June 5th, 2012
This weekend I was fortunate enough to attend the San Francisco Symphony’s Bi-Annual Fundraiser, the Black and White Ball. It’s a pretty big spectacle, closing off several blocks of major streets around City Hall, providing free food and booze to all patrons, and entertaining with live performances on several multi-occurring stages (so many that it would probably be impossible to catch every act).
Despite the weather (cold, foggy, balmy – this is SF in the summer after all) it was quite a lot of fun. I ate tons of decent-to-good food, saw live performances from The Drifters (inside City Hall), Janelle Monae (what an amazing performer, with a great sound!), and Cyndi Lauper (live on Van Ness Ave), and wore a tuxedo while I pretended I could afford to do stuff like this everyday!
Anyway, you will probably want some pictures. These were taken by my awesome gf with her much-nicer-than-mine camera (except for the picture of me with the cute gf, which was taken by her friend).
City Hall from Van Ness
The Main Steps of City Hall
This is the only picture where I even sort-of-smiled
March 23rd, 2011
[translate lang=english]This is late (although its still Tuesday where I live), so better late then never, amiright?
Of course I am. This post is to alert you to the fact that there is a completely sanctioned Lemmy movie out entitled “49% Motherfucker, 51% Son of a Bitch” and while I haven’t seen it yet, you’d better believe this sweet little piece of ass is headed its way to my house AS WE SPEAK!
You can buy it directly from Mr. Kilmister himself right here: http://store.lemmymovie.com. It’s available as a digital download, as well as in Blu-Ray and DVD formats. The hard discs cost a few bucks more (its 20 plus shipping for DVD and 25 plus shipping for the Blu-Ray, whereas the download is just 14), but it comes with some extra features that are probably worth it considering the subject matter. Here’s a trailer:
If that doesn’t get your Motor(head) running, you probably won’t care about any other Heavy Metal Tuesdays either. Don’t sweat it!
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[translate lang=Severe-slang]This is late (altho its still Tuesday whar ah live), so bettah late then nevah, amiright? (Its still Tuesday whar ah live)
Of kerse ah am. This post is ta alert ya ta tha fact that thar is a completely sanctioned Lemmy movie out entitled “49% Motherfucker, 51% Son of a Bitch” n while ah haven’t seen it yet, you’d bettah believe this sweet little piece of ass is headed its way ta my house AS WE SPEAK!
You ken buy it directly from Mr. Kilmister himself right here: http://store.lemmymovie.com. It’s available as a digital download, as well as in Blu-Ray and DVD formats. Tha hard discs cost a few bucks more (its 20 plus shippin fer DVD n 25 plus shippin fer tha Blu-Ray, whereas tha download is just 14), but it comes with some extra features that are prolly werth it considerin tha subject matter. Here’s a trailer:
If that doesn’t git your Motor(head) runnin, you prolly wont care about any otha Heavy Metal Tuesdays eitha. Don’t sweat it!
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January 6th, 2011
[translate lang=english]On just about anything I suppose, although this title is really because it’s a few days behind the New Year to be writing a post about time moving on. But I’m going to do it anyway.
Last year, I wrote a post about how I don’t believe in resolutions, but instead believe in goals. Sadly, I failed almost every one of those goals this year. (my actual score was 2 and two-halves [two of them I feel I did about half the time or got halfway there], out of a potential total of 8). I don’t feel bad about all of it, but I was thinking about why I couldn’t reach these goals, and I came up with a few things.
What it all boils down to though is that these weren’t the right goals for me. I did many many other things – I accomplished a lot of the brainstorm I had last February about where to put my intentions. I’m not quite as far as I wanted to be, but neither the work I did on myself nor any of my projects is reflected in the goals I identified in January – no matter how well intentioned they were.
So this year I’m going to put more emphasis on intentions and outcomes. And I’ve really realized that what I do can be driven by three words:
Musick. Yoga. Friends.
I consider Family in there with Friends, but I think what this really means is that what I am doing should be with those three things considered. Of course that doesn’t mean I can’t garden next year, or that bike maintenance isn’t a priority, or that I don’t want more money (for the record, I would love more money), or my day job isn’t important. It just means that when I have time for myself, I should check in and make sure that I am doing what I can to pursue these three things.
Why they are important I think is obvious, but I’ll go into them briefly. For musick, I really need to be making sure I am putting my best effort forth to being an active and continually improving musician. That means learning more about the ways I can record my own music on my own time, writing more songs, and practicing regularly. It’s a growing year – time to find my voice.
Yoga is increasingly becoming more important to me because it teaches me not just about my body, it reminds me to keep paying attention to my body and how it is doing. It can help heal that body when it’s not at it’s best. There’s also what it can do for my mind – bikram yoga helps me keep things in perspective and generally retain my composure. It brings a lot of things into perspective, and I love the journey that it’s taking me on.
Friends, as I’ve mentioned, is overarching and really means those who are special to me, related or not. Sometimes I need to be reminded that I need to take effort – even if I feel like I’m almost always the one taking the effort. The effort in the act of initiation is greatly outweighed by connecting and reconnecting with other humans, especially those with the ability to make me think (or crack me up).
Anyway, I am working on trying to keep my posts brief (both for writing sake, but also because translating them into Severe Slang is easier), so I will sign off with the question – what’s important to you in 2011?
Thanks for reading!
P.S. If you want to see what goals I did and did not keep, see here.
P.P.S. Pics from the Severe Bass and the Bad Decisions gig are here![/translate]
[translate lang=Severe-slang]On just about anythang ah suppose, altho this title is really because it’s a few days behind the New Year ta be writin a post about time movin on. But ahma dae it anyway.
Last year, ah wrote a post about how ah don’t believe in resolutions, but instead believe in goals. Sadly, ah failed almost every one of those goals this year. (my actual score was 2 n two-halves [two of em ah feel ah did about half tha time er gawt halfway thar], out of a potential total of 8). Ah don’t feel bad about all of it, but ah was thinking about why ah couldn’t reach these goals, n ah came up with a few things.
What it all boils down ta tho is that these weren’t tha right goals fer me. Ah did many many other thangs – ah accomplished a lot of tha brainstorm ah had last February about whar ta put my intentions. Ahm nawt quite as far as ah wanted ta be, but neitha tha werk ah did on myself nor any of my projects is reflected in tha goals ah identified in January – nae matter how well intentioned they were.
So this year ahm gaein ta put more emphasis on intentions n outcomes. N ahve really realized that what ah dae ken be driven by three werds:
Musick. Yoga. Friends.
Ah consider Family in thar with Friends, but ah think what this really means is that what ahm daein should be with those three thangs considered. Of kerse that doesn’t mean ah can’t garden next year, er that bike maintenance isn’t a priority, er that ah don’t want more money (for tha record, ah would love more money), er my day job isn’t important. It just means that when ah have time fer myself, ah should check in n make sure that ahm daein what ah ken ta pursue these three thangs.
Why they are important ah think is obvious, but ahll gae intae them briefly. Fer musick, ah really need ta be makin sure ahm puttin my best effort forth ta bein an active n continually improvin musician. That means learnin more about tha ways ah ken record my own music on my own time, writin more songs, n practicin regularly. It’s a growin year – time ta find my voice.
Yoga is increasingly becomin more important ta me because it teaches me nawt just about my body, it reminds me ta keep payin attention ta my body n how it is doing. It ken help heal that body when it’s nawt at it’s best. Thars also what it ken dae fer my mind – bikram yoga helps me keep thangs in perspective n generally retain my composure. It brings a lawt of things intae perspective, n ah love tha journey that it’s takin me on.
Friends, as ahve mentioned, is overarching n really means those who are special to me, related er not. Sometimes ah need ta be reminded that ah need ta take effort – even if ah feel like ahm almost always tha one takin tha effort. Tha effort in tha act of initiation is greatly outweighed by connectin n reconnectin with othah humans, especially those with tha ability ta make me think (er crack me up).
Anyway, ahm werking on tryin ta keep my posts brief (both fer writing sake, but also because translating them intae Severe Slang is easier), so ah will sign off with the question – whas important ta you in 2011?
Thanks fer reading!
P.S. If you want to see what goals ah did n did nawt keep, see here.
P.P.S. Pics from tha Severe Bass n tha Bad Decisions gig are here!
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December 7th, 2010
Censorship is bullshit!
I’ve created a mirror to WikiLeaks that can be found at wikileaks.severebass.com –> following the suggestion of this blog.
August 2nd, 2010
For those of you who are not aware, Tinnitus is what is commonly described as “ringing of the ears”. (As an aside, I am kind of baffled that some people don’t know what it is). Many have heard or experienced what is often described as “ringing in the ears” but I feel that the reality of Tinnitus is scary enough to call it by it’s name. It can happen to anyone, there are a variety of things that can cause it, and it can become a noise so devastatingly loud that it makes it hard for you to live your daily life.
It’s not unheard of (okay, that’s a horrible pun that I seriously did not think about it, I just typed it and there it was) for musicians to get this. In fact, it’s very common, especially for older ones. Amplified instruments are loud as hell, mostly because loud feels awesome, and musicians really like feeling awesome. However, I’ve been TERRIFIED of something like this since I was 21. When I eventually realized that yes, your actions do have consequences, and spending as much time as possible in the presence of loud amplifiers is very likely to do horrible things to your very fragile eardrums, I got some professional earplugs and have since worn those (or a cheap replacement when needed) pretty much every time I’m in the room with an acoustic drum set. If you’ve ever been to a show with me, you’ll know that I am quite vocal about the possibility of severe (no pun intended) hearing loss because of exposure to loud amplified instruments, and that precautions are easy and cheap (thereby full of common sense). If you’ve ever been in a band with me, this has either been a point of supreme agreement or significant contention.
Despite this almost spotless history of wearing plugs of some sort since, I have definitely developed some level of tinnitus, and it seems like it’s pretty recent. While it might have been the kind of thing that I can sort of tune out sometimes, this last week I’ve noticed a ringing in my left ear (it’s not uncommon for it to only be in one ear), specifically at night and in the morning (also not uncommon for it to happen on “schedules”, and to be felt worse in the morning). It seems to wear off during most of the day, blessed be (or maybe it’s just that when there’s enough other things going on it’s hard to hear), but I was feeling it most of this previous evening (prompting this blog post). It’s interesting because I actually tried to listen for it when I got home around 5:30, and couldn’t hear it. Then about 20 minutes later I started noticing it – much earlier then usual. It wore off about 2.5 hours later.
My general impression is that the only consistent thing about tinnitus is that it happens to a lot of people, and that there is no end-all, be-all cure. There seems to be a huge variety of different levels of noise, causes, symptoms, sounds, and other variables with it. So it’s probably just something I’m going to need to try and ignore while I investigate the parts of my life or routine that could be contributing to this. As it is now, if this were to continue for the rest of my life, it’ll be annoying as hell. But it will be do-able. So really, I just hope I can keep it at bay. I’ll keep wearing the earplugs, that’s for sure.