Do What You Were Doing 18 Years Ago
18 years ago, I was most likely jumping on my trapoline in the basement, an activity which I performed until I got tired. Then, I would take my Fisher-Price phonograph and pull out a random LP from my dad’s collection, and it was generally one that I hadn’t heard before, or didn’t even like, but if the cover was appealing, I would always give it another shot. That was how we bought LPs, dad and I. He would put me on his shoulders and I would select an album based on the artwork. Much easier to do with LPs because of their size – my 2 year old eyes could see everything so vividly. In fact, when we transitioned into CDs, I was horribly upset at the size of the CDs that I didn’t want any despite the fact that our only phonograph was a $20 Fisher-Price and my dad had invested a few thousand dollars in a soundsystem with a cd player.
Yesterday, I returned the digital voice recorder to Best Buy. It was helpful, but I knew I didn’t really need it. Besides, with the store credit I got, I ended up getting a combo phonograph/cd-player/fm-am radio. It’s not that exact model, but it’s similar, and actually a little better looking.
Friday, Scott and I worked on the two songs I wrote and he gave good feedback and started coming up with harmonies. I’m lucky that this project is with two people who’ve penned countless a capella arrangements in mathematical code. But music is math, anyway.
Burger King and then to Scott’s apartment where I gave him an Eno class with audio examples. I figure this is all I do in the summer. Home around 2am.
Saturday, went to DC for a Colman-Davis dinner. Scott made rice, which was delicious, and Ed made some exquisite lamb, which we topped off with Cherry 7-up. Dessert was some kind of berry pastry that Ed purchased at the supermarket (Entemann’s) made from scratch. Aimee spent the night at my house since her roommate’s boyfriend was in town, and we went to sleep almost immediately. I woke up the next morning at 9, and I’m not sure why. We ended up going to eat lunch at Star Diner (gig opportunity). I had the gyro platter, Aimee a chicken wrap. I had forgotten how good Star Diner fries are.
Went to Barnes and Noble for a bit, where I looked at some books on creativity and social invention. Aimee bought a couple books and headed back to AU. I went to a Milad, which is sort of like a housewarming party with the Muslim equivalent of sermons and hymns. Most of it was in urdu (wish I had learned when I was younger) but I enjoyed the asthetics of the sounds around me. There’s an interesting quality about a group of religious people singing slightly out of tune, because it’s less about the tune, and more about the expression. Got to see Dadi, who was happy that I had come to something religious, and Juni Phuppi, who was sad that I couldn’t make it to King’s Dominion with her and the boys. I told Rian that despite my apparent dedication to my job, between Weichert and King’s Dominion, I’d much rather be at King’s Dominion. Talked to Zain briefly, dinner on Tuesday with him and family. Why is that everyone who comes home does so spontaneously and for a very short period of time? Is this what happens when you get older, or is home become less appealing? Living in DC, I haven’t experienced this yet.
Short dinner afterwards and then home, where I met Andy. Hookah in my garage watching the rain, and then we watched Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control; both of us were sort of overwhelmed. It was one of those movies where are four separate threads that seem as if they will be weaved together by the end, but then no real connection occur between any of the stories. Fell asleep very quickly afterward. Exhausted. It’s been raining a lot. There are a lot of rain poems that use the metaphor of God crying. This is a temper tantrum. What did we do?
Plans for tonight: clean/re-organize room. Put away all CDs, and make space for everything. Set up my MIDI keyboard and audio interface on my desk. Make floor spotless and find a way to not let the room get messy again. Surprise birthday party with family at 7:30. I always have a craving for chinese food. Maybe later I will try building a synth.