What a strange day of ups and downs, revelation and reflection.
Started the day off right by getting the very first Indie Street: Department Of Podcast episode off of the ground. This is very exciting for me... I think that this makes manifest opportunities for us to grow as a *gulp* business: underwriting and syndication are all within reach.
Inundated with phone calls from home early in the afternoon, which made me miss home a bit... true feelings would not surface until later.
Attempted to record a normal Indie Street episode with shit results. Microphone problems, internet problems, application problems... we were all over the place. Hopefully things will be easier tomorrow but if not, our alternative solution will be much more professional (if not as silly/lighthearted). This was depressing.
Turned that negative energy around into the second song that will make the cut for my upcoming record. Dark, melancholic, ambient piece that will make you shriek. Won't be released until the album makes it out. Feeling good at this point.
This was followed by more communication from back home. Gave the walking tour of the place and really got homesick for the first time. I miss my family and friends.
Simultaneously, today really solidified why I am out here. I feel a great deal of pride for what I've accomplished thus far and it's amazing to hear feedback from people whose work I care about just as much as my own. I've been making some great connections, bonds of friendship, and creative work that I'm proud of. I'll be here for some time... I just hope I can somehow recapture what I feel I've lost over the past several months.
8.01.2009
7.30.2009
Popping Off Of Potholes
What a tiring day!
Went to the NSRA DGC in beautiful/podunk Sedro Woolley today. It was amazing there and unlike any other disc golfing experience I've had in my life. Sprawling hills set the scene amidst a lightly wooded course. It was 18 holes, which is longer than I'm used to in the first place. In the second place, the holes are looong. Went by my lonesome and had to basically guess where each basket was, which didn't help. There are pretty big gusts of wind since you're basically in a valley between mountains, which made it all the more difficult. However, the main obstacle here was the heat. Stifling. I usually don't sweat a ton, but my shirt was soaked through by the time I got back to my car. Many of the baskets are "art baskets" which also added to the insurmountable odds of me achieving par... most of which forbid you to overshoot your target with the only openings in the front. In addition to my usual difficulty of finding my somewhat faded discs in longer grass, the sprawling bramble of blackberries running alongside and through almost all of the holes made each one seem all the more intimidating. It's amazing the sense of remoteness I feel out here, even when I leave the island. I was the only one at the course the entire time I was there in what seemed like the middle-of-nowhere.
Afterwards, we promptly went swimming again before testing out our new Indie Street format... I have high hopes for both the normal episodes and the all-new 'Department Of Podcast' episodes.
Oh yeah, I also helped Paul duplicate copies of the new Motorbikes EP. You should get a copy. It's good.
Went to the NSRA DGC in beautiful/podunk Sedro Woolley today. It was amazing there and unlike any other disc golfing experience I've had in my life. Sprawling hills set the scene amidst a lightly wooded course. It was 18 holes, which is longer than I'm used to in the first place. In the second place, the holes are looong. Went by my lonesome and had to basically guess where each basket was, which didn't help. There are pretty big gusts of wind since you're basically in a valley between mountains, which made it all the more difficult. However, the main obstacle here was the heat. Stifling. I usually don't sweat a ton, but my shirt was soaked through by the time I got back to my car. Many of the baskets are "art baskets" which also added to the insurmountable odds of me achieving par... most of which forbid you to overshoot your target with the only openings in the front. In addition to my usual difficulty of finding my somewhat faded discs in longer grass, the sprawling bramble of blackberries running alongside and through almost all of the holes made each one seem all the more intimidating. It's amazing the sense of remoteness I feel out here, even when I leave the island. I was the only one at the course the entire time I was there in what seemed like the middle-of-nowhere.
Afterwards, we promptly went swimming again before testing out our new Indie Street format... I have high hopes for both the normal episodes and the all-new 'Department Of Podcast' episodes.
Oh yeah, I also helped Paul duplicate copies of the new Motorbikes EP. You should get a copy. It's good.
7.28.2009
1, 2, 3, MEN!
I'm becoming more rugged by the minute out here. Learning so much about wild berries and knots over the past two days. It's like boy scouts all over again!
Cool side-effect about being out here: my favorite music from the Pacific Northwest is taking on new meaning. I'm not usually one to quote music in my blog posts (I think it's tacky) but try this on for size:
"Oh person, person we're really missing you. How's that wide river? Are the mountains doing fine? Can you smell the cottonwoods? Is it huckleberry time? Take a nap on a sandbar and we're dreaming of you too... come on home."
Cool side-effect about being out here: my favorite music from the Pacific Northwest is taking on new meaning. I'm not usually one to quote music in my blog posts (I think it's tacky) but try this on for size:
"Oh person, person we're really missing you. How's that wide river? Are the mountains doing fine? Can you smell the cottonwoods? Is it huckleberry time? Take a nap on a sandbar and we're dreaming of you too... come on home."
7.27.2009
"The Boat's Oar"
Maybe it's the influx of wild berries I've been eating, or the frequent trips to the lake, but I've written a TDUH ode to my summer spent at the DoS thus far. It's the first thing that I've actually recorded here, so I'm pretty excited about it. I hope you'll enjoy it and I'd love feedback: positive, negative, or otherwise.
It's recommended headphone listening, for what it's worth.
TDUH - The Boat's Oar
It's recommended headphone listening, for what it's worth.
TDUH - The Boat's Oar
7.26.2009
Are You Eating A Banana?
Topic 1: I began watching Twin Peaks yesterday at the behest of all of my new friends out here and because I'm a huge Lynch fan... this was just something I never got around to. So, watched the pilot and was immediately engrossed. Glad they've got the 'Gold Box' here, it'll be occupying my time. Also, not sure what this means yet, but everyone I live with tells me that the show resembles my new life quite accurately... *DUN* *DUN* *DUN*
Topic 2: Got to talking last night with a really nice guy who is using our recording studio. He's from the Elephant 6 collective. Two words: old skool. One more word: awesome. He, his wife, and even their little girl are all very interesting and really nice to sit and chat with. Talked at length last night about the importance of independent media and, more specifically, college radio. Everyone seems really thrilled with what I've accomplished with radio in my past and there's now talk of establishing a DoS radio station... hopefully much, much more on this very soon.
Topic 3: Spent the day isolated in the venue listening to records and organizing, perusing the zine library. I can tell that this (in addition to booking & this radio business) will quickly become one of my favorite responsibilities here. Can't wait to begin contacting publishers/authors for donations. If YOU have a zine that you'd like in our stacks, please get in touch.
As for tonight, I think it's about time that us non-drinkers head to the Donut House again (one of my favorite new places) since everyone aside from me seems opposed to Cruisin' Coffee even though they're dirt cheap and have cute girls working there.
Oh yeah, and internet addiction is a terrible malady that should never be remedied by heading into a Starbucks. Yeah, they're everywhere out here and yeah, it's convenient but man alive there is certainly a specific type of person that chooses this place over any of the other thousand options within walking distance.
Topic 2: Got to talking last night with a really nice guy who is using our recording studio. He's from the Elephant 6 collective. Two words: old skool. One more word: awesome. He, his wife, and even their little girl are all very interesting and really nice to sit and chat with. Talked at length last night about the importance of independent media and, more specifically, college radio. Everyone seems really thrilled with what I've accomplished with radio in my past and there's now talk of establishing a DoS radio station... hopefully much, much more on this very soon.
Topic 3: Spent the day isolated in the venue listening to records and organizing, perusing the zine library. I can tell that this (in addition to booking & this radio business) will quickly become one of my favorite responsibilities here. Can't wait to begin contacting publishers/authors for donations. If YOU have a zine that you'd like in our stacks, please get in touch.
As for tonight, I think it's about time that us non-drinkers head to the Donut House again (one of my favorite new places) since everyone aside from me seems opposed to Cruisin' Coffee even though they're dirt cheap and have cute girls working there.
Oh yeah, and internet addiction is a terrible malady that should never be remedied by heading into a Starbucks. Yeah, they're everywhere out here and yeah, it's convenient but man alive there is certainly a specific type of person that chooses this place over any of the other thousand options within walking distance.
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