michael jaynes

So I have been really wanting to race my mountain bike for a while now. I have scoured the internet and picked up every flyer in every bike shop in town. Well there just isn’t anything going on in Memphis at least for the rest of the summer. So what do I go and do? I entered the Wolpack Triathlon! I am not really sure as to why I thought I could do something like this but I can say that my aching muscles are paying for me getting ready. Running every morning then riding my bike to work. Riding the trails on the weekend. I have got to find somewhere I can do some swimming. It’s a 1/4 mile swim so in an average size pool, I’d have to make a few hundred laps!

Melissa thinks I am crazy but is being supportive. She did, however, laugh at me last night when I told her I thought I was going to win. I looked up online and found out that last year’s winning time was 40 minutes. Hmmmmm, we’ll see about that. Pleas keep me and my legs in your good healing thoughts in the next few weeks.

Part of my motivation is the feeling of wanting to challenge myself physically for some time. I have been riding a lot but you get sort of comfortable riding by yourself with nobody around to push you along. Physical competition is pretty much the oldest form of competion around and I believe the underlying reason people do it is ultimately the same. I keep getting butterflies thinking about the countdown to start, racing to the water, kicking and thrashing around with a bunch of people finding my spot in the water, running toward my bike, throwing on my shoes and a shirt to go tearing around a trail, and on to running that same trail.

Something about that seems poetic. So far there is nothing poetic about it. Unless there’s poetry in my calves being tight and burning when I walk. Wish me good luck, and if you’ve nothing going on August 17th at 8AM, come out to Shelby Farms and do some cheering, or laughing. Whatevere seems appropriate is fine with me.

It’s pretty obvious that I have been dropping the ball on keeping the yard up on my piece of real estate on the internet. Luckily my landlord hasn’t filed a complaint or left any nasty notes on my door. I have been kind of down and stressed out a little for a lot of trivial reasons and haven’t really been compelled to write anything. That is, until today.

I read one of my best friend’s blogs today about his thoughts on his career in music and what drives him to keep doing it even when, sometimes, it must seem not worth it. I kind of fall into a funny category with this. I do know what it is like to feel driven by some unseen force to do something creative or artistic. Unfortunately my interests in music and a hundred other subjects are all over the board. I wake up every day and spend a portion of every hour dreaming of things to create, things to build, scale runs in odd times and keys that would challenge even the most experienced jazz musician.

I do have outlets for my need to create. I can’t explain the feeling of standing back after finishing a piece of furniture or even a simple shelf and taking in something that you just built and designed with your hands, sweat, and a hammer. But this post is about music, not carpentry.

Music has been a part of my life since before I could walk. From before I could walk, my grandfather would sit me next to me and play his guitar and sing to me. My mom and dad always had music playing in the house. Wide varieties too. Rock, folk, soul, r&b, country, and jazz. I am one of those people that can’t describe the feeling a great piece of music puts inside of you. I even get goosebumps when I hear something that really moves me. So given my bringing up an my yearning to create, writing music should be all I think about right?

I am not sure what happened. Actually, life happened. I took off after a career as dj-ing at about age 22. Didn’t do too bad, didn’t do too good. DJ-ing definitely isn’t my strong suit as fas as music goes! I think at least a few people enjoyed my sets. I could always listen to DJ-s play after me, cause I was always first! And say to myself, he/her are definitely way technically better at working the decks and mixer than me. But I sure like the music I select better. I spent countless hours listening to clips of tracks looking for that rare gem hidden among the 1000’s of other shit that was released that week. Then I started learning a little about production, heavily influenced and inspired by a great friend. Man is that a rush. I have probably only actually finished 6 tracks and really never really let anyone listen to them. One of them I tried to play live once and learned quickly that my skills in mastering were pretty lacking hearing it over a real sound system! Once in a while I pull out a CD of the songs I did and listen in the car for fun.

Nonetheless that feeling of music is amazing. Even though it has been put on the back burner for so long now, I’m not sure I remember how to match keys in two tracks or time out a record change. I am a lazy son of a bitch and that back burner has been burning so long I keep thinking it has gone out.

It kills me to walk by and see thousands of dollars worth of records, music gear, guitars, computers, cables, etc. boxed up and not put to use. It is almost like a slap in the face. Gigs of MP3’s I keep downloading for no reason.

I hope I am not the only one that still has a huge desire to be into his/her music but with so many balls in the air can’t figure out which one to catch. Not sure what I was getting at with the rant there but oh well.

Thanks, have a nice day, nothing to see here.

Well 4 days at the beach isn’t quite enough. Although I did enjoy sleeping in my own bed and not being hassled to buy weed and jewelry everywhere I go, I miss it. We had a blast and the pictures are up in my galleries. Not much to say right now. I am still in shock at being back at work and having responsibilities.

So we are in the home stretch. Pretty much all I can think about at this point is getting to the beach for a few days. I keep looking at pictures on Google Images and checking out our hotel on Google Earth. I know I am kind of a dork. If I get a few things finished up at work, I’m leaving early and that will be last time to look at anything on a computer screen, or my cell phone until deep into next week. I am thinking that for a few days my biggest worry won’t be how to finish some project at work, how to finish getting the house ready to sell, if it is time to get the oil changed in the car, when I am going to have time to rebuild the carburetor in the mower and chainsaw, or even what time it is. Only thing I am worried about is which direction does the sun set in and where is the red stripe!

Is it April 14th already? Melissa’s birthday already? Day before taxes are due to be filed already? Damn damn damn. This year is flying and I am not sure what I have done with it yet. We hit the ground running last weekend trying to get ready to sell the house. Melissa has been working her ass off painting and cleaning out everything. I don’t feel like I have done quite so much but my sore muscles sure beg to differ. Looks like we are going to jump on the bandwagon of “white flight” with the rest of the honkies who are scared of Memphis like us. I am super conflicted by this move. On one hand, I have spent almost 30 years now inside the loop and never once felt out of place or unsafe. And I have been in some f***ed up places. I have always made fun of people scrambling to get out to Cordova, or Collierville, or whatever is the trend for people to go running to because they are scared of black, mexican, and gay people. But on the other hand, 2 weeks ago makes the 4th time someone has tried to break in the house, 2 of which we were home. Cars have been broken into 5 times, one of those being vandalized for no reason. Well enough is enough for me. I have been sticking up for Memphis for long enough. Always saying that this shit happens everywhere and it’s not that bad. Well looks like I am packing up and as soon as I can get someone to take my house off my hands, we have a destination set for Arlington. So I’ve been looking at houses online and riding around out there in my car. I am making a move that I have said my whole life that I will never make. I am probably moving into a cookie cutter house. You know what I mean. A subdivision that was built by a team of 150 people in about 2 months. There are 4 basic floor plans for 1,000 homes. Every 4th is different. Oh well, I guess you do what you have to when your wife tells you that she doesn’t feel safe in her own home. You look for a house somewhere you think it will stay “safe” for a few years until it overcrowds too and has some decent public schools.

Well aside from all that, things are well and I can’t keep my eyes off that ticker up top that says turquoise water and white sand is only 5 days away.

Well, on March 27th, my grandfather, Doug, died. I have had an extremely hard time with this over the weekend and have cried for no apparent reason, even sitting at work today. Anyone truly close to me knows how very close and very special this man was to me. They tell me I am a lot like Doug. My skills, demeanor, heart, and passions. All the things that I love doing as an adult, I learned as kid with Doug. Playing music, carpentry, cars……. I have a hundred and one funny stories and very clear, cherished memories.
As I have matured and become an adult, this has only really started in the past 2-3 years, I have really tried to model my life after Doug. Being as good a family man as possible, honing my handyman skills, working hard with no complaints, and making sure that I teach and have a positive impact on people I come in contact with.Well I suppose I am doing pretty well so far. I am a pretty skilled carpenter, plumber, mechanic, musician, father and have a great work ethic. And I owe a ton of those skills to the time spent in a garage drilling countless holes in scrap lumber, sharpening tools, and polishing the chrome on every car he ever owned in my lifetime.
I can tell you that everything I have ever built, and that list is pretty long in my short 30 years, I’ve taken a drawing of it to Doug to look at. He’d sit, quietly, thinking and then have a better way to attach the roof, or how to make the floor sturdier. Before he got so sick to get out of the house, he’d come by and sit in a chair and supervise my crafts giving advice when necessary.
I’ve been listening to the CD that Doug recorded right after being diagnosed with lung cancer. He was afraid he wouldn’t be able to sing anymore and gave out the CD to all family members in 2001. Above, I put together a music player where you can listen while reading. Really, I think, Doug being the ham he was, didn’t think we could live without the sound of his voice! If you like old country at all please download some songs HERE!I’ll leave you with the lyrics by a song I know every word to, was one of Doug’s favorites, and I think is pretty fitting to Doug’s life.

So have a drink of whiskey, behave yourselves, and be nice to each other.

Don’t Worry Bout Me

by Marty Robbins

Don’t worry bout me it’s all over now though I may be blue I’ll manage somehow
Love can’t be explained can’t be controlled one day it’s warm next day it’s cold
Don’t pity me cause I’m feeling blue don’t be ashamed it might have been you
Oh oh oh oh oh love kiss me one time then go love I understand don’t worry bout me

Sweet sweet sweet love will I want you to be as happy as I when you loved me
I’ll never forget you your sweet memory it’s all over now don’t worry bout me
When one heart tells one heart one heart goodbye one heart is free one heart will cry
Oh oh oh oh oh sweet sweet baby sweet baby sweet
It’s all right don’t worry bout me

Beginning of Spring and all over trees are flowering, lawns are greening up, and people are flocking to the Home Depot in droves to get fertilizer, new plants, and sprinklers. This time of year always makes me really motivated and positive. I think it is all the new life sprouting up around us. The lifeless environment we live in for the winter always causes a little depression for me. I am super excited to start digging in the yard, mowing the grass, and enjoying every day that Memphis looks a little prettier than I know it really is.

Well it is close to the end of March and there is a lot going on. Everywhere you look NCAA Basketball is on. Down to the Sweet 16 and I am guessing that Memphis will be playing Texas in the Elite 8. We’ll see how correct I am after this week. I am definitely not at the forefront of NCAA Men’s Basketball predictions. I think I am caught up in it just as most Memphians I see are. Well it is a lot of fun to watch and feel like all of us in the city are sharing a common hope. Sort of makes you feel more connected to the rest of the city, who normally I would not associate myself with.

Last but not least my birthday is coming up on April the 24th. We are already going to Jamaica for Melissa, born April 14th, and my birth dates so gifts between us are in form of a reservation on Travelocity. But I have put to gether a little list of a few things that I want/ need. Here goes.

• A set of Bar Clamps. There a ton of styles but I would prefer having two basic style clamps 18 inches in length.
• I really need a bike rack. My new car has a spare tire that won’t allow my old rack to hook up. I am thinking that something like this. The pictured item is $79 from Amazon.
• I need a pair of 15lb dumbbells. Preferably the hex style. I have 10 lb, 20 and 25. But I really some in between.
• So I had to throw out my hemp Adidas Sheeltops. They were my favorite shoes and would really like a new pair. I can’t find the hemp adidas online but the picture is a pair of classic Gazelles would do as well. Size 8.5 please.
• So since I am really committed to making some music very soon. I am preparing my home studio. I have everything I need except this thing. And honestly, I can make music without it, but things sure would go a lot smoother and nicer if I had one. I desperately want a Firewire Audio interface. The m-Audio Firewire 410 retails for right at $300 on most sites and from everything I have read, unless you are willing to pay over $1K it is the best value for the money.
• So this is more of a pipe dream. I am not normally one to be astounded by the new gadget that seems to be on the wishlist of everyone walking but….. This has got to be the coolest gadget out right now. Every time I get to play with one I kind of geek out.

So I am pretty excited about a few things right now. First of all I am back at work. I know. A weird thing to be excited about but after spending as much time as I have stuck in the bed or on the couch, you would be too. Second, the Tigers vs Vols game is tomorrow night. For those of you who live under a rock. UofM is ranked #1 and UT is #2. Needless to say being rival schools as well, this a huge game for the Tigers.

Okay and finally Melissa and I are taking a very much needed break from it all and going to Jamaica in April! I turn 30 in April and Melissa did last year in April. Since she was miserable and pregnant we didn’t do much for her birthday. So we are celebrating by going and taking it easy for a few days.  Aside from having a rough few months for the both of us let us just look at these two facts.

Today’s high and low in Memphis:       42/ 33

Today’s high and low in Jamaica:  82/73

I shouldn’t have to explain anything else!

So a lot of you know by now that I am having some problems with my eyes and require surgery on Thursday to get them fixed. Basically I am fine in my right eye and need urgent attention to my left. I have explained it so many times in the past week that I found about as good an explanation as there is thanks to the interweb. Please forward this link to anyone with questions about what is going on. Oh and let me tell you that I have had 4 laser treatments so far, 2 of which they had to stick a syringe in my eyeball while completely conscious in order to paralyze the eye.

I have had diabetes for 22 years this month and the majority of them I have been in very good control of my health. This condition stems from just a few years of poor care. So if you know anyone with diabetes please share this with them. None if it is fun and to be quite honest, most of it is extremely painful. Luckily Thursday I will be totally put to sleep! So read on…..
posted from www.diabetesselfmanagement.com

Retinal Detachment

Separation of the retina from the layer of cells behind it. The retina is a light-sensitive layer of tissue lining the inside of the eye; it sends visual signals to the brain. Detachment of the retina may cause permanent blindness and should be regarded as a medical emergency.

So-called tractional retinal detachment can occur in advanced stages of the common complication of diabetes known as diabetic retinopathy. (A detached retina may also result from a tear in the retina or from injury or inflammation of the eye.) In diabetic retinopathy, uncontrolled blood glucose levels damage the small blood vessels called capillaries within the retina, causing changes in blood flow and weakening blood vessel walls. The weakened walls can allow blood or fluid to leak into the retina.

Diabetic retinopathy begins as a relatively mild condition known as nonproliferative, or background, retinopathy, in which the retina receives less blood and nourishment. If not treated, the eye may compensate for this lack of blood supply by growing abnormal new blood vessels on the retina. This growth of new blood vessels, called neovascularization, is the hallmark of the advanced stage known as proliferative retinopathy. These abnormal new blood vessels—which may also grow into the vitreous, the jellylike substance that fills the inside of the eye—tend to bleed and leak fluid into the vitreous. Blood leaking into the vitreous can give rise to “floaters” and in severe cases may blur or block vision. Floaters, which can range in size from small specks to large dark spots, are a common occurrence even in people without retinopathy. But if they appear suddenly, or become more numerous, or if you see light flashes, you should have your eyes checked by a doctor.

If the new blood vessels that form in retinopathy are left untreated, scar tissue can develop along them. As the scar tissue contracts, it can cause tractional detachment, pulling the retina away from the layer of cells (called the retinal pigment epithelium) that lines the back of the eye. The areas of retinal detachment may show up as blank spaces in the field of vision.

In many cases a surgical procedure called a vitrectomy can help improve vision. This involves removing the vitreous, which may be full of blood or may be pulling on the retina. The surgeon makes tiny incisions in the sclera (the white of the eye) and then places a small instrument in the eye to extract the vitreous, which is replaced with a clear fluid. Removing the vitreous also allows the surgeon to pass the required instruments safely to the retinal surface. The surgeon may vacuum blood and remove scar tissue from the surface as well as seal off the blood vessels. Removing the scar tissue from the retina allows it to gradually settle back into its normal position. In some cases, when there are tears or holes in the retina, a gas bubble is used to hold the tear against the back wall of the eye, and laser “photocoagulation” treatment is then used to seal any holes and the edges of any tears.
People with diabetes can lower their risk of retinal detachment by taking steps to ward off retinopathy, getting regular eye examinations, and seeking proper treatment. Tight blood glucose control and tight control of elevated blood pressure have both been shown to significantly reduce the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. Laser photocoagulation treatment at the nonproliferative stage of diabetic retinopathy can cut the risk of vision loss and the need for vitrectomy by as much as one-half. Thus, the earlier diabetic retinopathy is detected, the better. For adults and for children at least 10 years old, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends getting a comprehensive eye examination by an ophthalmologist or optometrist within three to five years of the onset of Type 1 diabetes. For people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, an eye exam should be performed shortly after the diagnosis is made. The ADA recommends subsequent eye examinations every year in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

Big time thanks to Justin Hand for helping me get a little webspace to mark my territory on the internet. I haven’t designed a new page so this probably looks familiar.I happened to have it saved and just quickly uploaded it. A lot of links don’t work and it is a little dated. I’ll work on something this week and throw it up. Once again JUSTIN HAND YOU ROCK!