Wednesday, August 12, 2009

I Got Bit By Something...

...while I was sleeping last night. It is not a whole lot better now.

Here is a cell phone picture of just how swollen the left side of my upper lip was this morning:

Monday, August 10, 2009

Stuff

I figure I will need another week to finish the basic storyline of A Night Borrowed, and then another week to finish up the main bulk of the story in Devil's Handiwork. After that, I'll spend another week editing and adding scenes, going over the stories, taking things out and adding other things.

In the meantime, I have to practice the piano, but I don't have any work pressing. And, other than that, I probably should go for a walk, take a shower, and, uh, you know, do some writing or something.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Bass & Drums Are DONE!!!

We went into the studio this afternoon and we re-did "Dear Jane" (the drummer's song), "Relax," and "The Cover." They came out a LOT better, so I have my bass and drum tracks! We can start building the rest of the stuff now.

Next week (sometime between the 10th and the 14th), I'll be going into the studio again and re-recording electric guitar tracks on:
Fine Fools
The Night Let Me Down
Strings
Moonshine Valentine
Even If It's Wrong

...and fixing one bum note in "Honor Among Thieves."

The weekend of the 15th, I'll go back in and do acoustic guitar tracks on:
Strings
The Night Let Me Down
Moonshine Valentine
Honor Among Thieves

Hopefully, on the same day (the 15th) I do the acoustic guitar tracks, I'll do piano tracks on:

Moonshine Valentine
Honor Among Thieves
Strings
The Night Let Me Down
If The Stars Align
Rumors
Fine Fools
The Cover
Even If it's Wrong

... and then record the horn parts on "You're The Reason" and then record "You Suck More Than I Do." (LOLOLOL)

The week after that (sometime between the 17th and 21st), I'll go in and do the lead vocal tracks for all the songs, and then the week after that (sometime between the 24th and 28th), Kenny will record his lead and rhythm tracks. Once that's done, we have backing vocals and harmony parts to do (probably between the 29th and the 10th of September), and then mixing (probably between the 10th and the 16th of September).

And then we'll be done.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Writing Crap

So, I basically took the first two days of this month off from writing, even though I signed up for another writing thing for the second consecutive month. So, my word count total so far for AugNoWriMo is just what I have written since about 2:30 AM, which is 1,111 words (no, I am so totally not kidding).

Since I have set a goal of 65,000 words, I am going to have to keep a better schedule than this. I need to write at least 2,500 words a day, or I won't make it. Luckily, I am in an exciting part of the book, where everything is starting to come together (though I guarantee you that you won't see the twist coming... it's starting to twist in A Night Borrowed, but you won't see the full rotation until the third book, Night Fades.

Monday, August 3, 2009

My Neck Is Killing Me

I must be sleeping funny again, as my neck is doing almost the same thing as before when I went and saw the chiropractor. I feel like someone's stabbing a railroad spike into my neck. It's terrible. I have ice on it now, even as I type.

I planted lawn seed today with Caitlin, as we still had some bare spots out in the lawn from all my gardening efforts earlier this summer. I also got copies of all the stuff we've done in the studio so far, but I have yet to listen to them. Gonna do that shortly. Then, I have to re-write an FDA report for a client, and then I am going to play piano, and then I am going to write... if I have time.

Sometime this month, I need to put the CD cover together. I need to get a bottle for the front cover, and I need to get a label to put on the bottle with the band's name and the album title printed on it. I need to get pictures of the band, and I need to get some custom picks made, and then there is a ton of other stuff that I can't do until I get my school money in September. Le sigh.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

I DID IT!!!

I just hit 53,730 words in A Night Borrowed for JulNoWriMo. That's just for the month of July, and I didn't even start until a few days into the month. Ha! I am really pleased with myself right now.

Now, on to AugNoWriMo, where I plan to write 65,000 words in 31 days. That's only about 2,100 words a day, but I'll have to write every single day to do it.

So, I am celebrating tomorrow. Taking a day off from the computer!! (Don't make much sense, do I? Have to write every day and then taking a day off? Pppttthhhhfff!)

Friday, July 31, 2009

I Am So Far Behind...

...I couldn't catch my ass with both hands and Stickum.

It's been a long month. I'm at about 40,000 words so far in A Night Borrowed in JulNoWriMo. Which means, in the next three hours - if I was to make the 50,000 words for the month - I'd have to write another 10,000 words. Which, at this point, is probably not going to happen.

An acquaintance told me that my storm pictures of the "potential tornado" we had on Tuesday were used on KXLY News 4 - without attribution. Grr.

Better get to writing, I suppose.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Must Be Stupid

I am about 10,000 words behind to get to 50,000 words for JulNoWriMo, but I just signed up to do 65,000 words in AugNoWriMo (August Novel Writing Month) for the month of August. The goal is to finish Devil's Handiwork and A Night Borrowed by the end of August. Devil's Handiwork needs about another 25,000 words to be done, and A Night Borrowed will need about another 40,000 words... assuming that I actually hit 50,000 words in it for July. HAHAHA.

We Recorded

So, we recorded again yesterday. It went all right. Got to the studio right about 3 PM. We unloaded my amp and guitar and the bassist's guitars, and set those up. I went over the site with the recording guy, who wants some changes to the site.

The drummer arrived, unloaded his stuff, and set up his drums. That took about 15 minutes. Another half hour to set up microphones on the drums.

We started with "Strings." It took about 4 takes, but we got one that worked pretty quickly. Encouraged, we went into "The Night Let Me Down." It took us probably a dozen takes but we finally got a good take. Next, we did the drummer's song, "Dear Jane." That one took about a half dozen takes, mostly for false starts. The drummer was not happy with one of the spots on my guitar, so I will re-do it later. Next, we did "Rumors," and, even though that's a pretty difficult song to play, we only needed three takes to get it right.

Once we were done with those - which were the songs we had planned to get done yesterday all along - I went over the list of songs left to do. I had previously listened to the six songs we'd recorded the last time, and decided that we might want to re-do "The Cover" and "Even If It's Wrong," but that the second take of "You're The Reason" we could keep, along with the three I knew were good from the last session: "Moonshine Valentine," "If The Stars Align" and the third take of "Honor Among Thieves." So, after yesterday's session, we only had "Relax" left to do, and, possibly, re-doing "The Cover," as the band decided that they liked the take of "Even If It's Wrong."

I have a new-ish song called "Fine Fools," and I really like that song, so, I decided that we would record it, too, for this record. So, we took three takes to get "Fine Fools," and then two takes on "Relax." After listening back to them, I still think that we need to re-do "The Cover" with a metronome, and I also think that we should re-do "Relax" with a metronome. I am waiting to get copies of everything from the recording guy and then we'll make a decision on those two songs. I am pretty sure, though, that we will be re-doing those two with a metronome.

So, all in all, this is what is done for the record, as far as bass, drums, and rhythm guitar go:
Moonshine Valentine
If The Stars Align
Rumors
The Night Let Me Down
Fine Fools
Strings
Even If It's Wrong
You're The Reason

I will have to re-do or edit guitar tracks on:
Dear Jane (one damned note, but that's enough, I guess)
Honor Among Thieves (one damned note, too)

We'll probably be re-doing:
The Cover
Relax

And then I have one more song to add, but it is piano and vocals only:
You Suck More Than I Do

I should be writing today, but I am not. I am tired.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Word Count Status

I'm at about 31,000 words in A Night Borrowed for the month of July!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Recording Stuff

I talked to my cousin, Angel (since she has played in a brass section), and asked about getting a brass section to play on "You're The Reason." I showed her the song and the parts as I have written them on the keyboard, and she said that real horns probably wouldn't come out a lot better than the way the keyboard sounds. She says that recordings are generally pretty harsh on horns. So, I will probably just play the keyboard for those parts. Saves me some money, too.

Monday, July 20, 2009

JulNoWriMo & Stuff

Didn't write at all yesterday, but we did have a short band practice. We practiced the four originals that we're going to record the bass, drums, and rhythm guitar for on the 25th, when we go back into the studio.

I have four new show recaps up: here, here, here, and here.

Today, I plan to write some more in A Night Borrowed. I am almost at 30,000 words for the month. :)

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Coccygodynious* People

So, a few weeks ago, I responded to a Craigslist posting for a band for a wedding. I sent them a complete set list and links to cover song demos. They replied that they wanted to come hear us play live. I replied that the bars weren't paying that well, so we have been doing weddings, but that I couldn't just invite them to someone else's wedding reception. So, I told them they could come hear us at a practice. A week or so goes by, and I don't hear back from them. I figure that they weren't interested in coming over or something and wrote it off.

Then, on July 3rd, the lady writes back asking when we're practicing so she can come hear us play. I tell her that the drummer is out of the area for one weekend and we're playing another wedding the next, so the 19th (today) is the next practice. She writes back later that day that they are coming.

Over the course of the last two weeks, I have tried to confirm this with her. No replies. Yesterday, I wrote again to confirm. Finally got a reply at 1 PM today that they've hired another band.

My question is: WHEN did she hire another band? Because, unless it was at 12:30 PM TODAY, she should have called or e-mailed THAT DAY, not waited until two hours before they were supposed to show up!!! I mean, the fact that they hired another band is not the deal here: it's the lack of consideration for my time, but not e-mailing or calling me and letting me know they've hired someone else and are not coming.

* means pain in the ass

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Words and Stuff

I am almost to the halfway mark for JulNoWriMo. Tomorrow, I should crack 25,000 words (plus some, I hope). I need to get at least 50,000 words this month, or I'll never get the book done this year.

Kenny may have gotten me another web design job for a local flooring company, so that would be good.

As for the band, we're practicing on Sunday, and there is supposed to be a potential client coming over to hear us play. I doubt they'll actually make it over. But, just in case, I am cleaning the floors tomorrow... vacuuming the livingroom carpet and mopping the linoleum in the dining room, kitchen, and bathroom. Also, clutter must be picked up. The house isn't in that bad of shape, considering... except for the kids' rooms. Arg.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

The Show Went Well

I got up at 11AM yesterday (because I had been up until 4AM making preparations for the gig), made coffee, and started getting ready. We packed up and drove to Dover and got to the venue. We dragged all of our equipment up the stairs to a renovated hayloft in a barn. The floor was uneven, and all of our equipment was tippy. Oh, well.

We set up. I had major issues with the power source for my little 66-key keyboard. I have started using the little keyboard for the organ parts on the Bon Jovi songs we do, and I went and bought a second tier for my keyboard stand for that very purpose, so it looks like I have some real keyboard talent, what with the two keyboards stacked atop each other, the 88-key big one below and the little 66-key one above. LOL. Anyway, so once we got the power issues situated, we soundchecked.Soundcheck was a mess. We couldn't seem to get the levels right. We got them close, though, when we stole the drummer's vocal microphone and stuffed it in his kick drum. Once the kick drum was audible through the PA, things seemed a bit better, soundwise. Not perfect, but better.

After soundcheck, we went and got some hamburgers for lunch and then Kenny and I grabbed the big keyboard, my acoustic guitar, one half of Kenny's amp, and my little Abilene amp and we went to the wedding site. Once there, we found that the concrete pad we were to play on was in the full-on afternoon sun. And, we had only two outlets and we needed three. So, Kenny jetted back to the barn to go get a power strip. Once we were set up, to keep me from burning my hands on the keyboard (which was HOT thanks to being in the full-on rays of the sun), Kenny stood between me and the sun, shading my hands. He was dripping with sweat, and my legs, which were still in the sun and covered in black tights, felt like they might catch fire.

We did really well at the wedding, though the sun prevented me from doing as well as I wanted to while people were sitting down. The bride wanted us to play an instrumental acoustic version of the chorus from Tom Petty's "Here Comes My Girl." We did manage to pull that off without a hitch, so, that was good. After the wedding ceremony, I played Pachabel's "Canon in D" for the bride and groom to march back down the aisle, and then we packed up our shit and went back to the barn for the reception.

We got back to the reception and had some ice water, and then re-set up our stuff for the gig. The heat inside kept people outside; it was about 105 degrees inside that barn, and muggy as hell, but we persevered. We played really well, all in all. There weren't any glaring errors, and the band sounded awesome, and everyone was having a great time and dancing (outside where we couldn't see them, but Dad told me about it), and the bride and her mom told us repeatedly that we rocked and that they really enjoyed it.

We broke everything down and loaded it into the vehicles. We went to bed - with my cousin staying over (and I am really glad he came; we really needed his help and he was a HUGE help) - at about 2 AM, and I didn't get up until 1:30 this afternoon. So far, I haven't really done anything except make dinner for everyone. It's in the oven now.

So, all in all, it went well.

Friday, July 10, 2009

More Words

I managed to write just over 1,000 words yesterday, bringing my total for JulNoWriMo to 14,973. It seems so slow going, but once I made a change in Chapter One, the rest seems to be going smoother. I was going to skip a bunch of stuff that was supposed to happen in the book and just summarize those events, but, I realized that much of the characterization happens during those seemingly boring parts to write, so I am writing them. Not that I really want to. I'd rather get on with what happens.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

I'm Procrastinating Again

I have been doing everything BUT writing in A Night Borrowed. I don't like how it is turning out, and I fear that I will have to start over. It needs desperate re-working.

Today is really my last day to write until Sunday, so I should get to it. Tomorrow, I have to practice with Kenny and then break down all the equipment and get it ready to move to the venue. Saturday, we have to leave here by 1PM to get to the venue for set-up by 2PM. Also, since Kenny and I are playing guitar and piano AT the wedding itself, we have to set up part of the stuff at a different place and then move it to the venue when the reception starts. And then there's breaking down again and re-loading it up in the vehicles... and did I mention that the reception is taking place on the second floor, which means hauling everything up a flight of stairs?

Monday, July 6, 2009

JulNoWriMo Word Count

So far, I have 7,218 words for JulNoWriMo. Once the synopsis was complete, things started to make more sense and writing was easier. I am going to have to go back and make some textual changes when I am finished with the first draft, but things should be good for A Night Borrowed to come out October 1st.

Other news: There is no one at the landscape yard today... except for customers, who seem to think that I - a mere neighbor of the place - know something about the operation of the landscape yard and equipment thereon. Case in point: a guy delivering slate to the yard today thought that I somehow knew how to operate the crane truck and/or get into the office so he could get the keys to run it. Wut?

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Busy Day Ahead

Today, I have to go into Spokane to meet with a client. That meeting is at 3PM, and I hope to be done by 4PM so that I can go over to Uncle Rick's and look at my car.

Finally, I made an appointment with the studio to pick up preliminary mixes of the drums, bass, and rhythm guitar tracks we did last week. That's at 6 or 6:30.

Not sure what's going on tonight, but I have almost finished the synopsis for A Night Borrowed, so I should be good to go on that and be able to write the darned book this month and next. Last year, when I did JulNoWriMo, I wrote the 50,000 words in the 31 days. The thing is, when I wrote Night Cries, it ended up being just over 135,000 words. I do hope that this book is shorter. With any luck, the book will end somewhere between 85,000 and 90,000 words.

Anyway, I need to get ready to go. More later.

Monday, June 29, 2009

New Show Reviews

I have four show reviews posted, here, here, here, and here.

So, today, I want to finish the articles for a client's site and send them to him. I need to do two more show reviews and send them. I need to go get involved in JulNoWriMo, and I need to practice the piano. But, as you can tell, I am not doing any of those things. I am procrastinating.