Oh boy... a photo database for foamers!
RailPictures.net
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Sunday, March 11, 2007
An exhausting few weeks
I don't know for sure why I'm blogging about it at almost 4am, but maybe I'm still too wound up to sleep.
Classes are pretty much finished for the quarter--all that's left is to get grades worked out and submitted. Then it's prep for next quarter's classes... one of which is getting a total overhaul. Getting a full night's sleep seems like a distant memory.
On the music front, I'm really busy. Had two R&B gigs this weekend with Chadwick Williams, one at 14 Below in Santa Monica and the other at the Derby on Los Feliz. I keep thinking we're such dinosaurs that people will throw us out of these places, but it seems like this classic R&B stuff really connects with people. Go figure. I'm still doing a fair bit of legit playing--both on clarinet and flute. Jazz is happening, but the bar is being raised in lessons now so I'm spending as much time as possible working on it all. Last but not least, I've been trying my hand at arranging for a couple of the ensembles I'm in, and I'm having some early successes. Two tunes (one significantly better than the other) for the nonet, a couple for Chadwick Williams, and one jazz interpretation of "Amazing Grace" for the clarinet ensemble. It's challenging, but a lot of fun.
Stress on the homefront. Kinda ugly, and I hate being conflicted like this. I guess one of life's harsher lessons is that even with the best of intentions, sometimes everyone loses.
Actually, maybe I always knew that.
Classes are pretty much finished for the quarter--all that's left is to get grades worked out and submitted. Then it's prep for next quarter's classes... one of which is getting a total overhaul. Getting a full night's sleep seems like a distant memory.
On the music front, I'm really busy. Had two R&B gigs this weekend with Chadwick Williams, one at 14 Below in Santa Monica and the other at the Derby on Los Feliz. I keep thinking we're such dinosaurs that people will throw us out of these places, but it seems like this classic R&B stuff really connects with people. Go figure. I'm still doing a fair bit of legit playing--both on clarinet and flute. Jazz is happening, but the bar is being raised in lessons now so I'm spending as much time as possible working on it all. Last but not least, I've been trying my hand at arranging for a couple of the ensembles I'm in, and I'm having some early successes. Two tunes (one significantly better than the other) for the nonet, a couple for Chadwick Williams, and one jazz interpretation of "Amazing Grace" for the clarinet ensemble. It's challenging, but a lot of fun.
Stress on the homefront. Kinda ugly, and I hate being conflicted like this. I guess one of life's harsher lessons is that even with the best of intentions, sometimes everyone loses.
Actually, maybe I always knew that.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Blog 2.0: Just like plastic surgery, but WAY cheaper!
There should be a shelter for abandoned blogs. Caring people could adopt them, give them baths, and make them feel special again. Then I wouldn't have to feel so guilty about the ones I've orphaned out there in cyberspace. I imagine their little electrons glowing as they hope someone will come post, but alas... they're left to gather... well... the virtual equivalent of dust. Whatever that is.
Current events: Um, lots of stuff. Maybe this topic needs subheadings...
Current events-->Work: Have a stack of midterm reports on the desk that measures out to about four inches high. Let's see here... assuming an average paper weight of around 24 pounds, that yields an estimate of just under a thousand pages of stuff to read and grade by Tuesday. Should keep me out of trouble this weekend.
Current events-->Music: Been playing quite a bit. Highlights include a disaster of a gig at Disney's California Adventures Park (I'll skip the depressing details--suffice to say I'm boycotting anything Disney these days), a couple of R&B shows, a bit of big band playing, and, more recently, some legit playing on--gasp--my flute. I'm still practicing as much as humanly possible--it never seems to be enough to make the kind of progress I'd like to be making, but it'll have to do. Also started working on my jazz with Terry Harrington recently, which is both mind-expanding and frustrating. He's got an intriguing approach to harmony and this innate sense of groove that can make simple improvisations mesmerizing. Trouble is, that stuff is HARD to learn--at least for this relative latecomer to jazz--and I often find myself wondering if I'll ever be as fluid with my ideas as, well... anyone who knows what they're doing. Unfortunately, the only way to find out is to keep practicing, so that's what I do.
Current events-->General. We're still at war. Some dead celebrity who I couldn't care less about is still dominating the headlines. Democratic hopefuls are already slinging campaign mud at one another. And I don't know why I even bother reading the news anymore--nothing ever seems to change. The inane "random question" Blogger provides for our user profiles makes about as much sense.
By the way...
Gig alert:
2/24/07 (Saturday) 7:15pm
The Mint Los Angeles
w/ Chadwick Williams
R&B. Me on baritone sax. OPEN BAR from 8-9pm. What else could ya want?
G'night.
Current events: Um, lots of stuff. Maybe this topic needs subheadings...
Current events-->Work: Have a stack of midterm reports on the desk that measures out to about four inches high. Let's see here... assuming an average paper weight of around 24 pounds, that yields an estimate of just under a thousand pages of stuff to read and grade by Tuesday. Should keep me out of trouble this weekend.
Current events-->Music: Been playing quite a bit. Highlights include a disaster of a gig at Disney's California Adventures Park (I'll skip the depressing details--suffice to say I'm boycotting anything Disney these days), a couple of R&B shows, a bit of big band playing, and, more recently, some legit playing on--gasp--my flute. I'm still practicing as much as humanly possible--it never seems to be enough to make the kind of progress I'd like to be making, but it'll have to do. Also started working on my jazz with Terry Harrington recently, which is both mind-expanding and frustrating. He's got an intriguing approach to harmony and this innate sense of groove that can make simple improvisations mesmerizing. Trouble is, that stuff is HARD to learn--at least for this relative latecomer to jazz--and I often find myself wondering if I'll ever be as fluid with my ideas as, well... anyone who knows what they're doing. Unfortunately, the only way to find out is to keep practicing, so that's what I do.
Current events-->General. We're still at war. Some dead celebrity who I couldn't care less about is still dominating the headlines. Democratic hopefuls are already slinging campaign mud at one another. And I don't know why I even bother reading the news anymore--nothing ever seems to change. The inane "random question" Blogger provides for our user profiles makes about as much sense.
By the way...
Gig alert:
2/24/07 (Saturday) 7:15pm
The Mint Los Angeles
w/ Chadwick Williams
R&B. Me on baritone sax. OPEN BAR from 8-9pm. What else could ya want?
G'night.
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