Party No-no's - 1. Calling up the no shows

The Party No no's.

Shawn and I used to live in a house with an ever rotating cast of roommates for 2 or 3 years. Needless to say we became pretty accustomed to throwing parties which could result in running 'Beer Miles' around the house (not exactly a full mile) or a wonderful event known as 'No Shirt O'Clock.

One of the major concerns of any great party host is whether the party will in fact be a great party. Of course to have a great party one needs a good amount of people to attend said party or else you and your guests will be left with what is known as a 'dead party'. This happens from time to time, and it isn't your fault.

A way to avoid this is by insuring the presence of the Painted Birds guitarist, Josh McNorton. You, of course, have to give him free reign on inviting all of his friends, which you are actually already doing by inviting him to your soiree. I'd give you his contact information but I have been granted such rights.

What all party hosts must avoid at all costs is getting nervous when it's show time and calling all the people you thought were coming that haven't arrived yet. They're either on their way, or weren't gonna come anyway. If a party guest receives a call from the host asking "when you coming? Are you on your way? Where are you?" that party guest can be assured that the party they are heading to is a dead party.
Think about it, if the party is already getting down to it, no host would have the time nor want to call up the no show's. Therefore, as a guest if you receive such a call, steer clear, or understand what you are getting in to. The party could get going later, but it definitely has not started yet.

For the host i recommend complete avoidance of calling up the no show's. If you must, then call them implying that you need their help because the party is bigger than you expected. The host could perhaps ask the no show if they could bring some ice or some plastic cups as they didn't realize how many people would be showing up. The host could ask for more booze but it's better if whatever is needed is either cheap and or easy to bring.

I recommend complete avoidance of calling, however, because it can easily go awry. The other night for example I was on my way to a party when I sent a text to my good friend Nicky the Fish to see whether his so called 'shindig' had started yet. Nicky's response was that the party was just getting going and that i should bring girls. Having theorized earlier that the party would probably be a sausage party, I was then fully aware that the party was in fact a sausage party.

Contrary to this of course if i received a text from a girl who asked me to bring some guy friends, this could be a great sign. Although you have to of course watch out for the 'girls night'. I've been to these before, and i know they sound like just the most fun ever but in these occasions it's usually better to crash such occasions with a pack of your friends.

That's all i have to say on that now. I hope you can use my party advice in some way.

Dom

www.thepaintedbirds.blogspot.com

Coming Home: Done in Victoria...for Now

Well,

My time in Victoria has come to a close. About a week ago I was super excited to be back to Vancouver and have my space back, but now as it all comes to an end i'm a bit sad. it's always how it is when periods or phases in our life come to a close. It always seems to drip rain on such days, or if it's nice it still feels like it's raining.

The greens didn't win any seats but we promise to keep on working for the next 4 years until the next election. I thought we would at least get something. My candidate Adam Saab did very well winning 17 percent of the Vote.

What kind of annoys me is that we didn't even pass BC-STV for electoral reform. We were so close in 2005 with 58% of voters saying yes that i figured with all of the education in the last few months about STV it would have easily passed. But somehow the no side grew to something like 61%. Unbelievable.

So i plan on continuing with the video posts, but i'm not really sure how i'm going to do it. here in victoria i've had adam's video camera as well as his mac computer to upload and edit the videos on. I'll figure it out as soon as possible. Thanks for reading thus far.

hugs

D

(go to www.thepaintedbirds.blogspot.com if viewing from Facebook)

Adam Saab's Campaign Video! - Time is Limited

As you may know, I took a couple weeks out of living in Vancouver to come to Victoria and be my very good friend, Adam Saab's campaign manager. Adam is running for the Green Party in the upcoming provincial election in the same riding as Carole James

Over the past 3 and a half weeks I've become a very big fan of the Green party and the principles they follow. I would have honestly come to Victoria to help Adam regardless of which party he'd have belonged to. He's such a good friend and I figure with time being so limited, who knows if i'd ever get such a good opportunity to hang out with my good friend and help him in his political pursuits.

What i really like about the Green Party and Adam's philosophy is that governance should be constructive or cooperative across party lines, and mostly that government should be addressing the roots of the problems as opposed to always applying band-aid policies to major problems which merely act as pain killers or soothers for the citizens of this province. With such band-aid methods we only see the problems resurfacing at a later date with greater strength a lot of the time.

But enough about my political thoughts. Check out www.greenparty.bc.ca and look into the green book they have posted on their site before May 12th if you're interested in what the Green Party has to offer.

I started writing this song on the ferry on my way to Victoria and have been humming it daily since i got here. i figured it would make a good soundtrack for the campaign video.

Enjoy.

Dom

p.s. vote yes on BC-STV as well people. It's that easy.

Happy Birthday Mel! - Sister Song

Keeping the birthday spirit alive this one goes out to my oldest sister, today she is 1/3 of Wayne Gretzky. I'll leave you to wonder if i'm talking about wealth, size, age, jersey number, or intellect... NO cancel that, i'll take intellect out of the possibilities. My sister is way smarter than Wayne Gretzky.

But i digress, happy birthday melly!. Love you oh so much and if i could "I'd do this every, every day". But not over the internet. At our house in Canmore. Or someplace else where we could be on vacation all the time and just have fun outside.

Doma

Happy Birthday Tim and Dan!! - the Ballad of...

This song is a dedication to my good friends Tim and Dan. Happy birthday boys. You must realize that I wouldn't do this for just anyone. The first half is a cover of a song that Dan always asks me to play. I've never known how to play it, nor have i really wanted to, but i figure for a birthday i could learn at least the first verse.

And the second half, well you might recognize the melody from a Painted Birds song, but the words were re-written by Tim and I last summer.

This could be a career killer...not that i have one yet!

Dom

(if viewing this on Facebook go to www.thepaintedbirds.blogspot.com to view song clip)

Lots to Come!!

Hello faithful blog followers,

I intended to put up a new song on wednesday but I've been working on a couple other projects that will be posted this weekend. Stay tuned for three new songs. One of which being a brand new song that i've recorded and will be using to make a music video for Adam Saab, the Green Party candidate that i've been supporting and managing the last couple weeks. Also, i've decided to do some more personal dedications to some of my favourite Taurus'. I have a whole bunch of friends who all just happen to be tauruses so i figured it be great to do a dedication to some of them. I mean they are my favourite, even though they have the hardest heads of any people on the planet.

I never even used to believe in that sort of stuff. And then i started noticing things.

Stay tuned, you'll have something new tomorrow, and the next day, and perhaps the next day after that.

Peace

Dear Music Industry - You haven't seen me dance

I wrote this song to sound as if it were for a girl or a love interest, but it's not. Kind of like how Colleen is not about a girl at all.
As a side note the last time we played in Calgary one of my sister's friends asked if Colleen stood for something else that started with "C". Closest guess yet, but no, Colleen is not about cocaine.

I wrote this song about a year ago when i was pretty annoyed with how the birds and our debut album was received. I heard repeatedly from critics and friends that we were playing it safe. Other vancouver bands who 'seemed' like friends of ours were for some reason counting us out and supporting what seemed like every other vancity band but us.

We'd been pigeon holed and disregarded. Which you definitely have the right to do, but allow me to respond. You've only seen a glimpse of what's to come from me. And that's a promise.

I'd like to dedicate this one to my good buddies Brady and Riggsy. Riggsy who has always been the best of friends and loves this song. Brady who also chose this song as his favourite and always has the balls to just say what he thinks. And both for giving me the strength to stand on my own two feet.