August 23, 2011

Hollow Body

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So I've joined Twitter.


Ugh.

I think maybe I'm overwhelmed with social media. I enjoy Facebook, I keep a handle on updating my web site, I occasionally blog.... Twitter came along because I'm going to use it in place of a news section when my new web site is launched.

But hot damn, there's a lot of information to absorb. I think I'll end up being a bit shy on that part of the interwebs, although it will be great for getting the word out about the new album. It just hurts my brain to see that many updates. At least with Facebook I actually know the people I'm reading about.

Speaking of which, I've finally got dates for the CD release! Yes, dates plural. It will be a double concert so people can choose either the Friday or Saturday. I'll give y'all the details when they are ready, promise.

I'm feeling pretty wrecked about Jack Layton, but I guess there's nothing I can say that hasn't been said more eloquently elsewhere. Still, it feels like a loss for democracy to have a genuine watchdog leave the ring. Not a lot of people demanded real accountability from government - he will be missed. And that letter? Ow, my heart.

In other news, I've fallen in love with a very expensive vintage hollow body guitar. Some girls lust over shoes. Okay, I *occasionally* lust over shoes. But this guitar? Sweet fuck, I would love to cradle that baby in my arms.

Night sugars! I'm going to go dream of a pretty stringed instrument.

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August 20, 2011

What is time, anyway?

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Well folks, I'm feeling very full circle today.


Last week (two weeks ago? everything blends together these days) I went to my high school reunion. It was small, organized by a few friends, and we all just met at a bar to catch up. I played a few songs on the banjo and my buddies set up their band and played heavy metal into the wee hours. Pretty typical of our school, actually. Banjo and heavy metal. My ears were not happy with me the next day.

It was funny.... I'm still in touch with a few of those friends, but I've lost touch with most of them and it was fascinating to see how we've all changed / stayed the same over the last decade. I think it's safe to say we've all put on a bit of weight, changed our hair (or lost our hair, depending), matured.

But generally, it was like nothing had changed. Everyone was still fun and cool and ridiculous. The same people got inappropriately drunk and groped everyone at the table. I still swore enough to make the heavy metal dudes blush. The crazies were still crazy. It was a happy, fuzzy evening where we all remembered why we loved our school so much.

Right. So there was that.

And then today, I'm playing at the wedding of a girl I went to primary school with. We worked it out, and we've known each other for 25 years.

25 years.

That's most of my short life. And when I was chatting with her at the rehearsal, it was like nothing had changed. She's still the sweet, funny, kinda dorky girl she was then. I'm still a bit of a misfit, I still sing. Even back in primary school I was a music geek.

I'll be at the wedding in a few hours and I'll be seated with some friends I went to middle school with - grade 7 and 8. I hated those years and that school, but my friends were good ones, and I met The Colombian then too. He won't be there, but you get the time frame.

Anyway.

Then last weekend I played a gig with a friend I made when I was 10 at summer camp. I haven't seen him since I was 14, and there we were, laughing as if we were still lining up for food in the mess hall.

I don't know if I have a point, but it's really touching how despite getting older and branching out into new communities and friend groups, I can still feel at home with these people I've known for so long. We may not keep in regular contact, we may go 10 or 15 years without talking, but we can slide right back into things as though nothing has changed.

It feels nice.

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July 31, 2011

The things you find in a quaint B&B

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My BH and I went to a really fun wedding in Prince Edward County last weekend. Two of our good friends were getting hitched in the backyard of the bride's parents, and I was playing a song as part of the ceremony. It was a wild and crazy night, with lots of booze, dancing, good conversations and the rare chance to see my BH all sauced.


So sauced that he invented a dance move called "the shower" and wandered around for a while "washing people's hair."

A great evening, all in all.

The county is a beautiful place. We drove around some of the small towns within the area, marvelling at how damn pretty it is out there with the vineyards and the giant oak trees. We also had lunch at the Waupoos cider place, and I fell in love with their peach / apple cider. Drooly.

The weekend ended with a very funny little twist.

We were staying at a small B&B in the main town. It was very typical - floral bedding, conservatively furnished, country style everything. A kind old lady owned the place, and she was very sweet the few times we chatted with her.

I was tidying our room, making sure we hadn't forgotten anything, when I decided to look at the floor carefully in case something had been dropped. I noticed something on the ground next to my bedside table and walked over to investigate.

It took me a minute to realize what it was, as I stood there staring, probably looking quite vacant.

Ah yes.

It was a jelly cock ring. Belonging to a previous guest, in the quaint, conservative little B&B out in the countryside. I covered it up with tissue and threw it out, lest the kind old lady think it was a doggie chew toy.

My BH and I giggled about it all the way home.

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July 19, 2011

Smooth Lines for Talking to DJs

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So.

As some of you may remember, I help out with events run by Ottawa's favourite sex store, because hello, that is a totally predictable thing for a banjo player to do.

We had one of our kick-ass dance parties last Friday and it was, in my humble opinion, one of our best ever. The DJs absolutely kicked it and I discovered a whole style of music I didn't know existed (moombahton - god bless it for being so catchy). We raised some money for a good cause and danced our hearts out in the process.

My only fails of the evening were:

a. Drinking too many martinis. So many that when I got home, I looked in the bathroom mirror and said, "Why won't my face stop spinning?" (I never did get the answer. I passed out roughly 10 seconds afterwards.)

b. Forgetting pleasantries and instead of introducing myself to the DJ, I tapped him on the shoulder, gestured to his gear, and said, "Could you cut the sound for a second? I need to give away a vibrator."

How's that for a smooth line? Seriously.

Anyway, the event reminded me how lovely it is to be in my neighbourhood, in my community, in this city I'm so fond of. Ottawa's only boring if you can't be bothered to look around at all the cool stuff simmering below the surface.

In other news, my contract at work is up in a couple of weeks, and then I'm back to the more predictable flow of my old job. I don't know how I feel about that yet, but one thing's for sure: I'll have more time for gigging. Woo!

Since I have nothing else to say that is witty and exciting, here is a comic about my favourite hot sauce: TASTY FIRESTORM.

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July 13, 2011

Back to life!

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Hello, Internet.

My insane-o job has finally cooled down. It was a nutty, amazing and super rewarding experience, and I got to know those big old buildings on Parliament Hill really well in the process.

For a day job that sustains me while I putter away with music, I struck it pretty lucky.

As of now, I'm promised a quiet summer. I've only had a week of peace and I was already able to tie up some fairly drastic loose ends, including finalizing the graphics for the new album, finishing the mastering, working on a new web site, and booking a gig mid-August (Ottawa peeps, come hang at the Elmdale with me?).

I'm completely out of habit when it comes to blogging. Completely. But I will try some baby steps to get back into it and hopefully a few of you are still reading.

'Till next time!

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June 5, 2011

GAWD

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Oh. My. GAWD. People.

Safe to say this new job has eaten my life. The busy period should end around mid-July. Until then, unfortunately, I will remain an unreliable blogger.

However, since my plans for today fell through, I have some time to say hello. I promise I'm still following all of you dear local bloggers, but I haven't been commenting much lately. Booo.

A week or two ago, I did manage to have a life... I attended a fabulous event called Crap Art. At Crap Art, a group of local songwriters get together and write as many songs as possible in 24 hours. Random instruments, song themes, sound effects and other craziness is encouraged.

I had a fucking BLAST.

This is my friend, the guitarron. I played it briefly before moving on to the thumb piano.


I also wrote a song on this sweet little banjolele. Funny, I have a banjolele of my own, but I've never written on it. When I get my life back, that will change.


And, since you probably miss my dogs terribly, here are some photos for you. My dear, sweet Frida:


My handsome Morty:


The album remains unfinished. I KNOW! I still have a song to mix, and I think we're going to wade into the deep end and hire an accordion player for a song that still needs some help. I'd really love to move on to mastering. One day, one day...

Until next time!

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May 11, 2011

In Bed

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Well, I'm still failing you as a blogger these days, but at least I have some pictures this time. I call this one "Sadface," and it's the look Frida gives me when my BH leaves for work in the morning. She sits on his side of the bed, looking morosely at the distinct lack of human under the covers.

Poor bunny.



Life is great lately, just incredibly busy. I am loving the new job despite the madness, although it means I haven't been able to finish mixing my last two songs for the album. We're still trying to work out when that's going to happen, but we're not technically behind schedule yet. In the meantime, I'm working away at getting the new music web site up and running. Bit by bit, I suppose.

Here is one of my favourite people in one of my favourite places: my producer, Dean, setting up my favourite mic in the studio. Lots of good things in one fuzzy cell phone picture.




Here he is setting up the glockenspiel. I actually ended up playing it on the album. It sounded a bit like a demented nursery rhyme for psychotic children... But in a pretty way. Y'know?





Aah, my Frida looking out the side window. Those birds are leftover Christmas decorations, but I haven't had the heart to take them down. Eventually.




We've hired a dog trainer for Morty because he's turning into a lunger. I don't mind him scaring intruders and creepy people, but I do mind him scaring... Everyone else. Our trainer is pretty hardcore. She's really training us more than she's training Morty, but that's how the system works, it seems.


In other news, it's my birthday on Friday. I got an interesting early Happy Birthday message from someone I used to know on Facebook. Shall I share it? Ahem:


Hello (Hella Stella),


Have a great birthday! Jesus died to save us from our sins by being crucified. He is so amazing!


God bless you!

Sandra


Well! Nice to know she's thinking of me. Me and my corrupted soul. Do you think I should tell her how much I'm enjoying living in sin? Because here's the thing... My BH? He is so amazing too. In bed.


Anyway, I miss you, Internet. See you soon.

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