That brings us to today’s photo. It is the replacement for WD40. It does the same job, smells the same, and costs half as much per can. Johnson’s Silicone Lubricant. Part of my inventory is routine maintenance and my career in telecommunications taught me the true worth of a good can of oil goop in a spray can. My expensive Ernie Ball volume pedal requires more of this product than I’d ever have imagined. I told you it was a slow day.It was a little cooler, enabling me to get some yard work done. The tree branches are overhanging the road again, and also over the patio where raindrops make them bend into the pathway. I had to get supplies over at Big Lots, so I stopped at the Panera for coffee early this AM. That place has really changed since I moved to this area. It is now an old people’s dive, kind of where all the old buggers go to make noise and pretend they know computers.
They behave like a bunch of former civil servants. There was one coot shouting on his cell phone as if any delay was a conspiracy, “What do you mean later this afternoon!” Another one decided his bagel was over-toasted, so he took a knife and scraped off a layer of crumbs right onto the carpet. I can safely say they are the lower grade of retiree with whom I will never have anything in common. Well, because I’m far more educated and have better things to do. Pete the Rock was not there.
I had to walk downtown, the two-mile trip took an hour. Funny I can’t lose weight. Did you know there are more fat people in the world than starving people? Yep, only 400 million go hungry vs. 1,000 million who eat too much. Seems to me that I already mentioned that, along with the fact that the average person’s DNA contains around 100 harmless mutations. But did I indeed mention that? Probably not without a snide remark or two. Like the brother who is too chicken-shit to hit on a woman, so he waits until after you do and then puts the squeeze on her when your back is turned. That’s pretty mutated, if you ask me.
They may not know it, but Sam Ash is about to get most of my business. Due to exemplary customer service (return later for details), they have completely reversed my original impression. They also sell the Fischer PA which apparently has a special bass speaker configuration I must hear for myself. Plus, the tech, Paulo, has steered me toward a pedal operated MIDI unit that (unlike most MIDI) is geared toward live stage work. By a unique pattern of three pedals, tunes can be broken into components such as intro/verse/chorus and replayed in any desired pattern.
Plus, the finished product is completely computerized (fits on a notebook). It is called AbletonLive, or similar, I’ll be doing the research soon. I’m enthused by Paulo’s description, for said equipment would be a godsend to an experienced foot-pedal operator such as myself. Regular MIDI is pre-recorded and cannot be played “live”. Nearly every tune I play has stops as an integral part of my show often because such things are very difficult to fake with a recording. But MIDI behaves like a recording, starting again where it left off, making it useless for such work. This new system will apparently start again at the beginning or any other place. Let me at it.
[Author's note 2015-07-07: in the end, I decided against MIDI. The unique factor in my music is including items that must be live and which therefore change with every show.]
As we move toward Bill 1070, Arizona reports that the number of illegal aliens has already dropped by 100,000. 1070 outlaws the hiring of day laborers off the street and actually shuts down businesses that employ aliens (other states just give them a fine, which is zero-sum since they then don’t have to pay the wages). This is not Arizona’s first protest against D.C., back ‘87 they cancelled MLK day celebrations. When the feds belatedly promised to extend the fence along the Mexican border, Arizona shot back, “Show me a 50 foot fence and I’ll show you a 51 foot ladder.” Hold your breath, America.
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