Espirits de l'escalier

Catching up

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 02:41:25 GMT

What I did with February/March:
1) Wrote and gave 2 papers at a library conference.
2) Became a Pod person. I love my new iPod. This is where the "catching up" comes in. I've been fighting the pod for a few years (sometimes for money reasons, sometimes for snobby audio reasons, but I have to admit it's nice to hear my CD collection on a more regular basis. Note, that I'm not done with this--it will take a LONG time to fill up 30 GB.
3) Decided to write a book...well, a research methods/bibliography actually, with another music librarian.
4) Organize and prioritize all my other writing/research projects.
5) Decided to cut myself some slack once in a while.

I apologize to those of you, I haven't been in touch with. I can't say it's because of depression, but I've been perpetually waiting for something to happen. Any maybe it will, but until then, I guess I can try and get out more and see my friends.

Is music listening for enjoyment or discovery?

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 18:58:58 GMT

I've cross-posted this entry from my Audio Artifacts blog.

With my busy schedule and preoccupation with folk music this last year, I have been somewhat ignoring my classical music listening. Now by that I don't mean that I haven't been listening to radio stations (over the air or online), but I really haven't been actively seeking out new recordings or keeping up with the latest recordings. (Which was a lot easier when I worked at a classical radio station and had to catalog all of the latest). Well, a chance purchase of Gramophone has sort of revitalized my interest. I have been going through a debate in my mind over how I am going to consume music, in addition to making it actively. Either by recordings or radio. I have been satisfied by the latter, esp. in ther performance aspect; but very few stations give the variety I seek. Sometimes I want plain folk music, sometimes Celtic, sometimes orchestral, sometimes choral, sometimes barbershop, band, etc...you get the picture.

There is also my classical CD collection which has been largely ignored, since I've been working again. It is a good reference source, but there are some major holes which I don't really have the time to plug in. As good as it is, it's not a source for discovery for new or unheard compositions. So, I bit the bullet yesterday and subscribed to Naxos. I could have gone for Web Radio, with all of its many channels, but I went for the on-demand service for $19.95/yr. Do I get downloads? No, but I get streaming on-demand for any of their recordings (and their subsidiary labels).

That should suffice for work. Plus I think it'll help at work, when I need to identify works which I think I have an idea what it is, but I don't have easy access to a recording. On the broadband connection at work, it sounds really good.

Which brings up the issue of compression. Yes, it uses it. iTunes uses it. Everyone does--some better than others. In my everyday life, it doesn't bother me (except when I notice). But I can live with it. I don't regularly strive for aural perfection, because it's a moving target. But I don't like walking around with personal music devices. I don't think one should be in public and walk around with them. I like to engage (or ignore) at will, and earbuds are a barrier. I'm also addicted to high quality, comfortable headphones which cushion the ear, rather than buds which stick right into the ear (not comfortable to me). So, I have many issues with Eyedevices of all ilk. But I want access to music when I'm doing other things. If I'm at home that can be my stereo system, but again I'm not home that much these days and it's a pain to schlep CDs to multiple computers. So now, if I want to listen to Brahms' 3rd violin sonata, I can punch it up on Naxos, and listen to it whenever and wherever I want (if a web connection is available). For other times, I can download a copy on iTunes or track down a cheap CD copy. In the car, radio and CDs work best, and I don't tend to listen to classical music CDs in the car. That's what works best for me right now. Okay, enough random thoughts for the day...time for other tasks.

Here's an article from the Christian Science Monitor on whether compressed music is good enough, for further thought:

"Thousands of songs in your pocket: An audiophile's nightmare?
Will consumers who demand portable music always have to compromise on sound quality?"

A maple wind blows from the north

Sun, 26 Nov 2006 05:25:10 GMT

I'm in Erie, PA for Thanksgiving holiday, which is located on the shores of the smallest of the Great Lakes. When you drive down Zuck Road, you can see one of the most beautiful vistas of Lake Erie. And across that lake? You got it, another country.

What did I do with my break? Ate lots of turkey and accompaniments. Watched a lot of West Wing, Season 5. Helped my dad with his slide collection. (He took lots of trips to the West, Alaska, and Canada). Seeing him, my mother, my grandfather, grandmother, great uncle (from whom my middle name comes), and other people I've never met, was really an insight. I was doing a basic preservation survey, but it felt so good to use "my library powers" in this way. We didn't get to my mom's family pictures, which are mostly black and white and in paper frames (in some cases). That will be a bigger challenge, even though it's a smaller collection.

It's been unseasonably warm here this weekend, peaking at around 60. Like every year around this time, Canadian tour buses are out at the Milcreek Mall shopping. I found a good bargain on the first season of Northern Exposure, and caught up on a little magazine reading: Gramophone and Dirty Linen. Tonight I watched two episodes of "Due South," a very witty and quirky show about a Canadian mountie (Paul Gross) who joins up with a Chicago P.D. detective (David Marciano). It's not an engrossing (oh, so close to the Midwest here in Erie) show like TWW or Six Feet Under, but it does grow on you. I appreciate the cultural references to Canadiana, and that the show doesn't stoop to the know-everything cynicism which pervades American society. Lessons are learned, good sometimes triumphs, and it's not a bad thing to be a nice (if slightly bland) guy with a conscience. I'm over halfway done with Season One, but there were four seasons total. Wille and Elyse Smith's Due South page is a good place to start to learn more about the show.

Paul Gross (as Constable Benton Fraser) and Diefenbaker.

I think I'll end with some road poetry:

From the lighthouses of Newfoundland
To New Brunswick's vernal woods
From Nova Scotia's lobster shops
To Quebec's pommes frittes stands

From the lakes of northern Ontario
Where the moose and black fly reign
To stately Winnipeg and bustling Toronto
Cracking the Canadian shield by rail and road

Across sunny, rolling Sasketchewan hills
to the rodeos of Alberta
Into the icy crevasses of the Rockies
And the blue lakes melted from those fields

Follow the train, winding, twisting along the Fraser
to Vancouver, the gateway to the East
Then ferry to endless sandy beaches of the Island
The Trans Canada will take you there.

Everyone else is doing it

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 04:35:08 GMT

Oh, since I'm on already...

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
North Central
The West
Boston
The Inland North
The South
Philadelphia
The Northeast
What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes

Yup, Northwest PA, born and bred. (Just don't lump me in the Pittsbughers. ;-))

Life update

Thu, 17 Aug 2006 04:07:05 GMT

I've been posting a lot more on my semi-professional Blogger blog, Audio Artifacts (From A to D and Back Again). Mostly about work and music, radio, etc. but it's not too academic. ;)

PR was so good last week. Michael's the man--I'm glad he's getting noticed. Oh why can't Angela keep on making horrible clothes--how much do we have to endure of her? Vincent can go any day now too, and should have gone 3 or 4 episodes ago. Didn't like Allison's paper dress, but if a model can't walk in your dress (aka Vincent) that shouldn't cut it! Grrrr... I didn't even want to like Allison because I thought at first she would be all tough like Tiffany (from Top Chef), but I have a soft spot for her now. Again, happy that Michael won but Jeffrey's had the hippest vibe and didn't even look like a fashion experiment. Laura is annoying me, but she's very competent and polished.

My Gaelic class is learning a couple of songs for the fall. We might even perform them at some point.

I started my part-time job this week. Seems to be going ok, so far.

<a href="http://www.cathedralchoralsociety.org/>CCS</a> is starting their season with Bach's Mass in B Minor. I'm sure we'll do fine, but I wish Robert Shaw were still alive to conduct us. :(

Yumminess and a fortune cookie

Fri, 30 Jun 2006 02:26:27 GMT

Had a very tasty dinner at Tony Cheng's tonight with a friend from Bloomington who's interning at NPR this summer. I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. (I had sizzling beef and scallops, and we shared an order of the Szeuchan string beans). I've only had dim sum there for lunch once, and it wasn't that good. Live and learn and eat well.

My fortune: "Practice makes perfect." (See, it really is about the process!) ;-)

Tomorrow's the big day! Going up to Westminster, Maryland for a DCI show. Eight junior drum and bugle corps are performing, including the Cadets, Phantom Regiment, Crossmen, Carolina Crown, etc. I almost marched contra in high school for Dutch Boy, but I wimped out and went to music camp instead. Me and sleeping on gym floors--I don't think so.

Ah, the yutes. Read this to find out why drum corps is so exciting. Why fight the hype, see a show!

I seem to be finally getting out more and doing stuff around town. It must be summer.

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 00:08:16 GMT

Five reasons not to come back to work after a long weekend away:

1) Fire drills at 5:30 in the afternoon while it's raining.
2) Because you might not get back.
3) Lack of coconut cream pie.
4) Productivity is overrated.
5) Because everyone else in the office is taking liberal leave.

I guess the medium really is the message

Sun, 25 Jun 2006 04:17:13 GMT

After years of debating the pros and cons of various forms of social networking technologies, I've decided to get off the pot, and at least give myself the opportunity to interact with some people I know on LJ. Plus, it'll be nice to have a place to talk about a few personal matters which I can't mention on my professional interest blog.