6/28/2008

WAITING FOR THE OTHER SHOE

So, it's like 5:16 in the morning and I'm waiting to copy files onto a thumb drive so I can transport them to a computer that still has a working copy of Power Point to make presentations to go with my concert in what, less than 14 hours? Why so late, you might wonder?

Well....the loudspeakers that I was going to use behind me are defective (woofer cones are starting to crumble around the edges). And I broke my guitar strap. And some of my singers are sick, no doubt because of the weather. I mean, the Valley's air leaves much to be desired on a good day, but prevailing wildfires in the region have made it hideous since Tuesday. And, of course, I found out that ALL the computers in my household don't have Power Point, despite the fact that at one point I had installed it on at least three machines. Don't ask!

6/26/2008

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?


I'm not that surprised about Fresno State's win. Truth to tell, you could see they had something special going on when they won the WAC tournament to qualify for the CWS field.

I'm not surprised that Wilson pitched the best game of any pitcher in Omaha. He's a lefty with a decent fastball and he located his pitches like he was David Wells.

I admit to being amazed that Steve Detwiler, torn ligament and all, rewarded a bump up to the sixth spot in the order by driving in six runs with two homers and a double. You've got to pinch yourself on how the Dogs got their runs, if a guy with only one thumb does all the damage.

No, what has me completely flummoxed is that when Detwiler made the final catch moving briskly toward the right field line, that he had the presence of mind to shove the game ball into his back pocket while sprinting in to join the 'Dog Pile' joyously developing in the Rosenblatt infield. It's almost like the last out was scripted.

6/25/2008

BUSY TUESDAY

Tuesday was similarly hellacious.

Many phone conversations, a mid-day showing of our home (for the fourth time) for a prospective buyer (a dentist, I'm told) looking to move into the area....and, in two chunks, much recording time at Maximus. My engineer (and, really, my producer) Eric Sherbon has done wonders on short notice to polish up the sound, fly in various tracks and help me obtain a 'show mix' of some of the tunes from the CD project.

Now my dilemma is this: I need 'X' amount of material to give the show a definite beginning shape, musically, as opposed to being just an assortment of tunes. But 'X' amount of material is more than 45 minutes, and is approaching 50, and I have a bunch of other (more live) stuff to do. How long, really, can the concert go? It's a concern.

I eventually took all the tracks that Eric mixed for me and arranged them on my recorder. I don't have a doubt that I could put on a reasonably strong show with these seven tunes. But it's just too long, and I need to create an 'ending' of sorts. I may need to go back to the drawing board.

Letting off some steam, in the evening our softball team played easily its best game in over a year, especially on defense. We've really committed ourselves to improving our defensive play and it has really showed. We actually held the other team scoreless for four innings, and we won rather handily, 11-1, after just eking out a 4-3 victory last week. Good stuff.

Oh, and by the way, the Fresno State baseball team continues to make history. Go Dogs!

6/24/2008

BUSY MONDAY

Well, as I type this, it's Tuesday, and Monday was eventful.

8:00-9:00 I made a new mix of my art music piece "The Water at Miraflores Locks" to accompany Janette Erickson, the Fresno Philharmonic's principal flautist who has generously agreed to perform the solo part on this piece, even though it was originally written for oboe.

10:00 Met Janette at her home to run through the piece again. Janette shared with me her flute choir's new web site. The choir, known as Les Flutes Enchantees, is without a doubt something you should try to hear if you have a chance. This ensemble is not only capable of unusual sonorities, they are also privileged to have access to a library of custom music written for them by the late Russell Howland, which are only now becoming available as Janette edits them for publication.

12:30 Ran over to Babs Eskin's home to meet with the IACC's Committee on Religion in the Public Schools, which includes CSUF philosophy professor Terry Winant, among others, and which (I am happy to say) has a track record of effective engagement with local school districts. Discussed ways we could appropriately and effectively respond to a local campaign to build cells of conservative Christians within the public schools, as represented by Salt Fresno magazine, as well as whether or not we could find ways of encouraging local school sites to work toward campuses that handled diversity and religious expression in a healthier way.

15:30 Popped back into my new storage trailer at Bullard and arranged my stuff (I'm sharing it with two other instructors) so that it's all in one corner where I have easy access.

17:00 Softball practice, with an emphasis on our team's defense. We're making good strides, and I'm contributing, which at 46 is all I can ask for, really. During the practice we got updates on Fresno State's CWS Final Game 1 contest with Georgia. Believe it or not, I was able to predict in advance that a team with the name 'Bulldogs' would win the opener....I must be psychic! Sadly, it wasn't CSUF, who had a 6-3 lead but coughed up four runs in the eighth to take the loss. Maybe tomorrow they can even the Series!

19:00 Back over to Fresno State to listen to Dr. Goparaju Viyajam of the Atheist Centre in India. Interesting point of view: the Atheist Centre's founders were allies of Gandhi, and so they have always had a very assertive, but very positive conception of atheism that is deeply embedded in promoting improved health care and breaking down the repressive 'caste system'.

Tomorrow (OK, actually, later this morning) I'll be back at Maximus to finalize the show mix tunes for the concert on Saturday the 28th. I'll also have to finalize the actual show program and get to work on the attendant Power Points and other business.