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The last man on earth
Having biked the past three days in a row, I had planned to take today off, but late this afternoon I felt full of energy and decided to go. Being a true American, I decided to push myself into breaking a personal record. I went to the end of Conyers and back and then to the other side of Avondale and back, which is a bit over 54 miles; a new record for me.I rode the last hour in total darkness due to my late start . Happily that part was mostly on the bike path, with very little on the open road, so it was relatively safe.
As I was riding in the deserted darkness, the air cooled (down to sixty degrees), the number of cars declined and the wind blowing over the helmet created a dull roar. The perceptible environment gradually faded away. Coolness numbed the skin, wind dulled hearing, and the darkness removed much of the visual realm. I developed an overwhelming of isolation. There were no people out, very few cars, and no active signs of the human hand. All I could think of was that I was the last man on earth.
It was a gripping and powerful feeling I’ve never felt before.
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Mother’s Day 2006
I went to the cemetery for the first time in a couple years today. It was a busy day for that sort of thing (as one would think). Everything is pretty much the same; it’s still a tranquil place. To think, it’s been almost seven years, it’s staggering really. -
Friday rapid fire
- Reno 911 is popular in Iraq of all places. It seems they think it’s real.
- A nice collection of flatpicking tablature, all in Tabledit format.
- Hounddog Radio seems cool.
- View System Uptime.
- A nice article on using curves and levels in Photoshop.
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Recording attempts
Last night I attempted to record four flatpick tunes, and eventually to create a Steve French, Musician site on MySpace. I was unable to get the recording levels right on three of them (I blame the Samson digital pre-amp) and I can’t seem to get the musician page set up right on MySpace.
In any case, one of them did turn out okay; the volume level is very low (just like me!) but it’s not terrible.
I played Cooley’s Reel, which is an old Irish fiddle tune in E-Minor. I do it a bit faster than it’s normally done, but I think it turned out okay. I originally heard this song done by Steve Kaufman, but the actual music I got from BluegrassGuitar.com. I do both lead and rhythm on the song.
You can download it here (right click and choose “Save As” (Command-Click on the Mac)).
Thoughts?
UPDATE: Eric remixed it for me, which helped the volume levels a lot. The file is updated.
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Funny sight of the week
Sadly, I don’t have photos, but on my ride yesterday I saw the Avondale PD pull over a group of bikers who turned right on red where it was not allowed. He used the lights and the loudspeaker and everything.
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Another open mic night done
Due to the small number of entrants, I wound up doing six songs. They were “Walkin’ Cane”, It’s Raining Here This Morning”, “Red Clay Halo”, “Ruby Ridge”, “Blackjack County Chain” and “Tin Foil and Stone”. Tin Foil and Stone was the new song for the week. I think I’m going to work in a Guy Clark song for next week.
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What’s wrong with German people?
You would think that this article German cannibal jailed for life for ‘ultimate kick’ couldn’t get any stranger after the opening paragraphs of
A self-confessed German cannibal has been jailed for life after a court here found him guilty of murder for killing and partly eating an allegedly willing victim he had met on the Internet.
ADVERTISEMENTThe court in the western German city of Frankfurt found that Armin Meiwes, known as the “cannibal of Rotenburg,” killed his victim to satisfy his sexual urges.
Meiwes, 44, immediately said that he would appeal the sentence, signaling another round in a long legal process that has laid bare a hitherto secret market in cannibalism.
but it really does get stranger from there.
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A masterpiece
The Phillips/Norelco Bodygroom site. Absolutely perfect use of Flash, video and cleverness. A rare meeting of high tech and high concept.
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Funny line
I was reading part of the transcript of Rumsfeld vs the heckler (who’s a moderately well known anti-Bush activist, I’ve heard him on Democracy Now before) here in Atlanta last week. I came across this gem:
CHILD: Mom, do you have an Altoid?
MOM: Yes, I think so. Look in my purse.
CHILD: I don’t see any.
MOM: Oh, I thought I had some.
CHILD: LYING BLOODTHIRSTY MONSTER!I’ve always wondered how is it possible that people can believe the government, particularly this one, is more capable of a grand conspiracy than a grand failure.
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Anniversaries of no consequence
- I recently went three and a half weeks without rebooting my workstation, which is possibly an all time record for me. (I usually average two weeks).
- It has been 12 years since I’ve seen a doctor. Three more years and I’m a common-law Christian Scientist!