Sleepers, Awake!

Boy oh boy I feel tired.  I don't think it's the fault of my morning meds (the ones that wake me up), I think it's that one of my evening meds is unavailable right now (the one that makes me sane).  It's okay, I'll have more in a week or so.  So, all in all, I blame .... um .... oh, well, when you look at the big picture, it actually turns out to be my own fault.  *sigh* oh well.

On a good note, I made it to the top of the climbing wall at the Colvin (the campus gym).  I really, really, really, really, really enjoy rock climbing.  Not that I'm any good yet.  BUT the point is that I'm actually being more active this week.  It certainly helps that my workout buddies rock.  

It also helps that I'm overwhelmingly happy these days.  I've learned to tease my paranoia into submission (e.g. "Dude, seriously?  They didn't answer their phone this one time and you think they hate you?  That's not rational, silly!"), and I've learned to rely on my network instead of withdrawing.  I'm busy, but not rushed.

Blah, blah, blah, okay, enough self-analyzation for today.

Too Many Rabbits

Well, the school year is wrapping up (I will probably always be ruled by that system in my head), and I thought it time to blog. Okay, well, I'm waiting on my lead singer so I can lock up the studio. You know, whatever, I'm just listening to DJ Rufus and finally updating my blog, both very cool things to do, so I'm good.

First, this studio I speak of. It's a strange full circle, it seems. After scrapping my studio in Edmond and moving away, thinking I'd never touch this equipment again (it's a long story, but I was completely beaten down, as far as self-esteem is concerned) . . . after all that, here I sit, surrounded by equipment. Most, but not all of it, is mine. And it wouldn't be possible without my awesome bandmates.

It's a strange brew, this band. You've got all levels of education, music knowledge, experience, and 5 very opinionated rabbits adding to the mix. When I started practicing with the boys, I was simply along for the ride, a generation older than the rest of the band, so maybe jaded, and certainly not expecting to find myself trusting anyone, let alone these four. I chuckle at that now, as I frequently refer to them as "my boys."

And so, as time has gone on, I've now come to a point where almost everything I own that has to do with recording is over here at the studio. And here is what we're left with:



16-track recording at 44.1k/16-bit (the highest in cd-quality) or 8-track recording at 96k/24-bit

Midas pre's on all channels, 4 channels (or 2 stereo) of Behringer tube pre's with these special tubes aftermarketed on there

And enough mics and cables to do it all, which to me is rather amazing in its own right.

There's tons more I could detail here, but I need to type up an inventory some other time anyways, so I'll just post that then.  I'm excited, though, we're getting in the groove of recording together and had an amazingly creative and productive session tonight.  Now to kick Nick off the couch, shut down and lock up.

~~Beej.

In The Recording Studio!!

So, many of you know I'm in a rock band, Too Many Rabbits, and you should know, tonight is THE NIGHT!! We did our press shots yesterday, and now we are gearing up (truly) for a long night of demo recording.

And you should see this studio! It's called Prodigy Recording Studio, and it was built from the ground up by my friend, Matt Hammett. I can't wait to start tracking!!

On a more bothersome note, my Mark Bass combo amp is making some noise. I changed out guitar cables, yet it persisted. I don't think it'll be noticable on tonight's stuff, but I'm going to have to take a look at it. I'm wondering if they make some sort of crossover to divide my bass into two signals, one for the highs and one for the lows. That would be the nicest thing I can think of to do for my little ol' Mark Bass.

Workin' Out

So, I've given up on creating a separate blog for now. I'd do well just to keep updating this one. So here goes: I'm working on making myself into a rock band-worthy Beej for my band, Too Many Rabbits. My friend Lauretta is serving as my personal trainer, and, man, she is wearing me the expletive out. Two days ago we walk/jogged around Boomer Lake (4 min walk to 1 min jogging), and yesterday it was weights. So my arms and legs are all sore.

Other than that, I'm supposed to be listing out a menu for myself. I need help with that, actually. We'll see.

How Does One Afford Their Rock-And-Roll Lifestyle?

So. I have to learn how not to be self-depreciating on stage and just rock out. I've forgotten that.

And I tried soymilk with my cereal this morning. It tasted grassy. Hmm.

Got Milk Lactose Intolerance?

So, I've been getting sick on a regular basis for the last while, and we're trying a new diagnosis: I might, heaven forbid, be lactose intolerant. I really don't want to be, not that people ask for this for Christmas or anything. But I have to say today has been markedly better in the digestive tract. Now, if I can just stop this allergy/flu/bronchitis/who knows thing I've got going on, particularly before tomorrow night's gig, that would be GREAT

25 Random Outright LIES About Beej.

As much as I'd love to tell the entire world of Facebook 25 things about me, I've found that I know many more lies about myself, and thought you might enjoy them a little more than truths. If I tagged you, you are NOT OBLIGATED to pass this along to ANYONE. Nor do I recommend creating a backlash phenomenon out of this, either.

1. I once starred as Odette in a production of Swan Lake with the ABT. Many critics were thoroughly impressed, one saying that "seeing [me] lifted into the air seemed an act of superhuman ability."

2. The U.S. Government once used me in a series of experiments dealing with the effects of ADD upon high-stakes espionage. Let's just say blackjack in Monaco is very, very dangerous.

3. The story of my childhood, and those cold, hungry winters in Siberia, have been adapted into a Lifetime movie, "Baby is Cold Outside."

4. Once, in an act of desperation, I posed as a food critic to get free food. McDonalds never tasted so good.

5. I am petitioning the United Methodist Church to accept the lolcat version of the Bible as its primary source for worship. "Give teh Ceiling Cat props!" (lolcatbible.com, that really exists)

6. All that spam in your mailbox? It's me.

7. I spent a majority of my life under a vow of silence, but used cutting-edge technology to make it *seem* like I was talking. and talking. and talking.

8. I am periodic table element 119, ununBeejium.

9. I was a lobbyist for Peta. My main duties included: shoe polishing the windows of fishermen's boats and rallying cows to stop producing milk. Both proved difficult.

10. I am the only true idiot savant Matt Bundy knows.

11. I can run a mile in less than . . . wait, I can run a mile.

12. I regularly drive my tractor on the highway at four miles per hour. I love to feel that road rage energy emanating from the cars behind me.

13. I own a small island nation in the carribean. It's so small -- How small is it! -- It's so small, the only thing that fits on the island is a building. That's right, I own an off-shore bank perfect for your money laundering needs.

14. If you call and order now, I will throw in this ginsu knife for FREE!! . . . plus shipping and handling.

15. Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. Beej is actually from Ziggyblurg.

16. I've memorized pi. All of it. Yeah, it's actually finite, ya'll just haven't gotten there yet.

17. Some have a nose for news. Mine, however, only opens beer cans.

18. I built a drug-smuggling tunnel . . . to Canada. Yep, from Florida to Canada to bring in prescription pills for rich retired folk. That, and I was stocking up on pseudoephedrine to sell on the black market.

19. I used to be able to turn myself into a car. Saved a lot of money in gasoline, but I had to eat a lot of beans to power it.

20. I don't run with scissors, but machetes are fair game.

21. I am so totally splitting this fortune with some guy in Nigeria. I don't know how they came to choose me, but it's so happening.

22. I wrote most of Moby Dick. Not the parts about whaling. That's all Melville.

23. While you've been reading this, I broke into your house, took all of your cds and dvds out of their cases and randomly put them into other cases.

24. I like to pretend to break down during rush hour. Preferably right where the road bottlenecks anyways. I just stand next to the car and pretend to be talking to the police, so when people pass I just look exasperated and point at my phone like it's the phone's fault.

25. Every one of these is true. So true.