Got a contractor

I received a written estimate from one of the contractor's I met last week - the one that I said that they struck me as the most professional. I had expected that their estimate would be higher than the others I had. They're a professional company and I expected they would charge more for their services. I had expected their quote to be about $2000-3000 higher. It wasn't. It was about $10,000 more than what the other contractors I'd talked to had quoted me. Back to the drawing board, and I'm getting antsy to get the work started.

I called my financial advisor and I called a guy from my church who does real estate, and I asked them if they knew a contractor to whom they could refer me. Both of them had a contact for me.

I also called a guy I met recently from my men's group - he's a carpenter by trade. I met with him at the house, he said he could start on Monday, and to make a short story shorter, I gave him the job.

In the meantime, there have been about a dozen showings already, so I'm hoping at least one of them will lead to an offer.

Relationship milestone

J and I have reached a new milestone in our relationship. It is not as big as getting engaged but it's almost as significant.

We opened a joint account this week.

Now if only we actually put some money into it.

Marriage vending machine

I think someone should invent a marriage vending machine. Just think of it - you put in your credit card, punch a few buttons, it takes your picture, voila - you're married!

They could put these machines in convenience stores, gas stations, almost anywhere you'd find a regular vending machine or ATM. It could save couples from months and months and months of planning and expenses.

I'm heading down to the patent office now.

Looking for a contractor

After finding out that the contractor wanted a 50% deposit for fixing the front of the house that I am selling (see The pace of life picks up) I decided to keep looking for a contractor.

I got in touch with a few more contractors and arranged for them to come and look at the house.

One of the guys didn't show up.

Another one came and gave me a verbal estimate for the work I wanted done. I asked him to prepare for me a written estimate of the original work I wanted done. I haven't heard back from him yet.

Another one came also. He works for a company that has been around for quite a while. This company strikes me as the most professional of all the contractors I've talked to about this project. He phoned me yesterday to ask whether I wanted to receive his estimate by fax, regular mail or email.

I'd like to make a decision this week and get this project going.

Fireplace is now operational

I finally got busy with getting the fireplace looked at in my rental property (see Fireplace costs and Done Deal - basement tenant). When I had it inspected last year, the contractor told me not to use the fireplace because there are holes in the brick wall that could allow carbon monoxide to enter the house.

I had a technician from Direct Energy come look at it. I don't generally like dealing with Direct Energy - they give a four hour window of when they're going to come, and I've had experiences where I've waited and they didn't even show up. Dealing with them has been frustrating at times.

However, I wanted to get this fireplace operational, and if that meant waiting four hours for a technician to arrive, then that's what I prepared myself to do.

As it turns out, the technician arrived at only one hour into the four hour window. He cleaned the fireplace and tested it. It worked. He checked it for carbon monoxide leaks and there were none. As far as the holes in the brick walls go, they have nothing to do with the gas fireplace. They were probably used for ventilation with the original fireplace but serve no purpose with the gas fireplace unit in place.

So he declared the fireplace operational and safe to use. He spent 45 minutes on the premises and the charge was $130. Considering the value having a functional fireplace adds to the property, the peace of mind I get from knowing my tenants aren't going to get carbon monoxide poisoning, and knowing how much it could have cost me if I'd had to replace the fireplace, it was a worthwhile expense.

GarageBand.com - Track of the Day

I received this email from the people who run Garageband.com:

Congratulations! As a result of some very enthusiastic reviews from GarageBand.com members, "Yesterday Seems So Far Away" will be Track of the Day at GarageBand.com.

For 24 hours on Wednesday, the 28th of September, 2005 (PST) "Yesterday Seems So Far Away" will be featured on GarageBand.com's Progressive Rock front page. Best wishes from all at GarageBand.com and keep up the great work!

Wow! The people at GarageBand.com are much kinder than my own inner critic. Still, it's a victory and I will take it.

Big blue shi*t

I was speaking with J's three year old nephew, Little V, on the telephone last evening and I asked him what we was going to wear for Hallowe'en this year.

"Big blue shi*t," I heard him say.

"Big blue what?" I asked him. I wasn't sure if I was hearing what I was hearing.

"Big blue shi*t," he repeated. I was hearing what I was hearing.

Later I was speaking with his mother and I asked her what costume Little V was going to wear. "His Superman costume," she told me.

I told her what he had said to me.

"Oh, he still can't say R. He was saying that he was going to wear his big blue shirt."

The pace of life picks up

The pace of life has picked up since the beginning of the month. Since the time that I had my epiphany about selling my house, I have listed it for sale. I have been busy cleaning it up and preparing it for showings. Ironically, things have started picking up at work as well, so I have gone from two months of life at a casual, leisurely pace, to a much busier state of being.

At the same time that I have been preparing it for showings, I have also been trying to get a contractor to come in and fix an exterior window frame that looks rather ugly. It shouldn't be this hard to find a decent contractor for this job, but I just have not had luck. Out of the numerous contractors I called, one actually came to the house and gave me an estimate. His estimate was in the ballpark of what I was willing to spend so I was ready to give him the job - almost.

When I asked for a reference, he directed me to a flower shop where he had done the interior. I checked out the flower shop with J; the work looked decent. I also spoke with the owner and she gave him a decent review. So, I decided I would give him the job.

Then he asked for a 50% deposit. Yikes - that is excessive. Suddenly I don't feel so comfortable about hiring this guy.

My legacy

This weekend I attended a retreat called Legacy Discovery Event (LDE). During this event I came to realize that I don't know much about the people I came from or their lives. I didn't know my grandparents; I don't know who their parents were.

Throughout my life I have explored various forms of written and visual expression - journaling, creative writing, photography, video creation, blogging, music.

Perhaps these tools of expression will be part of the record of who I am and how I lived my life so that those who come after me may know me in a way that I did not know those who came before me.

Yesterday reviews - Part 3

Here is another sample of reviews I have received on GarageBand.com. I've included negative and positive reviews - trying to be fair here.

From Yucaipa, California -

Love the accoustic intro, there arent too many bands that could pull that off anymore. the feeling that it puts off is awesome. in the begining the vocals are a little of key but they correct themselves. love the melody, the accoustic is very melodic. i would hold the lighter up at a show! i dont think ive heard anybody that sounds quite like it but its deffinatly got an old sound. maybe emerson lake and palmer, but not quite. lyrics are reminisant, i like it. keep up the good work!

From United Kingdom -

1. lyrics are pretty dull im afraid to say
2. melody is something sadly lacking from this singer.
3. your sound is the sound of my nipples being cheesegratered, make it stop.

I worked really hard to get that nipples being cheesegratered sound, thanks for noticing! And they're not just anybody's nipples, they are specifically your nipples that are being cheesegratered.

From Nottingham Uk, United Kingdom -

very unusual voice,affecting melody and nice minimal tinkly guitar arrangement, give it lovely atmosphere reminiscent of simon and garfunkel(in a good way), lyrically engaging, with a very classic americana feel...simple but beautiful..

From Ithaca, New York -

What the Fu*k.This song is in wrong catagory or maybe not.It's like a english fairy tail or bedtime story to scare the crap out of ya, when your singing to a child.As strange as it seems it is a pretty cool song although the singer irratated me at first then seemed the perfect part but really is for a actor stage.Nice guitar picking.

From Corpus Christi, Texas -

this intro takes me back to 6th grade and some GnR or metallica. oh my god...i was wrong. its like terry jacks in a dracula costume. Yes-TURD-ay.. ..Uni-VERCITY... this is serious? i cant take it anymore.

Thanks for the insightful review. Say hello to your 7th grade teacher for me. I think you're trying to make a point here... that I used words with too many syllables?

From Somewhere, On Earth -

A very nice melody it has a pleasant smooth sound. I like the guitar work, it sounds very nice like Adrian Legg. The lyrics are excellent very deep and meaningful. The vocals are a little shakey as if the singer is slightly nervous? Maybe its your unique style. You asked who you sound like..The closest band that comes to mind would be Wishbone Ash.

Yesterday reviews - Part 2

Some more reviews I've received on GarageBand.com.

From Hilliard, Ohio -

Alrighty. These vocals remind me a lot of the Smashing pumpkins. However I don't think that nasally voice works for this soft music. The voice in this song is often painfully sharp, sorry, just vocals need some definite work. Guitars are really pretty. I don't know if this song is classified under prog rock however. It seems more like a folk song. Sounds like Bob Dylan, eh? That's more the style, however this does not sound anything like the prog rock kings like Rush, Yes, and ELP. I could see potential with this song. I do like the 12 string guitar in there, mixed in with a clean guitar. I just wish there was something to keep my attention more. I was starting to get bored after 4 minutes, especially with no drums really. So that's just something to think about. I think the melody of the song would be a lot better with some different vocals, but maybe this is a more lyrical song. That's the way Bob Dylan was. In conclusion, wrong genre, work on vocals, and make it more interesting.

This review repeats the general sentiments I've been getting - guitars sound great, vocals are week, wrong genre.

The reviewer's comment about gettng bored after four minutes without drums echo my thought that this song would not work as an instrumental.

At one time in the making of this song, I had envisioned a version that did have piano, drums, and a few strategically placed distortion guitar chords. However, I liked the way the acoustic guitars sounded so much that I never ended up putting in the additional layers.

From Riverton, Wyoming -

Nice fade in. Let's hope the song keeps building like that intro.

Your voaclist seems a little held back. Let it out man. Let your voice really belt out and sing out. You seem kind of naiasly. But I gotta say, the style is different and kind of intrigueing.

The lyrics are almost childish. But that's what makes me so interested in them. It would be interesting to know what you were thinking about when you wrote them. The words seem so fragile and hollow. It's great. Don't try to hard to be poetic though.

The melody is definitely different.

you sound like an old 60's disneys movie. It's very different and original. Good job.

Despite the repeated criticisms of the vocals, I am actually starting to feel encouraged from all these reviews. I imagine that if I improved the vocals and marketed this song in the appropriate genre it could actually sell.

From Horn Lake, Mississippi

the melody has a good feeling to it.the lyrics have a fairly good story behind it.the guitarist plays very well with the chording of the song.

Thanks for the feel-good review!

Yesterday reviews - Part 1

Here are some of the reviews that I've received on GarageBand.com for the song Yesterday Seems So Far Away, and my thoughts.

From Trussville, Alabama -

1.Well the lyrics are very mediocer in the fact that they are simple.

2.The melody is very unique and refreshingly well written.

3. Im not exactly sure who you sound like, but that is very unique.

I get that this reviewer did not like the lyrics because he or she finds them too simple. I think that's more of a reflection of the reviewer's taste than a critique. However, I'll take the comment about the melody as positive feedback. It's nice to know I don't come across as a mere copycat of someone else.

From Niagara Falls, New York -

Guitars sound like old Genesis. I like the melody the guitars present. Feels very melancholy. Unfortunately, the singer has ruined this for me. Is that the love child of Kermit the Frog and Barney the Dinosaur? I could certainly visualize Kermit alone on his lilypad serenading the Sesame Street gang...

The guitars really support the mood of the lyrics. The chord structure and picking leave me feeling saddened and longing to be younger with no worries. The guitars are the high point of this song. The lyrics are good - sounds like someone's longing for simpler times and the parallels that are drawn do a good job of explaining that.

Might have done better in a different genre. This doesn't really sound too prog to me. Maybe folk or acoustic folks my give you a better review.

The comparison to Kermit the Frog is a bit of an ouch to my ego but it's a fair criticism. I do need to improve my vocals.

I appreciate the praise for the guitar performance - I should forward these comments to the guitarist.

It sounds like this reviewer "gets" what this song is really about as far as the lyrics go, in comparison the previous reviewer who found the lyrics too simple. Truth be told, I like the words, I like the story they tell and the emotions they convey. I would resist altering the lyrics in any way.

Finally, the comment about doing better in a different genre mirrors my own doubts about what genre to place this song in. Maybe as an experiment, I'll submit a version of this song to one of those alternate genres and see what kind of response I get there. Personally though, I challenge the notion that a song that is acoustically performed cannot be considered progressive. My idea of what progressive rock is, isn't just that it has to have heavy bass, drums and distortion guitars.

From Kelowna, B.C. -

I was immediately taken by the intro to this song. Its light, relaxing and well played, creating a soft mood with the chosen sounds. Had it kept going this way, I would have been impressed, but I'm sorry to say, the vocal track spoiled it for me. The style and words were not nearly as professional as the music and really took away from what was happening. I would suggest dropping them all together, or maybe replacing the sung melody with a string section. Even just softly spoken over the song if you had to have the lyrics may sound interesting in a poetic sort of way. Musically, well done - parts compliment each other well, and the tempo/style change is nice, but lose that vocal.

The comments about the vocals are unanimous - I get that they are the weakest part of this track. I have my own ideas about how to improve them. This reviewer suggests dropping them altogether - I don't see this song working as just an instrumental. I think the lyrics really are an essential part of this song. Though it would be another viable experiment to produce a version that has a string section playing the melody instead of vocals.

Reviews are in

I've received a number of reviews of the song that I posted to GarageBand.com last week. Now, if I was being totally objective I'd say the reviews have been well balanced overall, presenting both positive and negative comments in a generally constructive manner.

I'm not totally objective of course. As much as I try not to take constructive criticism too personally, I still struggle with my own inner critic, which is the harshest critic of them all. As a result of conversations with my inner critic, I am sensitive in particular about my vocal abilities. When I receive reviews about my vocals being weak or off key, my inner critic says You see! I'm right! What the hell gives you the right to be putting this stuff out in public?

It is frustrating and discouraging to want to do something so much but to hear that I'm no good at it.

Fortunately I also have a kinder, gentler, compassionate self. This side has been working overtime dealing with the critic. This side reminds me that there are ways of improving such deficiencies. This side reminds me not to overlook the positive feedback that I have received. This side reminds me to quit being so hard on myself and to quit beating myself up.

This side reminds me that persistence prevails.

GarageBand.com - My first upload

I have gotten as far as writing two reviews on GarageBand.com. I need to write a total of 15 in order to upload one of my own tracks, or pay a fee. Well, I've been finding that writing these reviews just doesn't come that easy to me, so I purchased an upload credit.

I have tried to upload my first track, which is a song titled Yesterday Seems So Far Away. I wasn't sure to which genre I should submit it, and narrowed it down to two choices - Progressive Rock or Acoustic.

The structure of the song is, in my opinion, progressive. It changes time signatures several times, and follows what is in my opinion a progressive storytelling verse structure rather than a more pop-oriented Verse 1, Verse 2, Chorus etc structure. However, it is an acoustic performance, featuring only guitar and bass as instruments.

In the end I decided to put it under Progressive Rock rather than Acoustic. Many of the songs I checked out under Progressive Rock had a harder rock sound than my song. Despite this, I am going to assume that listeners of the Progressive Rock genre will accept a song with an acoustic performance. I believe (possibly incorrectly - I hope time will tell) that listeners of the Acoustic genre will not be as tolerant of this song structure.

Thoughts about juggling about multiple projects

Wil Wheaton wrote a post on his blog about juggling multiple projects. (Yes, Wil Wheaton from Star Trek: The Next Generation)

I was unsure about working on several projects in parallel. I didn't think I'd be able to maintain creative focus or momentum on several different projects, but Andrew reminded me that Isaac Asimov always worked on several different projects at once, so if he got blocked on one of them, he could just switch to a different one and keep on working. I'm no Isaac Asimov, but I'm a huge fan and admirer of his work, and if it worked for him . . . well, maybe it will work for me, too.

J has sometimes pointed out to me that I seem to be all over the place trying to do everything all at once. I have explained to her in the past that this is actually my preferred mode of being. Now I have two well known authorities, Wil Wheaton and Isaac Asimov, to back me up on this.

Wil Wheaton's blog is at http://www.wilwheaton.net/