Mixture Posture: October 2017

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Warning: Adult Language within the video in this post
Found the video below through an article, but before I send you to the article, the name of the band mentioned within the article has adult language. There. Now you may click the link to read the article: http://www.metalinjection.net/video/dude-plays-metallicas-some-kind-of-monster-riff-for-two-hours-straight

2:10 These are the clowns that scrath these boobs

I have an Android Smart Phone

The Complete Guide to Improving Android Battery Life

Cleanse the Pallet with last night's Tune

Cherry

Against my better judgment, I watched the video below after reading this publicist's email:

Hey what's up?

We just dropped an experimental Hip Hop music video that we shot in South Korea and thought it would be a good fit on your blog if you're feeling it!

'HoneyBerry' is the first single from the debut EP 3MOTIONS which drops on October 31st.

Would love any feedback and consideration on the blog if you're digging it!

Thanks..

Warning: Adult Language within the videos in this post

I actually like this tune, from 2014, better:

No B L?!?

Don't accidentally overdose on black licorice this Halloween - The Food and Drug Administration has reminded folks to keep their black licorice consumption to a minimum, CNN reports. Too much can cause health problems such as irregular heart rhythm, especially in people over 40.

Cleaned the House

Here are 202 links which, quite possibly, could exist in other blog posts or on the "Get Your Political Opinions Here" page, but because it's the end of the month, I wanted to purge the folder into which my post ideas are stored. There are too many subjects in this list to accurately assign labels to this post so venture at your own risk!

The Petty Foo Connection

Linkin Park & Friends Celebrate Life in Honor of Chester Bennington

Ideal Compliment to Existing Kit

From new york > brooklyn > for sale > musical instruments - by owner comes an ad for some Ludwig Vistalite drums. Before I get to that, though, here's some thoughts.

The ONLY reason I am mentioning this ad is because it would be the perfect compliment to my existing Ludwig Vistalite set. I have a 24" bass drum and a 13" tom so having two slightly smaller sizes would be really cool. Of course, this is assuming I would want to play double bass, which I have tried at various times over the last 37ish years without a lot of success. I now think I might consider purchasing a double bass drum pedal (playing two beaters on a single drum head) in a band, but I don't envision myself setting up a drum set with two bass drums at a gig in the band I hope to join someday.

And that, actually, leads me to a revelation. It has now been 1165 days (3 years, 2 months, 1 week, 1 day) since my last gig as a drummer in a band. Is this a clue that I'm not supposed to play drums in a band? Is it really supposed to take over 1000 days to find my Ideal Band? It makes me question whether I need to (gulp) sell my drums and give up.

That's a very scary thought to be stewing around in my brain.

Vintage Ludwig Vistalite Drums Clear - $1400

A lovely kit that as been restored with love and care.

Priced to sell or best offer

Shells restored. In great condition.
-new Ludwig chrome hoops top and bottom (New old stock)
-all claws, t-rods, some diamond tom tom mount and several lug casings were replaced. New old stock from Ludwig
-internal muffles and a few lug casings were replaced (NOS)
-New bass drum hoops

14 x 22 Bass Drum
8 x12 Tom Tom
16 x 16 Floor Tom

So Disappointing

I don't get excited anymore when I see this in my email:

Teases like that have disappointed me in the past and today is no exception. Investigating further, I found this:

Job description
Our client is seeking an experienced Mortgage Originations - Operations Support Analyst to join their growing company. The Mortgage Originations - Operations Support Analyst will research and respond to items related to second line of defense such as quality control & compliance responses, will prepare files and responses to audit request, support the VP, Origination - Operations Support in the build out of the disclosure process and assist the Manager in implementing process changes and training.
Please note, this is an in-office position. Must be commutable to the office, remote work is not offered for this opportunity*
Seniority Level: Entry level
Industry: Banking Financial Services Real Estate
Employment Type: Full-time
Job Functions: Information Technology

Duties & Responsibilities

Research and write clear and accurate responses during the quality control and compliance review process

Collaborate with the Quality Control and Compliance departments to ensure the implementation of new and revised policies and guidelines are incorporated in the quality control and compliance reviews and responses address accordingly.

Research, write and prepare materials and responses for audits as requested

Archive all updates, revisions, and deletions for all responses for easy access

Establish a process for timely and compliant delivery of disclosures per all federal and state regulatory requirements.

Monitor that all regulatory deadlines for disclosures have been met

Provide input to the technology team in system changes required to meet all disclosure regulatory requirements.

Execute, promote and support continuous improvement of the origination platform

Working with the origination team, integrate approved project changes into appropriate loan life cycle, systems, reporting and processes

Perform other duties or projects as requested

Required Knowledge & Skills

Demonstrate excellent communication skills, both written and oral

Communicate effectively with management, process owners, stakeholders, and other audiences

Possess excellent writing and editing skills

Detail-oriented, enjoys working with complex projects, and has excellent multi-tasking skills

Strong organizational skills with proven ability to independently prioritize activities

Strong work ethic and ability to work in a fast paced environment

Required Education & Experience

Bachelor’s Degree required

Minimum 3 years mortgage origination experience

Minimum 5 years policy/procedures or technical writing

Experience working with various authoring tools such as Adobe RoboHelp

Proven ability to develop strong working relationships and establish a high level of credibility across functional lines of business and organizational levels

Proficient in Microsoft Office applications

APPLY TODAY FOR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION!!!!

Does the author of the job ad really believe that four exclamation points are going to sway me to apply for this crappy job?

The ROI on a College Degree or Why The Kids are at UNI

No college degree, no promotion?

H o C Ends at 6 Seasons

I was late to the "House of Cards" party. Karen and I were paging through Netflix on Megan's Roku when I saw it. I knew I had heard of it as being a 'political drama' but had no other knowledge about it. The first episode was good enough that Karen and I watched a second, then a third. I don't remember how many we watched in one sitting, but it was more than two. We've been fairly busy lately and haven't sat down to watch it until Saturday, 10/28, when I flipped over to the Roku and we ended up watching the end of Season 1, Episode 11. you can read about Season 1 here: House of Cards (season 1)

I'm not sure I will ever watch the rest of the series. nd have many more episodes to go. Per this article that was published yesterday, “House of Cards” [was] Officially Cancelled. From the article, here's the juicy tidbit:

In the wake of star actor Kevin Spacey’s homosexual pedophilia scandal, it was announced that the show will end after its sixth season.

Honestly, I cannot say I'm a huge Kevin Spacey fan, though his work on "House of Cards" is quite good. Karen didn't like the way "Francis" looked at the camera to say something directly to the audience anymore in "House of Cards" than she did when Deadpool did so the first time in the back of the taxi in, duh, the "Deadpool" movie. Yet, despite that irritation, we both sat and would watch the show. I will say I'm not super-duper invested in the characters on the show so maybe it's one I don't finish.

Insane Things Happening in Pro Wrestling

Monday, October 30, 2017

In No Particular Order

Some professional wrestling news:

Where I Work

Hero Lasts to the End

What IA can expect on 11-4-17 when OSU comes to Kinnick . . . GULP!!

Wish it Wasn't a Monster

The next episode of "The Walking Dead" is called "Monster" and... wow, it's difficult to use 'cliche' and the series in the same sentence but I need to: there's not a better title? When I hear the word "monster," I don't think about Halloween or even "The Walking Dead" at all. My brain goes to Skillet....

before slipping towards the mighty METALLICA!!!!!

All that said and despite my grumbling on a Monday AM, Trev already has his 'predictions' video posted for the episode on Sunday, November 5, 2017:

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Get Some!

Spoiler Alert for TWD

3 Freshmen Combine for 38 Points

First things first: the Iowa Hawkeyes' mens basketball team won with a somewhat convincing final score of 105-81. The game was last night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The margin of victory is 22 points. My first reaction is I wouldn't call that 'bad' or terrible for Iowa to win by 22 - a victory is a victory - but I do have to hope that the margin of victory increases in their next game. Traditionally, Iowa men's basketball games at the start of the season are against teams that should be blowouts. Seriously, what were the betting odds for William Jewell College to enter Carver-Hawkeye Arena and win? The men's team is expected to defeat their opponents early in the season rather easily - and that's just being honest - so I would expect a 25 point victory. Yes, 22 is only 3 less than 25 (duhhhh!) but I'm just saying I hope they defeat their next opponent by more than 22.

As for the 3 freshmen - Luke Garza, Jack Nunge, and Connor McCaffery - combining for 38 points, that is good news for the team. Iowa player Christian Williams has decided to leave the team and continue his college education closer to his home in Decatur, IL, per the press release, so that does open a scholarship for Connor, who had been planning to red-shirt this year.

One quick note about Williams: Decatur, IL, is not far from Iowa City. It's 237.8 miles (per google) and a short 3 h 39 min away. I can understand the excuse to go to college closer to home for a player that comes from, say, California or Texas, to Iowa, because those states are further away. For example, California is 1,527 miles from Iowa (roughly). So that makes sense. Saying you want to be closer to home when you are 3 1/2 hours from home? That doesn't feel right. Maybe it is legit. Here's an article about the decision that raises the same type of speculation (which is all it is - I have no intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the team: https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2017/10/26/16555778/point-guard-christian-williams-to-transfer-iowa-basketball-hawkeyes-connor-mccaffery. There's also this article in the Gazette that compiles quotes from interviews over the summer: http://www.thegazette.com/subject/sports/college/mens-basketball/christian-williams-leaves-iowa-hoops-20171026. Again, I have no intimate knowledge of the situation but I question the reason cited. I wish Williams well and I hope he finds what he is looking for in his final two years of college.

Per the article and the box score below, Connor scored 5 points, all from the free throw line in 18 minutes of action. Am I supposed to be impressed?!?

Here's a Big Ten Network clip after the game:

GO HAWKS!!

Some RR Briliance

Why Aren't You 60?

Friday, October 27, 2017

From Thursday

From CBS2/FOX 28

In the wake of a controversial list surfacing at West High School in Iowa City, students and staff have joined together in a show of solidarity against misogyny and sexism. The list, created by three male students at the school, contained 92 names of past and present female students, with a letter grade attached to each name ranking the females in terms of physical attractiveness (A being the most attractive, F being the least attractive, and then a category S, which students speculate means 'Superior'). When the Google spreadsheet of names and grades became public, the reaction from the West High community was swift and strong. Many students took to social media to voice their concerns, some critiques more explicit than others. Junior Lauren Upchurch was on the list, along with some of her friends. She said the list was hurtful to many girls who already battle insecurities, some related to their physical appearance. Lauren, who received a C, made a poster with five positive adjectives starting with C, as a way to "take back the power and reclaim the letter." After the list circulated on social media, social studies teacher Megan Johnson decided to organize a gathering for students who wanted to talk about the list and do something proactive to empower women. "I don't know if it's like a rite of passage for high school boys to rank young women, but it's not acceptable," Ms. Johnson said. "Boys will be boys is silly and not acceptable. They need to be held accountable."

Shark Attack!!!

An Evening With MH

In September 2017, I missed this article about Machine Head's future plans: Machine Head to release ‘Catharsis’ in January; North American tour announced, but I saw it today. I noticed a Tuesday, February 20, 2018, gig at Wooly's in Des Moines. "Catharsis" is the band's 9th album and it got me thinking about them. I remember seeing them open for Trivium in Cedar Rapids, but, even with that, I've never gotten into them as a band. Maybe I should?

Big Baloons

Ellen DeGeneres Criticized For Breast-Ogling Katy Perry Photo Tweet
This is the tweet in question:

Speechless....

Hit Hard

Full disclosure: I know little about Hole's material. I wouldn't have been able to name any member of the band, except Courtney Love, until I read this article about Patty Schemel's new book: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/vb794j/holes-drummer-shares-her-brutally-honest-tale-of-90s-grunge-and-addiction

Not zombies, vampires!!

Doctors in Malawi condemn mob attacks amid 'vampire' rumors

128 Words

128 Words to Use Instead of "Very"

My Answer to the Question that Never is Dumb

I had a meeting on Wednesday with the team leads in one of the teams in my department. I showed them my structure and how their content would fit in. I was asked one very difficult question, but I answered it well.

I was asked, "Can you print all of this?" I smiled.

It's the same thing I have been hearing for the 20ish years in my career - online is fine, but I want a piece of paper. The trick with my disaster recovery documentation is that I am curating, if you will, content in various file formats into a single museum, if you will, with my RoboHelp projects.

Let me walk you through my morning ritual. After I start up my laptop, I navigate to a folder on my Desktop that has a shortcut to the folder that contains a batch file with the following commands. To run the MS DOS batch file, I double-click it:

REM | 20171027 - The purpose of this file is to get all the files in the s:\disaster recovery planning folder
REM | with these file types:
REM | *.csv
REM | *.jpg
REM | *.png
REM | *.ppt
REM | *.pptx
REM | *.pdf
REM | *.txt
REM | *.vsd
REM | *.vsdx
REM | *.vsdm
REM | *.xls
REM | *.xlsx
REM | *.zip
REM | to the local c:\rh\drm\[filetype] folder so that when I generate
REM | the DRM project, the most up-to-date files are included.
Cd\
C:
del c:\rh\drm\csv\*.* /q
del c:\rh\drm\jpg\*.* /q
del c:\rh\drm\png\*.* /q
del c:\rh\drm\ppt\*.* /q
del c:\rh\drm\pdf\*.* /q
del c:\rh\drm\txt\*.* /q
del c:\rh\drm\vsd\*.* /q
del c:\rh\drm\xls\*.* /q
del c:\rh\drm\zip\*.* /q
REM | Begin CSV Files
xcopy "s:\Disaster Recovery Planning\*.csv" /s C:\RH\drm\csv
xcopy "s:\Disaster Recovery Planning\*.jpg" /s C:\RH\drm\jpg
xcopy "s:\Disaster Recovery Planning\*.png" /s C:\RH\drm\png
xcopy "s:\Disaster Recovery Planning\*.ppt" /s C:\RH\drm\ppt
xcopy "s:\Disaster Recovery Planning\*.pptx" /s C:\RH\drm\ppt
xcopy "s:\Disaster Recovery Planning\*.pdf" /s C:\RH\drm\pdf
xcopy "s:\Disaster Recovery Planning\*.txt" /s C:\RH\drm\txt
xcopy "s:\Disaster Recovery Planning\*.vsd" /s C:\RH\drm\vsd
xcopy "s:\Disaster Recovery Planning\*.vsdx" /s C:\RH\drm\vsd
xcopy "s:\Disaster Recovery Planning\*.vsdm" /s C:\RH\drm\vsd
xcopy "s:\Disaster Recovery Planning\*.xls" /s C:\RH\drm\xls
xcopy "s:\Disaster Recovery Planning\*.xlsx" /s C:\RH\drm\xls
xcopy "s:\Disaster Recovery Planning\*.zip" /s C:\RH\drm\zip
REM | Get a List of files that start with "z_obsolete*.* so they can be deleted........
dir "c:\rh\drm\z_Obsolete*.*" >c:\rh\drm\zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz_obsolete_AllFileTypes_fp.txt

When those commands are done, I open SearchMyFiles.exe to find all of the files in these directories:

c:\rh\drm\csv, c:\rh\drm\jpg, c:\rh\drm\png, c:\rh\drm\ppt, c:\rh\drm\pdf, c:\rh\drm\txt, c:\rh\drm\vsd, c:\rh\drm\xls, c:\rh\drm\zip

Here's a screenshot of my SearchMyFiles.exe window:

When those file types have been found, I select each group of files in Searchmyfiles.exe cut the files and paste them into the appropriate sub-folder, as shown below, repeating the process of selecting, then cutting, 9 times, so that each of the 9 file types I'm working with are moved into the appropriate sub-folder in my RoboHelp projects directory structure:

When that process is complete, I open Remove Empty Directories and, with the c:\rh\drm folder specified, I click Scan Folders to find the empty folders and then, to clear out the empty directories in the c:\rh\drm folder, I click Delete Folders to delete the folders:

When that process is complete, I navigate to the c:\rh folder that contains a batch file with the following commands. To run the MS DOS batch file, I double-click it:to the C:\RH folder and run a DOS batch file with these commands:

for /d %%X in (*) do "b:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe" a "%%X.zip" "%%X\" -mx=5
cd\
c:
cd c:\rh
SET Today=%Date:~10,4%_%Date:~4,2%_%Date:~7,2%
ren _root.zip %TODAY%_root.zip
ren CORS.zip %TODAY%_CORS.zip
ren CSSfiles.zip %TODAY%_CSSFILES.zip
ren CSt.zip %TODAY%_CSt.zip
ren CTSNWGroupSupportDocumentation.zip %TODAY%_CTSNWGroupSupportDocumentation.zip
ren drm.zip %TODAY%_drm.zip
ren EpicWordDocs.zip %TODAY%_EpicWordDocs.zip
ren ESC.zip %TODAY%_ESC.zip
ren import_test_files.zip %TODAY%_import_test_files.zip
ren JavaScript.zip %TODAY%_javascript.zip
ren RemoteDesktop.zip %TODAY%_RemoteDesktop.zip
ren scripts.zip %TODAY%_scripts.zip
ren Worddocs.zip %TODAY%_Worddocs.zip
rem | don't forget to change the month number in the next line every 30ish days!
cd\
s:
md "S:\Technical Documentation\_storage\2017\2017_10\%TODAY%"
move c:\rh\%TODAY%_*.zip "S:\Technical Documentation\_storage\2017\2017_10\%TODAY%"

THEN, and only THEN, do I open up my disaster recovery project in RoboHelp and resume my work.

So, back to the question about printing all of this content, here's the rub. RoboHelp is the Help Authoring Tool (HAT) I am using right now. I chose RoboHelp primarily because of its functionality to link to MS Word files and to import the following file types:

I chose RoboHelp over Madcap Flare because of I didn't want to continuously import content into the tool. I have an issue with that. The issue is that once a file is imported into Madcap Flare or RoboHelp or Doc-To-Help, the content becomes part of the project and not easily editable / maintained by anyone other than me. RoboHelp doesn't have the ability to link to other file types, though, which is the same issue that I had with Flare.

Take PDFs, for example. I'm working with PDFs that reside in the folders in the s:\disaster recovery planning folder that someone, other than me, put into that folder. Because I don't own the content within it, I didn't want to import those files into my project - there was no reason to do so. When the PDF is changed by someone else, I would have no way to know and, on top of that, I would have to repeat the import process.

That comes back to RoboHelp's ability to link to the MS Word files in the folder. So while RoboHelp's ability to link to MS Word documents works slick, for the other file types, RoboHelp holds no advantage over Madcap Flare. Thus, my solution for any non-MS Word file type has been to create HTML files for each 'area' (generic term) with links to the csv, jpg, png, ppt, pdf, txt, vsd, xls, and zip files that the team would need in a disaster situation. I have some long-term plans, which include not using the file names as the link syntax to improve user-friendliness. This is a snapshot of what I have created thus far:

Going back to Wednesday, after the meeting with that team, I happened to see the manager in the hallway. I asked how he thought the meeting went and he responded it had gone very well and he thanked me for giving his team the context for what this effort in the department involves. I brought up the idea about being able to print the content and he had a good thought about it. He said that the responsibility for making the content 'print-ready' is on his team. As we discussed it, it became clear that my role is to provide the link to their files. That means the team's files, whether they are XLS or VSD, need to be 'print-ready' so that when I link to them and they are opened, the files are ready to be printed. So, yes, in a disaster situation, there will be a way to print the content, but it's going to be dependent upon the XLS & VSD files being print-ready, which I won't control. It was a good discussion and I felt like I had another shot of 'professional vindication,' which I don't believe can ever be overdone!

Not Compelled

Nope, I'm not swayed a single iota to apply for this job. I think it's an awesome job for an experienced technical writer, but I'm very happy where I am, thank you very much.

Sr Editor - Simulation & Training Solutions
Rockwell Collins Cedar Rapids, IA
Sr Editor – Simulation & Training Solutions

Category: Training
Job ID: 6304
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA
Posted Date: October 26, 2017
Requisition ID: 6304

Want to work with some of the most talented, dedicated people on the planet? Do you value relationships, commitment, innovation and integrity? Want to be a part of a company that has been named numerous times as America’s Best Employer in Aerospace and Defense by Forbes magazine?

Then Rockwell Collins is the place for you. Join our team and build a rewarding career while helping to deliver the most trusted source of aviation and high-integrity solutions in the world.

We are currently searching for a Sr Editor – Simulation & Training Solutions to join our team in Cedar Rapids, IA (1000). A comprehensive relocation package is available for qualified candidates. Employing some of the most talented, dedicated people on the planet is not by chance. People from all over the globe choose Rockwell Collins as the place to build a rewarding career, while helping create and deliver communications, integration, and engineering solutions that our global customers demand so that our world keeps moving and stays connected. It’s an exciting time to become a part of our team. Join us and discover how high your career can soar at Rockwell Collins.

Job Summary

The Sr Editor position is responsible for, but not limited to, processing text and illustrations to develop final reproducible material for military and commercial technical manuals, commercial instruction books, parts lists, and various other technical documents produced by the Publications writing teams. The candidate will perform word processing, editing, grammar check, composing, quality check, and layout of text and illustrations. Additional areas of responsibilities include management of processed text and illustrations, document analysis for content and structure, and delivery requirements to support department and industry standard processes. This is done by working closely with writers, illustrators and publishing personnel to produce a complete deliverable.

Job Responsibilities
Must have highly developed organizational skills and able to work and prioritize multiple tasks.

Must possess excellent grammatical and spelling skills.

Must have strong computer skills, effective facilitator and administrative skills, and be effective in verbal and written communications with excellent literacy skills.

High interpersonal communication skills.

Professional attitude toward work assignments, toward customer relationships, and toward company/department Lean goals and vision.

Must be able and willing to accept responsibility and perform with minimal supervision. * Be a proactive team player who thinks ahead, plans, and suggests solutions.

Have positive attitude toward change and inevitable mid-project course corrections.

Must be able to organize, plan, prepare, and coordinate documents for large-scaled and moderately complex programs with limited supervision within the Publication and Training Solutions department.

Performs as a specialist in specific areas.

Desirable:
Fluent in Commercial and Government standards for the various publication or training products such as Illustrated Parts Lists, Service Bulletins, and Service information Letters.

Literacy in structured authoring (SGML, XML) environment (bookplan structure; ATA task numbering; typical DTDs/schema, elements and attributes).

Experience producing electronic technical data. * Simplified Technical English (ASD/AECMA version) experience.

Familiarity with writing, illustrating and graphic specifications.

Understanding of Lean principles.

Familiarity with MS Word, FrameMaker, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Basic Qualifications
US Citizenship

Ability to obtain a DoD Security Clearance

High School Diploma or equivalent; identified skills and experience

At Rockwell Collins, we believe a solid work-life balance creates a healthy lifestyle and inspires creativity and innovation. We value our people and invest in their development, growth and success at our company by providing development opportunities through Rockwell Collins University, networking, mentoring, and tuition reimbursement.

And that’s just for starters.

Some of our competitive benefits package includes:

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Three weeks of vacation for newly hired employees

Company-paid winter holiday shutdown for most locations

Generous 401(k) plan that matches 62.5 percent of the first 8 percent of eligible compensation you contribute (or 5 percent if you save 8 percent)

An Incentive Pay Plan based upon company performance

Tuition reimbursement

And more

Interested yet? Apply now and embark on your next worthwhile adventure!

Rockwell Collins is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or any other protected status.

15 hours ago

Whoa

Notice the warning?

Usually, that would instantly disqualify the movie from the list of future movies I want to see, but because I rank "The Shawshank Redemption" as my all-time favorite movie, I am intrigued by the trailer to see it, with the caveat that if the reviews depict the movie as being super-duper bloody, I'll change my tune.

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Spit Live

Can v. May

Standard 'language' warning applies to this video.

Agile isn't PERFECT!

Why Agile Doesn’t Work for Large Projects

Love This Tune

I loved playing this tune during my tenure in Uncle Rico the Band.

Damn, I miss playing drums in a band!

9 Years of Construction!

While I was looking for information about RoboHelp in the Adobe forums, I stumbled upon a thread that stated it was under construction and had a 'last modified' date 3/27/2008. I couldn't resist being snarky...

hte OR the

WHY HAVEN'T I HEARD ABOUT THIS?!?!?!?

This is a stream of consciousness post, likely to be updated as I investigate & learn more.

Found this video:

Looked at the amazon.com page and read this:

2Tb model can store 5000 CDs as FLAC - perfect copies of all your CDs forever

Uh, how many CDs do I own?

5000!

Also, on the Amazon.com page, started skimming the product reviews:

Show Me

On This Date, MANY Years ago, THIS happened....

36 Years Ago: Bruce Dickinson Performs First Show With Iron Maiden

Lars

First, I wish I was going to be at this event to listen to Lars Ulrich.

Second, this first image is from a press release I received today.

When I clicked the link in the red square above, I was taken to a site with more details, including this blurb:

I'm convinced there ought to be single-sourcing for the music industry. There's no real reason to have two different writers write essentially the same text in this instance.

Editor's Note: A link to this post has been added to the Single Sourcing page on this blog.

BEST is a Matter of Opinion

While Jason Hook may believe FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's Next Album Is The Band's Best, that is really a tall order. These are my Top 5 FFDP tunes at this specific moment - subject to change, based upon my mood.

Notice, if you will, that their cover of "Bad Company" is not on the list; nor is "Never Enough" or "The Bleeding" from their debut.

Cancer SUCKS!!!!!

METAL CHURCH Drummer STET HOWLAND Undergoes Spinal Tap

Frank Funnies

Met in Paris

Hoot Hoot!

Initially, I stopped reading this article before the first sentence was complete. I read "Last Thursday, mere hours before his eighth solo album was released, Darius Rucker" and stopped.

What?

Darius Rucker has released seven solo albums? Really?!?

I cannot name a single tune from any of those albums.

In disbelief of my ignorance about this talented musician, I continued to read Darius Rucker and the Perplexing Whiteness of Country Music and am happy I did. The final two paragraphs are an example of writing that is riveting:

Maybe even posing that question is foolish. Rucker, for his part, seems largely disinterested in reflecting on his legacy as a black pioneer. Music is music, he repeats; he doesn’t seem to believe in (or, at least, wish to dwell on) his own striking exceptionalism. He has expressed his feelings about racism before, in song: in 1994, Hootie and the Blowfish released “Drowning,” an indictment of American bigotry that specifically references the Confederate flag hanging above the South Carolina statehouse (“Why is there a rebel flag hanging from the statehouse walls?”).

Country, as a genre, is obsessed with notions of patriotism, of purity, of some nondescript American-ness. Rucker has faced vitriol for his views, and for his work. “Hate mail has been a part of my life. That’s just the way it is,” Rucker said, in a 2014 interview with the Wall Street Journal. “People don’t want me singing country music. But I’ve never wanted to let anybody tell me what I can do.” It is in this way that Rucker is most essentially American: he has insisted on a path of his own, on breaching a frontier.

Well done.

Organization Recap

As a follow-up to the Kirkwood class on 10/23, I liked it. I liked Jennifer and Jenny, the teachers, and I can envision taking them up on their offer to come to my house and look at what I have in the den and to offer suggestions. I learned a lot in the class and I won't regurgitate all the content of the class here - attend the class if you are in the Iowa City area - but I will say, one thing that came from attending is that I should have the disposition that I have a specific amount of space and when that space is full, I don't get any additional space.

I have broken that rule. I know I cannot abide by that rule.Why? Well, I have some plans.

the current 10 Year Project is due to conclude on 12/31/2021. I'll be 52 when it ends.
after I finish that 10 Year Project, I have a vision of embarking on yet another 10 Year Project, which would begin on 1/1/2022 and conclude on 12/31/2031 - I'd be 62 when it ends.
after I finish that 10 Year Project, I have a vision of embarking on yet another 10 Year Project, which would begin on 1/1/2032 and conclude on 12/31/2041 - I'd be 72 when it ends.

Each of the 10 Year Projects after my current 10 Year Project involves purchasing 24 x 200 page spiral notebooks - so I have 48 more notebooks to purchase - which means I will have 72 notebooks, if I follow through with the plans above on 12/31/2041. I should also mention I currently have Rubbermaids in the sump pump storage room that contain my journals from 1989 on. I don't really look at them often, but it comforts me to know I can go back and look at them. I have reread my college-era journals in the past. There was a period of time after Karen and I were married when I used my "journal" to Scotch tape drafts of songs I wrote and (I think) returned college term papers / assignments in my journals at the expense of not writing about what was happening. If I could go back in time, I'd tell myself to NOT stop writing about 'life' at the expense of doing what I was doing. It's kind of a black hole as I know there were many things happening in life that I could have wrote about but, because I didn't, I cheated myself.

The other part of that equation is that I was drinking booze from when Karen and I married on 8/7/1993 until 12/31/2010. I had a couple of false starts on journals during those 6355 days (17 years, 4 months, 3 weeks, 3 days), but there wasn't anything like what I am doing now. I remember I did intend to have a 40 year project, that would last from 1/1/1995 - 1/1/2035. I had figured out there were 14600 days, if I multiplied 40 x 200 even though, in reality, there are 14610 days. I had a vision that I would write a single page every day for those years. I would purchase 73 x 200 spiral notebooks and number the pages as I do in my current 10 Year Project, which is, for my current volume / section, there are 78 pages, so it is numbered "1-77" and the back of that page is numbered "2-76" all the way to the end of the section. The last 'front' page is numbered "77-1" and the back of that page is my "Epilogue" page, which has been numbered as "78-0". The idea is I would start at "1-14599" on page 1 of that 40 Year Project and that, on 12/31/2034, I would be writing on page "14599-1" as that project concluded.

As just mentioned, that 40 Year Project became using Scotch tape to capture my past instead of writing about my future.

This is the logic in my head that prevents me from believing I will be able to abide by the rule that you only get a specific amount of space for storing your things. Currently, in the den, there is not room to store 48 x 200 page spiral notebooks. Currently, in the den, there is not room to store the notebooks I used from 1989, through college, and the first years of our marriage. If I did have that room in the den, I wouldn't have those notebooks in Rubbermaids in the sump pump storage room!

Comics v TV

Someday, I really need to read "The Walking Dead" comic book series, but I don't really need to spend the $ on a hobby like that (comic books).

In the meantime, I'll watch videos like the one above and imagine I've read the issues.

Ric Flair at his Best

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Listen to the POWER of the Snare!!

Drums alone:

Full song:

Skippy Iowa Again

Judas Priest, a classic heavy metal band I've never seen live, announced tour dates for 2018. It's a blessing and a curse that they are not playing in Iowa. Their Midwest dates are right around Easter and, thus, it's unlikely I will be able to go.

Mar 13 - Wilkes Barre, PA - Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
Mar 15 - Youngstown, OH - Covelli Centre
Mar 17 - Uniondale, NY - Nassau Coliseum
Mar 18 - Washington, DC - The Anthem
Mar 20 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Center
Mar 22 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
Mar 25 - Ottawa, ON - The Arena at TD Place
Mar 27 - London, ON - Budweiser Gardens
Mar 28 - Oshawa, ON - Tribute Communities Centre
Mar 30 - Orillia, ON - Casino Rama
Mar 31 - Detroit, MI - Detroit Masonic Temple (Holy Saturday)
Apr 03 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater (Tuesday after Easter)
Apr 05 - Green Bay, WI - Resch Center (Thursday after Easter)
Apr 08 - Bloomington, IL - Grossinger Motors Arena (Sunday after Easter)
Apr 10 - Casper, WY - Casper Events Center
Apr 11 - Loveland, CO - Budweiser Events Center
Apr 15 - Kent, WA - ShoWare Center
Apr 17 - Portland, OR - Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Apr 19 - San Francisco - The Warfield
Apr 22 - Los Angeles, CA - Microsoft Theater
Apr 24 - Phoenix, AZ - Comerica Theatre
Apr 26 - Tulsa, OK - BOK Center
Apr 28 - Dallas, TX - The Bomb Factory
Apr 29 - Sugarland, TX - Smart Financial Centre
May 01 - San Antonio, TX - Freeman Coliseum

It's a weird tour schedule. They have two dates in WI and zero in Chicago.

the band's former drummer uses a Ludwig Vistalite set
the list of influences are ones I would cite as good bands from which to glean potential cover tunes.

Guitarists looking for drummer, bassist, singer (rock/alt/metal) (Oak Lawn)
We're both in our 20s, ideally looking for people around our age but that's not a huge factor. We've been in bands before and have a lot of gigging experience. We're both currently employed but able to make room for practice and gigs. Looking to get a solid group of musicians together, play out 1-2 times per month, and have fun while doing it.

Looking to play both covers and originals (mostly covers to start). We've got a lot of influences within the rock spectrum, here's a few we might want to cover:

Alice in Chains
Alter Bridge
Audioslave
Black Sabbath
Candlebox
Deep Purple
Iron Maiden
Led Zeppelin
Metallica
Muse
Nine Inch Nails
Nirvana
Pearl Jam
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Rush
Soundgarden
Stone Temple Pilots
Tool
Velvet Revolver
and so on

We're of the opinion that you can play anything with two guitarists and a bunch of pedals, so we're looking to play some cool, outside-the-box stuff as well as some old standards (read: not looking to get pigeonholed or start a tribute band). Not concerned with doing everything EXACTLY as recorded, we like putting our own spin on things. As far as writing, whatever happens happens, we don't have a specific sound in mind.

We practice in a 100+ year old stone basement with some amateur acoustic treatment; It's not pretty but there's plenty of room. We'd probably be open to travel a bit if you've got a nicer space. We've got a nice 5-piece drum kit (drummers, you'll need to bring your own cymbals), an old Electro-Voice PA, semi-pro level guitar gear, and a pretty cool tube bass amp ('70s Traynor YBA-4); feel free to bring your own gear. Looking to practice once a week.

Shoot me an email if interested, any video/recordings you could send would be awesome, here's some of our (REALLY) old stuff:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdBmy767TWE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcCz6b8G5Gw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTtSOzGTFfI

And here's some more recent recordings (mostly to a metronome):

https://soundcloud.com/user-483528494/sets/the-basement-tracks

Here are the pictures of the former drummer:

Pretty nice set!

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Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Vintage Ludwig Vistalite Drums Clear - $1400

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Monday, October 30, 2017

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Friday, October 27, 2017

Sr Editor - Simulation & Training Solutions

Rockwell Collins Cedar Rapids, IA

Sr Editor – Simulation & Training Solutions

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Thursday, October 26, 2017

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Guitarists looking for drummer, bassist, singer (rock/alt/metal) (Oak Lawn)