Hi UC!
I told Kim that I’d be there for you and I feel like that starts with keeping you close to the family.
So KKCU has shifted to KCCU (Keeping Chuck Caught Up) and the same idea applies: There’s no pressure to read or respond, but it’s there for you if you’d like. I’ll start with a weekly cadence until you ask me to change or stop.
Here’s a little of what’s going on with me and Alex!
Hello from the PNW!
I’m finally home after a long weekend in the Pacific Northwest. We were only in Seattle for about 24 hours and then drove up to Vancouver on Sunday. The past few days in Vancouver were pleasant - a nice 55 degrees. I love rainy days and being near water, so the perpetual gloominess has been quite a delight. Alex on the other hand is ready to be back in Texas.
Music to my ears
After many years on the road, Alex admitted that he felt burnt out. Playing music felt like mundane work and bereft of joy. But he picked up this tour with Jason Hawk Harris and he’s been having so much fun! The audience is engaged, the people are nice and the music is a welcome challenge. I’m so happy to see him enjoy his passion again. It was a huge risk for him to leave his previous band, but it has certainly been rewarding!
A variety of tastes
Both cities have such a diverse population - something we’re not used to seeing - and they’re buzzing with energy. Alex has been on this tour for almost two weeks and has only eaten 1 burger which is pretty impressive. He’s had Indonesian, Italian, Vietnamese, Turkish, Lebanese, Thai, Cambodian, Cantonese, Japanese, and Filipino cuisines. In Seattle, there was an amazing Filipino diner right next to our hotel. We had the typical Filipino breakfast of “silog” (eggs and rice) with a meat (longanisa sweet sausage for me and corned beef for Alex). We also got a short stack of ube (pronounced oo-bay) pancakes made with rice flour with an ube syrup that wasn’t too sweet. It really lifted my spirits!
A little lagniappe
Alex performed in Salt Lake City tonight and will then go to Fort Collins and Denver. He’ll be back home by Sunday. He will play at the famous Continental Club in Austin next Friday and Saturday (Feb 9 and 10). We hope you can join us! In the meantime, I leave you with this entertaining video from Alex’s gig in Vancouver.