Tuesday

Tuesday, October 30 2007
25:14

Back at work. . .into the fire. A nice, sunny day meanwhile. The Blogger timestamp on my post last night is totally wrong – it was 1:03 AM when I began typing it. . .and it says I posted it at 11:57 PM. Weird. Typed up my handwritten journal entries from the weekend – only two pages. Back filling:

Friday: up before 5, and an uneventful flight to Boston. Was in the very back of the plan, so witness to a constant parade of people using the bathroom, ugh. Also the last one off the plane practically. MB had almost given up on me when I came out of the security area. We went up to the North End for dinner, but didn't get out there until after 11, and most of the places were closed. Also, we didn't bring an umbrella and it was raining (just slightly before dinner, and harder afterwards). We found a place – Lucca – that was open and pretty good, too. If loud.

Saturday: slept in pretty late, with a morning snack of some fruit and chocolate. Had a sitting together, then cereal w/ more fruit for breakfast / lunch which hit the spot. Left for Providence some time after dusk, maybe 6? It was drizzly but warm. Providence was very nice. Last night of "Waterfire" – bonfires floating in the canal. Many of them. Sounded great, smelled great, looked great. Walked through that once, then over a hill and through RISD and Brown, to a college-y neighborhood. Ate at an Indian place – Kabob N Curry. Very good. I got bharta, she had veg. curry. The veg sampler appetizers were actually the best. We split a mojito – pretty so-so, made w/ a mix or something. Walked back – sat on a bench-type thing at the river, talked and watched the fires and people. The mall bathrooms (we parked at the mall) were closed, so we had to stop at a Dunkin Donuts on the way back, in Pawtucket. MB was sleepy but got us home OK.

Sunday: another lazy morning, and cereal and fruit for breakfast again. In the afternoon, we went to Harvard Square and walked around. Pretty cool place. Cold. Bought a wool cap at the COOP (Harvard store). Hung out at at a book store for a while, then went to the Algiers Café. A nice little place. Got some very good falafel and an espresso, MB had a cappuccino, a yogurt bowl w/ fruit, and a bagel. After that, got a driving tour of Somerville and Cambridge, then went to the Middle East. It kind of reminded me of Mr. Spots' while being totally different. MB was supposed to dance at 11, we got there at 9:30. They asked her to dance early, which was good as we didn't feel like hanging out there. I got some baklava and a black Russian while she got ready. She was great – every eye in the place was fixed on her. She chatted with some people afterwards then we took off. We would've gone to the restaurant / bar near the hotel for a drink but it was closed (this was just after 11). So, we called it a night.

back to today. . .music: Tool - Lateralus; Philharmonie - Le Dernier Mot

BOS -> SEA

Monday, October 29 2007
25:03

Home. Tired. Did get a 2-hour nap in today, but it's been 22 hours since I woke up on the East Coast this morning. The whole weekend feels like one day in a certain way, which is strange. Much to diarize here, but it's too late tonight, so tomorrow.

things and things

Thursday, October 25 2007
24:19

In broad strokes: A doctor's appointment, returned a cable modem, breakfast, work, got my watch battery replaced, looked at furniture, talked on the phone, worked, tried out the sushi joint down the street, got some housewares, skipped a condo meeting, did laundry, drove to the old place to check the mail and grab a few things, disposed of much cardboard, packed, changed strings on my guitar, watched a free DVD I got with some other stuff yesterday.

An early morning tomorrow.

music: New Order - Factus 8 / 1981-1982; Mudvayne - LD 50; Photek - Modus Operandi

Weather that begins with D this time

Wednesday, October 24 2007
24:15

Dark and dreary and drizzly today.

The FedEx guy buzzed my place at 4:30 – so my phone rang, at work. I answered and got snippets of a guy with an Indian accent saying he had a delivery for 403. I said, "Hi, if I buzz you in can you leave it in front of my door?" at which point all I got was nothing for about 30 seconds, then the phone disconnected. . . .he buzzed again 5 minutes later, so I buzzed him in. The FedEx tracking page said "delivered". Turns out he left the package in the lobby, right next to the door!

Good rehearsal tonight. Short-staffed, only five present, but we did some interesting and fun work with zithering.

A number of items to take care of tomorrow, including packing for a weekend getaway.

music: Interpol - Antics; Res - How I Do

Notes From Mee

Tuesday, October 23 2007
24:08

The show was a little better last night from my POV. Small audience though. And, I forgot my stool. Thankfully SB was a hero, bringing one from home on his way there. Phew! A large crowd out to the Elysian afterwards – my food was very tasty this time, and I have a good idea what I'll get next time too.

Sunny day today. Apparently over 70? Wasn't that warm any time I was outside, though. However, my home is not cold for the first time in a while.

This week is feeling a bit compressed, being short – leaving for Boston on Friday morning. Not a ton of stuff to do, but feeling a bit time-constrained. Looking forward to the weekend.

music: Ratatat, some gamelan, Talking Heads, Ned's Atomic Dustbin, Pigface

Weekend Type Stuff

Sunday, October 21 2007
24:31

Friday: worked from home. Waiting for a phone call from a Qwest technician that never came. Turns out they didn't need to access my home to turn on my service. Too bad they told me they would, and that I'd have to wait around all day for it. I finally did an online service chat at 5:30, where I found out it was "completed". So I went and got a phone cord and plugged in. . .yep. OK then. Tried a teriyaki place down the street for dinner – not bad, for a hole-in-the-wall type place. Considerably better than the place w/ the same name that's in the building I work in. Spent most of the night after that on the phone, off and on, talking to MB in between sets dancing at her least favorite place, .

Saturday: the usual guitar circle stuff in the morning. Pho for lunch by myself, then a trip to the record store on the way home. A nice phone call after that. Then out to see the new Elizabeth move w/ CF. That was good. Very intense. Wondered at times if it was overdone, but it never quite crossed the line. You have to suspend disbelief about the fact that E was in her 50s during that time period. . .Cate Blanchett being only in her late 30s, and they didn't go to any effort to make her look older. After the movie, made a run down to the old apartment to grab a carload of stuff.

Sunday: slept in. breakfast / coffee, then out to try to return the cable modem from my old apartment's service. But they aren't open today. So, over to the mall, to get some clothes. First, a new gig shirt. Also picked up a new jacket and some miscellaneous stuff while I was there. Got some food at Burrito Loco on the way back. Then, chores for the rest of the evening. Finances, laundry, etc. Spent a little time on the phone.

music: new stuff: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Gang of Four, Talking Heads, Ratatat, and two "outtakes / weird mixes / live stuff / etc" disks, one Joy Division the other Killing Joke. I think the latter is mostly designed to humiliate Jaz Coleman.

What?

Thursday, October 18 2007
25:24

Windstorm today. Knocked out power a few places apparently. It flickered at work. Went to see Interpol at the WaMu theater – AKA the Qwest Expo pavilion with seats, curtains, and a stage built into it. Good show. I wasn't enthusiastic about it, I almost didn't go / left after the opening band (who were exciting but really inconsistent). Glad I stayed though. It was loud, clean but too loud. Also, couldn't hear the bass guitar as is typical at concerts. The mix was so clean there was plenty of room for it, but they kept it to a rumble.

Yesterday's synchronicity: one LCD Soundsystem song references "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun". Which is covered on disc two of the OSI cd I also had with me.

Wenesday, excerpt

Wednesday, October 17 2007
25:17

Got dinner from the new Thai place in the building today. It's more fast-food-ish in layout than I'd imagined. Definitely more of a lunch stop than a dinner venue. But I was getting takeout so that was fine. Got curry fried rice with tofu and pineapple. Not bad, the tofu was too spongy for my tastes. A lot of food, but that justified the $8. Too much food for one entrée, really.

music: OSI - Office of Strategic Influence; LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver (liking this so far! reminds me of A Certain Ratio at times).

Tuesday and stuff

Tuesday, October 16 2007
24:16

Missed a few days journalizing. . .slept in pretty late on Sunday. Spent the afternoon attending to some domestic things and working, mostly the latter, then a trip down to the old place for another carload of stuff. Grabbed some stuff and dinner at the grocery store. The ready-to-go sushi at this store is pretty bad. Dry. Not made there at the store, but somewhere else in town apparently. Oh well. Talked on the phone for a bit after that. More work, trying to fix a bug exposed by my fix for another bug.

Monday – an early phone call, then decided to just stay up, eager to go fix that bug. A hectic day at work, doing that (got it fixed) and also fighting another fire that fell in my lap. Felt more harried than I should have, nerves over the first CHAC show no doubt. The show went well. Quite a bit different playing in that space. Good sized audience – lots of friends, some that hadn't been around for a while, and a couple new folks. Good feedback afterwards. Mixed reviews on the overall sound. Having to deal with set build-up (though I missed most of that) and tear-down, plus extra security, parking, etc etc issues makes for a much more stressful evening overall. That'll hopefully diminish a bit. . .we'll see. Out to the Elysian after that for some food and drinks. Not bad. The salad I got wasn't that great really, but I think there are many other better things on the menu.

A more relaxed day today. Spent a good amount of time mostly visualizing some things on the todo list. Got started implementing one late in the evening, it's coming together OK. Turned the wrong way coming out of the parking garage tonight. Oh yeah, I live in the other direction now. Driving home, was thinking – is this the first night where I've driven straight home to the new place after work? Seemed like maybe Tuesday last week, but I couldn't remember what happened Tuesday night. . .had to go look it up in my journal. Oh, duh, the release. OK, so I drove here after that. But in a loaner car and very late at night, so I don't remember it much. Anyway.

Hooked up the TV w/ the new cable box tonight just to make sure it worked and check out the digital / HD cable. Works. Looks good. Many more channels now, not really something I "need" but that's OK. . .

Today I remembered something from Thursday that I forgot to mention. . .after I dropped of a check, at an insurance office in Bellevue, I almost got mauled by an elevator. . .this was in a circa 1985 building, it was really like time travel while I was in there, like many places I went with my Mom when I was young. Anyway, as I headed to the elevator to go back down to the first floor, the doors were closing, so I stuck my arm between them to trip the IR sensor. . .oh, this one doesn't have that, it's got the old-fashioned rubber "bumper", so I moved my hand over and pushed that in. . .to no effect. At this point the doors are only 3 or 4 inches apart, so I yanked my hand out just in time. Well!

My car still drives differently than it did before the service. Feels like at times it's struggling, and at times it has more power than before. I got gas on the way home tonight, and the math worked out to about 21mpg . . . which sucks, I usually get 27. Well, I'll give it another tank, if it stays that low, something is wrong.

Got my phone service switchover scheduled this morning, and my old cable service turned off.

music: Opeth, New Order, Mick Karn, Gus Gus, Jonas Hellborg Group

Saturday

Saturday, October 13 2007
26:02

Friday: worked from home. The fire alarm went off again! damn. Something to do with drywall dust. In the evening, drove uptown a couple miles to look at a possible rental for MB. Not bad, though funky. Home, napped for two hours, then a long phone conversation which was very nice. Stayed up for a couple more hours, mostly working.

Saturday: slept in, sitting at home, off to TTA rehearsal. Short meeting after that about practicalities for Monday. The home, a shower, a little work (found a bug). Headed south – which took forever as the viaduct was closed – for my sister's birthday dinner. That was good. Stopped by the old place to pick up some things – a file cabinet, a printer, etc. Home, some time on the phone, then assembling the CD case I got last weekend. Went together fairly smoothly. Some work – fixing that bug and now deploying the servers – and unloading boxes of CDs into the case.

music: Angels of Light - We Are Him; Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense

Shapoopi!

Adrian doing a Jig
Originally uploaded by sluggoman

Zzz

Thursday, October 11 2007
25:32

Tired, so abbreviated: Wednesday – the release continued to go well. A client update on top of that pushed the total system bandwidth use to over 40Gbps. Good practice at the Wilsons, and a low-key evening afterward's at Travgor's as usual.

Thursday: awakend by the fire alarm. Yes, it works. Quite well. It would take some will to stay inside with that thing going off, unless you had earplugs handy. As it was, in the time it took me to get dressed and down the stairs, my ears were ringing a bit more than usual by the time I got outside. The alarm wasn't a test nor false, something had gotten hot and created fumes. But no fire, thankfully. The fire department gave the all clear after about 30 minutes. Then, beginning my day, and a detour south to my old apartment to get my checkbooks. Dropped a check off on my way to work.

Productive but short day at work. Then to the Garage Billiards (more bowling than billiards, really) for a release party. It was fun. Bowled enough to make my hand hurt, and drank enough to make my head hurt. When there's an open bar and you order an Oban, neat, and the bartender asks "Single or Double?", there is only one correct answer. I did restrain from getting some McCallan 18 though. Home from that around 1.

WFH tomorrow, going to check out an apartment for MB in the evening.

music: Steely Dan - Gaucho; Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas; The Cure - Concert; Tom McCarthy - Spark and Luminance;

Orange Box Time!

Tuesday, October 9 2007
26:53

A long day. Woke up early because I wasn't sure if the notice on my door last night about building work at 8 AM meant they'd need access to my place or not. They didn't, it turns out. But I woke up before then anyway – at 3:30 AM then again at 5 AM with indigestion. Well I think I was just too warm at 3:30, still getting to know the climate controls in here. But felt very icky at 5, was up until about 5:30. Took the opportunity to send an earlier-than-usual hello message to MB over on the other coast. . .which ended up bouncing, as apparently Yahoo and Hotmail are dueling again. Later, a nice wake-up call just before seven. . .after that I decided to just sleep until 8. If I was in the shower when they knocked, so be it. But they didn't.

Took the car to get its 30k service done, and picked up my loaner [not remembering, at this point, to take my garage fob with me, more on that later]. Then to work a bit earlier than usual, on a day when I'd be there until at least midnight. Worked pretty steadily until about 7, then there was a break in the action so some of us took the opportunity to go get a nice dinner. Had a good Asian shrimp salad and then a funky lamb curry with a wide assortment of "mix-ins" arrayed around it. A glass of wine, and some coffee crème brulee for dessert. And back to work.

Excitement started brewing in general by around 9 or 10. Missed most of the festivities upstairs, keeping an eye on things downstairs. Was up there for the big "button pushing" event though. I couldn't see anything, there was a gizmo constructed that had several huge blade switches and lights and dry ice and pulsating sounds and such. Things were looking good when I left at 2:15.

So, I left my fob in the car. So I can't get in the garage – parked on the street. Had to buzz myself in via the cell phone to get in the building. I think if I didn't have my phone I'd have been screwed. I'd have to have gone to the old place, and suffered without a change of clothes or contact removal. If I didn't have that option. . .eek. I'll have to treat that fob like the housekey it is now.

music: Police - Live!; Primus - The Brown Album

Monday / Center of Gravity now Ballard

Monday, October 8 2007
24:29

I have internet and cable here now. A long and often hectic day, but it was nice. Last show of this run at Trinity; possibly the last one "ever" there! A large crowd out afterwards, a fun time. Tomorrow will be a long day too.

music: Nirvana, Radiohead.

Weekend

Sunday, October 7, 2007
25:47
New place – on the computer

Well I'm "moved". Still lots of stuff at the old place, most of it to sell/give away, but lots still that I will want to bring up here. But, I have most of my clothes, and the computer. Comcast arrives between 8 and 10 tomorrow to hook me up w/ TV and internet. Been a busy weekend.

Saturday: cali/sitting at HQ. Breakfast at Vera's w/ IA, IK, TM, CG, CF, IB. Huevos rancheros again this time. Then to CHAC. This time the space was mostly "neutral" when we got there. Quick briefing, then Curt and I began hanging the columns. The hooks on the lines make that a little easier, but it still involves adjusting alligator clips until level. We marked them though, and apparently they will be "fixed" now. That took around an hour, longer than expected. Also got the risers arranged and numbered. And the seats put out, in the first of many arrangements. We practiced the entrance a few times – beginning the twinkling in the green room upstairs, then down the stairs and in the side doors. We sat and played through most of the set, then there was about 30 minutes of audience-seat-rearrangement. Then practiced the exit. Then it was time to strike – that took 15 minutes, very good.

Came back to the new place, napped from 4 until 6. Ran to Guitar Center looking for a computer/music desk/workstation. No joy – they had some big wood things w/ lots of rack space, none of the little modular things. Stopped at Office Max on the way back – a few promising desks but they were closing. Long phone conversation with MB. It was good, but I was feeling a bit off afterwards for some reason. Got to bed around 1.

Sunday: up at 10. Got some coffee/breakfast, quick email check. Up to the new place with a carload of stuff. Went to the "Loren May" apartment building to check out two units for MB – very old and quaint building, a bit musty inside. Fairly $$$ for the size ($1000 for 675sf "one bedroom", it's really a v. large closet that happens to have two doors and a window). Cute place though, hardwood floors, old-time charm. No dedicated parking. Took a bunch of pictures.

Stopped at Bartell's on the way back – no luck getting the watch battery changed, will need to take it to a jeweler's. There's on on Market, I'll try them sometime maybe. Got some elec. razor cleaner, and miscellaneous stuff for my face also shaving-related. Drove to Office Max – got the corner desk in "cherry" finish (a dark one), plus a chair (my third choice, the first two were out of stock) and a carpet-protector mat. The desk was in one box – very square if thin, and super heavy, 65 kilos. Barely fit in my car. I barely got it back out when I got home. Opened it up and decided not to put it together yet. Went to Zak's for a burger – bacon cheeseburger, the bacon was very thick which was "nice" but way more than I wanted/needed. Got some indigestion of the hernia type afterwards. The onion rings were very good.

MB called, from the airport again, on her way home this time. We talked for a bit, then I headed out to Silver Platters to get a cd shelf. The Queen Anne SP is in the old Tower Records building (which I could've sworn was right off Mercer, not Roy – maybe they moved for a while before going away completely), it's pretty large. They had some small cases/shelves, and one giant three-section thing that holds 1500. So I got that one. Room to expand! They were apparently having an open-mic night – they have a stage/PA in the back! – so the salespeople and I had to shout. That box fit in the car better but is also very heavy – says 35kg, I think more though.

Came back here, mostly put the desk together. It's OK, for fake lam / particle board. Still have some drawers and the keyboard shelf to assemble. Was getting pretty sore by this point – pulled a few muscles today, I think. Headed back to the old place. Started packing up some stuff, and also attending some bills before / receipts before I shut off the computer. More time on the phone w/ MB, talking about apartments and the pictures I took, and about our respective days.

Then lots of packing, throwing things into boxes / suitcases – socks/underwear, my daily-wair pants/shirts, the computer and cables etc, bathroom stuff. Loaded all that plus my guitar into the car and headed up here at 12. Was worried my computer would get borked on the drive up. It was making a "rattle-y fan" sound when I turned it on – I opened the case and moved some wires that were buzzing a fan, but in the process winged a knuckle on the CPU fan, it took some skin off.

Looks like I'll get about four hours of sleep tonight. Whee!

music: Bozzio/Sheehan, PMG, NIN

Friday

Friday, October 5 2007
25:30
New place – handwritten entry

Brought up some clothes – nice shirts, dress socks, suits – and a miscellaneous box.

MB called at 25:00 or so from the airport – yet another early morning flight – to Atlanta for her sister-in-law's baby shower.

Went to the World Cyber Games today – played infected side in L4D from 9:30 until 2. Fun. Loud place though – not many people, but blasted MC/music. Played some Project Gotham Racing 4 and Guitar Hero III.

Buzz, zap, rumble

Wednesday, October 3 2007
25:06

Worked from home today. Wanted to get something packaged and in the mail, and also had airport duty to pick up the folks, back from their tour of Spain and Portugal, mid-day. Spent most of the drive back talking about me! actually. Well I look forward to hearing more about their trip and seeing the pictures once they've got them processed.

A thunderstorm moved through in the early evening. . .lightning and hail. Had some energy of my own buzzing around, a good kind, then I was tired and took a little nap before rehearsal. . .which was bracketed by an interesting discussion re: said energy, and now I am buzzing again.

music: Gateway - Homecoming; Gordian Knot - Emergent

October time already

Tuesday, October 2 2007
24:45

A gray, windy and rainy day. A weird show last night. Not bad, and some real high moments. But much weirdness. I made different mistakes than usual. A fun gathering afterwards. Stopped by the new place on the way home to grab a couple books that I'd boxed and moved, but now am thinking about shipping across the country instead.

Today's highlight was a call from MB just as I was leaving work. . .she was at a friends' house, and they had important questions for me, about pants and cats and such. It was fun and silly and very nice.

Picking up the folks at the airport tomorrow. There will be much to talk about!

music: Angels of Light - We Are Him (this is really great)

Sunday

Sunday, September 30 2007
24:55

I just submitted an address change request online.

Slept in until 2 today. It was gray and drizzly out, was worried I would sit around being lethargic. But that didn't happen. Went through a few old boxes of stuff, letting go of various bits and pieces that I didn't really need to keep (like the "longboxes" from CDs I bought in high school!), coalescing things into fewer boxes. Took a car load of stuff up – said boxes, two bass speakers and a power amp. I have a rolly cart I bought three-ish years ago, that did so-so duty as a gig-rig-hauler, but is now doing excellent duty carrying heavy items from my car to my new place. One elevator, no stairs. Perfect. I should have used it for the bed boxes when I brought them home a few weeks ago – apparently, the heaviest of those weighs 105 pounds. But I used it for the dresser yesterday, and for all my speakers/boxes/etc today, I fit all of them on it in one trip.

Finished assembling the dresser – "LEGO furniture" as MB put it – only one minor SNAFU / QC error involved. But, it works. Then a shower, and a trip to the store to get some drinks and snacks, then over to Travgor's for a movie night – Donnie Darko. The Director's cut. The movie made more sense this time, partly because of the DC version having more details and things. Had some yummy snacks, wine, and a little bit of that Scotch from Wednesday. Talked to Mary Beth on the phone for a little bit. Home around 11:30.

music: John McLaughlin, Failure