Pulled apart

The last day of work before vacation.

It can be calm one minute. Everyone joking and talking about where you might be over the next week, then BLAMMO. Busy, busy, busy. Then relax for a moment, until someone else has another problem and suddenly the day gets longer and longer. As the end approaches you realize you can't finish it all before you leave, multitasking isn't enough, you must become the "Office Octoproducer". (the temporary employee superhero)

I feel like this:

Soon I will be on the beach. Aloha!!!

Almost full moon over West Seattle

I woke up this morning and saw the moon shining quite large through the bathroom window. I checked and tonight is the full moon. It must be a good sign for our upcoming trip tomorrow.

This photo is a little blurred, but I still like it.

Phone Banking

So, I have been making calls for the last couple of nights for the Approve 67 campaign. Like I said in the previous post I don't want to make my blog into a political statement, but I do support this campaign.

I haven't done any kind of phone calling since 1992 when I did a short stint as a telemarketer for a sort of shady contractor who did remodel and repair work. The manager of the telemarketing job, I think lived in the office and he chewed tobacco, so cups of chew spit were all over the room. The lists we called off of were sort of outdated. More than a few times I spoke with people who's ex or recently deceased spouse was who I asked for. Needless to say it didn't go well. Some cried, some yelled, and some hung up. I didn't get anyone who wanted to have any work done. We got paid by the hour , so I still made money. I only lasted a couple of weeks, if I remember correctly.

I also did half a day for another outfit. I can't even remember what they sold. It was so bad I left at the lunch break and never came back.

I thought that calling for this campaign would be similar, but I was wrong. Most calls have been messages. The people I have talked to have been mostly nice, a few hang ups and only a few people who are against the referendum.

What ever you think about this referendum remember to vote on November 6th in Washington.

Monotonic Labs Type - U 73 Synth

My latest synth acquisition is the Monotonic Labs type u73. I am waiting for it to arrive, as I just ordered it today. It looks like it will be fun though. At $89 I think it is a steal. I might get another one. Check out sounds at their myspace page .

Heavy Metal

The other day I was reading a post on The Stranger's Line Out by Trent Moorman. It was a tongue and cheek piece about seven string guitars. It reminded me how much I love extreme metal. I know most of the time it is hard to understand, filled with violent imagery and fast chord changes, but I still like it when I need to tune out the world. Not all the time, but sometimes.

This Thursday one of my favorite metal bands, High on Fire is playing at the Crocodile . Matt Pike is an amazing metal guitar player. He comes out with his shirt off (very metal) and tears the house down. I hear now he plays a 9 string guitar. His amp set up is huge as well. Check them out if you get a chance.

In other metal news Paul Raven of Killing Joke, Prong and Ministry fame was found dead a few days ago. He will be missed.

Approve Referendum 67

I didn't want to turn my blog into a political statement, but some recent discussions made me think that I should put up some support for this referendum. If you go to the page for Approve 67 you can look at the endorsements, read the arguments and think about what they have to say. Go to the page for Reject 67 and read who endorses them, and what they have to say.

I believe that the people of Washington need protection from the insurance companies and I think this law will help. Make up your own mind, look at what they both have to say and decide. Then make sure to vote in our upcoming election in King County on November 6th.

Aquarium

On Sunday we took our friend's children to the Seattle Aquarium. It is our first visit since the recent remodel. Here are some photos.

New stickers and a nice dog

My Capitol Hill correspondent sent me this photo of some new dumpster stickers:

and last night I saw this guy at Westwood Village when I was getting a pizza from Giannoni's and picking up a copy of " Dishdogz" . I couldn't resist a photo.

Come down to the Comet Oct 12th 9pm

Tomorrow night head out to The Comet Tavern and check out Ruins (Solo) .

He is a great jazz/noise drummer from Japan. Ruins is usually a drum and bass combo, but he is playing solo which I saw last year at the Wooden Octopus Skull Festival and it was amazing.

Playing with him will be Sean and Sugar Skulls .

I haven't seen Sean, but the Sugar Skulls are great. Show starts at 9pm

my new photo fun

I didn't have much time this morning, but after I was awaken by the garbageman, I stumbled over a neat program to change photos into ascii.

How the garbageman

Every Wednesday we are woken up to the sound of the garbage being emptied right below our bedroom window.. Normally I don't have to get up until around 7am. The garbage man must think I need to get up between 5:30 and 6am. I don't know why he thinks that. I get up at around the same time everyday. That is unless we have something special to do. On the weekends I might get up a little later, 9am, even 10 or 10:30am on occasion. But during the work week it is almost always the same.

We tried letting them know and a couple of times they came a little later. Then they returned to the previous start time. I would say I'm going to go to their house and wake them up, but they obviously get up way before I do. I guess I will just continue to wake up early one day a week.

The day after

Our show had a good turnout. We played a good set and my only regret is we didn't record it. C'est la vie! Our Cd's look very good as a finished product. My wife said she has never heard us play so mellow. I find that it is more a reaction to the feel in the room for me than anything else. I don't pre-plan the set, I just follow the sound in the room at the time of any particular show.

Websites

So I decided to try to update the impacttestdummy website. I have been trying to learn more about css and how to better optimize our website. It is slow going, I don't use these skills in the workplace, and like any language, if you don't use it it tends to fade. Hopefully I can catch up quickly.

phase3

One of the groups I perform in is playing live on Tuesday night at the Rendezvous in Seattle.
The show is at 7pm. You can check out our music at phase3 . The show is free and we will have our new cd available as well as some buttons I made up special for the night. It will be an audio/visual overload. Come on down.

Cavity

I went to the dentist for the first time in 3 years and found out I have a cavity. I also have to have root planing and scaling, which is code word for pain. I do not look forward to this. I would rather go to a 12 hour seminar on the values of foot care, or have to listen to12 hours of christian music, than go to the dentist. Ouch!!!

New impacttestdummy video

I posted the video to one of the new songs we recorded in September. It is an edited version of the song, so the video would fit on You Tube.