RandomStringOfWords

Electric Violin

So I had said previously that my musical talent ended pretty much at the ability to play the radio, and that I hated that..  I wrote that entry back in July of ‘08 and I still hate it..

I have been looking around for ideas of what to play and am still undecided.. I have a nice piano so my investment there at this point would be only time, but I am not interested in it — it still doesn’t inspire me..  I still like the idea of the Chapman stick but the cost is just unreasonable and frankly the alternative is not as pretty (yes that matters) not to mention they have horrible business tactics which I don’t appreciate..

I thought about getting a guitar and may still do that as there’s a ton of info out there for free as well as an awesome assortment of equipment.. So baring anything else.. I’ll do that.. I can get a guitar on the cheap and I have 4 or 5 friends that have offered to loan me an instrument..

Having said that, of late a coworker of mine has gotten me interested in learning the violin or viola..   Plus I have done a lot of looking online and I have to admit they look fun..  The concept of an electric violin appeals to me.. hehe

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Sony DR-BT21G

In 1994 Jaap Haartsen and Sven Mattisson has a stroke of genius when they invented the personal area networking (PAN) protocol known today as Bluetooth for Ericsson phones.   By the year 2000 it was pretty widely known that Bluetooth was something hot!  A lot of major companies jumped on to the Bluetooth Special Interests Group with the intent of developing some really neat technology..  And ever since I heard about the protocol I immediately though, “they need headphones that use those!!”..

Well set the way forward machine to 2009 and I FINALLY have a set of stereo headphones that use the Bluetooth protocol!  Yay!   I know they have actually been out for over a year but it took me this long to find a pair that I thought would be worth having, AND I had a device that would actually support it.

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Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is just plain.. LEGEN-DARY! (er.. sorry.. wrong show).. Joss Whedon put together this little internet mini-series during the writers strike and its really very good.

It stars Neil Patrick Harris (commonly known as Doogie Howser) as Dr. Horrible, Nathan Fillion (Malcom Reynolds or the wrong private Ryan) as Captain Hammer (“Corporate Tool” hehe), and Felicia Day (Buffy, and The Guild) as Penny, Dr. Horribles love interest. It’s spread out over 3 episodes spanning a grand total of about 40 minutes..

In an attempt to test the waters, joss and crew have decided to release this pony for free over the course of the next couple of days, then to offer it for sale. One week only!! Posted initially on the 15th, they stay free until the 20th then go for sale.. I love this idea.. One week, get the word out.. then see who comes and buys it. I would.. its good!

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… and that’s about it. When I was in middle and high school I was in band and played everything from the trombone to the baritone and tuba but my musical aspirations sorta died there. So it’s not that I don’t have skill, or that I can’t learn — I just haven’t. I know many folks that are completely tone deaf, I’m not one of those. I just haven’t had the time/inclination to invest into learning a musical instrument.

My lack of musical skills came gallingly apparent one year at Halloween when everyone in the company showed up playing some instrument or another — and I had nothing of the sort. One of the co-workers asked with complete honesty and earnest, “What instrument do you play?” as if it were a foregone conclusion that I had to play something..

My response was, “I can play the radio..” Which got a chuckle from everyone who heard it, but it left me a little hollow inside. I really do want to learn something I just am not sure what. Or rather, I wasn’t.

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