countdown...
One more week of phoning in these summer classes...
Whatever will I complain about when it's all over?
Thursday, July 26
in case i missed any...
I have just found out that a fellow blogger has recently been having the sex with a 26-year-old (alleged) "hottie" whom she met through her blog. This is information that I do not like to hear. Why is it that HER blog attracts local 26-year-old hotties who want to have sex, and mine attracts mostly housewives from the midwest?
(No offense to the midwestern housewives, of course... )
So in case I have not made myself clear, I just want to make it known... if there are any 26 year old hotties from the greater New York metropolitan area who are reading this blog, and who are interested in having sex... do not hesitate to make yourselves known.
That is all.
I have just found out that a fellow blogger has recently been having the sex with a 26-year-old (alleged) "hottie" whom she met through her blog. This is information that I do not like to hear. Why is it that HER blog attracts local 26-year-old hotties who want to have sex, and mine attracts mostly housewives from the midwest?
(No offense to the midwestern housewives, of course... )
So in case I have not made myself clear, I just want to make it known... if there are any 26 year old hotties from the greater New York metropolitan area who are reading this blog, and who are interested in having sex... do not hesitate to make yourselves known.
That is all.
Tuesday, July 24
dis-cover-y...
One of the most fun things about doing cover songs is the act of stripping a song down to its bones, and then building it back up again. Lately, my favorite thing to do with songs is to drop the vocals an octave, and decrease the tempo by about 20%. This often does more than just take an uptempo song and make it kind of plodding and dark and dirgey... sometimes it has the unexpected effect of completely changing the meaning of the words. Suddenly the singer doesn't mean what he's saying... you can tell by the way the words flow differently.
The latest victim... "You Got Lucky", by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. There isn't much TO the song really... it's kind of a generic kiss-off rock song.... two verses... memorable but simple riff. But somehow what you strip it down to an acoustic guitar and sing the words "Go... just go.... Good love is hard to find, you got lucky babe.... when I found you..." slowly and quietly, what they really mean is... "NO! Wait! Come back!!"
Anyway... it was a nice surprise.
One of the most fun things about doing cover songs is the act of stripping a song down to its bones, and then building it back up again. Lately, my favorite thing to do with songs is to drop the vocals an octave, and decrease the tempo by about 20%. This often does more than just take an uptempo song and make it kind of plodding and dark and dirgey... sometimes it has the unexpected effect of completely changing the meaning of the words. Suddenly the singer doesn't mean what he's saying... you can tell by the way the words flow differently.
The latest victim... "You Got Lucky", by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. There isn't much TO the song really... it's kind of a generic kiss-off rock song.... two verses... memorable but simple riff. But somehow what you strip it down to an acoustic guitar and sing the words "Go... just go.... Good love is hard to find, you got lucky babe.... when I found you..." slowly and quietly, what they really mean is... "NO! Wait! Come back!!"
Anyway... it was a nice surprise.
Sunday, July 22
cursed...
So, I haven't played any music outside of my house in... what... 8 years? I've been here for 2 years looking at all the local open mic nights and blues jams, but never really have the time. FInally, I have a week to myself and deicde to make the effort. I skip a couple on Wednesday and Thursday becuase I'm tired and have to get up early, and they are far away. Besides, the one on Sunday night sounds most like my style anyway... an "open acoustic jam". That way, maybe I don't have to sing, I can just back people up and play solos and stuff. So tonight I put on a rock star black t-shirt, pack up my guitar, and head out.
Closed. As in... all but boarded up, phone disconnected, closed.
I don't know what the fuck the deal is. The local paper still lists events there. The club's MySpace page does have some notes that mention them closing next month, but last time I checked, this is still THIS month. Right?
Anyway my point is... my bad luck is so potent that is has the ability to TRAVEL BACK IN TIME and put a bar out of business. Keep your fucking distance, people.
So, I haven't played any music outside of my house in... what... 8 years? I've been here for 2 years looking at all the local open mic nights and blues jams, but never really have the time. FInally, I have a week to myself and deicde to make the effort. I skip a couple on Wednesday and Thursday becuase I'm tired and have to get up early, and they are far away. Besides, the one on Sunday night sounds most like my style anyway... an "open acoustic jam". That way, maybe I don't have to sing, I can just back people up and play solos and stuff. So tonight I put on a rock star black t-shirt, pack up my guitar, and head out.
Closed. As in... all but boarded up, phone disconnected, closed.
I don't know what the fuck the deal is. The local paper still lists events there. The club's MySpace page does have some notes that mention them closing next month, but last time I checked, this is still THIS month. Right?
Anyway my point is... my bad luck is so potent that is has the ability to TRAVEL BACK IN TIME and put a bar out of business. Keep your fucking distance, people.
Friday, July 20
Thursday, July 19
death by physics...
I thought teaching the older kids in the second session of summer classes would be an IMPROVEMENT. Not so much. Becuase the class I'm teaching is an academic one rather than a purely fun-fun-summer-camp one, the material is straight textbook physics... in other words... boring as fuck. So I have to stare at these blank teenager faces every morning. ("Anyone? Anyone? Beuller...?") It's kind of bumming me out.
So I may scrap everything I have planned so we can drop eggs off the roof and shit instead.
I thought teaching the older kids in the second session of summer classes would be an IMPROVEMENT. Not so much. Becuase the class I'm teaching is an academic one rather than a purely fun-fun-summer-camp one, the material is straight textbook physics... in other words... boring as fuck. So I have to stare at these blank teenager faces every morning. ("Anyone? Anyone? Beuller...?") It's kind of bumming me out.
So I may scrap everything I have planned so we can drop eggs off the roof and shit instead.
Monday, July 16
alone...
The wife has taken the kids to her parents' in Chicago for a mini-vacation, and to get away from me and my overworked, crabby ass for a week, so when I get home today it will be to an EMPTY house. Unfortunately, I will probably be too tired to enjoy myself very much. I have lots of plans to watch movies, go to meditation class, tennis, acoustic open mic nights... but really what will most likely happen is that things will just devolve into the usual bachelor alone-time routine.
(pizza, naps, and porn)
The wife has taken the kids to her parents' in Chicago for a mini-vacation, and to get away from me and my overworked, crabby ass for a week, so when I get home today it will be to an EMPTY house. Unfortunately, I will probably be too tired to enjoy myself very much. I have lots of plans to watch movies, go to meditation class, tennis, acoustic open mic nights... but really what will most likely happen is that things will just devolve into the usual bachelor alone-time routine.
(pizza, naps, and porn)
Friday, July 13
plugged...
I soldered the output jack of my acoustic guitar's pickup tonight, and afterwards, it WORKED! This may be only the third time I have accomplished such a feat.
I put strings on it too. So now I have a fully functioning axe with which to maybe perform at an open mic night or two next week. All I need now?
Songs.
I soldered the output jack of my acoustic guitar's pickup tonight, and afterwards, it WORKED! This may be only the third time I have accomplished such a feat.
I put strings on it too. So now I have a fully functioning axe with which to maybe perform at an open mic night or two next week. All I need now?
Songs.
Thursday, July 12
Wednesday, July 11
Tuesday, July 10
Sunday, July 8
mr. nerd senior...
I always forget how much is explained by meeting kids' parents. All the Aspergery kids have Aspergery dads who want to talk about "A Brief History of Time" for 20 minutes. And the 5th grade boy I have who is shorter than my 8 year old daughter... both of his parents are 5'3"
Genetics!! Amazing!!
I always forget how much is explained by meeting kids' parents. All the Aspergery kids have Aspergery dads who want to talk about "A Brief History of Time" for 20 minutes. And the 5th grade boy I have who is shorter than my 8 year old daughter... both of his parents are 5'3"
Genetics!! Amazing!!
belated...
Yesterday was the Fourth of July. Effectively, anyway, for those of us who have been enjoying torrential Book of Genesis rain for the past few days. Our town hosts a little fair sponsored by the volunteer fire department with fireworks and stuff at a park no more than a mile from our house. So we decided to walk over there last night around 5:00 to do the fair, and then sit and wait an hour or so for fireworks to start while the kids played at the park.
We had exhausted all the entertainment options at the fair by 6:00.
The fireworks started at 10:fucking:30.
I'm not just an old grouch, right? That's not normal, is it?
Somehow the kids managed to survive the night (and the walk home!) without any kind of major freakouts. (Minor whining only, which is par for the course for the most minimal excursions.) Although, despite getting to bed more than 3 hours later than normal, they were both up at their normal time (6:30-ish) today. Luckily, I'm out of the house right now and don't have to deal with them!
Yes... another working Sunday... this time it's Parent Visitation Day here at the gifted program (aka NerdCamp aka Camp Asperger.) I'm praying that most parents don't bother with this event at all or at the very least, that the parents of the most spastic kids won't want to talk to me and make me think up creative ways to say something nice about their kid who is making me miserable and driving me to drink.
Yesterday was the Fourth of July. Effectively, anyway, for those of us who have been enjoying torrential Book of Genesis rain for the past few days. Our town hosts a little fair sponsored by the volunteer fire department with fireworks and stuff at a park no more than a mile from our house. So we decided to walk over there last night around 5:00 to do the fair, and then sit and wait an hour or so for fireworks to start while the kids played at the park.
We had exhausted all the entertainment options at the fair by 6:00.
The fireworks started at 10:fucking:30.
I'm not just an old grouch, right? That's not normal, is it?
Somehow the kids managed to survive the night (and the walk home!) without any kind of major freakouts. (Minor whining only, which is par for the course for the most minimal excursions.) Although, despite getting to bed more than 3 hours later than normal, they were both up at their normal time (6:30-ish) today. Luckily, I'm out of the house right now and don't have to deal with them!
Yes... another working Sunday... this time it's Parent Visitation Day here at the gifted program (aka NerdCamp aka Camp Asperger.) I'm praying that most parents don't bother with this event at all or at the very least, that the parents of the most spastic kids won't want to talk to me and make me think up creative ways to say something nice about their kid who is making me miserable and driving me to drink.
Friday, July 6
weight...
I was hoping to actually lose some weight during this 6 weeks. I figure, if I'm walking from one end of the Vassar campus to the other 4 or 5 times every day, that oughta count for something. right? Not to mention all the running around class and lugging equipment and whatnot. Unfortunately, the extra exercise is being more than counteracted by the free, all you can eat, greasy cafeteria food... particularly the eggs, sausage, and bacon in the mornings ("all you can eat" + "bacon" = oxymoron.)
I need to get back under 200 before school starts. I need a "plan". Maybe I should call "Jenny"...
(EDIT: Step one of the plan... watching "Super Size Me" on the laptop during lunch hour.)
I was hoping to actually lose some weight during this 6 weeks. I figure, if I'm walking from one end of the Vassar campus to the other 4 or 5 times every day, that oughta count for something. right? Not to mention all the running around class and lugging equipment and whatnot. Unfortunately, the extra exercise is being more than counteracted by the free, all you can eat, greasy cafeteria food... particularly the eggs, sausage, and bacon in the mornings ("all you can eat" + "bacon" = oxymoron.)
I need to get back under 200 before school starts. I need a "plan". Maybe I should call "Jenny"...
(EDIT: Step one of the plan... watching "Super Size Me" on the laptop during lunch hour.)
what color ribbon is "thigh cancer"...?
I have this weird lump on the inside of my left thigh. At first I thought it was a knot in the muscle or a tear or something, but now it seems too close to the surface to be muscular. (Plus I never DO anything that would result in tearing a muscle. Although, I DID climb a tree the other day, and I think it was the same day I noticed the lump. I don't recall straining anything, though.) An anti-inflammatory like Advil seems to make it shrink a little, as does heat. It hurts a little, but not like a muscle strain hurt... more like a bruise.
Anyway. It's starting to freak me out. And of course I'm working 5 days a week for the first time in forever, and can't go to a doctor even if I wanted to.
I have this weird lump on the inside of my left thigh. At first I thought it was a knot in the muscle or a tear or something, but now it seems too close to the surface to be muscular. (Plus I never DO anything that would result in tearing a muscle. Although, I DID climb a tree the other day, and I think it was the same day I noticed the lump. I don't recall straining anything, though.) An anti-inflammatory like Advil seems to make it shrink a little, as does heat. It hurts a little, but not like a muscle strain hurt... more like a bruise.
Anyway. It's starting to freak me out. And of course I'm working 5 days a week for the first time in forever, and can't go to a doctor even if I wanted to.
Tuesday, July 3
houston, we have a problem...
I am stunned.... STUNNED at the inability of the so-called "gifted" boys in this rocket class to READ AND FOLLOW DIRECTIONS!!! Fuck. I mean... they are nerds... if nothing else, shouldn't they know how to build models by now?
If we make it 3 weeks without somebody losing a limb, I'll be amazed.
I am stunned.... STUNNED at the inability of the so-called "gifted" boys in this rocket class to READ AND FOLLOW DIRECTIONS!!! Fuck. I mean... they are nerds... if nothing else, shouldn't they know how to build models by now?
If we make it 3 weeks without somebody losing a limb, I'll be amazed.
Sunday, July 1
clothes issues...
I did some shopping yesterday. I realized that one consequence of being a college prof is that I have no nice short-sleeved shirts. I can usually spend the summer in ratty t-shirts. So I had to buy some things to teach in.
I tried to buy some shorts too. Shorts are a difficult proposition for a man in his 30's. In your 20's you can go with the baggy cargo shorts. In your 40's you have your pleated khakis. 50's and up? Plaid. But what do you wear in your 30s, when you are beyond the Pearl Jam concert look, but not quite ready for the golf course? It's a conundrum.
I did my best.
In other news, I have to build a model rocket tonight. It's really the last thing I want to do. How crappy is getting old when things you once did for fun have become work?
I did some shopping yesterday. I realized that one consequence of being a college prof is that I have no nice short-sleeved shirts. I can usually spend the summer in ratty t-shirts. So I had to buy some things to teach in.
I tried to buy some shorts too. Shorts are a difficult proposition for a man in his 30's. In your 20's you can go with the baggy cargo shorts. In your 40's you have your pleated khakis. 50's and up? Plaid. But what do you wear in your 30s, when you are beyond the Pearl Jam concert look, but not quite ready for the golf course? It's a conundrum.
I did my best.
In other news, I have to build a model rocket tonight. It's really the last thing I want to do. How crappy is getting old when things you once did for fun have become work?
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