ben wakeman : : Journal

Restored and Rejuvenated

July 22, 2004

I am back from vacation this week. We spent over a week in various parts of North Carolina, traveling from Boone where my parents live to the Zoo in Asheboro, to Old Salem, to Asheville and finally to Hot Springs. I needed this time off so badly. Being able to reconnect with Catherine and the boys was wonderful. We spent the week playing in mountain streams, exploring caverns, watching animals and horseback riding. Below there is a picture of me at possibly the most beautiful place I've ever been. Max Patch is called the "Crown Jewel" of the Appalachian Trail whcih is saying a lot since the AT goes from here in Georgia all the way up to Maine. At the summit you have a 360 degree view of the Blue Ridge and Smokey mountains uninterrupted by city lights. It's truly spectacular.

Me atop Max Patch mountain in North Carolina

Meanwhile back at the ranch, things are looking up for Screen Door. We are playing the Atlantis Music Conference showcase tomorrow night at the Red Light Cafe with other artists on the PasteRecords label. I feel like we are getting there, one tiny increment at a time. By "there" I am referring to what I consider to be musical success and that is becoming completely lost in the music without regard to where it's going, who's listening or who's not listening. There's a suspension that has to happen, a willingness to let go of everything that you cling to and just freefall in the moment. It's an elusive thing to attain, but now and again I get a glimmer of that feeling and the expansiveness of it is like a jumpstart to the soul.

I spent some time working on this site on Monday, getting some new photos in and adding a couple of new sections. I finally got around to adding a friends section which I have wanted to do forever. It was cool to begin adding these links, because I get to retrace my memories and remember stories about all of the folks who's paths I've crossed so far.