Drawing a blank this morning. I could always blame the NyQuil, I suppose.
Let's see - temps climbing, snow is almost gone. My recovery continues, now to that most unpleasant phase of unproductive coughing fits, where it feels like you are ripping the lining out of your throat and your sternum is about to crack. Joy.
No immediate plans for New Year's Eve. Still pondering my aim for the coming year, probably something along the lines of definition and focus.
Trying a new bread recipe today. Might be a good time for grilled cheese for dinner.
Maybe I should just go back to bed ...
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
God Hates the Vikings
As a brief follow up to last week - heat was restored on Friday, but was out just long enough for me to get a cold, as predicted. Christmas day was enjoyable and modest, though the night was dreadful, being unable to either breathe or sleep, which made for a Sunday spent on the couch. Recovery is underway, now entering the brutal expectoration phase - it's going to be another long day.
Sunday on the couch means, of course, football. Last week I made the prediction, privately, that Detroit would win out the season - wish I had done it publicly now. In a story largely ignored because of the bigger playoff picture, the Lions have racked up three wins in a row, including two consecutive road victories, all guided by their second- and third-string quarterbacks. They have a long way to go, and an enormous hole to dig themselves out of, but progress is being made. A victory next week over Minnesota is looking even more likely, with the Vikes being handed a short week.
Now, I haven't paid that much attention over the years, but I don't recall any games being rescheduled because of weather - aside from Hurricane Katrina, of course - and this is the second one this year. Granted, the first one was more weather-related that the weather itself, but still. And both times it has happened to Minnesota. Coincidence? One has to wonder.
I lived in Indiana long enough to become a legitimate Colts fan, and remain so, but the truth is I am a Lions man by birth. It hasn't been easy, lord knows, but they didn't always suck - they were as good as anyone else in the early 70's. It's time for their star to rise once more, and I am committing now. I believe. Next week they finish 6-10 at home, and build from there.
Sunday on the couch means, of course, football. Last week I made the prediction, privately, that Detroit would win out the season - wish I had done it publicly now. In a story largely ignored because of the bigger playoff picture, the Lions have racked up three wins in a row, including two consecutive road victories, all guided by their second- and third-string quarterbacks. They have a long way to go, and an enormous hole to dig themselves out of, but progress is being made. A victory next week over Minnesota is looking even more likely, with the Vikes being handed a short week.
Now, I haven't paid that much attention over the years, but I don't recall any games being rescheduled because of weather - aside from Hurricane Katrina, of course - and this is the second one this year. Granted, the first one was more weather-related that the weather itself, but still. And both times it has happened to Minnesota. Coincidence? One has to wonder.
I lived in Indiana long enough to become a legitimate Colts fan, and remain so, but the truth is I am a Lions man by birth. It hasn't been easy, lord knows, but they didn't always suck - they were as good as anyone else in the early 70's. It's time for their star to rise once more, and I am committing now. I believe. Next week they finish 6-10 at home, and build from there.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Jeebus, Not Again
The last three months or so have been quiet, and nearly enjoyable, in the wake of ousting a pair of band members who were at the hub of an inordinate amount of drama and b.s. Their respective replacements were more talented and, most importantly, more psychologically stable - or at least as stable as one can be in this line of work.
Sadly, this was not to last, and in the last few weeks a whole new season of soap opera has manifested. At the root of it all, in addition to the usual stubbornness and overreaction of most parties involved, is our 16-year-old sound guy, who has been in contact with one of the ex-members. Now, I understand that this isn't entirely intentional; he is a kid, after all, and like most Kids These Days, has no concept whatsoever of privacy or discretion. His entire world is a three-inch screen, and he seems to think that everybody wants to know every single minute detail of his life, down to what he reads while wanking in the bathroom. He has, in fact, just posted his new phone number on FB. You get the idea - everything is fair game for publication, including band meetings. Immediately this alerts our ex-Drama Queen, who begins asking him questions, which he happily answers; she, in turn, begins texting and emailing all of us, stirring the pot even further. Sigh ...
I can honestly see this whole thing imploding soon. And, honestly, I don't much care at this point. The aforementioned band meeting was a complete waste of time, as band meetings usually are - everybody complains, nobody listens, and two hours later nothing has changed. The worst part is it seems to be devolving into an Us vs. Them scenario, between the two founding members and the two new members, with me stuck in the middle. I can guarantee that this is the quickest way to lose my interest and support for the project.
On the upside, a Performance Challenge. I have a gig this afternoon. A total pick-up group playing at a company Christmas party. Drummer JD knows a guy at his dayjob who is in another band, and somebody got the bright idea of having them play. Being short a few bodies, JD called me to sit in. I don't know anybody else, we've never practiced, and I just got the song list last night - it's mostly old R 'n' B. So, we're going in pretty much completely cold. Should be fun :D
Sadly, this was not to last, and in the last few weeks a whole new season of soap opera has manifested. At the root of it all, in addition to the usual stubbornness and overreaction of most parties involved, is our 16-year-old sound guy, who has been in contact with one of the ex-members. Now, I understand that this isn't entirely intentional; he is a kid, after all, and like most Kids These Days, has no concept whatsoever of privacy or discretion. His entire world is a three-inch screen, and he seems to think that everybody wants to know every single minute detail of his life, down to what he reads while wanking in the bathroom. He has, in fact, just posted his new phone number on FB. You get the idea - everything is fair game for publication, including band meetings. Immediately this alerts our ex-Drama Queen, who begins asking him questions, which he happily answers; she, in turn, begins texting and emailing all of us, stirring the pot even further. Sigh ...
I can honestly see this whole thing imploding soon. And, honestly, I don't much care at this point. The aforementioned band meeting was a complete waste of time, as band meetings usually are - everybody complains, nobody listens, and two hours later nothing has changed. The worst part is it seems to be devolving into an Us vs. Them scenario, between the two founding members and the two new members, with me stuck in the middle. I can guarantee that this is the quickest way to lose my interest and support for the project.
On the upside, a Performance Challenge. I have a gig this afternoon. A total pick-up group playing at a company Christmas party. Drummer JD knows a guy at his dayjob who is in another band, and somebody got the bright idea of having them play. Being short a few bodies, JD called me to sit in. I don't know anybody else, we've never practiced, and I just got the song list last night - it's mostly old R 'n' B. So, we're going in pretty much completely cold. Should be fun :D
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Decisions
Morning earworm: Give Blood, Pete Townshend. Just did over the weekend, but that has nothing to do with it. I've always dug this song; David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) on second guitar.
So - last night's band meeting was pretty much all I expected, and less. Band meetings are, traditionally, miserable and wretched affairs that most people look forward to with as much enthusiasm as a hot coffee enema. A lot of talking, opinions offered, suggestions made, and nothing productive accomplished. I can see this not lasting much longer. I can also see it devolving into an Us vs. Them scenario between MG / JD and AV / JB, with me stuck in the middle. Whatever.
Another decision which rather snuck up on me regards what we refer to around here as the Other Site. There are about a dozen or so people I had hoped to keep in touch with when I left previously, and that really hasn't happened. The break was necessary, for numerous reasons, but I think it may be time to return, albeit on a more limited basis. I believe that I have my head straightened out sufficiently to do this without it becoming the albatross it had grown into previously. I recognize that part of this may well be ego, having apparently only one person follow me here, but in truth I do miss trolling their blogs as well. So, we'll see how it goes.
Act in private as if your behaviour were known in public.
So - last night's band meeting was pretty much all I expected, and less. Band meetings are, traditionally, miserable and wretched affairs that most people look forward to with as much enthusiasm as a hot coffee enema. A lot of talking, opinions offered, suggestions made, and nothing productive accomplished. I can see this not lasting much longer. I can also see it devolving into an Us vs. Them scenario between MG / JD and AV / JB, with me stuck in the middle. Whatever.
Another decision which rather snuck up on me regards what we refer to around here as the Other Site. There are about a dozen or so people I had hoped to keep in touch with when I left previously, and that really hasn't happened. The break was necessary, for numerous reasons, but I think it may be time to return, albeit on a more limited basis. I believe that I have my head straightened out sufficiently to do this without it becoming the albatross it had grown into previously. I recognize that part of this may well be ego, having apparently only one person follow me here, but in truth I do miss trolling their blogs as well. So, we'll see how it goes.
Act in private as if your behaviour were known in public.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Cliffhanger
Morning earworm: Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow, Jethro Tull. Probably my favorite Christmas song - lol.
Quite a bit going on here lately, in terms of pondering the future. Amid all of this, my other blog ended yesterday. It will resume after a couple weeks off, just as a break and reset sort of thing. Traditionally, this particular practice of journaling (properly not blogging) is undertaken as, among other things, an exercise in commitment, for a period of 1,000 days. I think it is safe to say, after eight and a half years, my commitment is reasonably established; indeed, it has arguably become more habit than discipline. So, a few weeks off before the next undertaking, to begin on New Year's Day (1.1.11) - a quick estimate will bring the new cycle to a close on or about 26 Sept 2013.
This document will remain, at least as long as I stay interested, during the hiatus. I noted in the final entry last night that with all of my contemplation on the future, my continued involvement with the band and Guitar Craft (or not) it was something of a cliffhanger ending to this cycle. Truth be told, it came to me in the real Morning Pages today that most of these decisions had already been made, possibly before the questions were even asked. This is not uncommon - A beginning is invisible, as we say.
Somewhat unrelated, it also came to me that the new year properly begins tomorrow, with the Winter Solstice (23:38 GMT). There are any number of arbitrary points by which we may mark our laps around the sun, but this one seems more appropriate to me, as a physical actuality as well as a symbolic point of reference.
Speaking of blogs / journals, the Saturday performance in NYC has been posted by the performer.
Local events have global repercussions.
Quite a bit going on here lately, in terms of pondering the future. Amid all of this, my other blog ended yesterday. It will resume after a couple weeks off, just as a break and reset sort of thing. Traditionally, this particular practice of journaling (properly not blogging) is undertaken as, among other things, an exercise in commitment, for a period of 1,000 days. I think it is safe to say, after eight and a half years, my commitment is reasonably established; indeed, it has arguably become more habit than discipline. So, a few weeks off before the next undertaking, to begin on New Year's Day (1.1.11) - a quick estimate will bring the new cycle to a close on or about 26 Sept 2013.
This document will remain, at least as long as I stay interested, during the hiatus. I noted in the final entry last night that with all of my contemplation on the future, my continued involvement with the band and Guitar Craft (or not) it was something of a cliffhanger ending to this cycle. Truth be told, it came to me in the real Morning Pages today that most of these decisions had already been made, possibly before the questions were even asked. This is not uncommon - A beginning is invisible, as we say.
Somewhat unrelated, it also came to me that the new year properly begins tomorrow, with the Winter Solstice (23:38 GMT). There are any number of arbitrary points by which we may mark our laps around the sun, but this one seems more appropriate to me, as a physical actuality as well as a symbolic point of reference.
Speaking of blogs / journals, the Saturday performance in NYC has been posted by the performer.
Local events have global repercussions.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Still Technically Morning
Morning earworm: Scuttle Buttin', Stevie Ray Vaughn. Rousing.
Ended up with only a couple of inches yesterday, but still enough to be inconvenient:
Wife ended up parking at the end of the road last night, so I joined her in the morning walk back, to check the mail. There was none, of course - the whole "Neither Rain Nor Sleet Nor Snow" thing apparently doesn't apply here. At any rate, I was out in this at 7:00 this morning. Ugh.
Being a good day to stay in yesterday, I did. Productive work in the Bunker, finally solving a nagging problem with the new rig, which as usual ended up being operator error. Who knew those footswitches were programmable? As is becoming the routine, all afternoon was spent in the kitchen again; the bread ended up being an all-day project, but was well worth the wait. In the interim, a bratwurst pizza was produced for dinner - fabbo, as always, if I do say so myself.
Needless to say, the band meeting was canceled, with no reschedule date yet. Works for me. I really need to get ahold of some people and put together a side project.
For now, at least the sun is out, and the temps promise to cross the freezing mark ascending. Word is the streets are clear, other than our little Back 40.
"Tomorrow" is the first lie of the Devil.
Ended up with only a couple of inches yesterday, but still enough to be inconvenient:
Wife ended up parking at the end of the road last night, so I joined her in the morning walk back, to check the mail. There was none, of course - the whole "Neither Rain Nor Sleet Nor Snow" thing apparently doesn't apply here. At any rate, I was out in this at 7:00 this morning. Ugh.
Being a good day to stay in yesterday, I did. Productive work in the Bunker, finally solving a nagging problem with the new rig, which as usual ended up being operator error. Who knew those footswitches were programmable? As is becoming the routine, all afternoon was spent in the kitchen again; the bread ended up being an all-day project, but was well worth the wait. In the interim, a bratwurst pizza was produced for dinner - fabbo, as always, if I do say so myself.
Needless to say, the band meeting was canceled, with no reschedule date yet. Works for me. I really need to get ahold of some people and put together a side project.
For now, at least the sun is out, and the temps promise to cross the freezing mark ascending. Word is the streets are clear, other than our little Back 40.
"Tomorrow" is the first lie of the Devil.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Fluffy White Evil
Morning earworm: Right Here Right Now, Jesus Jones. Heard it on the radio the other day.
Winter is at last upon us, beginning about an hour ago:
One upside - the only one, I'll venture - is that this may put a damper on tonight's band meeting. One can only hope.
Done a fair amount of soul searching over the last few days, questioning my direction, my future, and specifically my continued involvement in Guitar Craft. There are many factors at work here; the main challenge is that I am being called to do other things musically, and the growing rift I feel with many of my fellow Crafties, who are proving to be an ever more vocal bunch of bleeding-heart pinkos. I can't understand how it is that everything we have been taught is so easily abandoned when politics enters the picture. At any rate, I have a sense that it may be time to move on. Robert himself has said "For some, Guitar Craft is the Way; for others, it is a way to the Way." It would seem that I have moved into the latter category.
Ironically, it is much the same situation as with politics itself - the philosophy and system are sound, but it's practitioners have fallen woefully short.
Good habit is necessary, bad habit is inevitable.
Winter is at last upon us, beginning about an hour ago:
One upside - the only one, I'll venture - is that this may put a damper on tonight's band meeting. One can only hope.
Done a fair amount of soul searching over the last few days, questioning my direction, my future, and specifically my continued involvement in Guitar Craft. There are many factors at work here; the main challenge is that I am being called to do other things musically, and the growing rift I feel with many of my fellow Crafties, who are proving to be an ever more vocal bunch of bleeding-heart pinkos. I can't understand how it is that everything we have been taught is so easily abandoned when politics enters the picture. At any rate, I have a sense that it may be time to move on. Robert himself has said "For some, Guitar Craft is the Way; for others, it is a way to the Way." It would seem that I have moved into the latter category.
Ironically, it is much the same situation as with politics itself - the philosophy and system are sound, but it's practitioners have fallen woefully short.
Good habit is necessary, bad habit is inevitable.
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