Thursday, August 31, 2006: 2 Year Lease

Today was the day. Sandy and I went over to the new apartment and met up with the land lords to sign the lease and pay the deposit. It only took about half an hour and then they left me and Sandy in our new but empty apartment. Now begins the real work of moving everything and as of yet we haven’t even considering packing stuff. I suspect the move will come this weekend.

Sandy was really ill tonight. I think she had food poisoning of some sort. We had a questionable Vietnamese dish for lunch and by 6:00 pm she was down for the count, and by 7:00 pm she was sick sick sick. There was no fever involved, and once enough sickness had occurred it stopped and she fell asleep. Hopefully this will pass quickly.

By the way, the Terrorists who apparently don't exist according to many people I know in Canada, set off 22 Bombs in the south of today.

Banks are crowded at month‘s end, with customers withdrawing funds from their deposited salary checks. The bombs were set off in 22 of Yala‘s 30 bank branches, both in the provincial capital and outlying districts.

The army chief in the south, Lieutenant General Ongkorn Thongprasom, said some of the apparently small devices were hidden in women‘s handbags or secreted into thick books carried by teenagers in student uniforms.
"We received some intelligence reports, but we did not anticipate it would happen inside banks, especially on the last day of the month," Ongkorn said. "We didn‘t believe they were that cruel."

Well they are cruel enough to saw the heads off of Buddhist Monks and teenage Monks in training so I don't see why anyone should be surprised that they'd try and blow up people trying to cash their paychecks.

Monday, August 28, 2006: Noise Continues

Each morning I come up with new images of what might be causing all the noise. Could it be King Kong having a hissy fit with his pots and pans? Perhaps it’s Kill Dozer with asthma? Or could it be a bunch of Thai construction workers building a new apartment building? Now in the middle of the night large 1950’s “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” style pod delivery trucks arrive and drop off more stuff for them the bash together. Both Sandy and I are looking worse for wear from all of this noise and lack of rest.

On the up side though we have decided to take the last place we saw and are now just waiting for the land lord to finish some things before going and signing the contract. In keeping with the common practice here this will also require three months deposit. I suspect that this will eat into my Christmas funds and I will be buying “Pot O Noodles” for everyone this year.

Sunday, August 27, 2006: Sunday Alone

Sandy went over to her family’s today. I stayed in the city and went and had some food over at Siam Paragon then did my usual rounds. I skipped Starbucks as I had more than my fill of it yesterday and was all twitchy last night from all the ice lattes I’d had with Bonhomme.

I spent most of the late afternoon and early evening messing with the AN200. I haven’t recorded much with it yet and seem to be still noodling with what it can do. Having the Bass Station midi’d as its controller allows me to mix the sound sounds of the two machines together onto the Zoom recorder with some interesting results. I need to buy more short patch cords though.

Sandy got back at around 9:30 pm and we watched the last episode of series “Six Feet Under”. It sort of seemed like an abrupt ending after the long set up of the whole season. Now we have to find a new series to go through.

Saturday, August 26, 2006: Silent Saturday

The Lords of Chaos were silent this morning. Unbelievable! We actually managed to sleep in for the first time in several weeks and we certainly needed it. I suspect the local residents have been complaining about the eight days a week noise fest and the owner of the property next door who also owns several other buildings including the Redoubt told the workers to hush it down on the weekends. Or perhaps they ran out of things to smash together.

Sandy was too lazy and sore from Yoga to go out so I had a day of aimless wandering around the Siam / MBK area on my own. With the looming first/last/deposit rent issue I had to restrain my usual rampant consumerism and try to save money. Something I have become good at but like running still don’t really enjoy.

Bonhomme was out and about in China Town looking for some kind of device that boosts any cable feed to improve reception. Apparently all the Ballywood Channels come in fine at Chez Bonhomme but this machine will improve the reception for the other channels that he might actually want to watch. Personally I get a great kick out of the Ballywood musicals although Sandy objects to them and insists that they are “ting tong mak mak” (really really crazy). To which I can always retort “oh, but Thai soap operas with people screaming and Hanna Barbara sound effects are NOT?” Then she wins the argument by taking the remote.

Anyways I met Bonhomme at the Paragon Starbucks and we wasted several hours sitting drinking coffee then wandering around looking for some lamp made from a rifle that he claimed to have seen and that was supposed to be “just like the one on ‘I dream of Jeanie’”. We never found this lamp, if it even existed. I think he either dreamed he saw it or the trip to China Town had some bad after effects.

Thursday, August 24, 2006: Possibly Maybe

This morning Sandy and I saw an apartment that just might be the place. The rent was lower than anywhere we've seen and it is in the building with the best pool facilities and location so far. In fact it is in a building that I have walked by and wished I lived in for the last four years. So you see kids, dreams really do come true... (cue music)

Not a great photo but that is the part of the bed room. I love the hardwood floor. The view is great as well since the apartment is on the 27th floor. Far above the noise of any construction or traffic. There is also a small room that I will be able to use for a music room. Sandy thinks I won't be able to set up all my infernal machines in it but at least I can store them in there and we won't be tripping over them. The big space grabbers of course are the 2 old 70's synths even though they were considered compact in their day (Currently they are boxed up and never used because of the efforts involved in uncrating them). The Roland early 80s organ is also a monster compaired to my more modern small keyboards like the Bass Station and the MicroKorg.

The lower rent seems to be due to the owner wanting a two year lease which I have no objection to. There is a pang of melancholy about leaving the Redoubt. But this is so much better and it will be our first proper place together. The Redoubt was Sandy's apartment from when she was a University student and I just landed there after the Laos incident and never left. This is has a whole different feeling to it as we chose it together and it will be "ours".

I dread moving the fish tank though.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006: Stupid Guitar

I have seen some really stupid guitars living here in Asia. But this one wins the stupid prize. I wonder how many of these have actually been sold. If I had a million dollars I'd buy one for Bruce, one for Chris C, one for Justin S and one for Justin M. But I don't have a million dollars so they are just out of luck.

Wedgie Rock Update!

From Justin S

I recognize that overpriced piece-of-shit trailer-trash "ax" of choice. It's a B.C. Rich "Rich Bitch." (I am not kidding about that name, either -- that was an actual guitar I distinctly recall being lusted after by certain Strat-strangling would-be metal-god/engineering/pharmacy students I knew in college.) How embarrassed am I that I recognized it instantly and knew its name without even having to think about it? You are right. It is the perfect weapon for anyone above the rank of midshipman in the heavy metal navy.

Also see the attached picture. I suggest you photoshop your own face onto that guy's head.

Rock on with your bad self.

From Big Bruce

strange... the knobs look like zits somehow.... and I wont say what it seems the string holes are doing...

I bet it belongs to a heavy metal throwback with Tina Turner hair and a
lightning bolt tattoo on his face in Los Angeles

From Chris C

WAAAAAAAAAH, the devil...!

c

p.s. i already got one....

From Justin M

Yes, I saw the ass guitar on regent. But I don't have
one! I will never be able to play wedgie-rock!

Tuesday, August 22, 2006: The Search Continues

Imagine Thor, the Norse god of Thunder forging a giant mythical sword using a running V8 Engine as a hammer and you have an idea of how much noise we are subjected to at 7:00 am. I am usually up by that time anyways but I like to have a nice peaceful tea or two while watching a live concert of DVD before I head out. There is no peace in the morning now, there is just hammering and banging and chaos.

Sandy and I saw a few more places last night and today. So far the first two places we looked at were the best. If we find a place in a good building the apartment will suck, or if we find a good apartment it will be in some remote place on a Soi that is sure to flood during monsoon season. The land lords definitions of what is “close to the BTS” inevitably means “close if you drive”. Much time has been wasted going to such places. We did see a place that was bigger than most for a good price but it needed much work, was poorly laid out and far too near some construction that would eventually block our view. The very reason we are moving to start with.

So the search continues, as does the noise.

Monday, August 21, 2006: Sign of the Times?

One of the many wonderful signs I pass on my way to the gym in the morning.
I wonder if the Japanese part of the sign is as confused as the English...

Sunday, August 20, 2006: Apartment Hunters

Apparently Thai construction workers have never heard that Sunday is the day of rest. So it began once again at 7:00 am. Sandy just groaned and announced we should look for apartments today. I agreed.

We had our brunch at MK then spent some time wandering around Siam Paragon. We must have sat at Starbucks for about two hours. Sandy was reading ads for apartments and I had a book. She made some calls and at 5:00 pm we headed off to see them.

The process of looking for a new place is actually sort of exciting. I love the idea of having a room in which to set up all my gear and Sandy loves the idea of having more room to entertain. A pool would also be a treat and is something that I miss from the Evergreen days. We saw several possible places, one made us laugh as we could look down and see the Redoubt as well as the construction beside it but couldn’t hear a thing as we were so high up. There was one outstanding building and the size and price of the apartment was promising except that who ever designed the place must have been sniffing solvents. A large area of the apartment was nothing more than wasted space.

We got back to the Redoubt at around 8:00 pm and I expect we will be going to see some more places tomorrow.

Saturday, August 19, 2006: Minn's Birthday Party

7:00 am is not the time I want to wake up on a Saturday. Today we had no choice. Bright and early it started. Sandy tried to sleep on but I was wide awake after the first earth shaking bang.

Fortunately today was a combination birthday party for Sandy’s sister and for her partially blind niece Minn so we met Pooh at 11:30 am and drove over towards their house near the Airport.

Mikey has done some nice renovations on the place by adding an addition that includes an office for him and a separate kitchen. We had a bite to eat once we arrived and various kids from Minn’s special needs school showed up with her teacher and some of their parents. Pet and Pluk were there of course with the usual compliment of cousins resulting the typical birthday party pandemonium.

Mikey and I had some tea and Sandy and her sisters got in to the Gin and tonic while the kids got sugared up on cake and treats. The power was off at the house due to some nearby construction but it came back on at around 4:00 pm much to Mikey and my relief. The women in true Thai style laid out mats and sat in the area that would be an open garage back in the Farang world. I doubt a car has ever been parked in that zone judging by how clean it is kept. They had mats and cushions, food and drinks, and some of the kids when they weren’t running around madly.

Mike whipped up some outstanding bangers and mash later in the evening. Sandy tried the potatoes and was surprised at how good they were. I had to point out that restaurant potatoes don’t usually measure up. We stayed until around 9:00 pm then drove back to the Redoubt.

Friday, August 18, 2006: Construction Begins

About a year and a half ago they had torn down the little house on the property next to the Redoubt. Since then the lot has been vacant except for dogs or cats that’d either make a racket running across the old boards and bits of wood or would make a racket fighting. Last week a bunch of workers showed up and cleared the lot of all the debris. This morning at 7:00 am they began construction on a new building. They may as well have been doing it in our apartment.

The size of the Redoubt has been an issue for a while. This though is the motivator for finding new digs. There is no way we can stay here with construction seven days a week starting at 7:00 am, especially when they are constructing a building that will effectively block all the sunlight from coming in. Moving is hassle I don’t enjoy never mind being an expense I’d rather not have. But… The time has come!

Thursday, August 17, 2006: AN200 Monkey Manual Uproar In Redoubt

The AN200 manual is proving to be even worse than I had originally thought. The problem with the hipster lingo is one thing but the way the chapters are arranged is even more confusing and topped off by the brilliant idea to have the less than helpful appendix section refer not the page but the “tip”. So if I am looking to find out how to erase a pattern I have to go to tip 20 which of course is on page 56.

Nothing is clear in this manual! The most rudimentary functions are explained in a jargon filled way that turns the obvious into the mystical. The things that would be useful to know, like say how to start building a sound up from scratch instead of altering a preprogrammed one is never even addressed. Basically you are given one of the better Analog Modeling synths of the last few years and no clear instructions of how to take advantage of it. The manual is too busy addressing the issues of “patterns” and “looping” which is fine but 147 pages should give me some idea how to get into the guts of the machine.

I suspect that the reason why the Yamaha “Loopfactory” fell flat while the similar Roland and Korg products have continued to this day is due to more than bad marketing. This manual is a curse.

I have figured out how to program a pattern but I can see the AN200 is weak as a groove box which is another reason this series failed. There is no way to adjust the volume (that I have found or that is indicated in the manual) of the 3 rhythm tracks although there is a crude volume control for the signal synth track. I think that is a major fault in the design. The other extremely annoying thing is the lack of a dedicated BPM button. There is a Tap tempo button that has to be “tapped” to be activated and I don’t want small bread because then you have to keep folding like this and that’s not what I want.

All that being said I can see how I will be using this machine. If I use it for a beat or groove box each drum track will be recorded separately and I will rely on the MIDI slave function for BPM designation. The synth engine will be used as a MIDI slave with my Novation Bass Station as the controller and tweaked sounds will have to be stored in “patterns” which is sort of stupid but it beats no storage at all which is what would happen if this were a real analog machine.

I think the ultimate groove box would have the tracking ability of the MC-303, the user memory options of the ER-1 and the sound engine of AN200. In any event I think I’m done with the manual and it’s time to really learn how to operate it by the best means possible – hours of using it.

Wednesday, August 16, 2006: Monkey God Uproar In Heaven

I think that "Monkey God Uproar In Heaven" (also know as Monkey King Uproar in Heaven) is possibly the greatest cartoon name of all time. It is however certainly NOT the greatest cartoon of all time. But just the name alone is worth its weight in gold.

I just felt the need to share that with you all.

Monday, August 14, 2006: Chaos is a Given...

I finally managed to download a PDF of the AN200’s owners manual. It is laid out rather oddly (if not annoyingly) which each section done up as a “Tip”. Here’s a tip. Don’t put how build your own pattern on page 59. Here’s another tip. Don’t use the current lingo of the youth of today as even five or six years later this manual sounds rather retarded.

Example…

“Here’s where you can take the Loopfactory to the max. Start the system with the RM1x Sequence Remixer, a mixer (you’ll need at least eight input channels), and your AN200. Then bring the DX200 and SU200 into the fracas, and get things really smoking.”

To the max? Smoking?

“Use the Tap feature on the AN200 to sync both the AN200 and SU200 to your turntable beats. This is tricky to pull off — but if you get it in the groove, it can be pretty powerful stuff.”

If I get the groove? Is the groove some super secret thing that I can only detect using the power of my sideburns and a glow-stick? Does being cool and hip help you get the groove? Despite what you might have read or seen on TV the only person who had special powers due to his “coolness” was the Fonz. And he was a fictional character not unlike most of today’s brightest stars.

“Here’s a nifty little variation on Tip 81 above. First, hook up the outputs of the AN200 and the SU200 to an external mixer — to pump the sounds out to the crowd.”

The crowd!! Yes all your spotty pals from the Junior High AV club and that chick you used to hang out with when you were still a Goth…

“Things can get a little wild and wooly here. Naturally, this system lets you sync the SU200 to the AN200. However, the sampling function really makes this setup special. Sample some different AN200 Patterns to the SU200 and have the AN200 play one Pattern while you fly in samples of other Patterns — in perfect sync, of course. And use the real-time control features on BOTH machines to mess up your beats on the fly and create some chaos.”

Woah Dude, be careful not to rip a hole in the Space/Time continuum!

The whole manual is written in that style which reflects the unfortunate marketing of this box. Any sound mangier worth their salt would love this machine but the geniuses at Yamaha seem to have marketed it some imaginary demographic of teenage hipster DJ’s. I don’t need “tips” on how to create chaos. I have a Sherman Filterbank, chaos is a given. What I need to know from this manual is how to delete all the stupid preset dance loops, how to program my own patterns and how to tweak the filter matrix.

Sunday, August 13, 2006: Yamaha AN200

I had brunch at the Dubliner today. Sandy was still snoozing but I was awake at 7:00 am so I headed out and got some food. Afterwards I headed to Pantip and made my last (I promise) gear purchase of the year (really I mean it).

The used shop on the mezzanine level where I picked up my Emu Vintage Keys and my second MC-303 has had a sad little Yamaha AN200 sitting in the drum machine grave yard for a few months now. I have been doing a little research on this box and apparently the sound engine was supposed to be outstanding. So I went in and spent some time messing with it and although I don’t need another groove box or drum machine for an analog modeling unit it sounds unbelievable. So after the necessary bartering of the price I had myself yet another machine. Except I had to make a trip back to Pantip afterwards because the power wall wart had some problems so they exchanged it for a better one.

I am always amazed how Sandy doesn’t hassle me about buying gear. She just doesn’t care. “It’s your money” she says.

Saturday, August 12, 2006: Birthday Boy

Today was a day of much running about. Important things. Like Marks & Spencer’s’ extra strong tea. Two boxes thank you. That should last me a few weeks. Sandy, who is suffering from her yoga classes, went to her Sister’s watch shop. I ran around to and fro first to eat at Siam then over to Chit Lom for the tea. Then I headed back to MBK and then finally I got a much needed hair cut.

Tonight was the Big Birthday for the Birthday Boy so I had to meet up with Massive and we took two taxis over to this tower near Silom. I’m not sure which building we were in but we had dinner at a place called “Vertigo” which is on the roof of the tower and has a spectacular view of the city. We had to take an elevator to the 59th floor then walk up several flights of stairs until we were finally on the roof.

The food was outstanding. We all had tenderloins as mains. Birthday Boy had a happy Birthday. Afterwards we drove about but most places were closed due to the Queen’s birthday being on Monday. We eventually found somewhere on Soi 33 that was functioning. I didn’t stay late though and headed back to the Redoubt by taxi. Sandy was home when I got in.

Friday, August 11, 2006: FWD...

Meanwhile, another FWD'd email...

Copy & paste this message into a "New Message" ... do
not "Forward". Delete my answers and replace with your own.
Send your new messaage to your friends ... including
me. Enjoy learning new tidbits about your friends.

Four places I have lived ...

Replicate
5 kms in 25 minutes
Own a Mini Moog Voyager
Walk four feet off the ground

Wednesday, August 9, 2006: Nervous Rider

There were lots of Thai Uber Coppers on the BTS today and even an increased number of plan old BTS staffers watching people come in and out of the stations. This sort of thing always makes me nervous as if there is something a foot, they would never announce it, and at the same time I doubt their precautions would help much in the case of some kooks walking on to trains with exploding backpacks.

Riding into Curahee in the morning is always spooky though. The trains are packed and if something did happen it would be nasty. And there's nothing you can do. If I manage to get a seat, which is rare, I always sit with my arms folded across my chest and hands tucked under my arms. For all the good it might do. Of course I've had Canadians snear at me like I'm a simpleton when I've talked about this in Canada. Mind you that was before those guys were arrested for planning to bomb Ottawa and Toronto. In any event Siam and Asok are the two stations that worry me most. I'm always glad to be off and walking down the stairs to the street.

Monday, August 7, 2006: MK and Beyond

Last night Sandy and I decided it might be nice to get out of the Redoubt for a few hours especially since I’d be stuck there since Friday night. We headed out to MK near Siam Square at around 7:00 pm. No matter what time you go there and despite there being three floors to the place there is always a waiting line outside. We took our number and waited about 15 minutes before we got a seat up on the second floor.

After we ate we walked over to Siam Paragon which was in the first stages of closing up. She looked in some clothing stores and I managed to get to the good CD shop before it shut down. Oddly I found “The Best of Nick Cave & the Bad Seed” which is odd as I’ve never seen any Nick Cave over here and I just watched “Wings of Desire” on Saturday and was thinking how crappy it was that I lost my Nick Cave CDs back in 2001. Nick Cave & the Bad Seed of course figure prominently in the movie “Wings of Desire” and are pivotal in the plot.

Sandy and I went to Starbucks afterwards and had a coffee there. We’ve discovered there is a Starbucks on the 3rd floor which is less crowded than the food court one. Afterwards we took the BTS back to the Redoubt.

Today I managed to do the run and most of the other tortures as per normal without any sort of sickness or unpleasantness afterwards. I had a breakfast at The Dubliner but it was just a small meal as I didn’t feel I could eat much anyways.

Tonight Sandy went to do Yoga at the new California Fitness that has opened up in one of the new buildings on Sukumvit. She joined on the weekend and tonight was her first night. I did some recording and I must say that the Electro-Harmonix tube preamp does magical things to the Novation Bass Station. I have yet again filled the 1 Gig card so I spent an hour after recording just tweaking the Bass Station and seeing what sort of sick sounds I could come up with. I haven’t really done that in a long time. When I was a teenager I used to skip off class and go to this keyboard shop and mess with the Mini Moog, Micro Moog and the various Arp Synthesizers they had. Such simple joys then.

Sandy got back at around 10:00 pm and I had my headphones on tweaking away while 2001: A Space Odyssey ran on the TV with the sound off.

Sunday, August 6, 2006: Johnny Fever

I woke up early on Saturday and felt awful. As the day progressed I felt more awful until about noon when I had a full blown fever of 2001 proportions. Sandy had planned to go over to her Sisters’ house but called it off and spent the day with me. I slept in that awful fevered out shivering sleep until around 6:00 pm. When I woke the fever had broke and I was as soaked as I would have been if I’d run for half an hour. Sandy ordered a pizza but I only managed to eat two pieces, that in it self indicating how sick I felt.

At around 7:00 pm Sandy headed out to Big C to pick up some items we were out of. I just lay in a state of low energy and watched Wim Wenders’ “Wings of Desire” which I picked up on DVD this week. Sandy got back at around 9:00 pm and by then my fever had returned although it wasn’t as bad as it had been during the day.

I slept from about 10:00 pm until 11:00 am today. I felt much better although by 1:00 pm I had so little energy just moving was beyond my abilities. So I didn’t. I slept for about three hours then woke up feeling quite hungry. Now it’s 5:00 pm and I am not sure if I am out of the woods yet or not although I do feel better than I have since Friday.

Wednesday, August 2, 2006: IED

Railway bombs kill 3 Thai policemen

"We've found two bodies so far and are still looking for the other," an officer at the local Chana police station said.

Tuesday, August 1, 2006: Preparations

The odd sickness that was responsible for all the post-gym Linda Blair antics has passed. And no, no one has forced me to run with a belly full of spaghetti as has been suggested by someone.

Preparations begin for the great journey in December. Hopefully my ticket won’t be useless due to world war.

Some happy fellows in Indonesia are trying to have the Indonesia Miss Universe contestant and her handlers arrested for being offensive to Islam or some such nonsense. What is it about the self-righteous that makes them such meddlesome spoil sports? This is an affliction that seems to span all religions and political spectrums.

You know fellows, God has superpowers and God can see THROUGH your clothes.

Meanwhile in the South...

Thai south hit by bombs, arson

SUSPECTED Islamic militants made about 40 bomb and arson attacks in Thailand's Muslim majority southern provinces late today, injuring at least one person, officials said.

Nearly 1400 people have died in more than two years of unrest in Thailand's Muslim-majority provinces.

Although it doesn't mention it here they also fire bombed a Buddhist Temple and blew up a few karaoke bars.