JAREDRYANLEE.COM

Today, for many, was the first day of school.  For me, it was the first first day of school that I haven’t been a part of since I was four or five-years-old.  I have been involved in the first day of school as a student, child-care worker, or an educator for the past 25 years…until today.  Today, instead of telling new students where to go and what to expect from my class I was creating new email accounts and setting up new Blackberrys for clients.  It’s been a bittersweet few days to say the least.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my new career, but until today it’s felt like a fun summer job.  There is great relief that I’m not doing lesson plans, working on Saturday mornings, sitting through pointless planning meetings, and dealing with the politics of the educational system.  But there is also sadness and heartache knowing I’m not there for the kids that looked up to me, attached to me, and bonded with me.  At times I feel like I’ve let them down or abandoned them.  I know I shouldn’t, I’m 100% positive that I made the right choice, but that doesn’t make it any easier.  I can’t help but feel bitterness towards those that caused me to make the decision to leave.  I don’t want to hold grudges and in time I will forgive, but I can’t help but feel like it’s their fault that I’m not there.

i told myself I’d take at least a year off from being around kids, but I can already tell that that’s not going to fly.  Time to volunteer at the youth group.

After playing a couple of weeks ago at the Nat (see the video below) I got an itch.  I’ve been playing guitar for 15 years, but can I rock out like Cousin Chris?  Not even close.  I decided it was high time that I start getting serious about learning to play lead.  So what did I do?  I went and bought these:

That, my friends, is a Fender ’72 Thinline Telecaster Reissue and a Fender Blues Junior Tube Amp. My poor wife has been having to endure me learning the opening licks to Ryan Adams’ “Cold Roses.” Unfortunately, my tiny pinky finger doesn’t like to cooperate…but it will come in time.

I would be remiss if I didn’t give credit where it’s due.  The reason I was able to rock out a few weeks ago was because of the backing band.  All of their last names are Smeaton so I’ll just give their first names.  Cousin Chris on guitar, Cousin Mike on Bass (he’s 15 and 100 times the guitar player I am), Cousin Jake on the bongos, Bro-In-Law Ben, the drum prodigy, and last but not least, Bro-In-Law Sam on Tambourine, backing vocals, and general bouncing aroundedness.  Thank you guys, for making me look good.

In other news, I, like everyone else I know, haven’t slept in a week and a half since the Olympics started. If you have any doubt as to my addiction to the Olympics, know this: I watched an entire Badminton match the other day…and loved it.

The audio is kind of guitar heavy, but it still sounds okay.