I had a long day at work wrestling with Java programming. I'm trying to do something that should be so simple, but there doesn't seem to be a mechanism in Java to do it. I even kept researching it when I got home. I finally found someone asking a similar question on a forum, and someone else telling him that he needs to stop thinking like a Fortran programmer with columns and rows, and start thinking in terms of everything as an object. That's my problem... I think of everything like it's a spreadsheet. But, I think I know how to solve my problem now, and I have a whole weekend to forget about it before I go back to work.

On the music front, I listened to the keyboard accompaniment I recorded last night for "When I Awake," and I'm pleased with it. I tried to find a different tinkly bell sound for the instrumental part, but I couldn't find one I liked better.

Tomorrow, I'll record vocals. I revisited the lyrics and made some adjustments. If all goes well, I'll have this song finished by tomorrow evening.

I didn't do a NaSoAlMo update that last couple of days because I took a break from writing and recording. The only thing I did yesterday was think about cover songs, and I'm thinking about doing The Who's "Boris the Spider." Bass heavy and fun!

Tonight, I recorded the keyboard parts for "When I Awake." It was slow going at first, but I finally almost memorized the stupid chords, so I wouldn't have to look from the keyboard to the music stand constantly. I think it sounds pretty good.

Most of the day, I sat at my computer and played Bejeweled. What a waste of time. I can't stop. I was home from work because a crew came out to remove an ash tree and prune two more. Here are the before and after:

NaSoAlMo Progress:

• NaSoAlMo 1: The Things I Have Left (Done 4:21)
• NaSoAlMo 2: Orbit (Done 5:07)
• NaSoAlMo 3: Staycation (Done 4:18)
• NaSoAlMo 4: When I Awake (Written, partially recorded ~ 4:00)
• NaSoAlMo 5: Valentino's (Written ~ 4:30)
• NaSoAlMo 6: Sandman Stories (Done 3:30)
• NaSoAlMo 7: Q-Tips, Tissues and Tampons (Done 1:42)
• NaSoAlMo 8: Boris the Spider (Maybe!)

I stayed home from work sick today. No really... allergies. Egads.

I started feeling better this evening, so I mixed "Sandman Stories." Then I listened to all but one of the songs I've done so far. Then I worked on the mixes of all four of the songs I listened to. That is the hazard of listening... I'll always find something wrong. It's also the reason I like to get a good start, so I have time to fix some of the things before the month is over. I was able to fix some sound issues with adjustments to EQ, and that makes me happy.

Sandman is done now, and it turned into a 3:30 song. That's another 15 minute gain, so that leaves about 1:45 to write or cover. My BGFF Shann says she wants me to do a cover. heh She said if I didn't, I could do one after NaSoAlMo, but I never want to do music again after NaSoAlMo. (Just kidding about not wanting to do music... I'm merely feeling the NaSoAlMo burn out).

Progress:

• NaSoAlMo 1: The Things I Have Left (Done 4:21)
• NaSoAlMo 2: Orbit (Done ~ 5:07)
• NaSoAlMo 3: Staycation (Done 4:18)
• NaSoAlMo 4: When I Awake (Written ~ 3:50)
• NaSoAlMo 5: Valentino's (Written ~ 4:30)
• NaSoAlMo 6: Sandman Stories (Done 3:30)
• NaSoAlMo 7: Q-Tips, Tissues and Tampons (Done 1:42)

It's the last day of the first half of National Solo Album Month, and I spent the day in the recording room. I finished mixing "Orbit" and started recording "Sandman Stories."

Sandman is one of those songs I'm either going to walk away hating or loving. It turned out different from what I was going for. I wanted drums and distorted lead guitar wanking, but neither are in my repertoire at this point. As is, it's got a repetitive bass line, a cute little guitar riff solo (that took FOREVER to get close to right. harrumph), and lots of effects on the vocals. And spacey noises. I like spacey noises.

I'm tired. I've already stayed up past my bedtime working on music. I hope I feel like working on it tomorrow evening, but maybe I need a break. Sandman is going to be about 3:15, which means I only have a couple of minutes to account for.

Progress:

• NaSoAlMo 1: The Things I Have Left (Done 4:21)
• NaSoAlMo 2: Orbit (Done ~ 5:07)
• NaSoAlMo 3: Staycation (Done 4:18)
• NaSoAlMo 4: When I Awake (Written ~ 3:50)
• NaSoAlMo 5: Valentino's (Written ~ 4:30)
• NaSoAlMo 6: Sandman Stories (Needs mixing ~ 3:15)
• NaSoAlMo 7: Q-Tips, Tissues and Tampons (Done 1:42)

Today I recorded one spoken word piece (Q-Tips, Tissues and Tampons) and most of a song (Orbit). This is super progress.

I worked on the words for the spoken word piece at Madam Mam's over lunch and some more when I got home. On the way home from Mam's, I figured out what I was going to put underneath the words. A simple G-major scale on the bass over and over in 4/4 time. I also added a surprise singing part at the end. I think it took less than two hours to record start to finish. It got me 1:42 closer to the goal of 29:09.

Then I started recording Orbit, which has taken me from about 3:30 p.m. to half past midnight. It's got rhythm guitar, bass, lead guitar, lead vocals and harmony. The rhythm guitar was kicking my butt because I was trying to do bar chords. Still can't do bar chords. Once I decided to do simpler chords, that part was recorded pretty quickly. The bass was easy and the vocals were mostly easy. The lead guitar was frustrating! I think I probably recorded it 50 times. Then I accidentally deleted part of it, and exclaimed "Crap in a basket!"

After all that, I decided it needed a spacey sounding intro and outro, so I found some sounds on my keyboard and recorded those.

I've mixed everything now except the lead guitar. I'll leave that for tomorrow. With all that, this song has turned into a 5:07 song. Woo-Hoo! That leaves around 2:30 minutes I need to write or cover.

Progress:

• NaSoAlMo 1: The Things I Have Left (Done 4:21)
• NaSoAlMo 2: Orbit (Almost Done ~ 5:07)
• NaSoAlMo 3: Staycation (Done 4:18)
• NaSoAlMo 4: When I Awake (Written ~ 3:50)
• NaSoAlMo 5: Valentino's (Written ~ 4:30)
• NaSoAlMo 6: Sandman Stories (Mostly written ~ 3:00)
• NaSoAlMo 7: Q-Tips, Tissues and Tampons (Done 1:42)

Friday the 13th, Y'all! Woooo

This morning I stopped at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf like I do most every morning. They have their holiday stuff out, and I've been eyeing the Peppermint bark, one of my favorite holiday treats. I bought a small package to have for afternoon snack.

I was feeling pretty good because I went to bed at a decent hour last night and had a good sleep. I was glad because I needed to do some recording this evening.

At lunch, I went to Moonshine, as I was craving their broiled trout with cornbread sage dressing. It's the only fish I ever crave, but I think it's because of that cornbread sage dressing on top.

As I waited for my lunch, I focused on lyrics for a song I started writing on day two of NaSoAlMo. The topic is the ring that my ex-boyfriend gave me when he said he wanted to be with me forever and what I did with it after he dumped me. I've been thinking about those lyrics throughout the last two weeks, so I didn't go back to my notes. I just wrote two verses straight out.

They aren't very lyrical, meaning the phrasing isn't melodic and the rhyming isn't there. I think it would work as spoken word, so I'm going to come up with some light music for the background and speak it.

Mid-afternoon, I had some of that peppermint bark. It was good, but the dark chocolate layer on the bottom was thinner than I like, and the sugar white layer was thicker. After eating almost two pieces, all I wanted to do was sleep. I thought I might go home from work as soon as I finished the current task because I was feeling so sleepy, but that task lasted all the way until quittin' time. At home, I didn't feel up to recording, so I lay on the couch watching Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice. I'm glad Addison is a cat lady now. Cat ladies rock.

Anyway... I'm glad I got some writing done at lunch, or it would be another day with no accomplishments. Now for the weekend!!

Progress:

• NaSoAlMo 1: The Things I Have Left (Done 4:21)
• NaSoAlMo 2: Orbit (Written ~ 3:45)
• NaSoAlMo 3: Staycation (Done ~ 4:18)
• NaSoAlMo 4: When I Awake (Written ~ 3:50)
• NaSoAlMo 5: Valentino's (Written ~ 4:30)
• NaSoAlMo 6: Sandman Stories (Mostly written ~ 3:00)
• NaSoAlMo 7: Q-Tips, Tissues and Tampons (lyrics written ~ ??)

Too tired for NaSoAlMo. I spent all my energy writing a bullet list for Lunch with Brian at Cantina Laredo. Going to bed. *snore*

First I'd like to express my appreciation for veterans and all those who are still in the fight. Thank you.

Today's NaSoAlMo activities focused on recording "Staycation". I recorded the acoustic rhythm guitar first using my Johnson J-Station (an effects box). I like the sound of the guitar through the J-Station. Then I sang the lead vocal and harmonies. Then I had to figure out what to play during the three instrumental breaks.

I had my acoustic guitar plugged into the J-station still, so I played with the effects for a while until I found a fun wah wah sound. I used that for the first instrumental break.

The second was kazoo. Whoot!

The third was a distorted electric guitar lead with feedback! Since distorted electric guitar doesn't really fit with the song, I decided to change the lyric right before it to introduce it. The song is about things that happened on my Staycation, so I sang that I got to wank on my electric guitar [then it starts playing].

After I recorded that, I listened to the first song I recorded last week (The Things I Have Left) and decided to add bass to it. It filled it out nicely.

"Staycation" ended up longer than I anticipated, so that added another 18 seconds to the album. I think the last song I wrote is going to be longer than I originally anticipated, too. So I now estimate that I have 23:44 worth of music written. That leaves 5:25 to meet the challenge, and I still haven't picked out a cover song.

That means I have to record 5 or 6 more songs. It takes a day or more to record a song. I need to focus to make sure I get this done!

Progress:

• NaSoAlMo 1: The Things I Have Left (Done 4:21)
• NaSoAlMo 2: Orbit (Written ~ 3:45)
• NaSoAlMo 3: Staycation (Done ~ 4:18)
• NaSoAlMo 4: When I Awake (Written ~ 3:50)
• NaSoAlMo 5: Valentino's (Written ~ 4:30)
• NaSoAlMo 6: Sandman Stories (Mostly written ~ 3:00)

I continued working on "Sandman Stories" today at lunch and this evening. At lunch, I went to Cherrywood Coffeehouse to eat and write. That's how artful life should be. I really liked their mocha latte today. Usually, it's just okay. I think because she put whipped cream on it. I need to remember to ask for whip cream every time. I also had a Terra Taco (egg, potato strings, fried tofu, avocado, tomato [I think]) and fries.

This evening, I finished up the writing. Unless I want to change it again tomorrow. This song seems to evolve.

I also decided to add a spoken dedication to the Valentino's song. Might as well mention the folks who made Valentino's *the* place to hang out in San Marcos.

I went back to work today after a week off, and I was glad to be back. It was good to switch my focus to database maintenance and java programming. I think I needed to clear my creativity palette.

At lunch, I went to Kerbey Lane for breakfast food. While there, I thought a lot about the song I wrote last night and switched the direction. I threw out two of the three verses and all of the chorus. The title was "One Way Street." Now it's "Sandman Stories." Much better. I have two verses written and need one or two more.

I was too tired to do music tonight, though. I think I'm getting a cold. I hope it's just allergies. I've been loading up on zinc, and I'll use my nose squirt bottle before I go to bed to clean out the schnoz. If I get sick, it's going to make singing my album difficult.

I suspect I'll be even more tired tomorrow night, but then I have Wednesday off for Veteran's Day. Yay!