I’ve moved! My new location is
@randywalters
@FoxVK @FediThing https://social.chinwag.org/@FediThing/116030359239630783
I received notice from @FediThing
(I think I did that right)
that my current instance – mastodon.cloud – is a place I should leave, ASAP.
So, I’ve asked the folks at sunny.garden if I could come and play with them. I’m now waiting to hear back, so I can begin the migration.
As far as I know, if everything goes well, it should be pretty transparent.
You’ll still see me as
but I’ll have a new 1,500 character limit! Yay!
Wish me luck, and I’ll see you on the funway.
Lola of Falafel, resting atop a free-standing cabinet in the kitchen.
She’s illuminated by light reflected off all the snow outside.
@sundogplanets Beautiful photos – could you describe your technique? lens/aperture/exposure time?
@LaChasseuse No worries!
@LaChasseuse As much as I like and appreciate this post, I like it even more in the original uncropped 16:9 landscape format.
The composition of the original camera work and directorial decisions are worth saving and sharing.
@ewhac @benroyce Thanks for posting this link … so much is lost in the wretched vertical phone format I first watched this in.
When I watched it in the original 16:9, it was a revelation … the camera work, the directing … all the composition and framing that was stripped away by the vertical framing was revealed.
It makes such a difference. Yes, the phone version shows us Sir Ian’s performance … but in the original format, we actually *see* it.
@simon_diamond Holy moley!
Congratulations, Simon … that’s fantastic.
Can’t wait to watch it bloom on your timeline.
These people, and others at the #WashingtonPost, were heroes to me when I was 18 years old in 1974, watching their work bring down #Nixon and his cadre of thugs.
This was long before the movie, the accolades, and the judgement of history. I was still a teenager, but I knew right from wrong.
And I know Jeff #Bezos isn’t fit to scrub their toilets.
Which is a more honorable job than anything he has done, or ever will do.
@gcvsa Ah … but every synth we get makes us five years younger!
Akk! My apologies … I edited my intro toots to bring them up-to-date, without realizing that would essentially re-toot them.
That’s really not what I had intended!
I’m adding instrument and cat photos as well, so apparently the same thing will happen again …
To those who have been kind enough to follow me, and have seen all this before:
please forgive these unintended repeat toots; they’ll quiet down shortly. Thanks.
@NanoRaptor @JuliaRez I just felt it worth noting that an acronym for “Cognitive Load Implications Of Acronyms Rerferring To Other Acronyms” is CLIO ARTOA.
Here’s a follow-up to yesterday’s humidifier toot …
as you can see, this thing really puts out!
Right now, the room is at 52% relative humidity,
which makes the guitars, recorders, kalimba, and guqin very happy.
(it’s good for Lola the cat, too … and any other mammals that happen to share the space.)
As you heat your home, the humidity drops. That’s bad for you, and terrible for guitars and wooden musical instruments!
If you need an inexpensive way to #humidify, this is it:
A Vicks Warm Steam unit, for $15-$20. It’s great, and it’s safe.
Please: NEVER buy any “cool mist” or ultrasonic humidifier. It will leave white mineral powder all over your home,
and worse – much worse – you’ll breathe in the microparticles, and soon you’ll be coughing up white crud. Don’t do it!
Stick with steam.
Today marks the second anniversary of Lola Falafel’s arrival here at her forever home. She’s the sweetest cat, and I love her immensely.
She’s already had some of her special catnip, and she’s got extra treats and goodies for later on.
It’s absolutely frigid outside – 10º F – but she has a warm spot on the sofa, lying on her heating pad and basking by the portable radiator.
If you haven’t visited yet, she has her own website!
I’ve been making monthly payments (in Euros) on my beautiful German synthesizer since 2022. I have a year to go. (Yay!)
I rarely deal with spreadsheets, but when I started I thought I’d track the value of the dollar against the Euro.
My monthly bills are constant: €102.49. What I’ve paid each month in dollars over time is shown on this graph.
See the lowest point, marked 12.30 [2024]? That’s the end of the Biden administration; the dollar is strongest.
The rise that follows is all Trump.
A very strange dream this morning … (not kidding)
I awakened (in the dream) when someone rang my third-floor doorbell. Answering, I found the entryway and stairs blocked by hundreds of gewgaws, including:
• porcelain statues of Christ, in prayer
• holy spirit doves, alone or in formation
• stuffed plush elephants, carrying combat rifles in their trunks. The baby elephants had pistols.
My neighbor – who looked like Janet Reno – showed up, to take credit. I was furious.
And here I am.
@theleftistlawyer Your generosity and kindness is one of the brightest sparks on a day filled with darkness.
Thank you, from a resident of RI who appreciates what you do for the residents of Illinois, and all of us.
It occurred to me this morning that when #ICE and the #quislings giving them their marching orders are finally held accountable,
we won’t be having #Nuremberg trials …
we’ll be having #Minneapolis trials. #Minnesota trials.
The people of Minneapolis and other cities are standing up to #fascism, and in doing so, are defending the rights of people all over the USA.
Those #trials can’t come soon enough.
@MarkHoltom That’s all well and good … but how many Rhode Islands does that equal?
5/5
Tesseract
4/5
The Overlook
3/5
Persistence of Memory
2/5
Interstellar
1/5
Something kind of interesting arrived today … an inexpensive WalkingWay linear prism filter.
In some ways, it’s kind of a one-trick pony, but I think it’s also possible to use it creatively, and have some happy accidents as well.
I’m not saying I’m there yet – but this is some of what happened today, testing it for the first time.
Hotpoint
@DragonBard @nblr Thanks! I definitely lucked out (in the sense that it was available) but it was no accident … I applied for it as a vanity call.
The records show that someone used to have it, but they either passed away or let it expire a while back, so I snapped it up.
I could have taken either K2OOI or W2OOI … in fact, here on the east coast, the convention is that you take a W call …
but I grew up by Seattle where all the stations were K … it also saves me 2 syllables!
@Natasha_Jay Count me in for one of those thumbs up.
Happy Birthday, Tom – you will always be *my Doctor.*
@randahl Randahl, it seems like every time I see an exceptionally trenchant and crucial toot,
I look, and see “oh, it’s Randahl again!”
I then realized I wasn’t actually following you yet, and immediately fixed that oversight.
I want to thank you for your ongoing work and presence. And as an American, apologize for the utter horror a minority of our citizens have unleashed upon the world.
Every day, the nightmare worsens. We must awaken. Now.
@nblr Absolutely blood chilling. The things that can be weaponized to use against us …
All right, fascist bastards … I remain your lifelong dedicated adversary, licensed radio operator K2OOI.
(And a Stanley Kubrick fan too, heaven forfend!)
For the record, here in the States, call signs have to end in characters, not numbers. So despite appearances, my call sign is actually
Kilo two oscar oscar india.
@Krosen_nw I feel like an expatriate in my own country.
That is, it used to be my country, before it went full-on fascist.
@infobeautiful What one thing do these all have in common?
They’re all 2D: all the monitors are in the same plane.
My studio has three 4K monitors (plus a laptop) all in different planes:
The primary desktop monitor, usually directly in front of me …
the hero video monitor at the studio’s front end, 90° to my left,
and the dedicated monitor for my C15 synth’s built-in web server, 90° to my right.
I have no freaking idea what that means … it’s off the chart.
@tillybridges As a professional musician, I’ve yet to comprehend the practice of farming out compositional work to other composers, and then stamping one’s name on it.
Either you’re the composer, or you’re not. If someone else did the composing, you didn’t write it.
I know many “autobiographies” have ghost writers, but ghost composers? Are they getting residuals? I doubt it.
@simon_diamond I used to have a Widelux! <sigh>
@simon_diamond I hope you get your XPan!
@kimlockhartga Got mine two seasons ago, and I’m glad to have it over and done with. No fun, but it sure beats shingles.
6/6 And of course, I saved Lola for last. She always waits patiently while I take her picture.
#cat #cats #CatsOfMastodon #notCaturday
#Fujifilm #XT5 #Viltrox #photography
5/6 Ever see a movie called Hachi: A Dog’s Tale?
It starred Richard Gere, and was based on the true story of a dog in Japan that would wait at the train station every day for his master to return.
His master died, yet every day the dog would keep waiting.
This house, a few blocks from mine in Bristol, was the movie location of the professor’s house. The fence on the right is where Hachiko dug his way out to freedom, and escaped to the train station.
4/6 A couple of shots near the Bristol Waterfront.
3/6 Walking along a more residential area near the Bristol waterfront.
2/6 Farther along the Bristol waterfront, in a sandy cove by a residential area.
1/6 I’m back from my photo walk around Bristol, RI …
all the photos in these series were taken with my Fujifilm X-T5,
using the Viltrox 23mm (35mm equivalent) f/1.4 prime lens.
These first four are from a construction area near the waterfront.
In a couple hours, it’s going to be 49°F outside … woohoo!
That’s warm weather, so I’m heading out for a photo walk … I’ll be checking out my new Viltrox 23mm (35mm equivalent) f/1.4 prime lens for my Fujifilm X-T5.
The Viltrox line is quite well reviewed, though they cost between 1/3 and 1/4 what Fuji primes do. I’m planning to pick up more for my prime collection …
the only thing they lack is weather sealing, but I have a Fuji 16-50mm zoom for the rain. It’s a nice day, so it’s prime time!
@rl_dane @europlus @josh Thanks for the info! I’ve had a t490 v7 recommended … I think it makes sense to start out used, and break in a new machine after I have a better idea what I’m doing.
@thomasfuchs @jdlh Thanks for the info.
@jdlh I’ve been on their mailing list for some time – not because I saw myself as an immediate customer, but because I liked their philosophy.
I think I’ll be taking a closer look. Thanks for the mention!
@StefanEJones Great information. Thank you!
@strangequark Thank you for this … I’m starting from scratch, so this is a big help.
Also looking for general information hubs that would be useful for #Linux newbies. Apps, coding, hardware, best practices, the gamut!
#Linux mavens, I need your help!
I’m an inveterate Apple user since 1979 … got my first Mac two weeks after release in 1984.
My studio runs on Mac, and that’s not going to change … but I would love a dedicated laptop to leap wholeheartedly into open source computing.
I’m looking for recommendations on hardware and distro, Linux-newbie friendly, future-compatible, powerful yet still affordable.
Don’t need Windows or Mac for this – I want to discover a new world. Any suggestions? Thanks!
@anneapplebaum.bsky.social Their statement was wise, because they realized the depth of the stupidity that elicited it.
Sometimes, it becomes necessary to explain the obvious to the patently clueless.
@andrewstroehlein I deleted my Twitter account the day Musk took ownership.
I could read the writing on the wall.
@steveleighton now, that’s a cat with dignity
@inthehands Pigs. Troglodyte thug-wannabes.
@calisti @w7voa Sorry to hear it … thanks for letting me know.
Liberatum felis cattus!
@mcfly @dotmeow Lola Falafel has voiced interest in this technological breakthrough.
@dotmeow
@weit_im_westen Hoh rain forest, in the Olympic National Park? (Just a guess, from a former Pacific Northwest lad … )
@VictimOfSimony @Strandjunker And some of us … dare I say it … love the stuff.
@CJPaloma Congratulations on the new server, and happy new year.
I just downloaded The Space Between … thanks!
I promise I’ll pay for the next two.
@jeffjarvis I stand corrected!
@jeffjarvis This image seems to be a ‘shop .… I can tell by the pixels, and I’ve seen some ‘shops in my time.
/sarcasm
But seriously … was there something wrong with the original photo of the couple, that required the background to be removed?
@polarweasel Holy shit!
Wow, Alex - I have to thank you for the referral. I’m glad you sent me the toot … I visit his site regularly – but not yet today – and I think I would have passed out if I just randomly came across it.
My stats are going to explode … and I think I only have two pieces on Substack.
@polarweasel And here’s just the Eurorack – a work in progress, as you can see from all the filler panels.
@polarweasel Here’s a fisheye view …
@polarweasel Okay … there’s a picture of the studio in this Substack piece … although you can’t see the rear four speakers.
@polarweasel Thanks for the interest, Alex! Right now, all I have up is a placeholder … but it will be at https://synthsurround.com.
I have lots of picture taking to do … these things tend to be gradual, rather than all at once – and the holidays really aren’t the best time to try to get anything done.
I’ll at least find a shot to share. I know I’ve posted some before …
@davidho I’m a musician, and use a dedicated laptop for playing live with synths.
Before I go out, I have to turn off the WiFi and run a full test of the software for performance, lest I be stuck live with egg on my face when something just won‘t run.
For some software, I have to boot up while tethered to my phone, and it pisses me right off. I’m anticipating the day when I’m out in the boonies, without reception, and I’m screwed.
Here’s a follow-up pic of Lola, who loves to sit on the desk as I’m working to “help” me.
And that’s not sarcasm … she really is a big help. She loves to communicate. Here she’s saying “Whatchoo talkin’ ‘bout, Willis?”
(Now, that was sarcasm.)
She’s incredibly attentive, though, and anything I focus my attention on immediately becomes the focus of hers … a phenomenon all cat lovers are familiar with.
Here’s what made me happy with life this year:
• my #cat, Lola Falafel
• green #tea every morning
• a few good friends
• tools for making art/music of any sort
• people who made art/music of any sort
• books! and more books!
• the #Fediverse, a true oasis for diversity
• the world of #nature, outside my little apartment
Here’s what was not so good:
Rampant fascism, war, global ecological disaster
But …
better to light a candle than to curse the stupid fucking darkness.
#Love to all.
@erininthemorning.com incredible.Thanks for sharing!
@pteryx She doesn’t get to walk on them when I’m actually working … but the rest of the time they look like this, and she has the run of the place.
Updating a web site with pages about the studio … these photos are of the Nonlinear Labs C15. All Fujifilm X-T5 and available light.
So much fun.
@SkylarkDuquesne I’m really looking to taking my time, and enjoying it. Wilson’s translation is remarkable.
Now that the first teaser trailer has dropped for Christopher Nolan’s IMAX extravaganza of Homer’s “The Odyssey,” I’ve decided it’s long past time to actually read the thing.
A little research brought me to the “radically contemporary voice” of Emily Wilson’s 2017 translation, and what I’ve read so far is lucid and spectacular. This is the one!
The movie won’t be out until mid-July of 2026, so I’ll be savoring it daily, a few pages at a time. I love big reads.
I’m really not a selfie person … like Garrison Keillor, I’m blessed with “a face made for radio.”
Be that as it may, here’s the first self-portrait taken with my new Fujifilm X-T5. I love this camera.
My excuse is that I was actually asked for a photo. POV is looking toward the rear of the studio.
To paraphrase Alan Moore, “this is what a human face looks like after 53 years of playing synthesizers. I’d like you to think about that …”
@brenttoderian.bsky.social Counting the days until Tr*mp notices that his name is set in a font that’s smaller and lighter than the original,
and demands its replacement with a LARGER and BOLDER font to correct this terrible oversight.
Personally, I’m hoping some industrious tagger will rig a way to spray a bold red line through Tr*mp’s addition …
Tr*mp’s name is a vile obscenity that demands to be censored.
After all, this is the place where Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass” had its premier!
A gentle reminder that the abomination of the “renamed” Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a temporary glitch …
an embarassment of history that will soon be corrected.
@GetCarter Cultivate an alliance with the ESC key… it’ll have your back.
[contains shameless commercial solicitation]
Many years ago, I created the website
for the sole purpose of marketing the tasty magnetic bumper stickers (sans Lynchian zigzags) depicted below.
Apparently, this has *really* pissed someone off.
For years, I’ve been the target of sophisticated phishing attacks, and recently they’ve accelerated to near-daily.
This tells me they’re actually scared of this meme.
So … want to order a bumper magnet? You know where to go!
@newsmast If you have a pet, tinsel can be deadly, or require extensive surgery to remove from their intestines to save their lives. Don’t use it.
4/ This little cupola decorates the gardens behind Linden Place.
It looks like Pumbaa and his twin are keeping an eye on things.
3/ The fractal reach of snow on branches evokes a kind of horizontal white lightning.
2/ Bristol harbor, opening into Narragansett Bay, is about a block and a half from my front door.
This tree of lobster traps probably brought more joy to those who dine than those who swim.
1/ A little more light-hearted than my last toot …
I went out for a photo walk in the light (but wet) snowfall.
Both my camera and lens are weather-sealed, and seemed to hold up to the elements quite well.
This is Linden Place, which made an appearance in the film of The Great Gatsby that starred Robert Redford and Mia Farrow.
The day after …
I left the Pacific Northwest in ’73 to go to #Brown. I made Rhode Island my home, living on the East Side for 24 years.
For the past 29 years I’ve lived two blocks from the shore of Narragansett Bay, in Bristol.
I walked literally thousands of miles around Brown’s campus, never dreaming I would see it from helicopters, surrounded by ambulances.
And Trump says “just pray,” as if a dolt with a gun is an unavoidable force of nature.
From my kitchen window, with my Fuji X-T5.
@Firesphere That hit me pretty hard … but thanks.
@dgar I snorted
@ewen Hi, Ewen – I looked up your YouTube channel, and was immediately impressed with the quality of information in your videos …
off the beaten track, providing actual technical & philosophical insight, instead of the usual (you know) mugging for the camera.
I recently picked up a Fuji X-T5, and after a couple of your videos was painfully aware of how I’ve focused on making it work, instead of making images.
I’ll be spending more time with your work – to my benefit, I’m sure. Thanks!
Two years ago today, I had to euthanize my dear Milla, who had suddenly taken ill just a day earlier.
It’s still largely a mystery; I didn’t have the thousands in vet fees to get a clearer diagnosis of the problem, and I still carry the grief and guilt that I couldn’t do more than end her suffering.
I do know that for the twelve years she was with me, I loved her … and she knew it, too.
The space she left is now filled by Lola Falafel, and much happier memories are coming soon.
@broadwaybabyto Bizarre body language … what’s he doing with his hands in his pockets?
Who stands in front of an audience like this? It seems like an overtly defensive posture, like he’s protecting his genitals.
@MamaLake What a sweetie … and good on you, for giving her a comfortable home.
@Edmonds_Scanner My vorpal blade goes snicker-snack!
Trump accused Senator Mark Kelly of ‘seditious behavior, punishable by death’ after he appeared in a video calling for US troops to refuse unlawful orders.
Here is the code in the US Manual for Courts-Martial which clearly states that the military requirement to obey orders “does not apply to a patently illegal order, such as one that directs the commission of a crime.”
Given that Kelly told troops “you can refuse *illegal* orders,” I’d say he’s on pretty solid ground.
@pteryx Those are both interesting “takes” … I’m reminded of (some) dog lovers, who can’t stand cats because they’re not immediately servile.
(Not all dog lovers!)
I’m bullish on “quisling,” myself.
I’m curious about why some people seem more susceptible to AI addiction than others.
I had one “conversation” with Claude about music, and was actually pretty amazed … I even shared it with a few people.
But after a day or two went by, the level of sycophancy it displayed repelled me; I haven’t touched it since.
This was half a year ago, and I can’t imagine using it for my own writing. I consciously avoid it.
So how do people get stuck using it? Poor writing skills?
@DocAtCDI Than again, it’s better to have a bicycle that’s paid for than a sports car that’s being repossessed.
@pekkatahkola This is how I do my grocery shopping through the New England winters.
Really! I’m 70, and I’ll keep doing it until I drop.
@leberschnitzel Isn’t she? I think so! : )
I can’t resist … here’s another shot of Lola enjoying her new heating pad.
@suldrew @alice I concur that a new or used Fender Squier would be a great way to start.
Whatever you choose, go to a pro and pay for a setup – it can make all the difference between a tool you can learn with, and a boat anchor that will just drag you down.
Good luck, and have fun!
@lisafw That’s right – K&H from Chewy! And Lola says thank you.
The weather’s turning colder, and I decided to order a heating pad for Lola the kitty,
so she’ll always have a warm place to lie down even when my lap isn’t available.
It arrived today, and Lola claimed it immediately.
The first photo is Lola on her new pad, and the second one was the marketing photo. Twins, right?
(Actually, my Lola has the cuter pink nose.)
@GossiTheDog The sites I follow are now back up and running … but dozens were down.
This was the most significant web outage I’ve ever experienced, period. (I’ve been using the web since ’93, and the Internet since ’86.)
I doesn’t pay to have all your eggs in one basket.
2/ #SoundParticles S.A. is an amazing company in Portugal, and they’ve released the beta version of their flagship Sound Particles 3 software.
In this screenshot, each of those dots is an audio sound source that can be animated in 3D pretty much any way you’d like,
with complete control of pitch, delay, granularity, and any number of other parameters.
On my 14-channel #DolbyAtmos system, it sounds completely mind-boggling. It’s a dazzling tool for working with immersive music and audio.
1/ A couple of quick tech notes about progress with my studio’s #DolbyAtmos system …
I’ve used MOTU’s Performer/Digital Performer sequencer and DAW for 40 years. Great tools, but they just haven’t kept up with immersive audio.
So I’m switching to Cockos’ #Reaper. It looks like PC software (kind of unaesthetic – sorry), but for multichannel and Ambisonic audio, it’s a monster!
It will finally let me use Atmos the way it’s designed to be used. I’ve got a long road ahead, but I’m on my way.
Happy #Caturday!
A friend gifted me – and Lola Falafel – with a new toy:
an expanding cat tunnel. Her cat – Toby – hadn’t taken to it at all, and just ignored it. So it was re-gifted to me.
Well! Lola thinks it’s the best thing evah! It now occupies a place of pride in the living room. She loves it.
I need to make this a mantra of sorts …
have it running constantly as an internal subroutine in every interaction of every day …
make it a core function of what I am as a person, instead of fear, defensiveness, frustration, anger …
Clearly, anger isn’t working as a weapon against MAGA;
might as well try kindness. Man, *that* will confuse them.
I refuse to accept that “media” means a single entity,
as in “the media is …” such-and-such sweeping generalization.
I’ll always say “media are,” in the unlikely event I feel like making a blanket statement about a widely varied spectrum of entities.
Medium = #singular, media = #plural.
After all, you wouldn’t say “the bagels is especially good this morning!”
Aaargh! And yes – this is the hill on which I will die.
I die a little every time I see “media is.”
@dillyd Snow is one thing, but that kind of nasty damage is another. So sorry!
@GeePawHill 2/2
“Bring me my bow of burning gold
bring me my arrows of desire
bring me my spear … O clouds, unfold
bring me my chariots of fire
I will not cease from mental fight
nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
’til we have built Jerusalem
in England’s green and pleasant land.”
@GeePawHill 1/2
“And did those feet, in ancient time
walk upon England’s mountains green
And was the holy lamb of God
on England’s pleasant pastures seen
And did the countenance divine
shine forth upon these clouded hills
and was Jerusalem builded here
amongst these dark Satanic mills.”
cont. –
@RickiTarr And I thought I was the only one manic enough to fret over this every single time I removed eggs!
(3 is my jam.)
@c_dan4th I’m so glad Steve Howe was in there!
@Kierkegaanks good to know!
I just couldn’t resist … I now have a flash from the past – a wired phone! – in the living room.
It’s très chic!
I’m expecting a call from Austin Powers any time now.
June Lockhart, who starred in Lassie and Lost in Space (and other classics I watched when I was a little kid) has died at the age of 100.
A great run!
One of my favorite memories was seeing her in some forgotten ’80s movie, playing off her typical gentle mom/grandma persona,
until shit got serious – and she turned into a cursing, gun-totin’ Ripley-style protector of her clan. She looked like she was having an absolutely wonderful time playing against type.
RIP, June … you are missed.
@beach I’m on my second Kobo Clara … (this one’s a 2e)
I’m very happy with it; I use it with Calibre to modify epubs to use my preferred fonts, which are easy to load on the reader.
My entire library is backed up on my Macs … no one can “disappear” or modify my ebooks, as happened with Sony and Amazon.
And I’m looking forward to their new Bluetooth page turner in December!
@RickiTarr I swear last time I looked at this, it said Darth, not Death.
That said, I’m wearing my glasses this time.
@davefischer That’s a remarkable piece! No idea whom it might depict, though …
Yesterday, a package arrived from Dehradun, India …
a new figure of Green Tara (a feminine incarnation of the Buddha) to grace my studio’s altar.
I have given thought to the issue of cultural appropriation, but honestly … she does such nice things for my head space that I’ve made peace with my own usage.
After all, as a child I faced years of mental abuse in a pseudo-Christian Lutheran cult;
choosing a deity I can feel happy with is a right I claim for myself.
@mcc The only thing that seems a little “off” in this photo is the electric radiator in the lower right corner.
With all that gear running, it’s hard to believe she needs any more heat, you know?
@kelidanovus You’re a brave woman … good for you!
@sb This hits home for me … I renewed my ham license early this year, and it was an adventure.
The Trump-appointed FCC made it a lot trickier in 2017.
(I’m now 70, and my call sign is K2OOI! Everything after the “2 ” is a letter, not a number.)
“Adventure Time” spinoff “Fiona and Cake” returns for season 2 starting October 23 on HBO!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSbyC1A9KHk&t=1s
I’m 70, and I’m still excited about this as an eskimo boy can be.
If you’re not familiar with “Adventure Time,” I’ve heard it described as “Yellow Submarine for a new generation,” which is about as good an analogy as you’re going to get.
Not that aging hippies won’t have a blast with it!
@jeffowski Music by Philip Glass, from the Godfrey Reggio movie “Powaqqatsi.”
@TimWardCam When I tooted about the cold, I was hoping I’d hear other people’s stories …
and you delivered in a big way! Wow!
We had our first frost of the season this morning …
so here’s a reminder that with the cold, USB-C connectors can contract, and drives that were running perfectly last night can disappear,
when external hubs lose contact with the mother ship.
I have two OWC hubs joined in a RAID 0, and as I booted up – one didn’t connect! Total panic and heart failure.
A little frantic cable swapping later, and all was well …
but as it gets colder, I’ll start leaving things on so they’ll stay warm.
@selzero It’s never too early to fling those cheeseburgers against the wall …
@AvonVilla I’m about 3/4 of the way through “The Secret Commonwealth,” and the estrangement between Lyra and Pantalaimon is *killing me.*
I don’t remember what happens! But I can’t wait to finish the ride. It’s been spectacular.
Writer #PhilipPullman is best known for the #HisDarkMaterials trilogy – #TheGoldenCompass, #TheSubtleKnife, and #TheAmberSpyglass.
He followed it with #TheBookOfDust, of which only the first two volumes have been published.
Readers will be thrilled to know that #TheRoseField – the final volume – will be published on October 23.
I have nearly finished my re-read of #LaBelleSauvage and #TheSecretCommonwealth … and I had forgotten so much!
It’s a courageous and astonishing work – check it out.
Yesterday, the house where I live was checked by the state for lead paint. (It’s the law for all rental properties; all floors passed with flying colors.)
Lola Falafel the kitty – https://lookatmykitty.com – was a real trooper, staying safe & relaxed in her cage enclosure while people came in and out, leaving the doors open.
Today, I noticed that she was staying extra close … I moved my number keypad out of the way, to give her room. What a sweetheart.
@mabelmakesthings Love my X-T5! I got mine a little over a month ago, in August.
“Crazed Oompa-Loompa seizes world dictatorship” is not something my bingo card anticipated.
Honestly – he’s actually gone all-out Oompa-Loompa.
“Help us, Willy Wonka – you’re our only hope.”
@nichni Thanks very much – I haven’t seen it for 11 years … I had thought about it while driving home from seeing The Lego Movie, and then just cranked it out.
Seeing that photo from today’s “funeral/propaganda orgy” brought it all back …
I watched it, and when I saw that animated swastika wipe – it gave me chills.
If no one else will say it, I will …
all this crocodile-tear #CharlieKirk bullsh*t reminds me of #LeniRiefenstahl’s *Triumph of the Will*.
Speaking of which – I once edited footage from TOTW to The LEGO® Movie’s “Everything is Awesome,” a fascist anthem for the whole family!
Check it out … (seriously, I did a great job, and it’s pretty damn topical, too)
@Dero_10 Thank you – it sounds wonderful!
@Dero_10 I love this image … the textures and patterns in the sand …
I have very fond memories of Victoria from the early ’70s when our high school band from Bellevue made yearly trips for Victoria Days. Is this beach in that area?
Last night, I went to the town square with my fisheye lens, and tried to get a shot of the Milky Way.
I’m afraid there was too much light pollution … so the result isn’t much to look at. And at my latitude (41.4°) September is late in the year to catch the galactic center.
But you can see the arc of the disc stretching from horizon to horizon – SW to NE. (That wisp on the right – below the center – is just a cloud.)
It was good practice; next I’ll try to catch some star trails.
Look – I’m an American.
If I want to call Trump (accurately) a bloated orange quisling, that’s my right; it’s guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution.
We have to assert our rights, fight for them, and call out those who would deny them for what they are:
Fascists.
I *loathe* fascists.
You guys are on the wrong side of history, and we’ll see you pay for your crimes.
History loves Colberts and Kimmels, and disdains MAGATs.
Your Nuremberg is coming. Justice will triumph.
@mnl Love the Fujifilm! I know what you mean about cameras as design objects … I got my X-T5 a little over a month ago, and I spend as much time looking at it as I do using it.
There are naysayers that haven’t been satisfied since Snow Leopard,
but I’m truly jazzed with #macOS 26 #Tahoe.
Easy install, no issues – and I’ve got a complex studio setup! One fix had me applauding right off the bat:
I have custom desktops for all three monitors that cycle every 30 minutes. In Sequoia, with every reboot, they defaulted to Apple’s generic forest scene – and I had to manually switch to see my own desktops. Feh.
No more! Tahoe boots right to my desktops … I’m so happy. : )
I have a laundry basket that collapses like an accordion, but is held open by a spiral spring.
A couple weeks ago, I did my laundry and unloaded the basket in the living room.
When I returned from putting the clothes away, I found Lola the kitty curled up in the basket. She spent most of the next few days there.
So I put a towel over it to make it more like a cave, and added some sheep fur for her to snuggle in.
I’m helpless. She’s happy.
I’m not going to go into the reasons why over a period of many years, I’ve come to regard #DavidBrooks as insufferable, unendurable, and on my permanent shit list.
But this was just sitting there, out in public, on the home page of the #NYTimes web site,
and I was seized by a fit of such loathing that I simply had to share it with all of you.
Not that I’m suggesting you read it; I certainly won’t.
But what kind of person – living in a time of fascist fervor – is moved to write this?
I love this film! I first saw it when it first premiered in theaters … of course, there had been no Trek since 1969.
When the scene came that revealed the refitted Enterprise, I was sitting there, tears streaming down my face … it was as if our collective imaginations and dreams had made the Enterprise a reality.
And the theme of coarse matter evolving into consciousness … many didn’t realize they were mainly talking about *human* evolution – not just V’ger.
Woodchuck? Groundhog? Marmot?
I’m not sure, but this guy lives with his family, under the shed in the back yard.
I might regret it sometime in September,
but I just removed two air conditioners and one double window fan from active duty in my apartment for the season.
I still have several fans set up in the apartmernt, including a little desktop #Dreo that keeps my Mac cool.
Also … just after 1:00 pm Sunday, twenty-six years ago today (three and a half days after I set out from #BristolRI)
I arrived at #BlackRockCity for #BurningMan ’99.
Ignore the naysayers … it was an incredible experience.
@davidho As a Rhode Islander, this pisses me right off.
As an American, it makes me furious.
As a citizen of the world, who knows we must reduce fossil fuel usage, I know *exactly* which lobbyists this is meant to benefit in the shot term … because the long term is quickly ceasing to exist.
@texcut Thank you – but my motto is still: less graphics, more modules!
@stooovie that’s what she said : )
@DifferentDrummer “Eurorack” is an open standard for synth modules anyone/any manufacturer can use.
If you buy or build a module that conforms to that standard, you know that it will fit in your setup, accept the power supply properly, and in general play well with modules from other makers.
That’s the general idea, anyway.
I scored an inexpensive #TTArtisan #fisheye lens for the new #Fujifilm X-T5 camera, and I love it!
You can get as close as 4.5 inches from your subject.
Lola Falafel, however, knows what happens whenever I get new #camera stuff, and is less than impressed.
There’s also a shot of my #Eurorack setup … the distortion makes it look sooo cool.
#cat #cats #CatsOfMastodon #notcaturday #fisheyelens #synthesizers
@CiaraNi Thank you – I’m glad I managed to find them!
In keeping with today’s news …
Over 70 years ago, I was born in Anchorage, Alaska.
Here’s mom, and a *very* early picture of me in utero, in the Knik Arms apartments in Anchorage.
The second photo shows me at just over two months old …
my dad looks like Lee Harvey Oswald. I actually never saw him with his hair this long … he had an HR Haldeman crewcut all the years I knew him,
which helps explain the unrepentant hippie hairstyle (if you can call it that) I wear to this day.
@Paul_Jackson Thanks, Paul! I have the feeling that a large part of the nervousness comes from the return to Thayer St. and the environs of Brown University, my stomping grounds from over 50 years ago (!)
I first visited the Avon Cinema 52 years ago (and many times after that) in social situations that were part of growing up,
and tended to vary widely in terms of social “success,” if you know what I mean. So maybe flashing on that is giving me butterflies.
It’s a little before noon Sunday, and in a few hours I’ll be heading to the East Side of Providence,
where a film I spent considerable time and effort scoring – “Small Potatoes” – will be premiering as part of the RI International Film Festival.
For some reason, I’m feeling unaccountably nervous … why? It’s not my film! I’m 70 … I should be too old to be nervous.
Anyway, please wish me luck … break a leg, or whatever.
Today I went out on my first #photo ride with the new #camera – my black #Fujifilm X-T5.
I’m using it in mostly manual mode … manual focus, and manual aperture.
There’s a lot to wade through in the settings, and while I know there will be times when I want to use auto focus, for the time being I’m happier getting used to using the camera the way I use my old #Nikon #F2as film camera.
All photos were taken in my local neighborhood of #Bristol, RI.
@guayabito Thank you!
@CiaraNi Thanks very much, Ciara! I think you can tell I’m pretty excited about the camera.
@tzudad That’s great to hear about the 16mm.
I got my 33mm on eBay … immaculate. The guy was selling it after only 36 shots … I can’t imagine why. I’m using Klarna’s 12 monthly payment plan … made it really easy to get at the same time as the camera. Nothing down … I don’t make the first payment until September!
@tzudad That list of primes looks like my “I want” dream bag …
I’m also looking at the XF 16mm F1.4 R WR, which I’ve heard (and seen) nice things about.
I’m not giving up on full frame (or film!) – my old Nikon F2as will continue to serve me well. But I’m sure the Fuji will provide joyful instant gratification!
BIg news in my little world … the #film I spent nearly a year scoring – *Small Potatoes* – will premier at the #RI International #FilmFestival on August 10, 4PM, at the Avon Theater in #Providence.
I received (long-delayed) payment for my work, and this week a gorgeous new #Fujifilm X-T5 camera arrives, along with a 33mm (50mm equivalent) f/1.4 fast prime lens. Can’t wait!
(Expect a profusion of artsy cat photos to arrive shortly)
There’s a nice kit zoom coming, too – 24-76mm equivalent.
This is going to sound like I’m working for #Paramount … but I promise – it’s just my genuine love for all things #StarTrek.
And if you’re a fan, you probably already know that “Strange New Worlds” is made by folks who truly love Trek.
Season 3 just began, but we also got a sneak preview of something special planned for Season 4 …
no, it’s not “Pigs in Space,” but the #JimHenson Creature Shop will be lending a hand (many hands, actually).
I. Can’t. Wait!
@emd @Nerdfest @MeanwhileinCanada
To hold its pants up?
Here’s a piece I posted on Substack, as it was too long to string out here on Mastodon.
It’s about a stunningly lucid dream I had the other morning … I hope you enjoy it.
@angiebaby @Kierkegaanks Why am I not relieved?
@catsalad From now on, this is my go-to response to anyone who insists on the “right way” to replace a roll of toilet paper.
Well, it’s 96°F outside, and humid as can be …
but Lola’s keeping cool, basking in the breeze from the studio’s air conditioner …
while playing the kalimba with her paw. What a special kitty.
@Fishercat That’s very interesting – I didn’t know that. That brings me some peace of mind.
Just a refreshing little taste of the open-air festivities in a Bristol, RI park.
Taken during my bike ride to Colt State Park, yesterday afternoon. The spray felt wonderful.
Each team is trying to slide that suspended orange ball to the other team’s goal zone.
Today through Wed. will be 90° – 95° F here in Bristol, RI; my primary job is the comfort and safety of my beloved Lola Falafel.
Damn the utility bill; I’ve got two AC units running (studio and living room) and several fans.
It also helps to close the blinds, following the direct sunlight’s arc from east to south to west.
Mid-70° weather will be welcome, coming Thursday. I’ve promised Lola I’ll take her out to the back yard in her new pet cage when it’s cooler.
With no room left in the #Atmos studio, my bedroom is now the guitar practice/recording space.
My old mid-2009 MacBook Pro still serves faithfully, running the Axe-FX III editor, and recording tracks which I then network to the Atmos room.
I just used #OCLP to upgrade it to Monterey … that’s six OS revisions beyond El Capitan, which Apple declared end-of-life. Yay!
They’ve also declared EOL to #Firewire 800 … my old cable is a bit loose, so it’s time to get my baby a new one.
@polarweasel It took me a moment to figure out which toot you were responding to … but the sticky note did it.
In a way, it’s almost like misplacing your wallet … when you find it, the intensity of the relief almost makes the whole exercise worthwhile.
Now that I’ve spent more time with it, I’ve developed a mental checklist, and any time I turn on the first amp, I get a mental jog asking me “are you watching a movie? Or you working on music?” If it’s music, amp #2 gets the nod.
@RunRichRun Good question! In ’75, my parents sold the house in Bellevue, WA, and moved to Tehran. (Dad was a field rep for Pratt and Whitney Aircraft.)
P&W paid for dependents in the States to visit overseas (I was still a student at Brown) and I went to visit them for Christmas in ’77 and ’78. And there you have it!
It was, as you might imagine, an adventure.
@pluralistic Thank you for the follow, and thanks for all your fantastic work. I’ve passed along copies of Little Brother to friends’ kids, and local libraries. Subversive in the best possible way.
This photo means a lot to me … I had to run around the traffic circle to align the sunburst with the top of the Azadi Tower.
When I visited the top level, I made a point of standing in the center window of each of the four sides.
Whenever I see a photo of the tower, whatever the circumstance, I can say with certainty that I was *there*.
Taken ~ New Years Day of ’79 … I left Tehran for the final time on January 3.
My parents got out the day before the Shah closed the airport.
During Christmas of ’77 and ’78, when I was near graduation/just graduated from Brown University,
I visited my parents in Tehran, where my dad was repping Pratt & Whitney at the international airport.
In the days to come, I’ll be sharing some of my memories and photos. This was taken at the base of the stunning Azadi Tower (at the time, Shahyad Tower) beside the airport.
I had to run across the traffic circle that surrounded the tower for the shot. My parents were not amused.
Why do so many members of Trump’s cabinet look like Oompa-Loompas?
Fealty through orange saturation?
@eryops @Canageek And I’m sorry you lost your poor cat. I know it hurts … Lola is #4 of my lifetime. (I’m assuming the last, too.)
@eryops @Canageek I’m looking into getting a good harness – she really seemed to enjoy getting outside today.
P.S. – I grew up in Bellevue! But came to RI in ’73 for Brown … never left. But I can afford to live by the water here … that would *never* be possible for me around Puget Sound or Lake Washington now!
@pteryx I wouldn’t doubt it … there’s a lot of wildlife in the area. Always bunny rabbits running around (especially this year – I’ve never seen so many out in the middle of the day) and we also have a family of woodchucks living under a shed in the back yard.
Lots of bird life, too – I wouldn’t be surprised if she was watching them. She really seemed to enjoy getting out; I’m going to look into getting her a harness, and seeing if she tolerates it indoors, first.
@Canageek That’s a good idea … I’ve been worried about her slipping out of a harness, but I could try getting her used to it indoors.
I’ll ask her about it, and see what she thinks!
I don’t know if Mastodon will let me upload this video of Lola in the back yard on her first visit,
but I’ll give it a try.
[hey – it looks like it worked! Sorry for the poor production values … I’ll do better next time.]
Lola had her first trip outside to the back yard today!
She really seemed to enjoy herself – and she was very alert and curious.
We have coyotes in the area, and lots of traffic nearby … there’s no way I’d ever let her out to run around on her own … I have nightmares about it.
But she loves looking out the window, and now that we have this pet cage, I thought I might start taking her outdoors for a little time in the shade.
She handled it well!
Absolutely beyond belief … I wonder if they’ll claim this is protected behavior under “religious” grounds.
Lola’s lounging in the morning sun, perched on top of one of my synthesizers.
She’s like – “another picture? Already?”
Look at that tail. Just look at it.
The Trumps are set to see the opening of ‘Les Misérables’ at the Kennedy Center tonight.
I wonder if they’re capable of realizing that #Javert’s sociopathy is almost a mild case, compared to #Trump’s.
I just realized they’ll think Javert is the hero.
@ActuallyAutistic Loki’s a beauty!
@hyc Thanks so much! My research had me thinking it was some kind of wood sorrel … but *all* members of the Oxalis family are toxic to cats.
Your Wikipedia link identifies the exploding seed pods … the flowers in my weed growth are slightly different. Instead of broad, open petals, they have a clump of narrow, almost strand-like yellow petals.
Chewing a few leaves was unlikely to harm you, but if a cat ate a bunch, it could cause kidney failure.
2/2 I was riding my bike home from the supermarket, and had only a couple blocks to go,
when I found this pet carrier/cage sitting on the curb – in brand-new shape.
I’m afraid there must be a sad story behind this …
but I’ve been promising Lola (who loves to sit in the kitchen window, watching the back yard)
that I’d get her a cage so I could take her downstairs for a closer look. So I brought it home!
My thanks and best wishes to the kind donor.
1/2 Jungle beauty Lola Falafel perches behind a plant …
one I’ve since put out of reach, because all my best guesses say the shamrock-like greenery is harmful to cats.
Don’t worry – I’ve cut away all the wild growth, and put the pot where she can’t get to it.
It looks like clover, but I don’t think it is … it has little seed pods that explode when you touch them (!) and a few tiny yellow flowers open every now and then.
Any guesses what it is?
@McWabbit Fair enough! I blocked and reported them.
@McWabbit Have they been banned?
@visegrad24 Disagreeing with Netanyahu’s terrorism is not the same thing as anti-semitism.
Supporting Palestinian human rights is not the same thing as supporting Hamas’s terrorism.
A great many peace-loving Israelis are furious with Netanyahu.
A great many peace-loving Palestinians are furious with Hamas.
Both sides must step back from the cycle of violence.
Now that I’m finally getting to spend time working with my studio’s #DolbyAtmos system,
I’m discovering that I’m the weak link in the chain.
I’m repeatedly making obvious errors that have me wasting time trying to find the problem.
My favorite so far is this:
I’m driving eight channels with my old amp, and the six Atmos channels with a new one.
But I forget to turn on the new amp, and then I wonder why nothing’s coming out of the top speakers.
I’ve done this four times so far. Oy.
@Jirikiha @justmichelle I know when I read it last … 1973! I was a senior in high school – 52 years ago. (Good grief)
@tomgauld.bsky.social @nytimes.com@bsky.app Beautiful work, as always. Thanks!
This #Robotman strip has been sitting on my refrigerator for 26 years … it’s now wrinkled and yellow-brown from age.
But I still love it.
So I scanned it, and cleaned it up a little; I hope all you cat mavens will enjoy it, too.
@simon_diamond I’ve got my eyes on a Fuji X-T5 when some income I’m due arrives … it seems like a great compact camera.
But it’s hard to believe the X half is made by the same company. What’s the market? Maybe someone’s first non-phone camera … they might as well have co-branded it with TikTok.
A new addition to the #studio …
an #Elgato #StreamDeck XL, which will play back key commands and macros (once I program it!)
My primary purpose is to automate common tasks in #DolbyAtmos production, but it will be useful for pretty much anything I’d like to do at the touch of a button.
I love that you can customize the images and animations the buttons display … I immediately made a few screen savers.
This one is a photo of a beautiful #mbira I bought years ago from a #Zimbabwean musician.
@justmichelle Remember “The Andromeda Strain?”
They’d better start passing around the Sterno® up there …
I’ve been reading science fiction for over 60 years,
and I can tell you for a fact that this kind of headline never heralds good news.
@tek @Nordstahl Watch out for Fanta Claws! :neko_roling_eyes2:
@Hawaii This reminds me of Todd Rundgren’s “Determination.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfVzqg-mOTg
I'm looking for someone
To show me what they mean by devotion
Everybody's looking for someone
Prepared to put aside his emotion
And never break down
Show me some determination
Show me the measure of your dedication
I need to see just a reflection of your inspiration
Don't you break down on me
Spring has definitely arrived here in Bristol (RI) and while things aren’t hot yet,
my little studio is an exception … all the monitors, amplifiers, and power supplies work together to generate significant heat.
One hot spot is my Mac and its two hubs/drive enclosures, which I’ve stacked with silicone stoppers to encourage air circulation.
I just brought out my Dreo desk fan, which does a spectacular job of giving them cool air. Quiet, too!
Consider this a product endorsement – it’s great.
@mkm_modelwerx Truly a beauty! Fantastic work.
For nearly a year, I’ve been working on music for the Rich Allen film “Small Potatoes.”
Today, I delivered the last batch of music before the edit goes to Toronto for post-production.
As the project was in stereo, I’m chomping at the bit to switch to my personal work with 7.1.6 Dolby Atmos.
I’m so happy … as of today, I have no deadlines! Woohoo!
It’s a beautiful day … I need a bike ride.
Pictured: Amy Stiller (yep – Ben’s sister) and Alexander Jameson.
A little cat-related news today …
Lola Falafel’s unquenchable urge to explore – and to perch on the highest possible place – has twice led her to jump on top of my upward-facing #Atmos speakers.
This, of course, is problematic. When she lands on the speaker cloth (a thin frame held on the speaker by magnets)
the cloth slides off, Lola slides off, and #Catastrophe ensues.
So I made protective covers for the two center Atmos speakers. (It really is excellent wire mesh!)
@mayor Glad to hear everything worked out! I’ve never had a face-to-face purchase go south on me.
I once bought a lens on eBay that had a non-functional aperture, but the seller refunded me even before I sent it back – he was mortified. Things happen.
3/3 After I finish this rough beginning, I’ll use it to learn the process of exporting to Apple Music’s Spatial Audio – their version of Dolby Atmos.
It will never come close to the experience of 14 speakers in the room, but it will let me share my work, with *some* of the impact …
and I’m hoping that in my remaining years (I turn 70 this summer) it will provide a source of income,
that lets me pay the bills without having to work for anyone else! You know what I mean … been there, done that.
2/3 On what I thought was the last track, I got a call from a friend who needed help, and left the studio.
Returning, I played what I had done … and couldn’t believe it; it was glorious – a breakthrough I’ve been working towards my entire life.
My humble little studio is now the best #immersive space I’ve ever experienced.
And those throwaway tracks are just backing for what I’ll add as the emotion carries me.
Lola is the best audience; she looks around the room as the sound moves. (more …)
1/3 I had a wonderful experience yesterday …
After a couple years of researching, planning, sacrificing, and assembling a 7.1.6 #DolbyAtmos system in my studio,
I used my main DAW (Digital Performer) to draft my #immersive music workflow on a quickly improvised piece.
Without prep, I played a 3-minute piano take in 5.1 surround, keeping the sloppy first pass. Then I added stereo pairs using the surround and #Atmos height channels.
(Continued …)
Well, this is genuinely amazing.
The ESA’s Solar Orbiter has delivered the widest hi-res image of our sun ever taken …
trust me, it’s well worth your time to visit the following link, and download *even the smaller* version, and take a look at our sun in more detail than you’ve ever seen. Just incredible.
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/04/Solar_Orbiter_s_widest_high-res_view_of_the_Sun
Another multi-scale Truchet pattern!
(Tweaked in Photoshop)
@statsguy That sounds awful – I’m sorry you went through that. I hope you were well compensated.
Mastodon denizen @otterly_icy turned me on to something called “multi-scale Truchet patterns,” and now I’ve seriously got the bug.
They’re fascinating, and I’m just getting started!
#Truchet
@otterly_icy I love these multi-scale Truchet patterns! I am now completely addicted. Thanks for the info!
On April 22, 1970, I participated in the first #EarthDay.
I was 14 years old, and a 9th grader in junior high school.
I had read Rachel Carson’s “The Silent Spring,” as had some of my teachers … and I remember being impressed that they were taking it seriously.
We went outside and gathered trash from the school’s immediate surroundings … hard to believe that was 55 years ago.
One would hope we’d have made more progress by now … I never imagined that malevolent morons would be in charge.
Here in Bristol, it’s going to pass 70° F today!
I just removed the winter’s plastic sealing from all the windows, and opened several of them.
Lola is ecstatic, and I’m wearing shorts. Happy spring, and happy Caturday!
Along with #Totoro and #Nekobasu, Lola Falafel basks in the studio window, soaking up the early morning sun.
The window is still covered by the winter’s plastic sealing, which helped keep the drafts out.
It will come off in a week or two, once spring has decided to stop pussyfooting around, and settles in for the duration. Can’t wait. Lola wants the windows open!
Here’s the latest shot of my little #GreenTara shrine at the front of the studio.
There’s a better altar cloth arriving by Wednesday that will go in the center, and the one that’s there now will move to the left.
I still need to get art printed for above the monitor …
The image on the screen came up at random from the more than 1,500 backgrounds I’ve gathered – it fits right in with the Green Tara theme! Maybe it’s what the artist had in mind, and I just didn’t realize it.
@dites_33 @GertrudeZane Gilding the lily.
Since I reconfigured my studio for Dolby Atmos, I’ve been redecorating a bit …
I’ve turned the front end of the room into something of a #Buddhist shrine.
In particular, I’ve been collecting images of Green Tara, “mother of all Buddhas.”
For Tibetans, she’s the most beloved of all the female awakened beings.
A bit out of character for me, but I think she’s very cool – and a pioneering feminist. Her figure arrived this morning.
* Aum Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha *
With spring arriving, I was examining my ’70s Nikon F2AS film camera. (Vintage, but new to me … I got it last year.)
I saw a few annoying flecks of dust in the viewfinder, and quickly researched removing the meter prism at the top of the camera.
I pushed a button, turned a lever, depressed *another* button, and the top popped off.
After a few quick squeezes of an air blower, I replaced the viewfinder, and took a look.
No more dust – yay! Such a gorgeous piece of engineering.
@paulk @elysegrasso@historians.social I do all my grocery shopping on my bike with two panniers.
It’s easy, fun, and good exercise … and I don’t spend a penny on gas.
I just discovered this “face in clouds” emoji,
and now I’m going to use it to the exclusion of all others.
No one will have the slightest idea why,
but it makes more sense to me than most.
Lola now owns the newly re-covered sofa.
She hasn’t moved since I finished a few hours ago.
What a sweetie.
#cat #cats #CatsOfMastodon #Caturday (or close enough)
A rare springtime house-cleaning event:
A few years ago, a friend bought a new sofa, and gave me her old Ikea … along with a spare cover.
The old cover was light beige, and (frankly) getting a little grungy … so while I pondered taking it to a laundromat, I remembered the spare.
An hour later, here it is! It’s not as dark as I thought, and Lola Falafel is having a field day exploring her new sofa.
I love Ikea! Not sure why some folks complain about them.
@MobBarley I was reading Doctor Strange in the ’60s … and what made the greatest impression on me was seeing him with Clea, in front of the fireplace, each reading a book of their own … I was a child (10 years old!) and it struck me that *this* was a real adult relationship.
It’s still an ideal for me … like Mrs. Peel and John Steed.
I *swear* – with all my heart – no sarcasm –
I would buy a Lumon Terminal Pro from Apple. Take my money!
but never forget … there is no “escape” key on the Lumon keyboard.
@byteseu @samiamsam This article has some serious inaccuracies … nothing like this has actually been implemented … yet.
If this was true, there would be screaming headlines on every news source in the USA.
If you have an account with 23 and Me (which just filed for bankruptcy)
*now* would be an excellent time to delete your account, and all your genetic information …
before Musk buys it out and uses it against you.
I just did …
If you try to download your information first, they’ll tell you “it may take up to 30 days” … don’t be fooled; if you wait, it will be too late. Do it now.
I’ve been waiting for this one …
A fantastic new firmware update for Native Instruments’ Kontrol S mk3 series keyboards, like my s88 mk3 …
the Play Assist Arpeggiator functionality is now built directly into the keyboard – you no longer have to run separate software (Komplete Kontrol) to use it.
So both the Arp and Scale mapping functions are now available simultaneously to control any instrument you drive from the keyboard – no computer required.
I can’t tell you how much fun this is!
@ducky @NilaJones American here … I can’t tell you how horrified most people are by Trump and his Nazi thugs. The MAGA are in the minority, even though they’ve seized power.
I’m so sorry about the bullsh*t you’re hearing from them.
I *love* Canada … spent time in Victoria BC, Vancouver, Montreal. Always had the most wonderful time.
This nightmare will pass, and justice will triumph … someday.
@HipsterDM Good on you for looking out for him!
Here’s an update on my adventures with #DolbyAtmos.
I still have two or three more weeks working on film music (in stereo – sigh) before I can jump in and devote serious creative time to my new system.
Just a couple of relatively inexpensive software purchases left, and the whole shebang will be running glitch-free.
I’m still discovering new things I can accomplish with the tools I already have … my little Ambisonics recorder’s files can be decoded to full 7.1.6 immersive Atmos! Incredible.
Lola Falafel likes to investigate whenever I’m preparing food … it just might be for her.
And it’s been a while since I gave her the opportunity to say “Happy #Caturday” to everyone!
@aussie55 @msbellows I was wrong – 1966, photographed by Just Jaeckin.
@wkfry As you can tell, I agree completely … I don’t understand how people can seemingly miss the point of the whole episode.
@aussie55 @msbellows I think you’re almost a decade off … try 1968.
(no spoilers)
Season 2 of #Severance is full of wonders …
but some masterpieces are so far ahead of their audience, the audience isn’t prepared for them, or open to them.
This week’s episode was yet another astonishment, and perhaps predictably, many viewers couldn’t deal with it, and voted “thumbs down.”
The same thing happened when Kubrick’s “2001” first came out … but the naysayers were *wrong.*
S02E08 – “Sweet Vitriol” – is an instant masterwork.
The stragglers just aren’t ready yet.
I awakened this morning with the Roger Miller song “England Swings” going through my head.
I first heard this song on the radio sixty years ago, when I was ten years old. Why did it spring to mind now?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England_Swings
England swings like a pendulum do
Bobbies on bicycles, two by two
Westminster Abbey, the tower of Big Ben
The rosy-red cheeks of the little children
Seems like an idealized image out of the distant past … I have no idea why it popped into my consciousness.
I’m absolutely over the moon, having just discovered Ginger Audio’s SPHERE Immersive virtual monitor controller software.
It completely solves some intractable issues I’ve been having with my Atmos system, such as
• the inability to overcome Apple’s 7.1.4 speaker limit in Audio MIDI Setup
• problems with being able to route audio from my DAWs to the Atmos system
It also adds great features like bass management, and built-in Apple Spatial Audio rendering!
I’m struck this morning by the deaths of noted actor #GeneHackman, and his wife and dog – at this hour, all unnecessary tragedies.
As an aside, the best compliment I’ve ever received was indirectly related to Gene Hackman.
Back around 1990, I was operating multimedia at a work-related special event. I usually dress very casually, but this night I wore a black blazer and a blue turtleneck.
I was told “you look like the villain in a Superman movie.”
High praise, indeed. RIP, Mr. Luthor.
@molly0xfff Just wanted to say … I love that logo. And their vital work, too!
Just your weekly reminder that if you’re not watching Severance, you’re missing the best series currently on television.
Start at the beginning (duh!)
My Top 5:
The Prisoner (Patrick McGoohan’s original)
The entire Twin Peaks pantheon
Severance
Mr. Robot
Lost
@ezmyrelda It’s healthy to accept a certain level of realpolitik, especially in a home project studio.
We’re never going to have a Skywalker Sound or Air Studios kind of situation … and it’s pointless to apologize for that.
The fact is, as long as you’re listening, and putting care into what you’re hearing, that’s way ahead of the people who are just using music as background for other activities. Playing on their laptop, cheap earbuds, etc.
People rarely just sit, focus, and listen!
The 7.1 system is calibrated for the room, though, so the results are pretty dependable.
Once the Atmos height channels are added, they’ll be uncalibrated until I can afford the Audient Oria interface/controller … and then I can calibrate the entire system as an integrated whole.
A studio on the third floor means compromises … the ceiling dips on the left side! But calibration goes a long way towards managing the quirks.
The perfect is the enemy of the good.
I do much of my tracking using a couple pairs of very flat headphones … Neumann NDH-30 and OLLO S5X (I’m now looking at their X1, but one thing at a time!)
This gives me a pretty good objective handle on whether there are any clear issues with what I’m recording.
But once I move to 7.1 surround (I haven’t started with the Atmos yet) I just have to accept the idiosyncrasies of my largely untreated studio space – there’s no mini-me alternative.
But the headphones are good prep.
At last, I’ve got all six Klipsch Dolby Atmos speakers sitting on top of the 7.1 system.
The first photo was taken from the back of the studio, standing up. It’s a little distorted, because it’s a panorama.
(if you’re viewing this on a phone, turn it sideways to landscape mode!)
The second photo is sitting near the sweet spot, facing the rear – and of course, Lola having a nap. (The grill cloths are on for this one.)
The amp is next!
Let sleeping cats lie.
(Dinner is so exhausting.)
I’m here working in the studio, and Lola is keeping me company, just off my right shoulder.
Happy #Caturday, everyone!
Today is the first anniversary of Lola Falafel arriving at her forever home – with me!
She’s the sweetest little cat ever, and has been keeping me warm either on my lap in the studio, or under the covers on these cold winter nights.
I was so lucky to find her in need of a new home on Craigslist, and I love her madly. She’s 3 years old now.
You can always visit her at https://lookatmykitty.com
(but the web cam still isn’t working; sorry) Meow!
Amazing what you can find during a little house clean-up …
When (years ago) I heard that (former governor) Jerry Brown was coming to speak at Roger Williams University here in Bristol, I thought back to seeing Daniel Ellsberg at Brown, back in ’73.
I was hoping for an autograph, but had nothing to write on … someone handed me a rolling paper (Ellsberg said, “don’t smoke it” … now it’s lost to the ages).
This time, I came prepared.
@eugenialoli I’m very sorry for your loss. We love them so much … you gave her the best three and a half months. I wish you healing, and peace of mind.
I did a half-assed job when I initially set up the new controller last year, so the bottom of the #C15’s dedicated screen was clipped at the bottom. It’s been raised by one notch, and the whole screen is now visible.
I don’t use Chrome, but #NonlinearLabs recommends it for displaying the C15’s internal web server. I updated to the latest version, and now it’s running in Full Screen mode.
Today’s task: one 24-voice C15 patch running up top, and another down below – all from the C15. Here we go!
5/3 Well, I got the #C15 running with poly aftertouch from the NI S88 mk3 piano controller, and the #Hydrasynth Deluxe. Whew!
That leaves the #Osmose and the #ROLI Seaboards … but one step at a time. The biggest hurdle was the MIDI settings in #DigitalPerformer …
there are about 15 tweaks between the two synths and the DAW, and if *one* of them isn’t right, no poly AT.
The next challenge is to create/modify patches to best take advantage of poly AT … what a joy, to use full-length keyboards!
4/3 (Kind of like #DouglasAdams’s #HitchhikersGuide ever-expanding trilogy)
I listed those five poly aftertouch enabled keybeds for a reason … each one brings completely different playing techniques into the process,
and depending on what I’m planning to do on the Nonlinear Labs C15, a different controller will be chosen as the best tool for the job.
It’s a tall order, as the C15 already has the best synth keybed I’ve ever used. Still, it’s mono aftertouch … hence the joy with this update.
3/3 I’ve been using synths for over 50 years, and MIDI for over 40 …
and I’ve found that this is a really good time to bring out a notebook (the pen and paper kind) so the process can be documented, and made readily reproducible.
Sometimes I wonder if sacrificing a chicken would help, but I’m generally able to get things working properly before it gets to that point.
I’m writing this out for you to help psych myself before I dive in … I’ll let you know how it’s going as things progress.
2/3 It’s never as simple as plugging the MIDI out of a controller into the MIDI in of the C15.
The stream gets routed through the DAW software running on my Mac, which has to be set to accept and relay poly AT,
and the new controller and the C15 need to be set to send/receive the poly AT stream – a task that’s different for each controller.
This is a sophisticated technical process, which generally involves repeatedly banging one’s head against the wall until it eventually works.
1/3 Today’s challenge is to explore my #NonlinearLabs #C15’s new ability to accept polyphonic aftertouch via MIDI.
I have five keyboards that generate poly AT:
the new Native Instruments s88 mk3, a piano-length & action keyboard I bought last year just for this purpose,
The ASM Hydrasynth Deluxe, an organ-style synth keyboard with light action,
the Espressive E Osmose, with a unique key action all its own,
and two ROLI Seaboards … the rare 88 keywave Grand, and the smaller 2-octave RISE.
Big news today …
Last May, Nonlinear Labs in Berlin announced a *huge* firmware upgrade for their beloved C15 synthesizer.
So huge, it took 8 months … but it’s arrived, and I just finished installing it!
• Polyphony has doubled, from 24 voices to 48 (!) Or you can keep 24, and double the audio resolution to 96 khz. Wow.
• It now responds to poly aftertouch via MIDI; this lets keyboards with poly aftertouch drive the C15’s sound engine with individual modulations per key. Super expressive!
Brrr! It’s a cold day in hell, here in the USA (specifically, Bristol, RI.)
8° F … feels like -1° F.
Jack Frost visits the Swedish flag hanging in my Strandberg guitar practice space …
Lola Falafel checks out the frozen view from the living room …
and not a creature was stirring in the church parking lot across the street.
On top of everything else, I’m a licensed ham radio bug.
My call sign is K2OOI (I’m a huge Stanley Kubrick fan) but it’s actually not what it looks like.
FCC regulations dictate that the last three characters in this format have to be exactly that – characters, not numbers.
So while it *looks* like 2001, it’s actually 2ooi. Or as they say in NATO phonetics:
Kilo Two Oscar Oscar India.
But if you set it in Futura …
Some *very* lucky Japanese kids have grandparents who made them a Totoro, complete with (cat) bus stop.
All I remember getting from my grandparents was a bag of green plastic toy soldiers.
I thoroughly embarrassed my parents by expressing my dismay, exclaiming “Do you want me to die?”
But enough about me … follow the link for a much more pleasant story.
Progress towards my studio’s Dolby Atmos system - my first pair of Klipsch Atmos surrounds arrived today.
I plan on two more pairs, plus an Emotiva six-channel amp before I can use them … but it’s still a step in the right direction.
(The new speakers are the little wedge-shaped ones *on top* of the main speakers … they bounce the height channel information off the ceiling.)
When I get it all running, I’ll be composing in 7.1.6 surround … can’t wait!
There was a piece in yesterday’s #NYTimes that caught my eye … “#Schubert Is the Best Cure I Know for #Loneliness.”
(Don’t be concerned on my account; while I’m big on solitude, I’m rarely lonely.)
Despite my #music degree, I’ve rarely delved into Schubert; his last three #piano sonatas are truly remarkable.
I recommend two albums by András Schiff on ECM (see pix) … they’re brilliantly performed on a period-accurate #fortepiano.
Here’s a free link to the article:
@ryan2one3 It’s hard to imagine, but TS is just so freaking HUGE. All of LOTR is like, just a couple of pages near the end.
@ryan2one3 Which are you referring to? LOTR or The Silmarillion?
(Not that it matters … I’m sure it’s true of both.)
@madeindex I found one online! But they say it just isn’t the same without that ol’ Elven magic.
https://insanelygoodrecipes.com/lembas-bread-from-lord-of-the-rings/
2/2
And now, on to “The Lord of the Rings” for – oh, I don’t know how many times it’s been.
But this time, I’ll be taking along Hammond and Scull’s thousand-page “A Reader’s Companion.” I know their fantastic work from their new three-volume collection of Tolkien’s poetry.
Their brilliant commentary and reference work are sure to make this my deepest dive into Middle Earth yet.
(I re-read “The Hobbit” right before “The Silmarillion,” so I’m packed and ready to go.)
Onward!
1/2
At long last, I’ve finished J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Silmarillion.” Over the years, it’s taken three tries.
I don’t know why … but this time through, I reached the point where I couldn’t stop turning pages – it was that engrossing. So epic.
What an extraordinary journey; there were passages of sublime beauty. Still, I hadn’t expected how heartbreaking, how genuinely tragic it would be; I was worn out even before I reached the end.
I wish I had some lembas bread.
Fountain pens! I love them so …
My new titanium Namisu Nova Pocket (in the Petrol finish) just arrived, and writes like a dream right out of the box.
Closed, it’s a stubby little design torpedo … posted, it balances perfectly in the hand.
It was only available in EF/F/M/B nib sizes … but I love stub nibs, so I’ll be getting a Bock 1.1 Stub to replace the M it came with.
My existing Horizon Petrol Frosted will be getting the same treatment; these Namisu pens are spectacular.
I asked this question in the alt text of my last post …
What books would you send to someone who was unjustly imprisoned – to help them pass the time, and bring them some joy?
#RealityWinner is in the news again …
people are urging Joe Biden to pardon her.
Trump sent her to prison because she gave the media an intelligence report about Russian interference in the 2016 elections..
She’s been released, is now free, and I agree – pardon her.
I wrote her while she was in prison, only to have the first letter returned.
It turned out that you could send her books, if you had Amazon send them directly to her in prison.
I did that, too – I really hope she got them!
All right, if no one else is going to say it … I will.
So, just how are those coked pancakes?
Any fountain pen addicts out there?
I’ve been checking the Namisu website repeatedly; the multicolored “Petrol” version (as they call it) of their Nova Pocket fountain pen has been out of stock.
it just came back in, and I placed my order. Can’t wait; the workmanship on these pens is fantastic.
The first two photos show the Petrol version.
The third (with the hand, for scale) is Beadblasted; the last is the Stonewashed version.
All are solid titanium. Just gorgeous.
In my last post, I said that Haruki #Murakami was 71 … he’s actually 75. I edited my original post to reflect that.
And if it’s not clear, I actually enjoyed the novel; I just wish he’d drop the fixation on teenaged girls.
I just finished the new (published last Tuesday) novel by Haruki #Murakami … “The City and its Uncertain Walls.”
At this point, it’s not difficult to predict what you’re in for with one of his books: a reasonably entertaining, sometimes genuinely remarkable immersion in his (somewhat murky) style of magical realism.
And he certainly delivers.
But he also returns – inexplicably – to his obsessive recurring fascination with a teenaged girl’s sexuality.
Dude, you’re 75 … get over it, already.
A commissioned family Christmas card that was posted on Reddit. Great work all around. Everything about this is just … perfect.
I found this ceramic work in the RISD Alumni Store, not long after 9/11/2001.
I’m afraid I no longer recall the name of the artist; my sincere apologies.
I’ve grown used to having it in my environment, but since the election, it’s taken on new layers of meaning for me.
The damage the Trump regime has done/will do to America and the world makes 9/11 seem almost insignificant.
The sculpture is 8 inches square and roughly 2 inches deep; I thought it deserved to be seen by more people.
#Motocompacto I couldn’t resist making a decal treatment for one of these Honda scooters …
It’s a photo from the Hoh rain forest in Washington’s Olympic National Park, with an extended version of their old Motocomp logo (from the original gas-powerd scooter).
Well. I don’t know … it’s a first try. It’s a strange shape to design for. Green power!
Have you ever seen one of these?
It’s the Honda #Motocompacto … a $1,000 electric scooter that goes 15 mph max with a 12 mile range. A full recharge takes 3.5 hours.
It weighs 41.3 pounds, so it’s easy to carry inside and charge.
(and for all of you lucky enough to live in metric land …)
Weight: 18.73 kg
Max Speed: 21.14 km/hr
Range: 19.31 km
You can also get decal sheets to customize yours … a serious temptation for an inveterate designer like me.
I think there’s one in my future … !
Earlier this year, I wrote this down while testing some new ink (Waterman Encre Violet Tendresse).
I kept the card on my desk as a reminder.
The 11.7 New York Times has a great article titled
“In Tumultuous Times, Readers Turn to ‘Healing Fiction’”
Here’s a gift link –
“Cozy, whimsical novels – often featuring magical cats – that have long been popular in Japan and Korea are taking off globally. Fans say they offer comfort during a chaotic time.”
They list the titles and authors of more than a dozen books, several of which I’ve already read. Enjoy!
“Why must we go on?”
“Because there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for.”
I borrowed this from Reddit … and I think it’s perfect advice for this dark day.
Don’t deny yourself experiences that bring you joy.
The older I get, the better I get at ignoring that damn puritan voice that wants you to be miserable. Screw that.
Let yourself be an expert at having fun. Don’t put it off.
Joy is contagious; spread it around.
Well, here we go.
Who knows how many years of “but I didn’t think the leopard would eat *my* face.”
Scored a gorgeous cast iron snail tea light for the studio … about 6” long.
Here in Bristol, Rhode Island, early voting began this morning. I was number 72 to reach the ballot scanner.
The volunteers at the tables checking voter registration liked my shirt.
Ahead of time, I considered whether the shirt could be considered electioneering …
but isn’t that what this is all about? (Democracy, not electioneering).
The only ones who could possibly object are supporting the orange fascist goon squad.
#vote #voted #vote2024 #2024election #election2024 #election
I found this little pair of speakers sitting out by the curb this morning, and they followed me home. : )
They’re 5" x 7.5" (Apple mouse for scale). I tested them, and they sound pretty decent!
If I don’t have my studio’s surround system on, the computer’s audio comes out of the main Sony monitor, which sounds like any TV – like crap.
So I set them up by the monitor; if I’m just web browsing, they should be a big improvement, and I’ll save on my electric bill. I have a little amp on the way.
With temperatures beginning to drop, I scored a new comforter for my bed.
Lola Falafel was quick to investigate, and certify its snoozeability. It passed.
She had her second vet appointment a couple days ago … she got a distemper shot, an FIV test, and blood work done before her spaying, which comes up in mid-October.
She was a very good girl … Holly the vet called her an angel.
(I already knew that.)
On Saturday (9.21.24) Russia “tested” their new Sarmat ICBM.
It appears they had an anomaly.
The top image was taken after the incident on Saturday; the bottom image is from earlier this month.
I’m guessing they sent a few too many of their engineers to Ukraine.
Lola Falafel still likes to sit on the old piano, but it’s important that she’s able to keep an eye on me at the same time.
I’ve been waiting for this … !
“The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien” includes many works that have never been published.
I pre-ordered it a while back; it was released today, and arrived a half-hour ago. (It smells glorious!)
Ever the completist, I had already updated my Silmarillion (a beautiful new edition) and The Lord of the Rings set.
I re-read The Hobbit just last week, and look forward to spending many more happy hours in Middle-Earth, through fall and winter.
I miss the Pacific Northwest.
In 1973, I moved to the east coast to attend Brown University, but returned to Bellevue one last time in the summer of ’74.
Nixon resigned, and shortly afterwards, I returned to Rhode Island for good. That was fifty years ago today.
This photo was taken in Bridle Trails state park; the eastern edge of the park was a block and a half from my front door.
(The trails actually never looked like this; they were muddy, and filled with hoof prints.)
This was my home.
The new juniper #bonsai in the studio, underneath its dedicated full spectrum light. It’s on an automatic 8-hour timer that cycles once every 24 hours.
And of course, Stanley #Kubrick keeps a watchful eye on my productivity.
Happy #Caturday!
Here’s Lola Falafel hanging out on the old (and shamefully dusty) Yamaha piano in the back of the studio …
I still need to free up some space by having it moved across the hall into the bedroom, now that it’s been replaced by the new #NativeInstruments S88 mk3 controller.
It’s still one of Lola’s favorite places, though.
@Lstn2urmama you’re absolutely right! That was just a temporary spot, while I waited for my grow light to arrive … which it did, yesterday.
Now it’s on top of a speaker on my desk, and Lola’s usual sunning spots are wide open again.
@afranke “Rest your guitar in style on the new and updated .strandberg* Collapsible Guitar Stand which is sturdier and lighter than before and is held together securely by magnets in transport. It also folds flat to fit in your gig bag in a matter of seconds and is quick and fast to assemble.”
@LeafyEricScott Hope HB is OK … just a little off their kibble. Good luck!
Here’s Lola Falafel, hanging with me in the studio.
Lola was the best girl yesterday: she had her first-ever visit to the vet.
(The Craigslist woman who re-homed her to me at the [estimated] age of two years, two months never had her examined.)
I can’t complain, as she must have shown Lola much love; she’s the sweetest kitty you can imagine.
Over the next two months, I’ll be putting ~$1,250 into vet care and neutering. She’s as healthy as can be; thank goodness.
After years of unavailability, the .strandberg* custom guitar stand has been redesigned, and mine arrived today.
It weighs next to nothing, and consists of two pieces that slide together.
It’s quite portable … you separate the two shapes, stack them together (neodymium magnets lock them together) and they fit in the Venture gig bag with the guitar.
I love my NX Prog 6; she’s named either Alaska or Cascadia, depending on which comes to mind first.
The new #bonsai and Lola Falafel are getting to know each other.
This little juniper #bonsai just arrived to help green up my studio.
It’s five years old, and the pot is 6” in diameter, for scale.
I also have a desktop grow light on the way, to keep it happy and healthy.
Sure looks #negative to me … two days in a row.
I finished my #Paxlovid doses yesterday morning; I’m thankful they were available to me.
Still feeling a little tired and bleary, but I’m going to try to get some music work done today.
I want to mention how helpful my #cat, Lola Falafel, has been … I’ve spent a lot of time lying on the sofa, reading. She’s spent most of that time lying on my chest, nuzzling me.
She can tell something’s been up, and I’ve appreciated her company.
As of this morning, I’ve completed three days out of my five day course of #Paxlovid doses.
And I am feeling better. I slept better last night, and my symptoms are definitely reduced.
But I’m *tired.* I want to get back to being productive, but I just have to let myself sit back and do nothing for a few more days, at least until the drugs are finished.
I’m really enjoying my new tea samples, though! And I’ve almost finished Anton Hur’s “Toward Eternity,” which is flat-out amazing.
@NyakoKitty Thank you – I think I am starting to.
In a welcome coincidence, my order of Japanese green teas from #Sugimoto Tea Company arrived the same day I tested positive for #COVID.
I just finished a pot of organic genmaicha … delicious!
I’m happy to say that my senses of taste and smell are working just fine, thank you very much.
And while my general sense of well-being isn’t what it usually is, the tea certainly helps.
As of this morning, I’ve finished the first day’s dosage (out of five) of #Paxlovid. Not much of a change yet!
When the execrable and odious Trump received doses of Paxlovid that saved his life,
I don’t think it had been named yet. It certainly didn’t have the inexplicably colorful packaging.
But while he was practicing his Mussolini pose, and ripping a mask from his face on live TV,
hundreds of thousands of people were dying, with no hope of the quick rescue that he received.
He is complicit in their deaths. Never forget.
I’m lucky to be online, and sharing pictures of the stuff.
@Joy_intl Thank you, Joy – I’ve got my Paxlovid, and I hope that will do the trick.
Things aren’t like they were in 2020.
@roguemusiclab Thanks … I’ll do my best.
@simon_diamond Thanks, Simon!
Well, I’ve managed to avoid it for four and a half years, but I got complacent …
this morning I tested positive for #COVID.
I have a phone consult with my primary care doc later this afternoon … I’m hoping she can expedite a #Paxlovid prescription, so I can get it before the weekend.
I don’t feel great, but it’s not horrible, either. A minor sore throat, a mild headache, a little congestion … but I really want to nip this in the bud before it develops further.
Be careful out there, friends.
Study in Green #2, by Lola Falafel
Happy Caturday, everyone!
Take two!
My first version said “Kamala 2024” …
A viewer pointed out – correctly – that using a woman’s first name in this context is often done in an effort to deliberately demean her.
Not my intention!
Also – my first post said “Why should childless cat ladies have all the fun? ; )” Let me shout this out:
Childless cat ladies *deserve all the fun!* It’s not a zero-sum game.
#cat #cats #catsofmastodon #kamala #harris #kamalaharris #harris2024 #childlesscatladies #childlesscatdudes
Should anyone wish to use this art for posters, banners, stickers, or any form of print …
Here’s a link to a vector pdf version, that can be enlarged to any size you like.
http://memepuffs.com/Harris2024.pdf
(The version you see displayed is *not* the vector version; it’s a jpeg I added so people could see what I was talking about.)
#cat #cats #catsofmastodon #kamala #harris #kamalaharris #harris2024 #childlesscatladies #childlesscatdudes
@JoshuaACNewman You’re absolutely right, of course … but as I’m not actually on her campaign, I just went with what was in my heart.
@EWinterNM I seem to recall hearing something to that effect … : )
@bigTanuki As long as you hold a cat in your heart, you are – indeed – a cat dude. More power to you!
Doing my little bit for the good guys.
Why should the childless cat ladies have *all* the fun? ; )
I just finished reading the new novel by Lev Grossman, author of “The Magicians Trilogy” (which was also adapted for TV – serviceably, but nowhere near as much a treat as the books).
His new work, “The Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur” drew my attention … not for the subject matter, but because of my respect for his skills as a writer.
My trust was richly rewarded. This is not another retread of the same old, same old … it’s a creative feast. I was blown away.
My highest recommendation.
@DoctorDeathray Credit is due to .strandberg* guitarist Connor Kaminski, who posted a video of this technique.
.strandberg* themselves recommends using a stack of guitar picks; I think the cards are much more stable and elegant.
And besides … you choose the card that sits on top … stylin’. : )
An early-morning delivery just arrived:
a set of D’Addario NYXL #guitar strings (they’re amazing, and seem to last forever)
and the first deck of playing cards I’ve ever purchased. Why?
I’m about to change the strings on my beloved #strandberg Prog NX 6 #headless guitar.
It has a floating tremolo bridge … and the cards are exactly the right width to fit underneath, and hold the bridge in place while the strings are being changed.
I’ll only use enough cards to set the perfect height. Voilà!
You know who’s having a strange night tonight that doesn’t deserve it? Jodie Foster. There’s no reason this bullshit should ever have to cross her mind again.
Especially for this asshole.
“For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.”
I had two visitors this morning …
a pair of mourning doves, who sat on the air conditioner in the living room, making their characteristic ooo-WOOO call.
They seemed perfectly happy, watching me watching them.
But then Lola the kitty caught a look, and jumped up, standing on the window sill. The pair vanished, but I hope they’ll visit again.
#doves #WhenDovesCry
Happy #Caturday, everyone!
I’ve been busy rearranging the studio, and the piano is now back against the rear of the room.
Lola Falafel has a permanently green and verdant field to lounge in; she loves it.
#DonaldSutherland, from his early film Alex In Wonderland. Modified by me.
I had a fantastic silkscreen poster of the original image on my wall during high school; my dad had a crew cut like Nixon’s henchman HR Haldeman, and thought I should have the same.
My dad’s dead now, and my hair is longer than this. I win.
RIP, Donald; you were always my favorite actor.
Waiting for a delivery later this week …
that will upgrade my studio’s surround system to 7.1.
After that, I’ll be adding Klipsch’s Dolby Atmos speakers – a pair at a time – until I’m configured with 7.1.6.
I can’t wait to run Eventide’s Blackhole Immersive and MicroPitch Immersive plugins with 14 speakers!
Not to mention Sound Particles’ SkyDust 3D spatial synth, and other software that’s all set to run with #DolbyAtmos.
Following up on my new/old bike …
This GT Virage gravel bike is ~26 years old! I removed the decals, rubbed down the frame with Mother’s Mag & Aluminum Polish twice, and today I waxed it to help prevent oxidation.
It’s got lots of new parts – tires, the derailleur and gear system, brakes, handles, and things I salvaged from my existing bike, which had fallen apart. The rack, lights, bell, mirror …
It’s a fantastic ride; I named her Shadowfax – after Gandalf’s loyal horse.
@dogfox And it’s in English? I thought it was the language of the angels.
@dogfox I’m actually so glad I waited until I was 68 to read it!
Lola Falafel abandons her disguise as a meek, mild-mannered everyday housecat, and transforms into …
SUPERKITTY!
#cat #cats #caturday #CatsOfMastodon #supercat #ChristopherReeve
A spectacular spring day here in Bristol, RI – a perfect 70°.
I took some Mother’s Mag & Aluminum Polish, and went over the frame of my new (to me) bike. I think it came out well, for a 27 (or so) year old bike! (Lots of parts are new).
“If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're gonna see some serious shit.”
Thank goodness the weather’s warming up this coming week …
Lola absolutely loves having the windows open.
And here’s my weekly reminder that you can see more of Lola Falafel at
including – if you choose your timing right – the new live LolaCam®!
We’re about five hours from a full moon … and it looks incredible.
I’m reading in the living room, and I thought a streetlight had gone on.
But it was way up in the sky!
@ottaross I’ll pass it along to her! : )
A hashtag – #LolaFalafel
A website – https://lookatmykitty.com
and a webcam! https://lookatmykitty.com/the-amazing-live-lolacam/
@LaViPixel Thanks very much … I’ll let her know you said so!
And I happen to know she’s in the living room right now sleeping … you can see her on the LolaCam®!
Happy Caturday, everyone!
Lola Falafel is on my case, letting me know Saturday’s no time to slack off … I should be updating her website
I’m planning on adding at least one post today … and remember, you don’t have to wait for #Caturday to visit!
@miriamrobern I’m only 1/8 of the way through, but I already have a pretty good idea exactly what you mean. I’m so glad I found it!
Wondering why I decided to pick up ‘Middlemarch?’
A week ago, I happened upon this piece in the New York Times.
And now I’m on an amazing adventure. John was right.
I’m reading George Eliot’s ‘Middlemarch,’ and *really* enjoying it!
I’m about to start “Book Two” (of eight). The prose is incredible; there are passages where it leaps through the years and whacks me upside the head with its glory.
Mary Ann Evans. That is her birth name. She adopted a nom de plume because *a woman writer wouldn’t be taken seriously.*
Marian, I take you *very* seriously.
Art by Eleanor Davis, for the New York Times.
Look at that noble profile.
Lola Falafel is mesmerized by an enormous crow in the tree outside the living room window.
I’ve tried to develop a relationship with the local corvids over the years; talking to and leaving food for them. Once one gifted me with a feather it preened from its wing.
Lola and I are both looking forward to opening the windows again, when spring stops being a tease and becomes the real thing.
The Amazing Live Lola Cam is now, in fact … live!
https://lookatmykitty.com/the-amazing-live-lolacam/
The “amazing” part is more than a little overstated; if she’s in her big chair, she’s more than likely snoozing, as she is this snapshot.
But it’s still pretty amazing that I got it working!
@realsimon Comments like yours make it all worthwhile. Thank you!
As you may know, I’ve launched a website for my cat …
If you can, check it out on a desktop or laptop computer … it works on a phone or tablet, but not as well.
I’m planning on adding another feature – the LolaCam®!
It arrived yesterday, and this morning I got it working via WiFi … the next challenge will be getting it to stream on her site.
(Harder than it sounds, as I don’t want to pay anyone for the privilege.)
An IP camera just arrived for livestreaming Lola the kitty in her favorite living room chair, via
Right now, it’s plugged into the ethernet router in my studio … but once I get it linked via WiFi, it will be the dedicated LolaCam!
The hurdle will be getting a livestream going without using a paid service that charges an arm and a leg.
“Earthquake in New York City …”
and a thousand Todd Rundgren fans pull out “A Wizard, a True Star”
and play “Sunset Blvd.”
Here in the USA, it’s coming up on income tax time.
I’ve long since gotten religion about saving all my receipts, and documenting all my deductible expenses.
So when I’m slogging away in TurboTax, listing equipment I bought in ’23 that’s used 100% for business purposes,
I *love* watching the tax I owe dropping toward zero as I enter each item’s cost, and take the depreciation.
I work, doing what I love, and what I invest in tools reduces my taxes.
Pure, unadulterated glee. I love it.
@mjibrower can’t beat Philco!
@mjibrower You speak the truth. Local AM radio is abysmal.
@mjibrower Glad I could help. I don’t use the voice message mode for anything … I just leave it in live broadcast mode, and play tunes.
It takes me back to the days when I was 12, and had a cracked bakelite radio that smelled like hot tubes.
@mjibrower I got mine on eBay … identical to this one … it works just great!
I found I need to keep its antenna pretty close to the radio – certainly in the same room for best results.
But that’s with just a wire … if I had a real antenna, I think it would throw farther.
You just choose the frequency you want to broadcast on, tune your radio to match, and you can broadcast playlists from your phone, ot internet radio stations from anywhere in the world. Lots of fun.
@innervisioner Truly! Restored, and picked up from VintageRadioStudio on Etsy. Well worth the visit … but be warned – they’re irresistible.
The mighty, majestic Philco Green Wombat AM radio.
I spent a couple hours listening to curated 60’s music this afternoon …
I plugged my iPhone into an AM transmitter, tuned in the Philco, and there it was … in all its grungy glory.
Downtown. Windy. I Got You, Babe. Happy Together. There’s A Kind Of Hush.
Great stuff … and a lot of songs of love and loss.
@Npars01 @gutenberg_org
There’s not much difference between “America First” and “Me First.”
There’s so much irony in so-called “Christians” doing everything they can to avoid loving/empathizing with their neighbor.
Christ had a temper; he’d give them all a good whack on the side of the head.
Sideshow Collectables has a 1:1 version of Grogu …
(not my photo)
the cats seem to dig it.
As Nietzsche said,
“When you stare at the kitty, the kitty stares back at you.”
Or something like that.
Please indulge me … I’ve been working on this for two days,
and I’m taking advantage of #Caturday to roll it out.
This is my last promo, I promise. (This week, anyway.)
I *think* I’ve got the cache issues worked out.
@flowerpot Thanks so much!
@jeridansky Thanks for your kind feedback. After resetting the cache, everything finally seems to be working!
Happy #Caturday!
If this is news to you, I’ve got a new website …
I think I’ve fixed the cache (the cat cache?) so while it may be slow to load on a first visit, everything seems to display properly now.
It has some subtle animation if you visit on a desktop.
Lola says “prrrt!” Thanks for taking a look.
@kcarruthers Thanks so much – it’s been two days of banging my head against the wall.
I’m going to get an early start on #Caturday!
I’m working on a new website …
The DNS is still propagating, I guess … so it seems to be moving in and out of working properly; your mileage may vary. But here’s what I know …
It looks (and behaves) *much* better on a desktop, than on a phone or tablet … but if you can, let me know how it’s running for you. Thanks!
PS – it was going to be lookatmycat.com, but they wanted $2,100 for the domain!
@TonyStark @Wabbit Property goes cheap, when you’ve murdered the neighborhood.
The long-arm stand arrived for my iPad … and with that, my portable writing setup is complete.
That little Ikea bamboo chock worked great, but I like having the screen up off the desktop, and away from my hands.
#ergonomics #Keychron #Scrivener #writing #portablewriting #distractionfree
And it all fits inside the Chrome Kadet sling bag – no muss, no fuss. I’m inordinately pleased.
@spiegelmama … and she is a beauty.
@spiegelmama Arrr, me buckoes … she says a storm’s a-brewing’ …
I’m not one for selfies, but it’s even more difficult with Lola Falafel on my shoulder, trying to eat my hair.
I mentioned a while back that I was designing a book on a client’s family ancestry.
Well, it’s pretty much done, and it was time for the cover.
Here are three images:
• the front cover (without the title and author text overlays)
• the back cover – their father and great-grandfather were into figs and chestnuts … and did I mention their lineage is Italian?
• another draft for the front cover. Believe me – it’s a good idea to give them a few choices.
@DrFerrous enjoy – film is great!
@DrFerrous @photography Damn! I hope my vote swings this fall’s election this way …
Which Nikon do you have? I just started using a 45-year0old F2AS … it’s glorious.
@croyle I’m doing my best!
Lola uses her paws more than any cat I’ve ever known.
I say “pretty girl” to her, and she reaches out to give me a low five.
Or four – I’m not sure offhand. But I know it hits me in the feels.
Lola Falafel has discovered the joys of the form-fitting couch cushions.
3/ You might legitimately ask … why not just get one of those keyboard folios, and be done with it?
There are two *really good* reasons:
#Ergonomics. With a folio, you’re typing with your hands right up against the screen, probably hunched over with a crick in your neck – not great for extended periods of time.
And the keyboard itself; I *hate* chiclets.
Nothing compares to a good, dedicated mechanical keyboard.
#Writing should be a pleasure; the keyboard is at the core of the experience.
2/ Add another $24 for a nice felt iPad sleeve from #Etsy,
and $30 for #Keychron’s own bespoke keyboard case,
and all that’s left are the #writing apps.
#Scrivener, #Ulysses, and #Spaces … cover all the bases.
For use at home, where ergonomics matter more than portability, I’ll add a nice long-armed stand for optimal height and distance.
The idea is that using the same dedicated setup for home or elsewhere will keep things #organized and #distraction_free.
Ah, yes … those magic words.
1/ Yesterday, the final component of my #portable #writing setup arrived …
an eBay 6th Gen iPad – as I wanted one that would run the latest #iPadOS 17.
I won the auction (thanks, #eSnipe) and lucked out – it’s in truly immaculate condition. $126.00.
I had to slog through a *lot* of listings to find it.
Paired with the #Keychron #K3Pro #Bluetooth keyboard and a $2.99 #Ikea stand, I’m good to go light anytime, anywhere.
Total cost? About $215 plus tax and shipping. Luxury #keyboarding.
@stahlbrandt Thanks! Ilford HP5 Plus, pushed +2 for grain and contrast.
One of the windows in my living room.
The “R” was inspired by Mary Tyler Moore’s “M.”
#photography #Nikon #film #blackandwhite #F2 #F2AS #50mm #BristolRI
This pier on Narragansett Bay is about a block and a half from my house. Not bad!
#photography #Nikon #film #blackandwhite #F2 #F2AS #50mm #BristolRI
Have you got Prince Albert in a can?
Better let him out! HAHAHAHAHA!
I miss #PaulReubens.
#photography #Nikon #film #blackandwhite #F2 #F2AS #50mm #BristolRI
A little easy colorization …
I’m a huge fan of #Strandberg headless guitars, designed by Ola Strandberg of Sweden.
This Swedish flag in stained glass hangs in the window of my dedicated guitar practice area – aka the bedroom.
#photography #Nikon #film #blackandwhite #F2 #F2AS #50mm #BristolRI
Good morning! Another shot from that first Nikon F2AS roll …
Lola stirs from her slumbers. What a noble profile.
#Cat #CatsOfMastodon #photography #Nikon #film #blackandwhite #F2 #F2AS #50mm #BristolRI
bed head
From the first roll shot with my new/old Nikon F2AS film camera. Nikkor 50mm f1.4 lens
At home, and on the streets of Bristol, RI. Feb. 29, 2024
Ilford HP5 Plus, pushed +2 for grain and contrast.
#photography #Nikon #film #blackandwhite #F2 #F2AS #50mm #BristolRI
Pizza Planet
From the first roll shot with my new/old Nikon F2AS film camera. Nikkor 50mm f1.4 lens
At home, and on the streets of Bristol, RI. Feb. 29, 2024
Ilford HP5 Plus, pushed +2 for grain and contrast.
#photography #Nikon #film #blackandwhite #F2 #F2AS #50mm #BristolRI
church door
From the first roll shot with my new/old Nikon F2AS film camera. Nikkor 50mm f1.4 lens
At home, and on the streets of Bristol, RI. Feb. 29, 2024
Ilford HP5 Plus, pushed +2 for grain and contrast.
#photography #Nikon #film #blackandwhite #F2 #F2AS #50mm #BristolRI
ARP 2600 remake
From the first roll shot with my new/old Nikon F2AS film camera. Nikkor 50mm f1.4 lens
At home, and on the streets of Bristol, RI. Feb. 29, 2024
Ilford HP5 Plus, pushed +2 for grain and contrast.
#photography #Nikon #film #blackandwhite #F2 #F2AS #50mm #BristolRI #synth #synthesizer
Gimli
From the first roll shot with my new/old Nikon F2AS film camera. Nikkor 50mm f1.4 lens
At home, and on the streets of Bristol, RI. Feb. 29, 2024
Ilford HP5 Plus, pushed +2 for grain and contrast.
#photography #Nikon #film #blackandwhite #F2 #F2AS #50mm #BristolRI
Lola gaze
From the first roll shot with my new/old Nikon F2AS film camera. Nikkor 50mm f1.4 lens
At home, and on the streets of Bristol, RI. Feb. 29, 2024
Ilford HP5 Plus, pushed +2 for grain and contrast.
#photography #Nikon #film #blackandwhite #F2 #F2AS #50mm #BristolRI #cat #CatsOfMastodon
shop window
From the first roll shot with my new/old Nikon F2AS film camera. Nikkor 50mm f1.4 lens
At home, and on the streets of Bristol, RI. Feb. 29, 2024
Ilford HP5 Plus, pushed +2 for grain and contrast.
#photography #Nikon #film #blackandwhite #F2 #F2AS #50mm #BristolRI
@jessekelber Their website has a number of low-profile varients … some are even smaller than the K3 Pro!
It may be less than you think … mine was $84.
@Nuncio You’re not the only one!
I was seeking a serious keyboard (no chiclets) to make a portable rig for writing, and writing *only*.
Something I could use anywhere, instead of lugging my good laptop around … but absolutely without compromising the quality of the keybed.
PCWorld said “… the Keychron K3 Pro is the best small, low-profile keyboard on the market.”
It just arrived, and it is *sweet*. With this, an iPad, and a tiny folding stand, I’m golden anywhere.
@Firlefanz But … but … that’s only three.
@HippieScubaSteve @petes_bread_eqn_xls
As an officially ordained minister of the Church of the Latter Day Dude, I approve this message.
“Yeah, well, you know, that’s just, like, your opinion, man.”
Lola Falafel is one long, tall kitty cat.
Here’s a nice piece by Frankey, an Amsterdam street artist.
Photo by Yvonne Mak.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/01/travel/amsterdam-frankey-street-art.html
The squirrels are back in abundance, and Lola Falafel is fascinated.
She leapt into the kitchen’s north window to watch as they romped around the back yard.
One frisky pair moved out of sight around the northwest corner, and Lola jumped to the west, as if to follow them.
I thought “how cute – she thinks she can still see them!”
To my surprise, she went straight to the west window – and there they were.
The look on her face was like, “No shit, Sherlock.” Smart kitty.
Well, I’m excited about this …
It’s the first roll of film I’ve shot with my new (45-year-old) Nikon F2AS camera.
It’s packed up and heading off to Maine tomorrow, where it will be developed, scanned in hi-res, and returned to me online.
I even got tricksy with it, and am having it pushed +2 stops (from ASA 400 to 1600) to boost contrast and grain. This particular stock is supposed to react very well to being pushed.
After a long day at the Nonlinear Labs C15, Lola Falafel decides it’s time for forty winks.
The C15 actually has its own built-in web server, so the monitor usually displays its user interface … when it’s not sleeping, too.
Hey, mastodon.cloud is back! That was distressing.
@professorkiosk Part of the grittiness is probably the ground bone and teeth the USDA allows as 10% content in each and every weiner.
I’m putting together a book (for a client) of their family history going back to the 1300s.
OpenAI just released DALL-E 3, the newest version of their AI image engine; these took a few minutes for it to spit out as tests for a cover image. (It needs to be a lot less cluttered!)
No cats, for the moment.
@Adabei eek!
@KydiaMusic Point taken.
I found this photo of the odious #MattGaetz in the current issue of “The New Yorker.” (Photo by Mark Peterson.)
Look at that ear. That is not the ear of a human being.
*It has no lobe.* AAAAAAUUUGGH
She watches over Gotham City by night …
A new arrival!
I was reading a #StevenKing novel, and noted a #camera referred to as a “classic” – a #Nikon F2A.
I looked it up, and was led to its successor … the #F2AS.
Here’s what Ken Rockwell had to say:
“The F2AS is the last, best, most advanced and most durable mechanical camera ever made by Nikon. It might be the best ever made by anyone … it's the best Nikon has ever made.”
45 years old. A beauty. I’m back to film!
Lola the kitty has a lot of modeling coming …
Lola Falafel is taking in the morning sun, and purring up a storm.
That crumpled hoodie was left in her carrier by the woman who dropped her off, three weeks ago today.
(So much has changed in those three weeks!)
I’ve kept it, so she’ll have something that was familiar to her … at this point, I doubt she needs it, as she owns the place –
but she seems to like it, and what Lola wants, Lola gets. : )
It’s #Caturday all day long … so here’s a bonus.
Lola Falafel knows the place to be is the studio, where I’m working …
it’s time for a conversation about the events of the day, and what’s for supper?
@laneybk He’s very handsome! Many happy returns of the day.
Happy #Caturday, everyone!
Lola is taking a break from some serious snowflake watching …
we’re having an extremely light dusting – just tiny flakes slowly floating –
but every flake must be counted, and tracked. Only then can we relax.
I saw Wim Wenders’ “Perfect Days” last night. It was perfect.
Here are a few articles; I urge you to seek it out.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/07/movies/perfect-days-review.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/04/movies/perfect-days-tokyo-toilets.html
Here’s Lola Falafel, catching some morning rays on the sofa.
We’ve been together two weeks now, and she’s all settled in.
I’ve never experienced such a brazenly affectionate kitty; life with her is a good thing.
Here’s a tech question for Mac users. I’m mystified.
I have a Logitech Bluetooth mouse that usually works just fine, but at times it jumps, stutters, lags, or freezes.
Now, here’s the strange thing:
I also have an Apple Magic Trackpad, which I only use when I’m working with a particular synth.
If I just turn it on – not even use it! – all the stuttering issues with the Logitech mouse disappear. It tracks as smooth as silk!
So what’s going on here? An RF interference issue?
Lola on the piano, Part Two.
“I’m going to take over the world.”
When Lola first arrived, she spent a few days hanging out in the kitchen.
Now she’s got the run of the entire apartment, and especially happy to be with me while I’m working in the studio.
She’s officially claimed her spot on top of the piano, and is unfazed by the strange sounds that come out of the surround system.
She also helps Katee keep an eye out for Cylons. (Shh … no spoilers.)
Happy Caturday, everybody – it’s 52° in February today!
Lola. Purring.
(The second half gets a little digital processing.)
For the curious in the audience,
that strange grey keyboard is an Alphasmart Neo 2, which is a great writing tool.
The lovely walnut burl cover is one-of-a-kind … I made it (!) to protect my nearly one-of-a-kind ROLI Seaboard Grand LFE from tiny cat claws.
Eight octaves of MPE keywave bliss … very rare. And a joy.
Calamity! Cat-astrophe!
There’s a green Ikea grass-rug hanging in front of the closet doors in the rear of my studio.
Lola – being a cat – intuited that there was something interesting back there, and started clawing at it …
which caused the rug to fall …
which caused the poster of Keith Emerson to fall …
which struck the fresh pot of green tea that was sitting on the piano …
which fell, soaking the carpet. What a mess.
I got everything nailed back up, which is harder than you think.
@usluck @bmacDonald94 The owls of this bench are legs.
Brief editorial comment:
In 1982, my hero Todd Rundgren released an album titled “The Ever-Popular Tortured Artist Effect.”
This morning, I read that Taylor Swift announced her new album, due April 19 … “The Tortured Poets Department.”
It’s hard for me to believe her title isn’t directly derivative.
I said so on the r/toddrundgren subreddit, and I got eviscerated. (You’d think they’d be a more sympathetic audience.)
Any thoughts? Am I alone in this?
Lola explores the studio, meets Totoro.
I’m afraid that in spite of a solid effort on Lola’s part, Totoro wins the ear event.
(For anyone interested, the keyboard at the bottom is a Hydrasynth Deluxe … with polyphonic aftertouch, which is kind of a big deal.)
@mattferrell I don’t want to know what Apple would charge for a replacement …
@mattferrell Back when I had a cheese-grater Mac Pro, my cat shorted out the graphics card.
I thought the whole Mac was toasted, until I swapped out the card. Whew.
I hope your Vision Pro is A-OK … does AppleCare cover cats?
@DebR If I’m reading your handle correctly … I grew up in Bellevue, Washington … moved out to the east coast in ’73.
I miss the Olympic National Park!
Much to my delight, Lola has discovered her cat bed.
While this brings me joy, it’s still kind of bittersweet …
You see, I bought it years ago for my dear departed Milla, who never used it – not once.
So I used it as a place to keep her cat toys.
I emptied it and moved it into the kitchen, because I thought Lola might like it … but didn’t really expect that she would.
This was (literally) a sight for sore eyes.
@andypiper @Jennifer @cymplecy @biglesp Count me in, please! (the t-shirt list, even though I can hardly claim to be one of the best people … : )
Lola loves hanging out in the kitchen …
(I think she wants to be sure she doesn’t miss anything when the magic food bowl refills)
so I got her a new throw rug, and brought out the hot water bottle for these chilly winter mornings.
***
(next pic) We’re talking industrial cat maintenance here!
After scarfing down breakfast, Lola keeps an eye on all those pesky birds and squirrels roughing it out in the cold.
Just look at that tail!
@joelman @UnitedSpaceCats But soon … soon the whole world will know. Bwa ha ha ha!
2/ I was reminded of the Dude himself, patron saint of White Russians. I looked in my wallet … and look at this. Look at the date.
It’s the ninth anniversary of my ordination in The Church of the Latter-Day Dude. I swear, I had no idea. But I heard my calling.
1/ Last night, it was late, and I felt the urge for a White Russian. I put on my coat, said goodbye to Lola, and went to the door.
I looked down the hallway to the kitchen, and there was Lola watching me leave. I couldn’t do it. I took off my coat, and she zoomed to the living room – which she hadn’t done since she arrived.
Around 4PM today, I thought “time for that White Russian.” This time, I left.
I had a chicken sandwich, and an exquisite White Russian – shaken, not stirred. So good.
@dkluft She makes these fantastic chirping vocalizations I’ve read are par for the breed.
While Lola is undoubtedly today’s main attraction, she’s not the only new arrival.
The mailman just dropped off this fix for my fountain pen addiction …
It’s a TWSBI Eco Glo with a 1.1mm italic nib. Glides like a dream, sports a huge ink reservoir, and … well, it glows in the dark.
(Note to marketing mavens: if your product seems to lack that certain je ne sais quoi, just add “it glows in the dark” to the description, and watch the sales pour in. $$$)
Here’s Lola, on the first morning of her forever home.
And you heard it here first; I’m officially keeping the name she came with. I am, however, adding a new middle name:
Falafel.
Lola Falafel – you have to be of a certain age to catch the pun. (Search for “Lola Fala” if you don’t.)
Those long legs give a hint of why I really think she’s part Abyssinian. Any experts out there? I’d love to know what you think.
I’m so happy she’s here with me.
It’s been a long day.
But then, how many days in your life do you meet someone you’ll love until one of you passes on?
(What these photos can’t show is how much she looks like she’s half-Abyssinian.)
She’s a beauty, and as you can see, she’s settling right in.
@capra Thank you for your kind words … there will definitely be more pictures soon!
@harriorrihar @mrcompletely @waarismijnhoofd
Yes, but it’s beautiful – and is is the work of an artist.
I have some good news … the *very best* news.
This is Lola … and on Tuesday, she’s coming to live with me.
She’s two years old, and needs re-homing.
I’m 68, and I NEED A KITTY. So there you go.
(I didn’t take this photo; when you see *my* pix, I’ll put some effort into it, and I won’t chop her head off. : )
I’m not sure yet whether Lola will remain her given name, or become her middle name … but it goes well with the names of my departed cats – India, Emma, and Milla. <sigh>
So happy.
Best headphone stand *evah*.
Ikea Iskärna. It cycles! Or not … depending on what you want.
I was reading a book by Becky Chambers called “A Psalm for the Wild-Built.”
It follows the path of a ‘tea monk’ who sets out from civilization into the wild. I prepared a pot of green tea that seemed appropriate for the journey.
The protagonist plays a recording of crickets – now largely extinct. I went into my SFX library, grabbed a cricket recording and processed it into 5.1 surround.
Lighting a candle, I turned off the studio lights, and my e-reader lit my way through the forest.
I’m looking at all the beautiful #CatsOfMastodon
and thinking of how much I need to expedite getting a cat back into my life.
Must. Have. Kitty.
Had an audition today.
Met a heart-stopping little fur grrl.
Got mixed signals from her mom.
Will I see her again, and take her home?
I honestly don’t know yet.
My poor heart. I’ll know soon.
I’m not making any announcements yet …
but I’m feeling optimistic. And I’m prepared.
:neko_cats_eye:
I’ve got a lead on foster caregivers with kittens here in Rhode Island.
I never knew that there’s an interstate transfer of kittens to temporary foster homes … her bunch is from Alabama!
I have my eye on this little beauty … she’s four months old. Shots, spayed, $250 rehoming fee.
I’m hoping to see her soon after Christmas; what a present that would be.
@Hawaii Thank you.
@laneybk <sigh> My prior cat, Emma, was a bengal … she was a wild one. Sorry for your loss.
In memory of Milla …
@laneybk Thank you … it’s been rough.
Well, Milla the kitty died last week, and I haven’t felt like working on music. So …
Back in 2011, I registered a domain: fuckallthecritics.com.
It was just empty frames, because I don’t have the necessary drawing chops. I let it expire.
But hey! Now we have #AI, and I used #StableDiffusion to make some portraits.
The inner text is still Lorem Ipsum, and the code sucks … it really doesn’t scale on a phone. But try a desktop or laptop!
Now I have some writing to do.
@spz Thank you – that’s another possibility I hadn’t considered. I’m sad that I’ll never know for sure.
@simon_diamond thank you, Simon.
@Callalily So awful. I would have done the same, if I could have … and there was more time.
@donaldham Thank you, Donald.
@theseliminaldays Thank you, Pria, and I’m sorry for your loss.
@Callalily *So* sudden. Went from nuzzling my feet to a full-blown crisis in less than a minute.
@patrascan Thank you, Pat.
@Callalily Thank you – it matters.
2/ Two skilled young women from Bristol Animal Control/Animal Rescue arrived this morning to take on the genuinely dangerous task of getting Milla into a cat carrier.
No contact with other animals, never went outside my apartment. I doubt I’ll ever fully know what caused this overnight change in my little girl, but it was a nightmare.
I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
1/ The past 36 hours have been awful.
Yesterday morning, my beloved Milla suddenly showed symptoms of either severe internal pain, feline dementia, or both.
Searching for diagnosis and treatment was a nightmare of “we’re booked solid,” “we’re not taking new patients,” “leave a message,” “the *initial* evaluation will be $1,250,” et al.
The kind and understanding people at Veterinary Urgent Care Center in East Providence took us as walk-ins,
and Milla was euthanized at 2:45 PM.
It’s happening, again … the first snow of the season.
Just a very light dusting, with tiny little flakes. But who knows what the season has in store!
Strange dream. Visited Sen. Bernie Sanders’ office with a friend, because one of the Senator’s jobs was to distribute free movie tickets for the asking.
I don’t recall the movie we wanted to see, but he was perfectly helpful, and gave us our tickets.
I can’t imagine why I didn’t take the opportunity to talk about something worthwhile with him, but we just thanked him and left.
No idea what brought on this particular dream.
Here’s a piece I wrote back in 2012, and posted more recently on Substack.
It’s about a 2004 trip to Frankfurt for the first public showing of material from Stanley Kubrick’s personal archives …
@clive thanks for the boost!
I went through a *lot* of iterations to get that freaky picture frame I used for synthedelic.com …
here are a couple of pieces I passed over along the way.
I’m consistently bemused by the degree to which AI graphics seem to be psychedelic, in the literal “mind manifesting” sense.
It can take you down a serious rabbit hole of what that implies about the nature of human consciousness.
Exactly what … I can’t quite say.
So far, Huff Post is the only outlet I’ve seen that appropriately characterized Kissinger’s death.
It’s rare that a passing elicits “good riddance” from me, but Kissinger didn’t deserve his long and comfortable life.
I don’t believe in hell, but would make an exception for him.
I used Stable Diffusion and some Photoshop compositing to make a signature card for a newly registered domain,
synthedelic.com. (I got synthedelia.com, too!)
Nothing there yet, and I still have some tweaks in mind for this … but I wanted to play show-and-tell.
#synthedelic #synthedelia #NonlinearLabs #C15
(If you expand the image after opening it – it’s large – you can get rid of the aliasing.)
@clive I can’t tell what image you’re looking at … but if it’s got green patch cords and concentric black-and-white ovals, it’s my growing Eurorack system.
Two Tiptop Audio Mantis cases mounted together, various custom filler panels I designed,
and up on top is an ARP 2600 remake … nostalgic for me, as my first synth was an ARP 2600, back in 1973.
The black synth in front of the Eurorack is an Expressive E Osmose. Hope that covers the one you were talking about.
People have every right to groan about the bloated excesses of the typical Marvel superhero spectacle,
and how they’ve distorted the playing field for low-budget independant filmmaking.
but I have to say this: Loki proves they can be more than dross.
It was amazing. Tom Hiddleston was amazing. The art direction was flat-out extraordinary.
If you’ve avoided all things Marvel, consider this:
Loki is just two short seasons, and well worth your time. Give it a shot. Check it out.
“Loki” is so damn good.
Milla, Mysterious Sleeping Cat of the Orient.
Okay … here’s one more studio shot.
I had to get up on the piano in the back corner, where Milla the kitty usually sits …
I really do have a 3.5” x 3.5” space to work in!
A quick addendum: ten years ago yesterday – when I went freelance for good –
I had *none* of the equipment in the photo except the surround amp and the Herman Miller Mirra chair (a particularly good investment).
I’m just sayin’ … the freelance life has been decent to me.
Out of view in the rear of the studio:
the 88-keywave ROLI Seaboard Grand LFE,
and a Yamaha GranTouch piano, which – with its full concert grand action – makes a fantastic MIDI controller.
Time for a little show & tell …
The past week has seen some significant reconfiguring here in the studio … all the keyboards have been raised to standing-while-playing height,
and both the Osmose and the Eurorack are within arm’s reach.
Lower left: Nonlinear Labs C15
Center left: Expressive-E Osmose
Above that: the Eurorack-in-progress, topped by an ARP 2600 clone
Lower right: Yamaha EX5
Above that: a cheap Yamaha I got for the keybed – soon to be replaced by an ASM Hydrasynth Deluxe!
I’ve been freelance ever since, and guess what?
I’m thriving – and making serious progress towards my goals and dreams.
More on the evolving state of my studio later.
Ten years ago today, I abandoned a work environment where I had consulted for 14 years;
it had been irreparably poisoned by an office bully, and a management structure that utterly failed to address the issue.
What issue? He used a punching bag he kept in his office, interrupted conversations to exclaim how desperately he wanted to hit someone in the mouth,
and when there were no witnesses, threatened me with battery for picking up a leftover muffin.
My only regret is not leaving sooner.
Having keyboards in front of the center speaker isn’t much of a help when monitoring in surround.
So this is my POV from the mixing sweet spot, after I spent time aligning the front keyboard tiers. It took a few tries.
EDIT: As part of my (endless) ongoing preparations for playing live, all the keyboards in the center of my studio have been elevated to a comfortable level for playing while standing up.
That’s what prompted this new alignment; they used to be well below the center speaker.
@aaron @tosbourn That was a serious nostalgia purchase … my first synth was an ARP 2600, back in ’73.
@aaron @tosbourn DC from the DAW … I have heard of such mysteries!
I took the easy way out, and got a Hermod from Squarp Instruments. Here’s a first test from last year …
@aaron @tosbourn It was the studio’s 828 mk3 hybrid (still running on Firewire 800, with a Belkin dock as an adapter) that disappeared after the Sonoma upgrade …
the new Ultralite mk5 for the live-dedicated MacBook Pro accepted Sonoma without issue. Such a nice little interface.
@aaron @tosbourn I had to go through a rather involved System Security Update procedure to get things working with my Apple M2 processors … but detailed instructions came with the driver reinstall, which made it a breeze.
But it was distressing (for a few moments) to lose my vital surround outputs. All’s well, etc.
@tosbourn @aaron Not really … the usual cost of updating a couple of utilities to current versions (SpamSieve and Cocktail)
and Onyx is no longer able to let you set custom login screen wallpaper. I also had to re-install the drivers for my MOTU audio interfaces … but all in all, very straightforward and stable.
For all the musicians out there … a Monday morning tune-up.
@kr1st What a beauty. Believe me, I can appreciate it all the more, given my experiences this morning.
Put these things together:
• an iPhone, to stream playlists from the ’60s
• a 1948 Philco bakelite radio
• a home AM transmitter, broadcasting on the radio’s frequency
and you’ve got that perfect AM grunge that I heard when I was 9 or 10 years old, listening to the British Invasion. It’s magic.
I was enjoying “Mr. Breakfast” – a remarkable book by Jonathan Carroll – when I came across a reference to an “Omar Souleyman.” I didn’t know if he was fictional, or for real.
I put down my e-reader and looked him up – and he’s the real thing. WOW.
Check this out; you’ll be glad you did.
Here’s the new Expressive E Osmose, with the not-so-new electrified guqin.
They’ve taken up residence in the living room, as there’s not enough space left in the studio for me to play them standing up. (The Nonlinear Labs C15 in the studio is now at standing height, too.)
But the new MacBook Pro and the gear cubby makes it easy for me to make the living room an adjunct studio, and overdub tracks there.
The Osmose is a unique and progressive MPE keyboard …
visit https://expressivee.com
More progress on the setup for 5.1 surround live performance. (I know, I know … everything but the music. It’s still progress!)
My kind woodworking neighbor Dennis made this little cubby to my specs, and I stained it and added a few coats of tung oil.
It holds:
• the Neve 88 preamp
• the OWC drive enclosure & Thunderbolt 4 hub
• the MOTU UltraLite mk5, which will route the 5.1 audio channels from my MacBook Pro to the three stereo Crown amps.
Then it all comes out the speakers. Woohoo!
Greetings to my fellow Burners!
Yes – it’s Burning Man time again. I’m astonished that 24 years have passed since my arrival on the playa in 1999 …
it was an incredible experience, as was the coast-to-coast solo round trip across America in my Dodge van.
Have a wonderful burn, and remember to be safe out there.
@SailorDisco This cracked me up.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls … here’s my absolutely honest, non-sarcastic take on the new Star Wars series, Ahsoka.
Well, it’s a little stiff, but I was entertained. Rosario Dawson and her castmates do a fine job with their characters.
Still, my primary concern was for the well-being of Sabine Wren’s adorable Loth-cat, which seemed to be abandoned much of the time.
It had me wondering … who was feeding the poor little thing? Really; I couldn’t think of much else.
5/5 And for the record, I’m not a shill for any of the companies involved … I’m just *really* enthusiastic about the software.
There’s a lot of information I’ve left out, so you’ll find a bit of time investigating on your own to be seriously rewarding.
This bit of news dropped into my lap at the most opportune time. I have a piece of film music that’s a perfect candidate for remix in surround …
I plan to post it in the coming week, as my first foray into life with Dolby Atmos Composer.
4/5 For someone already working with surround, the software costs next to nothing … $179 (on special.)
It works with pretty much any DAW, even if you don’t have a surround speaker system. And it allows you to export multi-channel surround, traditional stereo, and binaural stereo (for headphones) …
which, while I’m still gung-ho on true multi-speaker surround, is inarguably more accessable by a much larger audience.
For more info, videos, and a free two-week trial –
3/5 My opinion on this hasn’t changed … not one bit. But what’s got me excited is a new way of working on surround recording, utilizing software from Fiedler Audio called Dolby Atmos Composer.
I’m already familiar with Fiedler Audio from their plugin called stage (lower case) that performs some interesting magic with stereo imaging.
Their Dolby Atmos Composer system essentially drops into your DAW and takes over all your surround staging and panning functions.
2/5 I have to admit, I’ve kind of looked down my nose at Dolby Atmos … not the theatrical version, but the Apple Music, stereo-based kind.
I’m a surround purist; I’m convinced that no amount of woo-woo is going to deliver the same experience wearing headphones that you get from a quality discreet surround system, with speakers spread throughout the room.
(Soundbars don’t count, no matter how much better they may be than the cheesy speakers in a flat-screen TV.)
1/5 I’ve been posting infrequently, but if you’ve seen much of my stream at all, you know that I’m hell-bent on getting my act together to perform live in surround.
Almost by accident, I just came across something that will completely change the way I go about producing surround content, and eliminate the bother of producing both a 5.1 surround mix *and* a stereo mix for everything I record.
I’m so enthusiastic about this it’s bound to sound like a marketing pitch, but please bear with me.
A very nice-looking marmot or woodchuck seems to have taken up residence in my back yard.
(No, this isn’t it, but it looks very much like this.)
It does like to stand up on its hind legs like a prairie dog, and seems quite frisky.
“Cliiiimb eevry mountaaiin … forrrd eevry streeaam …”
When a client abuses you, get the hell out of Dodge.
This weekend, for the first time in my life, I simply ditched a job in progress and walked away.
• I had told the client that I wanted *absolutely nothing* to do with the project.
• I had deadlines with other clients; he placed his deadline ahead of them.
• He then told me “the board” budgeted just 2-3 hours of work.
• I called him, chewed him out, and quit.
I *should* have done it years ago … better late than never.
What a relief.
The shiny little black box on the left is an OWC Ministack STX, a fantastic add-on to just about any computer that uses Thunderbolt or USB-C I/O.
An empty one costs $279, and gives you space to mount:
• One 3.5” or 2.5” SATA hard drive, AND
• One NVMe M.2 SSD, AND
• It has four (count ’em) Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C ports!
Since my new MacBook Pro has three ports, when the two are connected, I still have five open ports.
I put an 18TB drive in mine, and I’m loading it up for live music work.
I’m stunned and saddened to learn that Paul Reubens has died of cancer, at 70.
I loved this guy; his humor was brilliant and good-natured.
“Pee-wee’s Playhouse” first aired in the days before most people had VCRs. They were also the days when I was still doing *serious* partying on Friday nights, and was in no shape to awaken on Saturdays and watch.
But I always did, because “Playhouse” was too extraordinary to miss.
And now we’ll all miss him. You’re immortal, Paul.
Ooh, I can do this … Buckaroo Banzai!
He sent off not a missive, nor a screed, but a “snorter!”
And they groveled like Grima Wormtongue.
Good grief … I just noticed that it’s 6:12 PM,
and thinking it’s Sunday, I cursed because I didn’t go out to pick up some beer.
But guess what … it’s actually Tuesday! Woohoo! The stores are still open!
Kids … this is what it’s like to be nearly 68 and self-employed.
I’m genuinely not dotty (yet) but being able to spend two days configuring a new computer made me think “It must be the weekend,” right?
A pretty reasonable assumption – unfortunately, deeply ingrained after decades of work.
So, here’s the new arrival at Casa Satori … a lovely Space Gray 14” MacBook Pro M2 Max. It’s a little monster!
It will be the playback source for live 5.1 surround backing tracks, with real-time panning of soft synths and Kontakt instruments,
as well as a MIDI control source for preset and effect changes.
< Emperor Palpatine voice> … all is proceeding exactly as I have forseen …
Milla knows that sometimes you’ve just gotta stop and smell the carnations.
(I’m sure Katee knows, too.)
As things are heating up with the arrival of summer,
it struck me that having my Mac sitting on top of two hot hard drives probably wasn’t the best arrangement.
So I ordered some silicone lab stoppers and a nice desk fan from Amazon,
and now I have an air-cooled Mac & RAID array setup.
I’m running iStat (a system monitor) on the Mac, and the fan really does help cool things down nicely!
(Long Drink for scale)
Just bought a ticket to see Oppenheimer on July 25,
in IMAX 70MM. Can’t freakin’ wait.
IMAX 70mm
Select IMAX theatres will be offering the IMAX Experience featuring 15 perf/70mm film projection which combines the brightest, clearest images at 10 times the resolution of standard projection formats, with powerful, laser-aligned digital sound and customized theatre geometry to create the world’s most immersive movie experience.
A few thoughts on the passing of Alan Arkin –
What an astonishing actor. If you’ve never seen Mike Nichols’s film of “Catch-22,” seek it out. Arkin runs away with his embodiment of Yossarian, and the rest of the cast is amazing as well.
He also gave us his son Adam Arkin, who forged his own path as an actor and director.
Republicans and the Supreme Court hate higher education.
They both want an uneducated, unskilled electorate they can force to work for $7 an hour or less.
No more Affirmative Action, no respite from predatory student loans. The court couldn’t make their true feelings any clearer.
This morning there‘s a crew of eight Mexican/South American workers busily removing the shingles from the roof of the church building by my house.
I think of how hard they’re working, and how their lives have changed since leaving their homes …
And then I think of the Republican hatred of “illegals,” and the demonization of people struggling to just get by.
I hope they’re being paid well. And I hope they’re either citizens, or in the process – and not worried about ICE kidnapping them.
So yesterday, I got all the new surround speakers in place.
They sound glorious; this is the first time I’ve ever had a surround system that wasn’t cobbled together from odds and ends.
This photo shows them before I returned two synths to the front of the room; the shelves hold pedals and cables that were then returned to where they belonged.
The first thing I listened to was the recent 5.1 mix of Yes’s Tales From Topographic Oceans … incredible.
But today, it’s time for my synths!
My studio’s a mess right now … I’m replacing *all* the speakers in my surround system with matching Klipsch monitors, which will be much better for serious mixing than the hodgepodge collection I’ve been using.
So in order to get at the old front stereo speakers, the center, and the subwoofer, I’ve had to remove two synths and the stand they were on. They’re now in the hallway.
But early in the week, when the new speakers arrive, I’ll be able to pop them right into place. Can’t wait.
In the “do-not-speak-ill-of-the-dead” department:
Televangelist Pat Robertson, all-around waste of breath and vile human scum, has died. Good fucking riddance.
I recall accidentally seeing his show about 25 years ago … he was on an elaborate set depicting the destruction of a godless city. There were actual flames in the studio.
“Friends, send whatever you can … but please send *at least* one hundred dollars.”
I imagined someone’s grandma eating cat food after sending him her last cent.
This chart came from the Washington Post, with a hard-hitting story about the distribution of donut shops in American cities. /s
Anyone familiar with Rhode Island will know this is true …
Providence has to be Chief Wiggums’s favorite city to visit.
This, from an interview with Ghibli’s Suzuki Toshio …
Suzuki: “So, since it’s come to this, I thought we should just go with a single poster.”
The nature of said poster, seemingly featuring a person in a white and blue bird outfit, has caused some confusion.
The interviewer seemed to be among those having a hard time discerning the poster’s content.
When I learned last year that Miyazaki was doing an adaptation of the Japanese classic “How Do You Live?”,
I immediately bought and devoured a copy of the novel. It was engrossing. But now it has been revealed that – surprise, surprise,
the movie won’t be a direct adaptation, but a fantasy film.
https://gizmodo.com/miyazaki-ghibli-how-do-you-live-poster-trailer-anime-1850499515
An image has been released, and I can’t for the life of me parse what it represents. Still, I can’t wait!
I fixed the second line of his podium sign.
I had to do some searching to find the the font they were using … it’s called “Macho ExtraBold.” I kid you not.
Whoa! I just installed #Tapbots #Ivory for Mac, and it’s freakin’ gorgeous.
I was a long-time Tweetbot user, but deleted it (and Twitter) last October. The Ivory interface is the best I’ve seen yet … it feels like home.
Mac users – check it out!
@greg that’s a beauty too!
@greg You bet … a koa 6-string. Sweet!
@xmacdonald Right you are!
I know it’s not #caturday, but …
I was lying on my living room sofa reading, and Milla the kitty came in to keep me company.
Domestic bliss.
@aurynn More Americans need to see what a noxious blight [many of us] are on the rest of the world …
of course, the ones who really need to see it are unaware the world is larger than the distance between them and the nearest gun shop …
It’s not practical for me to post 4K video here on Mastodon,
so here’s a frame from the first test of my new Leica 12-60 lens at full 4K CinemaScope resolution.
This is the maximum short telephoto length (60mm, or 120mm equivalent on my camera)
and it’s still nice and sharp. It was taken just a few blocks from my house, right on Narragansett Bay.
DaVinci Resolve runs like a dream on my new Mac mini, and I’m going to have a blast running around Bristol through this spring and summer.
@9to5Mac I don’t imagine there’s a tremendous overlap of white christian nationalists & Mac users …
For virtually all my film project work, I‘ve used prime lenses (non-zoom lenses that have a single focal length).
But with the arrival of spring, I wanted to have a single lens I could take out while biking around sunny Bristol, and still cover all the bases.
That lens just arrived … a Leica 12-60 f/2.8 zoom, which on my micro four-thirds Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K covers the equivalent of 24mm-120mm – a great range.
It’s sweet! Time to head outside …
While it may be true that time heals all wounds,
it never gets mentioned that the really impressive ones may need a bit longer than the wounded’s lifespan for that to occur.
(Don’t mind me; I’m just waxing philosophical on this fine spring evening.)
As a life-long Star Trek fan (I was ten when the whole thing started!)
let me say: the series finale of ‘Picard’ was glorious.
And for the record, on my word of honor, the following is true:
at a convention in Providence in the early ’90s, I gave Michael Dorn (you know him as Worf) a bottle of prune juice. Warrior’s drink.
He responded in good humor.
And … I was in an elevator when James Doohan (Scotty) walked in.
I said hello, but I did *not* say The Words. And I’m thankful for that.
Now I have just under one cubic foot of little green microfiber cloths.
Think of that.
Visualizing them occupying space in their designated place on a shelf in my kitchen gives me an inexplicable amount of pleasure.
Know what I like?
Little green microfiber cloths.
I clean my glasses with them.
I clean all the screens I’m surrounded by with them.
I can use them as napkins, sneeze into them, wipe schmutz off of whatever has gotten schmutzy, dust and polish my guitars …
they make me happy.
I used to have many of them, but I was down to just a few that were pretty grungy, and starting to smell bad.
So I ordered 96 new ones, and they arrived today. I threw away the old ones,
and now I’m happy again.
The Booker Prize shortlist is out … what an absolute banquet.
Within minutes, I had four of them on my little Kobo Clara 2E.
The level of satisfaction and anticipation this brings me is – unlike the actual content of these novels – ineffable.
https://thebookerprizes.com/the-booker-library/prize-years/international/2023
The world has lost Ahmad Jamal.
The world will always have Ahmad Jamal; we are so lucky.
Pretty much the worst human being I ever met had as a “core skill” (right) being a copywriter …
I don’t doubt for an instant that he’s now spending his days dropping cues into ChatGPT and rearranging paragraphs to finalize deliverables.
I’m suddenly seeing the taint of AI-generated copy in almost every corporate-sourced website I visited today.
There are exceptions – like the Op Ed pages of the NYTimes and WaPo – but in anything involving marketing or product descriptions, it’s there.
The world has already changed in ways we won’t begin to cognize for another few years, and it’s too late already.
Nothing like a fresh ream of laser paper,
and a brand-new toner cartridge …
to print my tax returns. Oy. :dance_cool_doge:
Hey! I just earned my first dollar from my completely neglected Bandcamp site!
http://randywalters.bandcamp.com
(Well … after fees, more like $0.75, actually.)
There’s just some old stuff sitting there; I set it up, and haven’t gotten around to posting anything current.
But it’s free to listen … I have some #ToddRundgren covers there, too.
That aside, today it will hit 68° F … and Thursday and Friday will reach 77° and 78°. Fantastic!
Time to bring out the fans in the studio to keep things cool.
This morning, it truly feels like spring is here. All through the apartment, I’ve opened the windows. Ah!
But that fresh air comes with a price … my house sits directly between two churches (my back yard shares a wall with one)
and there are two more less than half a block away. So along with the open windows, come …
The bells. The Bells! AAUGH!
It’s not the sound that bothers me, but the shitty, low-polyphony arrangements a couple of the churches use.
They make me wince every time.
Ooh … I’m hoping it’s true!
https://gizmodo.com/star-wars-ghibli-hayao-miyazaki-anime-studio-ahsoka-1850319395
One year ago today, my youngest brother Greg went out for a walk to this pier on Lake Washington (by Seattle).
He had some kind of arrhythmia event, fell into the shallow water, and drowned.
It took them two days to find the body.
Next time you’re having a less-than-perfect day, think of how quickly things can change …
it might help keep it all in perspective.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again …
opening the freezer door and discovering a forgotten ice cream bar is one of life’s greatest joys.
Breakfast of champions.
This performance – and the one at my high school a few weeks earlier – got my dad to spring for my first synthesizer … an ARP 2600.
Thanks, Dad.
Another anniversary; 50 years ago today, I played solo synthesizer at the Seattle Center Opera House (right by the Space Needle) as part of Bellevue’s All-City Music Festival.
I was gently encouraged to change the name of the piece from “Elegy For A Lost Republic” (Nixon still had 16 months left to go) to something a little less au courant.
Despite what the paper said, the synth was not a Moog, but an EMS VCS3 Putney – as used by Pete Townshend (on Who’s Next) and Todd Rundgren.
My never-ending search for desktop art brought me to this link:
https://www.ghibli.jp/info/013409/
Studio Ghibli has made stills available from their many movies … help yourself!
But the result actually exceeds the performance of the first-level Mac Studio, which was what I initially planned on getting.
For my purposes, combining the Mini with those two OWC miniStack STX hubs really did the trick. I highly recommend them to anyone using Thunderbolt; at $270 each, they deliver a lot of bang for the buck.
Since I’ve spent the week configuring the system, I’m only just beginning to get some actual work going … but I’ve got to say how impressed with this little computer.
I boosted it to their best available M2 Pro processor, topped out the RAM at 32GB, and raised the main SSD to 2TB. At Apple’s prices, those three options *doubled* the base price of $1,299 – but since none of those are user-upgradeable, there really wasn’t much choice.
The little Mac Mini is sitting on top of a pair of OWC miniStack STX Thunderbolt 4 hubs. They’re fantastic little devices … each adds four additional Thunderbolt 4 ports to the system, for a total of twelve!
In addition, each holds one of the two 5.25" hard drives in my 36TB RAID array … and there’s still room in each for an SSD. (That will have to wait for a little while, as I’ve blown my budget for the moment.)
That desktop image is one of a bunch I have cycling; it’s “Dusk,” by Alphonse Mucha.
It came from artvee.com, which is a fantastic source for myriad images – I love browsing, and scoring desktop images.
It’s been a week since the arrival of my new Mac M2 Pro Mini, and while I’m still installing audio plugins, the system is pretty much fully operational – really, the fastest I’ve ever managed to get a new computer system up and running as the heart of my studio.
I never imagined I’d be using a Mini in this capacity, but this thing’s a monster. It’s genuinely amazing how powerful it is.
There are a few things I’d love to mention … (brief thread to follow)
Does anyone else find it grossly infantilizing to reduce a full-grown, sentient woman to a prop
by referring to her as one of a group of “future mommies?”
There’s something Stepford-wife-esque about it – like something Aunt Lydia (from The Handmaid’s Tale) would abuse her charges with.
Lawsah mercy! I just edited my first social media post post-posting!
When I awakened this morning, this was in my inbox:
an unsolicited image from a stock photo company.
Now, I think that yoga is fine, and of course, “future mommies” (sheesh) are fine (though as I’m 67, something I’ve successfully avoided being responsible for to date …)
but whomever thought this image would send me into a frenzy of stock photo purchases needs to go back to Marketing 101.
This is what happens when I toot before my morning tea.
Suppertime is nigh,
and Milla the kitty holds vigil outside the studio door.
@Yudron Never say never!
@Yudron I was hoping that I’d have my act together sufficiently to go out and play by today … well, not quite yet!
I’m getting to that age when the 50th anniversaries of significant life events are beginning to roll around … and today marks one I hope to replicate in the not-too-distant future.
50 years ago today, at a high school music festival in Bellevue, Washington, I played solo synthesizer live for the very first time.
My mom saved this poster …
I’m now working hard to get back out there and play live again … this time in surround!
@somcak Here’s a photo I found of “an immature Cooper’s Hawk in a tree bordering Burnaby Lake, North Burnaby, BC, Canada.”
I’d say that’s a dead-on match.
(You can tell it’s immature because of the “OK, boomer” taunts it squacks at photographers.)
@somcak The spotting patterns on the back, and the striped tail make me think you’ve clinched it! Thanks.
@greg Not a lake, but two blocks from Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island!
In fact, there’s an Audubon preserve just a couple miles down the road, and a bike path on the waterline that goes through all sorts of preserved wetlands, and a state park.
All within walking distance.
@greg Thanks!
I just saw this hawk (I presume) from my kitchen window …
does anyone have an idea what it is?
(Please excuse the quality of the photo and my neighbor’s ‘playground’ –
I used my phone, the hawk was far away …
and my neighbor has a 3-year-old.)
From the very first day my new C15 synthesizer arrived in November,
I was struck by how much it resembled the Catbus from Miyazaki’s ‘My Neighbor Totoro.’
And since then, I’ve been wondering what to name the synth,
even as I’ve continually referred to it as “the Catbus.”
Well, I finally realized it had actually been named from Day 1.
I had a sticker made with the kanji characters for ‘nekobasu’ (Japanese for ‘catbus’)
and I’ll have another made for the front panel. Behold … the Catbus!
Rarer than a unicorn …
coveted by all …
I have achieved the nigh-impossible inbox zero!
Happy birthday, Yoko.
(If you want it.)
Goodbye, Raquel –
my first pinup. I was like, 12.
(I’m generally not a sexist dolt, but at that age … I knew this meant something, but I really wasn’t sure what.)
Two gorgeous teacups (with wooden handles, no less) arrived yesterday from China.
Milla the kitty – sitting in the morning sun on the piano – saw me setting up the photo, and came over to investigate.
@michaelwplant No worries – I thought it was funny, in a nice way.
Thanks for sharing this resource – I’m a big believer in letting people know when I’ve found a merchant or artist that delivers something of value,
and wow … these people make some great stuff!
I’ve been working on a cover version of Love Come Down, a song Evelyn (Champagne) King released in 1982.
Not my strongest suit, but it’s for a filmmaker friend’s project. Here’s a short sample of the vocoder work I finished in the backing tracks.
All I have left to do is play the lead vocal lines on synth, which should actually be a lot of fun on the Nonlinear Labs C15.
Pretty funky for a white boy.
oh, no … oh, no …
I don’t want to be a fascist Republican.
I *really* like my Mastodon account, but I have to be very careful about getting drawn into it …
it’s just so damn entertaining.
Suddenly half an hour has gone by, and the work I actually wanted to do is still waiting for me.
It might be helpful if your client had a built-in timer you could set to let you know “hey, you had something you wanted to do … want to get back to it?”
Or perhaps I could just exercise a little self-discipline.
Akk! OH, THE HORROR …
This is going to sound like a commercial, but I *swear* it’s not.
I’ve been sleeping on the same old Ikea pillow for a few years, and it’s as flat as a board.
My poor neck has been sore and stiff, so I finally ordered a new pillow, and it arrived yesterday.
What bliss … today my neck feels great. Joy!
In case you’re interested, it’s a Coop Homegoods Original, made of shredded memory foam. Really well reviewed, and I concur.
(And I’m just sharing because I’m JAZZED about my new pillow.)
The filmmaker I’m working with is using a bunch of old footage from the late ’70s and early ’80s …
and he wants me to do cover versions of a couple of old funk tunes.
Last night, I set things up to do some vocoder work, so today I’ll be sounding like Mr. Roboto.
Here’s how it’s looking from my point of view … domo arigato!
Harry Whittington, the man VP Dick Cheney shot while bird hunting, has died at the age of 95.
So … can Cheney be charged with manslaughter now?
I’ve been pretty lucky so far; despite the generally cold weather, the humidity in my apartment has stayed around 50% …
which, in addition to being healthier for me, is also optimum for my guitars and other wooden instruments.
But this morning, the temperature outside hit -6° F, and the humidity inside dropped below 35%.
So I moved my acoustic guitars into the bedroom studio with my electric .strandbergs, and fired up the humidifier.
It’s now 46% and climbing, and we’re all happier.
I wish I could get hold of that old “F Troop” commercial,
because we all need to see an ersatz Native American pointing at the sky and crying
IT IS BALLOOOON!!!
It seems like the studios are pissed that one of the “best actress” noms slipped out of their usual control, and they’re throwing a tantrum. It’s hypocrisy, pure and simple.
Actors have every right to support one of their own; this all comes down to studio heads being livid about women raising their voices. How dare they!
When men do exactly the same thing, you don’t hear a peep.
About the #AndreaRiseborough Oscar nom controversy … let’s see if I have this right.
Film studios can spend millions on ads in Variety, newspapers, and the web touting so-and-so as candidates for Oscar noms, and there’s no problem with that.
But a handful of women use word-of-mouth and viewing parties to spread the news about an actor and film they think deserves attention, and it’s hair-on-fire time for the status quo?
@pixiepancake Actually, I *am* the household pet … I belong to my cat, and she runs the place.
Hi there! I haven’t been hanging on Mastodon much lately, ’cause I’ve been busy …
but I still like it a lot.
Here’s something of no real import … my practice space for guitars is my bedroom, because the studio is *full*.
And since I play .strandberg* guitars that were designed in Sweden, I wanted to get a Swedish flag for the space. ’Cause I’m a dork. :blobcheerbounce:
I found a stained glass flag on Etsy, and it arrived today.
It’s cool to make your practice space special. #Sweden
Here’s the last bit of film music for this week … it’s a police pursuit!
I don’t know if it will come through on this .mp3, but man …
my Neve audio interface is blowing me away. It makes everything sound like gold.
(I’m re-posting this, because something seems to have gone wrong with the version I put out last night … mea culpa.)
Another film music sketch …
in this one, it’s a sunny day and the protagonist is driving away from Providence on I95
in a little sports car with the top down … back in the late ’70s. (It’s actually old 16mm footage.)
This bit did *not* involve my new synthesizer. :)
Another film music sketch …
in this one, it’s a sunny day and the protagonist is driving away from Providence on I95
in a little sports car with the top down … back in the late ’70s. (It’s actually old 16mm footage.)
This bit did *not* involve my new synthesizer. :)
Here’s a little more film music from my Nonlinear Labs C15 synth.
When it gets cold at night, sometimes I like to get in a hot bath and read.
I leave my socks and underwear on the floor;
Milla the cat has decided to keep me company by curling up on top of my shorts. It’s a regular thing with her now.
I’ll spare you the photo, and ask that you take my word for it.
Working on some film music with my C15 synth …
it’s so expressive. This is Nobilis Humilis, from the mid-13th century.
It sings the praises of St. Magnus of the Orkneys.
Happy Birthday, Ms. Of Arc.
Robin Sloan is one of my favorite writers. I suggest you read this,
and play with it.
Here in the USA, we’re now seeing the most protracted speaker election since 1859.
Since the Civil War.
That’s 164 years. What a bunch of maroons.
Patti Smith’s new book arrived several weeks ago,
but I’ve been putting off getting into it. There’s a photo and accompanying prose for every day of the year,
and now is the perfect time to begin with the entry for January 1.
This will be a fine new addition to my morning routine; a moment with Patti, to go with my green tea.
Hi, everyone … it’s 50° F out!
Think I’ll go for a bike ride to the market, and replenish the larder with healthy food.
After that, the day will be filled with musical exploration. So much to be thankful for, in this new year …
my 68th. How did this happen?
“All the strangers look like family
All the family looks so strange
The only constant I am sure of
Is this accelerating rate of change”
– Peter Gabriel, “Downside Up”
@TheOtherRae Congratulations … glad you’re doing better.
@heurism I fell like passing along this recent discovery …
Cyrus Chestnut released an album that’s essentially an updated remake of the Guaraldi classic.
I checked it out, and I really like it. It goes some places the original doesn’t … it’s well worth a listen.
https://www.amazon.com/Charlie-Brown-Christmas-Chestnut-Friends/dp/B00004U9MM
@tldrellie Projectors are *great* for art!
I came in one weekend to an office where I was consulting (and they were moving)
and left my mark on the wall with one of my heroes, Paul Klee.
I still did the work, but the projected image helped a lot.
Half of my apartment is heated by a dedicated heater, attached to the side of the kitchen’s gas stove. When it works, it’s great.
Every year, I dread the coming of high winds, which can blow out the pilot light … and it’s the damnedest thing to get lit again, especially with a draft.
That was yesterday; I had no luck.
This morning, it was 8° F when I got up. After 10 minutes lying on the floor looking up into the thing with a long butane lighter …
at last, success. Now it’s doing its job.
Here’s Milla, on the bed with her new hot water bottle.
Stay warm, everybody.
Here in Bristol, RI right now (10:30AM) it’s a balmy 55° F.
Starting at 3PM, it’s supposed to drop from 52° to 23° at 11PM. Yow!
I know it’s nothing to complain about compared to much of the U.S., but it’s still pretty dramatic.
I will not hide this behind a content warning label;
I did not join Mastodon to do so.
All you need to do is read this, and implement it in all societies.
This is something I haven’t thought about for a long time …
how for years, I took for granted what a privilege that full-time access to a couple of massive pipe organs was.
I knew it was a complete rush at the time …
but as they say … “don’t it always seem to go
that you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone …”
To those of you who didn’t understand my reference to an SR-71,
and how playing a pipe organ could be like flying one …
here’s what an SR-71 looks like.
I’ll post this again, since I lost it before in all the excitement …
My post about this woman should have included this link:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/21/arts/music/anna-lapwood-organist-tiktok.html
Oh, yes … the link.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/21/arts/music/anna-lapwood-organist-tiktok.html
I am so thrilled for/by this young woman.
When I was a student at Brown University, I had full-time access to both the organ in Sayles Hall
(which looked remarkably like the dining hall at Hogwarts)
and the organ in Alumni Hall. Keys, and everything, at all hours.
I had an amazing time there for years – both alone, and with friends.
I’m so happy about the attention she’s getting for her work.
To play these instruments … it’s like flying an SR-71. You know; the coolest jet ever flown.
@Matt_Wilson_Photography :dance_cool_doge: “I know it’s been said
many times, many ways …”
whippet good.
So, in case anyone felt like I was a little excessive for sharing my genuine joy in the arrival of my *third* .strandberg* guitar …
this just showed up on the Fractal Audio forum. Count ’em. (hint: 50+)
By the way … having fulfilled my responsibilities for the week, I’m now enjoying a little celebratory Champagne before a session with said new strandy.
@blaix I’m a 67-year-old guy, and I think she’s fantastic.
“Run Away With Me” is just … perfect pop.
@DismalManorGang Thanks very much – I’ve been waiting a long time for this one.
@andrewyule I’ve been waiting for this for about a year and a half …
I’d been paying down an earlier model 5 months before the order was cancelled … because the new NX series was coming.
So when they announced the Natural models a few weeks ago …
it was time!
Well, Christmas time is here … and my new .strandberg* Prog NX 6 Natural has arrived.
I love these guitars … they’re the most ergonomic stringed instruments I’ve ever encountered.
Headless, multiscale, chambered, with a Richlite fretboard … like scalpels for music.
This one weighs just 4 lbs, 14 oz. (about 2.2 kg.) A Gibson Les Paul weighs 10-12 lbs or more.
That flame maple top is subtle, but when the light hits just right … whoa.
It sounds amazing – even unplugged.
Nothing against Tweetbot … it was excellent software.
I just don’t need it any more.
My former downstairs neighbor (who moved out less than two years ago)
would have had a #menorah in his front window by now for the start of #Chanukah.
I really miss seeing it!
I hope that he and his partner are doing well this holiday season.
Just five days ago, I permanently deleted my bird accounts.
And for a month and a half (after October 27) my only bird activity (other than deleting my tweets) was to tell people where they could find me on Mastodon.
Bird users that haven’t told people where else they can be found are now officially screwed.
Which is – of course – exactly what puerile dickhead Musk wants.
@AnathemaJane Oh, please do! I’d love to see it get around. Thanks!
Here’s my little contribution to the cause …
please feel free to pass it along if you like it.
(yes, I could have added a trunk … but that would be a little too on-the-nose for me. : )
@mikemccaffrey The hot water bottle I ordered arrived yesterday …
and right now, in my bedroom, Milla the kitty is burrowed under the covers with her new snuggle buddy. She loves it!
Thanks for the tip.
Ludwig Van checks out the new synth,
while Keith drops in from heaven to give us a little Tarkus.
@mathnerd311 Artemis has wares, if you have coin
Hello, world … I have an announcement.
Today – as I have no other pressing responsibilities – I will be cleaning up my apartment. Yes!
There will be vacuuming … there will be dishwashing … there will be trash emptying … and afterwards, it will be a fit environment for holiday guests.
And now … since I’ve given my word to all of you … I actually have to do it. I’m committed! I can’t avoid it any longer.
(Actually, most of the place is in pretty good shape … but the kitchen? Not so much.)
@kck Sorry if you’ve already seen this … but I couldn’t resist.
Oh, my word … I’ve been spelling Charles Schulz’s name wrong.
There’s no “t” before the “z” …
sorry, big guy. You deserve better.
I hope Charles Schultz wouldn’t mind that I shared his work to celebrate Beethoven’s birthday.
When I was a little kid, inspired by these very strips, I actually had a party with my (mystified) friends … my mom helped and made a cake.
This time around, I actually got myself a present … I ordered a 40" poster made from a hi-res version of this engraving that I cleaned up from the web.
It should arrive in time for Christmas!
Here’s another four-up strip with Schroeder, Lucy, and a special guest …
(thanks to Charles Schultz)
It’s Beethoven’s birthday!
(thanks to Charles Schultz)
Well, whose birthday is it?
(thanks to Charles Schultz)
@tomtomorrow Good to see you, Dan … it’s a strange phenomenon, leaving the bird behind, and gradually running into familiar faces here. It’s great!
@NunavutBirder La la la! La la la!
@TheOtherRae I’ve probably tested myself a dozen times, and dreaded the possibility of seeing that second line …
Not yet! At this point, I’m starting to think luck and genetics has about as much to do with it as anything else … though I have had 5 shots.
@TheOtherRae Aak! So sorry. My cheap advice:
Rest. Fluids. You now have a license to do *nothing*. Use it.
I don’t know your employment situation, but you now owe them nothing. Good luck, and get well soon.
It’s getting closer …
(Thanks to Charles Schultz)
Something’s coming …
any day now …
Nothing threatens the top 1% more than the bottom 99% developing an awareness of injustice.
That’s why they’re crying about “wokeness.”
How dare you realize that their boots are on your neck!
I have to wait two or three weeks for my guitar to arrive, but when it does …
I’ll be ready with these. They came all the way from Hong Kong (via Etsy) in just five days.
Each should complement the guitar’s natural wood, in its own way.
@clive Fascinating. (Immediately searches for online sales of hot water bottles)
My cat’s going to love this, too.
Milla the rescue kitty, being an extraordinarily intelligent young lady,
places no value in the foolish and arbitrary distinction between Daylight Savings Time and Eastern Standard Time.
So this is what happens each evening, an hour before suppertime.
I saw that #DickVanDyke was trending, and my heart stopped.
But he’s 97 today! And that’s great.
(whew)
Well, I did the deed … and it feels great.
I had been following the advice that while it was fine to delete your history from the bird site,
you shouldn’t go all the way and deactivate, as your user name will still show up in search engines.
This morning, I got up and deactivated the account. I’m just done. The damned place is lawless, and I don’t want any part of it.
I like it here. And I like the people I’m meeting. And the people who have migrated here with me.
It’s a brand new day.
@simon_diamond That’s astonishing.
@SharonCrockett @inthedeltawaves This is a great response, Sharon … less vengeful than mine. It’s true – there’s no possible reply to it, other than shutting up.
@inthedeltawaves Show them my avatar, and tell them “This guy’s father died ten years ago, and he still hasn’t forgiven him for cutting his hair.”
This is fun; I’ll be over by the salad bar all night.
@inthedeltawaves Back for one more: “I’ve learned from my parents’ mistakes.”
@inthedeltawaves I have no children, and no in-laws, so I was tempted at first to throw off a couple of glib lines.
But it’s a serious question and I think it’s great you’re standing up to the pressure to conform to arbitrary societal expectations.
“Why?” is a good one, as is “I want him to be free of the useless cultural prison you’d have me raise him in.”.
Your mileage may vary … I wish you the best of luck. Accept no bullshit. “It’s none of your business” also works.
@scrumble_eggs Just imagine how that looks at 50 … (class of ’73 here)
Here’s the view outside my kitchen window after the first snow of the season …
not much, but It Has Begun.
See that yellowish house in the center distance? The fellow who lives there was just beginning his career when he worked at Mission Control during the Apollo 11 lunar landing …
I kid you not! Nice guy.
@inversephase i don’t have an answer for you, but I wish you luck in your quest!
I think it’s fantastic that you have a geographicly-based adventure ahead of you.
@Macabre_ish I’ve always said – without irony – that this is the most disturbing and frightening movie I’ve ever seen.
Rutger Hauer is incredible; a force of nature.
You know, if you don’t need to commute to work with a car,
you don’t need to work to make car payments.
And if you have a bike that will take you everywhere you need to go to live from day to day,
you can use a 25-year-old bike to get around, like I do.
And people keep asking me … “Is that a new bike?”
“No … it’s the one I took to Burning Man in 1999.”
And that’s why I know that living without a car doesn’t mean you’re a deadbeat …
it means you don’t throw your money away in the street.
Just a little true-life satisfaction going on …
I’ve put in a very serious amount of work over the past few days, working on a book cover for a client.
I did something I’ve never done before; an isometric drawing of a house. (The book is about the author’s experience in downsizing, as they moved to a much smaller residence.)
Well, the drawing came out well, as did the cover … and the client and his wife *love* it.
And now it’s snowing. And my cat is warm. And I’m happy.
@professorkiosk It’s a wonder they can get away with calling it “bread.”
2/ The soundtrack of the film will be free of dialog, as the focus will be on the music I’ll write for the images …
so there’s nothing to keep me from adding a voiceover track that describes what’s happening onscreen.
A quick look online found some interesting links …
https://archive.org/details/moviesfortheblind
The morning has been productive after all!
1/ I *really* am going to have to shut the browser and get to work, but I want to share something I just realized …
and all because of Mastodon!
I’ve quickly come to enjoy writing the “alt text” captions when posting images; it’s the first time I’ve considered the responsibility to provide content for the differently-abled, and it’s so easy!
It takes so little, and means a lot.
I was thinking about it, and a light bulb went on over my head … I need to do this for my film project!
I somehow found myself with the obligation to draw an isometric image of a house this weekend,
and so far Mastodon has proved an extremely effective means of procrastination.
So I’m going to have to close the browser, and convince myself that I actually *want* to do the drawing.
(Truth is, I just want the process to be over with so I can get paid for the book cover that needs it.)
@DoctorDeathray Words of wisdon and beauty, indeed.
@charliejane Sometimes, we all need to just let bivalves be bivalves.
@roannaflowers Once you know it, you can’t miss him.
Yesterday, a new toy (oh ay oh) arrived for the studio Mac …
a Logitech G502 Lightspeed gaming mouse.
I actually don’t do any gaming … but it’s fast and precise as all hell, and it has lots of little buttons I can assign as shortcuts for different functions.
Plus, I love the little blinky lights. :blobrainbow:
@roannaflowers Hi, Roanna – thanks for the follow!
I *love* the Thin Man films with Myrna … I watched the last one recently, and was shocked to see a *very* young Dean Stockwell playing their son.
A long time went by before he wound up singing in Blue Velvet …
@art3starr Me, too! :blobcheerbounce:
But for the moment, I’m drawing an isometric house for the cover of a friend’s book on downsizing.
Not my strongest skill set …
@art3starr Hi, Arty – thanks for putting up with my repeated #intro posts … they’re really meant to pin in my profile.
Hi, I’m Randy, and I’ve been playing synthesizers for over 50 years. I was the first student to show up at Brown University with a synthesizer (an ARP 2600) back in ’73.
I was born in Alaska, grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and moved to Rhode Island in ’73, where I’ve been ever since.
My primary synthesizers include a C15 from Nonlinear Labs in Berlin, and an Expressive E Osmose from France.
I love my guitars, too … a .strandberg* electric, and a gorgeous Saers classical.
Randy again … I have two long-term projects in progress:
• my studio has been upgraded to 7.1.6 Dolby Atmos. I’m still working out the kinks of actually delivering the format, and not just routing audio to 14 channels … although that’s fantastic on its own!
• I’m prepping the infrastructure and repertoire to get out and perform live in 5.1 surround audio. That C15 synth will be my main axe.
Wonder kitty Lola Falafel has blessed our home for over two years. True love.
By way of apology to those who have already seen them …
my intro posts need updating, and since the server I’m on doesn’t yet allow direct editing, I’m about to post the new versions.
I’m not deliberately trying to self-promote … please ignore the roadblock. Thanks!
These should last a while.
@art3starr I’m glad to meet you too, Ms. Starr!
My new synth has indeed arrived, and it’s a dream. For someone who’s supposed to be semi-retired, work still has a way of stealing time I should be spending on the good stuff …
but a couple days ago, I said “no” to someone who wanted to vampirize my time, and it felt great …
I’ve got to do more of that!
@lori I was afraid of that … hope it heals quickly.
We are prehensile creatures!
@lori Ouch! Are you left-or right-handed?
Here’s how that new .strandberg* will look … I love the natural flame maple finish.
I waited months after I ordered an earlier Prog 6 model in spring of 2021,
only to have the order cancelled when they stopped making it.
So I went with a hardtail, and then a 7-string with a trem bridge … and now that they’ve brought back the natural finish,
I’ll round out the set with this 6-string trem. Should arrive just after the New Year.
I love everything about these guitars!
My cup runneth over … I’m expecting a gorgeous new .strandberg* guitar to arrive with the new year.
More about that later; in the meantime, there are the usual odds and ends to prepare for the arrival …
I’ve chosen a beautiful new strap, now traveling all the way from Hong Kong via Etsy.
Between my new synth and the new .strandberg* to round out my triumvirate, I’m looking at a transformative new year, with all creative engines dialed to eleven.
@markanderson An iOS app called AI Art.
Here’s one that looks like Robert Downey Jr.
Want to see something strange? I was using an AI program … it had me take a bunch of selfies (which I never do … I had none on hand)
Then it chewed on them for 90 minutes, and came up with these, among others …
A lot of them didn’t look particularly like me, but like I had been crossed with any number of famous faces that it had on file. Very strange.
@CriticalCupcake “Let’s not and say we did.”
@niklausschenk It took me a while to understand what I was actually seeing!
It took a little while, but my recording system has been completely reconfigured …
now all the tracking will be done through the new Neve stereo preamp, monitored with my Neumann headphones …
and 5.1 surround mixes will use my old reliable MOTU interface, for mastering with the studio’s surround speaker system.
This will ensure that each interface is utilized for its greatest strengths, and I don’t have to worry about clocking or sync problems.
It’s a big change, but it sounds fantastic!
I’ve left Twitter for good, and have been here for a month and a half now …
but I stopped back briefly just to say #RenewThePeripheral
(and I hope they keep going for the entire trilogy!)
@Geewhizpat Oh, Pat … I’m sorry for your loss.
Yes, you need a new kitty!
More than 50 years ago, a friend handed me a pair of headphones, and said “you have to hear this.”
As I listened, I wondered why he thought it would interest me …
and then I heard Keith Emerson for the first time, playing his #Moog solo at the end of “Lucky Man.”
I clearly remember thinking “my god … *I* have to do *that*.”
The moment stayed with me. Today, I got a new poster, to go with another new inspiration.
Does anyone else find it … sad … that Christine McVie happened to die the same day the trailer for “Cocaine Bear” came out?
@mark OMG
@lila_bliblu Sorry … not my intention.
@lila_bliblu What a cutie!
I’m such a punster … it would have been very difficult for me to avoid the temptation to call her Pusséphone … :blobcheerbounce:
For those of you who read of the strangeness involving my bicycle’s back tire,
I went just out for a ride – nearly an hour, and about five miles.
There is nothing wrong with my tire; it’s not leaking. It was just as full when I returned home as when I left.
I can only believe that a neighbor let the air out of it *twice* yesterday.
Someone (not Plato) said something like
“everyone is fighting a battle of their own every day, that you know nothing about. Be kind.”
I’ll leave it at that.
After that, it’s back to the second floor. If it deflates again … I may be compelled to have an extremely awkward conversation with my neighbor. I’ll keep you posted, no matter what happens.
But if you don’t hear back from me for 72 hours … alert the authorities.
So … even though the bike is about 20 feet from his door … could my neighbor be territorial about “his” second-floor landing? Even though he was the one who instigated the chaotic disruption of the paint, the sanding, the spackling?
I’m going to run some errands later … ride about five miles … if as I suspect, the tire is still its usual happily high-pressured self, I may either leave it on the first floor, or leave it in my (quite packed already) third floor apartment.
I don’t know my neighbor well; hardly at all. I’ve been here for 25 years; he’s been here for less than two. He complained to the landlord that the carpeting in the stairwell was old; my landlord (a really great landlord who has kept the rent low) tore out the carpet, and has been gradually spackling the stairwell and painting the stairs.
This is the reason my bike was on the second floor landing, instead of inside the front door where it’s always been … I’m keeping it out of the way.
Seems doubtful. Second possibility:
• Some malicious entity – perhaps my second floor neighbor – has (for reasons unknown) been deliberately letting the air out of my tire.
Also seems doubtful. But my neighbor was home during both deflations yesterday, and has not been home this morning … he’s gone to work.
Now, why would he possibly mess with my bike? Here’s some additional information.
I’ve been downstairs several times since. The tire has remained completely inflated. I’ve leaned on it … solid as a rock. Fully inflated. It’s now 11AM.
The tire is not leaking. Period. Here’s where the paranoia comes in.
All right … let’s apply Occam’s Razor. Here are the possibilities:
• Some purely physical phenomenon is taking place. The self-sealing tube has kicked in after I moved the tire, the temperature in the stairwell has warmed up since it first leaked, etc.
I stopped and inflated the tire. I heard no hissing, nothing to indicate a leak. I left, had dinner, and returned about an hour and a half later.
The tire was once again completely flat. I said “screw it – I’ll deal with it tomorrow.”
This morning, I got up at 7AM, fed Milla the kitty, took a shower. Thinking I would get the tube replaced later, I went downstairs at about 8AM and inflated the tire, hoping it would last and get me to the bike shop.
At the risk of sounding paranoid, I’m going to document what I’m coming to think of as The Great Post-Thanksgiving Bicycle Tire Deflation Mystery of 2022.
Here are the facts:
On Saturday, I rode my bike. Everything was fine. I left the bike on the second-floor landing, at the bottom of my third-floor stairs.
I was inside all day Sunday. At about 5PM, I was going outside and noticed that the rear tire was flat. Not just soft – *totally flat.*
I know what you mean … last year – about September – I put brand -new tires (Velociraptors! They’re great – different ones for front and rear) and those Slime tubes on … first new tires in 25 years.
Really felt like I accomplished something.
A Monday challenge …
I’m utterly dependent on my bicycle, which has served me well.
But yesterday I found that the rear tire had gone flat; I’m hoping the local bike store will be open this morning so I can either get it repaired,
or buy a tube so I can fix it myself. I had put these “Slime” tubes on it that are supposed to seal themselves
but something must have breached their defenses. I’m interested to find out what!
My copy of Patti Smith’s new book of Polaroid photos – “A Book Of Days” – arrived today …
it’s wonderful. At 400 pages, it’s a brick! Full of prose, poetry, and wonderful images.
At ~$20, you can’t miss. Recommended for everyone; you can’t go wrong. *This* is a stocking stuffer!
That little black box on my desk doesn’t look like much, but it’ll transform the sound of my entire studio.
My new Neve audio interface has arrived, and from now on, every audio signal heading for my computer will go through the Neve’s transformer-driven preamps first.
Here’s what it sounds like:
You know that big picture window in your living room? The one you can never really get clean?
Take away the glass. Your new view is how the Neve sounds.
Milla the kitty is impressed; so am I.
I just realized … today’s the 27th; I’ve been on Mastodon exactly one month.
10.27 was the day El Musko closed the deal; I’m wondering why it’s taking so many so long to figure out everything is *wrong* with the state of things in their nest.
I’m hoping that it’s not that they just don’t give a damn. I mean,
how long after Kristallnacht did people keep pretending that there was nothing the matter?
@Shireen I remember this from when I was a kid …
but it always wound up being spools of thread. : (
@Claydisarray Fantastic! I felt really safe suggesting her, as she’s *such* a character in every way.
And she’s so beautiful … like the Sphinx.
@Claydisarray May I suggest:
• Patti Smith
• Todd Rundgren
• Keith Jarrett
Just a few of my faves!
@lori That’s very cool … I like the idea of combining an idea from “old tech”
with the capabilities of current tech. Good luck!
Happy 80th birthday, Jimi … wish you were here to celebrate with us.
@clive Wow – that pedal sounds great. Have a great time with it!
I’ve got to say … I spent years on Twitter, and barely had a decent conversation on it. This is a big step up … good to meet you, and I’m sure we’ll talk again.
@clive Thanks for your response!
Yes, I was thinking … that was the very first sample I ever made.
Not to toot anything … Eventide talked with me about one of their gizmos … and this talks about that particular record.
https://www.eventideaudio.com/the-hm80-and-hot-air-balloons-an-interview-with-randy-walters/
@orci I would want her to survive until help came. I love my kitty!
@MarkFrost All the best to you this evening, Mr. Frost … you made my holiday weekend. : )
@clive I need to get some master tapes digitized from an old album from ’85 … one track uses the Syntauri.
Nothing spectacular, but if a dog talks, it’s not what it says, but that it speaks at all … : )
I sampled my voice for it – but it’s just a static waveform; it doesn’t change over time. But it kind of went “aah!”
@clive My first digital synthesizer – back in 1979! – was her alphaSyntauri, which ran on an Apple II+ with a Mountain Computer 2-card audio system.
I got mine at Wurlitzer in Boston, on Leonard Bernstein’s birthday. Man, the things you remember …
The opening lines of that song always hit pretty hard …
“All alone I have cried
silent tears, full of pride
in a world made of steel
made of stone …”
R.I.P., Ms. Cara. #IreneCara
@joannunaki Gorgeous.
Happy #Caturday, everyone!
Milla is not sure what to think of this leftover curry.
I lived across the lake from Seattle for my entire childhood, until I moved to the east coast for school …
and I *never* saw Rainier do anything like this … not once. Incredible.
@GottaLaff I wonder if they’ll read that inconvenient part about “a well-regulated militia” …
@palaeokatie That’s some serious dedication … and it also makes great sense!
And that really is some amazing limestone.
Just got some great news … the new Neve 88M audio interface I’ve had on order is shipping today.
It features two channels of the same high-end transformer-driven preamps that are in Neve’s huge pro consoles,
used at Skywalker Sound, Abbey Road, George Martin’s AIR Studios, and other top-of-the-world facilities.
It will make a great front end for my studio – improving the recorded sound of everything that goes into the computer –and my new C15 synth in particular. Can’t wait!
@tgreyhavens I’m originally a Pacific Northwest boy …
and the Hoh Rain Forest in the Olympic National Park remains my ideal of a heaven on earth.
Just a brief comment on the odious and unendurable David Brooks (inexplicably still writing for the NY Times)
Without even addressing how cringe-inducing his dweebishly self-aggrandizing “hep cat fan boy” posing is a waste of time, ink, paper, photons, and neural activity,
a 61-year-old who insists on calling themselves “middle-aged” simply isn’t addressing reality. (I’m 67, and even I know better.)
“Hello, fellow kids” doesn’t begin to address it.
@Geewhizpat Great to see you here, Pat!
4/ I brought a small patch of moss back from the site, and placed it in my little moss garden.
It’s the lighter bit, about the size of a silver dollar.
3/ Here is the marker commemorating Chief Metacom’s death. (He was given the name King Philip by the settlers.) Someone left a rose at least a couple days ago; it was wilted.
The stone reads: “In the Miery Swamp, 168 feet WSW from this spring, according to tradition, King Philip fell. August 12, 1676. O.S.
This stone placed by the R.I. Historical Society December, 1877.”
The second photo shows the spring the marker refers to, just a few feet away.
2/ There are still signs of the conflict everywhere, nearly 350 years later.
1/ After being inspired by @kwheaton to order a copy of Lisa Brooks’ “Our Beloved Kin: A New History of King Philip’s War,”
I thought I’d do something off script on this Thanksgiving day …
I set out on my bike to visit the site where Chief Metacom was killed during what was “the greatest calamity in seventeenth-century New England and is considered by many to be the deadliest war in Colonial American history” [Wikipedia] –
just a short ride from my home.
@springdew Oops! Sorry – I misunderstood.
Those kittens have a long journey ahead of them!
@kwheaton Hi, Kelly – I live right by Mt. Hope (or more properly, Montaup) in Bristol, RI …
as a Brown alum with access to the Haffenreffer estate, I visit the grounds often.
This piece of quartz – from the same vein as the outcroppings at the peak of Montaup – was found on the ground near the marker where Chief Metacom was killed.
I’m fascinated by this virtually ignored part of our history, and will definitely seek this book out. Thanks!
@micron Thanks for the tip … I’m bookmarking it.
@micron Wow! If you happen to have any links to resources on doing that sort of thing, I’d be grateful to see them.
Great work!
@micron Beautiful! I really like your planter … ceramic? Concrete?
@springdew They’re beautiful, and lucky to be with you.
Nice to see another RI Mastodon user!
While admiring photos with the #mosstodon tag, I realized I haven’t shared my little living room moss garden here …
so here you go.
@lori That’s it exactly!
Desi: “Oh Lucy … I wasn’t having an affair; I just wanted to get you this nice dress for your birthday,
and she was your size.”
Come to think of it, that’s a pretty flimsy excuse, but you know what I mean.
@lori When I was watching that as a child, I found it immensely frustrating …
it seemed that in every single episode, over and over,
the plot hinged on complications caused by an initial deception or lie. I couldn’t stand it! How could grownups be so stupid?
@WinnipegLaur Yep – looking forward to her newest, arriving next week!
I’m very much looking forward to the new Louise Penny novel – A World of Curiosities – coming out next week … she’s fantastic.
But if you’ve never read them, don’t start there; go back to #1 – Still Life – and work your way through all eighteen like I have!
I love returning to the little Canadian town of Three Pines …
even though it never seems to occur to the residents that an inordinately high number of murders seem to keep taking place there. Hmm …
@jeff Dude!
Hope you feel better soon … thank goodness you have the good drugs.
I had already deleted my tweets from my primary account, and locked it …
then I went back and did the same to a couple minor accounts, and locked them.
And I didn’t let the door hit me on the way out. :blobrainbow:
I’m really feeling settled here, and it’s been less than a month …
so good to be done with the Other Place.
Can’t *wait* to watch the season finale of Andor …
what a welcome treat this show has been.
Is this really a thing that’s happening? Because it would be the best of things!
I’ll take one for MacOS, one for iPad, one for iPhone … thank you very much!
Wishing you all the best, Sophie … I’m so glad you’re able to get the therapy you need.
@jeff @Fog I love the thought that $8 will now and forever be an “Elon.”
It’s that time of year when Milla the kitty boards her flying saucer,
and heads south seeking warmer environs.
(Or dinner, whichever seems more accessible.)
@kck I could not *believe* that last pair of cuff links you posted … they were gorgeous.
Alas, I don’t have any shirts that require them … but they made me want to!
@MarquisSmith What kind of trees are these? I had never seen them, until I visited Frankfurt. (I live in the States.)
@kck The core of my Twitter experience was always the people I followed.
I never used the website (I used Tweetbot) so I never experienced any of that forced algorithmic stuff … unless someone I followed posted or retweeted something, I never saw it.
Here on Mastodon, the “Home” stream works the same way. I see things whizzing by on the Local and Federated timelines, and sometimes (rarely) follow someone I see there.
I also check my old Twitter stream, and love seeing someone’s new address.
@kck The people I’ve been missing keep gradually turning up … so it feels more and more like home.
I’ve been pretty liberal with my follows, as well – so I keep running into new people/sights/art. I like it!
@BlackAzizAnansi It was the middle of the ‘60s, I was about 10 years old, and I read “1984” for the first time.
@rafial @thegibson @vortex_egg Didn’t I see this in the Beatles’ movie, “Help?”
@albinokid Love your work on Discovery!
@albinokid They look pretty peaceful now, but I bet they’re a rambunctious pair.
Yep – I play .strandberg* guitars, and some of their models use the true temperament system.
I get confused enough as it is!
@drahardja I think that the equal tempered version will sound more musical to many, because the slight chorusing caused by the detuning sounds richer, and more “natural.”
The sort of phase locking you hear in the just example is rarely heard in the real world when instruments play together … that’s why synth players often deliberately detune their oscillators, to get phasing instead of stuck harmonics.
(to give credit where credit is due, I *think* that simple progression I was playing was from an old Rick Wakeman album – “The Six Wives of Henry VIII” –
but I can’t be sure, as it’s been almost 50 years since I last heard it!)
Here’s what that looks like as waveforms:
I was playing around with different scale tunings on my new synth, and thought you might enjoy this.
Most of what we hear in Western music today is in equal temperament, which lets us modulate between different keys without sounding *too* out of tune.
But before that came along, most music was in just intonation … and if you stuck to one or two keys, it was *really* in tune.
Here’s a sample:
8 bars just, then
8 bars equal, then
8 bars just again, for comparison.
Whoa.
About that Vox Pop quote …
Friends of mastodon.cloud …
how can we donate directly to our instance?
I want to do the right thing and help, but I can’t find the right way to go about it. Thanks!
.
#Mastodon.Cloud #donate
a. This is the first and only time I will mention spectator sports on Mastodon.
b. I genuinely *could not care less.*
Happy #Caturday, everyone!
Here’s Milla, owning the sofa.
Have a great weekend!
You’ll always be the One True Space Karen – and as we all know, there can only be one.
crazy days, man
Check out this spiffy trick built into my new synthesizer … when you start playing, it automatically records everything you do – even the patch setup!
• Permanent lossless recording of the digital output signal
• Hours of FLAC-compressed audio
• Browser-based graphical UI for review, playback and download
• The states of the synth engine along the time line can be restored (this is scary cool)
• Download of selected segments to the computer as WAV or FLAC files
These are freakin’ amazing!
So good to see you here, Mr. Frost!
I have to say, I’m glad I deleted all my tweets,
but also glad I didn’t delete my account.
Because all the great people I follow are leaving their new addresses,
and I *can’t believe* how entertaining it is to watch it all crash and burn.
People are rising to the occasion in many very creative ways.
@mildredvon Good to know you’re here!
(I’m stopping by Twitter because a *lot* of people I followed are now posting their bye-bye addresses!)
@bleedingobvs Thank you!
@bleedingobvs That looks *seriously* cool.
Can I ask a favor?
I know you’re about to play in Bristol …
I live in Bristol, Rhode Island, which owes its name to the original.
Could you possibly take a couple pix and share them? I’d love to see what my sister city looks like. Thanks!
Good to see you here, Ryan!
(the tweeter formerly known as @Seaboardist)
@kck What a cutie (the little one!) – I love the little ears on that winter cap.
I just realized my studio is now a pentagon.
(fifth side: offscreen)
One more Polaroid; the film is 100 ASA, so the light from the window washes out the objects in the room.
I like the old chemical look, though.
Here’s another Polaroid; it’s an accidental double exposure …
I pulled the white paper tab out of the camera before I took the picture. D’oh!
Still, it’s kind of a happy accident.
Yesterday, Patti Smith published a book of photos she took with her old Polaroid Land 250 camera.
Years ago, she inspired me to get one of those cameras on eBay; I unearthed it, replaced the battery,
and found two boxes of Fuji film I’ve had in the fridge for 11 years.
I thought I’d see if I could still get an image from them.
I did! This is the 170-year-old Congregational church beside my house.
Yes, that was a Champagne flute on my desk …
I was celebrating the arrival of my new baby;
toasting both Wendy Carlos’s birthday,
and Stephan Schmitt’s creativity and determination in getting this instrument out into the world.
In a few days I’ll start posting some sound samples …
the time I spent just auditioning patches last night left me dazed – and it wasn’t just the Champagne; this thing is *deep*.
#NonlinearLabs #C15 #synthesizer #synth #WendyCarlos #StephanSchmitt
This is one of my favorite features of the C15, and to the best of my knowledge, it’s unique among synths.
The C15 *runs its own webserver*, and creates a WiFi access point.
Any device with a browser – desktop, laptop, tablet, even a phone – can connect to it and display a graphical user interface.
I have a 43-inch Sony in the studio, and it can display a *lot*. Touchscreen devices work fine, too, letting you pinch to zoom.
Stephan Schmitt, founder of Native Instruments and now founder/director of Nonlinear Labs,
has big plans for the C15, including ongoing expansion and refinement of its synth engine(s).
New functionality? New controls? No problem … these magnetic overlays can be updated and easily replaced as new features are added.
Such a great design idea!
#NonlinearLabs #C15 #synthesizer #synth #NativeInstruments #StephanSchmitt
Lots of little status lights.
The two dark strips are keyboard-length ribbon controllers;
their lights let you know the current position of the ribbon’s data output.
And at last, he finds the “on” switch; this is the message that greets you as the C15 boots up.
The camera just doesn’t capture the beauty of the cherry wood on this instrument; the grain has a shimmering depth that reminds me of tiger’s eye agate.
It turns out it’s not just my imagination; I looked it up, and learned a new word: chatoyancy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatoyancy
Some woods do actually share the same optical reflectance effect seen in tiger’s eye; cherry is one, and it’s gorgeous.
Here’s the C15 with its control panel attached, set up in the studio at last.
If you’re not going to be doing any patch manipulation during live performance, you can leave the panel behind; one less thing to transport.
Good morning! Green tea in hand, here’s how the arrival of the new synth went yesterday.
• The Nonlinear Labs logo on the flight case; appropriate, as everything that happens in this synth begins with the interaction of two sine waves. Amazing.
• Inspector Milla checks out the new arrival.
• And here she is. What a beauty.
Haven’t formally named her yet, though I really do think she looks like Miyazaki’s Catbus – or Nekobasu – from “My Neighbor Totoro.”
It’s been an incredible day … one of those life-changing days you never forget.
My new synthesizer just arrived; I meant to give you all a running description of opening and setting up the new instrument, but I got totally caught up with it.
It’s incredible!
I have been taking photos, and I’ll play show-and-tell tomorrow, I promise.
I have to repeat … I’m so glad it arrived on Wendy Carlos’s birthday; I owe her so much.
#WendyCarlos #synthesizer #synth #NonlinearLabs #C15 #kitty #cat
@MicroSFF So great to see you here in the fediverse!
Today’s a big day here at Casa Satori … my new synthesizer is arriving, all the way from Berlin!
It’s a Nonlinear Labs C15; if you’re interested, you can visit their website at
https://www.nonlinear-labs.de/
The timing is particularly auspicious, as it happens to be Wendy Carlos’s birthday!
She’s 83 today, and I’ll be thinking of her as I pop some Champagne later this evening.
I’ll be posting photos of the arrival and unboxing , so stay tuned … Milla the kitty is likely to make an appearance.
@Emilynussbaum It’s basically one lost day. Drink lots of water, take some Tylenol or your preferred painkiller, resign yourself to having a day off to be non-productive, and have some ice cream. You’ll feel better tomorrow.
Patti Smith has a new book coming out tomorrow; it’s a collection of hundreds of photos taken using her beloved Polaroid Land 250 camera.
Years ago, her work inspired me to get one of those cameras myself; I’ve just ordered a replacement battery for it,
and I’ve got a couple packs of Fuji film that have been sitting in the refrigerator since 2011!
Time to dust it off, and see if that film will still produce an image.
@skrishna Very nice saber!
Sorry – yes, that’s what I meant!
It was a joke, as you called her a “car,” not a cat.
Very nice. What kind of MPG does Madhuri get?
I definitely appreciate your point …
still, part of me thinks that this could also say
“tl;dr: Image alts should be written.” : )
I think I’ve found the perfect place in the living room for my little moss garden … it’s thriving.
(It helps that I’ve been misting it with distilled water, too.)
A *wonderful* interview with Patti Smith, at The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/nov/13/patti-smith-photography-a-book-of-days-flaws-interview
We believe in democracy;
don’t mess with it.
Here on Mastodon, I’m *very* conscious that (at least) my instance is not USA-centric … such a change from the other place.
It’s so great to see people from all over the world; New Zealand, Ireland, South America …
But I hope it’s not rude to say how happy I am that our midterm election is going *much* better than was expected …
and it’s not over yet! There may be more surprises left in store.
Not to mention indictments for Trump & Co. Yes!
This morning, I was dreaming a song from the newest ABBA album (!) and I woke up happy.
The audio was *great* in the dream, too … like my memory was an extremely accurate playback device!
@astrophotoid That’s disgusting.
Milla the kitty, just ’cause it’s
Those two-shot days can be very rough … but you know it’s worth it in the long run.
Can you arrange home delivery of ice cream? : )
There’s genuinely some brilliant satire taking place on The Other Place right now.
(I still left, but, y’know.)
Just beautiful. (Nice video, too!)
An unexpected offshoot.
Tweedledum, or Tweedledumber?
50 years ago, I was deciding to leave my home in Washington State to attend Brown University,
largely because of the New Curriculum (as it was called then) championed by Ira Magaziner.
This allowed students to choose whatever courses interested them outside their major, instead of having them dictated to them by a “core” curriculum.
Today his son, Seth Magaziner, has been elected as my Congressman here in RI, and I couldn’t be more pleased.
Puppies! Kitties!
Milla the kitty is perplexed by a spot of light, reflected off my iPhone onto the wall.
Welcome! This thing is *really* happening!
I actually know that song on guitar … four simple chords, and you can play it forever.
Well, I’ve been to the desert on a horse with no name …
maybe they could team up, and be anonymous together.
You have great technique!
I’m concerned for her, though … she looks a little distressed.
I used c87p-kujh.
Thank you for this!
Sofie, it occurred to me after the fact that a couple things about that Todd album might make you uncomfortable …
his painting on the cover (a version of DaVinci’s Vitruvian Man)
and the title of the first cut on the album – “Real Man” (I love this song; he plays with the meaning that phrase has in our society)
I want you to know it was not my intention to cause you any discomfort or stress, and I’m very sorry if i have.
I just tooted a series of album covers; in my haste, I neglected to include #AltText tags.
I’m so sorry! I’ve actually been very good about including the tags, but I just woke up, and was tooting in a rush …
I’ll do better in the future, I promise.
Just to make it easier to access, here’s that whole toot stream, all lined up …
https://mastodon.cloud/@randywalters/109308034158298710
https://mastodon.cloud/@randywalters/109308053620449332
https://mastodon.cloud/@randywalters/109308074562876121
https://mastodon.cloud/@randywalters/109308113521811263
https://mastodon.cloud/@randywalters/109308158656762723
https://mastodon.cloud/@randywalters/109308185005136209
Sorry about that; I’m still doing the mindshift from Twitter to Mastodon.
Sofie, I apologize – I made the mistake of not including your address in that series of toots …
but you’ll see them all line up in a row if you click on my username.
Now I’m looking forward to seeing your favorites!
One more thing – “Wendy Carlos’s Clockwork Orange” (unfortunately, with an outdated cover here) has wonderful compositions that are *not* on the official soundtrack album, including “Timesteps” – an amazing piece.
My third recommendation is “Initiation,” by my life-long hero Todd Rundgren.
Todd first got my attention by doing what Wendy Carlos did – playing everything on their albums by themselves.
The first side is a series of pop gems, and the second is a single extraordinary piece structured around the human chakra series.
I’ve had the great good fortune of hanging out with Todd on a number of occasions;
they say “never meet your heroes,” but you can’t imagine a kinder, more generous person.
Next on my list is a Yes album, “Tales From Topographic Oceans.”
Largely composed and improvised in the studio, it‘s classic prog rock; I absolutely love it, but those who hate prog will cite this as an example of the worst of the genre. (I feel sorry for them.)
Steve Howe has an exquisite classical guitar solo on side three – “The Ancient” – that inspired me to learn to play guitar (I’m a keyboard player, and still in guitar kindergarten after all these years.)
If you enjoy that one, another of my favorite Jarrett albums is “Sun Bear Concerts,” a 10-album boxed set (!) of solo concerts in five Japanese cities … all extraordinary.
It was re-released on vinyl in 2021; you can also get it on a 5- or 6-CD set.
My all-time favorite album is Keith Jarrett’s “The Köln Concert.”
Jarrett has made a career of giving solo concerts; he goes out on stage before a live audience, and improvises. There’s no telling what will happen.
But when he’s on, he’s on … and it’s as if he’s a channel through which the universe itself flows.
This is a challenge – though I know immediately what I’ll mention first.
I’m going to start by mentioning three; it’s a truism that during our college years, we make musical choices that will affect us for the rest of our lives.
I’m no exception; I first heard these in the ’70s, and I’ve loved them all the more as the years go by.
I hope you’ll do the same for me, and give me your recommendations.
• The Peripheral
• Andor (Star Wars)
Both are genuinely excellent.
Andor has two episodes left to air; The Peripheral has four.
@parker Another vote for Metatext.
Absolutely stunning work; thanks for sharing!
Yeah, not now, but wait until 5AM.
One thing I remember from my student days, analyzing Bach fugues,
is that knowledgeable people of good will can readily differ on the harmonic direction of a passage,
depending on where they put the “pivot.” Are they looking at one measure? Two? Four? Eight?
I think some of those Martian jazz chords can be labeled differently, depending on how long of a harmonic arc is being examined.
Or not! But I know the dizziness you’re describing; you lose track of where the floor is.
This is fantastic! You really have an eye for this … thank you so much for taking it on!
There’s nothing like a new set of ear pads! I had a pair of Grados around 20 years old … I replace the pads every couple years, and they’re good as new.
All my talk about music, and I didn’t share anything …
This is something I did a while back, with #WendyCarlos in mind …
Just a taste.
Aye!
Why, I found some in my freezer just this morning! I should have shared it.
I’ve said it before (but not here!)
There is no joy quite like that which one experiences after opening the freezer door,
and finding an ice cream bar one had forgotten was there. Bliss.
I’m looking forward to mastodon.cloud (my instance) being updated to 4.0 so we have that live edit function!
How can I pass this up?
I’d love to see a Great Egret, if you’re so inclined.
First, I love cheese.
Second, “artisanal cheese makers” sounds like a group the Coen Brothers should have written into “The Big Lebowski” to fight those fucking Nihilists.
6/ I’m told my new instrument will be shipping from Berlin *any day now.* It was ordered back in July, but as these are build by hand by a very small independant company, there’s a substantial lead time.
When it arrives, you’ll definitely know! Thanks for putting up with this thread; I hope you can tell how jazzed I am to be sharing this with you.
5/ The music I’ll share here will need to be in #stereo, out of necessity; not everyone has a multichannel audio interface, and a surround speaker system attached to their computer.
But I’ll be experimenting the various kinds of erzatz surround simulation (Ambisonic, etc.) to try to share a sense of what my actual 5.1 surround work is like.
4/ That’s where I’m heading. I’m putting together the ability to perform live in 5.1 surround; the process of getting ready for that will be documented at the website I mentioned –
which I’ll be building into something more than just a front page.
I haven’t been out to play live since 1999, at Burning Man … I’m really looking forward to it! But there’s a *lot* of work I need to do first.
3/ If a synthesizer seems a bit alienating, think of it like this:
Imagine a violinist. Their entire life devoted to their instrument, and music.
One day, late in life, they are able to acquire something they’ve only dreamt about … a Stradivari. A Guarneri.
Their entire career has been leading to this; they’re ecstatic. They want to share!
2/ As a Twitter refugee, it’s important to me to follow the established culture of the Fediverse. So I’m definitely *not* thinking of talking about this as “brand building”;
I’m just a musician that’s gaga about the prospect of working with a dream instrument, and I’m hoping that sharing my learning process – and actual music! – will be interesting and entertaining for some of you.
1/ The single most significant thing going on in my *personal* life right now is the impending arrival of a wonderful new #instrument; a #C15 #synthesizer from #NonlinearLabs in #Berlin.
Here’s what it looks like:
And if you click on the image that comes up, it will take you directly to the Nonlinear Labs website, where you can learn more about the instrument.
Randy again … I have two significant projects I’m working on:
• a film partially inspired by Godfrey Reggio’s Qatsi trilogy, which is (to a great extent) an excuse to compose and execute a 90 minute music video.
• I’m prepping the infrastructure and repertoire to get out and perform live in 5.1 surround audio. I’ve got the speakers, and that new C15 synth will be my main axe.
I also have a cat named Milla I love dearly; you’ll see her here for sure.
Hi, I’m Randy, and I’ve been playing synthesizers for 50 years. I was the first student to show up at Brown University with a synthesizer (an ARP 2600) back in ’73.
I was born in Alaska, grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and moved to Rhode Island in ’73, where I’ve been ever since.
Here’s what I’m up to right now:
I’m getting a new synthesizer Real Soon Now … a C15 from Nonlinear Labs in Berlin. I’m *really* excited about it, and will be tooting up a storm.
Of all the birds I see here by Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island, my favorite is the Great Egret.
Besides being a stunningly gorgeous bird, it gives me many opportunities to make bad puns about “having no egrets.”
The day will come when we no longer devote much time to talking about #Mastodon.
Instead, we’ll talk of many things;
of shoes, and ships, and sealing wax;
of cabbages, and kings …
and why the sea is boiling hot,
and whether pigs have wings.
That day will come,
but today is not that day …
unless we choose to make it so.
I actually told myself earlier today … “when Jorts the Cat shows up, that’s when I’ll know this thing is actually going *all the way* !” Well … guess what?
@bencc It’s … so … beautiful … !
Which direction do you enjoy more?
When I was but a wee lad, I used to watch the Dick Van Dyke show on our Zenith black & white TV set.
I could tell from the credits that Carl Reiner had created the show; he was the boss.
So I was surprised when I saw that he also played Rob’s boss, Alan Brady – who was a complete jerk.
And I thought “gee … this Carl Reiner guy must really be something … he’s not afraid to be the butt of a joke.”
(I was smart for a six-year-old.)
So … who do we know that’s absolutely *not* like Carl Reiner?
That is one exquisite instrument!
Like shooting fish in a barrel.
This afternoon, I went out and treated myself to eight nice slices of sake sashimi. (that’s salmon)
Nothing else; no alcohol (to the frustration of my server!)
It was sublime, and just what I needed. Gawd, I love it so.
Milla the kitty just gives me The Look.
She sits at my feet, and I tell her “another 45 minutes, I promise”
and this goes on repeatedly until my heart breaks, and I give up.
Truly a badge of honor; history will be kind to you, and far less tolerant of the e.muskrat.
That’s very cool … thanks.
Why not both? : )
If you were one of those Twitter employees who had been “accidentally” fired,
and were now being told “oops, our bad – mind coming back in Monday?”
just how much of a pay raise would it take for you to *even consider* returning?
25%? 50%? 100%? 200%? More?
Or would you just stick with the class action suit that’s already been filed?
(Nobody asked me, but it would be a cold day in hell before I showed my face there again, after that kind of treatment.)
Nice kitty. : )
Hi! I’m a ham, too … K2OOI.
I had a crush on Helen.
Once upon a time, I had an Instagram account …
it was a week old when Facebook bought Instagram. I immediately deleted my presence there.
But now that I’ve learned about Pixelfed, you can find me there!
The Federated timeline (if I understand correctly) contains EVERYTHING
*except* instances that *your* instance has blocked.
At some point, there was a (rather primitive) system of releasing records that supported Quadraphonic sound; it required a special decoder.
I remember Sonic Seasonings had a limited release in this format; I remember being *very* disappointed that I was never able to hear it that way.
This is an *extraordinary* album … one of my all-time favorites. So glad to know people are still discovering it!
I was 16 or so when it came out, and it rocked my world.
Here’s a demo of the #Eurorack system I started to put together earlier this year … it’s grown considerably since then!
This was a test of a module that allows me to send #polyphonic control voltages from my studio #Mac.
The #music is the 1st Movement of #Bach’s Sixth #Brandenberg Concerto.
It’s not #WendyCarlos, but at least I got everything working! Please be patient; depending on your bandwidth, it may take a little while to load.
One of the things I enjoyed most about “Dr. No” was the fact that Percival Everett is a fellow Brown University alum, and much of the novel is set in Providence and its surrounding environs – locations I know intimately, and in great detail.
It made for a visual and detailed read; I had a great time, and recommend it highly.
Yesterday was *very* intense, but I think I made a lot of progress in getting up to date with the fediverse. So how about a less nuts-and-bolts toot?
While all this was going on, I was reading the new book by Percival Everett, “Dr. No.”
If that sounds a little evocative of the James Bond era, well – there’s a good reason, but that’s only a jumping-off point for this comic and extremely entertaining novel.
Here in the States, we’re making the switch back to Standard Time. I’m dreading the process of explaining to Milla the kitty – who has an astonishingly accurate internal clock – why all her feeding and snack times are suddenly an hour late.
@michellewither6 @JeremyNewberger Sorry to hear that; it’s inexplicable that someone would spend their time trying to make things uncomfortable for others.
Chilling … I was just going to bed, saw it come up on my phone, and went back to the studio to turn the desktop on.
This has been kind of a full-spectrum day …
I just got the same message from the same source … definitely a first for me.
OMG
Wow … that sounds like an incredible luxury. How did you prepare them? Fried in butter?
That looks fantastic!
You and me, both.
Right now, the best I’ve tried is Mastodon’s own browser-based interface; it at least lets you access the general controls you need.
I tried Mastonaut, which does squat –
and Mast, which isn’t much better. Please let me know if you have better luck!
What this instance needs …
is a little #ToddRundgren!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwKLvNHP0ug&list=OLAK5uy_lGP_fY0MmMJpvKE01FfZSL58ApHQ-DlQA&index=12
Good grief. That’s … not very welcoming.
I remember it from Tron, when the evil MCP threatened a poor lowly program:
“You're in trouble, program. Why don't you make it easy on yourself. Who's your user?”
Mad as hell? Not going to take it any more?
Show you’re not complicit; get yourself a sweet bumper magnet at https://iamnotarepublican.com
You’ll make the people behind you happy.
I realize I can’t mention a cat without paying the #CatTax – here’s Milla.
Well, I screwed up that last hashtag …
See you on the funway!
Andor is excellent!
Happy birthday, and congratulations!
I’ve gone Twitter silent, but giving it another week so I can get a sense of where the people I follow are heading.
The day is coming soon, though …
the actual message is
“Sorry, mastodon.cloud is blocked in this instance.”
I’m trying to use the Mastodon-Twitter Crossposter, but keep getting the message that mastodon.cloud is blocked. Any ideas?
Well, I guess the rest of you know this already,
but The Batman is a pretty damn good choice for a Halloween night movie.
I’m late to the party, but still impressed.
Feeling better today, the second day since those two vaccines …
it’s really no fun! But there’s no question … it beats the alternative.
I’d like to buy a vowel.
Not feeling great this morning, after two vaccines yesterday (flu & shingles) …
but it’s not too bad; I’ve had worse.
Here’s my inaugural toot on Mastodon …
The user formerly (still, so far) known as @randywalters on Twitter.