EddieOlivas.com

Some New Music

Eddie — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 14:09:16 +0000

I recently recorded a live show for a band called The Great Hiatum playing at Cozmic Pizza, a great local restaurant and music venue here in Eugene. We made a video of one of the songs for the band to submit for a contest. You can see the video here:

I’ve been recording and mixing/mastering music for a few years now, but this was my first opportunity to record live at a nice venue like this and it went really well. I’ll be releasing more songs from that night in the coming weeks and likely some more videos to go along with them. I’ll post them to Facebook and my site soon.

I’m also working on a 5 song demo of my own original songs. I’ve written 3 of the 5 songs and in the process of writing the 4th. Here’s a quick snippet of a song I’m working on called Keep Hold:

It’s been a long time since I posted anything on my blog, but I assure you there’s a lot of good music to come. In between that I’ll try to post what’s going on now and again. Stay tuned

My Band’s New Demo

Eddie — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 17:24:37 +0000

I just recently finished recording and mixing my band Indian Summer’s new demo. It was tough getting this all finished before our show this past Saturday, but I’m glad we were able to get it done. I learned a lot making this and had a hell of a lot of fun doing it. The show on Saturday was amazing! Lots of people and we got rid of all of our demo CDs! Here’s an online version for you. Enjoy!!

Indian Summer 4 Song Demo:

Bring Back the Day
Follow You Out
Scary Situation
Stateline

Check out Indian Summer on FACEBOOK and MYSPACE!

What Makes a Migraine?

Eddie — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 23:25:42 +0000

Note to Readers: This was third and final essay in my very first college writing class. We were asked to write an essay about something we wanted to know more about. I chose to write about migraine headaches because both my mom and my girlfriend suffer from them. This is what I found.

What Makes a Migraine

When I was a boy my mom used to get really bad migraine headaches. She would lock herself in her room and not come out all night sometimes. A few times, the pain was so bad I had to take her to the emergency room to get an injection. Now that I’m grown up, my girlfriend Jessica also gets frequent migraines. She will often have to stay home from work or sometimes go to the emergency room as well. Since two of the most important people in my life are afflicted with these painful headaches, I found myself wanting to know more about migraines in the hopes that I can do something to help. Both my mom and Jessica have taken prescription medications for their migraines in the past with differing results. None of the medications end up being a permanent solution. Often these medications are expensive and come with unwanted side effects, plus I just don’t my loved ones taking more medication, so I want to avoid conventional medicine and stick to homeopathic treatments if possible.

So what makes a migraine? What causes them? Why do some people get them and others don’t? What can be done to prevent them naturally, without medication? I have found that there are numerous causes for migraines. These headaches are well researched, and there are many natural remedies and dietary suggestions for preventing them. In order for people to stop their migraines they need to analyze their lifestyle and dietary habits that cause them. In this essay I will explore the causes of migraines and what can be done to prevent them without conventional modern medicines.

First I’d like to clarify exactly what a migraine headache is. The best definition I found was in an article on MedicalNewsToday.com titled “What is Migraine? What Causes Migraines?”, which defines a migraine as, “a severe, painful headache that is often preceded or accompanied by sensory warning signs such as flashes of light, blind spots, tingling in the arms and legs, nausea, vomiting, and increased sensitivity to light and sound.” Now that we know what a migraine is, let’s continue exploring what causes them and how they can be prevented.

Migraine headaches are difficult to study scientifically because they deal with pain, which is subjective, and varies from person to person. Not everyone feels pain equally and there is no real scientific method of properly and consistently measuring the pain of a headache. Because of this, not all experts agree about exactly what causes a migraine (“Causes & Treatments”). We do know that the majority of migraine sufferers are women (“Migraine Headache”). We also know that the cause of the physical pain from a migraine headache is the enlargement of blood vessels just underneath the skin of the head. The blood vessels enlarge and the nerves surrounding these blood vessels release chemicals which cause pain, inflammation, and further enlargement of the blood vessels (“What is Migraine”). The pain of a migraine can last for hours or even days.

Although we know what causes the physical pain of these headaches, the triggers for migraines are numerous and the true underlying cause of is still unknown. Some people get them from previous head injuries, some only get them at certain times on certain days, and some only when they eat specific foods (“Migraine Headaches”). The possible triggers for migraines are so numerous, in fact, that they can be split into seven different categories. An article on Berkely.edu titled “Migraine Triggers” lists the seven categories of migraine triggers as dietary, sleep, hormonal, environmental, stress, stress letdown, and physical. There are many possible reasons a person will get a migraine and it’s difficult to tell which trigger is setting off a particular person’s headache. A migraine could be set off by someone skipping a meal; taking a certain medication; changing their sleep pattern; being around bright lights, odors, pollutions, smoke; or being put under mental or physical stress. Obviously migraines can be set off by a lot of different factors, and these factors vary widely from person to person. So what can we do to prevent them?

Just as there are numerous amounts of possible triggers for migraines, there are also quite a lot of prevention measures that sufferers can take to avoid getting these painful headaches. Even better, there are a lot of measures you can take that do not involve taking medication. First, let’s talk about dietary suggestions to prevent migraines. Food triggers do not affect everyone equally and some triggers will affect a person only on occasion (“Migraine”). Some examples of foods known to cause migraines are beverages with chocolate, cocoa, alcohol, and caffeine; fruits like figs, raisins, avocados, papayas, and overripe bananas; vegetables like beans, sauerkraut, green beans, peas, garlic, olives; and the list of foods to avoid goes on and on. Some migraine sufferers will see an increase in headache frequency after eating these foods. However, it’s important for each individual to learn which foods trigger the headaches for themselves, since the triggers vary from person to person. Luckily there are many natural remedies for migraines, such as drinking ground up grapes, grinding lemon rinds into a paste and placing on the forehead, drinking vegetable juices, and applying a cabbage leaf compress to the forehead among others (“Migraine”). It’s clear that the causes of migraine headaches are numerous and vary widely among the people who suffer from them. So in order to determine the best way to avoid the headaches for themselves, migraine sufferers need to analyze their dietary and lifestyle habits to identify their particular triggers.

Now that I have found this wealth of information of possible causes and prevention methods for migraines, I plan to talk to Jessica and my mom about their headaches a bit more. I know both of them know some triggers that cause their migraines; for example, Jessica knows she’ll get migraines if she drinks coffee too much. However, both my mom and Jessica get migraines somewhat frequently, so I suspect neither of them know all of their triggers. I think it’s going to take time and a bit of effort for both of them to really get to the bottom of these headaches, but now they’ve got me to help them figure it out and armed with this new information, we should be able to figure it out together.

I started out researching this essay wanting to know what exactly causes migraines and what can be done to prevent them. I figured it was a straightforward question, with, more than likely, an equally straight forward answer. On the contrary, I found that the possible causes for these headaches are numerous and their true source is still unknown. Luckily though, the numerous food triggers and natural remedies for migraines are well documented. Using this information any migraine sufferer can analyze their lifestyle and dietary habits to determine their own personal migraine triggers and hopefully prevent the migraines altogether by avoiding these triggers. In the end it’s up to each migraine sufferer to work out for themselves why they get the headaches and how to prevent them as much as possible.

Works Cited

“Causes and Treatments of Migraine and Related Headaches”. http://www.emedicinehealth.com. 11 Oct. 2005. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.

Law, Kristy. “Migraine Headache: Symptoms, Causes, and Triggers”. http://health.learninginfo.org/. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.

“Migraines”. http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com. 2008. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.

“Migraine Triggers”. www.uhs.berkeley.edu. Web. 29 Nov 2010.

“What is Migraine? What Causes Migraines?”. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com. 30 Apr. 2009. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.

Good Morning!

Eddie — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 17:58:07 +0000

I read this book once called the Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron in which she describes the use of “morning pages”. The idea is in the morning as soon as you wake up you sit down and write 3 pages of stream of consciousness writing. Just write whatever you want no matter how silly, meaningless, or ridiculous it may seem. Well I don’t use that formula exactly, but I’ve stuck pretty close. Almost everyday when I get to work I will put on my headphones and write 2 or 3 pages of stream of consciousness. I’m a night person so I have a hard time waking up early just to write 3 pages. But today I’ve decided instead of writing the pages I’ll just write in my blog.

Being in college has definitely hit me full on by now. This past Monday I gave an 8 minute informative speech for my speech class. You should have seen be before hand I was a wreck. All weekend I procrastinated and tossed back and forth about whether or not to just quit and drop the class or sit and just get it done. At one point I full on decided not to do it. I was convinced this is all too much, I don’t have enough time, I’ve never done this before it’s going to be awful blah blah blah. But after a while I just knew I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t do it. I put myself in college for a reason, I love it, and I’m not gonna quit! So I wrote the speech and got my visual aid printed out on a big poster board, practiced a bunch of times and it went great. I did the speech on Creatine. Afterwards I felt awesome, I swear I’ve never been so relieved and proud of myself.

It’s been tough to fit in anything but work and school, but I’ve been working on writing a new song in the past few days and still jamming with friends. We had a jam the other night it was great to play again after stressing about school so much. I’ve been living in my new place for a few months now and I’m still loving it. For once I feel like I’m free. Going to be working on some recordings in the next coming weeks. Should be fun. There just never seems to be enough time in the day for all that I want to do. Anyway there’s my semi-stream of consciousness morning post for the day. Peace.

“Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it.”
~Andre Gide

Status Check

Eddie — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 06:52:42 +0000

Status check time. Things are good. School is going well, I’m into my 5th week now. I don’t find it to be that hard to balance working and going to school full time. It sounds like a lot to deal with, but I really have found a lot of truth in the quote that says, “We either make ourselves miserable or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.” Sure I’m in classes now and I’m having to do schoolwork, but I really don’t feel that my life is any harder because of it. Actually I feel grateful that someone is finally asking me to think after 11 years of working jobs to pay the bills.

In the past few days I’ve been reading some interesting websites that totally and thoroughly debunk many of the claims made one of the movies I mentioned in my last post, Zeitgeist. The people debunking these conspiracy theories are pretty convincing, citing multiple credible sources for each of their claims. I’ve learned that it’s important to so easily believe what you see in movies. Just because something goes against the status quo doesn’t make it right.

Most of all this has reminded me that it’s important to keep an open mind and always be willing to challenge what I believe to be true. I must remember that if someone proves me wrong it’s not a shot at me. On the contrary that person is elevating me to a new level of awareness and I should be grateful. Well I’m grateful to know that I may have been wrong to so easily buy into the ideas of these movies. I encourage anyone who has seen any of the movies that I listed in my previous post (Zeitgeist, Zeitgeist Addendum, Endgame, America: From Freedom to Fascism, Collapse, We Become Silent, Our Technical Reality, Food Inc.) go and search for the names of those movies along with the word “debunked” and have a look around. So far I’ve only read about the misinformation in Zeitgeist, but the point is check sources and do your own hands on research before going around touting any particular belief as the truth. Especially if you’re going to yak at me about it

Goodnight!

“I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become.”
-Carl Jung

School is Awesome

Eddie — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 08:59:30 +0000

So I’m a few weeks into my very first semester in college. I’m taking 4 classes and so far it’s awesome as hell. Writing and Speech class are definitely the harder classes. I have to write an essay by Monday and I have an 8 minute informative speech due in a couple weeks. Being challenged again is enlivening. I’ve been learning about a lot of different things on my own too lately. Money for example. I’ve been trying to learn as much as I can about money, investing, saving, etc in the last few weeks. A friend recently told me about a book called “The Richest Man in Bablyon” by George Samuel Clayson. This book is AMAZING. It’s so damn inspiring, if you’re looking for a book to help you with motivation for saving money read this book! Also I’ve been watching some movies about the state of world today that have totally blown my mind. These movies include:

Zeitgeist
Zeitgeist Addendum
Endgame
America: From Freedom to Fascism
Collapse
We Become Silent
Our Technical Reality
Food Inc.

I feel grateful there are people out there exposing these things and awakening people to the truth so that we can educate people and work toward a global awakening and a better world. I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do with my life and I’m grateful to have learned all of these things before making that decision.

Anyway things are good. Still playing music, running, hitting the gym and just enjoying life as much as possible. Time to sleep. Peace

“You can render to God and humanity no greater service than to make the most of yourself.”
-Walter Wattles

Going Back to School

Eddie — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 17:06:23 +0000

Yesterday marked the first day of my very first semester in college. I’ve decided to go to school while still working full time. I’m taking 4 classes, Writing 121, Music 101, Intro to Public Speaking, and Sports Nutrition. I had my first public speaking and music classes yesterday. Both were cool in their own ways, so far I like being back in school…but we’ll see. Check back with me once the real work has actually started. I’m very much looking forward to mixing it up and learning some new things. I think it’s good that I waited until now to go to school. Because up until now I’ve mostly taught myself but I’ve grown restless and now I really feel a driving curiosity about the world and how it truly works and a need to explore and expand my limits. In the past I despised school about as much as I now despise the economic slavery that has been thrust upon me, requiring me to work for someone else’s profit so I can simply live. But this time I really want to be there in that classroom and I really want to learn. I hope that in learning things about the ways of the world I can move toward figuring out exactly what it is that I’d like to do with the rest of my life. As of now I’m still unsure. Hopefully I can discover my true purpose by learning as much as I can about as much as I can. I have some ideas already, but I’m staying open.

Things have been good lately. I’m growing accustomed to living in my own place and I’m still playing and writing music often. Me and Jessica are back together which is awesome. It’s nice to be able to stay over with her or have her stay with me, but then we can still live separate independent lives when we want to. I recently bought everything I need to make an oil painting to hang up in my place. This is my first time doing an oil painting or really any type of painting since I was a kid. I’ve been working on my first one for a little bit. I stayed up until midnight last night painting it. I really enjoy putting on some relaxing classical music and just painting away. It’s like a kind of active meditation. I’ll definitely post a pic of it once it’s finished. Beyond that I’m just going to school, going to work, hanging with cool people and loving life. Been learning about the stock market a bunch lately, might be trying that out soon. Still rockin the guitar and such, should be putting some recordings together soon once my Firpeod gets back from the shop. Feeling grateful and happy

“Remember that happiness is a way of travel, not a destination.”

Roy Goodman

My Grandpa Fred

Eddie — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:30:15 +0000

I just got back from visiting my Grandpa Fred in Los Angeles. He has stage 4 terminal cancer and not much time left. I had the privilege of staying with him all night in the hospital one night. He couldn’t sleep, just kept going in and out of consciousness so I stayed up with him talking. Me and him had a falling out a few years back and I didn’t talk to him for a good 10 years. He told me he was sorry for what happened and thanked me for being there with him. He kept wanting to get up out of bed, but he just couldn’t. Too many tubes and wires attached to him and he was too weak. But he was still himself. Still talking and responding, even singing and laughing! He sang me Accentuate the Positive by Johnny Mercer. He barely complains and somehow keeps his happy composure. The nurses said most people are on their worst behavior when they’re in this condition, but he still manages to greet the nurses in the morning with a smile and a nice hello. My grandpa Fred is a good man with a big heart. It was very hard to see him this way at only 72 years old. He barely even has any wrinkles and still has a full head of hair. The man used to run marathons. He shouldn’t be dying. Here is a picture of him just a few months ago with my little brother Michael. He looks great.
I got to see a lot of family I haven’t seen in a while on the trip. Grandpa Fred is apparently a very popular guy, he had that hospital room packed on several occasions. At one point they had to ask all the people to clear out of the hallway. They finally decided to take him off of treatment at the hospital and send him home for hospice care where they won’t treat any illness, only make him comfortable. All night long when I stayed with him he kept asking to go home. I kept telling him I believe he’s gonna make it out of there and get to go home if that’s what he wants. I’m so glad he made it out of there. He’s at home now in hospice care and they’re keeping him as comfortable as possible. He told me once on the night I stayed with him that he just wanted to die. Terrible thing to think, but I hope he gets his wish soon. No more suffering, no more pain.

I love you so much Grandpa Fred. You have lived a good life and you will live on in the hearts and minds of the many people who were lucky enough to feel the warm glow of your love. God speed you to your resting place.

While we are mourning the loss of our friend, others are rejoicing to meet him behind the veil. ~John Taylor

Bachelor Pad Living

Eddie — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:51:52 +0000

I’ve been living at my new apartment for about a week now. Things are going well, I’ve got all my music stuff setup and things are pretty well situated. Just need a little more flare to make it feel like home. I definitely need more pictures for the walls. Soon I’m going to buy a big canvas frame, paint it in the same crazy style as my drawings and hang it up on the living room wall. Should be fun. I had intended to start recording my demo and recording songs with my friends, but my Firepod broke again. The Firepod is what I use to record on my computer. So now I can’t record until I send it in to get fixed. It’s a bummer, but I think I have another way to record that I’m going to try out today. If it works I’ll at least have a way to record one track at a time until the Firepod’s fixed up. It’s time to get more creative and one way or another I’m going to record my music as soon as possible.

I’ve had a few friends over to play music and kick the footbag around this week. This was another reason I wanted to move out on my own. To get myself out of the habit of just sitting at home with the woman all the time. Each day this week I’ve done something with someone at my place and the change in pace has been pretty awesome. My legs are so sore it hurts just to move. I think my plan of escaping the couch and the TV is definitely working. I’ve been eating healthier now that I have my own fridge and there’s an awesome little local grocery store just down the street from me with all kinds of awesome organic food. I gave my friend Codey a guitar lesson yesterday. It was pretty awesome I think I have a knack for teaching. I’m gonna start teaching guitar lessons soon. It’ll be good for me to start passing on what I’ve learned to other folks. Could be a good source of extra cash too if I enjoy it. My girls are coming over for the weekend tonight. Our first weekend together at my new place. Should be cool I can’t wait!

Overall things are going real good. The change to a place all my own and sleeping alone hasn’t always been easy, but as the days pass I like it more and more. I’m making the changes I’ve known I need to make in my life for some time and it’s all starting to come together. Good times to come. Thanks for dropping by!

“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.”

-Pablo Picasso

I’m Alive

Eddie — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:37:17 +0000

Yes I am still alive. I haven’t kept up on the blog very much recently, but I think I’ll try to go for once a week from here on out. I’m going to be moving on Friday to an apartment not too far from where I live now. Me and my girl split up and I’m gonna have my own place for the first time in my life. It’s not easy to split up, but I’m looking forward to having a place of my own. I can focus on music and going to school. Try to work on being happy just being me for a while. It’s gonna be a big change I haven’t been single in 12 years, but I’m looking forward to it.

So I’m proud to announce that I’m finally going to college! Got my financial aid all sorted out and such. Just gotta wait until September for orientation. It’s taken me a while to take this step but I know I’m ready now. Through playing music I’ve learned that I have the ability to put my mind to something and stick with it through thick and thin day in day out. I know I can do the same with school it’s gonna be great.

For the longest time I haven’t been able to record any music because I’ve had an issue with my computer, but I’ve got it handled now so I’m going to be working on a demo very soon. I’ve been going to open mics and playing with friends still. Things are good I’m thinking about teaching guitar lessons now that I’ll have my own place. Anyway things are changing quite a bit for me lately, but I’m gonna try to be more diligent about keeping up on the blog. Soon here you’ll start seeing more recordings, videos, and blog entries from me. Stayed tuned and thanks for checking in