How’s it going

I just thought it was pretty great to come across and another atheist who’s into physics and metal bands. It’s awesome.

You also mentioned you are a vegetarian and enjoy horror movies so it got me to thinking, would a vegetarian zombie say “lettuuuuuuuuce?” Haha, I’m sorry, that’s terrible.

So, like Zeus said to Leda, “Quack.”

-Tom

Based on the statistical analysis from the OKC blogs here and here, I think that may be the perfect first message, hitting all the high points and coming just over optimal length at a concise 327 characters.

Now, is there anyone who would find that to be the idea first message? The problem with statistics is the complete lack of context and in-depth analysis. Perhaps, just to throw this out there, zombies and physics have a seriously negative correlation when both are considered.

Remember the phrase perhaps incorrectly attributed to Disraeli via Twain: “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.”

* Now, I neither expect people to read this, nor care, but as someone who is single in this post-technological-revolution age who is… outside-the-box… meeting people online is one way of trying to make a connection. I don’t know that it is any easier, or harder, than “IRL,” but, I’m just saying, it’s part of the New World Order. I for one welcome our new internet-dating overlords

D D Dsus2-D-Dsus2-Dsus4 (I think. At least, I think it sounds okay) 

More Pomplamoose to be found at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/PomplamooseMusic 
http://www.myspace.com/pomplamoosemusic
http://tinyurl.com/PomplamooseITunes

Most people have bodies that are, I dunno, some large percentage water… in these two, that water has been replaced by awesome.

The only this I really have to add is that it was much louder on my PC. Might have to turn this up a bit.

What can I say, I’m wearing a hat. Deal.

Anyway… Four Cellos + 1 drum = heavy metal? Seriously. Apocalyptica.

This song (“S.O.S. (Anything But Love)”) features Cristina Scabbia from the Italian metal band Lacuna Coil. I love her voice and she is wicked-hot. I’m just saying…

It’s not the duet (because I only have one me) but I like the song as one voice too, so, ha. Incidentally, if anyone (preferably female) would like to… um, rock(>) out to this, let me know I’m just kidding, by tomorrow I will have forgotten the lyrics and chords and all that jazz.

I bought a mandolin after I recorded this. One day I will learn to play it. That’s a little backwards, I think.

Someone I know mentioned going to see the Gin Blossoms that Saturday (July 11th, that is) at some street festival thing so I just had to play something. And it helped keep me from unnecessary shopping! For a little while…

Anyway, watch some people who are more musically talented than I do fun things involving ukuleles:

I had not heard of O.A.R. until Shattered started playing on the radio. Then at Borders checking through their 50% off cd sale, I picked up their album Stories of a Stranger. Caught O.A.R. in concert a few weeks ago and I have really been enjoying their sound. So I choose to butcher it

I was in my car and this came on my mp3 player and I just thought: why not? So I did it.

I didn’t realize just how long this song was.

This was an entry for John’s Go200’s contest over at Ukulele Underground. The multitracking was harder than I thought.

It’s a little abbreviated.

I saw IrvingJohn’s cover (here) of this song and I just had to do it. Also, check out Olu13’s version here.

Hello! You and 472 other people have the chance to recreate Star Wars: A New Hope. Below is the entire movie split up into 15 second clips. Click on one of the scenes to claim it, film it, and upload it. You can have up to three scenes! When we’re all done, we’ll stitch it all together and watch the magic happen.

I was pretty rushed doing this one to get it up on YouTube for May 1st, and quality suffered for that. More Jonathan Coulton action can be found here.

I know the beginning of this one is a little quiet and it is, overall, not as good as this song deserves. Aldrine (here) performs C.M.J. here and helps run that crazy little site: Ukulele Underground.

This one took me quite a while to record; I just had a really hard time getting though it. I’d suggest checking out Aldrine’s version here, it’s good.

I’m sure I had heard Radiohead, and specifically Creep, before, but it was Rock Band that really introduced me to them. Video number 2 and it is not without flaws.
The chords used are here.
HawaiiRod has a good version of Creep here.
But I quite like Amanda Palmer’s version from the Black Cab Sessions here.

This was the first video I did. The song is out of Woodhsed’s compilation Ukuleles For Peace.
Woodshed is here.
More info on the compilation e-book is here.
More info on Ukuleles For Peace is here.

This is a Lanikai Curly Koa Tenor size ukulele strung with aquila nylgut strings: the first decent ukulele I got. Now it’s autographed by Jaki Shimabukuro so I don’t want to play it and ruin the autograph. Oh well.

So, after the first couple, I recorded a version of “Northern Downpour” by Panic at the Disco. I’m not the only one: Aldrine has a version of it too. (his is better)

Then I went and covered one of his songs, “C.M.J.” from his album Suite 409

I know, I know, fo rmost people, they pick up a hobby and keep it for a lifetime, but, jeez, don’t they get boring? I guess not all of them. Or, I hope, not all of them.

The remainder of Serious Play has been somewhat less enthusiastic about the project, but with a PhD program and a horse, I can see how time is lacking, so I don’t hold it against them.

But anyway, I had posted up two vids I did (here), and I’ve added some more. (My YouTube channel is tadam3000 (comment! rate! subscribe!))

Since YouTube has changed their video format for embedded videos, I need to do some theme editing so embedded videos will fit. But, I’ll get back with you soon and have some for you. Cheers!

The directions (translated)

On a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agree, how accurate are the following statements:

The statement

I am a decisive person.

The answer

3- I neither agree, nor disagree

Okay, You can go about your business.

(hat tip PZ)

00:00:48: QUEEEEEEEEENN! Goddamn, you forget how much you love Queen’s music. It’s anthemic pop, the kind of music you play in the car before you’re about to go drinking or punch someone in the face. “Princes of the Universe” trumps even “We Are The Champions” or “Another One Bites the Dust” for soul pumping. It’s like the St. Crispin’s Day speech committed to rock.

Pajiba

“We few, we happy few…”

You are the definition of originality. Your music is really cool. I enjoy watching your stuff. And I love that you play a Ukelele. It’s so much cooler than guitar. You rock, keep posting stuff.

Well, sarahbear618 isn’t talking about or to me in that comment on “Gone” by Danielle. Still, the unrelenting AWESOME of the ukulele will transform the world (and is much more awesome than guitars. this is all).
Oh, and check out Danielle’s songs. They’re good.

/whimper

Yeeeeaaaaahhhhhh…. NOT happening. Seriously, I’m tempted to never open my mouth except to order food at a drive-thru ever again. So, no musical dedication. Or, at the least, not this musical dedication. So, one here:

“Oh person to whom I now realize I was a total asshole for a long period of time, I’m so terribly sorry. I wish I had realized earlier and at least been able to tell you that I get it-I understand. But, as is the nature of regret, it comes along too late, so I send this out to the aether in the hopes that someday, somehow, you’ll find it.”

Leonard Cohen + Hanson? Actually, yes, and I thought, “Okay, wow, this can’t be beat.”  But, ho ho! I was wrong. Soon thereafter Aldrine posted his entry. Nothing like a little Mrazzy-reggae style to spice up MmmBop:

Does it beat Ken out? Well, no, but it’s a contender (cue Brando impersonation*). AND THEN, not to be outdone, RussBuss tosses up a blues version!

It’s like a freakin’ battle of the titans at this point! Seriously, MmmBop has never been this good. So, to everyone out there who is going to enter, may the Ukulele Gods smile upon you**. You’ll need it…

*I had to look this up. Quotefail.
**Actually, I might enter. There’s NO WAY I could be a contender in terms of musical ability, but! I can tap dance. They don’t have any tap dancing. That’s what we in the business*** call an “ace-in-the-hole”
***By the business I mean the business of making shit up that doesn’t make sense.

i was thinking about the party metaphor from the last blog. and about what bands in general go through. a party, a scene, a band, nobody wants to be a member of a club thats huge and non-exclusive. wait, i take that back, lots of people do. thats why we have sports. sports sort of represent the opposite. but the downtrodden, the self artists and misanthropes, the thinkers, the hopeless romantics, they all want to find a smaller elite. – Amanda Palmer

Anyway, I guess she has just finished a North American tour for that album and, well, let me quote her blog on the subject:

3. MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT OF U.S. TOUR CAUGHT ON YOUTUBE.
this is us, in aspen, colorado, playing to like 32 people. we decided to go for broke and make people sing “the rose”.
no joke, we have proof.
my favorite part was steven miming slicing his wrists during “some say love, it is a razor”.
classic:

So, there’s also a book (written with Neil Gaiman), WKAP, which I don’t think has been released yet, but I could be wrong about that. If (and I don’t know if it’s still valid) you ordered(ed) it from her website you got entered into a contest with the grand prize:

1st Prize (1 winner) will receive:
• A performance by Amanda in the winner’s living room (valid only in lower 48 states unless previously negotiated location is discussed). The performance shall take place on a mutually agreeable date before September 16th, 2009. This show will also be presented as a live webcast
• 4 concert tickets to an AP concert of the fan’s choice + private Meet ‘n’ Greet (must be used before September 16th, 2009)****

!!!!!! WhAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!! In case you missed it:

A performance by Amanda in the winner’s living room

Okay, from here on out, “the coolest thing ever” just had its notch moved up a bit. Now, I must merely wait for payday and order the book. I mean, I was going to get it anyway. So….

Ah, never mind, stupid rules. Contest is over. Still, gonna have to order that book.

Since November 9th, there has been quite a bit of movement on this front. Lucas, Barbara , and I have all acquired our instruments and have taken our first, faltering but vital steps to learning to play them.

Personally, I’d want to give great thanks to the great folk at Ukulele Underground (particularly Aldrine) for having such a great site and having so many people willing to share their experience and just be so all-around helpful.

The band, Serious Play, performed its first song on New Years Eve, a most stereotypical Auld Lang Syne. I think, for the first time we played together after only such a short time with these instruments, it’s a great start.

(available on YouTube in HD)

Even aside from that, I’ve been doing quite a bit of work on my own. I have learned (sort of) two songs and created two videos where I (sort of) play them!

The first being “Ukulele Malaguena” from the How to Play Ukuleles for Peace e-book, arranged by Woodshed (available, again, in HD on YouTube:

The second, performing “Creep” by Radiohead (YouTube, HD, etc.):

That’s all for now. I apologize if there are any typos, but this post was written at an obscenely early hour! I hope everyone’s 2009 started well and has less suck than their 2008.

"For The Benefit Of Mr. Buffet, There will be a show tonight on Ukulele."

The Beatles Complete In One Day On Ukulele

A benefit for Warren Buffet..

Darlings:

Sunday December 7, 2008, a day that will live in Infamy,

From Noon till Midnight at Spike Hill In Williamsburg, Brooklyn

http://www.spikehill.com/

Roger Greenawalt, Will perform all 189 original Beatle Songs in one day on Ukulele.

Many of Roger’s famous friends and clients will be singing along.

We wanted to do this show as a benefit, but were unable to decide whom to give the

money to.

Then it came to us.

Let’s give it to Warren Buffet!

Frankly if we kept the money we’d just spend it on Viagra, records, and cat food.

Otherwise we would just waste it.

Warren will know what to do.

Just… wow.

Now, if only self-interest didn’t leave me in favor of this bailout….

Why yes, MySpace, it is someone I know! But, as I ask in a complete lack of seriousness, how does one befriend their ex-wife? (Hm. Need punchline. Suggestions?)

-Chris

• should be intellectually challenging. Tom + Rote = Dis As Ter
• should be beneficial to the growth and support of a rational, free society rather than merely a job for money. However, money is important because it pays for things. Like food.
• should be viewed based on the result but done for the sake of the doing. Results oriented, but process driven.
• should be left to me in terms of the how. The what can have input, but other than that, it’s better if I can just do things the way I think they should be done without having to explain every moment or step.
• should not involve interaction with a large number of people. A large number of equals might be okay, but having to "serve" clients is not something I care for.
• should not have a set schedule or a set location except where necessary.
• should either incorporate new areas of experience of shift focus frequently. I get distracted by shiny, new ideas and work should accommodate that. I am an idea-klepto.

Where I live:

• should include the trappings of culture: bookstores, cafes, museums, theatres, and a variety of restaurants serving a variety of cuisine (not that I would eat most of it, but I want the option!).
• should have an eclectic, vibrant, exciting and passionate atmosphere.
• should be socially liberal but increasingly secular (and I think those things go together). should have high speed internet.

I:

• should increase my knowledge because knowledge is the closest thing I have to an intrinsic good.
• should establish better baselines for diet and physical activity levels.
• should live more in enjoyment of the moment rather than in the myriad probabilistic outcomes I think about when it comes to personal choices.
• should allow myself the freedom to experience relationships experientially, as experiences of human connection, rather than trying to fit them into a predetermined mould.

My art:

• should BE MORE!!!!!!!!!
• should be more creatively active and explore more artistic genres.
• should be more accepting of failure as a part of artistic growth and achievement; I should look upon failures not as failures but as elements of learning or critical guidance- finding the best path sometimes requires feeling around for loose rock and mud
• should more actively interact with the art of other artists either within r cross-genre.
• should be more free in mixing genres (visual and literary, visual and 3d e.g.).
• should integrate my desires for society and culture into my art- let it reflect more fully what I believe.
• should be less abstract and more based in the beauty in the world in color and line and grow to include more reality.
• should be the artistic representation of a human experience.

It is difficult to get what you want out of your life if you don’t even know what it is. For myself, I’ve had a really hard time trying to figure that out, so I made a list. Some revision and it became this manifesto(-ish thing). These 21 (I think it’s 21… Calculus yes, counting no.) statements are more or less clear areas in which I can attempt to bring reality more in line with what I desire. Sadly, whim is not sufficient for changing the world (despite what some people believe) and real work will have to go into these. Planning. Goals. Successes and disappointments. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

Most of these are probably going to be difficult. But! Most things worth having in life don’t come easily into our hands. Effort seems to imbue the results with greater value than they have based on their utility.

But why now, I can imagine some people asking, why now? Why is today a write a manifesto day and yesterday wasn’t?

Well, for one thing, all days, for me, are manifesto days, but often they exist only in my mind and are never actualized. I tend to think in terms of systems and change, so it is not uncommon for a gaggle of "oughts" to be noisily traipsing through my head. However, concretizing these ideas into words and sending those words, these words, into the world is a step above normal.

It’s probably because yesterday was my birthday (yesterday as of the time of writing, December 5th by more precise measurement) and being reminded that death looms ever ominously is a good reason to look over the historical topography of your life and see how much you like the landscape. In comparison with the list above, I think I’m doing really well in one item, and passably in a few others. There is still quite a bit of room for improvement. Anyone know any good landscape architects?

Poor attempts at humor aside, and apropos of nothing, I had these two thoughts while going through this process:

• Determining is more about exclusion than inclusion.
• The patterns of behavior we create are greatly influenced by our relationships and when removed from that context often make little sense, but they become ingrained: little arroyos in the mind where thought most easily flows after it has fallen. Changing those is as difficult as carving rock. The hands cannot easily replicate the work done by wind and rain and time.

You have perfect color vision!

Probably, this test from x-rite would have been easier with a properly calibrated monitor, but I’ll take it!

(via Lines and Colors)

Now, remember: Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life