6 Months Back Mainland

Time during the pandemic is a strange thing. It is fast and slow. The past 6 months have gone by very fast for me for the most part. But other things are painstakingly slow. It Is the middle of September right now and the thought during the beginning of the pandemic was that we we would be somewhat back to normal near fall. Now as we approach Fall, things have not returned back to normal in the slightest and I think we are getting more accustomed to living within the confines of the pandemic. We moved back to California a little over 6 months ago. 2 weeks before the lockdowns. I am so glad we moved when we did. I can’t imagine what it would be like things were altered even by a little bit. People tell me, quite often, that I am the luckiest guy they know. I still firmly believe that you create your own luck by being prepared, staying ahead of circumstances, remaining adaptable and leaving yourself open to opportunity. But in this case, some real luck was at hand most certainly.

On the bluffs overlooking Coal Beach.

I have to say I really love living here at the southern part of the Central Coast of California. I miss Hawaii. I really do, but being here for quarantine is pretty ideal. I mean. if I am going have to be stuck somewhere, why not be in a beautiful spot, by the ocean, with temperate weather and low amounts of COVID cases. It has it all. We were supposed to be back in Hawaii this month for vacation but the current quarantine and lockdown measures on the islands have stopped that from happening. Santa Barbara is really the Hawaii of California. Even at the gas station the attendant greeted me with a “Howzit” and I was instantly taken back to Hawaii. My wife and I have had moments where the scenery, the vibe, the people almost was an exact fit to Hawaii, although I will admit I do love the weather here quite a bit more. As much as I miss Hawaii, being closer to family and friends has been really nice. We have been having friends use our place to get away from LA for the weekends. It has been nice to have friends come up and visit that is for sure. And things are pretty open here. A lot of outside dining, people are respectful of the mask wearing and there doesn’t seem to be this sense of anxiety that I have noticed in Los Angeles.

The lagoons on the UCSB campus

The one thing I do miss is DJing. One of the main motivators to move back to CA was to have more opportunities to DJ. Well that evaporated. Since the pandemic started I have DJed twice. Once was in June at a private party in Orange County and the other at a Beach Party in August. I have taken the mandatory measures at and after these events to feel safe (masks, getting tested, etc). I know there is a lot of controversy going on regarding events during these times and after my beach gig last month I decided that I would take the rest of the year off and just focus on other musical endeavors. As much as I miss performing it just doesn’t make sense at the moment (at least for me). The gigs will come back eventually and right now I am trying to use this time to focus on other things (to various degrees of success).

My last and almost only gig of 2020. Was fun while it lasted.

So despite all that is going on in the world, I feel blessed. Blessed to be in Santa Barbara. Blessed for my family and I to be healthy in these trying times. Blessed that I have been able to continue working. Blessed to be a part of the UC system as an employee. Blessed to be close to the ocean. I could go on and on. Yeah 2020 has sucked, but it has also brought with it a reframing of what is important to me. I really have everything I need and more. I am blessed to be here. I am glad that this opportunity was provided at just the right time when I needed. The turnout could have been a lot worst. The universe has bestowed me the most trying 2 years of my life and I came out of the other side better for it. I hope you are doing well where you are at. I hope this whole thing isn’t bogging you down too much. Remember to breathe…

New adventures of the stay at home DJ.

So, this is the new norm. In an instant every DJ at every level of fame and popularity has become a bedroom DJ. Almost immediately after the shelter at home orders were given, DJ’s took to Twitch, Facebook and other platforms and started live streaming. Quite a few of my friends were already doing it quite frequently. I even was going to start toying with it back in 2017 but I never really had the chance to set things up properly in my studio.

My new Zoom Q2n 4K. Capturing the magic.

So along comes the pandemic and now everyone is jumping in on the live stream bandwagon. We even have virtual festivals now. It is quite interesting to see how this movement Is growing. People are stepping up the game. Multiple cameras, logos, scrolls and chats are now common. The look of the broadcast is becoming just as important as the music. Maybe a bit more.

At first, I was very hesitant to get in on the craze. Firstly, it was for logistical reasons. I had moved back to California on March 1st and my DJ gear was being shipped and was not scheduled to arrive to our new place until April 10th. So even if I wanted to jump into the live stream fray, I had no means to play music to do so. Secondly, I didn’t know what I could add to the conversation. I mean if I was going to do this, I would want to do something different. Stand out a bit more I suppose. I guess I could just DJ and that would be fine but doesn’t seem engaging.

The new XDJ-XZ (Bottom) with the DJS-1000 Sampler (Top)

Also, I knew little about the whole livestreaming thing but lucky for me I have friends that were all about it and could provide me advise. When my gear arrived two weeks ago I knew I wanted to sell my current DDJ-1000 controller and upgraded to the new XDJ-RX (full review coming soon). I love that it was an all in one and also that I could use my DJS-1000 with it seamlessly. I quickly ordered the new controller and was able to quickly sell the old one. Ok with that solved now I had to get a new camera. I already have the older Zoom Q2n and since I would like to get multiple angles, I ordered a new 4k version. It just arrived 2 days ago and last night I got it up and running with OBS and also checked to make sure that I was getting audio from my soundcard directly into my feed. So far it looks good. I will test it out tonight or tomorrow morning. I have been asked to be a part of some live stream shows and if my testing looks good I will get on those as soon as Sunday.

I know I will want whatever I do I will try to engage a bit. I want to make sure that I it is more of a conversation rather than a monologue. I was thinking of doing more of a Happy Hour. Make cocktails, review craft beer and chat during my mixes. I don’t have a huge space where my DJ equipment / studio is so finding the right camera angles will be a challenge it is something to work on. As long as it is an outlet and fun and people seem to enjoy then why not. Might as well try it out and see how it fits me.

Mixtape Memories (The Ride Home - 2000)

So I am going to start writing a book. It has been something that I have been wanting to do fore a while and since we are all have extra time due to COVID-19, I might as well use this time to get going on it. To start to get me into the the flow of writing again (and to help jog my memory) I decided to blog about some of my old mixtapes that currently available online on various platforms. For my first trip down memory lane I decided to go with “The Ride Home”.

“The Ride Home” was part of a 2 tape series (not a double pack) that was my vision of what one should listen going to (the other tape is “The Ride There”) and coming home from a night of raving. I specifically was doing a lot of desert and outdoor parties at the time and especially a lot of closing sets. I remember doing so many closing sets at The Masterdome in San Bernardino and always needing some good tunes for the hour long drive back home. I know a lot of people would listen to more techno, house or trance on those drives back, but I will be honest, I don’t tend to listen to a lot of that when I am driving. I like a lot different types of music and I am typically pretty amped after I spin so I liked listening to chill out and indie rock when driving home. So my vision for this mix specifically was driving home from the desert during those hours where the sun has just rose and the night is fading into a new day. I love ambient music but I couldn’t just listen to beatless ambient music on a drive home as I would probably fall asleep at the wheel so I treated this mix to have a bit of various different chill out music. Well at least my interpretation of what chill out means. To engage but to remind somewhat background.

It starts off with some ambient but then you get into a Hip Hop beat by the unlikely producer BT, which mixes into some Andrea Parker. There are ambient and vocal interludes throughout including Bjork and some Radiohead (OK Computer was a constant listen when coming back home for raves in 1997 and 1998). My favorite moment on Side A is easily the song “My Sound” by Squarepusher which closes out the first side. It is still one of my favorite songs of his. It is so unlike what he is known for but it also shows off both his sense of melody and also how versatile he is with his bass playing.

Side B to me is even a bit more varied stylistically. Still very relaxed but there is an intensity there. Especially when Plastikman’s “Plasticity” mixes into the Snooze and Morpheus remix “Super Sex” by Morphine. I chose to close the mix off with one of my favorite Bjork tracks. I was listening to Homegenic quite a bit around 97-98. “All Neon Like” was such an instant classic for me. I loved the distorted 909 by Mark Bell over the beautiful lush synths all topped off by Bjork’s otherworldly vocals.

It’s funny listening to these tapes 20 years later. It’s like a time capsule of what I was into at the time and really, what I am still into now. Some music is purely timeless but also reminds you of a specific and pointed period of time in your life. This tape does that for me. I hope you enjoy.

It has been an interesting 4 weeks! How about for you?

What a strange 4 weeks.

Today is March 29th. It was exactly 1 month ago today that I spent my last full day as a resident of Hawaii. A lot has changed in the world since then.

On Friday, February 28th after packing our POD the previous day, getting our rental ready to be inspected by the property manager, dropping off my car at the port for shipment, selling our moped and various other things we had to do prior to leaving the island, we finally settled into the Marriot Resort in Waikiki for 2 nights to relax before leaving to Los Angeles on March 1st.

The morning of the February 29th I walked around Waikiki in the morning reflecting on my time on the islands. I think there is misconception that I hated living in Hawaii. Nothing could be further from the truth. I loved living there. Did I find it challenging? Absolutely but that is why I loved it also. I was able to face some fears and issues by moving out there. It helped me grow. I needed that. I see that now more clearly. For 2019, this island was my home. I will always cherish that.

So why did I leave? Now only if I could move all my friends and family there then I could probably have stuck it out. The thing is Hawaii couldn’t replace the nagging feeling I had that I just simply missed the people that mean the world to me. I am so glad I was able to spend 14 months there and maybe one day I will return but for now I am glad to be back in California (especially now). Also, the job at UCSB was a great opportunity. I am glad I decided to do this.

When we got back on March 1st to LA the Coronavirus pandemic was still an issue that seemed far away but looming in the background. The first cases in Hawaii were starting to show up (Today they now have 122) and it was more and more starting to become topic around work. We had moved into our rental on March 7th. I went to Target to get some stuff for our new place. Things felt normal. No issues with getting toilet paper and paper towels. That first week after we moved in, things still felt kind of normal. We ate out, drove around a lot, went to wineries and breweries. The wife, dogs and I were settling into our new life in Santa Barbara. Well, that changed quickly. All of a sudden, at work, there was a need to move students and staff off campus. In the matter of a few days the once vibrant and energetic UCSB campus had turned into a ghost town. On top of all this we were selling our house in San Gabriel and were a week away from closing. I was so nervous that the buyer was going to back out due to the corona virus but on March 13th we officially closed. Whew!

Social distancing on the Central Coast

I was planning to come down to LA to DJ and hang out with friends on March 15th. That of course didn’t happen. It was the weather at first that we cancelled but then the “shelter at home” orders came in. The moment I knew things were different forever was when Disneyland closed down. That is was a “Whoa” moment for me. As the world was quickly becoming a place I don’t recognize, I am still going into the office every day. Mainly because I don’t have a desk at home as all my furnishing and gear are still in the POD container on a boat in the middle of the Pacific (it will arrive on 04/10). My boss and I are forming a skeleton crew really. I pretty much self-isolate in my office. I am grateful for that. I need a little normalcy in my life right now and being able to go in helps provide that. Lucky for me I work less than 10 min from home.

Other than that, I am at home, like the rest of you. Watching Netflix (Tiger King, OMFG) and cooking more. We venture out to walk the dogs, get a little exercise by walking around and go to the grocery store when needed. Luckily Santa Barbara county is a bit sheltered from what is going on in LA and it hasn’t been as chaotic. Things have slowed to a halt but there are signs of life here and there and I am thankful for that. I was hoping for a different kind of homecoming but I am grateful I am still employed, still healthy and still hopeful. I know a lot of friends that have been hit hard with live music and filming being shut down. It is hard to watch what this is doing to entire industries and also to small business. I have been making it a focus to do what I can to help support small business during this time. They are especially being hit hard and if I can support with my dollars I will. I hope you do the same.

A pause in life can have benefits. Especially getting to appreciate the things around you.

April is around the corner now and I don’t see much changing for any of us in the near future although I do feel the next few weeks will tell us a lot more. I am trying to strike a balance of not being on Social Media a lot but also staying engaged with friends and family. I have been contacting people more directly now. Working on keeping my relationships intact as we all adapt to a new world. And honestly, there is too much misinformation going on out there. Everyone is entitled to their opinion of course but the times for picking political sides and conspiracy theories is not now. It is disheartening to see us facing a common enemy and yet still be so selfish and divided. I get it, people are scared, because it is a scaring fucking time right now. But don’t let that effect your humanity. What I find comfort in is that I am spending more time with my wife and my dogs. We are becoming stronger during this. I am find myself embracing the little things more. Looking at the ocean, snuggling with my dogs, breathing the fresh air and looking into my wife’s eyes. Things I should never take for granted are now front and center. We can get  through this. We have got through worst as a people. Just don’t lose your humanity. Take care of yourself and those around you.

From Honolulu to Santa Barbara - Happy New Year!

Although as I type this we are already 2 weeks in to 2020, Happy New Year Everyone. Here is an update of what is going on with me. 2019 was a whirlwind of a year. It has challenged me in so many ways. I honestly didn’t know if I would have the courage to do what I did last year. I never really thought I would actually move away from California, let alone LA. And to move to Hawaii. Who is this person? But I put it out there and it was manifested for me. I knew I wasn’t going to live in Hawaii long term. I thought it would have been a bit longer but 14 months on a beautiful island ain’t bad. And now I know what it take to live there so maybe I will retire there. Who knows. What I do knows is that living in Hawaii has changed me for the better. 

Hawaii is a wonderful place with an amazing culture and beautiful people. One might ask "then why leave"? I guess I may ask myself the same question later in life but what I can tell you is that right now I just need more. I need to be close to family, friends and a community that I miss being a part of. I need that in my life. Hawaii is simply no replacement for those things for me. So the plan was to move to Portland in April 2020. I was already working remote for a company in Portland. Both my wife and I loved the Portland area and it was a lot closer to LA than Honolulu. But to quote Woody Allen, “If you want to make to make God laugh, tell him your plans”. 

In September 2019 I got a call from University of California - Santa Barbara to interview for the Director of Client Success position. I had several rounds of interviews and in November I flew to Santa Barbara for a last round of interviews and to take a tour of the campus. I accepted the offer around Thanksgiving and currently I am ending my second full week in my new position. It has been awesome. I love the campus, the team, my boss and the work. I feel this is the right fit for me. I fly back to Hawaii on Saturday, January 18th to start to pack and move while enjoying my last month and half living in Hawaii. We plan to be moved to SB by March 1. I am excited to start our life in another beautiful location and what is more perfect after Hawaii than to come to paradise that is close to home. Hawaii has been amazing and I am so glad we both got the chance to call this magical island home even on a short term. It has been challenging for sure but so worth it. So back to California we go but quite a bit different this time. 

As I start to plan the move back to SoCal I am reflecting on my time here.  As I stated previously, sometimes you have to remove everything from your life to see exactly what you need in it. I am so grateful that I have had this experience and now when I return to the islands it won't be as a tourist but as a former resident and that's pretty cool. Leaving here is bittersweet. I have learned a lot about myself here. And now I feel ready to come back to SoCal to a different yet beautiful city and set down some roots and be a part of the community that I love so much. Santa Barbara to me is another dream come true but this time within driving distance to LA! I think I am going to enjoy it there. I think this career path in the UC system is a good thing for me. Only time will tell but I feel very optimistic of the next part of my journey. I never expected life to hand me such gifts. All I know is that I will continue to pay it forward when I can. Right now I plan to take moments out of the chaos to truly appreciate what has been provided for me. All I can tell you is none of this would have happened if I didn't take a risk. Risks are scary. But ultimately rewarding. I will miss Hawaii. I know that now but I am glad to be coming home to SoCal.