Another chapter to this story. Enjoy :)

TICK-TOCK-TICK-TOCK….

Well, it looks like this time isn't going any faster. I've still got 20-something minutes to go, and I'm getting more and more bored by the second. I fiddle with one of my acoustic guitars, I run over the setlist for tonight in my head, I go over to the fridge and grab some water, but this is still annoying to wait for. That's just the way it is.

It's funny, though. It makes me think about being a teenager. I was never bored then, except for a few times. But the point is, I always had something to do, or something would happen to keep me busy. Like when Megan would superglue Josh's hand to his face or something like that. It helped me because then I had something to do, like laugh at Josh for a bit, and get around to helping him when he started yelling at me.

Those years were some of the best, and I owe heaps to my family. Megan, when she wasn't trying to kill us, could actually be pretty cool….and then she'd just go back to trying to kill us again. I remember the times she gave me little bits of advice here and there, and all the times way back, when it was just the two of us and our mom.

I'm proud of her now. She's in college now, doing well, and could even graduate with highest honours if she keeps it up. Just like Josh did, and just like I didn't. I actually went to college for a bit, but it just didn't feel right for me, so I dropped out and focused on releasing music by myself.

But Josh, he was easily the one that was on track. He was always studying, always staying smart, even if he was a bit goofy and awkward back then. Yeah, he's working as a science teacher now, at Belleview, our old high school. I always knew good things would happen for him, and I was right, wasn't I?

My parents? Well, what can I really say? They were always around, Mom especially. After our dad left us back when I was still a kid, she never stopped caring for me, or Megan. Both Mom and Walter were cool when I told them I was dropping out of college to focus on music, and I saw how proud they were when I told them about my big record deal.

I just hope my family all know how proud I am of them. They gave me what I needed to get where I am today, and I'm really glad they did, or who knows where I could have ended up.

I hate getting real emotional, especially before a show, but I can let it slide for them. My family was there when I was going through a whole mess of trouble these past years, and they're another part of the reason I do this.

TICK-TOCK-TICK-TOCK…..

"15 minutes!" I hear from outside my door. Well then. 15 minutes to go.

I'll be staying in San Diego a few days after tonight's show, so I can catch up with everyone that I haven't seen in ages. I also have some…special business to go over with my girlfriend's parents.

Or maybe I should say my fiancé.

I wonder if you saw that coming. I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist when I was planning the story! I had to have him in a proper relationship, because that allows me to put a slightly more introspective, "glad-to-be-here" spin on his character. And it gives this storyline more meaning. R&R as you please, and you can stay tuned by checking for updates on my profile page :)