Progress in Works

Happy Easter! So I thought I’d see if I can find anything to write about. I have been getting a lot of questions of late about Time, and Space and Dark Matter. I am not sure I am the best to ask. While it is true that I try to keep Informed, I don’t know. So far my Spouse has talked me out of joining an Ice Flow in the Artic. I am glad I gave up listening to NPR (last year!), which I did for over a decade, everyday.
     Like many, I have an Ad Hoc Network, of Friends, Family and Peers which stimulate my neurons, and cause some to Fire, and others to chill out; for complex reasons not fully understood, I have some Contacts, and most of them have quit trying to get me to play Farmville.

      My biggest Peev with NPR is the lack of Diversity.To few speaking for too many. Why in the world does Rene Mountaine think she has any reason to Afghanistan.  NPR isn’t going to talk about the War on Men, how all Men between the Ages of 12 and 70 are considered Enemies. This was once called evil. Yet it isn’t mentioned by Hillary Clinton who often talked about the War on Women. And I want to thank the outgoing Secretary of State, best of luck with your new endeavors.  You could have done worse!  And the new Boss is a bit of a maverick, to use an over used descriptor. 

      I will confess to a wee soft spot in my heart for John Kerry, although the Botox… Sure he and Gore, yah, yah.  Ok I was a child during the 60’s so I am gonna stay out of that chapter for now.  The fondness for Mr. Secretary stems back to Robert Downey Jr.  I think it is before the contempt of Court Prison Term (technically for what H.S. Thompson termed, “possession of an ugly drug, in public”).  I will admit little knowledge of details, however; The Last Party is a good documentary made by Robert, on the Republican and Democratic Campaign for President in 1992.  In an afterhours Party, where the Secretary was chilling with the beautiful people, Kerry said, “…Governments lie, our Government lies to us.”  I still find it rather refreshing.  We could use some Anti-War Energy, even if it is Retro.   Ho!

      Hillary has flown the Drone, so has Bill, many have.  A former Vice President, flew the Drones for so many hours without sleep, that the Secret Service is rumored to have intervened, at which point he said, “From my cold lifeless fingers…” The President had to order him back to the Bunker , which was later  included in his Retirement Package.

      During the Cold War, the pinacle of Power was the Button, fabled to be able to launch Nuclear War.  Tensions have lessened since.  Now the Button rarely enters the picture.  The Joystick has usurped the Button. So far the First Lady refuses to touch it, though her Spouse more than makes up for her reticence. Flying the Drone, was all the rage for a while, all the Whose Who had to get in a few Kills, Weddings, Funerals, Loya Jurgas,… whose counting? Not Us! Quietly though, some say the Thrill is Gone. Hellfire Missiles just don’t provide the excitement, that Sieging Cities from Air and Sea through Joint Strike Forces was!  Blowing up houses (that often seem to fall down in Earthquakes, prone to Floods, and Crowded…) with a joystick somewhere in the Middle East, from somewhere in the Mid West isn’t as exciting as it once was. Some are even whispering, does it really matter? Do we really have enemies at all?

     I am sure there is some Teeth Gnashing going on, with reason somewhere. Mostly I see Dirty Wars with Vague Goals and Targets. But that doesn’t keep the Bombs from being sold, some real bargains I hear, check the Mail for Coupons; Buy one Cluster Bomb and get a Land Mine as a Bonus! Call Now. Operators are standing by! It is Tax deductible Too!

    I do worry about the Future some, mostly for my children.  In the last year or so, I am starting to wonder more about what I can do to help my Son get ready.  I feel like my daughter has many opportunities.  I worked to make this so.  I am concerned about what advice I can give my son, for the years ahead? It looks difficult to navigate, and I am running out of clues.

    I provided Sound for Hot Damn Scandal twice in March!  They had a St Paddy’s Day Show at Chair 9 in Glacier.  The next weekend we did another show in Glacier at Graham’s.  Both Gigs were fun, though Graham’s was extra memorable as it was a Super Hero Party.  If you haven’t seen Scandal, come catch some History.  They are the Bee’s Knees, the Real Deal, they are so much fun!  I have noted that I am not alone, singing along with the Band, and they play mostly originals! Scandal has been working hard on a CD down is Seattle; We are all looking forward to the new release!

    Some unexpected Tech Challenges this month too.  My graphics card died on Mender, the 1st computer I built from scratch aka my MotherShip.  It didn’t take very long to figure out the problem.  This last week I said yes to a Java Script, and that was the wrong answer.  I worked for hours digging out the virus/malware.  I dug in, and kept at it.  It was a remember to me, not only to back up often, which I do, I can also see the need for a fresh ISO Image on a Partition.  Next time I will overwrite my C Drive with an ISO, it will be much less work!  I have since learned that Java has not been spending the Time and $ to maintain JAVA, and it is considered vulnerable to attack.  Word.

     I enjoyed recording a Music Ensemble at Bellingham High School last Wednesday.  19 Students working on original composition.  It is an ambitious piece, after a few runs through, they nailed it!  I practiced several microphone techniques, including XY, Decca Tree and Mid Side (MS).  I like them all, so far the XY seems best.  I think building a Decca Tree is a good idea, instead of eyeballing my Mic placement, though as a Carpenter, I am pretty good at measuring by sight.  Not only did I enjoy the opportunity, I met 20 musicians too!  This is something I need to do if I want to work in Music.  And, Music makes a lot of sense to me.

  “Bellingham, where you mingle with the Stars!”   

       I haven’t been feeling very smart lately, I am trying to understand. I wake up in the middle of the Night, I count the Trains. Feel my heart, finding fewer words to give comfort, less understanding. It is All So Big! It’ll go on without me. Still I miss my friends. I may ponder the mysteries of Time and Space, sure, cause that is easier than trying to understand People!

I really enjoyed catching a glimpse of the Comet, well worth several attempts.

All the best to you and yours, Roger Hull   Easter 2013