Our jam session Monday afternoon was great! It was only the bass player that ended up coming, but that was perfect because we were so productive! I’d brought music for 7 original songs (the songs that we’ll record acoustic, since I haven’t yet figured out how to play electric guitar with any grace whatsoever) and we plowed through them in my brother’s living room. I played and sang my songs, he picked out a bass part, I gave input as far as “I like the activity in the beginning of the chorus, but I want it more simple at the very end.”

“No, more simple than that.”

“That’s good.”

“How ’bout at the beginning of this song, instead of coming in full throttle, you take just a little bit of time to work up to it? Maybe half of the first chord progression.”

“I love the resolution you added there.”

“That walkdown before the vocals came back in was great!”

Hee hee.

It was so much fun. He was great to work with and the addition of bass to my songs really spices things up.

I’m so excited!

So the next step is finding time to go to my brother’s house by myself and lay down a solid guitar track so the bass player can do his part. Then when I meet with the drummer and lead guitarist, we’ll be working with the recording so I can focus more on what I want them to do instead of worrying about my playing.

I put heavier strings on my guitar Monday night to try to fill the sound out in the recording a little better. Which makes it more difficult to play. Something I really don’t need. And we’re still trying to figure out how to best mic the guitar for a balanced, full sound.

Messing with mic placement and configuration took all of our recording time on Saturday, so I’m going to try to get a couple songs laid down on Friday.

Well, besides thank you-thank you-thank you-thank you-thank you-thank you-thank you-thank you-thank you-thank you!

On Saturday, my dad and his wife Jessica came over and surprised me with the electric guitar of my dreams.

Like, my dreams.

As in, there isn’t another guitar on the planet I want more than this one. (I already have the acoustic guitar of my dreams). This guitar wasn’t even on my list, but that didn’t keep me from drooling over it. It seemed so beyond reach. We’d been talking about different guitars and I asked if he’d seen this one. He asked what I liked about it and then that email thread died out. What I didn’t know is that he was calling all over Seattle, and then the country trying to find one that he could get in town by this weekend before our scheduled visit and his trip to Jamaica. He ended up finding one in San Diego and talking the music shop owner into having it flown in. It apparently took some convincing from my dad to get it done.

He’s nuts!

So, here’s my Gretsch Duo Jet.

In my house.

I’ve played it. It feels amazing. It sounds amazing. Like really, really amazing. (George Harrison played one of these). I’m so excited, I still have butterflies in my stomach.

Because I didn’t have an amplifier of my own, (I’ve been borrowing one that I don’t really like from my brother), Nate went out and bought an early Mother’s Day present.

So here’s my Marshall half stack.

I love it.

I’m kind of in a daze still.

Thank you-thank you-thank you-thank you, dad!

And thank you-thank you-thank you, Nate!

What a weekend!

So, my brother and I are working on a CD. My CD, actually. I have 8 songs written, and several more in progress. We’re shooting for 12.

My brother has gathered a group of musicians that are willing to do the drums, bass, lead guitars, audio mastering, etc. So, I have to record my song, email it to him, he’ll bring in and record the band members, then I come back in at the end and re-record my bit over the top with a good mic.

My sister will be doing some backup vocals from Texas. We’ll probably have some friends sing backup too.

It’s too much fun. I’m really excited. Finding opportunities to try and record is a trick. It’s a good think my first tracks are “scratch” tracks, because they have Clark’s hotwheels racing along the kitchen counter and him asking me random questions in the background. Max gets a complaint in here and there, too.

I’ve found that workout time is pretty good songwriting time. Yay, elliptical! Yay multi-tasking! Yay, Donna for helping me establish Max’s naps!

So, that’s why I haven’t had much to show on the blog. I’m not currently doing anything with wool. Every spare moment is spent with either a legal pad, mechanical pencil, and guitar or a microphone and guitar. My callouses are holding up ok, but I’m having to build a new one along the side of my left pointer finger for barre chords. Ouch. And my pansy little hand can’t even make it all the way through one of the songs that’s all barre chords. (My songwriting surpasses my guitar playing ability).

So, that’s what’s up with me lately. At some point, I’ll put a song or two up here for you to hear, but we’re not there yet.

So, I found out on Saturday night that a friend of mine just got a job as the new Editorial Director of Interweave Press, books division.

How cool is that?

I’m totally geeking out, and very excited for her! If anyone has an idea for books they’d like to see, tell me, and I’ll tell her.

I know I’ve been scarce around the blog recently. Max is mostly better, I think, but he’s still not sleeping. I can’t decide if I’m actually sick myself, or if I’m just so sleep deprived that I might as well be. When Max was sick, he couldn’t sleep longer than 2 hours at a time without waking up choking.

Now that he’s better, he thinks he’s starving to death and can’t sleep for more than 40 minutes to an hour without eating.

I’m going to die.

To add to our family fun, Clark has a fever and threw up last night.

Seriously, does mothering get any better than this?

I have one final complaint before sinking back down into my reclusive hole. Yesterday, Clark broke from his tradition of being careful around my musical equipment and knocked my Gibson (my gorgeous, gorgeous guitar) off the stand and flat onto its face on the hardwood floor. I keep this particular guitar cased. All the time. Just to be safe. And Clark has never knocked a guitar onto the floor before. But I had set the Gibson on a stand for 30 seconds while listening to a recording, and I was standing right next to it. But I couldn’t save it, and now it has a small dent in the front (which is really ok) and an ugly gash in the side of the headstock. (Not ok).

Dangit.

I think it’s fixable. At some point, I’ll take it in to my luthier to see what it’ll cost me.

Last night, I dreamt that chunks of wood kept falling off the front of the guitar, and every time I looked at it, I saw more damage. Which means that the little bit of interrupted sleep I actually got last night, was stressful.

How’s that for a “Happy Tuesday” post? Sorry. I’m going to slink back into oblivion now.

Well, almost. My songwriting is really coming along. I’ve got a lot of positive feedback and my sister thinks I should get my songs registered and find someone to promote them for me, trying to get an artist to record them.

I don’t really know where to start, and from what I’ve read, it’s nearly impossible to get anyone to listen to your stuff unless you “know somebody.”

I am sick. I am so sick. Acute abdominal pain, and some other things I’ll spare you. I was very uncomfortable last night at the guild meeting, but didn’t realize I was sick ’til I got home.

We’re only allowed to share one song at the guild in the interest of time. So I picked one. It went really well. They had some suggestions that I’ve been working on as I’ve been laying here on the couch wanting to die (’cause I’m sick). I won’t know if I like the changes ’til I get it recorded and can listen back.

I was extremely intimidated at first, and didn’t think I’d have anything to contribute, but it’s a laid back group of guys. They’re very supportive and despite the fact that they know a great deal more about music than I do (and that’s a gross understatement), I seem to have a knack for writing and they were very positive.

Yay.

Now, to make it through this stomach nightmare. I’m getting really hungry and can’t possibly eat.

I really want to get something new on the needles, something I’m excited about, something I like… but aside from being really busy with kids stuff and exercise, I’ve been doing a lot of songwriting. And my guitar teacher has started me on something completely new. Inverted chords, triads, funky picking stuff with the triads, and it looks like he’s moving me into improv/soloing. He ran me through the paces on my scales a couple weeks ago and apparently liked what he saw.

Not that he said as much. But I assume that by the direction we’re going, I passed. :-).

I joined a local songwriter’s guild and plan to attend my first meeting tonight. They meet once a month, where I’m told they teach about trying to sell your music, and then listen to each other’s songs and critique them.

I’m bringing two songs tonight (I’m not committing to actually sharing them). My first ever, and my most recent. There are about 7 or 8 in between that are in various stages of completion. I’m very happy that we don’t have to perform them live, we bring them on CD along with several copies of printed lyrics and chords for people to write on while they’re listening. It’s still quite terrifying.

Songwriting doesn’t make for much in the way of pictures, though. Sorry.

I need to get on my drum carder. I still have all that lovely purple stuff to card into batts. I’m not sure why I’m procrastinating.

There are limited hours in a day that I consider “productive” hours. The quiet hours when no one is demanding anything of me and I can get stuff done. The stuff that has to get done. I’ve been exercising 1 to 1 1/2 hours a day and it’s seriously cutting into my productive time.

And I’m really tired.

Four weeks into heavy exercise and calorie counting. Haven’t lost a thing yet. I was complaining to my sister-in-law today that I haven’t even shrunk back into the jeans that are on the smaller side of my current size. I was wearing them a couple months ago. Not now.

I am still really enjoying the exercise but right now, I want to sleep. I’m so very tired.

The yarn train to Portland was really fun. I don’t get to see my friend Katie nearly enough, and she came.

We walked all over Portland for 6 hours before taking the train back home. I was on a very limited budget as we too are affected by the difficult economy. But the stores were giving discounts, and there’s no sales tax, so it was like 30% off of everything. I bought two skeins of Noro Transitions out of a sale bin and a book I’ve wanted for years.

The organizer of the trip gave everyone two colors of yarn and a booklet of top down hat patterns to knit on the train ride. I didn’t think my colors would look good on my head, but they’d make lovely arm warmers, so I cast on to try out the Mosaic book. There’s an 11 page introduction with instructions, and I wasn’t in a position to read it while socializing in a knitting store. Fortunately, this great woman from the group was sitting nearby and gave me some pointers. (Kauni Sweater on the couch).

I later found out that she’s a teacher from Eugene that’s well known. I think her name is Joan. She saved me. I would have had a huge mess on my hands if it hadn’t been for her help. May she live long and prosper. And I wish I’d got a better picture of her.

We ate dinner at a fabulous italian place with a difficult name that I can’t remember.

Super good panini sandwiches and a creamy vegetable soup. Oh! I want more. We didn’t have time for the extensive selection of gelato, which is too bad because I’ve never had gelato. The waiter (man in the bottom center with glasses) was fantastic. Hilarious, sarcastic, attentive… and he sings. He serenaded our table quite energetically. We left him a phenomenal tip.

I’M SO TIRED!

I ordered a couple dye colors for the silk that I want to put in my purple batts. They’ve been shipped, so I’m going to start soaking my silk tomorrow so it’s ready.

Finally, I typed out a bunch of guitar drivel that I’d imagine most of you don’t care a whit about. But it’s neat for me to see it all spelled out in one place and I’m very, very proud of what I’ve learned.

My guitar teacher gave me 16 new barre chord positions to learn yesterday. In truth, he gave them to me nearly a year ago, but brought them to the forefront this week and told me to get on it. I kind of know 6 of them already. Here’s the list, if you’re interested…

And times them by 2, because I have to learn them in both Root 5 and 6 positions.

Diminished (I know root 6)
Augmented (sort of know root 6)
Augmented 7th
7+9 (sort of know root 5. Root 6 is painful)
Major 6 (know root 6)
Major 6/9
9th (ok, I know both of these)
13th (know root 5)

I already know

Major
Minor
7th
Minor 7
Major 7

Dang. I thought that list would be longer. Well, I know a bunch of open chords and their variations as well. He didn’t give them to me, he made me find them on my own by learning key signatures and finding the appropriate notes to add to the chord- Suspended 4, Suspended 2 (or added 9), Major 7, and 6. I don’t have all those memorized for every chord, but I can find them relatively quickly.

There are a few more he wrote in my book about a year ago that he hasn’t pushed on me yet

7 suspended
7-9
minor #7
minor 6
minor 7-5

And then there are the scales, root 5 and 6. Fortunately, the different roots are relatively similar to each other for scales.

Minor Pentatonic
Blues Scale (really cool)
Major Scale
Major Pentatonic
Dominant Scale
Pure Minor
Harmonic Minor (also really cool)
and the Dorian

Hee hee. I know all those.

So maybe, if you’ve made it this far and are still reading (wow, you’re dedicated), you understand a little bit better why I say he kicks my butt most weeks.

I love him. If you recall, I chose him a year ago because his bio on the internet said he’d been teaching for over 40 years. I figured he had to be good and he totally is.

I hope he never retires.

My son, who has spent the majority of his life hating showers and baths more than thumbscrews (figuratively speaking of course), has suddenly started asking for baths. (Previously, he’d scream and kick the entire time every time and after some attempts at getting him “over it”, we decided that for the sake of maintaining the mental health of everyone involved, he didn’t get washed very often).

We’re quite stunned and so this morning when he asked for another bath, I agreed. He likes to take long baths, and since I knew I’d be hanging out in the bathroom to supervise for an extended period of time, I brought something to do.

My brother plays some neat stuff on the guitar, but can’t write lyrics. When he was here on Wednesday, I had him record two of his songs into my laptop, and yesterday morning I wrote a couple verses for him that he happened to love. (Surprising, since my tendency would be to write songs from my perspective. Writing for a 26 year old guy who doesn’t want to “sound like a girl” is kind of challenging).

I also had to sing it so he could get a feel for the timing and placement of the melody. Currently, I am trying to finish it. In the bathroom. While my son takes a bath.

It’s going rather well, I must say. And I feel ridiculous, writing and recording a rock song in my pj’s, sitting on a toilet (lid down) in headphones with a mic while my toddler bathes.

But it’s funny, so I wanted to share.

Oh, and my brother’s hat is still too short, so I get to rip the decreases yet again, and add a half inch. Happily, I don’t expect to make this mistake again.

That’s how much snow we have. I can’t remember ever having this much snow here. It’s beautiful, and I’d be completely happy, but my mom is planning to fly in this afternoon and we’re going to have to brave the roads for 20 +miles each way to get her. It makes me very nervous.

Our gingerbread houses were fun.

(And I totally blurred you, I-S-F)

They didn’t end up as ornate or colorful as in years past. The kids and Nate lost interest rather quickly, and I think it had partly to do with the fact that the icing was too stiff and hard to squeeze. I didn’t know that ’til later. Also, we were pretty tired. But the husband half of our internet shy friend was diligent for hours.

Nate made an aquarium,

complete with candy cane filtration and wafer cookie florescent light fixtures. And they’re even goldfish!

There were two kid houses going. The first collapsed before I got to see it.

The second was condemned and abandoned because apparently, the workers were leaning on it. They refocused their efforts on fort building in a bedroom.

I spent much of the night chatting with my internet shy friend and my brother, and humoring him with my pathetic solo attempts on the guitar. Tho’ I didn’t get any pictures of me playing, just my brother.

I don’t know why I’m even telling you this, it’s probably my “full disclosure” personality, and I have been laying off the guitar except for that night… but between that and my sudden decision to take on some Christmas knitting I’m having to rely on Aleve again. I ache.

Veronica had an unfortunate encounter with a shoveled sidewalk the other day. A well meaning adult tried to stop her sled at the bottom of the hill and sent her flying face first into it.

In person it looks much, much worse. She’s healing well though. We’re keeping it lubed with antibiotic ointment.

Lastly, Liv knit a hat with her handspun!

We’re so happy for her. And very proud.

… get up and do something else for awhile. It’s supposed to break the cycle of trying to get to sleep. It usually works for me.

I can’t sleep. I’m really tired. My alarm is set for 6:45 tomorrow morning, and that’s currently 7 hours from now. Not horrible, but I really do need 8 hours to be a fully functional human being.

It’s been a busy week. I think part of the reason I can’t sleep is that I’m excited about and therefore can’t stop thinking about some of the things I’m doing.

I’ve finished Liv’s mitts.

Carded and spun up yarn for Veronica’s mitts. (I over agitated the wool and alpaca whilst dyeing. They’re a little felted. Plus, there’s too much silk in the yarn, the pink of the silk dulled the green tremendously, but I’m still interested to see how it knits up. Nate thinks it’s pretty. I have more of the dyed fiber to card and spin for a hat for myself at some point. I’m hoping there’s enough).

I dyed mohair, with much fuss, for more wolf yarn.

Carded up and spun a test batt for a sweater with one of the gorgeous gray lamb fleeces I have. It’s so silky. I want to knit with it.

Knit half the neck of Clark’s sweater. I’m going to have to rip and reknit it, because the row gauge is off and the neck doesn’t decrease fast enough.

Read the first Chrestomanci book. It was disturbing and Gwendolen should die a hundred deaths. But I’ll still read the next one.

Met my Health Group goal for the week by exercising twice. I can hardly walk, which means that wretched illness of September had to have eaten me alive. I was in great shape in August, and that wasn’t THAT long ago.

All this in addition to helping out at school Monday and Tuesday as usual. (Ooh, ooh! I saw the bat lady Monday morning. How cool is that? She had live bats. I came face to face within inches of them. They’re SO cute). And two evening school events, and the district Cross Country finals.

But I think what I’m the most excited about is that I’ve started recording music again. It’s soooo much fun. And takes soooo much time. And is soooo hard. I spent a couple hours on it today, and don’t have a keepable track yet. But I’m close. I can’t work on it more ’til next week because I’m going to Portland with some friends for an overnighter tomorrow (Friday). But I can’t stop thinking about it. Hearing instrumentation and harmonies in my head.

There are many pictures I should take and post, but I haven’t had the time, and right now, aside from being very tired and hopefully about to go to sleep… there’s no light.

I hate flash pictures (my own, that is) a smidge more than I hate posts without pictures. (Again, I’m speaking of my own. You all can do whatever you want with your blogs. No criticism from me. But as for me and my blog… I like pictures).

Aaand I need to go to bed. I’m driveling. Have a great weekend! I’ll set up a post to show up Saturday for Health Group in case someone wants to check in.