How do you get your music nowadays?
I have a passion for music. It's something I listen to everyday, without fail. There isn't one single day that goes by that I haven't listened to at least a few hours of music, even if it's a background to something else I might be doing. It's always there, always revving me up, giving me something that fills and heals and can be sunny or sad. All of it is something I can't do without.
Music has always been around for me. I grew up with my mother's albums played on various degrees of better record players and stereos. Every evening after dinner, in the back room of the house where we grew up, she would sit at her sewing machine with Tony Bennett, Petula Clark, or Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass. She would play scores of Andy Williams, Perry Como, and Vicki Carr. I remember the latter being so dramatic and thinking that, if this is an example of how it should be done, she was committed. I probably carried that with me going into teenage years and early twenties when I lived and breathed theater. I couldn't and wouldn't, for all the world, get away from the music.
My dad sang in the church choir. He would go up with the group to the loft and pipe organs above while the rest of the family sat below in the center of the church. After each mass he would ask, "Could you hear me?" It was a choir of blended voices but I could pick his out of the crowd. He would smile back at me when I strongly nodded my head in a definite positive. He wanted to be heard even in the crowd. We practiced songs together while he drove around in the car doing every day errands. Over and over we would sing the same tunes trying to perfect the harmonies, laughing at missed notes, and trying it again. It was always acapella and sometimes he would start or sometimes it would be me. We always gave it the Vicki Carr commitment.
It was many years later while listening to the radio with a co-worker that I realized not everyone could pick out the different instruments playing in songs. I thought everyone could hear the horn, keyboard, or strings that would float through a piece. When I realized not everyone tuned into music that way I couldn't help but think if what they heard was only a mash of notes. What did they actually hear or did they hear anything at all? How could that be? The years of playing piano taught me to read those notes and understand their placements, and timing, crescendos and decrescendos. It didn't hurt to have it all around me with a brother that became a virtuoso at that keyboard or the brothers that picked up 6-string, 12-string guitars, banjos and sang. We were all a fearless bunch of happy racket makers. But what a joyously wonderful way to make noise.
The music stays with me all the time. I played it over and over while painting this room. I play it each night in the kitchen while making dinner. It's on the deck while we relax and sit outside. It's with me on runs, long or short. There are different ways to get it these days instead of large vinyl record albums or only on the local stations of radios. But with all the technology, it sometimes get's hard to figure out where to pin it down or how to find something new. I only know I have it and it's never going away.
TT
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Godspell Revival
A girlfriend of mine from work is leaving for New York City tomorrow. She is very excited about it and was counting down the days and letting me know she had gotten tickets for David Letterman and Wicked. All the talk and excitement had me wishing I was going to NYC. I would love to see another Broadway show. I thought about it so much I went out and searched for the newest of Broadway shows. I thought I had found a few that sounded very interesting but then I came across this interesting bit of information.
Godspell will open in previews at Broadway's Circle on the Square Theatre on Oct. 13, with an opening night of Nov. 7 at the
Circle in the Square.
It seems they are doing a revival of this show in previews in NYC that dates back to the late 1970's. Ah, well, yes...I would know because I was actually IN a small home-town local production (one I actually produced with a partner of mine) way back when in 1977. It was a stretch of years that I spent a majority of my time around live theatre. Here is the original stencil I made for posters and I also used it to paint the backs of cotton denim work shirts for the entire cast.
Rather nifty? Don't you think? I did it freehand and it mostly looks like the original.
All this thinking back had me pulling out some old stuff from that production. Then I started playing around with some of the technology that I know nothing about and thought it might be interesting if I could figure out how to make a clip of what I had. So with some trial and error I put together a 34.5 second clip. I have it for you just below. It isn't too long if you don't mind hearing me sing during one of our live performances from microphones set up at the front of the stage on a reel-to-reel recorder back in 1977.
What the heck! I'm only giving you a short bit if you don't mind the listen. It takes me way, way back...
Maybe we weren't exactly Broadway...but then, who would think we would have the technology now to listen to something that took place so many years ago? Heck, who would think I would be able to figure out the technology to put it together so you could hear me way back from 1977- right now?
TT
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Wasn't it magic beans?
It was more than a week ago. I can tell you it was Friday, June 10th at approximately 7:20am. I had arrived at my desk not twenty minutes before and was already reaching for my iPod nano 5th generation. I was reaching for my music. It had been a tough week, it was a Friday morning, and I was already reaching to escape with my tunes to get through this last day of the week.
That is when I realized it wasn't working. Okay, my iPod probably needed a charge and I knew someone at work that kept a charger at their desk. I went over and plugged it in. Nothing. I waited. Nothing. It wouldn't take a charge. No Apple logo appeared to let me know it was going to work. Nothing. It basically was displaying the blue screen of death except it's an Apple product and it doesn't go blue...it just doesn't. Nothing. Darkness all around.
Noooohoohooo!
Yes. I knew it. It wasn't going to work any longer. I tried to find out what might have caused the meltdown (not mine - the device). I searched some forums and found on a running site that moisture can certainly stop the music. I run with this in my pocket all the time. When I run I get drenched. I knew what I had done. I had killed it with my sweat.
Now what? I searched Apple products. I found a new version iPod nano 6th generation. It was tiny. It didn't have some of the options the model I owned had (like a video camera) but I never used that. I use it for...let me see...music and my Nike+ running application. I ordered it right after lunch on Friday. I figured I could wait the week for delivery and not pay the extra shipping. The estimated delivery date was Saturday, June 18th. It didn't arrive on Saturday.
On Sunday, we went to Sonny's house and he asked me if I had put my burned out iPod into a bag of rice like he told me. We had talked on the phone the day before and he had mentioned this idea. I knew my iPod 5th was gone but I thought I would keep his advise in mind as a preventative for the new that had yet to be delivered. I told him on Sunday I hadn't done as he said and he explained it wasn't a preventative - it was a remedy. He grabbed a baggy out of his pantry, put some uncooked rice in it and demanded by iPod 5th. I, of course, handed it over and he dropped it into the baggy of rice. I put it into my purse and didn't think about it until the next day. Then Monday morning at work I pulled it out of my purse. I had my charger with me and thought...why not...plug it in and give it a try. I was fully expecting it to stay as dead as it had been before.
But I was wrong! The rice seems to have worked on my iPod! It wasn't a minute before I got the Apple logo!!! One night in a bag of rice and instant iPod! It sucked out all the killer sweat from the device and brought it back to life.
Meanwhile, no delivery of the new iPod nano 6th generation. Until this afternoon. Estimated delivery date, Saturday, June 18th. Actual delivery date, Tuesday, June 21st. It was late, but I got it.
It had been stated to me...It's tiny, but is it waterproof? Ahhh, no.
But now I have a magic bag of rice. (And two iPods)!
TT
That is when I realized it wasn't working. Okay, my iPod probably needed a charge and I knew someone at work that kept a charger at their desk. I went over and plugged it in. Nothing. I waited. Nothing. It wouldn't take a charge. No Apple logo appeared to let me know it was going to work. Nothing. It basically was displaying the blue screen of death except it's an Apple product and it doesn't go blue...it just doesn't. Nothing. Darkness all around.
Noooohoohooo!
Yes. I knew it. It wasn't going to work any longer. I tried to find out what might have caused the meltdown (not mine - the device). I searched some forums and found on a running site that moisture can certainly stop the music. I run with this in my pocket all the time. When I run I get drenched. I knew what I had done. I had killed it with my sweat.
Now what? I searched Apple products. I found a new version iPod nano 6th generation. It was tiny. It didn't have some of the options the model I owned had (like a video camera) but I never used that. I use it for...let me see...music and my Nike+ running application. I ordered it right after lunch on Friday. I figured I could wait the week for delivery and not pay the extra shipping. The estimated delivery date was Saturday, June 18th. It didn't arrive on Saturday.
On Sunday, we went to Sonny's house and he asked me if I had put my burned out iPod into a bag of rice like he told me. We had talked on the phone the day before and he had mentioned this idea. I knew my iPod 5th was gone but I thought I would keep his advise in mind as a preventative for the new that had yet to be delivered. I told him on Sunday I hadn't done as he said and he explained it wasn't a preventative - it was a remedy. He grabbed a baggy out of his pantry, put some uncooked rice in it and demanded by iPod 5th. I, of course, handed it over and he dropped it into the baggy of rice. I put it into my purse and didn't think about it until the next day. Then Monday morning at work I pulled it out of my purse. I had my charger with me and thought...why not...plug it in and give it a try. I was fully expecting it to stay as dead as it had been before.
But I was wrong! The rice seems to have worked on my iPod! It wasn't a minute before I got the Apple logo!!! One night in a bag of rice and instant iPod! It sucked out all the killer sweat from the device and brought it back to life.
Meanwhile, no delivery of the new iPod nano 6th generation. Until this afternoon. Estimated delivery date, Saturday, June 18th. Actual delivery date, Tuesday, June 21st. It was late, but I got it.
It had been stated to me...It's tiny, but is it waterproof? Ahhh, no.
But now I have a magic bag of rice. (And two iPods)!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Soundtracks
Sonny got me into TRON: Legacy R3Reconfigur3d. Oh, not the movie. I haven't seen the movie unless you are talking about the original. I saw that one. But I haven't seen a movie since...um...oh, the remake of True Grit. The one with Jeff Bridges...right. Same guy that was in TRON...both. But no, I didn't see it. Sonny got me into the soundtrack from the new movie. I have it on my iPod now.
I liked it when I listened to it. I'm not so much into the podcasts you can download for running. All the faux beeps and beats got really boring. I was a little afraid the soundtrack would be a little too synthesized for my taste but I guess it helps to have a movie budget behind you. This is pretty good. It is very well done. You can hear the bouncing fade up increasing to the heights then leveled off by the deep marching base and hold and repeat of the first track Derezzed (remixed by the Glitch Mob).
So I thought with all my running problems and since I was off from work I would give it a try on a run. I was right. That first track started me off very clean, well paced.
I was going along, was just into my first mile and the third track is getting ready to start...The Grid (remixed by the Crystal Method). I was looking forward to this one. When I had listened to it previously I actually thought it would do well for a kickboxing class. It has the steady thread of a beat that could time the required punches and kicks perfectly. I kept running waiting for it to play through my ear buds. I kept running and waited. Nothing happened. Nothing was playing. I pulled the iPod out of my pocket and it had gone dark with the apple symbol showing. Uh-oh, not good. I got it going again, it played for 2 seconds and it happened again and then once more. Great. It wasn't syncing with my Nike+ sensor, so I opted for just music. No go. I had slowed down but I should have stopped running while doing this. Then the music stopped again and when I reached for it this time I stubbed the toe of my shoe and did a trip up. At least this time I knew I was falling and didn't go down hard. But yeah, boom, left side of shin, sitting in dirt, get up, get up, get up now. No damage, wipe the dirt of my leg, keep going but stuff the iPod in my pocket, pull the ear buds out and jam the wires into the same pocket. I seemed to be huffin' and puffin' a bit much but I realized I was hearing myself. Adjust, keep going.
I did. I took away the gadgets and listened to myself and ran. After a bit I was breathing steady, I was running fine, felt good. I wasn't thinking about what the sensor would tell me at the end of the workout when I was done because it didn't capture the workout.
It was actually a good thing. I was paying attention to my run, not to the gadgets. I knew the sensor would give out. I have a new one I ordered a month ago since I knew the battery only lasts a year. I will get it going again but will set it and stick in my pocket for a while. I'm going to get back to some basics like listening to myself instead of the gadgets. I know my routes and their distances. It was four miles this time. I will get out there and be present in the run again instead of mechanical distractions that might be fouling up my getting back on par with my actual running. I can give myself the chance to remind myself the basic reasons I enjoy this so much.
So I got into a new soundtrack today. It's called Listening to Myself (remixed by the Tessa Tumble).
TT
I liked it when I listened to it. I'm not so much into the podcasts you can download for running. All the faux beeps and beats got really boring. I was a little afraid the soundtrack would be a little too synthesized for my taste but I guess it helps to have a movie budget behind you. This is pretty good. It is very well done. You can hear the bouncing fade up increasing to the heights then leveled off by the deep marching base and hold and repeat of the first track Derezzed (remixed by the Glitch Mob).
So I thought with all my running problems and since I was off from work I would give it a try on a run. I was right. That first track started me off very clean, well paced.
I was going along, was just into my first mile and the third track is getting ready to start...The Grid (remixed by the Crystal Method). I was looking forward to this one. When I had listened to it previously I actually thought it would do well for a kickboxing class. It has the steady thread of a beat that could time the required punches and kicks perfectly. I kept running waiting for it to play through my ear buds. I kept running and waited. Nothing happened. Nothing was playing. I pulled the iPod out of my pocket and it had gone dark with the apple symbol showing. Uh-oh, not good. I got it going again, it played for 2 seconds and it happened again and then once more. Great. It wasn't syncing with my Nike+ sensor, so I opted for just music. No go. I had slowed down but I should have stopped running while doing this. Then the music stopped again and when I reached for it this time I stubbed the toe of my shoe and did a trip up. At least this time I knew I was falling and didn't go down hard. But yeah, boom, left side of shin, sitting in dirt, get up, get up, get up now. No damage, wipe the dirt of my leg, keep going but stuff the iPod in my pocket, pull the ear buds out and jam the wires into the same pocket. I seemed to be huffin' and puffin' a bit much but I realized I was hearing myself. Adjust, keep going.
I did. I took away the gadgets and listened to myself and ran. After a bit I was breathing steady, I was running fine, felt good. I wasn't thinking about what the sensor would tell me at the end of the workout when I was done because it didn't capture the workout.
It was actually a good thing. I was paying attention to my run, not to the gadgets. I knew the sensor would give out. I have a new one I ordered a month ago since I knew the battery only lasts a year. I will get it going again but will set it and stick in my pocket for a while. I'm going to get back to some basics like listening to myself instead of the gadgets. I know my routes and their distances. It was four miles this time. I will get out there and be present in the run again instead of mechanical distractions that might be fouling up my getting back on par with my actual running. I can give myself the chance to remind myself the basic reasons I enjoy this so much.
So I got into a new soundtrack today. It's called Listening to Myself (remixed by the Tessa Tumble).
TT
Thursday, April 7, 2011
iPod review
I wrote up this nice piece about music. I wrote how it has always been in my life, how it is something I remember from my childhood and how it is still a constant to this day. I wrote about my childhood home being filled with music. I wrote about listening to the music my Mom played on her stereo, my Dad singing and all the instruments my brothers played from banjo, harmonica, bongo, tamborines, six and twelve string guitars and piano. I can pluck different songs and floating notes from the past. I can piece together pictures from songs that were played at different times of my life.
I still consume large portions of music most of the time. The type of music can vary widely and it would be hard to pinpoint a category that could be called my choice of music. It wouldn't fit into the normal guidelines that separate the different genres of music. My choices are too varied. It might be dangerous to put my iPod on shuffle because the mix it would produce might give anyone else a headache.
And that brought me to actually abandon my nice piece about music and look at my iPod. That in itself can be a dangerous thing. There I go again trying to learn something about myself from an electronic device. It never seems to end well when I do that. But I did it anyway. I picked up my iPod and checked one of my playlists. I wasn't thinking about the music - I was just scanning the titles. Here was my first sampling:
Coming Undone, Hopeless, Going Under, Sound of Madness, Cry for Help, Basket Case...
Do I need to go on? Sounds suspicious, doesn't it? Are my electronics trying to point something out to me? (Again)!
So I couldn't leave it at that. Just because recently I may have a, a, I've had a...downturn in certain titles of songs I went to another list to find some, some, I went to find more positive titles. Okay, yeah. Here is what I found:
Merry Happy, Motivation, Love is Free, OK-It's alright with me, Good Enough.
Ah heck. Who am I kidding. My music is my music is my music. I didn't come up with the titles. I only know I listen to alot of it and I have for a very long time and I will continue no matter what. I can't make excuses for the music that might depict any type of insanity on my part or how the positive titles I listen to are only moderately positive. (Ok is alright? Good enough? - not exactly getting the highest scores on the positive meter now, are they)?
I guess there might be one title that might capture this entire situation. Here is it:
Gone to the Dogs.
TT
I still consume large portions of music most of the time. The type of music can vary widely and it would be hard to pinpoint a category that could be called my choice of music. It wouldn't fit into the normal guidelines that separate the different genres of music. My choices are too varied. It might be dangerous to put my iPod on shuffle because the mix it would produce might give anyone else a headache.
And that brought me to actually abandon my nice piece about music and look at my iPod. That in itself can be a dangerous thing. There I go again trying to learn something about myself from an electronic device. It never seems to end well when I do that. But I did it anyway. I picked up my iPod and checked one of my playlists. I wasn't thinking about the music - I was just scanning the titles. Here was my first sampling:
Coming Undone, Hopeless, Going Under, Sound of Madness, Cry for Help, Basket Case...
Do I need to go on? Sounds suspicious, doesn't it? Are my electronics trying to point something out to me? (Again)!
So I couldn't leave it at that. Just because recently I may have a, a, I've had a...downturn in certain titles of songs I went to another list to find some, some, I went to find more positive titles. Okay, yeah. Here is what I found:
Merry Happy, Motivation, Love is Free, OK-It's alright with me, Good Enough.
Ah heck. Who am I kidding. My music is my music is my music. I didn't come up with the titles. I only know I listen to alot of it and I have for a very long time and I will continue no matter what. I can't make excuses for the music that might depict any type of insanity on my part or how the positive titles I listen to are only moderately positive. (Ok is alright? Good enough? - not exactly getting the highest scores on the positive meter now, are they)?
I guess there might be one title that might capture this entire situation. Here is it:
Gone to the Dogs.
TT
Monday, January 3, 2011
Amp it
I am beginning this first week of the newest year by sitting here with my regular routine before work. There is a difference today in that I have my newest powersong CRANKED! Good thing I am upstairs but I still might be disturbing this early thick silence by not only piercing it but by completely shattering it. Shards flying everywhere. Run for cover, shield your faces, someone might get hurt.
I would say sorry but 'ya know...not.
I take a lot of simple pleasures from small things and finding this song is one of those things. What better way to start a cloudy, cold morning back to the grinding standard than to shake up the old with a lashing of driven power contained within the body of notes, instruments and vocals! Ahhh, wow. Take me there. Amp it. Fill that shot glass to the brim and down it fast. Feel the initial burn and the heat spread energizing all the way down to the tips of my fingers and toes. Let it swell and expand and rejuvenate.
And for me it's all simply contained in a song...to start the first week and the newest year.
If you haven't already, I hope you find your powersong soon. I've already got my cranked. Boom-lay, boom-lay, boom!
TT
I would say sorry but 'ya know...not.
I take a lot of simple pleasures from small things and finding this song is one of those things. What better way to start a cloudy, cold morning back to the grinding standard than to shake up the old with a lashing of driven power contained within the body of notes, instruments and vocals! Ahhh, wow. Take me there. Amp it. Fill that shot glass to the brim and down it fast. Feel the initial burn and the heat spread energizing all the way down to the tips of my fingers and toes. Let it swell and expand and rejuvenate.
And for me it's all simply contained in a song...to start the first week and the newest year.
If you haven't already, I hope you find your powersong soon. I've already got my cranked. Boom-lay, boom-lay, boom!
TT
Monday, December 7, 2009
Music
I was the one that had to be told to stop singing at the table...or in the car. I drive alone now so no one tells me anymore. I wish I could play some songs for you that I find amusing. I can't...so I thought...what if I scribble down some lyrics I like? So I did...
The sky looks pissed. The wind talks back….Ingrid Michaelson
Answer my prayer and answer the phone….Melissa Etheridge
And every shadow filled up with doubt….Jace Everett
I don’t even like the same music you do. I just want to have my wicked way with you….Benjamin Taylor
I know it’s like I’m bitter, I don’t give a sh*! I hope you’re really happy and you choke on it….Tantric
Yesterday I woke up sucking on lemon….Radiohead
Don’t try to fix me, I’m not broken….Evanescence
Now I’m not a saint and I’m not a sinner, but everthings cool as long as I’m getting thinner….Lily Allen
Oh, let’s get rich and buy our parents homes in the South of France….Ingrid Michaelson
I used to worry about rich and skinny ‘till I wound up poor and fat….Delbert McClinton
I was trying far too hard to be what I felt I should be….KT Tunstall
I’ve seen too much, I know too much, I hurt too much, I feel too much, I drank too much, I dream too much, I’m caught up with the ghost of my machine….Annie Lennox
I am a lady from Mars and I can unscrew stars. I can be anything that I see….Ingrid Michaelson
How on earth could I be any more obvious? ….Lily Allen
‘Cause I’ve been wishing so hard. Tell me that you relate….Tantric
Birds fly over the rainbow, why then oh why can’t I?....Judy Garland
It's just a sampling of what ended up on the page after I scribbled random lines down then re-arranged them. It's what I hear when I listen to my music, your music, their music.
I want to hear it all.
TT
Sunday, October 11, 2009
The music didn't die
There was some real excitement the other day when I got my laptop back. It was exciting to me, anyway. Here I was without my laptop that one morning and it was so odd. I couldn't retreat to my normal spot upstairs before work the way I normally do. I missed that! My routine was thrown but I got over it pretty quickly as soon as I got to work.
I got an instant message from my friend that had my laptop. He had taken it to try and restore the music I had on my iPod to my iTunes. My desktop computer at home had crashed and when I restored it I had lost three quarters of my music library. Well, it turned out my friend was able to restore over 900 songs. I told him, YES...that was about the number I had on my iPod! It sounded like he captured all of them back to my iTunes and I would now be able to start syncing up and adding more music again! I was hyped. I was stoked. I was so busy at work!
He had brought the laptop by my desk and left if for me. It sat there. It was all shiny, black, glossy rectangular home of many things mine. All I wanted to do was fire it up and check it out. But I couldn’t. I was really sooo busy. I knew I couldn’t do it then or soon. I needed to get to work on things that were such high priorities and I needed to concentrate on them. I had too many pots on the stove at work to get distracted and I knew turning that laptop on would distract me.
I knew I needed to be patient, but I wanted to see for myself and it was right there at the edge of my elbow. Luckily, the time went really quickly and most of the day was finished before I finally gave in to the urge to turn to it. I knew once I had the lid open there was no turning back. I hit the power switch, got it going, logged in and voila!
There is nothing like having something restored that you were already resigned to have given up on. All 102 albums, 923 songs were there and ready to play.
Needless to say, the day ended and I packed up myself and my laptop, made it home and arranged it all back in it’s normal place on my desk upstairs. That’s when I proceeded to load 3 more CD’s and purchase a new one from iTunes.
Ahhhh…got my music back!
TT
I got an instant message from my friend that had my laptop. He had taken it to try and restore the music I had on my iPod to my iTunes. My desktop computer at home had crashed and when I restored it I had lost three quarters of my music library. Well, it turned out my friend was able to restore over 900 songs. I told him, YES...that was about the number I had on my iPod! It sounded like he captured all of them back to my iTunes and I would now be able to start syncing up and adding more music again! I was hyped. I was stoked. I was so busy at work!
He had brought the laptop by my desk and left if for me. It sat there. It was all shiny, black, glossy rectangular home of many things mine. All I wanted to do was fire it up and check it out. But I couldn’t. I was really sooo busy. I knew I couldn’t do it then or soon. I needed to get to work on things that were such high priorities and I needed to concentrate on them. I had too many pots on the stove at work to get distracted and I knew turning that laptop on would distract me.
I knew I needed to be patient, but I wanted to see for myself and it was right there at the edge of my elbow. Luckily, the time went really quickly and most of the day was finished before I finally gave in to the urge to turn to it. I knew once I had the lid open there was no turning back. I hit the power switch, got it going, logged in and voila!
There is nothing like having something restored that you were already resigned to have given up on. All 102 albums, 923 songs were there and ready to play.
Needless to say, the day ended and I packed up myself and my laptop, made it home and arranged it all back in it’s normal place on my desk upstairs. That’s when I proceeded to load 3 more CD’s and purchase a new one from iTunes.
Ahhhh…got my music back!
TT
Friday, September 4, 2009
iPods don't lie
It must have been the long day combined with my dragged out feeling that made me lose my attention and turn it to my ipod yesterday afternoon. About two weeks ago my desktop computer at home that stored my iTunes crashed after a really bad thunderstorm. The power went out just as it I was trying to shut it off and it was asking me please don't turn it off until it had completely shut down. It should have asked the thunderclap instead of me because that's when the power decided to go out for 2 hours. When the power came back on the desktop was blasted and recovery disks were in order, installed and I was able to get it running again. Unfortunately, when iTunes was reinstalled it didn't have all the music it should have.
In any case, I have avoided connecting my ipod to the desktop in fear that it will sync to the incredibly smaller library of music that is on the desktop than the "real" library that is still stored on my ipod. Oh gosh, this is taking longer to explain than I thought and boring too. Sorry, it's just aftermath of being so sick and tired.
Anyway, yesterday afternoon I obviously needed a distraction and for some reason I started flipping through my menu on my ipod and found in my section of playlists that there was one called Top 25 Most Played. Hmmm. It must keep count of what I listen to the most. I know I didn't come up with that list. I was curious. What do I listen to the most? I had no idea.
Tessa: What?!
ipod: Number one....Bad Things by Jace Everett.
Tessa: You're kidding.
ipod: No. Bad Things is number one.
Tessa: I don't listen to it that much!
ipod: Obviously, you do. It's number one on the Top 25 Most Played.
Tessa: I don't think so.
ipod: But you do. It's right here at number one.
Tessa: And the next one?
ipod: Number two...Wicked Way by Benjamin Taylor.
Tessa: Uh Uh. It isn't.
ipod: Yes. Wicked Way is number two.
Tessa: It's not. Stop that.
ipod: It is. Believe it.
Tessa: Come on. This is a joke.
ipod: No. Top two songs are Bad Things and Wicked Way.
Tessa: It can't be right.
ipod: It can't be wrong. All I do is count.
Tessa: Right. Okay.
ipod: Ready for number three?
Tessa: Wait. I'm not so sure about Number one or Number two.
ipod: Sure or not. That's the way it adds up.
Tessa: What about Tantric - Down and Out. I've listened to that a lot!
ipod: But you haven't had it as long.
Tessa: That's true. Okay, so what is number three?
ipod: Number three is...My Immortal by Evanescence.
Tessa: Okay. I believe that one.
ipod: You can believe all of them. I'm not programmed to lie, only count.
You can tell it's been a long sick week when I am talking to my ipod by Thursday afternoon. The good news is I am feeling much better physically but now I seem to have completely lost my mind. Ah well, it was only a matter of time anyway.
I still think the ipod was lying.
TT
In any case, I have avoided connecting my ipod to the desktop in fear that it will sync to the incredibly smaller library of music that is on the desktop than the "real" library that is still stored on my ipod. Oh gosh, this is taking longer to explain than I thought and boring too. Sorry, it's just aftermath of being so sick and tired.
Anyway, yesterday afternoon I obviously needed a distraction and for some reason I started flipping through my menu on my ipod and found in my section of playlists that there was one called Top 25 Most Played. Hmmm. It must keep count of what I listen to the most. I know I didn't come up with that list. I was curious. What do I listen to the most? I had no idea.
Tessa: What?!
ipod: Number one....Bad Things by Jace Everett.
Tessa: You're kidding.
ipod: No. Bad Things is number one.
Tessa: I don't listen to it that much!
ipod: Obviously, you do. It's number one on the Top 25 Most Played.
Tessa: I don't think so.
ipod: But you do. It's right here at number one.
Tessa: And the next one?
ipod: Number two...Wicked Way by Benjamin Taylor.
Tessa: Uh Uh. It isn't.
ipod: Yes. Wicked Way is number two.
Tessa: It's not. Stop that.
ipod: It is. Believe it.
Tessa: Come on. This is a joke.
ipod: No. Top two songs are Bad Things and Wicked Way.
Tessa: It can't be right.
ipod: It can't be wrong. All I do is count.
Tessa: Right. Okay.
ipod: Ready for number three?
Tessa: Wait. I'm not so sure about Number one or Number two.
ipod: Sure or not. That's the way it adds up.
Tessa: What about Tantric - Down and Out. I've listened to that a lot!
ipod: But you haven't had it as long.
Tessa: That's true. Okay, so what is number three?
ipod: Number three is...My Immortal by Evanescence.
Tessa: Okay. I believe that one.
ipod: You can believe all of them. I'm not programmed to lie, only count.
You can tell it's been a long sick week when I am talking to my ipod by Thursday afternoon. The good news is I am feeling much better physically but now I seem to have completely lost my mind. Ah well, it was only a matter of time anyway.
I still think the ipod was lying.
TT
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Sunday breakfast
This morning began like most Sundays with me getting up and doing five things or more before Jay ever gets up. That's okay, routine is good and I'm used to it. I almost prefer it. I had planned on making breakfast at home and by the time I started cooking, Jay was up and had almost finished reading the paper. I figured it would be okay to put on a Norah Jones album and I chose Feels like Home since it's quiet and mellow - well - pick any Norah Jones album and they will all be quiet and mellow but that's another post.
I went about fixing breakfast and about the time I served it up and we sat down to eat, a song came on called Toes. Perfect timing. We both looked up at each other and smiled. The first time we heard this song together Jay was having a tough time understanding the words. It is one of those songs where the real lyric sounds like another word that changes the meaning.
You know what I'm taking about. You've heard those songs. Come on, like - okay I'll start with a really old one. Blowing in the wind...it goes...the answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind; the answer is blowing in the wind. Remember that one? But it's been confused and sometimes sung as...the ants are my friends, they're blowing in the wind, the ants are blowing in the wind. Another one of these confused songs is, of course, the ever popular - Bad moon on the rise. You know that one too and no, it’s not bathroom on the right, although it really sounds like it. So you understand what was going on here?
When Jay first heard the song Toes, the correct lyric is…my toes just touched the water, my toes just touched the water and repeats a few times. It turns out he was really confused when he heard it. He really thought she was singing...my toast just touched the water. Euuughhh, soggy toast! So, of course, this morning, just as we started to eat, Norah Jones decided to dip her toast into the water. We just looked up at each other and grinned.
We were both really happy to be having tortillas.
TT
I went about fixing breakfast and about the time I served it up and we sat down to eat, a song came on called Toes. Perfect timing. We both looked up at each other and smiled. The first time we heard this song together Jay was having a tough time understanding the words. It is one of those songs where the real lyric sounds like another word that changes the meaning.
You know what I'm taking about. You've heard those songs. Come on, like - okay I'll start with a really old one. Blowing in the wind...it goes...the answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind; the answer is blowing in the wind. Remember that one? But it's been confused and sometimes sung as...the ants are my friends, they're blowing in the wind, the ants are blowing in the wind. Another one of these confused songs is, of course, the ever popular - Bad moon on the rise. You know that one too and no, it’s not bathroom on the right, although it really sounds like it. So you understand what was going on here?
When Jay first heard the song Toes, the correct lyric is…my toes just touched the water, my toes just touched the water and repeats a few times. It turns out he was really confused when he heard it. He really thought she was singing...my toast just touched the water. Euuughhh, soggy toast! So, of course, this morning, just as we started to eat, Norah Jones decided to dip her toast into the water. We just looked up at each other and grinned.
We were both really happy to be having tortillas.
TT
Saturday, July 18, 2009
A day
8:25am - Make full 10 cups coffee, start bookkeeping for shop.
9:10am - Wake Jay up for work, go back to finish Sales Tax report.
9:29am - Jay leaves for work, make out checks for invoices, get ready to mail, no coffee left.
Listening to Ingrid Michaelson – Girls and Boys
10:24am - Head out for a run.
Anne Lennox - Diva
11:00am - Plop down on bench in front of house after 3.1 mile run in neighborhood.
11:05am - Peel off running shoes and socks, put on flip flops, drink water, eat a banana.
11:13am - Reposition the car to center of drive, start to wash and detail.
Amy Winehouse – Back to Black
12:04pm - Take off sodden clothes and hit the shower.
12:40pm - Pressed, dressed, fresh. Now hair and make-up. Put laundry whites in to soak.
Suzanne Vega – Beauty and Crime
12:54pm - Top down on car to go to post office, bank and grocery store.
Satellite Radio – Octane Station – Heavy metal
2:48pm - Home again. Kick off shoes, Laundry washing, groceries put away. Sear short ribs for dinner, make red wine braising sauce.
Radiohead – In Rainbows
3:32pm - Short ribs braising in oven. Decalcify Capresso Coffee maker, clean up kitchen.
4:17pm - Sweep floor.
John Mayer – Room for Squares
4:34pm - Hear thunder, run to put top up on car. Grab nectarine, sit on back deck to see if it starts to rain.
4:41pm - No rain. Vacuum bedroom, dust coffee tables.
5:08pm - Empty small garbage cans, put in another load of laundry.
5:26pm - Prep potatoes, fold laundry and put away.
6:08pm - Getting pooped. Pour a glass of the red used in braising sauce and sit a bit.
7:19pm - Jay’s home. Make salad. Pour another glass of wine.
Jimmy Buffet – Take the weather with you
8:34m - Sitting on back deck. Talking, drinking…have I eaten?
Dr John – Goin’ Back to New Orleans
10:24pm - Lights out.
TT
9:10am - Wake Jay up for work, go back to finish Sales Tax report.
9:29am - Jay leaves for work, make out checks for invoices, get ready to mail, no coffee left.
Listening to Ingrid Michaelson – Girls and Boys
10:24am - Head out for a run.
Anne Lennox - Diva
11:00am - Plop down on bench in front of house after 3.1 mile run in neighborhood.
11:05am - Peel off running shoes and socks, put on flip flops, drink water, eat a banana.
11:13am - Reposition the car to center of drive, start to wash and detail.
Amy Winehouse – Back to Black
12:04pm - Take off sodden clothes and hit the shower.
12:40pm - Pressed, dressed, fresh. Now hair and make-up. Put laundry whites in to soak.
Suzanne Vega – Beauty and Crime
12:54pm - Top down on car to go to post office, bank and grocery store.
Satellite Radio – Octane Station – Heavy metal
2:48pm - Home again. Kick off shoes, Laundry washing, groceries put away. Sear short ribs for dinner, make red wine braising sauce.
Radiohead – In Rainbows
3:32pm - Short ribs braising in oven. Decalcify Capresso Coffee maker, clean up kitchen.
4:17pm - Sweep floor.
John Mayer – Room for Squares
4:34pm - Hear thunder, run to put top up on car. Grab nectarine, sit on back deck to see if it starts to rain.
4:41pm - No rain. Vacuum bedroom, dust coffee tables.
5:08pm - Empty small garbage cans, put in another load of laundry.
5:26pm - Prep potatoes, fold laundry and put away.
6:08pm - Getting pooped. Pour a glass of the red used in braising sauce and sit a bit.
7:19pm - Jay’s home. Make salad. Pour another glass of wine.
Jimmy Buffet – Take the weather with you
8:34m - Sitting on back deck. Talking, drinking…have I eaten?
Dr John – Goin’ Back to New Orleans
10:24pm - Lights out.
TT
Friday, July 17, 2009
Brainstorming exercise
The book I am reading now on writing had some interesting ideas for brainstorming. I haven't had too much of a problem with finding ideas and words to write down but I thought there was an interesting concept that the book mentioned. It suggested that when you are in the process of writing your outline and thinking about your scenes, to come up with a soundtrack for your story. I thought...a soundtrack for my story!?! Who are you kidding? You have no idea how I could turn that into some kind of...some kind of...yeah. Crazy idea. This person was trying to be helpful. They don’t have any idea about me and my music.
Um, hmm. They don't know me and my music. I listen to such a mish-mash of different artists and genre's that my story would be all over the place. The alternative is that I would put so much time and energy into getting the perfect songs that I wouldn't have any time to write.
One day a while back I decided to put together a playlist for myself that had bluesy horns, good vocals, acoustic guitars and keyboards. I picked a song and moved it over into my playlist. I found another and another until I had about ten songs that I knew I liked. Great! Or so I thought. I liked the playlist but the first time I listened to my finished product I realized I had chosen the songs from a musical perspective and had not paid much mind to the songs lyrics. Every song I chose was about a relationship gone wrong and they were possibly some of the saddest songs I probably owned. I had created a Lost Love Suicide Playlist. I didn't dare let anyone who was coming out of a recent relationship listen to it for fear of finding out they had done themselves in with only a tear stained, blurry note left behind.
But maybe a soundtrack could prove to be interesting for writing. I have been known to listen to certain albums when working on a certain writing piece for inspiration. I've used music before to help get ideas when I run. Then there is the fact that thirty years ago when I started doing theatre, my first job was to handle sound. I picked opening themes along with the effects needed during the show.
Wow - I hadn't thought about that in such a long time. What I'm realizing now is that a song lyric is what gave me the initial idea for the current project I am getting started on. But I think to put together a soundtrack right now would be a bit much. (How could I work in Norah Jones with Buckcherry or Lilly Allen with John Mayer, ELO, Manhattan Transfer or Radiohead with Eric Clapton or Jay-Z or Annie Lennox, BB King...)?
So maybe the soundtrack brainstorming idea isn't something I'll be doing anytime soon to help with my story. But I know music will always be an important part for me and my thoughts. And I'm remembering now how important it always has been.
TT
Um, hmm. They don't know me and my music. I listen to such a mish-mash of different artists and genre's that my story would be all over the place. The alternative is that I would put so much time and energy into getting the perfect songs that I wouldn't have any time to write.
One day a while back I decided to put together a playlist for myself that had bluesy horns, good vocals, acoustic guitars and keyboards. I picked a song and moved it over into my playlist. I found another and another until I had about ten songs that I knew I liked. Great! Or so I thought. I liked the playlist but the first time I listened to my finished product I realized I had chosen the songs from a musical perspective and had not paid much mind to the songs lyrics. Every song I chose was about a relationship gone wrong and they were possibly some of the saddest songs I probably owned. I had created a Lost Love Suicide Playlist. I didn't dare let anyone who was coming out of a recent relationship listen to it for fear of finding out they had done themselves in with only a tear stained, blurry note left behind.
But maybe a soundtrack could prove to be interesting for writing. I have been known to listen to certain albums when working on a certain writing piece for inspiration. I've used music before to help get ideas when I run. Then there is the fact that thirty years ago when I started doing theatre, my first job was to handle sound. I picked opening themes along with the effects needed during the show.
Wow - I hadn't thought about that in such a long time. What I'm realizing now is that a song lyric is what gave me the initial idea for the current project I am getting started on. But I think to put together a soundtrack right now would be a bit much. (How could I work in Norah Jones with Buckcherry or Lilly Allen with John Mayer, ELO, Manhattan Transfer or Radiohead with Eric Clapton or Jay-Z or Annie Lennox, BB King...)?
So maybe the soundtrack brainstorming idea isn't something I'll be doing anytime soon to help with my story. But I know music will always be an important part for me and my thoughts. And I'm remembering now how important it always has been.
TT
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Not too tired
I had an appointment after work yesterday so was unable to get a work-out in. It might have been a good thing or not. I say not because I could have used the stress reliever. It might have been a good thing since I was so tired. I really don't like being so tired when it's only Tuesday. I am usually able to get to at least Thursday before it looms in.
I didn't get to work-out Monday afternoon either. I went down to the gym to take a class but the instructor never showed up! I was so frustrated I just left. I should have used a treadmill to run but I just got in the car and went home. I would have ranted the entire way but just cranked the radio instead. (Probably a better idea since I was alone). A station on satellite called Octane. Heavy metal rock with bands with names like trapt, disturbed, anew revolution, theory of a dead man, avenged sevenfold ...probably pissed off a couple of people around since I had the top down. The good part is the radio will automatically take the volume down as the engine noise subsides...so it isn't as loud stopped as when I'm moving down the road. Good thing.
But looks like today will need to be soon enough for a work-out - one way or another.
I'll work it in.
TT
I didn't get to work-out Monday afternoon either. I went down to the gym to take a class but the instructor never showed up! I was so frustrated I just left. I should have used a treadmill to run but I just got in the car and went home. I would have ranted the entire way but just cranked the radio instead. (Probably a better idea since I was alone). A station on satellite called Octane. Heavy metal rock with bands with names like trapt, disturbed, anew revolution, theory of a dead man, avenged sevenfold ...probably pissed off a couple of people around since I had the top down. The good part is the radio will automatically take the volume down as the engine noise subsides...so it isn't as loud stopped as when I'm moving down the road. Good thing.
But looks like today will need to be soon enough for a work-out - one way or another.
I'll work it in.
TT
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
New Music
I've been listening to some new music lately. I think I should say I'm always listening to music and I've discovered some artists that are new to me. I've really been enjoying them and you will find me plugged into my satellite radio in the car, streaming pandora on the laptop on the kitchen table or with my ipod at my desk or while running (whenever I decide to get back to that-soon, soon).
So these new artists all seem to be from overseas and have explicit lyrics. It must give me a mysterious grin when one of these play over my ipod while I'm sitting at work. I know yesterday when listening at work to a new download a song called D**khead came on. It was a soft, acoustic guitar rendition that picked up a little emotion as it went along and had a really good violin back-beat. Too cool. Of course there is always another favorite on a different CD by another artist called F**k You. Again, it's a sweet melody pretty much spelling out how she feels...F**k you very, very much...in a mild descending note progression. Like I said, too cool. I'm having too much fun with the music. I'm having too much fun finding new artists and listening not only to these songs but others. They tend to give me ideas. Ideas I might use later in something I write, ideas for a character or plot deviation. Then I pick and play the song while running and come back and jot down the ideas to use.
I have to mention that yesterday, another artist sang "Over the Rainbow". Gosh, who would have thought to put that song on a current CD, but there it was and it was a very good version. I understood while listening to it why it was included. I grinned at that one too. The day before, Jay, my husband, must have caught me in a thoughtful mood. I believe he was commenting on my facial expression when he asked, "Are you living in Oz?"
I looked up, "What?"
"You're back in Oz, again. I can tell."
It took me a minute..."Well, it must be better than living in Kansas". No offense to Kansas, I've never been there but if I had a choice between the two, most who know me would know where I would prefer to be. Oz - ruby slippers and horses of a different colour.
But that's a whole 'nuther subject, now isn't it?
TT
So these new artists all seem to be from overseas and have explicit lyrics. It must give me a mysterious grin when one of these play over my ipod while I'm sitting at work. I know yesterday when listening at work to a new download a song called D**khead came on. It was a soft, acoustic guitar rendition that picked up a little emotion as it went along and had a really good violin back-beat. Too cool. Of course there is always another favorite on a different CD by another artist called F**k You. Again, it's a sweet melody pretty much spelling out how she feels...F**k you very, very much...in a mild descending note progression. Like I said, too cool. I'm having too much fun with the music. I'm having too much fun finding new artists and listening not only to these songs but others. They tend to give me ideas. Ideas I might use later in something I write, ideas for a character or plot deviation. Then I pick and play the song while running and come back and jot down the ideas to use.
I have to mention that yesterday, another artist sang "Over the Rainbow". Gosh, who would have thought to put that song on a current CD, but there it was and it was a very good version. I understood while listening to it why it was included. I grinned at that one too. The day before, Jay, my husband, must have caught me in a thoughtful mood. I believe he was commenting on my facial expression when he asked, "Are you living in Oz?"
I looked up, "What?"
"You're back in Oz, again. I can tell."
It took me a minute..."Well, it must be better than living in Kansas". No offense to Kansas, I've never been there but if I had a choice between the two, most who know me would know where I would prefer to be. Oz - ruby slippers and horses of a different colour.
But that's a whole 'nuther subject, now isn't it?
TT
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