20 Million Bubbles in that Bottle of Champagne
Posted: December 18, 2009 Filed under: Artists, Listening | Tags: Beer, Champagne, Dog Gone Blog, Geologists, James Hetfield, mpomy 1 Comment »A bevy of bits and pieces this evening.
- Ah, the spoils of international mega rock stardom. Via MercuryNews.com:
MARIN COUNTY — Metallica rock band leader James Hetfield has donated to Marin County a 330-acre agricultural conservation easement near his home on land overlooking Lucas Valley.
…The donation is adjacent to another 438.5 acres that Hetfield donated previously as an open space easement. Both donations essentially vacate development rights on the land, preserving it for open space and agriculture, while also providing a massive ring of open space around Hetfield’s home and property.
- Wired on why geologists love beer.
Rick Saltus of the U.S. Geological Survey explained that because geologists often don’t have enough data to say definitively what went on millions of years ago, creativity is needed to fill in the gaps.
“You have to think outside the box, you’ve got to release your inhibitions, and beer is one way to do that,” Saltus said.
Right the fuck on.
- More booze. The WSJ on the chemistry of carbonation in sparkling wine. There are apparently 20 million bubbles in a bottle of champagne. 20 million!
- Dog Gone lists top albums for 2009. While we’re at it, here’s MPomy’s ’09 playlist.
Bluegrass Resolution
Posted: December 17, 2009 Filed under: Listening | Tags: Bluegrass, Jamming, Plans, Resolutions, Tony Rice 2 Comments »
Tony Rice’s “Manzanita,” which I downloaded last night, is another direct hit. I found myself looking forward to putting the album on for the Metro ride home.
I think the bluegrass bender I’m on right now might point toward a good new year’s resolution. It would go something like this. I resolve to learn to play some bluegrass in 2010. Early in the year, I’d invest in a decent acoustic guitar of some sort. Then, starting around March, I’d take some bluegrass lessons. Nice and slow. The goal would be to pick up some basics and learn about six songs, perhaps with some bass (and piano?) thrown in for good measure.
In the summer, maybe there might be a bluegrassapalooza event of some sort out in the country. It would look sort of like the photo above, only with acoustic instruments.
There’s some precedent for all this. In 2007, I resolved to learn some piano. I bought the Yamaha and took lessons for a couple of months. It wasn’t exactly a smashing success – my piano skills are still de minimis – but it was worth it.
At the very least, the bluegrass resolution would make for blog fodder.
Bluegrass Bender Continues
Posted: December 16, 2009 Filed under: Artists, Listening | Tags: Bluegrass, Genesis, Tony Rice Leave a comment »Bits and pieces this evening.
It could be your first time playing in public with Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett in a very long time.
Sure. We’ve just done weddings in the last few years. Time to move along. I think the older you get the more you appreciate the history of what you’ve been through with these people, which is quite nice. And we’re all still alive. That’s a plus these days, too.
- My bluegrass bender continues. Tony Rice’s self-titled debut album has really been hooking, especially the tracks: “Eighth of January” and “Big Mon.” I found myself downright rocking out to those two the other day. The next Rice record I’m going for is “Manzanita.”
Statue
Posted: December 15, 2009 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Washington Leave a comment »I took this over by Lafayette Square yesterday, then tricked it out this evening with iPhoto effects. I can’t remember who the statue depicts.
The Devil Made Sweet Candy
Posted: December 14, 2009 Filed under: Listening, Videos | Tags: Doc Watson, Presidents of the United States of America, Sweet Candy Leave a comment »
- Metro shuffle: “Candy” by the Presidents of the United States of America. Very fitting, given the amount of candy around my workplace these days. It’s hard to escape. A line from the song:
Well the devil, she made sweet candy,
took six days and nights to dream
On the seventh day she rested,
woke up early and made ice cream
- Doc Watson, via Keeler this morning:
Frictionless Commerce
Posted: December 13, 2009 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Christmas, Frictionless Commerce, Tower Records, Yes Leave a comment »I have a couple of nieces and nephews. With the exception of the youngest ones, they get gift certificates for Christmas. I know it may be lazy and uncreative, but it’s also sincere. When I was a kid, I loved getting gift certificates, especially from the record store. In high school, I remember once getting a $100 certificate at Tower Records. That was a thrill. For better or for worse, I spent a big chunk of that sum on Yes recordings. “Going for the One,” “Time and a Word” – these were in my collection on cassette at one point.
I think it was also at Tower where I first experienced the odd sensation of record store paralysis: having some coin to blow in a record store but getting flummoxed and not knowing what to buy once you’re there.
Another thing – this evening, I picked up a few gift certificates at Amazon. I know this sounds like product placement, but it was one of the easiest online shopping experiences I’ve had. I checked several people off my list in about three minutes. In the dot com boom, I think they called that “frictionless commerce.”
Bluegrass Bender Ahead?
Posted: December 12, 2009 Filed under: Listening | Tags: C.F. Martin & Co., Guitars, Tony Rice 2 Comments »Free time ran in exceedingly short supply today. I did have time to download Tony Rice’s 1977 self-titled record off iTunes. I may be in for a bluegrass bender. Not sure.
Also, I got to play maxwellkeeler’s two Martins (six string and 12 string) this evening. Whoo boy. I may also be in for a new guitar shortly. Not sure about that either.
