the month for the next month. So... use do512 for promoting your gigs... it's easy... and a pretty cool tool... and you may end up doubling your promotional efforts by ending up in INsite.

Austin' Texas July Music Listings

July INsite Page 13
Originally uploaded by seanclaes

This is from INsite Magazine.
http://www.insiteaustin.com

Click the photo to download full page... or go to the Website to download the full PDF of the issue.

OZZEST TICKETS ON SALE TODAY!

Tickets to Ozzfest 2008, which will be a one-off show in Dallas, will be available at 10:30a.m. today at Ticketmaster.

Click here: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0C0040AEDA69830F?artistid=821241&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=200


OZZFEST 2008
Saturday, August 9 at Pizza Hut Park, Dallas, Texas:

Main Stage:
OZZY OSBOURNE
METALLICA
SERJ TANKIAN
HELLYEAH
JONATHAN DAVIS
CAVALERA CONSPIRACY
SHADOWS FALL
APOCALYPTICA
IN THIS MOMENT


Second Stage:
SEVENDUST
DEVILDRIVER
KINGDOM OF SORROW
SOILENT GREEN
WITCHCRAFT
GOATWHORE

Texas (Third) Stage: *
THE SWORD
DROWNING POOL
RIGOR MORTIS
THE DESTRO
WITHIN CHAOS

Backwoods Bash Wrap-up

It was a fantastic weekend of music. If you were there, you may spot yourself in one of these shots... if you weren't, this is what you missed. Hope to see you next year for the Second Annual Backwoods Bash, Memorial Day Weekend 2009.

Friday's Photos - 74 shots

Saturday's Photos - 205 shots

If you'd like to watch the videos I shot:  Visit this link.




Here's a few of the 279 photos I took:

Matt Jostes, Trevor Lane, Damien Hartzell, and Sean Claes. Four men with a mission to create a Memorial Day Weekend Concert just outside Tulsa, Oklahoma. We did it. Backwoods Bash 2008 - www.backwoodsbash.com.


Cosmic Rush


Will Porter/Damien Hartzell


Greg Schroeder


Todd Davis


Steve Liddell


ValerieStar


Cannonball Sunday


Ben Sumner and Sean Claes


The Banner Year


Full Service


Ghosts

Wiener Dog Races on KLRU's Docubloggers

I went to the Buda Wienerdog Races this year... it was great. I took a few videos of the races just to document it and was going to upload them to my YouTube but for some reason it wouldn't upload. So... today I was talking to someone at work who said that KLRU's Doccubloggers was going to do (or has done) a spot on the races.

Being the Google fiend I am... I went searching. Apparently they were uploading it to their YouTube as we were talking about it. I think I was the first viewer of this particular upload. So... I thought I'd share. It's VERY well done and it captures the idea and excitement that is the Buda Wiener Dog Races.

Hope you enjoy. It was produced by Domenique Bellavia.


What they have to say:
Each year in Buda Texas the Lions Club host the County fair, and one of the featured activities are the wiener dog races. Now, people from all over the US bring their Dachshund to dress up and run!

Buy this tape... but as a digital Download

You can download this album for just $5 at:http://cdbaby.com/cd/backwoodsbash2008.
The $$ will go directly towards the gas money for the bands playing the first ever Backwoods Bash at the Thundermoon Ranch in Mannford, Oklahoma.. this weekend (May 23-25, 2008)