Monday, February 28, 2005: Sleep In Sunday

"Sleeping in" is now defined by waking up at 9:00 am.

Today consisted of a walk to Pantip which is sort of standard for a Sunday. Sunday is not really a good day to go to Pantip. But like with Big C, it's the day I am in the area so it's the day I go. And every time I go, as with Big C, I say to Sandy, "Let's not come here on Sunday anymore".

After the Pantip Plaza meltdown Sandy and I walked over to the former World Trade shopping mall and went up to the 7th floor for some MK food. This is also standard for Sunday. We haven't been going to Coco Walk at all since I got back. I guess Sandy over did it there when I was in Canada.

After Brunch we stopped by CD Warehouse and I looked around. I picked up a few things including the first season of X-Files in a box of VCD's for only 700 Baht (20 bucks). I never saw the first season so it will serve for something to watch when there is nothing to watch and I need to watch something.

Big C on Sunday. Why oh why. Don't get me wrong; I LOVE Big C. But on Sunday everyone else does too. That makes it difficult. Couple that with trying to get Sandy out of the Woman's creams, lotions, hair and beauty products zone...

Anyways we took a Taxi back to the Redoubt with our many bags of groceries and settled in for the rest of the day.

Last night I recorded with the new guitar for the first time. I had no idea how crap my old guitar's pick up was until now. The new one is amazing. It sounds absolutely amazing. Even the single coil pick up is buzz free. I only ran it through my little Zoom digital stomp box and I managed to get this HUGE sound out of it. I look forward to introducing it to the Shermanator.

Saturday, February 26, 2005: By The Pool

Sandy went off to the Floating Market with Pookie (who I always call "Boogie") today. I passed up the chance to go where I have been many times before for a few reasons; one being spending my Saturday with Pookie's tourist pal. He's a older German fellow who came to Thailand to get an eye operation. He doesn't speak English and some trollup ran off with all his eye-operation money so he's also blind. Not exactly my idea of a fun day. I'm sure he's a nice fellow but I can't help but imagining him as Strong Sad in Leiderhosen with a white cane.

Instead today was a nice lounge by the pool. As it should be. Nice and sunny. Lots of shade from the trees and a pleasant breeze that has rolled the muggy carpet off the city. I listened to some music and further considered things worth considering further.

This afternoon I'll head over to The Emporium for some Japanese food and my weekly CD hunt. Wish me luck.

Friday, February 25, 2005: Stumbling Down Memorex Lane

When I was in Canada in January I grabbed a handfull of old cassette tapes from the giant box full of them that resides in the bunker under Chris & Robin's place. It was sort of a rushed and ramdom selection process. I grabbed for tapes I knew pre-dated 1984. During my recent pool side sabaticals I have been listening to them.

Yikes.

Some it is just bizarre to listen to. Jon Adolph and I fishing in 1979. Hugh McGreggor and the Big Rock Boys rambling insanely in 1981. And lots of warbling synth sounds created on Ron Bianco's EML 101 (Ron WHY did you ever sell this thing??!!) as well as some early experiments with the home made Ring Modulator (aka Murder Box).

One gem I found is a tape Cousin Brian made me in about 1983 that includes a bunch of songs he recorded with Bruce on his 4-track Portastudio from about 1980 to 1983.

Some of this will be digitized since magnetic tape isn't the most stable media and many of these tapes are over 20 years old.

Time flys.

Thursday, February 24, 2005: New Axe To Grind

I bought myself a new guitar. My RJ semi acoustic has been having some age/travel related problems and the time had come to replace it. I have wanted to have an electric over here for a while so I managed to find a small travel guitar with both a single coil pickup for Ebow and electric stuff and a piezo transducer pickup for those acoustic moments. It is very small, but the neck is standard scale. There just isn't much of a body, and the tuning pegs are reversed on the neck so there is no headstock. I have yet to put it through the Shermanator but all in good time.

Friday, February 18, 2005: Where I'm At

I am sorry I haven't been writing much lately. You see, it's nice out. And given the choice between toiling away at the computer or going out in the lovely +36 C weather and having a swim or a pool-side nap... Well what would you do?

So that's where I've been.

Sandy and I have been watching the video I shot during my trip to Canada (further inspiration to lounge around the pool). I shot 15 hours of video so it's been an on going process. We usually get through a tape or so a night. I am actually surprised she's as interested in watching it as she's been.

Her observation on Toronto is that it "looks small". That's because there are only 3 million people there. It is small...

The cold weather doesn't seem to impress her one way or another. She's seen plenty of snow in movies and on TV so that's nothing really new. Until she actually feels what marching around outside in - 20 degrees C is like she won't be able to understand. However I think all my future trips to the Great White North will be conducted in June or July.

Thursday, February 17, 2005: Bombs Every Where

Well the nutters set a bomb off in Makati. It's big news now. It wasn't news in 2000 when they did stuff like that.

Meanwhile Our Lady of Beruit is fine but restricted to her apartment.

And they set off a car bomb in the South of Thailand. Who set it off? The TERRORISTS! Not the militants or insurgents or what ever other stupid moniker the news weenies use in order to avoid using the word TERRORIST. Because if they don't report that TERRORISTS are doing TERRORISM then clearly there is no need for a "War on Terror". Very Soviet, no?

All the news pundits are on about what the step up from exploding motorbikes to cars means for the conflict in the region. What it means, duh, is the TERRORISTS have more money to spend on their TERRORISM. That's all.

You have to love the BBC piece on this...

"More than 550 people have died this year in a wave of attacks and clashes between militants and officials. "

No, more than 550 people have died, mostly Buddhists from the TERRORISTS.

Monday, February 14, 2005: Valentines Day

Last night I went to The Hard Rock Cafe with Sandy. It was her friend Pookie's Birthday so we met up with her and her Farang boyfriend James. The Hard Rock is more tolerable now that there is a smoking ban in bars and restaurants.

The live band was at times annoying but certainly not as bad as the juke box selections. Bob Seger must die. "Old Time Rock n Roll" is a far worse song than "We Built this City on Rock n Roll" or "The Ketchup Song" simply on the grounds of it being associated in my mind with a bunch of drunk white trash morons stumbling around at a wedding reception, their fists in the air as if God dictated the lyrics of this song directly to Bob Seger on some mountain top. Mullets and mustaches.

In any event it was a good evening when Bob wasn't singing.

Tonight I took Sandy to the expensive Suki Yaki restaurant in Siam Center for Valentines Day. She likes it better than MK although I think MK has better service. We had to wait a few minutes for a seat but that would have been the case anywhere last night. I met up with Sandy at the Siam BTS and there were legions of Valetines Day couples out looking for a place to eat. It was a great meal and the huge "expense" of spending 600 baht ($15) to feed two people until we were stuffed was worth it for Valentines.

Friday, February 11, 2005: Sore

I've started back to the gym. It's much needed after two months of farang food. I was 92 kilos when I left in December and 98 kilos when I got back. Damn potatoes. Now for the last week I've been barely able to move from various aches and sore muscles.

Speaking of food I've found a great little place to grab lunch. It is set back from a Soi and though inclosed is surrounded by a garden and trees. It's quite nicely laid out and the food is both cheap and tasty.

One of Sandy's cousins died this week although I'm not certain of how close a cousin it was. It has meant a fair bit of going to the temple for her and her family though.

Tuesday, February 8, 2005: Sandy Returns

Sandy is back from her trip home. She took my digital camera with her and got some nice shots. I hope to go up with her next time.

The Thai Election seems to have been getting some international press. I've noticed that when ever the mention the "violence" in Thailand's "restive" South they love to mention Thaskin's hardline handling and that over 500 people have died in the last year, as if it is due to Thaskin or the Army. No mention that most of the dead are Buddhists.

This is not to say I think highly of Thaskin. But I certainly think less of people who would saw the head off a tree-saper or hack a Monk to death while he's out collection alms in the morning.

Sandy's trip home gave me an oppertunity to fire up the Sherman Filter Bank and crack open the user manual. I ended up recording a bit of what I did, but I'm not sure if it will ever be more that tinkerings. I ran my Groove Box through it and followed the tutorial. The results were very Nash the Slash at times. I haven't delved into the frequency modulation applications yet.

Monday, February 7, 2005: Elections

Sandy went up-country for the Election this weekend so I spent most of my time either by the pool or playing Playstation. It's been quite nice out; warm with a breeze and not too humid.

Bonhomme and I hung out both Saturday and Sunday as his girlfriend also went home for the elections. I am not sure why people have to go back to where they were born like little electoral salmon in order to vote.