kids - electronic music - virtuosity - jazz - john coltrane - miles davis - herbie hancock - sonny rollin - max roach - dave brubeck - kind of blue -

[8/7/2007 9:26:37 AM] pD says: working from home

[8/7/2007 9:26:42 AM] pD says: little boss has a fever

[8/7/2007 9:29:35 AM] nsy says: aww! poor little guy. Well, you'll be missed here, but at least you are here "virtually". Hope the little guy feels better soon!

[8/7/2007 10:13:38 AM] pD says: i hope so too, so his folks can get some sleep...

[8/7/2007 10:35:26 AM] AE says: yeah! that means teeth!

[8/7/2007 10:36:18 AM] pD says: AE is speaking from experience

[8/7/2007 10:36:23 AM] pD says: and he is correct,

[8/7/2007 10:36:25 AM] pD says: mostly

[8/7/2007 10:36:36 AM] pD says: as it turns out, he also has a running nose

[8/7/2007 10:36:38 AM] AE says: teething must really suck when you're little.

[8/7/2007 10:36:57 AM] AE says: yes, it wipes out the immune system and it's like they have a bad cold.

[8/7/2007 10:37:12 AM] pD says: so, this is a double whammy situation where he is suffering from the teeth (two molars at the same time, yikes) and some kind of viral thing

[8/7/2007 10:37:42 AM] pD says: anyway, i have a doc appointment later for him

[8/7/2007 10:43:23 AM] AE says: yuck. sorry to hear that!

[8/7/2007 10:44:12 AM] pD says: shit happens, this is part of the grand bargain in life.

[8/7/2007 10:44:27 AM] pD says: he is still a good kid

[8/7/2007 10:44:44 AM] pD is stating the obvious being a highly biased party

[8/7/2007 11:57:04 AM] AE says: http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o167/brainshrub/wheres-the-baby.jpg

[8/7/2007 11:57:08 AM] AE says: speaking of kids...

[8/7/2007 1:14:07 PM] pD says: just got back from the doc, do not know what bug he has. probably a viral thing. he is still under observation - poor thing

[8/7/2007 1:14:11 PM] pD says: i am going to grab a bite now

[8/8/2007 6:50:40 AM] AE says: Here's what I want for Christmas: http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/faster-faster/video-of-rollerman-racing-against-600cc-sportbike-spoiler-he-wins-287158.php?autoplay=true

[8/8/2007 11:51:52 AM] AE says: http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=20501

[8/8/2007 10:22:15 PM] pD says: with a sick kid, i am not bored... just catching up on work after a day of unhappy kid...

[9:30:39 AM] pD says: howdy... It has been a long two days

[9:31:12 AM] pD says: no complaints on taking care of a sick/fussy kid (that is part of the grand bargain), but it sure takes a toll on your body...

[9:31:23 AM] pD says: so, have i missed anything good?

[9:35:30 AM] AE says: ah... the sweet disease of parenthood...

[9:36:08 AM] AE says: well, there was the new toy on my christmas list: http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=20501

[9:36:25 AM] AE says: and the cartoon: http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o167/brainshrub/wheres-the-baby.jpg

[9:42:57 AM] pD says:

Rollerman Guy has made suit with rollerblade wheels all over it.

[9:43:22 AM] pD says: hahah! AE, this is a good illustration of why you run and i sit on my butt

[9:43:40 AM] pD says: that looks like a lot of work rolling on roads

[10:01:53 AM] AE says: oh but I be that view is awesome!

[10:04:18 AM] AE says: and here: http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/reactable/reactable-synth-makes-touchy+feely-music-for-your-eyes-287729.php

[10:04:23 AM] AE says: you know... for kids.

[10:43:24 AM] AE says: Check this out!

[10:43:25 AM] AE says: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h-RhyopUmc&mode=related&search=

[10:43:38 AM] AE says: WoW! I Totally think this company NEEDS one of these!

[10:43:51 AM] AE says: Tags:

reactable reac table music (more)

URL



Embed



[10:43:59 AM] AE says: hah... whoops.

[10:44:09 AM] AE says:

[10:44:45 AM] AE says: IMHO, easily the coolest thing we've had up on NSA Chatters!

[11:17:43 AM] pD says: no company name pls

[11:17:51 AM] pD is a killjoy

[11:18:58 AM] pD says: it is pretty neat, but how long would it last? Not a huge fan of electronic music

[11:20:10 AM] AE says: no, but since it's a synthesizer you can give it any voice you want.

[11:20:33 AM] AE says: so you could mimic classical instruments (though that's not really the proper medium for this)

[11:20:53 AM] pD says: this is purely an opinion, i know - but, i can usually tell when a sound is synthesized or by conventional instruments

[11:21:11 AM] pD says: and, i agree with you that

[11:21:11 AM] AE says: True. but that doesn't mean it's not able to make good music.

[11:21:28 AM] AE says: though... actually I haven't really heard anything produced on it that I would actually enjoy listening too.

[11:21:30 AM] pD says: the point is not to mimic what has come before, but explore what is possible

[11:21:46 AM] AE says: it's more the technology, and the ability to dynamically control the music with such a cool interface!

[11:21:51 AM] AE says: exactly

[11:23:15 AM] pD says: well, i am old fashion in believing in virtuosity - nothing wrong with providing an easy ramp for the less talented (like me), but i have not seen/heard anything that would blow me away in the realm of electronic music

[11:24:00 AM] pD says: and, i do not know if it is a limitation on the instrument or somehow we (collectively) have not yet figure out how we define that music form

[11:24:03 AM] AE says: Odd. I feel the same about jazz, though I know I'm in the minority.

[11:24:25 AM] AE says: There is some electronic music that totally blows me away.

[11:24:28 AM] pD says: actually, most jazz performance is pretty crappy

[11:24:37 AM] AE says: haha. So it's not just me then.

[11:25:02 AM] pD says: people want to improvise on jazz, because all the greats can do it

[11:25:13 AM] AE says: but not everyone can do it great.

[11:25:23 AM] pD says: but, what people often do not realize is how much effort it takes to improvise in the first place

[11:25:37 AM] pD says: also, once you get to that level, how much more work is involved in not repeating yourself

[11:26:03 AM] pD says: because, it is very easy to find a set of crutches that you can always fall back on when you are in a jam - during improv

[11:26:32 AM] pD says: so, for example, john coltrane was known as practicing every waking hour - either writing or trying out new notes on his instrument

[11:26:54 AM] pD says: and, sure enough, he is one of the most influential because he keeps breaking new grounds

[11:27:45 AM] pD says: on the other hand, this does not meant lesser souls than Coltrane cannot do jazz - just different style and in much smaller dosages

[11:28:27 AM] pD says: just like eating, you should not have 3 start meals everyday. a snack stall on the street can provide inspiration.

[11:28:29 AM] pD says: sometimes

[11:33:20 AM] AE says: Ok. I'll have to find some Coltrane and check him out.

[11:33:31 AM] AE says: Perhaps I just haven't heard good jazz before.

[11:33:37 AM] AE says: only elevator and Muzak.

[11:33:39 AM] AE says: yuck.

[11:33:51 AM] pD says: muzak sucks! it ruins even the best music

[11:34:08 AM] AE says: you should check out a group called "Lounge against the Machine"

[11:34:33 AM] AE says: they take heavy metal, industrial, and Rage Against the machine kind of music and "loungify" it.

[11:34:45 AM] pD says: well, i would suggest you start with Blue Trane and My Favorite Things. These are two of the major works from his earlier period - tends to be a bit more listener friendly

[11:35:41 AM] pD says: Miles Davis is also another major figure - and i think the fact that he went to Julliard (the music school, but he dropped out) helped him a great deal in providing a much larger canvass in his music making

[11:36:16 AM] pD says: he actually ventured into electronic music in the 70's. Not a critical success, but he gave that genre a great deal of credibility as a result

[11:38:10 AM] pD says: speaking of electronic music-ish in the jazz format, you might also want to check out Herbie Hancock's HeadHunter - it is the first major work on Funk with a jazz context - it sort of borders on groovy musak because the texture sounds very similar unless you pay attention. but, its internal structure was quite complex - a fun academic piece for dorks like me

[11:40:21 AM] pD says: you may also enjoy max roach and Sonny Rollin’s Saxophone Colossus - this was the first major hard-bob jazz. amongst other things, max roach's use of drum as a performance instrument instead of just beat keeper was a major break through and, if you listen closely, the kind of texture he can get out of his set is nothing short of amazing

[11:41:22 AM] pD says: finally, dave brubeck's take five and the rest of the recording on that album is a major work from the "west coast" jazz. it comes from a completely different tradition and is quite enjoyable

[11:42:03 AM] pD says: well, this is a very partial list of several major genres that may be worth checking out. hopefully, you will find at least one that sings to you

[11:42:58 AM] AE says: Cool! Thanks for the recommendations.

[11:44:10 AM] pD says: oops, for miles davis, Kind of Blue (the first/wrong recording) and Sketches of Spain would give you a good flavor

[11:45:03 AM] pD says: Interestingly, Sketches of Spain is not on my favorite recording list for Davis - but I think it is a function of my classical training (which involves a lot of spanish work) interfering

[11:45:34 AM] pD says: Kind of Blue is probably the most famous jazz work of all time - highly enjoyable. it does have an interesting history

[11:46:35 AM] pD says: basically, the original release was done on the wrong speed - it was faster, so both the tempo and pitch are higher than the actual recording. So, for the longest time, practitioners who are looking to play the piece always have problem re-producing the sound from the sheet music vis-à-vis the recording

[11:47:13 AM] pD says: a few years back, somebody found the original recording tapes. And, long story short, figured out what happened. so, there are now two release, the "wrong" and the "corrected"

[11:47:59 AM] pD says: the corrected version definitely makes a lot more sense musically because the change in style for Miles davis was not as drastic - there is a clearly a sense of continuity

[11:49:33 AM] pD says: on the other hand, i would argue (and what do i know) that the "wrong" version was so much more fresh and earth shattering, that it is the "right" version. the impressionistic style that keeps a sense of urgency without sounding hurried - that was the reason why that recording was such a Wow!

[11:49:42 AM] pD says: and, naturally, I have both recording...

[11:49:59 AM] pD will stop yakking about jazz for now

[11:51:28 AM] AE says: No. Thank you for sharing your background knowledge. It helps to know this stuff to appreciate the music.

[11:51:40 AM] AE says: brb. we're heading out of the shedquarters and up to the house.

[12:26:12 PM] AE says: pD, question: do we have samples of branded product?

[12:32:20 PM] nsy says: i sent a new mail with the samples :)

[12:32:38 PM] AE says: saw that. You're always on top of things nsy!

[12:33:21 PM] nsy says: hey pD, have you heard the charlie hunter trio, or the bad plus?

[12:33:46 PM] nsy says: http://www.charliehunter.com/

[12:34:14 PM] nsy says: charlie plays guitar and bass at the same time on a custom instrument - so cool!

[12:35:00 PM] nsy says: the bad plus is great nerd jazz http://www.thebadplus.com/

[12:45:05 PM] nsy says: i love Wes Montgomery's "So much Guitar!" - good one too

[12:48:52 PM] nsy says: i also forgot how great and terrible the movie "six string samurai" could be http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-String_Samurai

[12:56:53 PM] pD says: is this the one? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nqrd6buFHE

[12:56:57 PM] pD says: cool!

[12:57:03 PM] pD says:

[12:57:19 PM] nsy says: hahaha - yep - thats it!

[12:58:27 PM] nsy says: it's reminiscent of the guitar battle from the movie crossroads

[1:19:22 PM] pD says: looks so non-sensical. love it. i am putting it on my list

[1:20:57 PM] nsy says: i may have asked you about this before, so ignore me if we've been over this... but have you seen seven samurai? or any of akira kurosawa's films?

[1:21:12 PM] AE raises hand

[1:21:20 PM] pD says: i have seen most of the kurosawa films

[1:21:36 PM] pD says: any particular reason for asking?

[1:21:38 PM] nsy says: excellent. i just love kurosawa!

[1:21:59 PM] AE says: what was your favorite?

[1:22:03 PM] AE says: both of you.

[1:22:18 PM] nsy says: no, the samurai thing, and the movie thing triggered spreading activation in my brain is all

[1:23:10 PM] pD says: they all have their merits so, it is hard to have a favorite.

[1:23:25 PM] pD says: i especially enjoyed his use of cinematography

[1:23:31 PM] AE says: true... so many were copied in other films as well.

[1:23:51 PM] AE says: they were a big inspiration to Lucas on the Star Wars films.

[1:23:51 PM] pD says: coming from the Noh tradition - his camera perspective is much lower than the western tradition

[1:24:21 PM] pD says: yeah, hidden fortress was the inspiration for princess Leia, Han Solo, R2D2 and C3PO

[1:25:02 PM] pD says: on a comparative basis, i would say that Yojimbo is the most interesting and revealing

[1:25:30 PM] AE says: but a talking samurai rabbit?

[1:25:35 PM] pD says: because "a fistful of dollars" with clint eastwoord is a literally shot by shot re-creation

[1:26:16 PM] pD says: and, i must say that a fistful of dollar remains a very compelling story - which goes to show how good the original yojimbo is/was

[1:26:53 PM] pD says: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000041/

[1:27:48 PM] AE says: this is still one of my favorites: http://imdb.com/title/tt0047478/

[1:28:01 PM] AE says: it's a story that much older than the movie, and has been told many times since.

[1:28:30 PM] AE says: it's got the classic scene of the samurai joining together one at a time until they're all facing their adversaries.

[1:29:02 PM] AE says: "Dreams" has to be my all time favorite, though.

[1:29:24 PM] AE says: http://imdb.com/title/tt0100998/

[1:31:05 PM] AE says: To me, it's a very personal look inside his head.

[1:31:17 PM] AE says: to share your dreams like that... it speaks a lot about a person.

[1:31:41 PM] AE says: and when it's a person who has the ability to make the images of their dreams come real... that's very powerful.

[2:17:55 PM] pD says: AE's favorite films:

[2:17:56 PM] pD says: Here's my list of recommended, must see movies (in the order I thought of them):

1. Life is Beautiful

2. Train of Life

3. Brazil

4. Aliens

5. The Milagro Bean field War

6. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

7. The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai

8. 20,000 Leagues under the Sea

9. Leon

10. Blade Runner

[2:18:06 PM] pD that was from AE

[2:18:42 PM] AE says: Wow! Those are some of the best movies!!!

[2:18:43 PM] AE says: oh...

[2:26:23 PM] AE says: so what are your favorites, both of you?

[2:26:59 PM] pD is not into lists - too much of it is dependant on moods

[2:27:47 PM] AE says: but some must stick out. some you must watch more than once or twice...

[2:27:50 PM] pD says: same idea as "comfort food"

[2:27:55 PM] pD says: tampopo would be high on my list

[2:28:04 PM] AE says: who directed that?

[2:28:43 PM] pD says: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092048/

[2:28:49 PM] pD says: Itami is the director

[2:29:23 PM] pD says: "roman holiday" is sort of the mindless snack for the soul

[2:29:49 PM] pD says: "terminator 1" was stunning with the machine that refused to die

[2:30:49 PM] pD says: "Nueve reinas" is an argentinian film that takes so many unexpected turns that you would just have to embrace it to enjoy it

[2:30:57 PM] pD says: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0247586/

[2:33:02 PM] pD says: momento (interesting not in IMDB) employs a grabbing narrative that you would either turn it off within the first 15 minutes or you have to watch it to find out what happened http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memento_%28film%29

[2:34:00 PM] pD says: Audition is one of the most creepy films that I have seen: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0235198/

[2:35:57 PM] pD says: 3-iron is a film where the main character did not utter a word, but the story flows and takes you on a wild ride on what contemporary Korea is about

[2:38:00 PM] pD says: speaking of Korea, A State of Mind, is a completely fascinating study on life under authoritarianism. and, yet, it is a very hopeful film not because people are going to overthrow the government but there is a sense of ease and peace between them: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0456012/

[2:39:54 PM] pD says: anyway, these films all have their moments - i also love star wars and the godfather films

[2:40:07 PM] pD says: it is about what is the mood...

[5:21:26 PM] pD says: getting ready to fulfill my baby daddy duty...

nsa subpoena - re-colonization - jowels - sell 7/8 of your soul - midlife crises - you say pine apple i say anana - music and forms

[12:37:09 PM] pD says: where is nsy

[12:37:12 PM] pD says: she is not in skype

[12:37:47 PM] AE says: she's home... perhaps she forgot to enable skype.

[12:37:57 PM] AE says: or she's out eating.

[12:38:01 PM] AE says: or she's ignoring us.

[12:38:15 PM] pD says: do you use yahoo im? maybe you can entice her to come on line

[12:38:29 PM] AE sighs

[12:38:31 PM] AE says: fine.

[12:38:55 PM] AE says: no, she's offline there as well.

[12:39:21 PM] AE fades into the mist of thought.

[12:39:46 PM] pD fades into the mist of curry rice

[12:41:15 PM] pD says: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/08/washington/08nsa.html?th&emc=th

[12:41:24 PM] pD says: do you think we will get subpoena'd?

[12:41:41 PM] pD says: everything, more or less, is posted, you know...

[12:43:10 PM] AE says: okay... that's for the wiretapping program...

[12:43:15 PM] AE says: we're just chatter.

[12:43:52 PM] pD says: oh, yeah! we still have to stand firm

[12:43:54 PM] pD says: fight the power

[12:43:59 PM] pD says: fight the man

[12:44:00 PM] pD says: dudes!

[12:44:09 PM] AE says: lounge against the machine!

[12:44:29 PM] AE says: why do all these guys in power have jowels?

[12:44:39 PM] pD says: jowles?

[12:44:48 PM] AE says: dulaps?

[12:45:00 PM] AE says: extra flesh hanging off their face.

[12:45:05 PM] AE says: they're aliens.

[12:45:22 PM] AE says: those are probably some kind of re-productive egg sack.

[12:45:37 PM] AE says: or salivary glands they use to eat their young.

[12:45:50 PM] pD says: i like to think of them as the unwashed masses

[12:46:01 PM] AE says: only after lunch.

[12:46:02 PM] pD says: we are the enlightened aliens to save them from themselves

[12:46:24 PM] AE says: not me buddy. I'm here with my bag of chips to watch them go down in flames.

[12:46:44 PM] AE says: because jowels +mistakes = good TV entertainment

[12:47:31 PM] pD says: i rather fancy myself as the new (old style) colonizers of yore

[12:47:40 PM] pD says: it is good to be the colonizer not the colonized

[12:48:18 PM] AE has changed the chat topic to "ReColonization"

[12:48:23 PM] AE says: what are you talking about?

[12:48:47 PM] AE says: are you referring to the fact you were born off-planet?

[12:49:02 PM] pD says: me, enlightened aliens, coming to save those NSA and democrat types

[12:49:18 PM] pD says: with compassion and stern rules

[12:49:21 PM] AE says: why save them?

[12:49:23 PM] pD says: like the old colonizers

[12:49:41 PM] pD says: empire building - the same old reason

[12:49:43 PM] AE says: oh, like how they saved the indigenous peoples of Australia?

[12:49:45 PM] pD says: different packaging

[12:49:52 PM] pD says: exactly

[12:49:55 PM] AE says: or saved the american indians?

[12:50:03 PM] AE says: or saved leftovers from dinner?

[12:50:09 PM] pD says: or, Indians and Chinese

[12:50:25 PM] AE says: I love Indian and Chinese food...

[12:50:27 PM] pD says: i am already sympathizing with the old colonizers

[12:50:45 PM] AE says: ah. so now you're here to save the colonizers of the new world?

[12:50:53 PM] pD says: the mere thought of helping out those old geezers in DC is giving me visions

[12:51:03 PM] AE says: I'll bet

[12:51:10 PM] pD says: actually, i am here to save the colonized - as the colonizer

[12:51:33 PM] AE says: too late. We already discovered this continent. Go find your own.

[12:51:59 PM] AE says: and we don't want your avian bird-flu infected blankets, thanks.

[12:52:52 PM] AE says: so you're suggesting that the current leaders of the american colonies could use a little recolonization?

[12:53:00 PM] pD says: too late

[12:53:06 PM] AE says: or is this because the word colon is in there somewhere?

[12:53:24 PM] pD says: that was what the native americans were trying to explains to the Cortez and puritans over turkeys

[12:53:53 PM] pD says: so, i would just ignore your plead to not re-colonize this land

[12:54:16 PM] AE says: but we rightful re-colonized it from the previous occupants!

[12:54:38 PM] pD ignoring the protests

[12:54:42 PM] AE says: We discovered it!

[12:54:55 PM] AE says: The occupants didn't even know what it was called until we got here!

[12:55:23 PM] AE says: besides, we've just about exploited all the resources...

[12:55:40 PM] pD already looking at an incomplete map and trying to see how to send out Lu and Kak (instead of Louise and Clark) to map out the new world

[12:55:51 PM] AE says: Ahhhh!!!

[12:56:00 PM] AE runs screaming into the ocean

[12:56:29 PM] pD pointing at the ocean and thinking out loud - we should claim that too

[12:56:55 PM] AE says: There's a whole universe of unclaimed territory.

[12:56:59 PM] AE points up

[12:57:08 PM] AE says: so, you know, blast off.

[12:57:19 PM] pD says: too far

[12:57:26 PM] pD says: gas price is kind of high these days

[12:57:41 PM] pD says: we may be new colonizers

[12:57:44 PM] AE says: all it takes is one metal rich asteroid and all expenses will be covered.

[12:58:05 PM] pD says: but, we still sleep with the same big multinational corporations

[12:58:18 PM] AE says: Ah... I get it.

[12:58:26 PM] AE says: You've probably got jowels too.

[12:58:35 PM] pD says: actually, i sell them

[12:58:40 PM] pD says: quite a good business too

[12:58:56 PM] pD says: lots of posers who want several to match their outfits

[12:59:21 PM] AE says: right. well, why fight it.

[12:59:26 PM] AE says: set me up with a pair.

[12:59:47 PM] AE says: something to go with a navy blue blazer and red tie.

[1:00:01 PM] pD says: excellent choice, sir

[1:00:14 PM] pD says: that is one of our most sought after combo

[1:00:21 PM] pD says: now, if you could sign on the dotted line

[1:00:26 PM] AE says: with what?

[1:00:36 PM] pD says: this will get you in front of the waiting queue

[1:00:53 PM] pD says: in exchange, we just ask for a minor consideration for our efforts

[1:01:01 PM] pD says: 7/8 of your soul

[1:01:22 PM] pD says: like good drug pushers, taking everything from our customers is actually a self-limiting practice

[1:01:27 PM] AE says: pieces of eight eh?

[1:01:35 PM] AE says: I see now

[1:01:39 PM] pD says: we learnt from some of the old masters who had some dealing with a fellow called

[1:01:43 PM] pD says: Faust?

[1:01:55 PM] AE says: Never heard of the man.

[1:02:26 PM] AE says: some teacher, wasn't he?

[1:02:29 PM] pD says: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faust

[1:02:47 PM] pD says: he traded his soul for youth and knowledge

[1:02:55 PM] AE says: we all do that

[1:02:59 PM] AE says: that's called getting older

[1:03:03 PM] pD says: inspired at least two operas as far as i know

[1:03:16 PM] AE says: Oh, wait, that's trading your youth for knowledge...

[1:03:34 PM] pD says: he traded his soul 100% for youth and knowledge

[1:03:37 PM] AE says: can't have youth and knowledge unless you believe in reincarnation.

[1:03:47 PM] AE says: then there is no Devil.

[1:04:33 PM] pD says: there is no reason why devil cannot exist independent of everything else

[1:10:38 PM] pD says: devil: http://blogs.zdnet.com/images/bsd%20linux%20devil.JPG

[1:11:23 PM] AE says: he's not a devil.

[1:11:29 PM] AE says: he's a daemon.

[1:12:21 PM] pD says: you say pine apple, i say anana

[1:13:07 PM] pD has changed the chat topic to "midlife crisis"

[1:13:18 PM] pD says: i was talking with a friend recently

[1:13:26 PM] pD says: he thinks he is having a midlife crisis

[1:13:31 PM] pD says: admittedly, he is on the young side

[1:13:35 PM] AE says: thinks? or wishes?

[1:13:43 PM] pD says: but, it got me thinking about what mine should be

[1:13:49 PM] AE says: why have one?

[1:13:53 PM] AE says: why crisis?

[1:13:53 PM] pD says: oh, he is having a real one

[1:14:05 PM] pD says: he is dating an 18 years old

[1:14:14 PM] AE says: how old is he?

[1:14:26 PM] pD says: do not know exactly, but in the mid-30's would be my guess

[1:14:45 PM] pD says: anyway, i told him to lay off on the viagras

[1:14:53 PM] AE says: no kidding.

[1:15:09 PM] AE says: wait... 18 year old girls weren't into that when I was young...

[1:15:19 PM] pD says: so, have you thought about what yours should be?

[1:15:29 PM] AE says: i've decided to go without.

[1:15:36 PM] pD says: buying a harley davidson is kind of a cliche

[1:15:42 PM] AE says: yuck!

[1:15:45 PM] pD says: oh, we all need a midlife crisis

[1:15:50 PM] AE says: I really can't stand HD's...

[1:15:53 PM] AE says: why?

[1:15:57 PM] pD says: actually, it is considered quite healthy from a psychological perspective

[1:16:03 PM] AE says: y?

[1:16:15 PM] pD says: it shows that a person is reflecting on his/her life

[1:16:25 PM] pD says: it does not have to by HD or an 18 year old

[1:16:31 PM] pD says: some people turned to yoga

[1:16:31 PM] AE says: why does that have to precipitate a crisis?

[1:16:37 PM] AE says: exactly.

[1:16:42 PM] AE says: or running insane distances.

[1:16:50 PM] pD says: oh, i think the word "crisis" is just a catchy way of describing the process

[1:17:05 PM] AE says: poor word choice, in my way of thinking.

[1:17:19 PM] AE says: it can just be 'mid-life reflection;

[1:17:24 PM] AE says: ok, not the same ring...

[1:17:26 PM] pD says: don't forge that I am in marketing

[1:17:34 PM] AE says: ok, forge ahead then!

[1:17:35 PM] pD says: i am liable to use hyperbole

[1:17:43 PM] AE says: come up with a better term then!

[1:17:50 PM] pD says: no, i like crisis

[1:17:57 PM] pD says: it is more action oriented

[1:18:15 PM] AE says: crisis implies emergency.

[1:18:30 PM] AE says: crisis implies impending disaster.

[1:18:37 PM] AE says: why do you think it's fitting?

[1:18:49 PM] AE says: poor planning = crisis.

[1:18:55 PM] AE says: proper planning = event

[1:19:18 PM] AE says: looking at an opportunity incorrectly can realize it as a crisis as well.

[1:20:07 PM] pD says: for the same reason that we hang a jolly roger on the ceiling

[1:20:23 PM] pD says: would i prefer to have a midlife crisis or a midlife event or a midlife retrospective?

[1:20:31 PM] pD says: crisis, crisis, crisis

[1:20:41 PM] pD crisis echoing in the hall

[1:57:25 PM] pD says: okay, i think the sugar high from lunch is wearing off

[1:57:43 PM] pD says: what would be your midlife event?

[1:57:52 PM] AE says: would you like a pocky stick?

[1:58:21 PM] pD says: i just got off a sugar high

[1:58:22 PM] AE says: when I'm 50 I would like to run very far.

[1:58:24 PM] AE says: Ok.

[1:58:25 PM] pD says: i should wait

[1:58:26 PM] AE says: ok

[1:58:35 PM] pD says: how far is very far?

[1:58:44 PM] AE says: over 100 miles

[1:58:59 PM] pD says: i'll watch you from a TV

[1:59:17 PM] pD says: actually, i have decided that i should have several midlife crises

[1:59:22 PM] pD says: say one every twenty years

[1:59:33 PM] pD says: it does confuse the math a bit

[1:59:45 PM] pD says: but, who says life should be consisted of two halves

[1:59:53 PM] pD says: maybe mine is 4.32 in total

[2:02:37 PM] AE says: that's a good question... how can we have a mid-life crisis if we don't know when our life will end?

[2:02:54 PM] AE says: What If I die at 50? Then I already missed the timing for my mid-life event!

[2:03:01 PM] AE says: That's a crisis right there!

[2:03:23 PM] pD says: think Faust

[2:03:31 PM] pD says: maybe he has got a point

[2:03:45 PM] AE says: sell your soul to the devil?

[2:03:52 PM] AE says: nope. life is life, but the soul is eternal.

[2:04:05 PM] AE says: you can leave a really bad life behind. you can't get a soul back.

[2:04:11 PM] pD says: ref: the new colonizers, a.k.a. yours truly

[2:04:19 PM] pD says: we will only take 7/8 of yours

[2:04:30 PM] pD says: this is the new economy and we have a new pricing model

[2:04:30 PM] AE says: right. you pirate.

[2:04:40 PM] AE says: pieces of eight?

[2:04:42 PM] pD says: correction: enlightened aliens

[2:04:44 PM] AE says: that's old economy.

[2:05:01 PM] pD says: you say pine apple, i say anana

[2:09:05 PM] AE says: if you say anana i say you've been listening to baby talk for too long.

[2:09:05 PM] pD says: a while back, i thought it would be interesting to start a cover band

[2:09:27 PM] AE says: Ok. what do you have in mind?

[2:09:34 PM] AE says: I play a mean lounge didgeridoo.

[2:09:59 PM] pD says: well, you give me too much credit

[2:10:05 PM] pD says: the idea went as far as that

[2:10:11 PM] pD says: "start a cover band"

[2:19:25 PM] pD says: thanks for the dot matrix symphony

[2:21:47 PM] pD has changed the chat topic to "music"

[2:21:49 PM] AE says: sure. that was |||||||| |||||| ||||

[2:22:10 PM] pD says: classical music as a particular grammar

[2:22:30 PM] pD says: not right or wrong, just a set of things that you/I look for

[2:22:45 PM] pD says: but, i often found myself lost with modern music

[2:22:52 PM] pD says: and, that can get a bit frustrating

[2:23:06 PM] AE says: lost how?

[2:23:28 PM] pD says: but, in fairness, that is how i felt about john coltrane vis-a-vis Charlie Parker early on

[2:23:42 PM] pD says: lost like cannot understand the traffic signs

[2:24:06 PM] pD says: in the classical format, there are specific cues on what constitute a "phrase"

[2:24:06 PM] AE says: I feel the same way about most jazz...

[2:24:14 PM] AE says: there's not a hook to draw me in.

[2:24:36 PM] AE says: I love Herbie Hancock because he can tell a great story with his music.

[2:24:55 PM] pD says: and, there are meta phrases that consist of several and within specific forms, when a phrase is used, it also gives cues on if it is changing to a new movement and/or the end is near

[2:24:56 PM] AE says: and some classical pieces practically write stories for me.

[2:25:26 PM] pD says: very much so, in (classical) music parlance

[2:25:26 PM] AE says: interesting. you have a much more technical view of music.

[2:25:52 PM] pD says: there are absolute music and program music

[2:26:12 PM] AE says: I never look for clues that music is ending or moving or changing... it's just expression... the residue left after artistic expression.

[2:26:20 PM] pD says: absolute music are just manipulation of music notes and structures - Bach is a great example

[2:26:41 PM] pD says: whereas program music usually have a specific motiv such as a ballad vs a march

[2:26:45 PM] AE says: thinking about it like that ignores the spirit of the music, to me.

[2:27:02 PM] pD says: well, to theorize anything, you need some kind of structure around it

[2:27:16 PM] AE says: but ‘it’s an expression of art.

[2:27:20 PM] pD says: it is less romantic, but it also makes communication easier - technically

[2:27:36 PM] AE says: you mean when trying to explain from one generation to the next how to play?

[2:28:06 PM] AE says: sure. ok. notation and understanding are important to transport the nuances across temporal gaps.

[2:28:13 PM] pD says: not just that, it also provides very useful cue for the performance

[2:28:19 PM] pD says: let me give you an example

[2:28:24 PM] pD says: this actually happened to me

[2:28:48 PM] pD says: once, i was handed a new sheet of music

[2:28:52 PM] pD says: my new assignment

[2:28:57 PM] pD says: the title of the piece is called

[2:28:59 PM] pD says: Lagrima

[2:29:41 PM] pD says: not sure if you know what "lagrima" is

[2:29:53 PM] pD says: i did not at the time, and i was too lazy to look it up

[2:30:15 PM] pD says: so, the next time i met up with the instructor, i play the piece and, since i was in a good mood that day,

[2:30:26 PM] pD says: i was playing it happy - almost like a march

[2:30:42 PM] pD says: so, after i done my piece, my instructor asked me, do i know what is "lagrima"

[2:30:53 PM] pD says: well, it means "tear"

[2:31:11 PM] pD says: so, i was doing a very happy "tear"

[2:31:13 PM] pD says: piece

[2:31:38 PM] pD says: so, in the classical music context,

[2:31:54 PM] pD says: that is one of those codes that people use to transmit specific ideas

[2:32:29 PM] pD says: it is sort of like mathematical terms that people can use to communicate from buying stuff in a foreign land

[2:32:47 PM] pD says: to developing a new model between two scholars who do not speak the same language

[2:33:07 PM] pD says: anyway, i am not suggesting that modern/electronic music should fit into that same structure

[2:33:38 PM] pD says: it is just that for me, it is hard to understand modern music given all the baggage that I have from classical

[2:33:49 PM] pD hoping this makes some sense

[2:35:06 PM] pD says: and, part of the problem for me is that i am not sure if there is any systematic attempt at created a set of new languages for modern music - like what people have done for jazz

[2:35:41 PM] AE says: As I said, I think modern music is more expression.

[2:36:02 PM] AE says: there is little attempt made to transcribe it as in classical, because it's all recorded.

[2:36:10 PM] AE says: you can just hear how it was played anytime.

[2:36:27 PM] AE says: no need to attempt and discern what the original composer intended.

[2:36:31 PM] AE says: just listen to it.

[2:38:54 PM] pD says: i hear you, that is sort of the idea behind improvisation at jazz

[2:39:10 PM] pD says: it is supposed to express an immediacy that is not there with a "script"

[2:39:31 PM] pD says: interestingly, having done both classical and jazz improv, i think often time the reverse is true

[2:42:05 PM] AE says: oddly, i have a hard time being interested in improv jazz...

[2:42:17 PM] AE says: there is too little there of substance to interest me.

[2:42:30 PM] pD says: hahah! i know what you mean

[2:42:49 PM] AE says: it always sounds like a bunch of people playing instruments together in the same key, more or less.

[2:42:49 PM] pD says: although it is also true that inspired improv is amazing - i.e. john coltrane

[2:43:10 PM] AE says: true. there are tons of people who really enjoy it.

[2:43:36 PM] AE says: ok, it's really only 11 people... but they each weigh over 200 pounds.

[2:43:41 PM] AE says: so that's tons.

[2:43:57 PM] pD says: actually, herbie hancock does good improv

[2:44:12 PM] pD says: hahaha! a tonne of improv, therefore

[2:44:25 PM] pD says: have you heard his recording "head hunter"

[2:45:21 PM] pD says: that is an example of improv with a funk touch

[2:45:45 PM] pD says: and, that "sort of" is the extent of the more modern-ish music that i still "get"

[2:47:11 PM] AE says: yes. I'm more of a 'Future Shock' fan though. Headhunter was, again, to vague for me.

[2:48:49 PM] AE says: Ok. I have to head out. Good bye!