UpGrade!

Today nearly the entire band went on an expedition to get me a new keyboard.

It had been time for this move on my part for a while, but last nights band rehearsal clinched the deal with yet another keyboard proving to be totally unusable.

So today was spent going from music store to music store and checking out what everybody had to offer.

In the end I decided to go with the Akai Miniak synth, which looks like this:

After the purchase we had band rehearsal where I got to check out what this puppy can do, which is a whole lot!

I'm excited to continue to learn about this instrument, but right now I'll have to wait my turn because Anthony has commandeered it for the time being.  Oh well, we all like to play with new toys!

David Byrne Drops some Knowledege!

A fantastic Ted Talk with one of my heros, David Byrne.

Unhealthy New Addiction

No, it's nothing that bad.  Just not great for my pocketbook.

Somewhere on my internet travels I stumbled upon a website called Svupply.  It's basically like a huge, visual wish list of various products you would like to buy.  It's set up a little like a social networking site in so far as you can follow other people and get updates on what products they have added to their list.

I have, as the title to this post stated, become addicted to this site.  It's kinda like window shopping, which I like, but it can also end in spending a lot of money, which I don't like.

I have yet to break down and start buying, but my resistance is weakening.

Some of my favorite finds thus far:

Oh so many amazing finds.  Here's hoping that these types of items will find their way to me via more financially healthy means, a.k.a., thrift stores and vintage shops.

More to come...unfortunately.

Music Theory Mind Crunch

At the beginning of the week I purchased a keyboard off Craigslist so that I could actually practice.

It's a hilarious little 80's keyboard with silly features like percussion tracks and various synth sounds.  I love it.

 

I was so excited when I got it home that I kinda forgot about the fact that I have lost nearly all of my musical comprehension skills.  This is made all the more frustrating due to the fact that my memory is often like a steel trap.  The only two things I have ever had trouble remembering are 1. foreign languages and 2. music theory.

After a day or two of slowly plunking out my various keyboard parts I decided it was time to sit down and re-learn this damn stuff.  I decided that, at the very least, I need to re-memorize key signatures and chord structures!  I couldn't even remember some of that basic stuff (embarrassing).

Ugh!  It has been brain blowingly slow going.  However, I have begun to feel the little light bulbs go off.  The little parts are starting to make sense and that is a good sign.

I suppose that this is all the break that I get for now.

Back to scales in each key signature....

Wish me luck.

Spring Cleaning and New Creations

Spring is technically a little more than a month away, but yesterday morning was so beautiful that I decided to get a jump start on my spring cleaning.  And the first stop on the cleaning route was my closet...

I don't have a hard time getting rid of things.  If I haven't worn it at all in the last three months, then it is gone without a second thought, if I've only worn it once or twice, it's put in a consideration pile which I go through at the end of the cleaning.  Then there is the final category which is alterations.  I am a huge fan of alterations.  If you aren't wearing it the way it is, perhaps there is something you can fix on it to make it more your style.

I am a huge fan of alterations and have been doing so many recently I feel like I've been spending most of my time with a thread and needle in my hand!

The most common alterations that I find help me like a piece of clothing are 1. shorting the hem line on weird, calf length skirts and dresses and 2. adjusting the neckline on t-shirts, ect.  These two things can make a world of difference to the way you see your clothes.

But, really the best way to understand what I mean is to see it.  Expect pictures soon.

Starting Another Blog

I know what you are thinking.

I must be crazy to start another blog.

And you might be right.

I think, however, that it is time to have separate blogs for separate interests.

We shall see.

I'm gonna take it slew with this one, so hang tight, eh?