Nice of you to show up, snow.

Hey guys. In case you were passed out in a necco heart-induced coma and missed it, this was the scene on tuesday morning. Well, by golly, we certainly weren't going to waste this rare opportunity to make tracks through some fresh powder.

Let's be honest, the good doctor wasn't quite sure what to make of all the chilly hubbub. And who can blame him? Come on, snow! You can't just leave town for weeks without calling or writing, and expect  everything to be cool. The doctor don't play them games.

However, this chick harbors no resentment. She's all, "get over here, you freezin' mess of precipitation! We got us some catchin' up to do!" And how can you say no?

No worries, bro. Just stick close and we'll get through this together. Besides, in only a few short hours, that lovable scamp will have skipped town once again. Sigh.

One thursday afternoon

If you're going to get a job done, don't get it done alone. Have some help. My helper is Stanley. I drink his blood and it ignites my go-gettums. Thanks, Stan.

Sweet Judy Blue-eyes is always hanging around to wish us all a good day. Judy, you really know how to point a fella in the right direction. Stay positive, kid.

Nothing inspires creativity like a four foot stretch of plywood fresh off the sanding block. Baby jane urges that i change out of my better trousers lest this coat of paint gets the best of me.

Goldilocks and the Ghost of Sweet Judy Blue-eyes.

Art rock.

Portrait of a little girl and her little dog. Behold the wonder and find yourself. Now it's your turn. Go make something.

What the Crap?

Sometimes, you start finding things which you had forgotten existed. Maybe you forgot they existed for a reason. Maybe you hadn't really forgotten that they existed, but you like to pretend that you'd forgotten. After all, why do they exist in the first place? Why, after all these years, have you held on to them when you'd like to have forgotten them. I'll tell you why, Hamlet. Because, really, there's something kind of great about them. So now, without further ado, we present without commercial interruption this:

One for papaw

It was brought to our attention that certain grandparents needed to see this photo.

Nice hat, elmer

After a whirlwind holiday season, we pick up where we left off.

While you were away

It's been a whirlwind of a month or so since we last corresponded. That's my way of explaining how lazy i am about typing words on this thing. I'd like to say that i'll be more frequent with the updates, but i can't promise that. After all, there are more pressing issues at hand. In case you missed one of the greatest nights EVER, you can read the recap at INDYREFUGEE(dot)COM. Needless to say, it was an amazing night of art, frivolity, and bringing awareness of burmese refugees to those in attendance.

Due to a smorgasbord of projects (and two kiddos) already demanding my attention, this holiday season's offering of sonic morsels was a collection of random, previously unreleased home recordings spanning the past five years or so. You can download all  twenty one tracks at NOISETRADE(dot)COM/JOELROCKEY so you might as well go ahead and do that right now. Feel free to leave me a tip, but if you don't want to, that's cool too. Listen for baby jane chatting in the background of a few tracks. The cover art features what mama jane lovingly describes as a 'naked potato' shakin a tambourine. You make the call...

Now, a few random thoughts and observations from the past several weeks:
-We need more black licorice twists.
-Three-year-olds talk smack.
-Three-year olds think they're in charge.
-We can't have nice things.
-Families are messy.
-I'm really more of a sheep dog than a bear.
-Repurposed desktop art is still en vogue.
-The one with the beard is the one who leads.
-Sometimes what appears to be chicken pox is simply a possible case of hand, foot, and mouth.
-No one knows as much about anything as my friend JD does about Saved by the Bell.
-If you want a baby to poop don't feed him bananas.
-Love is realized fully only in its being shared with someone else.

That last one came out of the brass tacks discussion my pops and i have been chewing through regarding the apostle paul's letter to the corinthian church known more specifically as 1st corinthians. By the way, if i haven't mentioned it before, my pops is rad.

Finally, i was honoured to make the acquaintance of one miss jennifer (aka turquoise feathers) upon her request of my involvement in her short-run, handmade mag featuring five handmade artists. She's a rad lady with a pretty rad guy in his own right. Below is a snapshot of the piece she had me write up about the mustard room. You can take a look at all of the pages of the mag titled 'pen & needle' on her blog at these precise coordinates.

One last thought: It's much more fun to refer to muffins as 'M, U, double-F, Ins.' Try it.

Sounds you can feel

Five long years ago, some stuff happened. This stuff would inspire much of the material found on a collection of songs that i wrote and recorded during the fallout. My friends Emily Rae and Old Man Johnson assisted with their hands and voices here and there during the recording process. Emily Rae (under a pseudonym) wrote some epic, cryptic liner notes. Upon release of the album, brothers from other mothers, Jason, Andrew, Ryan, and the Shuff joined me in sonic unison for a raucous rock show. The whole production and subsequent performance served as a sort of therapy.

Now, at long last, you can have a fresh copy of this album in the popular compact disc format. This limited edition of fifty includes a handprinted sleeve, a booklet with notes and such, a hand-painted disc, a miniature poster from the release show, and a handful of bonus tracks. You can get yourself a copy right HERE. Enjoy.

Most of the lyrics to the songs in question were composed on this electric Smith Corona whilst consuming an unhealthy volume of coffee.

Old Man Johnson pounds and kicks the old gretsch kit during the recording of "used to be so bored". See how the guiding light of goodness shines upon him trough the mustard room window?

Here's a candid shot of the banjo and i sharing an intimate moment during the recording of "through radio waves & passing sirens". Our relationship is frustrating at best, but we have our moments.

Here's myself and the brothers from other mothers kicking out the jamz while rehearsing for the album release party.

Later.

Doings & suches

Super-busyness has been the haps round these parts of late. A great deal of it having to do with having two little people running and rolling around, but another deal of it having to do with creating goodness for this event called INDY REFUGEE NIGHT. You really oughta make plans to be there. Especially if you're into changing the world and such.

The last couple of days have seen our entire downstairs overrun with holiday decor, framing supplies, and dancing monkeys. This dude is ready to radio-disney your tryptophaned arse outta that thar lazy-boy and into the new year. Boo-shocka-locka-lu-ya!!!!!!

P.S. Thanks Papaw Horrell.

Where you need to be

Peeps of all shapes and sizes, may i have your attention? Remember that time when you were asking me where you needed to be on the night of December 2nd, 2011? Well, i'll be a panda's pancreas if i ain't come to and suddenly up and remembered. Here's the skinny:

WHO? YOU, SUNSHINE!

WHAT? Photography, art, screening of Burma VJ, food, convo, jamz, photobooth, all in the name of raising awareness of Burmese refugees and their stories

WHEN? Friday, December 2, 2011 from 6:00 pm to the break-a-break-a-dawn (or around 10ish)

WHERE? Gallery 2 at The Harrison Center for the Arts in Indy(anapolis) (directions hizzle)

WHY? To change the world

HOW? Teamwork

If you're on the facebooks, soar on over to our page and punch "LIKE" right in the kisser. Also, you can read more about the whos, whats and whys at our website: INDYREFUGEE(dot)COM.

We can't wait to see you there.

P.S. You are the shiz.

Abandonment issues

Telling stories

We have amazing friends who have amazing stories to tell. We are falling in love with this family and they are teaching us so much. There are families all over indianapolis who have similar stories to there story. They are refugees from an oppressive, communist, military junta that has taken over their home in Burma. Too many of their new neighbors do not know their stories. They are a resilient, hopeful, and joyful people who have survived persecution for their ethnicity and religion for decades. With their help, we're hoping to create awareness of their journey, and avenues for action as we foster relationships with our new friends.


Please visit INDYrefugee(dot)com, y'alls.

By the way, that photo was taken by the always badass Katie Basbagill.

Just so you know.

Five long years later

College pix