January 2016

Here is the story of myÂ Â January, in pictures, songs and videos. Â We started the new year by hostingÂ a New Year’s Eve dinner.

Gray, playing guitar for us after dinner, by the fire

Maile, Anais and I spent a lazy Saturday afternoon with Townes having a picnic and wandering around Zilker park.

Anais and Maile, running w Townes at Zilker park

My tall shadow, waving atop the big rock in Zilker park

Anais snapped these shots of us at dinner one night.

Our first week back at work I ran AV for the Black Student-Athlete Summit. Here is aÂ UT-Austin panel of collogues.

Leonard Moore moderates a panel with Thais, Darren, Louis, Devin, and MJ

While I was helping run the BSA conference, my brother Pete was in town to attend the MLA conference and present withÂ a panel of War Lit writers.Â It also happened to be free-week at many clubs downtown, so we Â walked 6th St. and stopped in a few clubs on Red River.

First we hit the Mohawk and caught a band, then singer-songwriter Ben Ballinger.

Ben Ballinger at the Mohawk — Ben Ballinger blowing theÂ harmonica at the Mohawk

Then we hit Cheer Up Charlie’s to meet up with Pete’s fellow panelists, Patrick and AB. We arrived toÂ Girls In The NoseÂ , a band of older women. They were great. A friend informed me that they are a lesbian band that’s been going for decades. And what a refreshingÂ contrast to the cool, unintelligible band that was playing forÂ hipsters next door.

I was smiling before I could see them because as we walked in they were singing about the “pedagogy of the pussy.” Then there was “More Madonna, less Jesus!” MyÂ favorite, that was in my head for days, went, “We juxtapose the pantyhose with FREE-DOM, FREE-DOM!”

Girls In The Nose at Cheer Up Charlie's — Girls In The Nose at Cheer Up Charlie’s

Peter, Lauren, AB, and Patrick at Cheer Up Charlie's — Peter, Lauren, AB, and Patrick at Cheer Up Charlie’s

War Lit Panel at the MLA Conference: AB, Patrick, Stacey, Peter, and Roy

Anais with a pretzel monocle (downtown waiting for Peter’s panel)

Sunday Singalong at Stacy Park — We had a beautiful Sunday Singalong sitting in the sun at Stacy Park

We biked the boardwalk and had a picnic with all the lovies.

OPNTHDOr (some old artwork of Anais's I found going through a box of her art) — OPNTHDOr (some artwork of Anais’s I found going through a box of her art)

A glimpse into Anais's tiny world — A glimpse into Anais’s tiny world

Anais's room, after she spent a long time cleaning and organizing — Anais’s room, after she spent a long time cleaning and organizing

Gray and I jammed at his place. Check out the selections below.

Gray's Delay Delay, which can be heard in our jams below — Gray’s Delay Delay, which can be heard in our jams below

I photographed and video taped the UT MLK Day ceremony and march to the capitol. Jessica edited it together into the video below.

Girls scouts at the MLK statue on MLK Day

This little guy stole the show!

Marching to the capitol, we ran into Casey and Natalie, Georgia and Adele (lower right w Anais)

A misty morning shot of the river on my morning commute along the boardwalk — A misty shot of the river on my morning commute along the boardwalk

A full-moon shot of the sunset from the boardwalk on my commute home — A full-moon overÂ the sunset from the boardwalk on my commute home

A day at the Menil with Maile's folks, Joe and Ellyn — A day at the Menil with Maile’s folks, Joe and Ellyn

Maile and Ellyn, lounging on the grass above my approaching shadow — Maile and Ellyn, lounging on the grass outside the Menil, withÂ my approaching shadow

Looking up at the cedars in the front yard at Tomball

Maile took me on a great date to see Kool an the Gang at the ACL Live stage.

Doug and I saw Thomas play with Bryce’s band, Brother Superior.

Brother Superior at Blackheart — Brother Superior atÂ TheÂ Blackheart

We FINALLY took Anais out on our kayak and it was a magical morning on GORGEOUS day

Epic bday jam at Gray's — Epic bday jam at Gray’s

Gray and his blue Telecaster on a sea of color

And I’ll end with a song that I improvised one night in the studio. Channeling Mark’s frustrations with DC, I looped some vocal lines and spit this out:

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