Morning earworm: Back in NYC, Genesis. It eventually segued into Hairless Heart, just like on the album.
Gorgeous weather abounds. Even got a bit of naked hammock time in yesterday, partly just to be able to say I've done it in March - lol. Current prediction is that we'll be in the 80°s for the next few days. Sweet.
So, another April Fool's Day is upon us. Everyone run down to BK and get your free left-handed Whopper. I will be celebrating more privately here at home, with a listen to one of my favorite cd's - Bugs Bunny on Broadway. This is not a gag - google it or check it out on amazon. Those of sufficient age or interest in the history of animation are aware that those old Looney Tune cartoons we grew up with on Saturday morning are actually much older, and were originally made for theatrical release. Somebody at Warner Bros. decided that a new generation needed to appreciate these as they were meant to be seen and heard, and conceived of this show - brand new prints made of the original films, accompanied not by the recorded music but by a live orchestra, playing from Carl Stalling's original scores. Even just having the audio, this is epic. Stalling was an unheralded genius, and hearing his work in full glorious digital stereo reveals the depth of his brilliance as never before. And it is still hysterically funny, too - Kill the Wab-bit, kill the wab-bit ... =))
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Reviewing / Woolgathering
Morning earworm: Subdivisions, Rush.
The brain does not seem to be firing on all cylinders. A number of small but telling gaffs in the kitchen yesterday and this morning, which is unusual. It began with a batch of hummus, where I forgot to add the lemon juice - still good, but a bit dry. Shortly thereafter, while gathering components for dinner, I noticed that the package of prosciutto I had thawed was in fact Smithfield ham. So much for attention. Luckily, it worked just as well in the recipe - grilled paninis with ham, fresh mozzarella and royal fig jam. Finally, I remembered to take a venison loin out of the freezer last night to thaw for tonight's repast, only to be reminded by my wife that it has to marinate overnight. So, great dinner planned for tomorrow. Tonight? I'll think of something.
Spending considerable time on line today. The participants from the Course last week have returned, some of them even with their luggage, and blogs are being back-posted of the experience. There is a lot of ground to cover there. My Teacher's blog tends to run a week or two behind, so I still have that to look forward to as well.
Had another chat this morning with the network friend preparing for a major shift at home. This invariably dredges up memories of my own final days with the ex. I am pleased to observe that finally, twenty years after the fact, there is very little acrimony generated by these recollections. It was a difficult and painful time, to be sure, but it seems that the scars have finally healed. Hopefully this will make it easier to access that period of my life, that others may profit from my experience and mistakes.
On the subject of anniversaries (we were, really) - I note in passing that I rolled over two years here on A.F.F. over the weekend. While I remain among the vast majority who has never gotten laid here, it has been an educational and worthwhile experience, in ways A.F.F. probably never intended. It has been a journey of self-discovery more than self-indulgence, and against all odds may well have been a positive contribution to my marriage. My humble thanks to all whom I have the privilege to call Friends here :D
The brain does not seem to be firing on all cylinders. A number of small but telling gaffs in the kitchen yesterday and this morning, which is unusual. It began with a batch of hummus, where I forgot to add the lemon juice - still good, but a bit dry. Shortly thereafter, while gathering components for dinner, I noticed that the package of prosciutto I had thawed was in fact Smithfield ham. So much for attention. Luckily, it worked just as well in the recipe - grilled paninis with ham, fresh mozzarella and royal fig jam. Finally, I remembered to take a venison loin out of the freezer last night to thaw for tonight's repast, only to be reminded by my wife that it has to marinate overnight. So, great dinner planned for tomorrow. Tonight? I'll think of something.
Spending considerable time on line today. The participants from the Course last week have returned, some of them even with their luggage, and blogs are being back-posted of the experience. There is a lot of ground to cover there. My Teacher's blog tends to run a week or two behind, so I still have that to look forward to as well.
Had another chat this morning with the network friend preparing for a major shift at home. This invariably dredges up memories of my own final days with the ex. I am pleased to observe that finally, twenty years after the fact, there is very little acrimony generated by these recollections. It was a difficult and painful time, to be sure, but it seems that the scars have finally healed. Hopefully this will make it easier to access that period of my life, that others may profit from my experience and mistakes.
On the subject of anniversaries (we were, really) - I note in passing that I rolled over two years here on A.F.F. over the weekend. While I remain among the vast majority who has never gotten laid here, it has been an educational and worthwhile experience, in ways A.F.F. probably never intended. It has been a journey of self-discovery more than self-indulgence, and against all odds may well have been a positive contribution to my marriage. My humble thanks to all whom I have the privilege to call Friends here :D
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Computers
Morning earworm: Tiny Dancer, Elton John. Don't ask - I have no control over this. A though flew by yesterday, following a comment that readers don't know many (if any) of these songs or artists. I might have to make a mix disc of some of these tracks, just for laughs.
So far, beyond sitting and breakfast, the entire morning has gone to waste, locked in battle with a pair of stoopid f&%# computers. All I want to do is print out a couple of pages of a .pdf file. What could be simpler? Cutting down the largest tree in the forest with a herring, for starters.
I had not net installed the printer on the laptop since the Great Reboot, so I went to do so. Two tries, two fails. It has worked fine for a couple of years, but now it won't even install. Fine - I'll just do it on the StudioBeast downstairs. Sounds good in theory, except for the part that the StudioBeast doesn't seem to have Adobe Reader installed. So, I go to download that. Three tries, each ending in an aborted download and crash. Frustration mounts. I can see right where my day is going ... weren't computers supposed to make our lives easier?
On the bright side - literally - it looks like the projected rains for the day may not happen, and we are supposed to be up to 85°F by the weekend, which I have off. The hammock beckons :D
So far, beyond sitting and breakfast, the entire morning has gone to waste, locked in battle with a pair of stoopid f&%# computers. All I want to do is print out a couple of pages of a .pdf file. What could be simpler? Cutting down the largest tree in the forest with a herring, for starters.
I had not net installed the printer on the laptop since the Great Reboot, so I went to do so. Two tries, two fails. It has worked fine for a couple of years, but now it won't even install. Fine - I'll just do it on the StudioBeast downstairs. Sounds good in theory, except for the part that the StudioBeast doesn't seem to have Adobe Reader installed. So, I go to download that. Three tries, each ending in an aborted download and crash. Frustration mounts. I can see right where my day is going ... weren't computers supposed to make our lives easier?
On the bright side - literally - it looks like the projected rains for the day may not happen, and we are supposed to be up to 85°F by the weekend, which I have off. The hammock beckons :D
Monday, March 29, 2010
Next
Morning earworm: Money, Pink Floyd. Ah, the classics ...
Things are pretty quiet so far today. Had a brief chat with a friend who is in a transition period of her own. Not sure I did anything other than take her mind off it for a few minutes, but even that is probably of some help. Finished catching up on weekend blogs between last night and this morning. The weather is currently crap, but we are told it will be in the 80°s later this week - sounds like a good time for a little road trip. Who's up for lunch?
For that matter, what's for dinner tonight? I don't have a clue yet. I still have a ton of groceries from last week, as we ended up eating out more than expected. Maybe that barbecued tempeh dish. Ironic, as the vegetarian week is over, but what the heck - it's still good stuff. And the bacon at breakfast was thoroughly enjoyed :D I need to make bread today, too. Good thing it's still early.
Things are pretty quiet so far today. Had a brief chat with a friend who is in a transition period of her own. Not sure I did anything other than take her mind off it for a few minutes, but even that is probably of some help. Finished catching up on weekend blogs between last night and this morning. The weather is currently crap, but we are told it will be in the 80°s later this week - sounds like a good time for a little road trip. Who's up for lunch?
For that matter, what's for dinner tonight? I don't have a clue yet. I still have a ton of groceries from last week, as we ended up eating out more than expected. Maybe that barbecued tempeh dish. Ironic, as the vegetarian week is over, but what the heck - it's still good stuff. And the bacon at breakfast was thoroughly enjoyed :D I need to make bread today, too. Good thing it's still early.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Completion
Morning earworm: Gravity Eyelids, Porcupine Tree. Makes you want to just stay in bed and listen to it. So I did. :D
Pausing now to reflect on the last week. The Course has ended, probably some five or six hours ago in real time; I declared my own participation complete at 21:46. There were a number of things I had hoped to accomplish during this time, and not all of them happened. We learn from this, too. What I do have is a better understanding of how the Work, and my Craft, fit into everyday life, and the adjustments each has to make to accommodate the other. My studio space is functionally up and running, and my practice now has a clarity of purpose and direction that was previously missing. As I revisit my aim for the Course, I find it was met, yet not quite how I expected. Nothing new there - lol. So, onward - tomorrow is a new beginning, and the future awaits. May I be open and available to it.
Pausing now to reflect on the last week. The Course has ended, probably some five or six hours ago in real time; I declared my own participation complete at 21:46. There were a number of things I had hoped to accomplish during this time, and not all of them happened. We learn from this, too. What I do have is a better understanding of how the Work, and my Craft, fit into everyday life, and the adjustments each has to make to accommodate the other. My studio space is functionally up and running, and my practice now has a clarity of purpose and direction that was previously missing. As I revisit my aim for the Course, I find it was met, yet not quite how I expected. Nothing new there - lol. So, onward - tomorrow is a new beginning, and the future awaits. May I be open and available to it.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Feels Like Sunday
Morning earworm: Black Velvet again. We're supposed to be learning it, so there is a legitimate excuse for the rerun.
A decent performance last night; sound was good in a difficult room, and the crowd was better than usual. The high point, of course, was picking up the new trailer and loading it, instead of the van. Somewhat less enjoyable was dragging it back over the mountain, but I'll get used to it.
Up early today, and much work done before the band arrived. The Bunker is as clean as it is going to get, short of emptying it completely and hosing it down (which I do intend to do, once the weather is more consistently cooperative). Everything not in the trailer is set up and ready to go for rehearsal.
... Which ended up not happening. Not a total loss, actually - we ended up spending the entire day outside working on the trailer and related gear items. Drummer and bassist went over the trailer itself, replacing several lights and wiring in a few new ones, while the other guitarist put the signage up on one side (still need to get the other side done) before he and I built a case for the mixing board. Still a few items to be fixed up, but for the most part it is ready to roll. Rehearsal has been rescheduled for an upcoming weekday.
As a passing note, I ended up just eating leftovers yesterday; thanks to the many replies, I still had a taste for some falafel, so I went there for dinner tonight instead. A good choice. Also, everyone ended up bringing hot dogs instead of hamburger, which was much easier to turn down and remain meat-free for the day. That said, there is some serious sausage waiting for breakfast on Monday :D
A decent performance last night; sound was good in a difficult room, and the crowd was better than usual. The high point, of course, was picking up the new trailer and loading it, instead of the van. Somewhat less enjoyable was dragging it back over the mountain, but I'll get used to it.
Up early today, and much work done before the band arrived. The Bunker is as clean as it is going to get, short of emptying it completely and hosing it down (which I do intend to do, once the weather is more consistently cooperative). Everything not in the trailer is set up and ready to go for rehearsal.
... Which ended up not happening. Not a total loss, actually - we ended up spending the entire day outside working on the trailer and related gear items. Drummer and bassist went over the trailer itself, replacing several lights and wiring in a few new ones, while the other guitarist put the signage up on one side (still need to get the other side done) before he and I built a case for the mixing board. Still a few items to be fixed up, but for the most part it is ready to roll. Rehearsal has been rescheduled for an upcoming weekday.
As a passing note, I ended up just eating leftovers yesterday; thanks to the many replies, I still had a taste for some falafel, so I went there for dinner tonight instead. A good choice. Also, everyone ended up bringing hot dogs instead of hamburger, which was much easier to turn down and remain meat-free for the day. That said, there is some serious sausage waiting for breakfast on Monday :D
Friday, March 26, 2010
Black Light Syndrome
Morning earworm: Endless, Bozzio Levin Stevens. I could spent the whole post just rambling on about this; it's been a quiet few days, so I just might - lol. One of the cool things about most prog rock bands is that they are always doing side projects with each other - Transatlantic, Liquid Tension Experiment, heck, even Asia started out this way. BLS is another one of these, being the combined talents of drummer Terry Bozzio (Frank Zappa, Jeff Beck, Polytown), bassist Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel - actually, he's played with just about everyone) and guitarist Steve Stevens (Billy Idol, the Atomic Playboys). Stevens is especially surprising on this album - having only heard his work with Billy Idol, I never thought much of him, but after hearing this, there is clearly far more to him than we realized. I would encourage anyone interested to check out the album Situation Dangerous, for some amazing instrumental work by three world-class musicians.
Back in the agreed-upon real world ...
She Who Lights My Soul has left on vacation for a few weeks, leaving a gaping hole in both my heart and morning chat schedule. Plenty to do to keep myself occupied, but Her absence is already felt.
Gig tonight, not particularly looking forward to - the crowd is usually decent, but the room is horrible. The Course Team in Italy has a performance tonight as well; given the choice, I would rather be at that show.
Needing to decide what to do for dinner. My usual stop at Burger King on the way to the gig isn't going to fly tonight. Might just leave early and stop at the falafal stand instead.
Also have to remember to repost this on the new mirror site at Blogspot. In the wake of the recent advertising scandal at AFF a number of disgruntled friends are jumping ship and moving their blogs in a mass exodus; I have opted to post there as well, to keep in touch.
A happy weekend to all :D
Back in the agreed-upon real world ...
She Who Lights My Soul has left on vacation for a few weeks, leaving a gaping hole in both my heart and morning chat schedule. Plenty to do to keep myself occupied, but Her absence is already felt.
Gig tonight, not particularly looking forward to - the crowd is usually decent, but the room is horrible. The Course Team in Italy has a performance tonight as well; given the choice, I would rather be at that show.
Needing to decide what to do for dinner. My usual stop at Burger King on the way to the gig isn't going to fly tonight. Might just leave early and stop at the falafal stand instead.
Also have to remember to repost this on the new mirror site at Blogspot. In the wake of the recent advertising scandal at AFF a number of disgruntled friends are jumping ship and moving their blogs in a mass exodus; I have opted to post there as well, to keep in touch.
A happy weekend to all :D
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