Second Gen (2003-2016, 2016- )
While I’ve been away on a short but richly deserved holiday, Gen X at 40 HQ has been busy installing what our executive has described as technology. We trust we are adding some of the finest technology available with the hope of bringing you better blogging to meet the dynamic demands of the future.
I am looking at this my site on hotel internet set at 800 x 600. Does anyone else leave their setting there nowadays? [I have been amongst the Amish so am using words like “nowadays” nowadays.] At this setting, the photos look worse than Obidiah’s boy Jerimiah did after he fell into the manure pile.
Off to hit I-81 tomorrow morning down through central New York heading to the Pennsylvania Dutch region when O’Sammy burps and up go the security levels. We can expect an extra minute delay at Cape Vincent.
We shall not be deterred. We shall convert currency and shall seek out the hots and BBQ. If that makes me and mine a target of whack-jobs, so be it.
What better way to celebrate the 1,000th post than a picture from after last weekend’s 2-1 victory by SFA Div. 2’s Greenock Morton over the hated neighbouring SFA Div. 1’s St. Mirren of Paisley (Ed.: acht, ptweie, spit). I have enjoyed watching a match at each of their home grounds but if your Dad’s from Greenock you ought to be a Morton fan. More photos here. Discuss the obsession here.
Expect lighter posting for the next while with holidays and the death of the Dell’s high speed access at home. We all need a wee kip and a nip for the 1,000th – have one for me.
My friend and my former insurer (don’t knock it – it wroked for Charles Ives) has written a wonderful short essay about a last moment with his father and the brevity of life. At a mere 41, watching the growth of my kids hit second gear, I already know this is coming and could try to frame it myself but Craig wrote it so well.
Sam Adams Cream Stout. One fine beer available at Watertown, NY.
I heard the band One Ring Zero earlier this month on NPR’s Fresh Air. Regular readers will recall my affection for the full range of plinky-plink music from the products one can receive in plain wrapped packaging from Electron in Toronto to the works of They Might Be Giants. What fits attacted me to the band during the interview was the attention to instrumentation – indeed members of the band met at the Hohner harmonica warehouse and instrument repair facility in Richmond Virginia and formed the band after the utter market failure of the claviola, an instrument which was reproduced only 17 times. Adding theramin, toy piano and other freaks at the back of the music closet, they sought to both preserve and explore.
Getting the CD As Smart As We Are in itself was a smal task as it is not a CD according to Amazon but a book as it is hard bound. I don’t know why in 20 years of CDs whether anyone has placed one and the lyrics in a small hardbound book before but it is neat. Then there is the short intro, a recording of a 1980s shortwave identification signal [300 KB .wma file] – a sound loop shortwave stations played over and over before their half hour broadcasts so that you could find them on the dial easily. I think this is Deutsche Welle from West Germany. I knew I was among friends. The CD is described as “Lit Rock” in the liner notes being a collection of the setting to music of 17 poems. It is good. Here is the treatment of one haiku entitled “Honku” by Aaron Naparstek [441 KB .wma file]. Its only 27 seconds long but it will give you an idea.
As always with my reviews of the art of others where I pinch off a bit of their copyrighted interest and share it among you, I implore you to buy this CD, run it up the charts and make the late summer of 2004’s Billboard charts look weird forever.
Cross-posted to the-growing-but-needing-more-authors-Canadian-music-blog Switching to Glide.