Purple Shirt of the Week: Special Double Issue

So, at last post (which admittedly was over a week ago), I shared with you, dear universe, the guitar strings that I got from Aurora Strings, whom Talking to Walls had just gotten an endorsement deal with. As I was writing that, I was trying to place when that meeting happened. My FRIEND Kate (you'll understand in a moment) pointed out that the meeting was on the morning of her wedding, for which I was the best man. Of course!

Let me regal you with my intrigue and sneakery.

Piture it...Newtown, CT...2009...the wind is blowing as the threat of rain darkens the sky...

Dress rehearsal at the chapel, and there's some goofing around on the altar, to break tension or, in my case, because I think I'm the most amusing person I know. The pivotal point here is my FRIEND the bride saying "I just have to try not to lose it up here" - crying messes up makeup and all, you know? And being the object of attention of the photographer for the day...

So I devise a plan - why not wear purple dress socks with my tux? Obviously, because what would any other self-respecting individual do? So the next night, I show up appropriately dressed, taking care that my socks wouldn't show in normal circumstances - standing, walking the aisle - the parts I wanted to photograph well and be seen by all, and disguise my assassin-like wit. Luckily, the groom, whom I've known since second grade, is used to my being completely inappropriate. I texted a photo of my stunning fashion sense over to the maid of honor and my FRIEND the bride, who were in the makeup and photo session, getting ready. I then posted the photo on Twitter, which feeds my Facebook, something about "helping my friend the bride laugh instead of cry on the altar" or something like that. You know, be able to look down and have something lightly absurd to distract her as I show a little ankle.

All I know is 20 minutes after posting that, my girlfriend gets a phone call from an old friend of hers, chewing her out for not telling her that we were getting married and very upset. And 20 minutes after that conversation, I was getting chewed out in the back of the church by GF for posting it on Facebook and her having to talk down her angry friend...

Good times.

Since it's been a while since the last post, I'll share more.

Here is a post-wedding photo of the bride and a friend of theirs, as we celebrate birthdays (husband, his sister and & I all have birthdays within like 2 weeks). so we go to his parents house and eat Dad's homemade pizza. One of the best traditions I partake in.

Purple Shirt of the Week: Strings (not threads)

So once again we diverge from shirts, blouses and tops (and clothing
in general) to bring you something else purple. This time it's guitar
strings!

Why? Because they're made by Aurora Strings, the guitar string
company that just endorsed Talking to Walls as of yesterday morning!
Last summer while on tour, we learned of this company and their
unusual string coating method (I'll spare you the boring-to-anyone-but-
a-guitarist details). A few months ago, in a Discovery Channel-worthy
moment, Nat and I were invited over to their factory to see how their
strings were made. We met with their guys, they gave us some samples,
and we gave them some CDs.

Long story short, both parties liked what they heard, and that brings
us to yesterday morning's email exchange that added Talking to Walls
to their roster of artists (alongside our friends Mike Falzone and the
Peppermint Trick) and added Aurora Strings to our list of endorsements
next to Godin Guitars and Spectraflex Cables. It was a nice email
chat over breakfast, you know?

Anyway, this was one of the sets they gave me. They make more normal-
colored strings too of course, but I said "no, I think I'll grab
those..." What else was I supposed to do?

Purple Shirt of the Week: Losing Eddie Vedder

This has nothing to do with this week's post, but seemed worthy to share at some point: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planet_Purple

I remember this as a child.

Every night, week, or whatever it was, I would watch Mister Roger's Neighborhood. The trolley, king and queen were regular characters on my family's television. So was Sherlock, but I don't remember if he was in the Land of Make Believe or on Magic Garden. X the Owl and Sherlock both seemed to own similar, centrally-located properties on both of those programs.

Anyway, I remember these human-sized Purple Pandas that used to talk to Mr. Rogers. (I thought that, along with the Koala, that these creatures must be friendly in real life as well, if not purple. Nope, they'll rip your arms our of your socket like a losing Wookie. Well, the pandas will, not sure about the koala. might just lose your face. But, as is often the case, I digress...)

Apparently the Purple Pandas were real, at least in the "what they put on TV is real" sort of way. I forgot about there being a whole planet.

Oooh, i just thought of a tie-in! Much like these characters were on my TV all the time as a child, years later the band that brought you "Alive" and "Elderly woman behind the counter in a small town" also became regulars on my TV. Along with their rock and roll chaos, they also brought with them flannel from the Northwest. In one form or another, the flannel stayed, at least on the edge, in society, while Pearl Jam completely went off the map, musically and figuratively. Well, they're back with an impossibly amazing album, and you know what? Eddie Vedder still has his amazing voice. And the hair. And the goatee. And the same wardrobe. Sorry Ed, I bought this shirt a few years ago, but as I clean out my closet and make a big bag of stuff for donating, I realize I've moved on from the flannel.

And yes, those are my drapes behind me.