rants, raves, & randoms

Complaining about being a crappy surfer worked.  Monday night was really good.  Sometimes I kind of like surfing at less-than-awesome spots ‘cause less-than-awesome surfers go there too, which make me feel like I am really good.  It is (almost) always a confidence booster to surf at La Jolla Shores.  Surfing a mile up the road at Black’s does the opposite…

It turns out that all I needed to do was complain about how flat the surf has been in order to get something bigger.  Yesterday (the first time I’ve tried going to the beach since said complaining) I saw head-high+ waves pretty consistently up in Oceanside.

Now, I will complain about how I am not very good at surfing, and ended up just paddling around and shivering (for the most part) to see if that will fix the second problem.  My family and I are going to Mission Beach tomorrow evening, so I’ll let you know if this works!

As we are TV-less, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is how I end up getting most of my info on current events.  I was getting caught up the other day and I saw this.  I thought it was pretty funny, especially the very last line.  I apologize for the bits of profanity that pop up…luckily the are censored.

I re-discovered this today.  I think it is stunning.  Not that I don’t like the original version (by Joy Division), but this interpretation feels so much more desperate.  I am especially drawn in during the second verse (“Why is the bedroom so cold?”).  The Norwegian accent only heightens the starkness.

“Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Susanna and the Magical Orchestra (from Melody Mountain):

I’ve been meaning to post these pictures for a while.  For some reason I have a really hard time getting my wife’s camera to take a clear picture without a flash.  I played with a four-part consort today, and I have to say that I am even more impressed with this instrument everyday.  I have really been trying to stay objective about it, trying to not get excited, but just listen and play.  Still, it is really a joy to play…now if I could just get some gigs!

My new viola da gamba showed up on Friday afternoon.  As you may be aware, I’ve been waiting for this thing for about eight months.  The luthier originally told me it’d probably be done around November (of 2009), then December/January, then March, then April, then May, then June.  About four weeks ago he told me it would for sure be here in time for a gig I had on the 19th…it wasn’t.

The worst part of the whole situation was just that I sold me old instrument in an effort to get the funds together to pay for this one.  I sold it at a time that I thought would be appropriate, and that I wouldn’t be sans viol for too terribly long; I was terribly wrong.  I’ve been without an instrument (or was until Friday) for six months.

All of that is behind me now, though, as I have a brand new, shiny instrument in my house.  Technically it is here on a trial; if I am not happy with the instrument, I can send it back, and be cleared of the financial obligation(s).

Friday was pretty busy, and I had to play that house concert.  Here is a picture of me getting ready for that.

Cute kids.

Anyway, I’ve been a little short on time recently, so I’ve only been able to play for a few hours since I got the instrument.  I still haven’t totally decided if I am keeping it or not.  I was always planning on it, but I am trying to be as objective as possible.  It’s a lot of money, and this is likely the last shot I’ll get at buying a “professional-quality” instrument, so I want to make sure everything is right.  I am pretty happy with how it sounds, very happy in fact.  I haven’t had a chance to play with an ensemble yet (that’ll come tomorrow), but it sounds gorgeous all by itself here in my living room.  There are a few cosmetic issues that I am a little worried about, and they are the thing(s) that are keeping me up in the air for the moment.  Basically, the varnish seems sub par.  There are several places where it is quite thin, so that I can see the un-colored wood beneath it, and it feels a little rough overall.  Technically the sound is what should be my biggest concern, and I am pretty happy with that, but, the varnish can be a pretty important part of the equation for the future of the instrument’s health.  I am going to write the luthier and see what he has to say about the varnish.

Alright, alright, so here is a picture.  I’ll try to get some more detailed ones soon.

Okay, so the new instrument is actually on its way today!  It finally shipped on Wednesday and is scheduled for delivery some time today.  I am pretty excited to finally see/play/hear this thing!  I’ll certainly post some pictures and other info as soon as I get a chance.  I am actually playing a concert tonight on double bass (with which I am quite out of practice), so I might try to hold off on playing the new instrument too much until that is over…with a good deal of emphasis on the word might.

Perhaps you are aware of Beck’s “Record Club.”  If you’ve been following my blog for a year or so, you might remember me bringing this up before.  Basically, Beck has this on-going project wherein he will pull his friends together and they will re-make a favorite album.  Generally, these sessions happen quickly, recording the whole album in one day.  The first album they did was The Velvet Underground & Nico.  He then releases one song each week.  This week we get a new album: Live at the Acropolis by Yanni.  Yes, that Yanni.

Here is today’s release:

Record Club: Yanni “Santorini” from Beck Hansen on Vimeo.

So, if you haven’t noticed (and it’s likely that you didn’t, ‘cause I am the only one anal enough to notice crap like this), I have converted everything ‘round to Helvetica. Helvetica is this magic typeface that makes everything look awesome. I’ve been off Helvetica for a while now, I was on a bit of a Gill Sans and Century Gothic craze for about six months, but I’m back.

Since I am not super savvy with CSS, this blog doesn’t look exactly as awesome as I’d like. You should check out my website to see what I wish I could get this blog to resemble. Oh, and if you are on Windows, you’re probably getting cheated a bit as you’re likely reading Arial right now instead of Helvetica. Sorry.

I did a full redesign on my website a few days ago and then changed it back almost immediately. So now it’s back to the way it used to look, except now it’s 100% Helvetica, or should I say it is “Hella Helvetica!”

I rediscovered this quote today:

An artist must regulate his life.  Here, then, is the precise schedule of my daily activities:

I get up at 7:18 A.M.  I am inspired from 10:23 to 11:47.  I have lunch at 12:11 and leave the table to 12:14.

I ride on my horse for my health’s sake, at the rear of my estate, from 1:19 P.M. until 2:53.  Another bout of inspiration from 3:12 to 4:07.

Different occupations (fencing, reflection, immobility, visiting, contemplation, dexterity, swimming, etc.) from 4:21 to 6:47.

Dinner is served at 7:16 and over at 7:20.  Then come symphonic readings (aloud) from 8:09 until 9:59.

My bedtime is regularly at 10:37.  Every week I awaken with a start at 3:19 A.M. (Tuesdays).

The guy who wrote that, also wrote this:

“I. Lent et douloureux” from Trois Gymnopédies by Erik Satie

And this, which I think is hilarious:

“III. De Podophthalma, Un peu vif” from Embryons desséchés by Erik Satie: