Yesterday morning, I arroved (was arroven?) back in Omaha after successfully completing the “Traveling and Recording” phase of the project.
THE GIST: I am now done touring and recording!
I will now address your questions. (Many narrative devices raise their hands.) Yes, you in the back.
Q: Did you go to all 50 US states?
A: No, that was never my goal. I had no plans to drive to either Alaska or Hawaii.
Q: Fine then. Did you go to all 48 continental US states?
A: No. I had to skip North Dakota due to the aforementioned computer problems.
Q: So you went to all 48 except North Dakota?
A: Yes.
Q: I think North Dakota only counts as half a state anyway.
A: That’s a good idea, but I still only went to 47 states.
Q: No, because there are 50 total states, so the extra half has to come from somewhere.
A: Where?
Q: Probably California. Yeah, let’s say California counts as 1.5.
A: Okay. So I went to 47.5 of the 48 continental states.
Q: Cool! But… this blog still has you in Portland, OR.
A: I liked it there, why not stay?
Q: Haha! Seriously though.
A: Now that the touring is complete (which was rather exhausting, by the way) I’ll have some time to start catching the blog up to the present. Don’t expect me to catch up lightning-fast, because I have only a couple weeks to prepare everything before I go back to Korea (where I will teach ESL again), but you can safely expect more regular updates.
Q: Can we get a promise, say 2 posts per week?
A: No. In the history of the internet, that never works. I won’t waste your expectations.
Q: Okay. What’s next?
A: The next phase of the project is the hole-plugging phase. I recorded a massive smattering of happening peeps, but some of the songs still have sections that need a little something. I will be working on trying to fill those holes, either by recording people in Omaha before I leave, collaborating from Korea with musicians in America over the internet, or playing stuff in myself.
Q: The question everyone wants to know the answer to is: when can we hear it??
A: It will still be several months. Don’t panic, but don’t hold your breath either. Rest assured that I will keep working on the project just as hard, even though I’m no longer Touring. While you wait, read my exciting posts about the awesome places and people I encountered and recorded. Play a game. Call a loved one. Perhaps enjoy a cold mojito. Above all else, chillax.
Q: What does that mean?
A: Kind of like hanging out, but a really cool type of hanging out.
Q: Sweet. Will do.
A: Awesome.
Q: Yes.
A: Okay, stop now. These aren’t even questions.
Q: I know, right?
A: Every time you say something I have to answer you to keep the Q&A format intact, but it’s really annoying when you aren’t even asking a question.
Q: Okay! I’ll stop.
A: … *sigh*
Q: What?
A: NOTHING! Shut up.
Q: Got it.
A: Good.
I hope that all of your questions were addressed in this highly informative Q&A session. If not, please submit any further questions in the comments, but they may not be answered unless you include “Q:” at the beginning. Just FYI. Thanks.
Q: You’re welcome.
A: …
Love the picture! It’s awesome. Can’t wait to read the rest of your blogs whenever you get the chance to post them. I loved having you here to visit with. I can wait for the finished project! I know that sounds odd, since everyone always says they can’t wait, but you told us to be patient, so that’s the best way to express both desire for you to be done and patience for said event to occur. 🙂 Hope you can plug all the holes and get some rest and relaxation at home. And you better still be there for Thanksgiving, by gum. Or by skittles. Skittles taste better. Anyway, love you tons and can’t wait to see you in a couple weeks!
Congratulations Zach on a job well done. I think your entire adventure should be a MTV special docu or something. Can’t wait to hear it! (Please feel lots of pressure now to finish…:)