It’s a Blur

Posted on August 16, 2019 by SusanG

I have been working on this post all week. I would get a version of it done and think I’ll wait a little while to post it so I can go back and re-read it for clarity. By the time I would get to re-read it things would have changed and a chunk of what I wrote needed to be re-written. That’s my world these past couple of weeks. So many things seem to be happening or starting to happen that it’s becoming a bit of a blur. As nice as it would be to think I’ll have a chance to catch my breath after next week, I know that’s not likely. In fact, with the ramp up for my trip it’s all likely to get worse. I’ll be needing that 15 hour flight just to catch a mental break.

Let’s get to blues jammin’

Most of what is going on is what you’ve been reading about. I’m studying, working on “rut busting”, trying to play some music, and getting in some exercise. There are a couple of things that have come up that have pointed out a few more things I have neglected for several years. One of those prompted some scramble work on my part, and the generous help and input of one of my Taekwondo friends. I still need to solve the other item I’ve neglected. Fortunately, I have a plan, I just don’t know how much time I have before that becomes more imperative. At least I have a plan.

I have been studying quite diligently even with trying to get out and get some social in. At last weekend, I finished my study goal early enough to catch a late night movie on Saturday. Then Sunday I managed a score of 100% on my practice test. I considered that a major victory and a good reason to go to the Charlotte Blues Jam. I’ll get back to that in a moment. The day after the blues jam is always a little rough for me. I usually get much less sleep the night of the jam than I really prefer and so the next day at work tends to be tough. I decided, that after work, the day after a jam, was a perfect opportunity to take a stab at a practice test. My reasoning being that if I could get a passing score when I felt brain dead then it was probably a pretty good sign. And I did get a passing score.

Results on the left are for this year, results on the right are for the test I took last year, and passed.

Back to that Blues Jam. I was excited to have gotten the score I did so I was just as excited to be able to go to the jam even though I had not had much practice time. There was a jam a couple of weeks ago that I also made it to. In both cases, we had a fairly small contingent of musicians. The upside when that happens is that you get a lot of playing time. The downside is that it can make it difficult to order food and get to eat it while it’s hot. The first jam, I was up in the next to last band and when we got ready to change over, there really wasn’t anyone else around so we just added another guitar player to our line up and stayed up there for another set. That was kind of cool. Fortunately I have video because at this point so much has happened that it is a blur.

Blues Jammin’.

For this most recent jam, we again, had a small contingent of musicians. And oddly enough, we were kind of lacking in guitar players. That’s really odd because normally we have more than enough. Because of the limited player pool we all got lots of playing time in. I played in four sets and of those, three sets, I not only played, I sang. And this is where I figured out that the short 15-20 minute practices I’ve been getting in, really weren’t enough. I felt a bit out of shape. Still, it was fun. I enjoyed it, even when I started in the right key and promptly got all in the wrong key for two verses. I had fun on the set I didn’t sing. I’ve mentioned before that just seconding can be a nice treat once in a while. This was as well, though, for the most part I felt like I was just trying to hold on. We did songs, I’ve not played before. I’ve heard them though so that was helpful. And I didn’t crash and burn on them so I think it went well. Again, it’s a good thing I have video because it’s another thing that’s on the blurry side.

The really interesting, or frustrating, thing is that this week has been so busy that I still haven’t seen the video from this last jam. For that matter, I haven’t had time to unpack my guitar either. I should get the guitar unpacked a little later today. And the video I’ll probably pull up sometime tomorrow. Then I’ll have a better idea of how things really went.

Singin’ and playin’

Yes, I’ve been studying all week. Except for Wednesday. An opportunity came up to see Joan Jett and Heart for the price of a t-shirt. I put in the effort to respond about it and was rewarded with getting to go. It was a really good seat. The show was really good. The opening act was actually good, though I’m not fond of her vocals, the band played well and the music was good. Joan Jett was especially interesting for me to see. Being a rhythm guitar player who ends up leading the group it was cool to see that on a bigger stage. And yes, she takes a lead once in a while, she is still the rhythm guitar player and I think that’s cool. I’ve seen Heart a few times before. Once in the same venue. This time the sound was better. They played a good show and aside from the couple of songs I don’t like, it was enjoyable. It was however, a long day and a late night. I had my trainer appointment before that an then a mad dash to the show. Needless to say, I got too little sleep and the next day was a challenge. And yes, I used that as an opportunity to run through the practice test again while feeling brain dead. I even felt pretty comfortable with all my answers as I went though it, I only had two that I wasn’t quite sure about. I got another one of those scores of 100. And then went off to Taekwondo class.

Watching someone play

I’ve got just a few more days before my test. It’s on Wednesday. I don’t have much scheduled this weekend, maybe a trip to the fountain area at the shopping center to watch some live music if anything. At least that one is close by. And I’m going to go visit a friend at her new office. My helpful Taekwondo friend recently started a new job and it’s in a really cool building in an area of the city that is getting a lot of renovation and revitalization. Aside from that and weekly ‘need to get done things’ at home, I will be spending my weekend continuing to study for my test. As I’ve said before, I really want to pass the first time.

I’ve still got trip things to pull together. I did pick up all my travel information and such from the travel agent on Monday. Now it’s time to get the bank, and phone taken care of, and make a packing attempt to make sure I can work with the luggage I’ve chosen. I know there is more they just don’t come to mind, fortunately, the travel agent gave me a checklist. And then there is the matter of jam video to edit and get posted. I have a feeling things will continue to look a bit blurry for a while. I’m going to need that 15 hour flight over the Pacific just to catch my breath before the next whirlwind picks me up and takes me all over Australia for three weeks.

Blues jammin’ with the hidden bass player

I’ve include some pictures of this last jam, as well as a comparison shot of my practice score from last year’s test to the practice score for the test I’m taking this year. I really hope that it is an accurate indicator of how I’ll do on Wednesday. With that. I normally try to post on Tuesday or Wednesday, unless of course I’ve had a week like this past one. However, with the test on Wednesday I may wait until after to try to get a new post up so I can share with you the results. Until then I’m going to go study. Cheers.

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Climbing Out of the Rut

Posted on August 6, 2019 by SusanG

Ever notice how easy it is to fall into a rut? We do it a lot, I think. We go to the same places for lunch or dinner. Or make the same meals week after week. We go to the same stores for things we need. We watch the same shows over and over. It’s even easy to fall into a rut with hobbies, or exercise routines. And let’s not forget work. A place that might be easiest to fall into a rut. The thing about being in a rut is that it’s cozy and comfortable. Like a warm numbing blanket. Or maybe like that warm cozy bed on a cold rainy morning when the alarm has gone off way too early. It’s comfortable and we don’t tend to be in too big of a hurry to get up, no matter how bad we have to pee.

Taking the Strat out for a spin at the Blues Jam.

I’ve managed to sink into a few ruts over the past few years. Some of my ruts even have ruts. I was there before I even noticed. And I was good at rationalizing what I was doing there. I couldn’t travel easily because it was hard to find pet sitters. I wasn’t going out because I hadn’t met someone. I wasn’t this because of work. I wasn’t that because I didn’t have someone to do that with. Much of those rationalizations were really just excuses. But I could make them sound like good reasons for not doing something. Or more correctly, not doing something different. 

The problem with ruts is not only that they are comfortable, it can be difficult to see you are in one. Especially the big one where all your little ruts live. If we’re lucky, someone will try to point out that we’re in a rut, or five, and we will actually listen to them and then be able to see it for our self. Most of us, might be lucky enough to have someone point out the rut, we just won’t be able to see it. We have all those rationalizations and the person pointing it out just doesn’t understand or we think they don’t see the whole picture. Been there, done that, got all the swag.

It took some time to even see that I was in a rut. I was making small adjustments to address a few things that I knew I wanted or needed to change. Since I was working on change, how could I be in a rut? Then I had an experience with someone that afterwards let me, or made me start to examine what it was about that experience that I wanted to hold onto. And that’s when I found myself standing in a big fat, freaking rut, right in the middle of my life. So, I had that experience as a recent, in your face, tantalizing example and then, as it turned out, I had a friend that, when he popped up one day in my message app, I realized was another example. The two experiences combined were a bit like looking at that mirror in Harry Potter that shows you whatever your heart desires. Though mine is still a little fuzzy around the edges and there are a few smudges here and there. Holy smokes. I’ve fallen into a rut, or maybe twelve. Now what to do about that?

More work on the new Snowman.

As it turns out, there is a phrase or saying I heard many times when I was growing up that is a big part of the answer to the problem of being stuck in a rut. “If you always do, what you always did, you always get what you always got.” The catch is, you have to know you are in the rut in the first place. 

So have I started to climb out of some of the ruts in my life. I’ve started with small things. For example, I’d like a brand new shiny car. However, mine is paid for and I have other financial priorities right now. So I cleaned my car up, on the inside, I haven’t done the outside yet, so that it looks nice. It doesn’t look neglected or mistreated. Something else I’ve been working on for a few months is my wardrobe. I discovered that the shirts I was wearing to work were wearing out. Which meant I needed to replace them. I did that and then realized that I needed to change-up my style some. Except, I don’t like to shop for clothes. So, I got help. I signed up for one of the online services that periodically send you clothes to try and you keep what you like, send back what you don’t. This has really forced my out of my comfort zone and out of my clothing rut. Though that one is a really deep rut so there’s still more work to do.

Those are just a couple of the more recent adjustments I’ve been making. Certainly the painting in my home this year qualifies, as does all the learning and playing guitar that I’ve been doing. I think in the last year and a half, I’ve learned more and come farther than at any other time. I’m really pleased with that. It has played a part of the climb out of a few ruts, not just my music skills rut.

There are more. Like I said, the big ol’ rut in the middle of my life is made up of a bunch of small ruts. I’ll be working on more of them in the weeks and months to come. I’m kind of excited about it. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes of it all.

And that’s the end of that Blues Jam.

As I mentioned in the last post. There was a Blues Jam. I did attend. I have video. I probably have something to write about it, however, I need to review the video again and also get it edited so I can post it for all to see. That might not happen before the next jam which is coming up this weekend. I’m also still studying for my test. I have it scheduled. It is for a week after my practice tests expire. I was worried about that until I found the option to extend my access to them for 10 days. I’m also less than a month from my trip to Australia. That means it’s time to get down to the business of the details, like what to pack, what to do regarding money, what to do to take my phone, what to pack. And oh yeah, my ride to and from the airport. Details. Details.

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Another Trip to the Valley of Suck

Posted on July 30, 2019 by SusanG

You may have seen me talk about the valley of suck before. It’s that place you visit when you have something you do that you decide to do differently and while you learn that different way of doing it all the progress and comfort you had gained from the way you did it before is no longer there.  The initial results of your efforts don’t turn out the same caliber or quality of what you were doing before you decided to change things up. And it’s always tempting to go back to the original way of doing things. This is the Valley of Suck.

  • When Switching from this to…
  • …this based on book thickness, it looks like it might be easier. That is a delusion.

You can also enter the Valley of Suck by making a seemingly small shift in required knowledge. As an example. I am studying for another test for the day job. I started out studying for the 2012 version of the test and got quite comfortable with the material and thought I was ready. And then the collective decision was made that I should take the 2016 version of the test.  After getting all the way through the book I thought I was doing ok. The first practice test I took was dismal. I was plunged directly into the depths of the Valley of Suck. Sigh.

Look, another Snowman.

The Valley of Suck can also be found when software you are using changes significantly and changes the layout or interface a lot. No matter how great the change are going to ultimately be. No matter how exciting they are they all still require adjusting. And the time it takes to adjust can feel like a trip through the Valley of Suck. The changes may slow down your work so something that took an hour is now taking two. It looks the way you want and expect, it just takes so much longer. Or maybe the algorithms have changed and it takes more work to get used to it. And those are just a few examples.  And a lot of what I am going through with the new release, or release candidate for Blender. Blender 2.80 is quite cool. And the changes and improvements are absolutely worth it. I still have to revisit the Valley of Suck at least to some extent while I get to know the interface and learn new ways of doing certain things.  

And then there is the trip through the Valley when you haven’t been performing for a bit. Be that Taekwondo or playing at a blues jam. You can practice at home to try to get ready as much as you want. When it comes time to get up on that stage and play with others that’s when you find another Valley of Suck that you forgot about.  

Ready for a Blues Jam

Oh. And one other area it turns out has a Valley of Suck. Relationships. When it’s been a while since you had one or just been awhile since you had to make new friends,  you can get out of practice and it can take a little time to get the hang of them as well.

As you can guess, lately I’ve felt like I was living in one version of the valley or another.  It takes some persistence and bullheadedness to keep going and to not let it get to you too much. 

As you might also have guessed, I made it back to a Blues Jam. It went ok. I did debut that song I was working on. I also have video that I will try to get posted in a timely manner. 

Note: I first heard the term “valley of suck” used by Danny ‘Pointpusher’ Williams at a Zbrush Summit. Just want to give some credit.

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Brain Jam

Posted on July 24, 2019 by SusanG

I actually have about three things I think I could write on this week. And since I can’t quite figure out which to choose, or how to get it all out in a coherent manner it feels like there is a traffic jam in my brain. Too many ideas trying to get out, while I’m trying to stuff more information and knowledge into it.

While I’m getting my thoughts for those other items organized, I think I’ll just give you a bit of an update as to what I’m working on and that sort of thing. I have been hard at work making improvements to my living and learning and even getting some project work in.

The Snowman is back

I am still studying for that test. It’s getting more imperative to get the studying done and the test taken. There are two reasons for that. One is that I want it done and passed before my trip, otherwise I might spend another couple of months trying to get back up to speed. The other reason is that the practice tests that I have are only good for 30 days and I’ve activated them so the clock is ticking. I’ll be putting much more study time in over the next couple of weeks.

I’m working on a new song. Well, new-ish for my repertoire. I’ve been working on playing it for a while. Now, I’m ready to add the vocals over top. It’s actually working out pretty good. I’m not quite ready for go live with it. I have a few things I need to get down better before I think I could lead it on stage. I’m close though. There is another blues jam this weekend and it would be nice to be able to play it there, I just don’t think I’m going to get quite enough practice time in between now and then to make it. Definitely something to be looking forward to though. And when I do it, I’ll be sure to get video.

I’ll probably be switching guitars for the next jam. I usually play my Telecaster because I really love the sound. However, for some reason, my back isn’t enjoying it as much as my ears and fingers. Instead I think I’ll be playing my Stratocaster. I’ve been practicing on it so it doesn’t feel awkward. I’ll be nice and comfortable with it.

It might be a guitar body

Speaking of disagreeing body parts. A few months ago I started thinking I needed to get back to a gym, in addition to my Taekwondo. At that time though I was preparing for my Black Belt test and didn’t really feel like I would give it the time and attention to make it worth the cost. After my test and then the break to rest the body, I decided I was ready to give the gym a go in addition to the Taekwondo. There’s a bit of a lead up to what comes next, but it’s not really germane to the point so I’ll skip ahead. I signed up with a trainer. The program they follow is a bit different than programs I’ve been through before so I decided it was worth a try. Admittedly, I’m not in the gym more than once a week yet. However, the exercises they’ve given me to do at home seem to be helping.

The first part of the program is to fix any foundation imbalances, which seem to be the root cause of most of my injuries. After a couple of weeks of doing the home exercises for this the one thing I’ve noticed most is that my shin splints don’t hurt. I’m wearing flat shoes, with little extra support and I’m not whimpering in pain at the end of the day. And I’m not hobbling home after Taekwondo. It’s progress, and I’ll take it.

And the other thing I’m working on, you’ll notice it in the pictures I’ve added to this post, I’m back in Blender. I’ve gotten back to working on that Blender – 3D modeling project that I’ve had in mind since last Christmas. I hit a small snag that I have already adjusted to. And I’m continuing to make bits of progress there. I’ve got two files going for that and I’m about to add a third. So I’m working on more than one segment of the idea at the same time.

Looking more like a guitar body

Blender is about to finally release version 2.80 and it’s a big change. I’ve been working on my project in both 2.79 and 2.80. It’s a little weird to go back and forth. I think I’m going to like 2.80 a bit better. It’s just taking some getting used to. So far Release Candidate 2 is out and I think final release is expected in days. They’ve had some great news lately too. A couple of major studios joining the development fund with the aim to make improvements to Blender in ways to make it easier to for major studios to adopt and to help develop. This is great news.

And there is more going on as well. Most of that is part of the other two ideas I had for this post. I’ll see if I can make enough sense of it to make it interesting to read. No promises. I could get distracted by a shiny new thought before I even get started with text on page.

Enjoy the pictures.

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Leaving Your Mark

Posted on July 16, 2019 by SusanG

There’s been a meme, or a couple of them, floating around Facebook and the internet lately stating things like ‘In a world where you can be anything, be kind’ and ‘You don’t know what someone is going through so be nice’, or something like that. We don’t really know, as we encounter people what, if any impact we will have on someone’s life. It might be fleeting, or it might be the thing that sticks with that person for years. Either way, how we interact with someone will leave a mark. And all these memes seem to basically saying the same thing; ‘what mark do you want to leave’.

I finally gave up a few years ago on the notion that I would be famous or make some big impact on the world. I don’t expect to create the world saving AI like Jarvis in Ironman. It would be cool though. I don’t expect to create massive impressive pieces of art that the world is knocking at my door to buy or display. I’ll watch as my friend enjoys that particular feast. She deserves it. I don’t expect to be a world famous guitar player or singer. I don’t even fantasize about it. I like to play and sing and I think I’m good with what I have. At least for now. Oh, and I don’t have children to ‘carry on my legacy'(please insert your own eye roll here, just don’t strain too much there’s more to read). Even so, I do impact the world. I do leave my mark.

Sewing Machine Cabinet, assembled.

I do this by my interactions with people. I have the opportunity at the jams to interact with my fellow musicians, as well as the people who come to see us. And it takes very little to be kind to someone who has been nice enough to come up to you and tell you how much they enjoyed what you played and how they really like getting to see everyone. Yes, it feels good to hear the praise. It feels really good to know someone had a good time because of what you’re doing.

I have the opportunity at Taekwondo. I interact with people my level, higher than my level, lower than my level, older than me and younger than me. And I try to treat everyone of them with respect. And to be helpful. I also have a standing rule that if a young person (high school or younger) is waiting for a ride after class, if no one is around, I will wait with them. It might be a short wait, or a long wait, it doesn’t matter. I’ll chat with them. It’s fun. I’ve learned stuff and I’ve heard some great stories. In the end, they may not remember me, but they might remember that someone was there.

I recently met someone, who I hoped I would get to spend more time with, alas that doesn’t seem to be the case. The Universe conspired with Lady Luck and Father Time to make the acquaintance a fairly short one. I knew this was going to be the case after a couple of weeks. And yet, I had already gained so much from the encounter. I learned things in general and things about myself. I even remember thinking that no matter what happened, it had been a good experience and I would not have missed it for the world.

Sewing Machine Cabinet, assembled.

You never know when you will be that encounter for someone. That one exchange, that one brief friendship that will impact their world. It might move it ahead, it might give them exactly the comfort or solace they need at that moment. It might help them through a tough time or give them just enough relief from the stress of something. It might even just be a great thing to have in their world that though wasn’t particularly dark or trying it was kind of bland and it brightened things up just enough.

Now, I’ll be honest, I forget this sometimes. I have moments when I have reached overload, I haven’t recognized it, let alone acknowledged it, and I have gone off on some one for, in retrospect no reason that was good enough to justify it. And yes, I really have, and I can actually think of two people specifically. But I do try to make amends when my good sense returns to me. It’s rather a shock when it does. And I am usually terribly upset with my behavior during that time. Fortunately it happens infrequently. The rest of the time, I really do try to make my encounters with people as pleasant as can be. Because, like the meme says, you don’t know what someone is going through. And most of the time, they really are doing the best they can.

So, in the immortal words of Bill and Ted from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, “Be excellent to each other.”

Sewing Machine Cabinet all put together.The inside.

That’s all for this week. My Dad had a birthday this weekend so I spent some time with him. Followed by an episode with a dead carbon monoxide detector in the middle of the night. There was a jam that I was actually feeling up to going to, however; I am still studying for this test and really want to get it over with so I skipped it this time. Since I’ll be missing the one in September, I’m really going to try to make it next month. The pictures are of the sewing machine cabinet all in one piece. I finally managed to get that done. Ready for my sister to pick up and take home.

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