redtree_innerviews_no_reason rEd tree "to the hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet..." what do you feed your hungry soul? 080126 ... no reason my soul hungers for different things depending on the circumstances, but there are a few constant cravings. i feed it these things as much as i can: 1) people. people i find interesting, people i care about, people who are influential, people who are not. i drink them in as much as i can—by seeing them, talking to them, reading their words, hearing what they have to say and how they think. i need to connect with people, relate to people, find and figure out what they are about. 2) humour. i love to laugh, and i love to make others laugh. i try to add humour to situations whenever possible, because why would anyone choose not to, given the alternative? any kind of humour is good, though i specifically enjoy the silly/random type that allows for connections between ideas that may not have been used before. silliness is often heartwarming. 3)music. every day all the time there it is and there it must be. i could never get enough of it, ever, even if i tried. the feeling of playing music live, either solo or with others, is indescribable and i couldn’t live without it. playing music, performing, listening, writing, browsing music stores, researching different types of instruments for my own interest and enjoyment. i’m a percussionist, and have had a few conversations with other percussionists about percussion-related people and instruments (cymbals, vibraphones, steve reich, etc. etc.) that have dorkily made my day. i guess that also goes back to connecting with people. warmth. love. (though these are included in 1,2, and 3) independence. and more, and more. my soul craves various things at various times; i suppose it's greedy that way. though i can't say it's ever been hungry enough to have something bitter taste sweet. but who can predict the future? i liked thinking about that. thank you for asking. 080127 ... no reason oh, and singing and dancing should've been included under the music category. 080127 ... rEd tree interesting. thanks so much for your responses... in regards to your mention of people, please tell me about your best friend or friends and why they are your friends...i've recently had these personal revelations how the people closest to me are becoming mirrors where i can discover who i am...what do you think about that? 080127 ... no reason you’re very welcome. i’ve had the same best friend since we were five years old. growing up together, we had a lot of interests and personality traits in common, but as we grew into adolescence it became clear that a lot of these traits were based in childhood. we didn’t drift apart, but there became a difference in the way we got along. we got along best when we accepted the fact that we might not always understand each other, and that we were still best friends for a reason. we loved and felt comfortable with each other regardless of our differences. the same is still true today, and i think our friendship now is the way it should be. there’s obviously a lot more explanation to this, but your revelation about friendship, mirrors, and self-discovery reminded me of my friendship with her. i’ve been finding that for the past few years, i am similar to the way she used to be and she is similar to the way i used to be. i’m not sure why that is (maybe it has something to do with our influence on each other), but making certain realizations about her personality teaches me about myself. i find it interesting when she thinks or acts in a way i may have acted years ago, and vice versa. occasionally she may not understand why i act in that way, which is also interesting and slightly ironic. she may think the same way about me as well. but our friendship is strong. she’s very nice, smart, and considerate. she can be quiet. she can be dependent. she’s a music therapist. she’s very family and relationship-oriented. we've grown to know each other so well that people comment that it's like we have our own language when we speak to each other. …i could go on, though i’m probably not answering this very well. i’m never very good at describing people; i could do it in five sentences or 300 paragraphs. hopefully this won’t quite come to that… i’m slightly reluctant to describe my favourite people, not because i don’t want to, but because i’m afraid i won’t do them justice. i just want them to present their fabulous selves in person, but unfortunately that's not very possible! i can say for certain they are nice, intelligent, funny, open-minded, empathetic people. also often artistic and somewhat quirky. i connect with them while being completely myself, and i think they do in return. sometimes the people i’m closest to expand on my thoughts and ideas better than i may have been able to. i find it unlikely for people who have this strong of a connection not to learn about themselves, when they have others who so naturally bring it out in them. ...i should have stuck with the five sentences. 080204 ... no reason a couple of days ago i had a long conversation with one of them. at one point we were talking about noses, and then about co-writing a song with a shins-esque title and piccolo, didgeridoo, triangle, and tupperware solos, and then about a relationship, and then about a trip, and opinions about various things. i thought this was significant. 080204 ... redTree i absolutely enjoyed your generous response. i wish i knew my friends like you know yours................ tell a story from your earliest childhood... 080205 ... redTree what are your la_ways... 080210 ... no reason it's more of an anecdote than a story, from when i was young and just learning to talk: every time my parents wanted me to do something for myself, they would say "you do it." i therefore learned "you do it" to mean i would do it. i would say "you do it! you do it!" to people who weren't aware of the opposite meaning, and then they would do it, and i would scream. i think my parents once left me with my aunt and uncle around that time and forgot to tell them about the "you do it" code, so they would have experienced some confusion until they figured it out. 080211 ... no reason i don't have l.a. ways as much as i've noticed ways about l.a. i find it to be an interesting place, especially the hollywood area (west hollywood, not the hills) there's every kind of person you could possibly imagine, and everybody wants something at least that's the feeling i get from it l.a. is a city of cities that are all known for different things a city of extremes extreme extremes i was only there for a little while but i'd like to go back and experience more and create something 080211 ... no reason the traffic is unbelievable 080211 ... redTree you mentioned that in l.a. everone wants something. my dad always used to tell me people want to be loved...what do you think these people want? is there actually a reason why you call yourself no reason? 080212 ... no reason i think they mostly want to make something of themselves. it's well-known that people who want to make it in the arts (especially as actors) move to l.a., but it's strange actually seeing it in the flesh. when i was walking along hollywood boulvard, i got stopped multiple times by people wanting me to hear their music, inviting me to shows, and showing me their artwork. there were also street performers everywhere. there seems to be a sense of longing everywhere, even in areas outside of hollywood. i'm not sure exactly what the wants are there... i wouldn't be surprised if they were similar. it's interesting, i've been to a few other cities that are full of culture, such as new york city and my native toronto, but i've never seen anything like the people in l.a. 080213 ... yeah *boulevard 080213 ... no reason i suppose there's a reason, although not a very profound one. when i first posted on blather, i was drunk. i ended up thinking there was no reason for what i was writing, no reason for a name, no reason in me, etc. etc. it just seemed/seems to fit. 080213 ... redTree i know what you mean about people wanting to make something of themselves artistically. i've spent time in westwood, venice beach, nyc, seattle, chicago and it's all the same. i'm definately one of those people that have made themselves. i'm not rich and famous and i don't really want that. i just want to be happy and loved. perhaps art is a way to show others who we are and give ourselves within it to someone else...what is your art and what do you do with it? i've posted drunk on blather a couple times. it's quite a mess. i like your name, though. it's very cool. provocative even. i was wondering if you have a reason now? 080213 ... redTree now that i've reread your response, i see you do have "not a very profound reason." hmm... i wonder why? what is your reason now? 080213 ... no reason i've been to seattle too, though i don't think i spent long enough there to get enough of an impression. i liked what i saw of it, though. it's nice that you've made yourself into something that makes you happy. i don't need to be rich and famous either (especially not famous); being happy and loved sounds like more than enough. a part of what would make me happy would be to have a stable job doing something i enjoy, which is something i'm currently working on getting. my main art, or the art i'm most passionate about, is music playing/performing. i tend to get lost in it, which i think is the only way to truly express myself through playing. to really feel it. luckily i find it hard not to... i also now have experience in magazine publishing, and i really enjoy it. writing/editing for magazines is the field in which i'm currently trying to get work. thank you for the name compliments. all i meant by "not a profound reason" was that i didn't have a very detailed explanation for why i chose the name. i wouldn't say i have a reason now... i actually got asked this same question the other day, and it made me think that there would probably never be specific reason(s) for everything that could potentially have it/them. and there are some things that are better without reason(s). even if a part of me has more of a reason than it did before, the rest of me probably doesn't, and maybe the first part is lacking a different reason altogether. i like it this way, anyway. i'm a fan of the ambiguity. i hope that made sense. 080215 ... redTree in what capacity do you perform musically as a percussionist? in a band? do you tour? it's fascinating to hear you say you "get lost" in your playing...please expound...as in how does it make you feel? or what do you think about while you're caught up? are you published online in a magazine? 080216 ... no reason i've mostly just been jamming lately, at house jam sessions and at open jam nights in bars. it's only recently that i've been in the same city for long enough to start something (at least, in the past couple of years), so hopefully i'll be able to form or join some kind of band soon. i'm a little bit picky on the type of band i join, as well... ideally it would be jazz-influenced. in the past i've been in jazz ensembles, classical percussion ensembles, and a samba ensemble, as well as playing for fun in briefly-lasting bands with friends. when i'm caught up in the music (and this happens especially with jazz, so i'm going to focus on that), i don't think about anything at all except what's going on. jazz is my favourite genre on drumset because it involves a lot more melodic playing, rather than just time-keeping (though not to say other genres are only about that). what i think makes a really good jazz drummer is someone who listens so intently to the way their band members play that they can not only respond well, but they are able to understand how the members' playing styles well enough to guess how to play along with them initially. sometimes i can't even wrap my head around how some of my favourite jazz drummers do this. when i play jazz i try to listen as intently as i can (and it's definitely something i've trained myself and keep training myself to do), and try to feel out what's going on as much as possible. when everyone else is doing this as well, everything just seems to fit. it's a whole... something coming together... everyone playing off of everyone else... everyone needing everyone else... the improvising... i just get caught up in all of it. and the sounds that result from it have the potential to be pretty amazing. i've been told that when i play drums i really move with them, which sounds kind of funny, but i couldn't play without doing that. the best musical experience for me occurs when me = drums = music, cheesy as it may sound. it makes me feel free. and happy. maybe i'll go play now... i'm not really published online, although there's a PDF up of the first few pages of my publishing program's magazine c/o our managing editor. i came up with some of the article titles and helped with the editor's note, but my articles and the rest of my editorial prowess (ha) aren't up. if you're interested in the PDF, i could send you the link by email, as i'm a bit iffy about having my real name be findable on here. 080217 ... redTree list ten musicians/bands/artists you have been listening to lately... (my email address so i can see the pdf... kzozula@yahoo.com) 080218 ... no reason sarah slean radiohead cat power great lake swimmers jon-rae and the river cuff the duke sunset rubdown philip sayce the clips (vancouver version) the constantines wow, so much canadian content. i hadn't even realized... i've been thinking i need some new and fresh music to listen to. and so the research will start. 080218 ... redTree wow...pacific rim magazine. i'm very impressed. very sweet...congratulations, the work is top knotch. your search for work in the editorial field is an honorable one. i wish you the best of success. you are indeed worthy... i would love to read the zen garden article. i am a gardener by trade and install them in the pittsburgh area professionally. this summer my first-born daughter is getting married in one i built at our own home at robin_hill in the laurel highlands of southwestern pennsylvania. vancouver has always been a place i've been attracted to ever since i played hockey and had an interest in the maple leafs, canadiens, jets, and the canucks. i remember monadh saying she used to go there. how did you know her? did you actually hang out with her? what is she up to now? i know a lot of people miss her. me especially. where is your favorite place in canada?ever_dumbening has been to whistler to ski and i've been to pelee island in ontario. we're planning a trip to montreal after portland, oregon. thanks for the list of music. it's an eclectic mix to be sure. i'm going to take a look at them individually in the days to come... 080220 ... no reason thank you very much. the zen garden article is an interesting one... at our magazine's launch party we had someone leading a sort of bonsai demonstration/information table that was pretty cool. a zen garden would be a lovely place for a wedding. we looked at lot of pictures during the production of the magazine, and some of the gardens are beautiful. i'd imagine yours is as well... i'd be curious to see pictures. i'd be willing to send a hard copy of the magazine if you like (and to anyone else interested). i've got lots of copies. mon oh mon... we first met in vancouver (blathercon_vancouver on blue) in september 2006. we then both lived in vancouver for months at the same time, and we hung out a lot. sometimes i called her my vancouver sister. :) and my concert buddy. and etc. she's still in the area-ish and is making music and doing other mon-like things. she's doing quite well, last i spoke to her. i think i'd have to say vancouver is my favourite place in canada. or maybe bc in general... i love the ocean, and the mountains. i'm also a city person, which is why i enjoy vancouver so much. the combination of nature and city life is perfect. and i find people there pretty laid-back, for the most part. very unlike toronto... montreal would probably come in second, because it's so cultured and different from anywhere else in canada. i find it has a european feel (as do other places in quebec, i've heard, but i've never been). it's really inexpensive to live there too. the only problem is the freezing winter climate. i'm sure glad you didn't mention the ottawa senators in your list of canadian teams! (the leafs-senators rivalry is a big one.) 080221 ... no reason also, i hope you enjoy the music. 080221 ... redTree i've always loved bonsai, but only dabbled in it. i think their beauty is unaffected by time. they seem ageless and wise. i will definately send you photos of the garden wedding...(thanks for your interest) we're so excited...so much work to do. one sister is designing and drawing the invitations and the other sister is filming the whole event. i'm renovating all the gardens... thanks for the magazine offer. i'll email my home address to you...and i'm glad to hear nom is doing good. say hello to her from me... as for hockey, the penguins are my team. our best skater, sidney crosby has to get surgery on his ankle... i love your music. especially cat power. she is the queen of covers...radiohead of course. ok computer is one of the best recordings of all time, but in_rainbows is currently the best out there. sunset rubdown are on my i pod. so are the great lake swimmers. the constantines are acquired taste. i'll have to look up the rest... what is the last book you read? what is it about? 080222 ... no reason i know all about that sidney crosby — he's a pretty incredible player for someone so young (or for anyone, for that matter). and my sister is in love with him. the constantines definitely are an acquired taste, as is jon-rae and the river, and possibly cuff the duke, and possibly others. the constantines are one of the best live bands i've ever seen, though. no contest. i don't really remember the last book i read, because for the last little while i've been reading a few books at the same time. they have included "a long way down" by nick hornby, "paint it black" by janet fitch, and "sex, drugs, and cocoa puffs" by chuck klosterman. i've also been re-reading one of my favourites, "white oleander" by janet fitch. from what i know so far, this is what they are about: "a long way down" is about four separate londoners who decide they are going to commit suicide on new year's eve on the rooftop of the same building. it ends up being about the relationships that develop between those four people. "paint it black" is about young model whose artist boyfriend has just died, and it goes into the relationship between the model and the boy's mother. the two women are both interesting characters who at first hate each other but very much love the boy. i should get back to that book, i'm really curious to see how their relationship develops. "sex, drugs, and cocoa puffs" is a humourous book in which the author talks about pop culture and relates it to his life. "white oleander" is about a young girl whose mother ends up in prison, and follows the girl as she gets passed on to various foster homes. 080227 ... thats *a young model* 080227 ... redTree thanks for the good info. you probably know about nick hornby's list of reads in mcsweeney's... have you seen arcade fire's video for the song, "laika?" if so, did any part of it speak to you? 080313 ... no reason i actually just watched the video for the first time right now, and i think it suits the song perfectly. i wouldn't say a specific part of it spoke to me, but the style/look/feel of it and the storylike nature appealed to me. there's just something about it... it's always the things i like most that i can't describe. in any case, i should watch it again when i can see and think properly. 080421 ... redTree if you drew a cartoon of your life right now, what would it look like? 080422 ... redTree what are you living for? what would you die for? what would you kill for? 080505 ... no reason maybe the cartoon would be a drawing of my head/brain and its divisions maybe there would be little stories with different thoughts and people in each little division maybe there would be specific personalities and goings-on inside the divisions maybe they would all work together, but probably they wouldn’t (this sounds like an elementary school cartoon, but that’s pretty much the extent of my drawing ability) or maybe I’d make it a little dot and an obscure symbol and call it postmodern 080528 ... no reason i am living for the things listed above and nature subtleties possibilities connections and so i don’t miss things i don’t know what i would die for. i can’t think of a situation where this would be helpful to anyone. i would metaphorically kill for answers 080528 ... redTree what are some of your questions? 080530 ... redTree you have been chosen as the world's new super hero, but you can possess only one power that you must select from the following two choices... 1. the ability to fly 2. the ability to be invisible which one do you choose? why? what will you call yourself? 080704 ... redTree i'm very curious about your experience in israel. first of all, what are the circumstances behind your going there? 080708 ... no reason i went on a birthright trip. anyone from the ages of 18-26 (i'm on the very tail end so it was one of my last chances to go) with at least one jewish parent is eligible to apply. birthright trips are completely free, funded by the israeli government, jewish communities, and private donations. because of the nature of the trips and who they're funded by, they are much more than just free vacations. i had multiple people ask me if i'd been "brainwashed yet" about israel and judaism, and if i had been convinced to move to israel. i hadn't (and haven't) been brainwashed; i didn't think anyone tried to force any opinions on us, but rather offered us information that made us think. i'm not very religious, though i do like the jewish religion and the community involved, but i learned a lot about how i felt about it from being there, hearing stories, and debating/interacting/talking with others. "politics" aside, the trip was an amazing experience. i did and saw things i have never done or seen before. they include: -hiking up a mountain (masada) at sunrise -going on at least six other hikes in ten days -floating in the dead sea -riding a camel -playing a bedouin tribe instrument and sleeping in a bedouin tent in the desert with 40 other people -swimming in a natural pool with a waterfall -spending time with israeli soldiers, and going through a "boot camp" exercise where we did for ten minutes what they have to do for two years -going to the holocaust museum and cemetery -spending time at the jellyfish-heavy mediterranean sea -wine and music on rooftops of hotels -spending time with the same 40 people for ten days straight without much alone time and more, and more, and more. i'm still digesting, and i have a lot to say about each of those things, plus everything and everyone else i haven't mentioned. i think i can honestly say those were the most influential ten (consecutive) days of my life. 080716 ... no reason i guess that was more than just the circumstances 080716 ... no reason and answers to the other questions should come soonish 080716 ... redTree thanks...sounds amazing... 080717 ... redTree what are the top five events of your life this year? 081209 ... no reason i would prefer to be able to fly, because the idea of not being seen when i naturally should be makes me uncomfortable. i think both the sensation of flying and being able to travel anywhere freely would be pretty amazing. maybe i'd call myself "speedy" and hope i lived up to my name. 081220 ... no reason this year has not been a good one for me, so top events will take some thought. however, my #1 for certain is israel. israelisraelisraelisraelisrael. 081220 ... redTree what has made your year "not a good one?" 081221 ... no reason continuous unexplained ill-health, mostly physically but a bit mentally as well. i think (and really hope) i might have some answers as to why it is happening, though, and i'm working on improving it. it's been a struggle figuring out what's going on, because i've been to countless doctors (and a dietician and naturopath) who don't really know what's causing anything. i've done tons of my own research, and talked to family and friends. the health issues have had me worried about keeping (and doing my best work) at a full-time job, so i'm hesitant about working at one until i get things more sorted out. because of this, i have no money and am back living with my parents. i've now resorted to taking retail jobs to make some cash until i figure things out. 2008 was a year of either being at a standstill or moving backwards. i'm hoping that since i think i'm finally getting some answers, and trying to work with them, i will be able to move forwards. 090112 ... no reason so, lessee... yes. 1. israelisraelisraelisrael. 2. making the friends i did on israel trip. my two favourites live in montreal, which is unfortunate because they don't live where i live, but fortunate because i now know more people in montreal. 3. which brings us to: trip to montreal. i went in october for a music festival and stayed with one of the friends i just mentioned. it was great to see her, and i also saw some of my friends from vancouver, who were in bands that played at the festival. i got ditched by my other montreal friend, which i was not thrilled about (to say the least), but that has been resolved. i also tried poutine for the first time ever, and it was amazing. i love montreal, though, and have considered moving there for awhile... it's even more tempting now that i have good friends there. 4. trip to vancouver in the summer. i stayed with one of my favourite people, in one of my favourite cities. it's my second home. 5. the people in my life being who they are. it's not technically an event (which is why i put it last... it's not the least important by any stretch!), but it's something that has made my life last year infinitely better (and at its worst, somewhat tolerable). miss nom must be mentioned, in particular relating to the health issues, because her experience and expertise and sympathy/empathy are things i am incredibly thankful for and honestly don't know what i would do without. apart from that, she's a great friend/sisterlike person. mr. raze must be mentioned for his ability to understand, maintain, inspire, and work magic with the smoo. before i deviate from the question asked (which i'm sure i've already started to do), i'll stop. 090112 ... redTree "magic with the smoo?" now i have an idea what you mean, but um, what do you mean? 090112 ... no reason ha, sorry. i was just sort of being silly with words. it's sort of hard for me to define smoo... i guess it's the opposite of spoo, and spoo is the essence of evil. this was all somehow established years ago, and it seems to define things in life better than dictionary-defined words do. basically, smooful things are good things. 090112 ... redTree i had no idea what "poutine" was so i researched and can now see why you wanted some...yum! what kind did you have? where did you have it? 090113 ... redTree did you go to maam bolduc when you were in montreal? 090113 ... no reason i didn't. i hadn't even heard of it, but i'll definitely have to check it out next time i'm there. i went to 'la banquise,' and it was the best poutine i've ever tasted (i went on to try different kinds after that first experience). http://www.restolabanquise.com it took me a long time to try poutine because my brother kept telling me how much he disliked it, so i guess that made me less tempted. but i definitely like it. it's incredibly greasy but oh-so-good. i can't remember exactly what i had, but it was the traditional fries with cheese curds and gravy, and added sausage, onions, and possibly something else. must go back... 090113 ... rt are there trips you have taken when certain music played that when you hear it now it instantly transports you back to the time of your journey? if so, where and what music? 090201 ... redTree what are you writing cover letters for? 090204 ... no reason music more often reminds me of certain situations or people or times in my life rather than trips, with the exception being mini-trips like driving to different places in the city. any longer trips have had so much music involved that i don't usually remember the specifics as much. one exception is from a few years ago when a few friends and i drove to our friend's cottage, and we listened to the dandy warhols in the car. at that point i had never heard them before, and i think the song "get off" must have been played a lot, because that song always reminds me of that trip. in our first year of university, a friend would pick me up a few times a week and we'd drive the 45 minute drive to school listening to various music, including cat power. he was really the one who got me into them, and when i hear certain songs off of "what would the community think," (specifically 'nude as the news,' 'good clean fun,' and 'bathysphere') i'm reminded of our drives. when my brother and i were little, my dad played the live version of pink floyd's "the wall" in the car as he drove us to a mall. we thought the extra talking from the "characters" on the cd was hilarious and spent the whole trip laughing. even now as we're older and realize the dialogue is really not funny at all, we still laugh remembering our reactions to it. i can picture us sitting in the old van like it was yesterday. but again, i guess those are more about the people and situations than the trips themselves, even though they do remind me of the trips. i'm sure there is (and will continue to be) much, much more. 090205 ... no reason i'm writing cover letters for everything in the world! well, not really. but sometimes it seems that way. i'm mostly writing them for publishing jobs and internships. more specifically, writing/editing/journalism jobs for magazines and newspapers. luckily i've written enough cover letters by now that i can use a few as templates, and the wording now comes a lot more easily. hopefully at least one of them will get me an interview one of these days. 090205 ... rt pink floyd's dark side of the moon was part of the soundtrack of my growing up. i used to love all the sound effects and secrets. i like all the music you mentioned. i love early cat power. the dandy warhols are awesome. have you seen their doc? are you a fan of neil gaiman? 090205 ... no reason pink floyd was a big part of my growing up too. and my 15-year-old cousin is getting really into them now... i wonder if they're a band people often discover when they're first getting into good music. i haven't seen the dandy warhols doc. is it good? i don't feel i've read enough neil gaiman to comment... i'd like to though, and i really want to see coraline. 090207 ... rt here is a_film_you_shoould_see review about the dandy warhols film i was telling you about... Dig! is chock full of surprises. It begins as a fairly run-of-the-mill, self-conscious, MTV-style snapshot of a couple of self-obsessed bands in friendly competition with each other: pop-darlings The Dandy Warhols and underground sweethearts The Brian Jonestown Massacre. But it blooms into an explosive portrait of artists and their demons. What a ride and what a 'rock doc'. The worst thing about Dig! is that at times it seems a little too crammed and unwieldy, but given it was cut down from 1500 hours worth of footage it's more than understandable. Dig! is one of those films that gets better as it progresses. A friend of both bands, director Ondi Timoner strips back the story to reveal a volatile Cain and Abel-like portrait of frontmen Courtney Taylor (Dandy's) and Anton Newcombe (BJM), firmly ensconced in a love/hate fraternal relationship. Dig! pans out to be a searing expose on the good, the bad and the ugly sides of the music industry and fame. It is entertaining and chaotic, as you might expect it to be, in the tradition mined by fellow rock doc veteran Penelope Spheeris, who made the blinding metal doc series Decline of Western Civilisation Parts 1-3 and We Sold Our Souls For Rock n' Roll (2001). And anyone who rented the underrated straight-to-DVD 'folk' piece Friends Forever will also recognise similarities. Most importantly though - - Dig! is another story about a brilliant artist wrestling with depression and mental illness. And for my money, the more said publicly about this epidemic, the better. A rock solid rock doc. (source) 090210 ... rt what did you do on your it's_so_fucking_cold hermit day? 090302 ... no reason nothing incredibly exciting... i lay down for awhile because i've been getting headaches/dizziness/etc. the past few days, which may or may not be it's_so_fucking_cold related. my cat lay with me, which was nice. i watched a bit of the movie "grease" (and of course sang along), read a bit from "where the sidewalk ends" by shel silverstein and a few short stories by dave eggers, watched the end of a "firefly" episode, and practised more vibraphone since i can't now comfortably go a day without doing so. 090302 ... rt speaking of the vibraphone, have you ever seen "heima" the film by sigur ros? there is a musician they meet and play eith who made his own "vibraphone" out of different pitched stones! it's absolutely stunning! the sound is so sweet and perfect. what does playing that instrument do to or for you? 090303 ... no reason i have never seen that film, but that "homemade" vibraphone sounds amazing. i'll have to check the film out. i like sigur ros. as for what playing the vibraphone does for me... all i can express in words right now is that i really don't know what i ever did without one. it's just one of things you never know is missing from your life until you find it (or i never knew until i found it). i never imagined i could connect this way with a musical instrument. so yes. it does wonders for me. and i'm sure i will add more specifics later, as i seem to be unable to stop talking about the instrument. 090415 ... i mean one of *those* things 090415 ... rt what is your new idea? 090831 ... no reason did i refer to a new idea somewhere? or are you just asking in general? (no_reason_asks_rt) 090831 ... rt i heard about this question from a teddy kennedy interview by terri gross. he said his grandfather would always ask him if he had a new idea. i think he was trying to encourage him to be motivated. i asked you because you appear to be ambitious... 090831 ... no reason it's interesting you say that, because in my birthday profile in a book i have (which i often reference because most of it is scarily accurate) it says something like this: "people born on this date have an all-or-nothing mentality. if they can't reach the highest goals they set, they may not be interesting in attempting anything. the challenge that awaits them is to keep their lofty ambitions in mind while pursuing reachable goals." and in my case it's pretty true, so i'm consciously attempting to do that. instead of coming up with new ideas (which do come to me pretty frequently, but they and i are also a bit all over the place sometimes), i'm working at mastering things at which i want to improve. for example, i'm still playing a lot of vibes, and the more i play the more i find out what i need to work on. i'm taking the occasional lesson, teaching myself songs, playing along with some friends' songs, and just randomly jamming. the more i play and fix what needs to be fixed, the better i get, and the more freedom and inspiration i have to come up with musical ideas. i think mastery often leads to ideas. and it's even better when it happens like that, because having experience makes them easier to actualize. so i guess the short answer is that i don't really have a new idea right now because i'm trying to take baby steps. (although i did have an idea that i could try acquiring fun and whimsical pillows to try and help my current lack-of-sleep problem, but that's a whole different issue. unfortunately it doesn't work, either.) 090908 ... rt i recently read a book by malcom gladwell called, outliers, and he was saying it takes 10,000 hours of experience until we are considered an expert at something. i like your pillow idea. at least you'll have fun getting cozy. and maybe have some pillow fights, that could tire you out! 090909 ... rt why is 46 your favorite number? 091023 ... no reason i'm not really sure... it's just been lucky for me. it's also my house number, but that's purely a coincidence. i used be pretty superstitious about the number, counting to 46 after wishing something and thinking it would help make whatever i had wished come true. admittedly i still occasionally do that. 091023 ... rt what is the most distinctive characteristic of yourself that differs from your family? 091024 ... no reason interesting question. i'm still thinking about this one... (and sorry i had to delete your comment on facebook; i'm a little paranoid about some real-life people finding out my blather name, silly as it may be!) 091025 ... and hmmm maybe i should say "non-blather people" instead of "real-life people"... 091025 ... rt hope you're feeling better. i'm a little under the weather myself. 091025 ... no reason different things make us happy (i don't know if that's really a characteristic) i don't even know anymore 091125 what's it to you? who go blather from