It's been a while...

So...I have neglected the blogosphere for over a year, I think, and well...I'm sorry.

There is so much going on now that I must must must write so that everyone back home can stay updated on my Mexican happenings.

I don't even really know where to begin, so we'll just do it like this:

1. The trip back to Monterrey was exciting. I've never traveled with a stranger before...thank GOD this guy was cool. I know you're thinking ''why did Jeremy travel to a foreign country with someone he had never met?'' Well, the thing is...I mentioned to my friend Héctor that I was stressed because I really wanted to cross the border with a Mexican. I have friends, like Steph who were willing to ride with me, but I just feel safer with a Mexican there to protect me if I get nervous and suddenly forget how to speak Spanish. Later, Héctor told his friend that I needed help and that I didn't want to travel alone...I trusted Héctor...he said he was a nice guy and that was enough for me.

Anyway, Edgar (Héctor's friend) was wonderfully nice and we kept each other entertained for the entire journey.

2. I loved loved loved getting texts from everyone on the way down. This time (like every time I come and go) I want everyone from home to feel like they are a part of this craziness. I want them to feel like they're a part of every rehearsal, every performance and every recording session. Even if I don't have my TN buddies here with me, I still want them to participate as much as possible, and I promise to do my best to keep everyone informed.

3. There are very few people in Mexico that I care about as much as I care about my folks in TN....and those few are Homero Montemayor, Mario Carrillo, Marcelo Arenas, Mariana Peña, Melanie Signoret and Carlos Maraboto...it feels good knowing that if I can't always be with my hometown gang..that I have these wonderful people laugh with when being so far from home gets hard.

4. Ivan's dog totally threw poo at me. After rehearsal on Friday I was standing outside beneath the balcony at Ivan's house chatting and planning a night on the town with the band when I heard something smack the ground next to me. Since I'm in Mexico I just assumed it was a cockroach or some large exotic insect so I looked down to kick the pest away....then I noticed that it was, in fact, a turd. I looked up to see from where poo could have possibly fallen and there was the culprit panting and grinning nefariously. If I had been standing just one foot the right I would have been wearing a poo hat. It was hilarious.

5. The band....wow. The 5 of us have grown in the few months I've been away...and it showed. We played so well on Friday that I wanted to cry.

In addition to being to lucky to have found such talented guys with the same style the same plan the same ideas in mind....I also have new instruments. I have now officially said BYEEEEEEEEE to computers, and I now play 3 keyboards and a trumpet. In 3 or 4 songs I actually play two keyboards at the same time! I know it's probably common....but for me.. I feel like a rockstar and I guess that's what counts, yeah? I can actually MOVE now! I don't have to be sitting there focused on computer things! I can just play and dance and express and rock the hell out.

It looks pro, it sounds pro and I can't wait to play on the stage again.

6. Tomorrow we're recroding our songs so that we can send them off to Mexico City to have them registered. Once they are registered, we'll record the album in a real studio (Goodbye Marco's basement!) and then we'll have time to rehearse for our mini-tour starting in October.

7. I went out with the band after rehearsal. It was the first time in a long time that we've gone out as a band, as friends. We went to a bar called ''13 Lunas'' and we had dinner on the terrace which overlooks the city. For those of you who don't know or remember, 13 Lunas is where we had our first gig as Ciao Granada back when I played 3 laptops at once. It was strange and amazing to be there again. That show was over a year ago, back when we were 4 and nervous and shy and rusty. Aside from the food and smoothies being THE MOST DELICIOUS FOOD AND DRINK I'VE EVER CONSUMED it was nice to see that place again and think ''...my how we've grown.'' We have evolved so much in just one year. I guess that's pretty natural but Friday night was the first time I felt it.

8. I hope all of you read this and comment! I will do my best to keep updating...sometimes I just feel like I don't have anything that important to say. But your comments and messages will let me know that what I write is interesting enough and it'll keep me motivated...so do it!

I love you all.