Hi Guys.
This update is long overdue and for that I apologize. Lots going on! We are updating the [url=https://twloha.com/find_help.php]FIND HELP[/url] and FACTS sections of [url=https://twloha.com]TWLOHA.COM[/url] this week, and we have a meeting tomorrow to discuss all-things-counseling, which includes the LIVE HELP that I mentioned in the last update. LIVE HELP will be a way for people to communicate with counselors in a real-time, anonymous setting. We want to be the greatest possible first step to recovery, and we believe this is going to be an amazing element.
[url=http://WWW.WARPEDTOUR.COM/]WARPED TOUR[/url]
I had two conversations in Dallas, back-to-back, in the same hour. It was a month ago but these conversations have stayed with me. I met a girl who battles both bipolar disorder and cancer. In the face of all of this, she spoke the kindest words, and she asked what she could do to help – she wanted to volunteer. She ended up spending most of the day with us – the Anberlin guys came by to meet her – it was something I’ll never forget.
And I met a punk rock kid with a broken heart that day. He told me about this person that he loved. He talked about how much he wanted to help her, how much he related to the (TWLOHA) story. His eyes filled with tears. We ended up talking for a long time. We talked about grace. We talked about The Almost, the song Aaron wrote about grace. I told him that I thought he was carrying a bunch of stuff that wasn’t his to carry. I told him that I do the same thing. It was one of the most significant conversations I’ve ever been part of.
I share this stuff to give you a glimpse of Warped Tour. We didn’t know what to expect. We didn’t know if anyone would care that we were there. I’m thinking now – six weeks into it – this might be the most important thing we’ve ever done. We’re already dreaming about next year, ways to bring hope in a bigger way, ways to continue to embrace this culture. It seems we’ve been given a pretty amazing opportunity, and we don’t take that lightly. We want to see the world change. We want to see people smile.
[url=http://www.myspace.com/thealmost]THE ALMOST[/url]
I had a conversation with Aaron Gillespie in Detroit two weeks away. Aaron plays the drums in a band called Underoath, and he sings and plays the guitar in a band called The Almost. : ) Anyway, Aaron and i talked about a lot of things – anxiety, depression, hope, grace, counseling, love, marriage – yes, a lot of things. It was one of the best, most inspiring, honest conversations of my entire life, and halfway through, Aaron stopped and said “We should do something – would you want to come out with us?”… So we talked some more… and I will be out with The Almost for a week of east coast dates after Warped Tour. I’ll be speaking briefly before their set each night, and we’ll have TWLOHA shirts & info in the Merch Area.
That said, here’s what we have coming up (in addition to the rest of Warped Tour):
[url=http://www.purpledoor.com/]Purple Door Festival[/url] – Aug 17 & 18 – Lewisberry, PA
TWLOHA Booth in Merch Area.
www.purpledoor.com
[url=http://www.lifelight.org/]Lifelight Festival[/url] – Sept 1 – Sioux Falls, SD
Jamie speaking after Anberlin.
www.lifelight.org
Sept 2-9: Jamie speaking briefly before The Almost.
TWLOHA info & shirts in Merch Area. Also playing: Meg & Dia, Josh Moore
Sep 2 2007 7:00P Farmingdale, New York @ The Crazy Donkey
Sep 3 2007 7:00P Portland, Maine @ The Station
Sep 4 2007 7:30P Cambridge, Massachusetts @ The Middle East
Sep 5 2007 6:00P Philadelphia, Pennsylvania @ Theatre of Living Arts
Sep 6 2007 7:00P Towson, Maryland @ Recher Theatre
Sep 7 2007 6:00P Norfolk, Virginia @ The Norva
Sep 8 2007 7:00P Charlotte, North Carolina @ Tremont Music Hall
Sep 9 2007 6:00P Columbia, South Carolina @ New Brookland Tavern
For more info, [url=http://www.myspace.com/thealmost]myspace.com/thealmost[/url]
[url=http://www.evolutionaryconference.com/]Evolutionary Conference[/url] – Orlando, FL – Oct 4 – Jamie speaking.
Details: Jon Tyson speaks at 6pm. Jamie speaks at 8:15pm
info: www.evolutionaryconference.com
[url=http://www.rawtalentinc.com/twloha/product.php?productid=76&cat=0&page=1]YOUNG ELMO[/url] Tank:
We like drummers and drummers like tank tops. We named this one for Anberlin’s Nate Young and Bayside’s Chris Guglielmo. Here’s Nate:
[img]http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a60/jamietwo/product_image.php.jpg[/img]
[url=http://www.rawtalentinc.com/twloha/product.php?productid=76&cat=0&page=1]If you dig it, here’s the link.[/url]
In closing, I had lunch with a friend today, someone I am long overdue in getting to know. He is 24 years old, and he told me that in all of those years, his father has never once said “I love you.” He said it in passing – he wasn’t asking for attention, but it stopped me and it stayed with me, this reality that a lot of people live with similar stuff. A lot of people carry this stuff, for weeks and months and years. And it’s so important that we process it well, that we talk about it. The lie is that it’s true, and that it’s just ours to swallow in silence… but that’s wrong. We’re loved. And we need each other. Need to remind each other. We need honest conversations. We need people who know us. Sometimes we just need help. And that’s okay.
I share the following in hopes of encouraging some people: I have been in counseling, for the first time in my life, for the last four months. It is likely the best thing I’ve ever done. I am learning so much about myself, wrestling, asking questions, answering questions, facing fears. Nothing is off-limits. We can talk about anything. I just want to encourage you… if you need to talk to someone, go for it. It just might change your life. This world needs you.
Peace to you.
jamie
PS: And a little something we’re working on for the Fall…
[img]http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a60/jamietwo/twloha-2.com.jpg[/img]
“I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.”
– Tennessee Williams