POOH Monia

When you to a Doctor one day and they tell you that you have a viral infection and to tough it out. Then you can't sleep because your lungs hurt and catching your breath is tough so you go back to that same doctor and they run an x ray and pronounce that "You have pnemonia and you should miss the first 10 days of the tour".


"So Doc, did you miss the first 10 days of your through examination 101 class?"

Because this FLEMBASED monster was in my lungs 4 days earlier during my first appointment and we would be will into 5 days of the 10 day treatment by now. So the only thing that is being "missed" around here is a correct diagnoses.

But what is done is done and "what" can I do with this? We.... I have instructed to avoid all strenuious activity".

I thought, " it a good thing I'm not a drummer in a band going on a 20 city tour!"

So what I can do is hit the road with the band, catch my breathe and avoid doctors.

Details wake me up again

Dear All...

The details continuing to swim in my head and find a way to be completed as they keep coming around until I get them done. My mind won't let me not complete the task at hand. First of all, I am humbled by the dedication of the band and their willingness to sacrifice their time and their lives for not just this 3 weeks...but this preparation has been going on for months. Making this happen with no budget has been a feat that has challenged us all and created a hole that only faith can fill. The strength and hope this has personally brought into my world is new muscle and wrinkles that I did not know I could possess. As you can imagine the details of something like this are so important, yet, I personally walk a daily tight rope to not let weight of the details take away the focus of this mission and the joy of being with such amazing people 24/7 for over 19 days.

I only have a few hours before everyone else is up and the details are calling. Tonight we are at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, CA. We did our best to promote and sell as many tickets as we could...God, Fate, the universe...however you believe...knew we would be here at this time with these circumstances and that we would have this dance of commerce meeting mission and...the drive, desire and calling...if you will... to go forward remains stronger than the drive to turn tail and run...

Tomorrow...

Jannel

Loved the girls blogs...

Introduction of the dread..."head" - that is!!

Well ello there all! Annie here.

I've come from the distant - and not so distant forests of the United States and from being on the road myself for approx. 8-9 months, to join Clementine on their adventure and their mission to tour the country in effort to help families of the missing and to help find their missing loved ones. I know first handedly what it is like to have someone close to you go missing in your life, actually the person "closest" to me in life. My mother is Gina Bos, (Jannel's sister) who disappeared Oct. 17, 2000 - the ispiration of Jannel's missing persons foundation and the Squeaky Wheel Tour. I am so glad to be able to be a part of it all. I wasn't quite so sure what I was getting myself into but I somehow knew right away when my aunt gave me the phone call asking me to help that it was just something I needed to do - be here to help and support.

Everything has been so crazy and a bit of a struggle for us all these past few days trying to get ready for the tour. Personally, it's hard to know if I'm actually helping at all yet by being here. I try to keep up but sometimes it's hard to even know what the heck is goin on, especially with my own emotions about the whole thing -not to mention missing my beloved boyfriend extremely a lot - a lot as he could not be here with us at the time - being thrown into the mix. Doing my best to not let it effect our work to be done and somehow I'm just doing it! (I get that from Jannel, "I get all my good stuff from her...") - however, I know that I am needed and have been doing my best to be of service and support as much as possible.

The bus came about an hour ago - - ...that's niiiice...our bus driver, "Bama" (haha) is waaaay chill...man. This will be fun!! - - and until now, the night before we leave, has it really hit me what an absolute crazy time we're all going to be having as Dana described below - shoving us all into a bus for 20 days and such. Anyway, her and I talked a bit about it all last night and we were thinking what a crazy yet collaborative group of people we all are being all different ages and coming from all different backgrounds, each of us with our own things going on in our lives yet being able to come together for one specific purpose - this mission for the missing!! I love all these people and once again, am so glad that I am able to be here, that we are ALL here together to do this. It's amazing. This tour is bound to be filled with blood, sweat, and tears!...ohp!...and don't forget the LAUGHTER!!!

I wrote this last night thinking of everything that's going on with the Squeaky Wheel Tour (with thoughts of my missing mother and the sacrifices she made for me) and how many people are sacrificing so much to be able to do this, to be able to help, and to be able to continue:

"People aren't perfect. But I think we are imperfectly perfect. Yet, the sacrifices we make are beyond any of that, "perfection/imperfection" talk...sometimes I feel like it's the way we sacrifice for one another - no matter what's going on - that truely let's us show love and feel the love that we have for one another. It is in the struggle of life - and in caring and loving one another during that, that we find the truth of sacrifice."

I came to realize last night why I think one of the main reasons I am here which is...to sacrifice and give back like my mother sacrificed and gave so much to me, she is the first reason, I feel - that we are all here.

Onward now to my next cup of tea,
dread out.
<3 a.dub.annie.love

Everybody is here and it's starting to smell...

.... like a bus full of musicians.

Gary, Joe, Annie, Christi, Jeff, Jannel, Eli and I are are just about ready to emabark on a 20 day journey into the world of touring. I'm a bit nervous for a number of reasons, not because I think we will suck, but because of the weight of this project and wanting to be able to fulfill the task at hand in a respectful manner.

The other reasons would be the fact that 9 people are going to be on a bus driving cross country, with the furthest point being Maryland, eating, sleeping, brushing teeth, reading, breathing, stinking, singing, working, telling jokes, recording, playing, and I have NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE!!!!

I come from a little big town called Whittier, and work as a hairstylist full time and most of the time overtime, where my clients pretty much have a heart attack the second I say vacation. I think the longest I have ever taken off of work would be a week, and it took it's toll on my business. I guess what I'm trying to say is, that I have worked 10 years building a foundation for a finacial homestead and now I could say that I have reached a nice postion in my life business wise. Leaving for 20 days in a career like this has got to be the scariest thought that goes through my head.

With all of that said you might be asking yourself "what the hell is this chick doing this for?"

For me, there wasn't any thinking if I should be apart of this project. I knew that Jannel was in my life for a reason, and vise versa. With all of the nervousness that I'm feeling and all of the sacrificing that we all have had to do to be apart of this project, nothing, in my opinion, is more important, more fulfilling than helping these families find closure with their missing love ones. The work that gets put into a project of this size is a total family effort. Mix with in with love, struggle, hopes, sacrifice, determination, lack of sleep, lack of time, DETAILS, and lots and lots of SUPPORT!

My foresight on this trip would be that we are going to play amazing shows, Create so much attention that you will have no way to turn your head, and to stay focused and true to our mission.

So, stay tuned to find out what happens and don't be shy, we wanna know what you think about this animal we're creating.

AND I'M SPENT!!!!!

P.S. I will try not to cuss while the camera is rolling.......Shi!##*

Dwoods

On our feet, on our backs and on a long distance run.

Hello,

All is moving forward in preparations for the Squeaky Wheel Tour. Dana Woods, Clementine vocalist and bass player has been working 10-12 hour days on her feet cutting hair. She has also been in charge of organizing artwork and merch. Jeffrey Wayne, Clementine drummer, has been on his back with a high fever he is determined to kick by Monday. Even though he is under the weather he finds moments where he can email radio to let them know we are coming and schedule interviews. Prior to being on his back he was contacting radio and working on editing video and mixing music for the tour. Gary Floyd, Clementine vocalist and piano player, has been working 3 jobs, organizing the finale with his friend Denise in Dallas and raising funds. Joe has been running around looking for cases for our instruments, selling tickets and various errands. Carey Colvin our webgoddess has not been feeling well herself and yet she is doing her best to be on top of getting the events up on the website along with the missing that coordinate with the events. She also has to add anything new that we have to add on a daily basis. It is a big job. Keri Dattilo is working 2 jobs and fitting in volunteering for us in between. She has the task of matching up local missing people with events and organizing an event for us in Madison, IN. Rocia and Celia are over the top busy with their regular jobs and families and they have put a data base together so we can access contact information at a moments notice. Our new friend and film maker Neal helped us with bus artwork design and a new GINA for Missing Persons FOUNDation Logo. He showed up just at the right time and the right place. I think he is an angel. Not sure if he is a real person. I have not tried to pinch him yet. Annie, has been emailing artists and individuals to get them involved in the states and countries where we don't have events on the books yet. Tammy, has been coordinating information back and forth to artists and gathering information from the families of the misisng...oh and fundraising, working her full time job and and and...Peter Finlayson created artwork for our Giveaway DVD. Andrew created artwork for the Clementine CD and the FINDing Gina Logo. Gigi and John Maidlow are helping to organize our kick off event in OC and overall helping to manage the bands operations. Artists from all over the country are earmarking their gigs and working press for their events to gain more attn for the missing. Families of the missing are coordinating with the events and coordinating press whenever possible. Vicki and Tom Kelly of the Tommy Foundation, Patti Bishop of In Hope, Kelly Jolkowski of Project Jason, Monica Caison of the Cue Center, Abby Potash of Team Hope, Darlene Huntsman of Maryland Taskforce for the Missing and Unidentified, Unity Church of Denver, John and Gary Croshaw, Go Girls Music, SongsAlive, 99 Years, Corrine of Al Yad, Kris Cropin of Struzzin Back Stage and Paul of Sports Talk Network are all helping to organize local events. Artists like Stan Dewitt, Jim Anderson, Peter Brandon, Clementine, Molly Zenobia, Chris Valenti, Micheal Finnerty and Tim Moyer are all working to sell tickets to create an amazing kick off event in OC. Also, to the media for seeing the story and putting it out there to help extend our reach to the public. There are so many people helping to make this possible. I could go on typing for days to give everyone credit.

There is so much that goes into this. I sometimes get so caught up in the details and the stress of that that I have to step back to focus and remember what the goal here is...to educate the public about missing people who have no story and in so doing bring one home...

It is obvious that I cannot do this alone. It is obvious that it takes all of us working together to make this all happen. Instead of cheers all around...I like to say Blessings...all around to all those above mentioned and those working behind the scenes that I may have forgotten or that I may not know about.

It's cold and rainy in Southern California and I think I will go take a nap to ready myself for the task at hand.

When something happens in your life good or bad, easy or difficult...don't ask why...ask what can I do? Asking what gives the bad and difficult things meaning and immediataly puts you on a path to taking advantage of your pain. Asking what good and easy makes you remember to be grateful and elevates the goodness and opens your mind and heart to accept more good into your life.

When in doubt...ask WHAT CAN I DO?

Jannel

The Morning After. The Missing Words

So I woke up this morning to e-mails from Jannel indicating she spent another lack of sleep night pouring over the details of all of this. Her e-mails(YES.more the one...time stamped 12:30am) were lists of things she need me to "have done already". Yesterday I spent about 10 hours researching, working, e-mailing and calling radio stations in the areas Clementine will be performing all along the tour. At some point Jannel walked into the room late in the afternoon, heard the radio on and exclaimed "Is that all you have been doing all day, watching a webcast?"

I worked in the distribution end of the music biz for many years back when I had a POMPADOUR muti colored styled hairdo (actually, it was more of a HAIR DON'T). The owner of the company was such a tyrant that to this day I will have dreams I have gone back to work for him and he is terrorizing his "MAGGOTS". He was fond of getting on the speaker system that boomed throughout the office building and giving motivational speeches:

"Attention all maggots. I want to thank the kind person who was kind enough to leave a urine sample in the bathroom in the warehouse. I am sure your fellow employees appreciate it, I know I appreciate the little gift you left for us...."

He was famous for walking in at the exact time I was having a casual conversation after completing work tasks, the EXACT MOMENT I IN FACT WAS NOT WORKING ON HIS BUSINESS and giving an infamous motivational speech:
"If you've got nothing to do perhaps I can find you something to occupy your time MAGGOT".

The strain of supporting Jannel and her workaholic tendency to get the band on the road and pay the ever increasing debts is formitable. Jannel communicates her emotional conflict. She wrote what I can only describe as a bare to the bone, gutwrenchingly honest expose in her book. I think the book is just shy of a masterpiece because of its articulate wisdom and wllingness on the part of Jannel to reveal herself so honestly. I have read few "motivational books"in which the author was so willing to expose what exists beneath the mask. So she communicates the burden and the struggle that has become her "lifes work", in songs, in books and now...in BLOGS.

For me, the primary thing I would be doing is building the band and all things surrounding it, but most moments it is the last thing I feel I should be doing with pressing financial challenges. So now I will ONE UP Jannel and use the BLOG to pinge and purge the emotional strain.

Except I am at a loss for words....

JW

12:40 in the morning and nowhere to think...

Morning all,

It's October 6th. I fell asleep for an hour or so and then, wide away with thoughts of details swimming around in my head. We have 11 days before we leave on our US tour to gain attn for missing people all over the country. It has been months of very long hours planning this tour...not just for Clementine, but to enlist the cooperation and community of artists, press, nonprofits and families of the missing all over the world.

Last year, at this time I was working on the same thing...the Squeaky Wheel Tour. Also, falling asleep for a short while only to wake up to details swimming in my head. I said, that I would not put myself through it again and yet...here I am...making it happen again. It's not that I don't believe in what I am doing or that there are no rewards...it is that the work load is enormous....the hours are long...and it's really like trying to climb Mount Everest without working up to the task, without the tools...flying blind nearly every step of the way. However, I remember so vividly those first few days, weeks and months when Gina disappeared. The level of trauma to my family and those around us like nothing I had ever experienced.vThat memory drives me to climb without the tools, the skills, the money or the man power...because I know what I see as missing in this world of missing is a HUGE need. What is missing are avenues to gain attention for people who are missing regardless of their age, lifestyle, gender, media friendly story, looks, family etc...I just can't stand the thought of another family waiting endlessly for an open door. Having the media doors slam in your face with the lie that your loved one is not important. That people only care about finding the missing with the media ready stories. So, I just go for it and, hope, pray, climb and dream for the best.

Adding Clementine, the band to my life...such a blessing and a dream come true. Adding FINDing Gina, the TV series to a project for GINA for Missing Persons...such a blessing and a dream come true...and yet...the work load has exploded off even last years charts and I thought last year was an enormous undertaking. Be careful what you think...is the watch word here. I can only surmise that God, or fate...knew I would be where I am today and had confidence that I could handle it all. ; )

With all the details, organizing, money needs, press needed to support this effort, contacting artists and the families of the missing and and and...most times the only way to get to sleep is to imagine that I remember everything I need to remember when I need to remember it and to focus on the end result...that the missing we are profiling are matched up with the right artist who draws in the right eyes and ears to bring someone home. That's really all I have to do...focus on that...bringing one home...bringing one home.... For the love of Gina...for the love of Gina...for the love of Gina we focus on.

Blog at you later...blessings all around,

Jannel



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