April 30, 2008

           Due to lack of a suitable replacement camera, you get a stock shot of the last day of the trailer court. I’ll be here another month but the slow dismantling of everything has begun. Ah, the early morning symphony of saber-saw on aluminum. The management has kept a tight reign on looting, but that has begun also, particularly the obviously abandoned units. This place, with the prominent security cameras and infrared floodlights, has been left quite alone. This photo is the first unit I’d looked at, but never bought. Look close and you can see almost all aluminum has been removed.
           I’ve made up with Pudding-Tat over that embarrassing incident with the fog machine. It took two extra rations of Publix pet-junk, and we are at least on purring terms again. The next phase is assuring her it is the primordial mist of the jungle, now digitalized like the rest of her world. Hey, if she thinks those crunchy-wunchy pelletoids are cat food, she’ll buy anything.
           Testing the device was fun. The fog does not linger and will set off nearby smoke detectors, as stated in the manual. The unit is intermittent duty, that is, you must depress and hold a switch to make it operate. You get a twenty second spurt before the nozzle cools down. The literature says odorless, but there is a distinct mild chemical aroma I can’t quite place. The casing is metal no plastic, indicating they’ve had safety issues. In all, it is exactly what I was looking for. Now to train my audience.
           For no good reason, I read over a list of the local by-laws for conducting a business from your own home. While far less restrictive than corresponding laws in other countries, the laws here are more invasive. Where a Venezuelan law might limit the number of vehicles that can park in front of your house, the American law is focused on who you are and what you are doing.
           This doesn’t make sense, if they know everything, how can you wipe out the established competition with a totally new product and throw hundreds of people out of work? Before you get too holy on me, remember that by preventing it here, you are merely forcing innovation overseas. Why would anyone object to a new idea that puts Starbucks out of business and brings a cup of coffee back down to a reasonable 75 cents with free refills? Then when that deadhead ahead of you wants chocolate sprinkles, they send her to Dairy Queen.
           Waiting for a phone call, I picked up the bass and ran through half my song list. Two things I liked, first I could play half the list again and second, my old drum lessons are finally beginning to kick in. That requires explanation. From one persepective, I chose the two instruments that are played most dissimilarly in this type of band. You have to “think” about the drum to lay down the beat, but then “not think” about it while the bass is played. At first, this confines you to very basic arrangements. You should hear me now, remember, I took pro drum lessons but never took a bass lesson in my life.