January 4, 2018

Yesteryear
One year ago today: January 4, 2017, Mr. & Mrs. Red.
Five years ago today: January 4, 2013, San Diego never answered.
Nine years ago today: January 4, 2009, I look at Detroit.
Random years ago today: January 4, 2008, singles bars horrify me.

           I've got no photos for today, so here are the two most-downloaded photos in Florida on this date. If there is any political message hidden in them, I could care less.

           Seriously, nothing is going to happen around here until this weather improves. The consolation is that everywhere else, it is even worse. It was intolerable for warm blooded people, my complaints are nothing compared to what is underway out there. I’m fine, my room is heated to shirt-sleeve comfort and I found all the controllers for my electric blankets. Real blankets, friends, not those dreadful “heating pads” on the market these days. I heard a rumor they quit making them because of some danger to people who got numb under them, diabetics or something. So typically liberal to cater to a minority to the larger detriment of others. Like I give a twit if some gimp won’t read the instructions.

           We have a second coffee shop in the neighborhood. Before you jump for joy, the coffee is $2.68 per cup. With one free refill. The atmosphere is nicer though the locals filing through can get noisy. It’s a long, narrow establishment with no corners to be left alone. I was reviewing the music situation, kind of planning ahead should things go right. All is based on how well the lady keeps her commitment to push this thing through. I’m so glad she had no existing song list that needed ash-canning. I’ve gotten this far with a new person several times before and it’s important to keep expectations down. As mentioned we are still learning the easiest and best material I have.

           I may have found an engineer in town willing to CAD my porch for a reasonable price, that price being $350. Almost as much as the materials. I’m thinking on it, more to test the water than anything else. This new code inspector, he stinks of ex-cop. When he talks, he’s pumping you for info, he repeats back to things you did not say to see if he can trick you into correcting yourself, he will lie. I know of two people he’s said he found them by just driving down the street. Wrong. He has not been in town long enough to begin to drive down every street. He’s making enemies at a record pace, and I’m watching.

Picture of the day.
New Zealand bra fence.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           You know, I’m half decided to head back down to Miami and start barking orders. I can’t insist, between peers, that JZ do anything, but his refusal to go see a doctor is insufferable. I pinpoint it to the day he dragged that tent across the beach himself. He’s limping on his left side and developing all manner of bad habits to compensate for the lack of healing. On top of that, he’s breaking up with his off and on girlfriend for the umpteenth time. As far as I’m concerned, he’s had a stroke and in denial. Plus, I’d get a trip to Miami and a chance to do some recording on Trent’s new equipment, which is probably top shelf gear.

           The recordings made of my learning process are normally kept private, but some of them make excellent documentaries. Well, in the sense that since I describe what I’m doing, it would be easy for others to learn to play individual tunes from them. Elliott, my west coast pal, says the idea is worth pursuing, as in on-line. I’m listening, because it is impossible that I am the only bass player in the land that solos with this material. In particular, Elliott is referring to the duo arrangement I sent him last week of how I play “Guitars Cadillacs”.

           It goes like this. I make up a demo sample and post it on youTube with a list of what is available. Right now that would be around sixty tunes ranging from “Act Naturally” to “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights”. No, these are not bass lessons. They are instructions on how to play each song, including the intros, instrumental breaks, and outros, to a guitar strumming accompaniment. That means the bass plays all the important parts—whether the guitarist likes it or not. And he won’t. You send me ten bucks in cash and I send you the DVD.
           They are not bad productions either, normally with three parts. A quick demo and slow motion description of each note and pattern, originally for my own memory. Then a full speed recording of me playing along to the original recording. Then last, a third section showing me playing the song on bass and signing, with no accompaniment. That part alone is worth the ten bucks. Anyway, I’m thinking because I do need something.

Last Laugh

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