Along for the Ride Cymbal

I started learning Jazz with Kevin Sommerville, one of Barry Elmes and Bob McClaren's former students last year and among many other things, he taught me all about Ride cymbals, the most important part of a Jazz drummer's instrument. Kevin is an excellent musician and very driven.

I've listened to, played extensively or tested over a hundred cymbals in the days since in my quest to find MY cymbal. Old K. Istanbul Zildjians, old A's, Paiste Pre-Serial 602s, Paiste Sound Creation Dark Rides, Istanbul Agops, the list goes on. I was playing a 21" Agop SE Jazz Ride which was beautiful, but still missing

something. This is a very personal thing. Then on a trade deal with a brother from California, it happened. I played MY cymbal.

It's a modern 22" K. Zildjian Constaninople Medium. More weight, solid stick, complex shoulder, old school bell. Feels amazing to play. Feels grownup. Feels like I could play it for thirty years and still have miles to go.

Kevin was there through this with me all the way. Late night texts and phone calls. Listening to my bullshit but taking none of it. Letting me learn. Making me play nothing but beginner cymbals all last summer. Making me laugh. Reminding me of Montrealers past and present. I'm forever grateful to him.

I named my cymbal Samantha in honour of his brand new baby daughter. I asked him to write her name and sign the cup of the bell and then put my other ride cymbals up for sale. No more searching. Just listening and playing. Thank you brother. 

#jazz #journey #ridecymbal #love #gratitude#musicschool #playmusic #toronto #montreal

Kevin Sommerville

Lalley (Rusty Drum Check) TRS Custom Drums sound great!

TEXT

Keeping my mind lean and my quarter-notes clean

I've been playing drums for over thirty years, mostly backbeat music. I started earning a living through music right after high school and never looked back. I work in another business now but have continued to play a lot. I  have recorded and played live with a lot of great people, I never took the opportunity to really study music and jazz and I've always said, "If I win the lottery, I'll go to music school." Still no lottery, but I am studying with a talented young musician and teacher, Kevin Sommerville. Kevin is a University of Toronto graduate in Jazz Performance and has studied with some of the greats, including Bob McLaren and Terry Clark.

Aside from practicing a lot and working on fundamentals of jazz drumming, I  spent the last couple of months listening to great jazz, learning about what makes a great jazz cymbal and listening to a lot of cymbal demos. Old K and A Zildjians, Kerope, pre-serial Paiste 602s, Sound Creation Dark, Istanbul and smaller Turkish brands, Matt Bettis and other custom cymbals, different sizes, different weights, flat rides, etc.

I had fresh insight and entered a new chapter after seeing and hearing my teacher's teacher - the great Bob McClaren play drums at the Rex. Bob is one of the best jazz drummers in Canada. Bob could have been playing on ashtrays and it still would have been amazing. As a baddass of the highest order, he doesn't care that much about gear.

After a great conversation with Kevin about focusing on the learning instead of relying on external things, (there are interesting parallels in my spiritual life), I had to put all my nice cymbals away for the summer and find the cheapest, brassiest, entry line cymbals possible. Play on those all summer and make them sound GREAT. Borrowed some Sabian SBRs (entry line) from a good friend. They sound like a beginner drummer.  (To quote Kevin, "I don't want you to be the guy who has the nicest cymbals in town, but can't swing from a tree.") I'm playing them... They are sounding better.

Then, discussions about first year music school and what goes down with music theory, ear training, chords, intervals, keys, and how jazz drummers must know piano... How this thing called "Rhythm Changes" has to to be internalized. Check it out on Wiki, very cool. Mind again started to blow. Learned how important piano (or another melodic instrument) is to a drummer and how I should split up time over the summer 70/30 or more on learning piano. Rented an electric piano, got a great book called  'The Jazz Piano Book' by Mark Levine  and started practicing. I also downloaded 'Rhythm Changes in all Keys' by Jamie Abersold and am in the process of "burning those chord changes into my brain" as advised.

And yeah, I go listen to live jazz at least once a week. I've seen some great drummers so far, Anthony Michelli, Jeff Halischuk, Adam Nussbaum, Terry Clarke - and Vito Rezza is coming up. One thing for sure, the Rex Hotel kicks serious ass. Bird Lives!

Single-Side-Deafness, Hearing Aids and My Inner Space
By John Lalley
Marketing Manager, Marketing and Communications

Originally published on CHS.ca Blog, April 4, 2014

Part 2

Continued from Part 1.

So there I was, with my first hearing aid, connected to people and the world and it was beautiful and I was grateful to have the access to the technology. But once the honeymoon was over, it started to seem sort of mid-range heavy and tinny and fake-sounding, like I was in a room made of stainless steel. Needless to say, I stopped wearing my hearing aids as much. Sound familiar? It might not to everyone, but to any hearing aid user who ever became disenchanted with hearing aids - even a little bit…it might.

I lost my custom-made musician’s earplug (yup, I need just one) a few weeks ago, while playing drums at a rock show. I made an appointment to see Maria Michaelides, one of our audiologists at CHS Toronto. She started fitting me for the mould, and wasted no time steering the conversation toward improvements in technology and how In-the-Ear hearing aids might not be best for me, for which I will be forever grateful.

“John, I’d like to talk to you about your hearing aids. I don’t see you wearing them a lot. I’d like to work with you on what I think might be a better solution for you.”

Wow.

I agreed, and told her that they sound a little tinny, and they echo.

“You have In-the-Ear (ITE) hearing aids. Don’t your ears feel plugged, or full?”

Again, I agreed. “Uh, yeah.”

And from there, she was all in, reviewing my recent hearing test, asking me about my behaviours and expectations, and, most importantly, addressing the fact that I have some good usable hearing on my hearing side in my bass frequencies and lower midrange. Because of this, she wanted to call my hearing aid manufacturer to get me a trial set of Behind-the-Ear (BTE) hearing aids, as I was still within my warranty period. She called them on the spot. She said she was pretty sure I would find the BTE hearing aids a great improvement from a sound and comfort perspective and they would enable me to maximize efficiency from the usable frequency range on my hearing side.

They came in a few days later, she fitted me and my excitement grew. If I thought my ITE aids were low profile, these were practically invisible. Like, seriously. They made me feel like a hipster, especially the black ones I chose. The units tuck in behind my ears and are tiny - I can barely see them, and they are as light as a feather. My ears didn’t feel full! I could feel my excitement continue to grow. She turned them on and started working on the settings. Then my life changed…again.

I experienced a fullness and richness of sound like I haven’t heard in decades. Music, conversation, phone calls – everything sounds so amazing and natural and full of beautiful frequencies. It’s clear and open. My hearing ear is doing the lifting that it can and assisting in the process, as it’s not being blocked off. I was overwhelmed and grateful.

Maria is amazing – great client care, excellent advice, patient, and has a firm consultative hand when it counts most. I am thrilled and extremely happy with my new hearing aids and with the service I got from Maria and team. I actually forget that I’m wearing them, which is very cool.

If you’re not happy with your hearing aids, or think there might be better technology out there, please make an appointment with the Hearing Clinics Plus team. They’re a passionate group of talented professionals who value client satisfaction and put patients first, and I hope you make a commitment to yourself to make hearing aid technology work for you. If you have a loved one who could benefit from enhanced technology or a setting adjustment, I hope you pass this along. It’s so worth it.   

-- John Lalley is Marketing Manager, Marketing and Communications, at CHS. He is a Juno Awarding-winning drummer, kite surfer, and life enthusiast.

Single-side-deafness, hearing aids and my inner space
By John Lalley
Marketing Manager, Marketing and Communications

Originally published on CHS.ca Blog, March 28, 2014

Part 1

I came to CHS as a client in 2004 for a hearing test, and through a series of tests and consultations with the incredible Dr. Wade and his team, was referred to Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre where I was diagnosed with a 5.5cm benign skull base tumour called an Acoustic Neuroma.

I had surgery to remove “my little friend” in early 2005. The required surgical approach was through my inner ear, and I came out of the surgery deaf on that side. It was a better than expected outcome; we knew going in that the hearing had to be sacrificed in order to remove the tumour, there was no other choice. The surgeon, Dr. Chen, and his team at Sunnybrook are amazing and they did an incredible job; I am forever in their debt.

I recovered quickly and was generally happy. But coupled with moderate hearing loss from decades of playing music – and the majority of those performances without hearing protection – Single-Side-Deafness presented a challenge. Because of my willingness to get used to my “new normal” as naturally as possible, as well as what I saw as limitations of Single-Side-Deaf hearing aid technology at the time, I was determined to deal with it on my own – and I actually did well. If doing well means lip-reading, strategic seating in meetings and in restaurants, a constant mix of "Pardon me? Excuse me? What was that? Huh? Eh? Say again? Could you repeat that?" and answering "How are you?" with a reply about the weather. My ability to communicate was stilted to say the least. Quick banter, witty repartee and tight conversations in small groups were often lost on me and I love people and conversation and community. I didn't realize how much I was missing.

Then I saw an audiologist at Sunnybrook and my life changed. I told her I was ready to explore a bi-cros hearing aid. These are used by people who have a profound hearing loss in one ear as well as a significant loss in the other ear. A transmitter picks up sound from the device on the ear with the greater hearing loss and sends the signal to a hearing aid worn on the better ear. After conversation and consultation, I chose In-the-Ear (ITE) hearing aids because I thought they would look better. 

Pretty cool technology. The remote is worn around my neck which has Bluetooth capabilities. I hear the phone ring and the caller’s voice from my hearing aids- I’m glad to say these are the only voices inside my head. I can also stream music through the hearing aids, and thanks to the smart people at Apple, I can use the on-board accessibility features of the iPhone to switch the signal from stereo to mono. I set up different audio programs and did some fine tuning and was amazed at the results…for a while.

Read more about my experience with CHS Hearing Clinics Plus and some new hearing aid technology in Part 2. More to come!

-- John Lalley is Marketing Manager, Marketing and Communications, at CHS. He is a Juno Awarding-winning drummer, kite surfer, and life enthusiast.

Eastbound Buzzard Bus

Ripping it up with Adaptive Tech: 3 of 3

Hard to believe we’re into December, this year has been my quickest yet. It’s true what they say, everything gets a bit faster the more seasons you’re lucky enough to get under your belt.  

I’m Single Sided Deaf (SSD) in my right ear and have moderate hearing loss in my left. Just want to share my final impressions and experience with some adaptive technology that has changed my life: 

The Phonak BiCros hearing aid.

I am BionicMan: It has Bluetooth, and the remote is worn around my neck, I hear the phone ring and the caller’s voice from the devices inside my ears. I can also play Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” through my iPhone and hear the music through the hearing aids. Thanks to the smart people at Apple, I can use the on-board accessibility features of the iPhone to switch the signal from stereo to mono. This also means I can also use regular headphones without my hearing aids in and still hear the full signal. But that’s a different post.

I set up a music program with the audiologist I use when I'm playing drums at rehearsal and at shows. The music setting boosts the bass and treble and reduces the mid-range, so I can better hear instruments on the right side of my body, something I have had a problem with since I went deaf on that side. Being Single Sided Deaf didn't take away from my ability to rip it up on the drums, but the BiCros has given me bigger ears, as musicians like to say.

I hear the cashier at the grocery store, I hear the kid try to sell me cables I don’t need when I buy a new TV. I hear the woman at Starbucks ask me if I’d like a bite to eat once I've ordered a Triple-Venti-Non Fat-Half Sweet Mocha. I don’t have to rely on my eyes as much to lip read. Shazam!

It no longer matters where I sit in restaurants, or meetings. I can hear my beautiful wife Tess when I'm driving with her in the passenger seat. Although I now have a mute button I can use when she is telling me something I don’t want to hear, like “John, you don’t really need another vintage drumkit”, or “John, you already have two surfboards”.  

This device is amazing and I'm grateful to have it in my life. It’s thanks to my blind and partially sighted colleagues at CNIB that I had another look at this adaptive technology and decided to take the plunge. Thanks to Debbie Gillespie and Martin Courcelles.   

Hearing better helps me see more clearly

Happy belated Thanksgiving! The trees have burst alive into a thousand different shades of green, red and yellow and these colours have never ceased to amaze and inspire me. I’m grateful I can see these colours. Thanks to my friends and colleagues at CNIB as well as our clients, I hope I never take my sight for granted. It’s a pleasure to try to describe our surroundings to my friends with vision loss, I love taking on the role of a walking, talking, coffee loving, audio description tool. I’ve had a busy few weeks and have been unable to put hands to keyboard regarding my experience with the Phonak Solana 312 Bi-CROS but am back and will try to retrace my steps.

I’m Single Sided Deaf (SSD) in my right ear and have moderate hearing loss in my left. I want to go back to the moment Jessie fitted me with the custom hearing aid and how it felt.  For the past seven years I’d been lip-reading, trying to sit in just the right spot in meetings to hear and my ability to communicate was hampered, but I could manage all right. I had no idea how much better things could be.

I sat in the chair, Jessie took me through the technicalities and  put 

the hearing aids in. To say that the world exploded into a burst of audio colour like the autumn leaves change in October might be a little dramatic, but the colour of sound immediately became more vivid and rich and beautiful.

She sat beside me on my deaf side and asked, “How does it feel”? I replied that I could hear her perfectly and asked if she could she whisper something as softly as she might ever whisper. She looked over at my coffee cup and gently whispered….. “Starbucks.” I was overwhelmed, it was crystal clear.

We went through some questions on sound I would have to answer on two subsequent fine tuning appointments and a few more technicalities. Jessie told me she had never seen anyone so enthusiastic and said that many people were hesitant to take the plunge toward wearing a hearing aid. Technology has come so far and you can barely see them now, I wish everyone who needed adaptive technology of any kind could get it. Anyway, I was blown away and the coffee helped. Real world testing is next! Please stay tuned.

Adaptive Technology and Accessibility - A Personal Tale

I was fortunate to come to work at CNIB in December of 2011. Having worked in digital marketing for some years prior to that, I thought I had a fair handle on web design, usability and most things related to the net. I’d like to say that I knew a lot about web accessibility, but that would be untrue. What I had then and what I continue to have is a deep desire to learn everything I can and do something with my working life that can serve to improve the lives of others. When I started at CNIB, I dove into the world of adaptive technology, accessible web design, content considerations, what users need from a universal perspective, what developers need to know, different evaluation tools for web accessibility, implications of rich media, and a bunch of other standards based and regulatory stuff.

I have come to know a whole community of impassioned, supportive, positive and wise members of the accessibility community. But the people that have made the biggest impact on me are the people with vision loss that I know, in particular a few of the blind people I work closely with. They’ve taught me so much about courage, facing challenges with dignity, grace, humour and a limitless desire to make things better. I’m grateful and blessed to be at CNIB and continually inspired by these and many other people.

“What’s this all about John?” Well it’s about adaptive technology, dear friends, and about how my life changed today, just liked it changed when I became Single Sided Deaf (SSD). To recap: I had surgery to remove a 5.5cm benign skull base tumour called an Acoustic Neuroma in 2005. The required surgical approach was through my inner ear, and I came out of the surgery deaf on that side. It was a better than expected outcome; the hearing had to be sacrificed in order to remove the tumour, there was no other choice. Dr. Chen and his team at Sunnybrook are amazing and they did an incredible job, I am forever in their debt.

I recovered quickly and am happy. But coupled with the moderate hearing loss I have as a result of decades of playing music, the SSD presented a challenge. Because of my willingness to get used to my new normal and what I saw as limitations of the technology at the time, I was determined to deal with it naturally and I actually did pretty well. Thus began my campaign of lip-reading, strategic seating in meetings and in restaurants, "pardon me, excuse me, what was that, huh, eh, say again, could you repeat that" and answering "how are you?" with a reply about the weather. My ability to communicate was stilted. Quick banter, witty repartee and tight conversations in small groups would quickly lose me and I love people and conversation and community. I didn't realize how much I was missing.

Today I went to Sunnybrook and Jessie fitted me for a custom Phonak Solana 312 Bi-CROS hearing aid and my life changed. I didn't realize how much better things could be. More to come. 

"I'm Outta Here Like Vladimir"

This blog has served its purpose and all things must change, just like most bands need to break up after a while. It’s time to put this chapter to bed. I’m not posting regularly and blogs need constant love and affection. I’ll probably start something new and write more about political things.

Three months ago I had brain surgery to remove a 5-½ centimeter tumour. When I was diagnosed in December, I steeped myself like a teabag in the world of Acoustic Neuroma. I looked for every scrap of information, read patient accounts, and looked for inspiration in a world filled with sad stories. Time to look forward to the next fork in the road. God forbid I should hear the word 'cancer' but if I do, I’ll be better equipped to deal with the turmoil. Good thing I’m engaged in the lifelong process of trying to choose healthy ways to cope.

How does the kid feel? I’m deaf in the right side, but music sounds just as good as ever. My balance isn’t perfect, but I’m riding the snot out of my hybrid mountain bike. Meetings are a little tougher, as is dealing with ambient sound; it’s just more tiring. Maybe I’ll shell out some pesos for a CROS hearing aid, but I'd like to expand my drum collection. Apparently, playing any musical instrument is useful in firing up those pesky synapses and recovering any (perceived) former glory! I even bought myself a new practice pad, a new copy of Stick Control, and dusted off the old metronome.

So that’s it.

Thanks to all who checked in, and please feel free to stay in touch.

19grapes@rogers.com

Scrotch P. Nibley

Had an inspirational luncheon today with old-pal-of-mine and former band mate D. Bigelow from our Nation’s Capital. (Which by the way, is the home of Jack Layton’s “Happy Ending”. It’s also home to Tom Green, Leo Safari, and a staggering number of other above average humourists.) DB has this kinetic, crazy, creative vibe that makes you feel energized just being in the same room. He’s been instrumental in putting a number of things on the Comedy Network in the last few years, and is a happening guy. We kibitzed it up for a few hours, which of course gave me the opportunity to get caught up on the whereabouts of one Scrotch P. Nibley, who as you might guess is "relaxing". I ‘m well overdue to go East to the ‘613’ to reacquaint with the Ottawa contingent, and it’ll be grand to make the trip.

The mighty SNFU come to spread the word tomorrow night at the Reverb. Me and my baby you know – we got to go.

My first Mousekiss show since the little death that is brain surgery is at Elvis Monday on May 16th.

(Click on "Music" when the page loads, and I'll see you there.)

Happy Anniversary!

"Can't come to work today....I've got this terrible 24 hour thing..."

Australian Rules Dogwalking

Tess and I took Luna for a walk along Whitby’s waterfront trail this morning with Nicole (of Sean and Nicole ‘sitting in a tree’ fame.) It was pretty cool, although trail users there tend to announce their approach from behind like it’s a contact sport.

“Careful walkers! 4 bikes and two rollerbladers behind you!”

It’s like an Australian Rules Football game out there I tell ya.

Nicole is going to see Sean next week in Alberta where he is taking a hazardous materials firefighting course. ‘Haz Mat’ – if you’re with it. They’re going to spend some time in beautiful Banff, Alberta. She was belting out Stand By Your Man in anticipation, and I’m glad they'll get to see each other soon.

Nice weather today, perfect for some backyard reading, napping, and some late afternoon drumming, oh happy days.

Captain KC plays a soft seater. 

Been playing some drumset, BTW.
(Guilty Pleasure - Playing with 'headphone' to JLo's "I'm Real".

Great news: Blockbuster Video has abolished late fees. No more late fees, but a souless automated attendant leaves a 45 minute message on the voice mail suggesting it might be a good idea to bring those movies back. Painful - and something I could do without, but admit I'm taking advantage.

I’m taking on a new role in my office as of Monday. It’s a lateral move into a ‘self-assessment / compliance-to-policy’ position, and I have to say that the timing is pretty good. The dynamic of my daily work will change and it’ll be a good way to expand my knowledge base and contacts, not to mention that it’s a considerable learning opportunity.

Thanks to all Private Label Rangers past and present for a memorable two years – it’s been a gas.

I’m glad I’m still working part time, and can get home early enough to take the beast to the Creek to bathe in the Spring sunshine, get my feet all muddy, and play a little chase the Kong before coming home smelling of April.

Back to work.

Scottish slang.

For the PL Rangers.

Bring back the Don

Now Playing: "Childhood Dreams"
Nelly Furtado

Faces of Stress

This part-time-work business was a good idea. After a few hours, details start to seem a little hazy and I find myself craving a bit of “empty head” time. I need to come up to speed on a number of procedural and operational changes and this alone will take some weeks and besides, it gives me the opportunity to dig the Springshine with “La Luna”. Remember the semi-bogus movie Faces of Death? The office looked a bit like Faces of Stress this week, which I hope is just growing pains with the realignment project in place.

I haven’t had much of a chance to write lately, but one piece of news of course is the TTC strike as of Monday. Good thing I can ride my bike to work! I have to chuckle at the non-smiling “serious cyclists” decked out in their 21^st century fabric and neon colour. Everyone wants to be Lance Armstrong.

There is a lot of new tree planting and restoration of wetland along the Don River. The water quality is so much better; it’s really come back these last few years, and it is definitely headed in the right direction. To live so close to a great green space in a city this size is truly amazing.

Success in the Post Op Workplace (Note to Self)

Try to:

· Exercise
· Eat properly
· Rest
· Have a laugh, especially at my expense
· Take a joke
· Be approachable
· Recognize and work within the bureaucracy
· Take the initiative
· Take breaks and use the time to relax
· Visualize good outcomes
· Learn to say no
· Adapt to change
· Test my assumptions
· Regularly review and revise this list
· Ask for help if I need it

Try not to:

· Be too hard on myself
· Take my accomplishment for granted
· Complain
· Let frustration win over acceptance
· Lose my temper
· Lose my patience with myself or with others
· Be a ‘people pleaser’
· Bear grudges
· Take anything personally
· Be scared of making mistakes
· Procrastinate

If you haven't heard, the Pope died.

Zen and the Art of the Personal Call

Some of the fine people at work think I’m crazier than usual – coming back when spring has leapt it’s way forward like Castro’s Revolution, but I insist I’m quite sane.

“Milk it John, I would.”

It’s only part time so there isn’t much time for stress or bother - before I know it I’m bailing for home and the fine array of East York lovelies sequestered here.

I rode my bike to work today. I’m guessing it’s about 13KM each way, fortunately very little of it “upstairs” with the steel chariots. I go down into Taylor Creek through the woods to Don Mills, where I wind my way south on the Don Valley Trail to the stairs, and up to Queen Street. At my peak, (pre-tumour), the one-way trip took about 35 minutes. This is the same amount of time the TTC would take by the way, and today took only 10 minutes longer headed downtown. Coming back took a wee bit longer as it’s uphill.

As my seasoned neighbour Ziggy might say in his well-established Polish accent, “Johnny, ta-kken eeazy….”

The PL Rangers held a groovy “Welcome Back” Potluck today – needless to say, most of us ate too much before waddling back to our seats to while away the calories on “personal calls”. Yum!

Note to Self: I have to make sure I don’t get too frustrated with my level of progress, make sure I remember how lucky I am, and exercise the appropriate patience.

Zen and the art of the personal call, isn’t that right my Moroccan friend?

Three items I need to get reaquainted with:

1) George Lawrence Stone - Stick Control
2) Ted Reed - Syncopation for the Modern Drummer
3) My metronome

My neighbours love me at nine in the morning.

Mr. Soul recently had surgery for a brain aneurysm. I'm glad they got it in time; it looks as though he didn't have to wait too long for MRI.

Propaganda Remix Project

Tuesday night I went to hear Dr. Tator speak about treatment for acoustic neuroma with gamma knife. He has had a distinguished career as a surgeon and has performed many successful AN excisions, although he has embraced the GK concept as a better alternative. (Toronto now has a GK machine and will commence treatment starting in July.) I consider myself lucky I didn’t have to agonize over this decision, (my AN was too large and had a cystic component) but given the choice, would probably lean toward surgery. There would be less post-op anxiety associated with excision, and I would rather they go in and physically remove the tumour.

There could’ve been some sort of coffee shop gathering organized after the meeting; there was a lot of awkward and stilted conversation begging to be brought forward. Hopefully next time.

I set up my drums in the sun room yesterday and played for an hour and although it felt great - I'm out of practice. Good thing this only gets better.

Tess and I are going to San Francisco for a week in June.
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Misterchipig VS The Killers

The Killers have done their homework, listened to the right records, and stolen from the right people! The songs are full of new wave riffing and their choruses are high on the spine tingle count. Tess and I scored tickets to see them at the Molson Amphitheatre May 31st with bi-coastal Canadian twins Tegan and Sara. Speaking of the Rock, Vancouver stalwarts SNFU fly to Onterrible to rip it up April 28th. This is the best punk rock band you might be lucky enough to see this spring, and you never know when you might get another chance.

I used all my rocket fuel last week to paint the kitchen. I needed to gauge manual stresses and I’m pretty sure I got a good mark, though it was mighty tiring.

I’m one of those nutbars that like going to work.

I led the life of an artist (usually a starving one) until I was thirty-two, at which time I got my first day-gig in an office. I like the comedy, I like the discipline involved, and I like to wake up in the morning. I like the fact that "personal cause" (usually) translates into "personal effect." Being in a band means you have to rely on and work with three or four people to succeed. Creative people are often tortured souls, and work can be uneven. I find day jobbing is more individualistic, there is more personal glory involved, and I like the challenge of the trajectory.

So many people are miserable with work, but if you hate it so much why bother? You could move to Costa Rica and serve drinks for two days a week to put food in your belly - (my dream retirement job.) You could certainly do without the massive SUV lease. Speaking of which, it’s high time that these creatures became unfashionable.

It’s been almost three months since surgery, slacking is about to become a thing of the past and I’m headed back to work Monday. As Phil R. so eloquently said on the phone yesterday, “Oprah and Dr. Phil have really great shows, but it’s time to move forward.”

On the bicycle front, I cherry burst my first ride post-op today. My baby hooked me up with a new helmet, a front light, and small rearview mirror yesterday, and I’m definitely going for a scoot.

15 Degrees today - good times.

Got Soul? 

Now Playing

"Democracy" by Killing Joke

John M., Brian, Hannah M. - East of Toronto 

Max and Ryan rock out. 

Jeff Buckley helped me paint the kitchen.

My first exposure to Jeff Buckley was on television during Glastonbury '94. I was in southern England making a Bootsauce record at the time, and having a great time with my buddies. It was time for a wee break in the afternoon, and I took off for the serenity of the lounge, ringing ears and hangover in tow, to watch television. Onscreen I saw a guy and his band set up their gear and start to play. They jumped from the screen into the ether of Jacobs Studio with a vengeance and tore into their stuff. Jeff, (son of folk hero hippie Tim Buckley) and his band played an amazing set that afternoon, and he completely blew everyone away with his live version of songs from the brilliant breakthrough album Grace. I couldn’t tear myself away. Their set went down like something important to witness - this meant something; it was clear that something special was in the air. I was so moved I practically destroyed a snare drum that afternoon. Sadly, Buckley was to drown in 1997; a talent taken far too soon, his genius half-tapped.

If you don’t know Grace do yourself a favour and go buy it. Buckley and his band of New Yorkers play “loosely tight” as Jimmy Page once said, the songs are amazing, and it belongs in your stash.

Besides. It’s great music to paint the kitchen to.

Back In the Saddle

Today I led my first Spinning class since January 9th, which was predictably awesome. Standout song: "Regret" by New Order. (Nobody can get away with the retro sound like the Frapper.)

I'd write more, but I'm knee deep in primer and spackling compound. 11 more sleeps before I get back on the hamster wheel~!

Taylor Creek 

Ashbridge's Bay - March 05 

Find the White Beast.

70 Days On. 

Funky Crate

I told the Taylor Creekers that I’d like to get a snap of them in action before my day of reckoning comes in April. Secret Agent Everett is 'outta here like Vladamir' and moving to the Bruce Peninsula in May. Unfortunately, his wife recently died, and he is bailing out of his long time career at the CBC to retire at 51; it’ll be a shame to see him go, and needless to say, it’s too bad his girl isn’t going with him. The best-laid plans are fragile of course, and require constant revision.

Yesterday I ran into my Trenton High School buddy Klass and his two boys at the Laundromat. (It’s true I admit it. I wash Luna’s nasty crate blankets there.) Of course it’s been way too long since I’ve seen Klass. He and his family live blocks away, and this was the first time I’d met his enthusiastic fellas. His boys with Jackie are predictably beautiful, and by coincidence they know another notable Creeker, Fred the Grand Poobah. We had a coffee and caught up before exchanging numbers and promising to call each other.

So if having a brain tumour wasn’t enough, I’m painting my kitchen. ("It's not the destination it's the process.") Leaving the store this morning paint supplies in hand I heard a great song on CBC by Canadians Tegan and Sara. I don’t know what the song was called but it was really awesome and uplifting. Those two sisters have managed to stumble into something special, that’s for sure.

The results of CBC Radio’s 50 Tracks are in by the way, and it’s good to see ‘New York City’ by the Demics included. Maybe there is justice in Canada after all.

From today’s good news file: Shamsha Amarsi, the girl thrown from the bridge by her suicidal father earlier this month came home from the hospital today. Good luck little Sister.

Taylor Creek - Feb 05 

Small Primate/ Large Canine

"Would you happen to have any food?"

First Day of Spring

NP: "The First Day of Spring"
THE GANDHARVAS

Winter is officially over, and spring has sprung itself forward like a thirsty man at a Winnipeg 'Two-For-One'. I almost bought some perennial bulbs to plant in the back yard today, but my (sensible) wife drew a line in the snow suggesting that perhaps we should wait until the ground thaws and the credit card cycle sees me back to work. I would have to pay the balance to zero anyway, (I hate paying interest), or I'd feel like a schmuck.

Good deal on Chocolate Pecan Pie at Dominion today: $9.97

Yum.