One thing that never takes long when a park opens up in Florida is the inevitable art show. I consider these events unfair because A) the concept is over-used and B) the only true art is playing new electric bass lines to pre-1979 music. Since I paid to park anyway, I walked around the entire area and I met somebody from out of town. I knew it instantly, because he gave me straight answers. He is Don, of “Boxes by Boudreau”, see dotcom of same.
All this relates to my plan from years ago of placing computers and peripherals into custom wooden cases, similar to what you see here. This project is on hold. Thanks to Mr. Boudreau I now have the facts. A box like this one sells for $1,000. This would easily push what I have in mind upwards of $5,000 per set which I’m not ruling out but I won’t go there yet. Working full time three days per week, unpaid, the trade requires 18 months to learn. I’ve never made anything so pretty in my life as one of those boxes yet I just can’t see spending that much on one.[Author's note 2016: I wanted to build a custom wooden computer case and keyboard. But it took so long to find anybody willing to do the work or show me how to do it that somebody else beat me to it.]
It took time to assimilate the gig y’day and reach some conclusions. Was it a lucky coincidence? Here are some conclusions. The regulars did not “see” the lo-hat, because it sits behind a table where I stand, nor did they “hear” it, they thought somebody was playing a tambourine. The lo-hat works better at a slightly higher volume [than I usually play at]. I need better recordings as I cannot operate both the lo-hat and volume pedal at the same time. The audience is far more distracting when playing the lo-hat, which only practice will overcome but for now my act requires two separate brains doing different things.
Some of my earlier material has syncopated bass lines that cause serious timing errors, so it is a judgment call whether to go back and relearn them, or focus on new incoming material. I think the latter, as I’ve already made up my mind to use the lo-hat whenever suitable on new tunes if only to avoid the same problem later. I also visited Radio Shack to see what was available for another concept I’ve cooked up. I believe I can now take my show to the next level.
Wallace has been in touch and might be holidaying in Egypt by early next year. (Pssst, Florida is nicer.) I promise to publish a picture of him riding a camel if he dares to send one. I’ll have to write him the pronunciations of some choice Arabic phrases which come in handy, if only to know what the cab drivers are calling you. Alls I can say, people, is write things down or memory of the whole adventure will disappear when you do.
The progress with the ebook was sideways today, as I don’t know if I like either Adobe or HTML. I’ve been looking at other, more specialized ebook software. It turns out Adobe is all descending from the Acrobat series and that almost assures me there will be typesetting complications. One promising newcomer is Nitro PDF, which costs around $100. Trying to download the trial version brought up a scary specter – it would not download without the installation of a program known to be in MS SP3 (Service Pack 3).
Most of you with XP Pro are likely using SP2. You do not want SP3. While claiming to close “security holes”, SP3 instead inventories your entire computer system. Upon finding even one pirated software app, your computer will shut completely and permanently down in 30 minutes. You do not want SP3. (It must work on the premise that every piece of pirated code must somewhere have a clone.) I’ll find the workaround but you better watch out.
Trivia. What is the most common problem experienced by astronauts returning from extended stays in outer space? They take a while to relearn that objects fall downward when you let go of them.
Return Home
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
