Friday: Don't remember much about friday... I listened to Meccalily for ride music, worked pretty well, although I'm just used to it my own lead guitar parts behind it for some of them... Do remember that Ayla in physics was crying as Olivia was confronting her about something. I later learned it was because that she was spending time with her boyfriend instead of her. I heard the phrase "We use to be inseparable!" and I had to roll my eyes...

Up real late, practice bass for three hours (no kidding) and watch Jaco Pastorius videos on youtube for some inspiration. Feel like I'm really improving on bass. Bed at 3 AM.

Today: Up around 11. Shower, clean up my area. Fix rosegarden problem I had, and I finished my composition today! Hot shit. Out with dog, listen to Eno compilation I grabbed from downstairs. Get home and finally talk to Nick about band practice. We agree for 7 and I warm up/get my stuff ready. I decided to bring my new amp rig for shits and giggles, and see how it sounds. Sounds great, ballsy, and LOUD. A little more than I need actually, which is good, as I hope to use this rig for all kinds of situations. Jam a little bit to warm up. Start to work on a song which we had scraps from last year. Goes alright. Decided to work on wrangling the 18 minute beast that is "Cockwaffle" down to 5 minutes. Was not happy at first. Kinda wanted to play through old material, like 2 or 3 songs just to get our bearings. We ran through Little Bird kinda half assed at the beginning, but I wanted more. Nick brought up that we didn't have any shows coming up, so why run through the material? I see his point I wanted just to make sure that there was enough lubrication in the gears in order to get the machine running. Felt my playing was pretty good for the first half. I kept reverting back to "boxy" patterns for Cockwaffle, but it's basically a stoner rock jam in E, so I felt that playing jazz licks that I've learned the past couple of months really couldn't apply. Alright practice though. Want to bring up the two songs we worked on before the break and see where they go. We tend to work on songs and record them, but they end up in the black hole that is Dan's laptop and our minds. I'm sure there are 5 or 6 sketches of songs that we have 50% done and just moved onto another thing that interested us... Hopefully I can get a new practice in tomorrow if meeting with Mike doesn't take up a assload of time...

Afterwards, meet up with Dave and go to get a bite to eat at Gregg's, where we proceed to act like children. Some context to a conversation I can't remember leads to Dan saying "Speaking of cumshots" right as the waitress walks out to take our order. We all have to retain our composure while ordering. As soon as she walks away we all just lose it completely. So many offensive things were said that I can't remember them all.

Talk with Pete and decided to hang out at his house afterwards. See a paper lying on the counter, with all my friends who are starring in "The Foreigner" this weekend. Feel bad as I said I would go, but as I made plans last night I thought it started at 7:30, looked at the clock and realized it started at 7 actually, so it was too late. Tonight I was busy, and I was banking on a matinée. I just hope they don't hate me. Talk about the theater program and how I'm a theater-nerd-by-proxy as I've done pit. It's a good time, and honestly I wish they did a musical this year. It would have been fun, it always is if you get a good director.

He played me a bit of his concerto for sax and piano. I almost made my ears fall off. Having to subject myself towards Dan's cymbals and Pete's high "C" on alto sax almost made my eardrums burst.

Decide to watch "Pet Sematary" with Pete. Wasn't familiar with the story beforehand, was a good flick overall. Nothing real deep. MST3k it the entire time, so it was a good time. Drive home, internet before bed, blogging, A Post Modern John.

Got a call from Bill last night as I was about to shower, asking for a ride into school this morning. No problem. I'd pick him up at 7:05. Get up at 6:20, slowly get out of bed and just go have a nice talk with him.

Wake up, open my eyes.

It's 7:08. FUCK. Literally throw on the first shirt, jeans and sweatshirt I find, rush out the door with a cereal bar and frappwhatchamacall it. Pick him up at 7:10, doesn't seem too pissed. Make it school on time.

School? Schooly. I got called to Guidance, they said I should look for my musical director and send him an email regarding the hours I spent in pit band the past two years than do it all over again. Was refreshing to hear that. We also went over my graduation portfolio, and found I have more than enough entries to graduate! Huzzah! So that's off my mind, which is good.

I wasted time in civics. Well, not waste. I just spent the period looking up Coltrane, Fred Frith, Peter Gabriel, Derek Bailey and other free jazz artists and tearing my hair out that I will never be as good as them. Made me want to listen to Ascension again when I got home, but I forgot. Oops. Was nice to be home on regular time for once. Jamie stopped by with the finale spanish poster, which is good. I need to finish the worksheets tomorrow but eh I don't care. One is done...

Jazz band tonight. Small number, so we just work on improvising on a Bb blues scale. Some take quickly to it, some have a little trouble. For some reason on the call and response section, I keep spilling over into a 3rd bar, don't know why. Not really happy with my solos tonight, but they're just for educational purposes. It's pretty obvious Dan Labove has never really had practice time behind a kit. This kid Christian asks to try out my bass. I agree, just saying not to break it. He plays "Smoke On The Water" and pretty well too, for not really being a bass player. I was impressed. Jazz band ends relatively early, Mr. Healey, Kevin, Christian and I talk about band, and the way things are going. We are all really impressed with him and hope it'll keep going this way. Talk to him about Narr. Wind ensemble he invited me to. If he can get a double bass from URI and I spend a month on it I will join (Oh jesus christ those poor poor souls...) Seems like a good time to improve my musicianship.

More Brian Eno before a shower and to sleep. (With my alarm set this time).

Up this morning, listen to Mike Celleme on the way in. Borrow dress shirt and pants from my dad as mine were accidentally thrown in the was by me. Oops.

AP psych interesting. Watch "Everything You Wanted To Know About Sex But Were Afraid To Ask" scene about ejaculation to tie into motivation and sex. Very funny. Spanish is a complete bore and I worry about Mrs. Mac bitching for no reason. Manage to snag a pass to the library and work in there for the rest of the period in silence. Watch "Little Miss Sunshine" in english. Good movie, wish I saw it earlier. Although everyone in the class talked through it, I managed to enjoy it. Well, they were quiet for some scenes, not others. I have a feeling they didn't quite "get it". Physics, next. Pray that i didn't fail the test. Go to my car for the dress clothes and then off to the elementary school.

Teaching was fine. Way easier than last time as we knew what to expect. Jamie still took a long time with the name tags, but oh well. We were actually semi-on time! The velcro posters she made are great. I noticed this one boy "Sergio" (his spanish name given to us) who is very overweight is new (he was absent last class) as well as other new faces. We start reviewing, and call everyone to sit down on the rug. Samuel is very eager to the point where I almost accidentally step on him! I ask him to move back and he complies. Everyone is a little bit rowdy today but we manage to calm them down. I notice Sergio and Benito have a scuffle. I almost wanted to talk it out but they seem to fix it within 5 minutes using words which is good.
They end with coloring and we get the hell out of there, with straight 4s across our rubric. Huzzah.

Home: Short dog walk, homework. Procrastination on composition again. I know I know it's killing me but I just want a night off...

I'm looking up anything I can find regarding Chris. For those that don't know, he died August 12, 1995 in a car accident. From what I know, he was in a road trip to see the largest whirlpool in the world, and was sleeping in the backseat without a seatbelt when the car hit the middle of the road with an oncoming RV. I have no idea how old he was, he must have been 20 or 21, very young. I don't honestly remember a lot except him making me laugh all the time when he was around, and the fact he had two albums by two different bands under his belt. I remember playing them at my request at my grandmother's house. I'm sure he was embarrassed, because that's how I feel now whenever someone plays my EP in front of family...

What is making me look up stuff about him? I found a video on youtube of some high school kids from 1997, making trouble and basically doing what high school kids do. Honestly, it was almost like my friends, and I guess that I want to think that my high school experience is different, because my high school is small and shitty, but a lot of high schools are small and shitty. Doesn't change a thing. Most of my older friends though picked fucked up whacked out music though, and they're in pretty cool places. I guess I'm doing something right/wrong. Hopefully it's right to the right people, and wrong to the wrong people.

I miss him, what I remember about him. I know there is a portfolio of his things downstairs I looked at one day, including a list of indie record labels... The more I think I about it, even if I do go to college, I will make a career in music. Part of this is that list of record labels, for some odd reason. I don't know if it inspired me, or what. But I think I will, for better or for worse, become a musician. On my own terms, of course ( would you expect nothing less from a member of bands called Troop of Echoes, House On Fire and Cockslap?).


Looks like I will be sleeping in the living room next Easter. I don't mind. It means I'll probably just listen to my Brian Eno albums and look at the ceiling all night, or the stars if I really feel bold. Not a bad way to end a night if I do. Or hopefully Tim and Katie will take me out somewhere, or we'll all do something as a family.

Speaking of Brian Eno, I have been listening to "The Big Ship" for quiet possibly 20 minutes now, on repeat. You should probably all do the same at least once every 5 days.

Meeting with Mike Sunday, should give me enough motivation to work my ass off until then.

Shower then sleep. But not before listening to The Big Ship one more time...ok maybe two...

Whew, ok, lets begin.

Sunday: Adrian Belew kicked ASS. Major major amounts of it. Set list was the same as "Side Four" except "Theela" was replaced with "Neurotica" which was fucking AWESOME. Our seats were on the side of the stage looking straight on, perpendicular towards "normal" seats. Which meant that we couldn't see Julie, but Adrian 60% of the time and EVERYTHING Eric did. His right foot was fucking amazing to watch. It was like getting kicked in the ass. I made a comment after they came on for the Encore to him about real men not drinking water. He posed for me to make us both laughed, and that's when Adrian decided it was a good idea to shine a spotlight on him and introduce him! Oops, sorry bout that Eric. Andre of Project/Object and Don Preston's Ensemble was Adrian's tech, said hi to him briefly, he remembered me! Cut it short because Adrian had a cold and wanted to get out of there, can't blame him. Had a lovely ride with my dad on the way up and back, good conversation although I might have stretched it. Oh well.

Yesterday: Not much, school blows, I composed more, that's about it.

Today: Not much. Dan Stone accidentally opened the door and jammed my middle finger on my right hand, it still hurts, but getting better. Oh well, just keep it cracking and under hot water. Overheard a conversation in Digital photo about a kid driving from CCRI to his house at 115 MPH. And he was drunk. What a grade A fucking moron.

Mr. Healey's Professor Mr. Cardene was in as a guest conductor. He was excellent and made the band sound amazing. I'm realizing rather than bitch and bitch about how wind instrument exercises don't apply to me, I'm adjusting them to my stringed instruments, and finding breath control exercises actually DO help me with my technique. Who saw that coming? It's to the point where they don't even address the fact I'm not a wind instrument anymore, which is good.

Home: Dog walking, homework (although studying for Physics will suck), must dress up tomorrow for teaching, but after that I'm done for 2 weeks! Hooray!

Talked with my parents. Apparently we're going up to NH for Easter to see my cousin and aunt and uncle. Haven't been to that house in years. Last time I was there was possibly between 7th and 8th grade summer, I think. So that makes it roughly 5 years. I remember watching the reports of the iraq war and how we just started to invade, thinking "God damn, I hope this ends soon"... and it's 5 years later.

Apparently Katie (cousin who is a light tech for Porgy and Bess) is going to Russia in the summer, and trying to get me an intership for lightning or orchestra. They would use the Orient Express as a means of transportation. I would be ecstatic if I got it, but I also have obligations at home that are once in a life time as well. Who knows what will happen to A Troop of Echoes after this summer. I honestly don't know. To keep on going would be amazing, but I don't know what Nick is up to. He's mentioned going to Montreal, so there is a chance this is the last summer for The Troop. And the intership would be 6-8 weeks which would be prime recording and show time in the summer. I don't know. I would love an intership but I secretly hope that it might fall through... I look forward to going up there, although I need to brush up on my poker if Tim is there and expecting to play...

Speaking of Troop, our show friday was cancelled. Fucking building managers in Providence... It was going to be a great show, and I have literally been jonesing to play out. One for the sake of my musicianship, two for my new rig needs to get out of the house...

Had to go out and pick up some yogurt for mom, as I ate the last one that was in the fridge for weeks, only to find out tonight she was going to bake brownies with it. D'oh! Try Rite-aid, CVS and Cumberland Farms, nothing. Reach a compromise and go to Stop and Shop getting yogurt for baking and myself to eat, and breakfest foods and I've had to steal "weight watcher" bagels in order to have something in the morning. A few times there was nothing for breakfest food in the house, so I just gulped down juice and waited until Lunch... Glad that won't happen this week. Had a feeling I would see a teacher in Stop and Shop, just hoped it wasn't one I hated. Feeling was true, as Mr. Cannon comes up to me in the checkout line. We talk about senior project and goings on, he's fine, I'm fine, polite small talk. The woman behind the counter rings up my purchase as a Stop and Shop Super Saver when I didn't have a card. I realized on the way home I don't think I said thank you, and felt a little bad. Oh well.

More dicking around on the internet, some bass here and there but today was small due to the finger jam and the rehearsal today. Shower then bed.

Last time I updated was Tuesday, so I guess that means time for a quick recap


Wednesday: Teach the class of second graders. I oddly take command and find out I'm pretty good around kids. Who knew? The lesson has a few bumps because we really didn't prepare, but next time we'll do better since we know what to expect.

Thursday: Mrs. Mac continues to chew all of us out and shows that she is generally not a very good teacher by not telling us standards for things until she starts grading them. I can take criticism, especially on a project like this, but she goes past the point of criticism almost into degrading comments. I stand there and take it, because whatelse can I do? I later talk to Meagan and find out she is starting to hate her, so it's not just me. I really don't know a single person who thinks she is a good teacher. Mediocre teachers can at least have the saving grace of being nice. My math, english and civics teachers come to mind. Not the best, but they at least have their strong points of personality and being understanding and fair graders.
Meet with someone about buying the guitar.
Meet with Mike at the FAC. He kicks my ass talking about my composition, as he should. We listened to compositions such as Ives, Glass and others... Listening to the Glass violin concertos makes me change my perspective on him. He's amazing now, but please keep him the fuck away from the synthesizer, thank you.


Go home and change my thinking on the composition. Sleep


Friday: Not much, but a very very good day. Not as shitty as the rest of the week. Listen to "The Velvet Underground" for the ride. Get some sweet pleasure out of blasting "Venus In Furs" while driving by the ocean, especially in the hazy fog that morning had.

Home, start working on composition. Take a break to run out and buy bass strings. Listen to "Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima" on the way up and the way back. Daddy's Junkie Music was oddly quiet for a friday night, but it was nice, if only for a second.

More composition when I get home. Get near bar 50, feel tired. Take a break and change my strings while watching Futurama. Never start the composition again.

Wake up this morning, start into the composition, 2 hours pass and get very far, another 50 bars and very happy with the results. Again, another break until tonight.

Adrian Belew tomorrow! Tickets are sold out. Looking forward to it.

When it rains, it pours...

Urgh, what a day.

Wake up, do the old "I'll shut my eyes for a second" and then notice that I'm dreaming. Oh joy... wake up with 6 minutes to 7, throw on some jeans and a shirt and grab Smashing Pumpkins "Gish" for the ride in. Step outside to warm up my car... and it's 50 out. Well ain't that somethin!

School is slowly breaking me down...

In Spanish Mrs. Mac has become so irritating, so abrasive and so rigid in her ways that I'm really getting tired of it. This whole "Teaching elementary school kids spanish" is really making me nervous... We split the work up threeways which is fine with me. Tell Mrs. Mac that we start tomorrow, she is noticeably ticked, but we needed to start early. Honestly, for some reason her words tend to be forgotten the most out of my teachers... But what can you do. It will be nice to have a week off in the middle as J is on vacation.
J is nice but I don't know, there's something about the fact she never really wears properly fitting clothes, or a belt, that kinda makes me wonder, but I think I might just be prying into her life too much...

English class consisted of a debate. I kept quiet mostly as I realized my class is full of cocky assholes who take competition way too far.

Physics was alright. Mrs. Krous did a demonstration with a Troll doll and remarked it was cutest butt she'd ever seen on the doll, then turned it around and asked me. Joe from the back said "It's lose-lose!".

Had to stay after school for 10 minutes, check in with "After school hours" for senior project. Felt bad considering I didn't really have anything to give them but they couldn't dock me for it...

Got home, internet, took dog out on short walk (on account of the rain) listening to 3 Tom Shields songs, forgetting how good they all. Homework, then out to meet with Mike.

Except I forgot my senior project folder, and I have to turn around and get it. Leave a notice on Mike's voice mail apologizing. Get to FAC and basically wait for him. Get a call from him and he tells me he had a dress rehearsal for a gig that he forgot about. I'm pissed but understand. Not angry at him, at the day, but I was looking forward towards it. Get dinner at The Pizza Pocket, which is under new management. Was kinda iffy. I missed the old look of the place. The chalkboard walls and the checked tiles was it's charm, especially the really nice kid behind the counter. Slow, but funny. Always let me have free bottles of water and soda considering Pete and I would always walk in around 2 AM. I guess I have to wait and see what happens next time I'm on campus and if I want to eat there or not.

Back home, a little veg time, but then work on name tags for the class tomorrow. Watch Family Guy. Then a little guitar. My soloing is still sloppy and not as tight as I'd like, but I feel like I'm improving, which is nice with out any actual practice.

Internet, blagging, then shower and bed...

Tomorrow is the worst, and final, day of the three part hell...

Whoooo boy.

Friday: Not much to say except I was glad the weekend was here. Stayed at home and just vegged, played a lot of bass. Tested out the DI in the head, pretty damn good. Was nice to just stay in...

Saturday: Again, nothing until night. Parents went out to dinner, I went out to meet up with Jay so we could grab food and then go driving into the great unknown. Drive through Route 44 and then through god knows where. Hit Pascoag, Burriville and then went into a "neighborhood" which was really semi-paved roads through the backwoods of northern rhode island. 2 hours later we decided to hop on the highway, and then see signs for "Providence, 15 miles". Apparently were were a good 15 miles into Massachusetts, my guess, but god knows how long we were ACTUALLY there. It was fun though. Listen to a bunch of Zydeco (Jay has a bunch on her computer, gotta ask for a mix, it's great stuff), ironic hip-hop, classic indie and pop, and then The Soft Bulletin on the way home. See the lights of Providence coming south to "Sleeping On The Roof" with the stars visible in the sky was just amazing. Listened to A Post Modern John on the way up and the way home, the Macfest disc. Startled at how good of an album it is. Honestly, axing two songs (that i think were just not going well live anyway) and it would be a great first LP for APMJ. Which leads us to...

Sunday: Finally, picking up the One-celled-Hammond-Organism from Jon. Went over to his house around 1:30, he first played us a new piece he recorded. I had heard it before from past Luaus and shows, but it was nice he finally had something archived and ready to be recorded. Then got the Hammond organ ready for transport. It now sits in our basement waiting to be cleaned so we don't burn dust, but my is it sweet... Can't wait to learn to play the thing.

Later in the evening, Justin came over and we jammed. It sure felt good to play music again, and what we did was I think the best stuff we've ever done. Tonality ahoy! Certainly doesn't have to be a bad thing. He heads home, I have dinner and go to bed.

Today: The one good thing about having math early in the morning is that the room is located so that the sun slowly moves across my seat and warms my legs... Not a bad way to start the day. Things are fine until around Digital Photo where it's clear I am one of three people paying attention. Erin Moone sits next to me and is not paying attention. Fine, not that I care. She plays solitaire on the computer. Teacher sees, asks her to close it. She closes and then turns to me and Brendan to bitch about. Saying how she was so sweet freshmen year and then she doesn't have her for 3 years and she turns into a bitch. I replay saying how it couldn't have been anything she could have done, and she just replies with a "pssh, whatever". Yes, because it is never your fault. Ever.

The "I hate people mode" lasts throughout lunch where Bill cheers me up by throwing Arcade Fire on. It gets me back to where I need to be.

Stay after school with Jaime and Melanie. We work on posters for Spanish project and make some headway. I run to CVS to buy posterboard. Stay until 3:10 until we head towards the elementary school. Touch base with Mrs. DeLuca, she seems fine our lesson plan, says all the kids are eager for this... Oh boy, way to make me feel nervous...

Day one of the three day hell fest is over at school...

Home, then short dog walk. Homework, then some composition/transferring/copying. Hopefully will get this done by the end of the week. Also, Dad ordered tickets to Adrian Belew (FINALLY) and there were apparently only 5 left! So we're on the side, but it's a small venue. I won't mind...

Gas up my tank, made and agreement with my mom that if I spend money i was saving for gas on pizza for the family she'd let me use her ATM for gassing up my tank. Aaaah, I forgot how satisfying a full tank of gas is.

Play bass along to Tom Shields. I'm realizing that as much as I talk about the band, I was not perfect, or at least not part of the problem. I never practiced, but the idea that it was all "roots-rock" made me feel fine like I could fake it, so I would make the same mistake on the same songs in rehearsals. I should have practiced more. Honestly at that first gig it seemed like it was going fine, fuck, this might actually work! Until Tom busted a string and didn't have an extra. Oh well. I should email him and tell him I was sorry, and keep me in mind for future projects.

Internet, relaxing to Martin Bradburn, The Flaming Lips and Gavin Castleton.

Shower and then bed.