I wait on the same lines as you...

Today started as an average day for me. It's the style of process that occurs whenever I'am secluded to downtime life from the tour schedules. I usually wake up from whatever sleep I do aquire, fix myself up, head out the door, and then get to buisness with my drum and percussionary responsabilites. I had to make a brief stop into the natural grocery store tonight in order to obtain some nutrition for my week. I had to make it a minimal visit since I was on such a serious schedule. At the check out line, it was obvious on the landscape that my checkout girl had an Operation Ivy shirt on. Now keep in mind, this was a refreshing vision to behold since I feel that OpIvy shirts are unfortunatly extinct in human nature now! I was about to make a compliment on her attire, but she snaked my turn by asking me what I was going to stir up on the skillet this evening!? I was kind of taken back since I feel like when you live in NY, everyone minds there buisness and keeps to their own.

So since I'am a fanatic of conversation, and fellow cruelty free commune, I explained that I was inspired to make a raw vegan flatbread pizza tonight, and just kick it after I work on a ton of musical commitments. For some reason she picked up that I was into punk rock although I was not wearing a band shirt or did not have my swatch exposed. Her name was Sandra. She was intrested in what bands I had played for and so on. I have been through this a million times before, so its kind of just like spelling out my name. I began explaining who I have had the pleasure of accomplishing works with when all of a sudden, Sandra darted from her conveyer belt, and gave me a very serious hug and started to basically blabber a mile a minute out some very generous compliments. In case you are the type that can only figure out the superbowl happend last night, it turns out that she is a fan of a few bands I had invovement with.

Ok, this does not happen all the time, but shockingly, this will take place every so often in my life, and no matter how many times it happens, I still do not know how to take it. So I first responded with a comment stating that her embrace was so intense that I may not be able to play tonight. She laughed, and that was a suprise since I succeeded even with a mildly weak joke. But hey, I'll take it. She then apologized for being overstimulated, but followed the gesture by saying some really cool things. Apparently she only got to see Ambitions once and it made a very strong impact on her. Sandra is a drummer, and feels very insecure since it is a very male dominated instrument. She is very intimidated with taking it to the next level since she is afraid of being overlooked or snubbed just by gender issues. Sandra explained how she read an online fanzine interview I did and just spilt out how appreciative she was when I made a statement on human equality and how it cannot afford to be dismissed, especially in an underground subculture that calls for equality.

It took me awhile to remember from what segment this occured in but then I quickly recalled how I said that everyone has a right to do what they want and by no means has the right to be held back or told not to. I made a comment on how a guy should not find it "cute" when a female picks up a bass or a microphone. It should be looked at as inspiring, moving, and beautiful that anyone has the drive to play music. So she then explained how I was a big deal to her own move making since I had the motive to stand up and say that without caring what anyone would say, but that i also have extreme talent to back it up these javmatic words. She said that its hard to find invididuals to look up to since most of them can have the talent, but will treat other humans like garbage, or inferiors. I was so touched to be tagged with the label of "talent", and just being told that I'am "looked up to."

I was really fufilled to have been told all of this in just an action of reimbursing my vegan food pantry. It's very hard for me to accept a compliment, but I will never write it off. I thanked Sandra for recognizing my words outside of the grooves and forbidden beats. Like I was just floored that there are still people that look for the entire picture in a musical artist now. I think thats what the world lacks today. Talented people that have more to offer society than just jams! I mean that is what I'am aspiring to do. As a musician, no matter how you look at it, you will have people that will reflect off of your lifestyle and what you will say, do, or perform.

So this is why I vie to always set one hell of an example for people since I want individuals to expand, change in a healthy manner, and treat others with respect, learning, sharing, and peace! I explained how the Operation Ivy " Energy" record was a huge inspiration to me during my most impressionable years and how it kept me out of the common social cesspool many seem to jump into out of fear of being condemed for having an independent thought. Sandra then asked me if I had current inspirations since that record is 20 years old almost( wow!, I was 5 when it came out, and Sandra was most likely not even born!) So from there I took a moment to explain my current mentors.

I felt it was fair to exchange an explanation on my inspiration with Tegan And Sara. I discussed how so many people just laugh at me for being so into them. They automatically shun them because of their orientation, cause they are canadian, or they are women. But the fact of the matter is , they have the right idea over any crucial clan many hardcore nerds worship. They have immense and distinct talent and just progress with it as the days go on. They are some of the modest people you will ever meet. I cherish the day I was able to meet Sara quin and talk to her about Fugazi and the game "simon". Not to mention giving Tegan a Thieves And Assassins demo when she asked if my band was punk rock in the vein of Face To Face. But anyways, more qualities about them. Tegan And Sara take time to make their fans feel apreciated and loved. They don't take themselves seriously all the time and always have fun on stage. They donate portions of their earnings to various charities that help the environment, troubled youth, or calling out fucked up politics. But one mark they left on me that is so mutual, and i cannot stress it enough, is when they said "we always look foward to the moment where we can change someones life!" And on top of the catchy melodies and hooky songs, that is what does it for me with the Quin sisters.

So back to the grocery store, Sandra was very excited to hear that individuals that are way different from me can be so inspiring and at the same time share the same ambitions as myself! She was not too familar with Tegan And Sara but showed many signs of intrest, so I told her what records to check out by them, and a bunch of links in route to some very moving interviews and youtubes of them. So I guess my point in this expierience is that no matter how crazy you might find it when someone looks up to you, it really means alot on both sides and in the end, it just makes a difference to both parties. I never expected a grocery transaction that would last 1 minute in real life to end up 14 minutes.

It seriously made my night for sure. It's times like these where I want to kick myself in the ass for thinking I do not make a difference in anyones life. I told a friend about this shortly after over aim, and he asked if I got her number? Before I slammed him shut in an intellegent way, I told him this story, and concluded that I would be no better than any of the people I detest had I looked at the situation in a dogs eye view. Remember, I stand with Minor Threat , not Motley Crue!