Beats and Bobs
Last month, under the advisement of Matt, who had heard me talk fondly of playing the Doumbek and Bodhrán, the Mother Unit ordered me a surprise gift of a Djembe, carved out of mahogany. The design is called Celtic Labyrinth, and the drum was made at X8 Drums.
Shortly after that, I learned that Mickey Hart was doing a free demo, and wanted drummers to come out for a kind of impromptu drum circle. Okay, this is Mickey Hart of Grateful Dead fame. That Mickey Hart. I RSVP'd and stressed the importance of not just my attendance, but the presence of both Matt and the Mother Unit. So, when the time came, we went to the Mainly Mozart's presentation of Rhythm and the Brain.. I can't suggest strongly enough that you click the link. It was truly an amazing experience, made even more inspiring by the fact that Mickey Hart essentially turned it into a public Shamanic ritual, calling for rain. Oddly enough, it rained the next day, albeit very lightly and briefly. At least it was something.
I think Matt caught the drumming bug, as he is now talking about getting a drum of his own. Who knew that he and I would finally find a bonding pointing in beating the shit out of things? Better drums than one another. I'll take it.
I'm still unhappy with Xjournal. It doesn't have all the features I got so used to, and truly treasured, over the years of blogging on The Cliffs of Insanity. I think I may have found a way to use Semagic on this Mac. If I am successful, I'll probably be much more present here, as Semagic was how I used to read my friends' entries without having to visit the site proper.
This is going to be a bit cryptic. I need to rant about something I can't really rant about in a completely open forum, but I need to make it present so I can reference it later on. Since 1995, when Timothy placed a computer in front of me at work, and said "learn everything you can about this, then teach the rest of us," I have had a very proactive attitude about exploring what computers and the Internet can do, then passing on what I've experienced to people who ask, or who are just starting out in certain arenas about which I may be knowledgeable. I never hold back anything, and I try to be as helpful as I possibly can. I teach with visuals, words, and by example.
But, lately, I think that my willingness to share what I know, and enthusiastic teaching by example, are actually serving to be a detriment to some, who may feel that if I'm doing it for them, they needn't worry about making the effort themselves. I would stop, but I am compelled to make it all right, with what little resources I have in my vault of knowledge and experience.
I'm not saying I know everything. Far from it. I'm still learning the ropes in places like Twitter and Tumblr, and I don't even have an Instagram. But I at least try. It's the only way I can improve, and move on to the next uncharted space in the vast virtual universe. But am I holding others back by doing what I'm doing? If I stop, there's a good chance their primary goal will not be reached, and I can't imagine anything worse. I literally (and I'm using that word properly here) can't bear to entertain setting them up for failure by my withdrawal of know-how and resources.
But there's only so much I can do. And I am troubled by that.
The writing has hit a snag. The character I created to be murdered by Cadmus Pariah, is anchored to Richard Ayoade, and Ayoade is just so genuinely sweet and humble, I'm finding it difficult to place his anchor in a situation where he's slaughtered. He doesn't even get to be food. Cadmus has to dispatch him swiftly, mercilessly, and with no regard for him as anything more than a mosquito-like irritant. I created the character as a plot device to get Cadmus in Los Angeles, where he encounters Flint. It's a primary plot point that cannot be avoided.
So, for now, I'm waiting it out until I'm not so queasy about envisioning Richard Ayoade gutted and beheaded.
Speaking of writing, The Augury of Gideon is in the last stage of publishing. So I'm gearing up to try to promote it and the previous two books, with as little self consciousness as I can muster. I can promote the hell out of anyone else, if I am in Quest Mode. Just ask a Shriekback band member or a Shriekfan, or ask Rancid Rainbow, or Scott McClure. But when it comes to my shit, my first inclination is to shimmy under a stone and mumble incoherently. Anyway, once I have a release date for book 3, I will post it here. I also encourage anyone who reads this, to visit the Vampire Relics Page on Facebook. It's swell.
So that's about it. Wish me luck with Semagic thing. And everything else. I need it.
Peace out!
Shortly after that, I learned that Mickey Hart was doing a free demo, and wanted drummers to come out for a kind of impromptu drum circle. Okay, this is Mickey Hart of Grateful Dead fame. That Mickey Hart. I RSVP'd and stressed the importance of not just my attendance, but the presence of both Matt and the Mother Unit. So, when the time came, we went to the Mainly Mozart's presentation of Rhythm and the Brain.. I can't suggest strongly enough that you click the link. It was truly an amazing experience, made even more inspiring by the fact that Mickey Hart essentially turned it into a public Shamanic ritual, calling for rain. Oddly enough, it rained the next day, albeit very lightly and briefly. At least it was something.
I think Matt caught the drumming bug, as he is now talking about getting a drum of his own. Who knew that he and I would finally find a bonding pointing in beating the shit out of things? Better drums than one another. I'll take it.
I'm still unhappy with Xjournal. It doesn't have all the features I got so used to, and truly treasured, over the years of blogging on The Cliffs of Insanity. I think I may have found a way to use Semagic on this Mac. If I am successful, I'll probably be much more present here, as Semagic was how I used to read my friends' entries without having to visit the site proper.
This is going to be a bit cryptic. I need to rant about something I can't really rant about in a completely open forum, but I need to make it present so I can reference it later on. Since 1995, when Timothy placed a computer in front of me at work, and said "learn everything you can about this, then teach the rest of us," I have had a very proactive attitude about exploring what computers and the Internet can do, then passing on what I've experienced to people who ask, or who are just starting out in certain arenas about which I may be knowledgeable. I never hold back anything, and I try to be as helpful as I possibly can. I teach with visuals, words, and by example.
But, lately, I think that my willingness to share what I know, and enthusiastic teaching by example, are actually serving to be a detriment to some, who may feel that if I'm doing it for them, they needn't worry about making the effort themselves. I would stop, but I am compelled to make it all right, with what little resources I have in my vault of knowledge and experience.
I'm not saying I know everything. Far from it. I'm still learning the ropes in places like Twitter and Tumblr, and I don't even have an Instagram. But I at least try. It's the only way I can improve, and move on to the next uncharted space in the vast virtual universe. But am I holding others back by doing what I'm doing? If I stop, there's a good chance their primary goal will not be reached, and I can't imagine anything worse. I literally (and I'm using that word properly here) can't bear to entertain setting them up for failure by my withdrawal of know-how and resources.
But there's only so much I can do. And I am troubled by that.
The writing has hit a snag. The character I created to be murdered by Cadmus Pariah, is anchored to Richard Ayoade, and Ayoade is just so genuinely sweet and humble, I'm finding it difficult to place his anchor in a situation where he's slaughtered. He doesn't even get to be food. Cadmus has to dispatch him swiftly, mercilessly, and with no regard for him as anything more than a mosquito-like irritant. I created the character as a plot device to get Cadmus in Los Angeles, where he encounters Flint. It's a primary plot point that cannot be avoided.
So, for now, I'm waiting it out until I'm not so queasy about envisioning Richard Ayoade gutted and beheaded.
Speaking of writing, The Augury of Gideon is in the last stage of publishing. So I'm gearing up to try to promote it and the previous two books, with as little self consciousness as I can muster. I can promote the hell out of anyone else, if I am in Quest Mode. Just ask a Shriekback band member or a Shriekfan, or ask Rancid Rainbow, or Scott McClure. But when it comes to my shit, my first inclination is to shimmy under a stone and mumble incoherently. Anyway, once I have a release date for book 3, I will post it here. I also encourage anyone who reads this, to visit the Vampire Relics Page on Facebook. It's swell.
So that's about it. Wish me luck with Semagic thing. And everything else. I need it.
Peace out!