PatBlogahan.com

As we(Train) approach the final tour of the Save Me SF record, I can’t help but to feel a bit melancholy about wrapping up the past 3 years. This journey has been lined with joy and laughter, appreciation and rebirth, new friendships and great old ones and so much love that we were able to share with so many from all over the world.
Personally, I have grown a lot over this whirlwind of fun. In fact “fun” really has become the biggest lesson of all. If it’s not fun, don’t do it. That always sounded impossible to me. How many people have fun at work? I figured fun was the rewards of work. Now I treat work as fun so the rewards are built in and my expectations have altered all together. I am so blessed to still be able to express myself through music and try to bring a bit of joy to the planet and myself as often as I can. The concept of having joy as often as possible has dictated my life because of all of this. If I’m loving the “doing” then all I can want as a reward is MORE of the “doing”. Pretty easy.
Highlights are countless. South America was hard traveling and incredible places and people. Asia and New Zealand and Dubai for the first time. Australia and Europe, all amazing. Ireland for the first time performing was life changing for me and the VH1 Cruise was totally inspiring.
All these life moments are no good without the people we have met, played for, sang for and befriended. Train truly have the best fans and friends in the world. I’m sure every band/artist says this but our fans are so real, so normal people who are inspiring the world with being kind, funny, video-ing love messages to us, friending one another from all over the world, helping each other and being great examples of spreading the light of the world. Hey Soul Sister was such a great gift to us all. Thank you, Universe and spirits and mom! It brought us closer. Made us smile. Got kids and parents to connect. I feel so grateful to have been chosen by these loving entities to deliver these messages of love.
So, on to the big summer tour. On to the next Train record. On to the next road. Challenging it will be. Without struggles it will not be. But not matter how things go, we will have the times of our lives. We will fill every place we can with smiling faces, including our own.
Fear not, happy ending. You will be met by a truly joyous new beginning.
Thank you everyone for this beautiful life!
See you soon.
And as my friend, L says…
Blessings and hugs.

Love, Pat

Yep! I do have a couple people in my life that I’ve struggled with for the past few years because I can’t seem to let go of my hurt or anger I have for them or myself for not seeing the obvious about people. .
In the past couple days, I’ve seen 2 of those people. One I kinda just let go of it all when I saw him. It was like being disarmed. The other I saw yesterday and I really struggle with this one. I want to share why I keep this hurt and anger but I would never forgive myself for sharing something this personal. It would disrupt my life and the people I love and I really need to just let it all go and forget or forgive anyway. So, sorry I can’t throw this one out there but trust me I’m not keeping the resentment for nothing. Letting go! Letting go! Letting go! Feeling better. Okay. Baby steps! Letting go!
I am so grateful for these amazing things I’ve learned and all those I have been able to be with over the years. Even the difficult people and times I would never replace. That road has brought me to where I am. Come on! Let GO! Advice on how to do this? I quit smoking, drinking, drugging, all kinds of stuff. If I can run 6 minute miles I can forgive. I mean right?
Ok, I put it out there. Time to let go and forgive. I am wanting to forgive. Its time.
Thanks for listening.
Love, Pat

I always thought of the word “fan” as kind of a low brow term, like being a fan was like being out of the mind of what or who you liked. So, I always called train fans friends instead. I’m a little bit wiser than I once was and am happy to admit being a fan of things and I don’t feel less than at all. Being a fan of something or someone is fun, especially when you meet who you admire and they inspire you to continue to admire them or their work.
Being on the VH1 cruise gave me a chance to meet a lot of fans of music, Train music as well as the Script and 10 other bands and artists. The boat was filled with incredible people and I realized that there were only a fraction of the number of fans of our music on that boat. What a blessed life! What a blessed cruise. I wasn’t looking forward to the cruise to be honest. After 2 hours I was hooked. We’re planning a March Train Wine Cruise now and have awesome things in store to bring us even closer to you, our fans AND friends. You are all so warm and kind and interesting. Its so good to know that first hand.
We met Blair(PMtrainfan-twitter name) in Jackson tonight. Amazing girl, so cute and kind and with her sweet parents and I just wanted to hug them all and celebrate their close family that they created. I love that they got to come and be in a place they could ALL appreciate.
I am gushing with gratefulness. It will always feel so big to have people care about me and Train.
I told Blair about an idea. See what you think…how about we do a cool, very exclusive listening party in San Francisco before w record the next record? We’ll invite our twitter friends and some people we see often at our shows and get your vibe about our new music. I think it would be a ton of fun and we’d be able to actually get to hang with some of you that we know and love but never get to hang because we’re always heading to someplace or something.
I think I love this idea. Its kinda like “put your money where your mouth is” kind of stuff. I mean, if we really appreciate you all…then damn it!..show it! Ha. Okay. Wow. I just called myself out. Weird. Funny but weird. Oh my I am so tired.
I love you guys for the love you send. Be well and I will see you all soon and I will write again VERY soon.

Pat

I never could have guessed 3 years ago that when Hey, Soul Sister was written that it would have made the kind of impact that it has. We are still constantly playing shows all over the world at a crazy pace. It really has brought people together far beyond just gathering at a Train show. I am so grateful to have all of my “wants” granted to me from the universe.
The reason I bring this up is because I’ve begun writing for the next record. I mean I’m always writing and there are several songs that are really good and should be heard so far, but I began the process of entering the “creative zone” and getting together with people, hoping to have their magic rub off on me and vice versa. The Espionage guys(soul sister fame) were my first stop in NYC. New York is definitely where I do my best writing. Not sure why really. I suppose the city wants to work and so the energy is perfect. I always ask the city and the universe to lend me the message and the song, hoping to be a vehicle for something great that they want to give through what I do. We wrote 5 songs. I never know if they’re great songs while being in it, so I hope to re-hear then in a week or 2 to see what I(we) think. I asked a girl to sing on one of the tracks with me that is supposed to be a duet. Her name is Elle King. She is really great..great singer AND writer. Check her out for sure. The other songs are just me singing my little heart out.
One song made me cry while writing it. Its called Sing Together. It’s the song I want sung at my funeral….in a few hundred years. It hit me in a deep way to put myself there and want everyone there to just sing together and that would be the perfect way to celebrate one’s life, by coming together as the people that made you who you are to all sing together. Its kind of magical that way for me at our shows. What a gift!
Went to a party in the Bay Area last week and jammed with MC Hammer(awesome guy) and met Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore. They’re great too. Demi is so nice and normal. Its cool to meet people you like from their work and find out that they’re worth rooting for.
Obviously, you guys are finding out about Train/Maroon 5 for some future shows. It’s going to be a really great tour. We have some amazing things to show you guys in a brand new way. Can’t wait.
In Vail now. Early day tomorrow. Heading to Kona and right back to NYC for some shows AND writing.
I’m attaching pics of Espen and Amund(Espionage) and also of Elle King.
Hope you’re all safe and happy.

Love, Pat

Are definitely about character for me. I love all compliments and they really don’t ever go unappreciated, but when the real work is noticed! that’s the best. The other day I was paid an incredible compliment by someone I hugely respect. The greatest part is that the reason I admire him is because his character is the most wonderful I have known. So, for him to say kind things about my character was a real gift to me.
Of course I love that people love what I do and how they feel when I do what I do but I always think that we rarely get to see the truest versions of public figures. I always strive to be good at what I do. I completely respect anyone who is good at what they do. I really don’t care if you’re a currier or a business tycoon, if you’re good you got my love.
Man, great parenting! Whoo! That is hard to do. I’ve seen it. I’d love to say I’m in the group but I know better. Can’t be gone 80% of the time and expect to be considered great at something that powerful. I digress. Sorry. My point, simply, is that great character is what I long for beyond all other things. Its what I find more attractive, more beautiful and more difficult than all other worldly achievements. It ain’t if you got dough..it’s how’d ya get it and what do ya do with it. It’s not how many kids you have, it’s do they choose to be friends with you when they’re old enough to choose. It’s not anything really but how you play the game.
No one wants to win more than I do. In fact I had to stop playing chess because my days were being devoured by online 5 minute blitz games. Crazy. So, yea I really like winning. I like to have moments of acceptance. I love rewards. I’m very young in much of the thinking behind winning. I admit it does lack wisdom at times but it’s where I’m at. On the other hand, there is no joy in winning simply to watch someone lose or to behave like winning is everything. Nothing worse than a sore loser…except a poor winner. I want to win but I want all of us to win. Once we win, be grateful and look around. Congratulate yourself. Congratulate your team, your friends, your everyone. And also remember what it feels like to lose. The humility, the embarrassment, the let down, the loss of self worth. Imagine what you would like to be treated like by the “winner” and be THAT when you win. Be good at it. Be a good winner. It’s so beautiful.
I’m speaking to myself here, by the way. I need to constantly remind myself of the beauty in including everyone. Nobody is left out. We all win, even if you lose. Priceless wisdom comes from both experiences.
So, I hope my kids choose me as a friend. I hope that more people I admire find quality in me and what I am. I hope that we all celebrate the wins and losses with dignity and love. I hope that Japan heals. I hope that the world heals and that we learn that in the end the world WILL win. Let’s help her win and win right along with her in appreciating all that she has offered us. I hope that I learn to be more comfortable in my own skin when it comes to embracing others and looking at their flaws or weaknesses as something beautiful that I can learn from. I hope that everyone. In Latin America had a great time with us the past few weeks and I hope that you are all healthy and fully ready to take on spring then summer and tons of great life moments. I hope that you can feel the love I’m sending as you read this and I hope to see you all soon.
Love, Pat

Last night we played in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The crowd was awesome and then we finished up and met Ziggy Marley and a woman who sings with him. She was lovely. Sorry I can’t remember her name. Its so like me to be forgetful with names. Ziggy was great to meet. Seemed like a good man. He’s been having to fill some pretty huge shoes his whole life. Tomorrow People sounded awesome too. I love that song. I actually thought that was Bob Marley. Happy to now know it’s one of Ziggy’s.
South America is so interesting to me. We are all so tired and working so hard but every day we are met by beautiful, kind and excited fans of what we do. Its a blessing and an honor. We have such a fortunate life. Its so great that our families know that as well. Our absence never brings contempt, just loneliness at times. Good family is what its about. That seems to be the highest value to Latin America as well. The culture here is very “family” and techno. Some serious techno and hard rock is loved here. We are sneaking in here trying to fill a different spot.
We arrived in Brazilia just now and I wanted to write in and say hello. We miss our US fans and Europe and everywhere else but we will announce some dates and tours soon. They should be great fun. We have great things in the works so that our shows are more fun than ever.
Happy St Patrick’s Day. That was my day…back in the day. I raged like a…well that’s about enough.
Dr Brule from that show “Check It Out” is out of his mind. Thank you Train crew for turning us on to that one. It’s insane. Hope you’re all healthy and at your best. Oh yea, also reading The Fifth Sacred Thing. I love it. Thanks, Summer(sis in law).

Love, P-Town(that’s what Scott called my son-I’m stealing it but just for this blog)