The photo above is my current desktop on my Meerkat Nettop. I’m in love with this wallpaper right now. And you can get it here.

Lists

I’m at a point where I might be beyond titles for blog posts. Have I exhausted all my creative ideas regarding titles?

Well, it sure feels like it.

Lists, on the other hand, are doable. It can be numbered, or un-numbered. I personally prefer the bullet variety.

One can easily create a list. And, easily create many lists. It’s the perfect medium for organizing one’s thoughts. Lists can be done in a particular order, sequentially, randomly, sporadically…

Thoughts For Today

• 1. Still suffering from a long-term bout with writer’s block.
• 2. Why do I know this? I used to write frequently and daily a few years back, maybe not so far back, but several long months ago.
• 3. I’ve written 4 blog posts in the past month.
• 4. My Meerkat Nettop is an affordable CPU that is built specifically to handle Ubuntu Linux. It is a 100% Linux-driven machine.
• 5. Anyway, I haven’t felt very prolific in my writings as I have in the past.
• 6. I’m constantly thinking in my mind, of more creative ways for me to write, here in this space.
• 7. At least, creating a daily list of thoughts and feelings, is a way…
• 8. Back to Ubuntu… it is the people’s operating system!
• 9. Ubuntu is entirely free to download. It’s suite of office, audio, video, internet and utility software are FREE as well.
• 10. Sure, you have to buy a machine to house Ubuntu, but you can have a cheap computer running it with less processing speed and less memory, because Ubuntu is quite efficient and fast, and takes up less space on your hard drive.
• 11. I had a long journey with Apple. And an even longer relationship with Microsoft.
• 12. I’m anti-Microsoft because it created one of the richest billionaires in the world through a monopoly of computer software that is laden with security holes and a less-than-ideal operating system.
• 13. I’m anti-Apple because they are even worse at creating proprietary software AND machines that are over-priced, frequently upgrading both software and machines in order to gain substantial profits from a population of newbies who become seduced by the elegant designs.
• 14. Both Apple and Microsoft are multi-billion dollar companies, intent on getting as much money from the typical computer user as possible. Nothing really wrong with that, but to me it was becoming more and more difficult to keep up with the latest software, upgrades and computers, for a frugal-minded, meager individual like myself.
• 15. Enter the Ubuntu, Linux and Open Source movements.
• 16. By the way, the Linux operating system 1) doesn’t need anti-virus software, and 2) doesn’t need a monthly defragmenting schedule for the hard drive. Linux is such a superior OS that defragmenting and anti-virus-ing are a thing of the past.
• 17. It is very easy nowadays to download Ubuntu from the Internet, burn the ISO onto disc, and install it. And very practical to create a dual-boot system with both Windows AND Linux.
• 18. I am a 100% Ubuntu user.
• 19. Although, I still have the old Apple powerbook G4 (with the dark, broken computer display). I still use that computer by controlling it via VNC “Virtual Network Computing”, from my Ubuntu Linux-driven computer.
• 20. Anyway, creating these types of lists are kind of fun. I could divide these into specific categories, and organize them further, but it’s more fun and creative to just jot don’t random thoughts. Hopefully, I’ll steer away from the geeky, linux-type posts and focus on other things.
• 21. Microsoft = Galactic Empire. Linux and the Open Source movement = Rebel Alliance. Apple = elegant machines designed to seduce the masses (i.e. iPhone, iPod) for big profits.

The photo above is another screenshot of my Ubuntu desktop. Here, I am controlling my powerbook G4 (the window with the Wizard of Oz desktop) from my “linux box”. Right now I can control 3 computers with 1.

Am I A Hacker?

With all the work I’ve done online over the past several years, I would consider myself somewhat of a hacker. I’m interested in hacker things, movies, culture, computer geeks who can code in HTML, CSS, PHP, Perl, etc. by hand. I can do these things. But if anything, I am a “white hat” hacker and have only hacked at code for the good of some community.

Lately, I’ve been burned out pretty severely… I haven’t coded in a long time. Nothing serious or labor intensive that required months of development.

Perhaps, I should finally join a local PHP or Linux group. Mingle, exchange ideas and learn from others.

. . . .

The House Protects The Dreamer

The entire quote is below:

What are four walls, anyway? They are what they contain. The house protects the dreamer. Unthinkably good things can happen, even late in the game. It’s such a surprise.

A recent quote from the book and movie “Under The Tuscan Sun” had caught my attention recently. Perhaps, I’ve recently adopted a homebody attitude. I like being at home, chilling at home. And I’m far from being a partier like in my college days. Even then, I wasn’t really a party goer. I was always too philosophical for that. I needed time alone at home to think, meditate, ponder, write poetry and prose…. read.

. . . .

Chronic Fatigue or Just Being Burned Out

Sometimes I wonder if I have fybromalgia (sp?) or chronic fatigue syndrome as they call it. Today, I felt very fatigued and just didn’t have any energy to do all the things I usually do in a day. I typically love to keep busy… practice piano, drums, clean the house, do a little gardening.

I need to find a way to bounce back quicker from weekends with 3-4 gigs. I guess it’s justifiable to hit a wall after a busy weekend of gigs. Especially for a drummer/musician at my age. But, because of my fairly healthy diet, I think I have a good amount of energy for my age.

Still…

I’m always trying to improve.

I want to get back to my successful regimen of doing morning yoga/meditation, piano practice, and some form of cardio to keep me in good shape, physically, mentally and spiritually.

. . . .

Changes…

Yes, in the coming weeks there will be lots of changes in my life. I don’t want to go into all the details just yet. But these changes will be big, and require me to make changes in my current musical life, in order to focus more on family, and getting my own musical projects off to a good start…

We’ll see what happens in these weeks to come.

Went to the beach and ocean on Valentine’s Eve, with my wife and eldest boy.

I took a bunch of photos, so I still have to upload more selected photos… but here are a couple I really liked.

Someday, maybe soon… I get that telephoto lens I always wanted. That would expand my photography experience for sure.

Stones at the Beach

I’m really into taking photos of stones at the beach. And a friend on Facebook mentioned that this photo looked like one of the wallpaper images on his Apple computer.

Thanks.

Writer’s Block or Burnout

I’m still sort of going through some “writer’s block”, or maybe it’s just being burned out from blogging?

I, like many others, have been blogging for years. With the advent of social media and social networking on the web, it makes it so convenient to post random thoughts and microblog, rather than post some substantial writings here.

But, I guess I should pat myself on the back, because I’m still writing here, although NOT with the frequency I had been doing a couple of years back.

At least I’m writing here right now, in this given moment….

I’m just not as prolific and lacking the dedication I used to have. And I have other blogs like my raw vegan site, which has been updated in eons!

I will post. I will post. I will post. I will post.

And that is what I keep telling myself. Although, in my life right now, there has been many distractions and diversions.

But I have faith that I will go back to writing with more fervor and inspiration……

I Will Travel This Year

I don’t have any wanderlust that I know of right now.

My next big trip will be Boston when a niece will graduate from college.

Other than that… where do I want to go?

I’ve been quite the homebody. I like being at home. And, I don’t really like to travel like I used to in the past. Part of it is financial, of course. But, a big part is that I don’t like today’s hassles of flying, and the burden it puts on the traveler. And, I secretly have a fear of flying. Although, I love airplane food. That is a weakness… and indulgence?

Last month, the family acquired a new member of the family.

A brand new refrigerator, replacing the old one that had been in the family for 20 years!

The Old Refrigerator

First off, the old refrigerator served us well for many years, and we had not problems in replacing it since it was literally falling apart.

There were episodes where the shelves would fall down and eggs, jars of jam and mayonaise, would fall to the floor, shattering in a million pieces.

Yet, we still put up with the old refrigerator.

I think it was one incident late last year when a relative open the old fridge and the contents spilled out and jars and such came crashing to the tiles.

That was when we finally decided to retire the old fridge.

And, lo and behold, we finally have a new refrigerator after all these years.

The Importance of Refrigerators

I didn’t realize just how vital a refrigerator IS to the family, until we bought a new one. Many say the kitchen is the center of any family household. But, I think the refrigerator is the kitchen’s heart and soul.

And, at first we were going to go for a new fridge that was almost identical in design to our old one, but at the last minute, we went for a newer design because we just wanted to begin a new journey, so to speak.

French Doors and a Bottom Freezer

We bought a french door style, bottom freezer model. And I think the family is enjoying this even more. Something brand new. And being that most of the time we access the fridge part, having both doors accessing the fridge is really nice. And, the bottom freezer part is still accessible without having to lean down or stoop low.

Anyway, just wanted to show the photos, since this is a pretty special purchase (and a rare one) for the family.

The main thing: No embarrassing episodes where shelves come crashing down, milk spilling, jars breaking, and major cleanup begins…. we are finally past that.

Taxes

Just had my taxes done recently, and though the realization had set in that I didn’t make as much money last year as in previous years, somehow, I actually made a profit. And, 2010 is looking much brighter than 2009 had turned out to be.

But it’s understandable.

We were in a major recession for all of 2009, and I think we still are…

. . . . .

Keeping Track of Oneself

Anyway, I realized that I wasn’t very organized (compared to previous years) when it came to record keeping.

When you’re self-employed, it’s tougher to keep track of everything, to manage one’s business and maintain a ledger of earnings versus expenses.

I vow to do a better job this year and from now on. So, I’ve been keeping track of everything on a daily, ongoing basis. Something I should be doing anyway. But when you’re a musician striving for artistic excellence and self-improvement, it’s really hard to handle the business end, when you’re constantly focusing on the musical, artistic end. And that’s why the more successful musicians have agents and managers to help them handle that part.

With a local, freelance musician like myself, I have to function as my own agent and manager as well.

But, I’ve already had a great start to what looks to be a much better year in 2010.

I continue to meditate and pray for much success in the New Year. Wish me luck. And, I wish all of you much luck and success in 2010.

. . . .

Journeys in 2010

We have to go to Boston in May, to attend a niece’s graduation. We were thinking of doing this big east coast trip and go to New York, Washington DC, etc…

But, we may just do a short trip to New England and finish our trip in Kauai. Just a thought for now, but something that seems very enticing. I do want to go back to Hawaii, and we’ve never been to Kauai yet, so… here’s to planning. And saving!

Most of the time…

I feel like I’m just a homebody, someone who likes to stay close to home. My wanderlust has subsided in recent years… no doubt, in part due to the economic conditions that my family, and many of us face.

I’m pretty realistic in that sense that I know the last couple of years have been rough for everyone. If you haven’t felt the economic pinch then consider yourself blessed.

But, even now…

It’s all about weathering the storm right now…

January 26 was a special day for me.

Not only was it my 52nd birthday, but it was also the day I got my first Blu-ray Player as a birthday present. Well, it served a dual purpose as a gift for yours truly, but I feel better knowing it can be shared by the entire family.

January 26 was also the day that This Is It! was released on Blu-ray. So, how fitting that I also received that as a gift to try out on the new Blu-ray player.

. . . .

Seeing The Legend in Rehearsal Mode

This Is It! documents Michael Jackson’s rehearsals prior to the 50 sold out concerts in London’s O2 arena, which can seat 18,000 people at a time. It was said that all 50 shows sold out in an hour, tickets purchased online. And, another 50 shows could have easily sold out.

It isn’t often that one is afforded the opportunity to see a great entertainer & performer, rehearsing and fine tuning his craft, just before embarking on a series of concerts. And I’m sure we must have wondered in the back of our collective consciousness, just how Michael Jackson did it all.

With This Is It!, we catch a rare glimpse into the man, the musician, the dancer, the entertainer.

Just the fact that L.A.’s Staples Center was leased for so many months just to house the stage, and utilized as rehearsal space, is kind of mindboggling in itself.

It was said that Michael Jackson documented everything on video. And he especially wanted to document his comeback tour for his children, since it was the first time they could appreciate, and were old enough, to understand the magnitude of their father’s talents.

Back in the early 1990s with the Dangerous World Tour, I read that Michael had each and every concert videotaped. Later, The Bucharest Concert was made into a special concert premiering on HBO. For many of us, it solidified the fact that Michael Jackson was a worldwide phenomenon and superstar of the highest caliber. He was a perfectionist. He wanted it right, but he wasn’t a prima donna. He was humble, and very polite to all the people he worked closely with.

Such is the case with Michael Jackson and the documentary that had pieced together film footage covering the months leading up to and just before his untimely passing.

What Could’ve Been A Spectacular Concert…

Not to get too much into the details (you really need to see this movie anyway), this concert was going to be a spectacular show, filled with pyrotechnics, cutting edge video and 3D effects on possibly the largest LED screen ever made. Again, he assembled a talented group of musicians, dancers, stage crew and personnel to realize quite possibly his ultimate dream show.

Too bad he wouldn’t live to see it through, but thank God This Is It! was made, so that we could get an idea of what could’ve been.

For a documentary, in which the film footage was originally meant for Michael Jackson’s private video collection, the transfer to blu-ray was quite decent. The animated sequences in the show are spectacular, and the colors turned out quite well. The props for MJ’s Jackson Five medley are quite amazing, as well as the pre-taped video footage for the big screen.

I just realized that what Michael was wearing during the rehearsals was his personal attire, but some of his outfits could’ve been nice enough for the shows. In one of the special feature videos, the costume designer walks us through all the outfits Michael would wear during the concert. Each better than anything he had worn before in previous concert tours.

He Still Had “It”

Throughout the film, I felt a certain sadness, that such a gifted entertainer had passed on before his time. And, I was also sad for the dancers, the producers, and everyone involved who worked hard and were ready to put on an amazing show.

One could truly see that Michael still had the energy and stamina to perform 50 shows.

In a sense, This Is It! was somewhat of a vindication for all the bad publicity he’s received over the years. One can see by Michael’s interactions with all the people around him that he was truly a consummate professional, was very humble and polite.

His overall message throughout his music and in this documentary is “Love”, plain and simple.

In his own words… “With the love, L.O.V.E.”

Footnote: I started this blog post right after I saw this movie in the theaters. In fact, I saw the movie twice. But for some reason this post just sat around as a draft until just now.