One year ago today: November 7, 2016, ask any Russian.
Five years ago today: November 7, 2012, about 300 rounds.
Nine years ago today: November 7, 2008, valet, handicap, early bird, or . . .
Random years ago today: November 7, 2015, guess I felt like typing.
Gosh. How do you like that word? Gosh, it sounds neat. No taking it easy for me. I was up at the lumber yard, getting the staff to load some cinder blocks in the car. Tuckered me out watching them, so I was home for a mid-morning nap. I mean, guys, that’s it. There is no excitement in central Florida unless you resort to hired help. I had been trying to read recent Arduino code, you know, in case it had improved since it first came out. Sadly, that has gone downhill. The most recent examples show again that C+ is a degenerate language. I am not the only one who feels this way, please read libraries are written by Satan.
The worst aspect is the increasing use of “libraries”. Around the same time as I spotted the real innovation of Arduino was its PWM capability, I predicted libraries would nullify Arduino’s lead in the field. Thus, I should explain what I mean because we’ve not see the last of these libraries. Correct programming languages have a set of agreed-upon commands (called keywords). Usually they have obvious forms, with English-like verbs and math symbols, such as LET X = A + B. It almost explains itself and even a beginner can guess that X, A, and B are variables.
The programmers task is to arrange those commands in an order that accomplishes a task. Because some tasks are repetitious, they are removed into modules called subroutines to be called upon when needed, using the command CALL. However, it is important to know that inside those subroutines, the individual commands remain the same. Anyone who knows the keywords can read either the main program or the subroutines because they all contain the same language.
Where C+ screws up is imagine if anyone who wrote a subroutine could make up his own commands, didn’t have to tell you what they were, and placed them where they could not be seen. That’s what these libraries are. To use the libraries, you have to stop what you are doing and somehow locate both the matching library and the operators manual. Or hunt around the planet for the person who wrote them and hope he speaks English, hasn’t died, and has paid his bills so that his URL is still active.
Worse, that manual or person may or may not even be available on the Internet, but if so, you’ll need a working Internet connection to download both the library and the users manual, which are often not at the same location. Nor does either download cross-reference the other, so you kind of have to guess what they are called and where to look. And make sure the computer you are using allows downloads, since they don’t all let you. And in case you haven’t heard, Google now locks out sites that contain code that Goodle doesn’t like, which I warned you fifteen years ago was going to happen.
Worse yet, once you get to the library commands, which use the vile dot notation, you’ll discover the coder, like every C+ coder, lacks imagination. (I found one bozo who put in the same library the commands “motor.turn”, “moto.turn”, “motor.run” and “motor.rotate”. It was up to you to figure out how each was different because he never explained it.) Anyone who likes C+ code just doesn’t know any better. It is my contention that people who don’t know any better should bow out of the programming field, gracefully or otherwise. And go choke on a fart.
Unfriendly tree.
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Late afternoon found me over at Bradford’s place. That’s the guy that keeps telling me he’d rather play in a band than not play in a band. It’s rarely easy to take that at face value, every musician wants to make a big initial splash. The snag is so many of them, particularly guitarists, keep flogging that horse into their 40s and 50s. Bradford has, however, has bombed out before and a year later after meeting me finally semi-agreed to try it my way. That’s word is “try”, he is not convinced and I have no intention of doing that. We were playing real music within a few minutes, but he has always dreamed of playing lead.
At this point he does not understand that most of his favorite tunes do not lend themselves to duo arrangements, even if he knew how to do that. Like the Hippie. he would rather pick lead breaks all day long instead of playing rhythm and just cannot understand why other musicians say to hell with that. Especially those arrogant bass players who don’t know they are “backup”.
This picture contains around 280 reasons why I prefer a country music crowd to any other kind.
He does not know a lot of chords. This is not such a problem with me, since I can carry the tune without any strumming. Which kind of surprised him. Furthermore, I’m used to guitar players who don’t really know their stuff when it gets to strumming. What’s more influential right now is that all the songs I want to play are already completely arranged for duo and I can show the other guy what to do. However, as usual, not one of his tunes are either arranged or even suitable for duo.
This creates a hurdle, as the other guy naturally wants to play his favorite tunes. And at this stage it appears to be that I’m doing the same. But I’m not. I’ve simply played these tunes before, favorite or not. My music is chosen (are you listening, Hippie) to have the greatest appeal to the greatest number. To entertain as large a cross-section of the audience as possible. That means a different choice of music than what I personally like. But man, just you try getting some closed-minded bastard to understand that!
Additionally, it has never happened yet that another band member who wanted to play a particular song had sat down and learned the bass part, then showed me how they would like it played. While I at least try to learn the guitar strumming to most songs on my list, the same courtesy has never been returned on bass. That’s the irony of the “bass is easy” crowd. They can’t play it, but they think it’s easy. At any rate, yes, I can show the rhythm player exactly what he could play while harboring hopes that he could manage a better job of it.
The encouraging part is that he gave things an honest try, as we agreed a week ago, and yes, he was playing three songs within a half hour. And playing them to a standard we could, if pressed, hit the stage already. This is always remarkable to guitarists who tend to think it takes weeks of laborious practice to work up each song. Heck no, learn the strumming rules and get out there. The tunes were familiar standards that as far as I am aware, no other band in Polk County plays them: “Jambalaya”, “Cocaine Blues”, and “Midnight Special”.
There is a long ways to go, as I won’t [as an almost-rule] proceed until he can play the snottlies out of these three little tunes. Then the next three. But mark my words, if he does the homework, this band would be an instant and successful hit in these parts. With no competition and no competition that could easily arise. I’ve been in the area a year and know every circuit musician when I say that.
ADDENDUM
Gals, guys don’t just want one thing. They want one thing first. When that’s over, they’ll want all kinds of other things and if you don't deliver, that's why you don't get the second date. You just don’t understand priorities. And if you have nothing left to offer them after you seal the deal, well, that would be your problem. I add that it is a staggeringly common problem. Still, it is your right to raise your daughters to make exactly the same mistakes and so on.
What’s wrong with all these guys? They want to have babies and have a little fun too? Not if you can help it.
Last Laugh
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