As I arrive 2 hours early for my bus, I head toward the check in counter to see what the process is.
Hurry up and wait, I'm due to leave at 8:30am. As they shuffle the lines and move people to different doors, confusion in sues.
I head back up to the counter to see what's going on with my bus, as it's creeping close to 8:30. Upon my return to the counter I'm informed my bus is going to be late and that they should have placed me on an alternate bus to Vegas , however that left 15 mins ago. Here we go.
So the supervisor jumps in and starts a mad typing spree, I imagine she checking alternate routes times etc.
Ok she says, you'll be taking the next bus to Vegas , wait at the priority door it should be boarding . I inquire as to what effect this has on my overall agenda, she assures me nothing, maybe a 2 hr delay difference.
I walk over luggage in hand and relay my message to the greyhound employee named Juan at priority. He laughs as I relay what I've been told , "that bus is going to be here In 2 hrs" he says as he looks at the ever growing line in the terminal.
I leave my gear ( not wise being in la) and head back to the counter . I relay Juan's message, the supervisor again hits the keyboard again. She comes up after 5mins, sure you have to take that bus or I don't have anything until tomorrow .
Crazy, so I wait. With a bus load of people from La destined for Vegas. This should be fun.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Ketch / Catch Up
It's been a while since my last post. Lots has happened since. Los Angeles has shown it's true colors for sure. For someone who is a stand up type of person, trustworthy ; this city of angels is not a place to call home. Everybody is guarded and rightfully so, everybody is out for something here. You always have to question people's intentions.
Luckily I have music and thus my band.
I've stayed in the coast taking in the Venice charm and moving into our rehearsal spot that my bass player and good friend Jay has found. It's not ideal but it's an ends to a means. Coming from sleeping in cars to a couch in a 24 hour noise factory , one might think it's a toss up, but it's a step up and I'm grateful for that. There's something to be said about calling a place home. I'm not sure when that time will come for me, but for now I'm going in the right direction.
Luckily I have music and thus my band.
I've stayed in the coast taking in the Venice charm and moving into our rehearsal spot that my bass player and good friend Jay has found. It's not ideal but it's an ends to a means. Coming from sleeping in cars to a couch in a 24 hour noise factory , one might think it's a toss up, but it's a step up and I'm grateful for that. There's something to be said about calling a place home. I'm not sure when that time will come for me, but for now I'm going in the right direction.
Road warrior
As a kid, I'd only known a "road warrior" as one of the dynamic duo World Wrestling Federation tag team partners. The WWF as I knew it , before the Wild Life Federation sued them for copy write infringement.
Today I stand blogging In a Greyhound bus terminal in Denver. Man things have changed. I was scheduled to leave Los Angeles Tuesday @ 8:30am and arrive in Toronto @10pm Thursday night.
I did not anticipate this journey by any means.
I left the rehearsal spot after a rough sleep at about 5:30am Tuesday. Splashing cold water on your face after a screamo band has been rehearsing all night in the room beside you ;just may have disrupted my sleep enough to prepare for this journey.
As I'm walking down the street , luggage and guitar in tow. I pass a spot I walked by frequently , it's a little car inlet where a local rubi has taken refuge. I never caught his name but we always said hi in passing. In a sort of transient universal homeless way. The rehearsal spot is right in the hood, Crenshaw ave in Los Angeles. Many movies depict this hood, but I've lived here , it's the real deal. And as I walk early in the morning, the seedy'ness is just about to go to bed. Pimps are settling down, tricks are getting dropped back off. I just keep to myself and head towards the tube, across the road from Popeyes chicken. You really understand the danger of the area as the fast food places have bullet proof glass not just in the drive thru windows , but inside.
As I lug my stuff up the stairs the working class starts arriving.
Next stop ; greyhound station , downtown La.
Today I stand blogging In a Greyhound bus terminal in Denver. Man things have changed. I was scheduled to leave Los Angeles Tuesday @ 8:30am and arrive in Toronto @10pm Thursday night.
I did not anticipate this journey by any means.
I left the rehearsal spot after a rough sleep at about 5:30am Tuesday. Splashing cold water on your face after a screamo band has been rehearsing all night in the room beside you ;just may have disrupted my sleep enough to prepare for this journey.
As I'm walking down the street , luggage and guitar in tow. I pass a spot I walked by frequently , it's a little car inlet where a local rubi has taken refuge. I never caught his name but we always said hi in passing. In a sort of transient universal homeless way. The rehearsal spot is right in the hood, Crenshaw ave in Los Angeles. Many movies depict this hood, but I've lived here , it's the real deal. And as I walk early in the morning, the seedy'ness is just about to go to bed. Pimps are settling down, tricks are getting dropped back off. I just keep to myself and head towards the tube, across the road from Popeyes chicken. You really understand the danger of the area as the fast food places have bullet proof glass not just in the drive thru windows , but inside.
As I lug my stuff up the stairs the working class starts arriving.
Next stop ; greyhound station , downtown La.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
No Goodbyes, Only Beginnings .
I was told a man is never a man, until he loses his father. This man wishes he was still a boy. Its crazy to look back and realize the first time I performed outside of my bedroom was at my fathers funeral.
I remember my mother asking me to play. She really wanted me to write a song for him, problem is I was no songwriter at the time. I didn't actually start writing music for a year after he passed. A while after he passed my mom confessed to me about playing for my dad. Not about playing at his funeral , about my "learning curve" of guitar playing.
By that I mean, she told me about him , simply put just being a father. You see when I picked up the guitar I took a run at playing it. I picked it up late in life in comparison to others. Not for any other reason then my love for music . It's an extension of my personality.
So my baby steps were to try and learn A few of my favorite songs. This is where it began , I realized the skill involved in these songs. So I put it down.
A short time after, my dad became ill with Cancer. They gave him 2 months. He gave us 2 years.
My mothers confession came as this. When my dad became sick I use to make him health shakes and my own home made concoctions by way of natural path remedies. I'll admit , none of these tasted like they were to be consumed.
So when I would visit my dad , we would drink these to appease my recommendations. All well i would strum on the guitar in the hospital with him. Im not sure what your thinking as you read this ,but my mom told me exactly what my dad was.
She says how he use to just curse when he saw me coming down the hall with my guitar on my back and bag full of natural products. He use to crack jokes about what was going to be harder to take, my health shake or guitar playing.(keep in mind I was very much at the beginning of my "learning curve" . However like clock work, when I entered the room. He always smiled, whether he could drink or not. He always had the shake and listened to me play.
To be honest until my mom mentioned it I had no clue. After she told me, we burst out laughing. If you knew my dad you would know how funny those situations would have been.
Even if you didn't know my father, I'm sure you can read between the lines. I'm sure one day I'll be a father and understand it a little deeper.
In the simplest form, putting someone you care about before yourself.
It's a bold trait, it's a lost trait. It's part of all fathers , mothers, stand up friends, brothers ,sisters , gentlemen, nice strangers . It's a genetic makeup that makes them good people.
My father was one of these people. He is the man that i size all great people to. He is missed and he is always celebrated everyday. And on this anniversary of his passing, I tell you there no goodbyes, only beginnings.
And for my mother , here is the song I finally wrote for him. You may all download it and share it with whom ever you like.
So if you choose to download the song and it hits you, think about the good people in your life. It was written about the greatest one in mine. If you like, share it with whomever you want.
If I could just ask you to send a quiet thank you to my father Wayne Buffan for suffering through my guitar learning curve and never telling me to stop, not even once. And trust me if you have ever witnessed this first hand you know how hard that would have been.
And to my mother who who waited and didn't tell me until she knew I would never stop even if I she told me.
So for all the good people out there, just keep doing what your doing. The rest of us do notice.
And for my mother , here is the song I finally wrote for him. You can download it here.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brent-Buffan-The-Ride/107489805972019?id=107489805972019&sk=app_178091127385
If you are not on facebook, visit my website www.brentbuffan.com and go to the music section and you may stream it there the track is called ("No Goodbyes, Only Beginnings) If you would like a copy simply email me.
Thank you Dad & Mom
Love , your son
Brent
I remember my mother asking me to play. She really wanted me to write a song for him, problem is I was no songwriter at the time. I didn't actually start writing music for a year after he passed. A while after he passed my mom confessed to me about playing for my dad. Not about playing at his funeral , about my "learning curve" of guitar playing.
By that I mean, she told me about him , simply put just being a father. You see when I picked up the guitar I took a run at playing it. I picked it up late in life in comparison to others. Not for any other reason then my love for music . It's an extension of my personality.
So my baby steps were to try and learn A few of my favorite songs. This is where it began , I realized the skill involved in these songs. So I put it down.
A short time after, my dad became ill with Cancer. They gave him 2 months. He gave us 2 years.
My mothers confession came as this. When my dad became sick I use to make him health shakes and my own home made concoctions by way of natural path remedies. I'll admit , none of these tasted like they were to be consumed.
So when I would visit my dad , we would drink these to appease my recommendations. All well i would strum on the guitar in the hospital with him. Im not sure what your thinking as you read this ,but my mom told me exactly what my dad was.
She says how he use to just curse when he saw me coming down the hall with my guitar on my back and bag full of natural products. He use to crack jokes about what was going to be harder to take, my health shake or guitar playing.(keep in mind I was very much at the beginning of my "learning curve" . However like clock work, when I entered the room. He always smiled, whether he could drink or not. He always had the shake and listened to me play.
To be honest until my mom mentioned it I had no clue. After she told me, we burst out laughing. If you knew my dad you would know how funny those situations would have been.
Even if you didn't know my father, I'm sure you can read between the lines. I'm sure one day I'll be a father and understand it a little deeper.
In the simplest form, putting someone you care about before yourself.
It's a bold trait, it's a lost trait. It's part of all fathers , mothers, stand up friends, brothers ,sisters , gentlemen, nice strangers . It's a genetic makeup that makes them good people.
My father was one of these people. He is the man that i size all great people to. He is missed and he is always celebrated everyday. And on this anniversary of his passing, I tell you there no goodbyes, only beginnings.
And for my mother , here is the song I finally wrote for him. You may all download it and share it with whom ever you like.
So if you choose to download the song and it hits you, think about the good people in your life. It was written about the greatest one in mine. If you like, share it with whomever you want.
If I could just ask you to send a quiet thank you to my father Wayne Buffan for suffering through my guitar learning curve and never telling me to stop, not even once. And trust me if you have ever witnessed this first hand you know how hard that would have been.
And to my mother who who waited and didn't tell me until she knew I would never stop even if I she told me.
So for all the good people out there, just keep doing what your doing. The rest of us do notice.
And for my mother , here is the song I finally wrote for him. You can download it here.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brent-Buffan-The-Ride/107489805972019?id=107489805972019&sk=app_178091127385
If you are not on facebook, visit my website www.brentbuffan.com and go to the music section and you may stream it there the track is called ("No Goodbyes, Only Beginnings) If you would like a copy simply email me.
Thank you Dad & Mom
Love , your son
Brent
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Jay Tay Live
Jason Taylor , hailing from New York. Jay is the first person I met in La. We met at a local bar in Venice and hit it off. He's an incredible musician and most importantly has become a great friend.
When I get to the next level, I want Jay to be there. He's done alot of things since meeting him for me I appreciate. Everything from jumping into my music to sleeping on his couch, even to inviting me over for Easter dinner. I was out of town, but when you think back on things it really is the thought that matters.
This post is for the good people, and Jay Tay Live is one of them.
When I get to the next level, I want Jay to be there. He's done alot of things since meeting him for me I appreciate. Everything from jumping into my music to sleeping on his couch, even to inviting me over for Easter dinner. I was out of town, but when you think back on things it really is the thought that matters.
This post is for the good people, and Jay Tay Live is one of them.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Serotonin
Serotonin......
The neurotransmitter that controls our happiness. In Humans Serotonin levels are effected by diet.
I notice immediately if my diets off or I haven't had a meal for a while, my mood is off.
Top foods to increase sarotonin Dates, papayas @ Bananas .
My old band mate just kills the bananas and is one of the happiest guys I know.
He buys them by the carton , I think I may try this .
I want to make music with the effects of Bananas . Well see .......
TBC
Here's a dog doing a breaking bad impression ; random I know
The neurotransmitter that controls our happiness. In Humans Serotonin levels are effected by diet.
I notice immediately if my diets off or I haven't had a meal for a while, my mood is off.
Top foods to increase sarotonin Dates, papayas @ Bananas .
My old band mate just kills the bananas and is one of the happiest guys I know.
He buys them by the carton , I think I may try this .
I want to make music with the effects of Bananas . Well see .......
TBC
Here's a dog doing a breaking bad impression ; random I know
A letter to a friend
Before I left on my musical journey , I lost a friend . I was out living and training (physically) with one my best friends Merrick . I won't forget the day , me and Merrick were working out. We were at a local gym and Merricks name came over the announcement asking him to come to the front desk . I was on the bench press and he asked me to come with him. It was because Merrick has his own training studio,and the gym had removed him once before for "recruiting customers"and we assumed they were kicking him out for training me. When we got to the front desk, the women said his wife was here and was outside waiting. This was really odd, are first thoughts were something bad. When we walked out, Carly his wife was in tears. "Russ is dead, he's dead.....he crashed his plane." Im not overly ready to write about Russ yet. I can tell you this, i was the best man in Merrick & Carly's wedding. From their wedding i met Russ who was in Merrick's wedding party as a groomsman. From that time i had become close to Russ, i spent many memorable days and nights with him. When i mentioned i was leaving on this journey , he simply said ."Do it, you only live once" The following is what i wrote upon in the aftermath of his passing, writing is a way for me to morn. I may turn it into a song in his honour if i can do it justice.
A letter to a friend;
There is nothing i can say, that i haven't already said. You are and were an incredible friend. The reason you left us, one day we will all get to understand. Smile on us my dear friend. Its the moments we shared that keep things moving ahead. The memories you left us are a part of life's healing hands. Our friendship we have much further extends, to your family and friends. Simply, because you are my friend. Some moments in life we have to wait to understand. And this is one of them. Until we meet again .My dear friend.
In honour of Russ Hawkins
A letter to a friend;
There is nothing i can say, that i haven't already said. You are and were an incredible friend. The reason you left us, one day we will all get to understand. Smile on us my dear friend. Its the moments we shared that keep things moving ahead. The memories you left us are a part of life's healing hands. Our friendship we have much further extends, to your family and friends. Simply, because you are my friend. Some moments in life we have to wait to understand. And this is one of them. Until we meet again .My dear friend.
In honour of Russ Hawkins
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