(no subject)
Ok, time to update for reals.
I finished my 2nd week at work, and I'm happy with it. The company is small, and everyone is very friendly, very focused, and able to help me with everything I'm learning. I'm technically a "staff geologist" I think, but don't quote me on that. I work in the lab compacting soils, base rocks and stuff like that using different amounts of water to find the optimum moisture content. Then the actual consultants (Tom and his equals and bosses) use that info to advise the clients' contractors. The clients are mostly state institutions like school campuses who are in the process of expanding or maintaining facilities. They hire contractors to do the work and our firm to advise the contractors on the proper way to prep for foundations, roadbeds, etc. So, what I described above is pretty much what I do - it's a simple test relative to the other work being done, but it's a really important part of the process.
You wanna hear something gross? Well I'm gonna say it anyway: my boogers have been getting darker and darker since I got the job. Who knew you could make boogers MORE gross!
Anyways, Tom is awesome. I mean, I knew he was smart and doing important things, but I had no idea how smart or which important things those were. He's a great person to learn from, because he's extremely patient and perceptive. And he's really fun to be around. Luckily though, we're not in the same room most of the time. Tom goes out to sites most days, and I only see him at the start and end of the work day. If we spent all that time together, we'd never get ANYTHING done, and we'd also probably hate each other by the end of the week. Well, not hate, but we would definitely get on each other's nerves.
Tomorrow night you should come to my gig! It's in San Francisco at a club/bar called Amnesia. I'm playing with the Emperor Norton Jazz Band - good ol' Dixieland. We play fast, lively tunes and we always have a blast. Tomorrow is our debut gig, so you HAVE to come if you live anywhere on this continent. I really think we are a crowd pleasing band; we just haven't had a crowd to please yet!
After this concert, we're going to learn Powerhouse (that quirky march that got ripped off by the Warner Bros. cartoons for factory conveyor scenes, and that scene where Wile E. Coyote builds a giant robot Coyote) AND the Breakfast Machine from Pee Wee's Big Adventure. That's the one everyone knows from the intro to the movie (Mr. Bungle covered it). I'm excited about these new goofy additions to our song book.
I'm also rewriting an old big band tune I wrote because I was never happy with it. I think it'll be pretty good, and if the West Valley Jazz Orch likes it (actually, we just turned into the San Jose Jazz Orchestra, which means better venues, bigger audience and a cooler name, or so they tell me) then maybe we'll play it on a concert next semester. This summer we're playing with Don Menza at the San Jose Jazz Festival! Dude's a KILLER sax player. Last Friday we played with Ernie Watts, speaking of killer sax players!!! Jesus, that guy fit more good notes into one solo than most players fit into their careers. He played in the Tonight Show band when Johnny Carson was the host. So, if you're in town in August, come check it out!
Just in general, you guys should let me know if you want to hear about upcoming gigs I might have. I don't gig tootoo often, but it seems to be picking up a little lately (yay!), and I often don't remember to invite people, even though I always love to see friends and family in the audience.
I still don't have a recording or video of my recital (dang it!), but I'll post videos here when I can.
Tonight I played lead 'bone for a latin jazz orch (like Tito Puente's orchestra, but not them). We played for 3 hours, and I had a blast! I didn't know I could handle that kind of music, or that kind of responsibility playing lead, but I did pretty well, and I'm pretty sure I'll be invited back. It was nice to be payed for something I studied for 5 years.
Sooooo.... Now that I work 8-5 M-F, the two steadily rehearsing bands I'm already in (Emperor Norton's Jazz Band and the San Jose Jazz Orch) are the most I can commit to, besides extra gigs. Meaning, two nights a week, I'm not even home until after 10:30pm, and I have to get up at 6:30am in order to get to work early enough. All my gigs will be on nights and weekends. I think I can get used to this whole setup career-wise. I just need some free time to write music, relax, socialize, and enjoy Kim's company.
I might not make a lot of money, but I think it'll be enough. And I'm still able to do what I love, which is what I've been worried about all along.
I finished my 2nd week at work, and I'm happy with it. The company is small, and everyone is very friendly, very focused, and able to help me with everything I'm learning. I'm technically a "staff geologist" I think, but don't quote me on that. I work in the lab compacting soils, base rocks and stuff like that using different amounts of water to find the optimum moisture content. Then the actual consultants (Tom and his equals and bosses) use that info to advise the clients' contractors. The clients are mostly state institutions like school campuses who are in the process of expanding or maintaining facilities. They hire contractors to do the work and our firm to advise the contractors on the proper way to prep for foundations, roadbeds, etc. So, what I described above is pretty much what I do - it's a simple test relative to the other work being done, but it's a really important part of the process.
You wanna hear something gross? Well I'm gonna say it anyway: my boogers have been getting darker and darker since I got the job. Who knew you could make boogers MORE gross!
Anyways, Tom is awesome. I mean, I knew he was smart and doing important things, but I had no idea how smart or which important things those were. He's a great person to learn from, because he's extremely patient and perceptive. And he's really fun to be around. Luckily though, we're not in the same room most of the time. Tom goes out to sites most days, and I only see him at the start and end of the work day. If we spent all that time together, we'd never get ANYTHING done, and we'd also probably hate each other by the end of the week. Well, not hate, but we would definitely get on each other's nerves.
Tomorrow night you should come to my gig! It's in San Francisco at a club/bar called Amnesia. I'm playing with the Emperor Norton Jazz Band - good ol' Dixieland. We play fast, lively tunes and we always have a blast. Tomorrow is our debut gig, so you HAVE to come if you live anywhere on this continent. I really think we are a crowd pleasing band; we just haven't had a crowd to please yet!
After this concert, we're going to learn Powerhouse (that quirky march that got ripped off by the Warner Bros. cartoons for factory conveyor scenes, and that scene where Wile E. Coyote builds a giant robot Coyote) AND the Breakfast Machine from Pee Wee's Big Adventure. That's the one everyone knows from the intro to the movie (Mr. Bungle covered it). I'm excited about these new goofy additions to our song book.
I'm also rewriting an old big band tune I wrote because I was never happy with it. I think it'll be pretty good, and if the West Valley Jazz Orch likes it (actually, we just turned into the San Jose Jazz Orchestra, which means better venues, bigger audience and a cooler name, or so they tell me) then maybe we'll play it on a concert next semester. This summer we're playing with Don Menza at the San Jose Jazz Festival! Dude's a KILLER sax player. Last Friday we played with Ernie Watts, speaking of killer sax players!!! Jesus, that guy fit more good notes into one solo than most players fit into their careers. He played in the Tonight Show band when Johnny Carson was the host. So, if you're in town in August, come check it out!
Just in general, you guys should let me know if you want to hear about upcoming gigs I might have. I don't gig tootoo often, but it seems to be picking up a little lately (yay!), and I often don't remember to invite people, even though I always love to see friends and family in the audience.
I still don't have a recording or video of my recital (dang it!), but I'll post videos here when I can.
Tonight I played lead 'bone for a latin jazz orch (like Tito Puente's orchestra, but not them). We played for 3 hours, and I had a blast! I didn't know I could handle that kind of music, or that kind of responsibility playing lead, but I did pretty well, and I'm pretty sure I'll be invited back. It was nice to be payed for something I studied for 5 years.
Sooooo.... Now that I work 8-5 M-F, the two steadily rehearsing bands I'm already in (Emperor Norton's Jazz Band and the San Jose Jazz Orch) are the most I can commit to, besides extra gigs. Meaning, two nights a week, I'm not even home until after 10:30pm, and I have to get up at 6:30am in order to get to work early enough. All my gigs will be on nights and weekends. I think I can get used to this whole setup career-wise. I just need some free time to write music, relax, socialize, and enjoy Kim's company.
I might not make a lot of money, but I think it'll be enough. And I'm still able to do what I love, which is what I've been worried about all along.