A new sketch & Beer vs Bikes

My lady's friend came for a visit all last week and we had a great time. As you can guess, I stayed busy, but I did write some new sketches of songs. Won't be long before I have enough material to work something out. Volcano Hill is a rough one, but I like the overall feel of it. I'll polish it up a little later. I have a couple of other things I've worked on, but I haven't decided whether to add the cheesy drums to them or not.

I had a new friend that wrecked his motorcycle last Tuesday night. I talked to him about it and all just before it happened, but if you're drinking, a motorcycle is the last thing you need to be on. Throw in the accident upgrades like, just had the thing for a week, bald tires, a customized reverse gearbox, jeans and a t-shirt, 900 cc engine, and you can see where beer is going to take you on this bike. He was lucky though, he only spent a few seconds on the pavement at 65 MPH, and slid into the grass. The bike though, did a ghost ride throughout the rest of the guardrail and is totaled. My friend thought he was dead as he left the bike. He's a lucky man and survives with a hurt back and some road rash to remind him of a lesson well learned.

The Moonshiner

I've been a moonshiner
For many a year
And I've spent all me money
On whiskey and beer.
Oh how I love Shinin'
And how I love Shine
It's breath is as sweet
As Dew on the vine.

With recipe and diagrams!

Quarters

Quarters is without a doubt my favorite classic drinking game. Some of us have perfected certain techniques, like rolling the quarter off our noses, but that's weak sauce compared to this guy. As much as I want to make the obligatory "too much time" comment, this guy owns at a drinking game, so you know he's gotta be fun at a party.

Second Shift and Soviet Steel Strings

Hey Everybody! I started second shift last night at the Ion Farm. For the moment, I love it. There's something about second shift, where you get to feel the business concern fade as the night goes on. There's a lot of noise that occurs during the day. I read somewhere that as many as 20% of the people that you encounter in a day may be mentally ill. It makes sense that the mentally ill would be trying to fit into society with a 9-5 "normal" time slot. Anyway, there's other things that draw me to the second shift. My first job as a strapping young lad was working on the Banquet staff at a hotel at the Cleveland Hopkins Airport. I worked after high school, 4PM - Midnight. Hell, I even got to set up for my own Prom. Yay! At least I didn't have to work it. My first and favorite associations with second shift is the sunset smoke break where a few people go outside to smoke right at twilight. You don't have to smoke, but a lot of people do. There's nothing more effective to make management cave than an addiction. (Point of note: Try going through all the stages of heroin withdrawal the next time you negotiate a raise. Very Effective!) There's something magical about twilight and dawn: There never seems to be more potential, it's never fresher, photographs never look better, it's a well defined and brief period that happens twice every day in case you miss it the first time and it's my favorite. Second shifters around the world appreciate it. Well maybe not in sweatshops, or Chinese work prisons, but at least most appreciate it, you know the ones with fresh drinking water and sanitary facilities. Ah hell, at least if you've got time to cruise the internet, you have time to appreciate these moments, too. Go out and have yourself a moment today! You've got 2 chances! Let me know how it turns out for you.

I found a great site about cheesy guitars. I'm in the mood for a new guitar and am torn between very high end and extreme crap. Now there's a lot of people that would argue that there is no argument here, but I don't want to hear anything about the high end luxury stuff. I think that old crap has some character and sonic qualities that will never be subject to uniform quality assurance methods that guarantee that the guitarist from Bonk 284 can have the exact same tone as Slipbone 47. G-Darn Music Effing Industry! Anyway I have this site that opened my eyes to The torture devices that the Soviets made for Russian Guitarists! In Soviet Russia, Guitar plays you!

Danny Does China

Saturday, skateboarder Danny Way broke the world record for distance jumping by clearing a 61ft gap over the Great Wall. The videos of his successful attempt are now online. Use the link at the lower right of the main page, since they insist on using Flash.

Hail Prometheus III

Dutch Maid

So, I started another sketch of a song this week. It's called Dutch Maid and it's based on a visit I made to the Rijksmuseum once where I got to see Vermeer's The Kitchen Maid. It's a seven minute slow burner, so be forwarned.

Amazing Journey

In January 2004, artist Phillip Warnell swalled a pill-sized camera that made its way through his body, snapping 65,000 photographs during its 8 hour "journey." The result looks like poop.