guitarmuse1

wow

Wed, 10 Aug 2005 02:27:28 GMT

Just a quick note to get back in the habit. I am up in beautiful brunswick Me. Not far from Freeport, the home of L.L. Bean. I like going there after midnight since they are open 24 hours a day. I would have to drive an hour to find a Walmart though. I have been extended for 8 more weeks so I will get to see the fall colors. The weather here is great. I have a great apartment on the water in Cundy's Harbor. If I could take the pay cut I would take a full time job here.
The travel-tech thing is working out great for me. I wish I had started sooner.

I bought an X box.... finally. What a black-hole for time. I got so immersed in the game that I was playing, that 12 hours went buy like 2 or 3. I won't turn it on for more than an hour a day now. Too much guitar playing to do.

Too Focused ?

Fri, 04 Mar 2005 03:20:40 GMT

I finally got a chance to read Christopher Moore's Practical Demon Keeping. I really enjoyed it. I was reminded of Terry Pratchett, and Robert Aspirin. Very enjoyable. I like the smartass tone that these guys write with. I had to get away from the technical analysis books, for awhile.

I can feel my poles shifting this week. I should write a super hero novel about a manic depressive crime fighter called "The Bi-Polar Bear". The battle cry could be "WHERE'S MY FUCKING THE PROZAC!!!" He could slide down the lickable Valium pole from his lair high in the Zo-Loft, and drive away in the
Doom and Gloom Buggy, and he could have a secret weapon, the Panic-Attack, or he could just stay in bed and sleep for a couple of days..."Fuck it let the X-Men handle it."

The stock course is going well. knocked down $910.34 this week so far. I still have a couple of plays running. I have to fight the urge to use real money and get away from the virtual trading side. I figure as soon as I do that I'll interpret everything backwards and lose it all. I'll practice for a year like a good little do-bee and see what happens next year.
I tried to play guitar today, I might as well have tried to milk a spider. No creativity right now. Too focused on other things. I was hoping to play some this weekend but the well seems dry. Maybe I'll get inspired tomorrow.

Another day another... oh wait

Thu, 03 Mar 2005 05:24:30 GMT

So what does an under employed medtech do with his day? Damned if I know yet. Cleaned house, did some laundry, took son to see matinee of Constantine, put a roast on the rotisserie, Came home to apathetic wife. I can feel my marriage slipping into the can, and I don't even care any more. I don't feel like it would be right to leave after the cancer and all, so I will stay and live one of those lives of quiet desperation I've heard about. Besides, maybe we'll make a recovery, you never know.

The stock market thing is going well. I have really done well this week. I like it a lot. It is so unpredictable during this trading zone that it keeps me on my toes. We had all the great elements today, Uncle Greenspan speaking to congress, high crude oil prices, a 52 week high reached and fallen away from by the DOW. It was enough to make a man appreciate the fact that he has nipples......maybe not that great, but good all the same

I remember when I started this whole stock thing I had so many wild hare dreams and fantasies. I've lost them. I hope they will come back. Maybe it's just a sign that I am focused on one thing. I haven't played guitar for a month. I am going to try to play later today, but I feel like I am forcing an issue. I am probably going to sell off all of them on ebay in the coming week. I can always buy new ones later if I feel like it. All I can really think about is being debt free and not working for anybody else.

its been awhile

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 10:44:41 GMT

The freedom of not working full-time is wonderful. With the extra time I was able to do more study on my stock market course. I made over $500 trading yesterday. Too bad it was only on the virtual side. All of the decisions are the same, just no real money involved. That's going to end soon. I have a couple of IRA's from my multitude of former jobs I can roll over to a trading account. I made that 500 in about an hour, based on some new technical analysis tips I learned. I may have finally found something I like doing.
I like doing the practice plays. I've been very successful and I don't have the expensive charting service yet. I started with 5000 and have nearly doubled it so far. I can't wait to get the good charts and see how I do.

Its Late and I am sleepy

Wed, 16 Feb 2005 07:53:10 GMT

One of my last official act s at my soon to be ex-job, a correlation study for our new lot of thromboplastin...yee fuckin' haa. It's done. I only have six more working days until I am unemployed. I will have a final check, my PTO hours and my retirement. That should give me a couple of months to find something else. I just have to get out of the next 2 days this week in one piece. It is going to suck.
Went to JOECARTOON.com for a pick me up. Reread my short story about a cellphone talking wreck causing bitch. I like it. A friend did an edit job on it and made it flow better. I studied my stock market course and got my daughters homework printed off. Its bed time now.

crap

Fri, 11 Feb 2005 06:30:44 GMT

The greatest part about being the worlds greatest loser is that some one can use my life as a contrast to their own and say "Well it could be worse... I could be that poor fuck." This small service provided free of charge for the good of humanity at large, courtesy of yours truly. Another nice thing is, that with a life this fucked up, death holds no particular fears.
I gave two weeks notice at work, and one of the part time positions I was wanting to take turned out to be non existant. Unbeknownst to me I got a raise. A position I was interested in was posted along with my job. The list goes on, but I'll just get more depressed if I think about it. Timing is everything and I have the worlds worst. Do I eat crow and grovel for my old job back? My instincs say yes to that. My ego says "Hell No" I wasn't happy there anyway. I think unless they make me an offer that gets me off of my current shift, I will forge ahead blindly and see what happens.

1 down 9 to go

Thu, 10 Feb 2005 13:08:37 GMT

Turned in my notice yesterday. It felt so good, I had the most stress free work day in ages. I already have a couple of offers in other fields open for consideration. I have even thought about getting a pressure washer and cleaning houses. I will probably work part time for a pharmaceutical firm that delivers stat meds to hospitals. The money is very good and the hours are ok. I am also trying to get on at Books A Million part time. I don't want to get so much going that I end up just as stretched and stressed as I was before.
I have actually resumed writing on a novel I started back in Hertford. It is amazing what stress relief can do. The only thing I haven't been doing is playing guitar. I haven't had the guitar out of the case in 3 weeks. It comes and goes, right now I'm studying and writing, in the next week or so I'll be back to playing.
I wrote a short piece about a fat lady on a cell phone causing an accident. It was fun to write something again, watching it unfold as I typed it. For the first time I had an idea for an ending and a beginning and knew how I would get there. The idea was inspired by an offhand comment a friend made. I think I'm going to work the fat lady into my novel as an antagonist for my central character to play against.

Feeling better now

Tue, 08 Feb 2005 16:28:27 GMT

I have made the decision to cut back to a part time position and quit running in the rat race. I have been at home the last two days, and have found a full time job waiting for me right here. I will be handing in my notice tomorrow when I go to work, and effective two weeks from Monday the seventh, I will be free. This move has been long in coming. I have hated what I do for a living since six months after I started doing it. I will stay on the part time PRN pool but I don't plan to work there more than 3 days a month,l maybe less. We figured out our budget and if I can bring $1000 a month in we will be fine. I should be able to deliver pizza for that much. I don't really care what I do from here. I have ruined my health and nearly ruined a marriage over chasing the almighty dollar in the workplace. I firmly believe that the only way out of the cycle that the rat race creates and sustains is to quit playing the game. I still have my program that I am studying, and working part time will give me even more time to practice and study the market. Hell I might even get a chance to finish one of the 5 novels that I started. So here's Good Luck To Me.

Surrealism at its finest

Thu, 03 Feb 2005 05:46:57 GMT

I was offered a supervisory Lead-Tech position today in Microbiology. More responsibility, working on alternating week ends and a pay cut. I thought they were joking. Needless to say, when I found out they weren't, I declined the position. What really blew me away was the fact that they were surprised that I didn't take it. I'm sure there is a pathetic loser somewhere that would be happy to play that game, but it aint me. You can't take a job-title to the bank. For a split second I thought I was dreaming. My counter offer was NO weekends EVER. and a $5.00 an hour raise, plus my yearly raise in March at my 1 Year mark. I don't like what I do for a living at my present pay rate. I damn sure wouldn't like it for less. Corporate stupidity never ceases to leave me amused.

S.O.S.J.A.D.D

Wed, 02 Feb 2005 07:53:32 GMT

Same ole, same ole. I am often struck by the fact that dealing with life and death decisions all day can become mundane. When I was fresh to my profession, it was such a rush to be in the blood-bank crossmatching blood for a trauma victim. Now it is the same old shit just a different day. I remember when I used to give a rats ass whether the patients lived or died, now I don't even bother to find out.
I will be glad to get away from it all. The only bright spot on the horizon is that I may get to transfer to the Microbiology department. Working in Bacteriology is the only reason I ever wanted to be a Med-Tech. I used to live for it. I even got some research published in a refereed scientific journal when I was an undergraduate. I couldn't get enough. Ironically, Micro is the only department I have never gotten a chance to work in. I will gladly take the position if I can get it. I will still retire from the profession in a few years, but it will make those few years more bearable.

Studying the new course material is coming along. I really enjoy it. I hope to start virtual practice in the next month. One year from then, I enter the real world and apply what I have learned. A year after that I hope to retire.
Finally getting sleepy, but I know as soon as I lay down I'll be wide awake so I'll stay up and read a dull book for a few more minutes.

Mon, 31 Jan 2005 03:38:24 GMT

I haven't been writing lately, the materials for my new course of study got here. It has been a real education so far. I am stalled for the time being because I have to get through sone text book work. I am actually waiting for one of them to arrive now. The waiting kills me. I want to get going and do things. I can't rush it though.
HAven't heard anything from the bitch-in-law. I have seen her car around town so I guess she hasn't died yet....too frickin bad! There always tomorrow. I tried to watch the entire LOTR special extended version trilogy today. I made it through to the second disc, of the third episode and just could'nt do it. Then again I might after this little intermission. I just needed to take a break. Yeah... why not I made it this far, one more dvd won't hurt. besides the Deadmen of Dunharrow are about to kick ass.

The News from Lake Bitchbegone

Tue, 25 Jan 2005 05:53:36 GMT

The Mother-In-Law from hell went off the deep end Monday night while I was at work. Called the cops to our house made a bunch of wild accusations. THe cops asked if she had ever been committed, and threatened to do just that. I wish they had committed her myself. My wife told her to get her crap out of our house and never come back. I didn't know she had it in her. You Go Girl. The worst part is the old hag tried to blame the kids for all of her misery or whatever, got my daughter worked up pretty bad. My son just went to his room, and shut the door. whatever happened all I know is that there is one less car in the driveway...yeeehaa! I have never liked my wifes' mother. I have always thought she was a asinine drama queen. She's the kind of person who can't stand peace and stability. She has to be concerned about something all of the time and if there isn;t a crisis, she'll make one. Backfired on her this time. Now I know how the Munchkins felt when the wicked witch was dead. to Paraphrase a line from the Wizard of Oz; She is not merely gone, she is truly and sincerely gone....and good riddance. She has acted like she was doing us a favor moving in with us since she got here. Anyone who knows me knows that I don't suffer fools gladly, and anyone who moves into my house and starts making snotty remarks about everything is just plain foolish. I feel bad for my wife, she's fighting cancer right now and doesn't need the stress.
I guess I should go to bed now, I'm sure the bitch-in-law will be here early to get her crap, or as much of it as she can fit in her car, so I'll probably hear the yelling. Maybe with any luck she'll die in her sleep and I'll get to keep the computer she bought...it's still in the box.

Another lovely Sunday

Sun, 23 Jan 2005 19:23:29 GMT

Imagine my disapointment when I found out eBay did not have a section for troublesome hags.....er .. I mean Mother-In-Laws. Her brother is a multi-millionaire apparently. Of course he didn't take her in when she was down and out. And now that she has sold her house, and gradually squandering the proceeds, guess where she is living? Thats right .... ME! If I hear about good old Chaaalie(pronounced with the upper New England penchant for dropping the R in a word) one more time, I am going to send her loudmouthed yankee ass down to Florida to live with him. I have never experienced this cliche' before. I thought it was strictly in the movies. My wifes' father lived with us in Hertford and he was pretty cool, but this woman is a nightmare at times. She is supposed to buy a house or doublewide, or whatever soon, but it won't be soon enough.
I've been looking into some wild stuff lately. I'm trying to set a goal to work toward so that when I get bogged down in studying my new course materials, I can have a little day-dream break and then keep slogging through the material. I have settled on a couple of ideas for what I would like to do with myself post-retirement. With some help from Deep Bluze I have some practical information to look at. I really want to have a small publishing house. Music, and, literary. I know of some really great guitarists out there that could use the exposure. I'm sure there are some authors out there too I'll leave finding them to others with more experience and contacts in that area. My hope is that I will be able to fund the publishing business from other investments so that I don't have to lose sleep over being successful. I think I'll call it "Black Hole Productions" in reference to throwing the money I spend there away. If I can get one author, or musician I believe in, exposed, and published then it will be money well spent. Plus I want access to a recording studio for my own purposes.

So what is my motivation, I wonder myself. Is it that I have absolutely no talent in any artistic venue and would like to experience creativity vicariously through those that do? Is it wanting to give a break to others and thereby again experiencing success vicariously through them? Do I want others to admire what I have done through my business? Well... probably a combination of all of the above, plus an overiding desire, that at this moment in time I can't put a name to. It sits there in my thoughts taking up space but it has yet to allow me to figure out what it is. Oh well it's not bothering anybody so I'll leave it alone for the time being.

DAMMIT!!!

Sat, 22 Jan 2005 04:08:35 GMT

I just found out that Enterprise is being canceled, $hit!!!! They actually had a decent show that didn't take 3 seasons to get off of the ground, with decent writing, and they dump it. The whole Star Trek franchise needs to be given to someone who could do something with it. It's almost enough to make me put my 3 crates of Trek memorabilia on ebay!

Oh....deep_bluze I accidentally posted a comment on your site with the title of this rant by mistake. Sorry, what happened was I started to write a reply to the Enterprise cancellation news, realized that it was probably best suited to my own journal, had some fun with Hertford CSI, and posted before I remembered to change the comment title. Sorry again.

Life can test a mans' resolve. I know in order to be successful with my new courses, I have to become disciplined about my spending. So what the hell do I see on e-bay today? A guitar model I have been wanting to find for 15 or so years. $300 on ebay with 5 more days to go. The guitar is an Electra "Tree of Life", probably one of the prettiest mass produced Les Paul copies ever made. They actually play well too. It is the only non-Carvin instrument I have ever wanted, and I have to let it go. Working toward a goal can suck. I know it seems trivial, but one persons' triviality, is another persons' passion. I know that it is for the long term good, but it doesn't make it any less saddening.

What a freakin nightmare

Fri, 21 Jan 2005 06:41:56 GMT

Thursday is done...Good! Rough day in the lab. It started out quite well, but it recovered nicely. Gotta love it! The nice thing about work being so unpleasant is it makes coming home, by contrast, a desirable event.
I would like to go to D.C. for a week and just hang out at the Smithsonian. Stroll the plaza, watch the Washingtonians bustle about in a frenzy of bureaucratic brownian motion. I could spend a day in the Air and Space museum. I was amused to find that they have one of the Enterprise models used for the original series. It is on display down in one of the gift shops. I am afraid if I worked there I would have to figure out a way to "Procure" it. Oh Well...dream big.

Forced march

Thu, 20 Jan 2005 15:58:25 GMT

Dr. says exercise more, Mother in law helps. Cooling system on the 308K mile cavalier exploded yesterday. Had to take the car to the shop about 3 miles from home. THe mechanic tell me that he can't get to my car until nect week, but since I do all my tire business, tune ups, oil changes with him, he showed me where the thermostat is hidden on my car. No problem, here is where M.I.L from hell comes in. She had followed me up to the garage to in case I was going to leave the car. Now it looks like I will do it myself. I tell her to go ahead home I'll go to the auto parts store. Now my car won't start at all. I jump out and go screaming for M.I.L. from hell to stop, she is hard of hearing doesn't hear me, drives off into cold sunset(literally...it's around 16:30) . I was wearing a light denim jacket because I started out with a car that ran, even if the heater wasn't working, and that was enough. Can't call home from the garage because it would be long distance(Vonage phone # with 828 area code, not 252), too pissed to think of calling wife who works in town. Started walking home. Nice hike complete with small backpack I carry my work stuff in. Many nice shops along way to browse in while ears, and face thaw out. Much fun had by all. Borrow car to get to work (only 5 hours late now) pull into hospital parking lot to see 6 ambulances parked outside of the ER. I am working Blood Bank this week, 6 ambulances is not a good thing to see when arriveng late to work, at an already woefully understaffed lab. Things go well though, hell, we're pro's at what we do, and the day calms down to the usual dull throb of controlled chaos. Clock out at 22:43, and enjoy my hour drive home. Get home and find M.I.L from hell glued to my computer playing mindless arcade game with drool dripping from slack jaws, and vacant hypnotized expression. (well not really drool, etc. but I liked the image when I thought of it). Could'nt really say anything about tying up my computer since she let me borrow her car to go to work.
For clarification sake my Mother In Law isn't really that bad, she is just a different personality than the rest of us at the house. She has that Florida Half-Back thing going on, she tends to be loud, plus the heavy Rhode Island accent all adds up to a package that can be difficult to take in large doses for someone who has gotten used to more sedate Southern mannerisms. Really is a sweet lady that would give you the shirt off of her back, and frequently offers to help even when it isn't needed. I am the one who needs to adjust to it.
My absolute loathing for how I make my living is starting to impact my family life to the point that I think the rest of the family would like to call in the U.N. Land-Mine Disposal Team. I can't blame them. I think that I may need to find a new line of work that pays less, but gives more satisfaction. Maybe I'll write fiction.( JUST KIDDING D.N.W.....just relieving some tension by tossing a barb at a friend who can take it in the nature it is given, in case he reads this). I know that in 2 or 3 years this will be a moot point, but I still have to make it those 2-3 years. I guess I'll adopt the 12 step program motto of "One Day at a Time" ....In that vein , One down ....730+\- to go. Damn!

A new direction

Wed, 19 Jan 2005 06:44:58 GMT

I have just taken steps to change the direction my life has been taking. I am embarking on a new course of study that I hope becomes profitable. There will be long hours and much study, but it will be worth it. On this day in 2008, I hope to be able to announce my retirement from the profession of medical technology. I have been disillusioned with it since 6 months after I graduated with my BS and started working in the field. When I have achieved my financial goal, I hope to move back to Hertford NC. in at least a part time capacity. I miss my friends, and the fishing there. I have neither friends, nor a good fishing hole here. This time I will own my place and will not allow "Garbage Wrapped in Skin" to have an impact on my life. ADT, and a good heavy gunsafe.

I am going to also try to take some on-line courses on creative writing, and writing fiction. I have some ideas that I would like to develop, but don't know how. I get good ideas for beginnings and endings but have trouble connecting the dots. I tend to write on paper because I can't type fast enough to keep up with my thoughts.

I am looking forward to June as many diabetics are. That is the month that a new treatment for diabetes will hit the market. The active ingredient is derived from Gila Monster saliva. No shit.. lizard spit! Some bright little herpetologist somwhere realized that the damn things only eat 3 times a year, and started looking into the reason why. Long term use of the new medication by some diabetics may actually lead to normal insulin production, read here as CURE!!!! I can't wait.

The hardest part of changing a course is the leaving behind of the old comfortable path. I am striking out on a new course with the firm knowledge that the old way is not what I want in life. This new course is not without hazards, and pitfalls most of which I can't even guess at. I may end up divorced before it is over, but I had that happen the last time I made a life change so I won't be taken by surprise if it happens again. I am having a little trouble deferring my music, and guitar purchasing goals. It helps to realize that in a couple of years I will be able to get what I want, when I want, but having to watch a double-neck Carvin get away from me on ebay was a bitch. Hopefully I will be able to scrape up the overtime to fund a Carvin Bolt-T kit for my birthday in the spring. I hope to one day have a collection of Carvin guitars, I love them. Life without music is not life at all. At this point in time my music is the only thing that makes my existence bearable. Music has become my new drug of choice, it doesn't show up in the urine.

keeping it going

Tue, 18 Jan 2005 06:31:55 GMT

Don't really know what to do tonight. One of the more surreal patients I have dealt with died over the weekend while I was out of town. I don't think anyone took her seriously due to her frequent frivolous trips through our facility. Well she won't be doing that anymore. Seemed a really tormented soul, hopefully better off now.
I am currently working on a new guitar piece. As is so often the case I was trying to do something by someone else, and ended up going down my own tangent. I used to fight it, but now I just let it happen. When it happens, I feel like a spectator, watching a new thing create itself. Maybe I have become a channeler for dead piss poor guitarists. Now if only Chet Atkins or Segovia would come a callin'.......
Recieved the complete Beethoven Symphonies a'la Sir Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, from my parents over the weekend. I love these recordings, and have for years. I consider them the best that were ever produced. Solti brought a feeling to the symphonies that no one else has been able to match. I heard through word of mouth that Sir Georg had gone to Germany and locked himself away with the original manuscripts to study, and came away with the impression that he had not been interpreting them correctly. I was looking forward to hearing his new production, but he died before he ever got around to doing them over. How does one determine what is correct? During his later career, Beethoven was seldom able to conduct his own work due to his deafness. What hell that must have been to try to pass on to another conductor, that which would have needed no translation had he been able to conduct himself. Always feeling that the interpretation had been faulty. All of that romantic era longing, passion, and angst not quite given the fullest vent possible due to human frailty. No wonder the 9th Symphony has become an anthem for passion.

Back from the hills

Mon, 17 Jan 2005 05:38:20 GMT

I just got back from the mountains of Western NC. We had a belated Christmas with Mom & Dad, and two of my Aunts from Florida. It was a pleasant weekend, my Wife, Mother, and Aunts went to Asheville to shop, and Dad and I got down to the serious business of watching his newly acquired episodes of Last of the Summer Wine. What a truly entertaining show. It is not hard for me to believe that it has been on for 30 years. The show has a very mellow theme song, that I figured out how to play for Dad. I had to arrange it for solo guitar, but once I had the key, it did'nt take long. The end result was satisfying. I looked all over the web for some guitar tabs for the song, but no luck. The show has a viewership of 8 million on the BBC but I am apparently the only guitar player among them. I may post my arrangement in tab on the fan website, later. I noticed there were a few inquiries.
When the house filled back up with people later that evening I found a corner to myself plugged the headphones into my Roland Micro Cube amp, and went to guitarmuse-land for awhile. It felt like just a few minutes but was more than an hour. I love when that happens. Now that my pot supplier is dead, and my diabetes prevents me from drinking, I find the lucidity of sobriety almost bearable when plugged in. I think music is outlet for most of pent up energy. It can be frustrating when the abilities don't match the passions, but that's what practice is for. It must be working, I would never have been able to figure out that theme song so easily just 6 months ago. so I guess sobriety does have its bright side. I think I should get a week off every year to go back to my camper on the lake in the mountains and be allowed to smoke myself into a grinning stupor, and watch hours of Red Dwarf. Maybe when I retire, I can become a pot-head again, everyone will just think it's Alzheimer's then.

Guitar Nuze

Fri, 14 Jan 2005 09:00:48 GMT

I just won an antique Autoharp on EBAY. Mid 1800's. I can't wait to see it live and in person. I bought it for a decoration and mood setter as much as anything. I have used autoharp as a background rythm on a few of my music tracks. I find that if I arrpegiate the chords in time with the bass line, it gives a very pleasant effect. Early Stones, pre-Jagger, used zithers on a few songs. I am watching a few newer models on EBAY to get a playing model. I remember once years back, my Dad and I were channel surfing on a Saturday night looking for something to watch(NO CABLE). We stopped on the public tv channel just long enough to hear the announcer for the program introduce the guest performer. I don't remember his name but he was billed as an "Autoharp Virtuoso" Dad and I looked at eachother both thinking the same thing. "what the hell is this shit, are they going to have a PhD. Kazoo player next?" Well we had to see this just out of morbid curiosity. It took exactly 10 seconds to realize there is such a thing as a Virtuoso Autoharp player. I had never heard anybody play one like this guy. I had never taken the instrument seriously until then. I am looking forward to some experimentation of my own.I think his last name was Bowers, I don't remember its been over ten years ago. I guess I'll have to do a search when I'm done writing.
I really played the hell out of Ms. Carvin...(I have got to get a better name for my guitar) I wish My Tascam 4 track recorder hadn't decided to die on me. I could have gotten some good stuff on tape. I really need to get a digital 8 track recorder. Here again EBAY may provide. I have decided to sell off some of my firearms to fund my music. (What guns didn't get stolen by a bunch of foul gutterslime eating rat-bastards in Hertford NC.) I had a couple of antique guns stashed in my camper in the mountains that should bring enough for a recorder and a new Carvin Bolt kit. Anybody who stumbles upon this journal is going to see Carvin guitars spoken of frequently. THey are without a doubt the finest guitar you can buy. I have owned Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, Kramer, Hamer, Squier, Alvarez, and one particularly fine Epiphone(sold to a good home.) My Carvin outdoes them all. Even the Epiphone(sorry David). The Epi' is the only one of all of them I have ever owned that even came close. Go to carvin.com and check them out.They are making a carved top similar to a PRS, and Tony McAlpine is now endorsing the 7 string model.

I love Thursday

Fri, 14 Jan 2005 05:41:11 GMT

Thursday is my Friday, I work four 10 hr. days. Today felt more like 20, but it is over.

In two to three years I hope to be in a position to go back to college and study things I want to study, not things I have to study to make a living. I think my next Bachelors degree is going to be in music. My next after that maybe literature with an emphasis on writing fiction so I can give a couple of story lines I've started a chance at being finished. I can do good starts, and ends, but I have yet to develop the skills necessary to fill the 'between parts. I think it will be fun to go back to college for the sheer joy of learning. I've just got to stay focused and work my tail off for the next 2-3 years.
I know I will study art too. I have more passion than talent in all of the fields of study I have mentioned, but as long as I remember that, I'll be OK.
I emailed an artist that does illustrations, and book covers. His name is Kieth Minnion. He sent me back a nice reply. He has a web site that bears viewing. His art is really wonderful. I particularly like his 'Bad Santa" It brought back memories of Gary Larson. I would post his link if I were more computer literate but if you are reading this, I've given his name, and you can find it yourself, or you are probably the person who sent the link to me and you already know.
I have been trying to respond to comments I get through my yahoo account. I'm not sure if they are going through though. If not, I'll figure it out eventually.

My family and I have come to the conclusion that our house is haunted. No it isn't old. Hell it's a double wide, but nevertheless, it is haunted. The young woman is the most active. I have spotted her looking around the door frame of the laundry room into the family room on three occasions. I get a kick out of it myself. My wife has seen her a few times as well. There is another entity that just passes through. When it comes through the house there is the effect of a thin cloud passing under the sun. A slight dimming of the lights and a sense of movement to be seen in the peripheral vision. No bad vibes though. There's only room for one bad vibe generator in the house, and that's me.

I hear a muffled voice coming from the direction of a certain hardshell guitar case on the floor behind me. I believe it is telling me to strip and run naked through the airport.....no, my mistake it's telling me to shut up and play my guitar. Good night to any and all, Ms. Carvin is callin' and She must be obeyed.....

Algebra at midnight

Thu, 13 Jan 2005 14:36:19 GMT

A=1/2h(b1+b2) aka A=h(b1+b2)/2 please solve for b1. What a lovely guest to find waiting for you when you get home. Booger and Blackjack met me at the door and tried to warn me but algebra just doesn't translate well in Catese so I thought they were saying "feed us....bowl empty" when what they were really saying was "Chrissie is waiting up for you to help her with her algebra homework". Well they did try to warn me. I thought this looked familiar so I dug out the old college algebra book and sure enough there it was. Oh boy a freebie....NOT!!!! That particular equation was one of the even numbered ones, you know the ones that don't have the answer in the back of the book, yeah one of those.
Anyway after about 45 minutes of false starts and breaks to watch Family Guy and Futurama, and eat dinner, and share dinner with Booger, who took advantage of my being distracted to help herself to a cats-size portion of my supper. ( "well after all" she said "We tried to warn you at the door, that's gotta be worth something".) Which makes a certain sense in cat-logic terms. Chrissie had gone to bed and I was staring at the paper in a blank mindless way and it finally occured to me how to proceed. Some people who work with this stuff on a more than once every 10 years basis would have snapped their fingers, said ah that one, and proceeded to astound the world with there algebra accumen. Me... I didn't have it so lucky. I finally remembered the distributive property and some other crap and figured it out. Then I had to prove it to myself by putting some numbers to it. Okay this is all well and good for me, if I'm ever crossing a bridge on a quest for the Holy Grail, and the gaurdian says "My son ...in order to pass this bridge you must answer the following; if A= Does in truth equal h(b1+b2)/2 , then tell me oh intrepid traveller what does b1 indeed equal. I can, without hesitation tell him "b1 does in fact equal 2A-b2/h. But.... this doesn't help sleeping daughter on test day. so two pages of step by step diagrams and explanations that made the 8x10 glossy color photographs with circles and arrows on the back of each one explaining what each one was, of Alices Resturaunt fame look like mere post-it note doodles, I did indeed go to bed with a reasonably clear conscience. What makes this epic in algebra worth it? I'll tell you....a note left on the kitchen table that says the following "Thanx dad that really help alot I love you see you whe you get home love chrissie."
Okay so now we need to work on her syntax and when to put 'ed' at the end of a verb, but we're getting there

Work sucked as usual, but for a different reason than usual. 1-12-05 must have been "Youv'e got cancer" day. Drew blood from quite a few who had gotten the news, and were passing it on to me. What can I say..."Gee thats too bad, but look on the bright side....you won't have to worry about Alzheimers anymore." or "Well... thats one out of the way, that just leaves taxes now". I am of course not quite that cold blooded so I try to be upbeat and optimistic, and in truth we are seeing successful outcomes that would have been terminal just 5 years ago.

Started working on a new guitar piece. I decided to tangle with a Leo Kottke composition. So far it's kicking my ass but I just keep working at it little phrase at a time. I'll get there. Leo can sure tickle a guitar though can't he. anybody who hasn't listened to Kottke, should. Alternate tunings aside, they are wonderfully complex, and a delight to the ear. I've got my Carvin DC120 12 string tuned to open C and a glass slide on my pinkie......

Another day done

Wed, 12 Jan 2005 06:32:00 GMT

Thank God another one is down for the week. I am constantly amazed at the stupidity, or lack of common sense shown by doctors. Case in point. Instead of utilizing a $7 dollar an hour phlebotomist, or emergency room aide to draw blood, a $20+/hr. med-tech (yours truly)was paged to draw blood in the E.R. While I'm over there I get another request to draw another patient,and then another. FInally this sub-moron E.R. doc says,"call the lab and find out why we aren't getting any of the chemistries I ordered." I almost blew a gasket. I told Herr Dr. Dumbass that he wasn't getting any of his chemistry results because he had the clinical chemist (again yours truly) tied up drawing blood, . I went on to say that if he could figure out a way to make one person be in two places doing completely different tasks at the same time he would be a shoe in for the Nobel Prize. DUHHHHH! Unfortunately he was one of the brighter candles in the lantern. Most of his associates wouldn't even know I was being sarcastic. The problem is that most medical professionals have no clue whatsoever as to how the results they order are obtained. I guess they think it's magic or something.

On a happier note. Went to find some information on a special edition book a friend of mine wrote. I found the new cover. It was great. The guitar element of the layout was inspired by a vintage Gretsch, or a D'Aquisto. I am looking forward to my copy arriving. I may try to get a print of the cover for my "music room", that is currently stacked floor to ceiling with crap that is too good to throw away but not necessary for day to day living. Things like my Star Trek memorabilia collection, my Spawn figures, etc. etc. Boxes of crap I felt compelled to collect at one time in my life. Oh well there's always ebay.
For anyone who might be reading this just by randon chance, the name of the book my friend wrote is Deep Blue. It is one of my favorite David Wilson creations. I wrote a review of it on Amazon. It was kind of wierd reviewing a book written by someone I know. I wanted to convey my pleasure with the book without going overboard or appearing to be too biased. David has some really cool poetry out there too. Check him out. He writes horror and fantasy, and he does it well.

Called the local police on my asshole neighbor who likes to wake me up every morning with his car radio. The operator at the non-emergency desk knows me by first name now. He is Tim. Thats sad that an individual has to be such an ass that I have to have a police number on speed dial.
Well thats my rant for the day. I feel mildly better.

My first entry

Tue, 11 Jan 2005 06:33:09 GMT

To think that this all started out just so I could keep up with what a friend of mine was doing. Now I'm a bloggin' with the rest of them.

Bad things; If Monday had sucked any worse it would have had the name DYSON, or HOOVER on it. No phlebotomist, misbehaving chemistry analyzers and, a redneck asshole neighbor who likes to warm his car up at 4:00 in the morning with the radio blaring outside my bed room window. North Carolina should have a 'Needed Killin' law. The judge would say " Now why'd you kill ole' Billy Bob' and I would say " Well yer honor, he was an asshole and he needed killin." The judge would then reply " Well awright then, but don't you go a killin' anybody that don't need it, because that would be agin' the law". "Yes sir yer honor, I'll keep that foremost in my mind, I surely will."

Good Things; Everyone was in bed when I got home at 23:30 except Booger, BlackJack and Pasha-Pook, (cats) so I had the T.V. to myself. Watched Futurama, ate dinner which I did not have to myself due to the afore mentioned Booger, BlackJack, and Pasha-Pook. My Carvin AE 185 was only too happy to leave its hardshell and visit with me for awhile. We sang the blues, and visited "Mother", asked " Is there anybody out there", and listened to the "Blackbird." She's resting now watching from her stand as I write , like a patient lover who knows their turn will come again. Nothing to fear there.