In an attempt to keep myself amused, I've been buying stuff. A pile of supposedly classic sci-fi and a random selection of albums, including Earth by Vangelis (great from 1973), OMD's Dazzle Ships (dunno why this one passed me by, could be the awful cover), and Public Service Broacasting - a live album. Oh and some Ligeti piano stuff, some of which I'd heard before on 'Eyes Wide Shut'.
Of the books, I've read Revelation Space by Alistair Reynolds (good) and have started Roger Zelazny's Lord of Light but I'm not far in and reserving judgement for now. Still to come are Dan Simmons' Hyperion and books by Cixin Liu and Samuel R Delany. Oh and I ordered the 3 David Gemmells we somehow don't own, or at least can't find.
And I sent DSI $200 for a replacement Pro 2 mainboard to fix my problem. Funnily enough a problem that wasn't massively bothering me - but as DSI refund the bulk of that when they get the old board back it's well worth doing, unlike the V-Synth board replacement which was silly money (and which will probably only go again in the same way in the future, as indeed it already did).
Today I'm lazing in the sun, not doing anything remotely like work. Babysitting for a few days too so work will be a distant memory.
Hmm Friday here. Jasper limping this morning, same leg as usual. Think we're going to have to make the walks shorter. Touch of arthritis and a wonky arse, nothing good about getting old. Further into Lord of Light and enjoying. One of those books I'll probably get more out of the second time through, which is alright by me.
New album seems to have gone down rather well for a series of spontaneous/stoned sketches. Can't see myself ever going back to DAWs and arrange windows and bar counting.
Baby coming later, so no Friday afternoon indulgence :(
Friday, 7 July 2017
Tuesday, 4 July 2017
Post-retirement blues
You know, it's tough enough getting used to the freedoms of retirement without regular requests to do stuff. Not only is it proving difficult to get someone to take over the modular column but the book is also now demanding work. Not editing work but actual words. And cos I'm not the kinda guy to just let someone down, I'm trying.
Trouble is... my mind has shifted almost completely into Bogus Realities. I only realised this over the weekend when I started contemplating what would happen next to all the characters. Regardless of whether anyone else cares, I find I'm paging out huge swathes of data from my mind, or at least deep-archiving it, to make space for my virtual universe and its characters. Must keep at least some normal personality left or Pat will accuse me of being a monosyllabic zombie.
Hey ho.
I did a video showing my problem with the Pro2. Seems they want me to send my motherboard back, they won't let Tony fix it. Frustrating but perhaps worth it.
I also put out the pre-gig sketches, not as me though. Mick did his usual great job making it sound way less shit. I should let him do the music too.
https://paulnagle.bandcamp.com/album/subliminal-to-liminal
I may announce it at some point soon or just let it fester a whiles ;)
Trouble is... my mind has shifted almost completely into Bogus Realities. I only realised this over the weekend when I started contemplating what would happen next to all the characters. Regardless of whether anyone else cares, I find I'm paging out huge swathes of data from my mind, or at least deep-archiving it, to make space for my virtual universe and its characters. Must keep at least some normal personality left or Pat will accuse me of being a monosyllabic zombie.
Hey ho.
I did a video showing my problem with the Pro2. Seems they want me to send my motherboard back, they won't let Tony fix it. Frustrating but perhaps worth it.
I also put out the pre-gig sketches, not as me though. Mick did his usual great job making it sound way less shit. I should let him do the music too.
https://paulnagle.bandcamp.com/album/subliminal-to-liminal
I may announce it at some point soon or just let it fester a whiles ;)
Friday, 30 June 2017
Artwork, heart work and lighting-your-fart work,
New attempt at artwork, done again from the various bits and at the proper dimensions for book. This way I can put the text on without using Amazon's iffy cover creator. Then Tim can tell me where I should have put it ;)
Yeah, I'm getting carried away as usual. Simple pleasures eh?
Right, Friday afternoon calling. New chorus unit to explore, Lyra is home and the Pro2 filter 2 possible bug to test.
Found an old stash I thought I'd lost. Made a vid. It was meant to be just an ambient one with Juno 6, looper, Tony's chorus and the OTO reverb. That was the plan but totally forgot. :)
Jeez seems like Tony was right about the Pro 2 - they really did cock up. The cutoff frequency knob only works in its second half and doesn't close the filter. You can do it but only by adding items to the mod matrix or some nonsense like that. Will take it up with DSI but I feel gloomy that it'll be the usual 'welcome to the future' shit that people give you these days when they really only partially understand a subject but that's enough because they're busy with other things and you should be grateful and not moan and... did I mention I'd found an old stash? Has turned me into old moaner today
Watching Ed Sheeran, not seen him before. Kinda good at first but dunno if I could eat a whole one. In contrast Jain is wonderful and I could listen all night!
Anyway, I'll post this then go watch it. If it's really crap the link probably won't work in the morning :)
Right, Friday afternoon calling. New chorus unit to explore, Lyra is home and the Pro2 filter 2 possible bug to test.
Found an old stash I thought I'd lost. Made a vid. It was meant to be just an ambient one with Juno 6, looper, Tony's chorus and the OTO reverb. That was the plan but totally forgot. :)
Jeez seems like Tony was right about the Pro 2 - they really did cock up. The cutoff frequency knob only works in its second half and doesn't close the filter. You can do it but only by adding items to the mod matrix or some nonsense like that. Will take it up with DSI but I feel gloomy that it'll be the usual 'welcome to the future' shit that people give you these days when they really only partially understand a subject but that's enough because they're busy with other things and you should be grateful and not moan and... did I mention I'd found an old stash? Has turned me into old moaner today
Watching Ed Sheeran, not seen him before. Kinda good at first but dunno if I could eat a whole one. In contrast Jain is wonderful and I could listen all night!
Anyway, I'll post this then go watch it. If it's really crap the link probably won't work in the morning :)
Tuesday, 27 June 2017
Sweet!
OK, this isn't an official announcement but here's my test print of Bogus Realities. First glance it looks in far better shape than the first print of FAF. This is with a rough test cover. Still cool!
Well, it's Monday and already I've done books 1&2. By 'done' I mean read through and marked corrections. I really must learn to write shorter, snappier stories. Sadly that means I might have to write unstoned and maybe even sober in future. I fear that might take the fun away though.
Realistically, it's still a long way off perfect and even minor corrections won't fix all the juvenile, weak humour. Seems surprisingly sex-obsessed too, which I confess I hadn't really noticed before. I could have written this 40 years ago. Clearly I haven't matured at all. And many of the best lines are nicked from Harvard Lampoon! I am a bad person!
Update: I reached the end. Made many notes large and small. Should get it all fixed by sometime next week. Wheeeeeee!
Currently trying to persuade Arturia that the 'don't stop the music' rule should apply to their Beatstep Pro. A nice new update just spoilt by this
Well, it's Monday and already I've done books 1&2. By 'done' I mean read through and marked corrections. I really must learn to write shorter, snappier stories. Sadly that means I might have to write unstoned and maybe even sober in future. I fear that might take the fun away though.
Realistically, it's still a long way off perfect and even minor corrections won't fix all the juvenile, weak humour. Seems surprisingly sex-obsessed too, which I confess I hadn't really noticed before. I could have written this 40 years ago. Clearly I haven't matured at all. And many of the best lines are nicked from Harvard Lampoon! I am a bad person!
Update: I reached the end. Made many notes large and small. Should get it all fixed by sometime next week. Wheeeeeee!
Currently trying to persuade Arturia that the 'don't stop the music' rule should apply to their Beatstep Pro. A nice new update just spoilt by this
Friday, 23 June 2017
Solstice been & gone
Yep, it's Summer apparently. You can tell this because the heatwave has been replaced by torrential rain. Hot rain though.
My modular reviewing is still going on, having accepted a bunch of things I probably shouldn't - not one of them is interesting! I should seek them out myself as otherwise it's going to drift into being a chore. Still, at least I only need to write as much as each deserves and it shouldn't take too long. More like this though and it'll wipe all that fuzzy nostalgia away. Actually the nostalgia seems to be passing of its own accord already. There are new pieces of gear appearing and I find myself with zero interest in now I don't actually have to.
Pretty bizarre to have 4 euro modules that are all equally meh, wouldn't have thought that possible! :(
Well, the Bogus Realities print has been put back to the 26th, dunno if that suggests the print per order deal is proving difficult, hope not. Anyway, when it comes I'll crack on with red pen and fixes right away in case they stop doing it.
Skip tomorrow, old shed to remove and misc other shite. Should've burnt it all but Pat's ordered now.
Noticed on farcebook some discussion about 'what makes analogue desirable' and the chap who brought it up appeared to think it was the imperfections, lack of precision, wonky tuning and so on. I've got quite good at not jumping in with my opinions these days but it struck me that none of those things would be top of my list. I like analogue because it's (usually) simple, has one knob per function, is fast, accessible and has no lag between control and result. I guess I also like the fact that I understand it, on a basic level, and have developed an instinct for how analogue should handle and sound (hence my long-standing envelope fixation).
Mind you I sold my first Minimoog because it was just too unstable and tracked too unreliably to use. I'd love to go back and swap the early model I had for the one I have now. Actually no I wouldn't - my current one is modded and does groovy things of its own.
And so it goes, as Kurt Vonnegut would say. And so it goes.
Friday is here. Glastonbury kicks off and I'll record as much as I can in order to skip through the majority complaining like a miserable old git.
At full stretch. Yes, planning was never a strong point.
I have no new pix to share. Sorry, must try harder. Yeah, cos that's like me innit...
OK, I took some new pix. And recorded some noodles
My modular reviewing is still going on, having accepted a bunch of things I probably shouldn't - not one of them is interesting! I should seek them out myself as otherwise it's going to drift into being a chore. Still, at least I only need to write as much as each deserves and it shouldn't take too long. More like this though and it'll wipe all that fuzzy nostalgia away. Actually the nostalgia seems to be passing of its own accord already. There are new pieces of gear appearing and I find myself with zero interest in now I don't actually have to.
Pretty bizarre to have 4 euro modules that are all equally meh, wouldn't have thought that possible! :(
Well, the Bogus Realities print has been put back to the 26th, dunno if that suggests the print per order deal is proving difficult, hope not. Anyway, when it comes I'll crack on with red pen and fixes right away in case they stop doing it.
Skip tomorrow, old shed to remove and misc other shite. Should've burnt it all but Pat's ordered now.
Noticed on farcebook some discussion about 'what makes analogue desirable' and the chap who brought it up appeared to think it was the imperfections, lack of precision, wonky tuning and so on. I've got quite good at not jumping in with my opinions these days but it struck me that none of those things would be top of my list. I like analogue because it's (usually) simple, has one knob per function, is fast, accessible and has no lag between control and result. I guess I also like the fact that I understand it, on a basic level, and have developed an instinct for how analogue should handle and sound (hence my long-standing envelope fixation).
Mind you I sold my first Minimoog because it was just too unstable and tracked too unreliably to use. I'd love to go back and swap the early model I had for the one I have now. Actually no I wouldn't - my current one is modded and does groovy things of its own.
And so it goes, as Kurt Vonnegut would say. And so it goes.
Friday is here. Glastonbury kicks off and I'll record as much as I can in order to skip through the majority complaining like a miserable old git.
At full stretch. Yes, planning was never a strong point.
Monday, 19 June 2017
Bogus Realities, the 6x9 edit
Well, it's proving a lot quicker to do than FAF. I kinda started by copying all 3 novels into one file and beginning to go through doing paragraphs, fixing obvious mistakes and so on. Before I realised I'd ploughed right through until Liminal Entity, which I'm working on now (about 6 chapters in).
Funnily enough Liminal Entity will be the easiest as it seems to have the paragraph sizings done already. The text reads better the further I get, suggesting my style is becoming slicker, or at least less wordy and pretentious. Shame it's a family visiting weekend or I might even get it done by early next week. Will need a cover though for the whole trilogy.
Once done I'll have another vanity print-off and go through it before announcing it exists. That way I'll avoid the basic errors that leaked into the first edition of FAF. Hey ho, lessons learned. Only then will I be able to continue work on the new one.
Well, that was relatively easy. Completed on Saturday evening while visiting family (yeah, I'm a real fun guest to have). Just need a cover, which is proving quite hard to visualise. Getting a cover to suit even one of these tales was tough but to consolidate three? Anyway, might do a temporary cover for the first edition so I can check everything, maybe work on a painting or two or see if Tim has any ideas.
Some ideas for the cover - not what I'll use but hopefully to trigger ideas in folks who know art and stuff. Gonna print one for me, go through and fix the obvious stuff, get cover sorted, update, tell the world.
Funnily enough Liminal Entity will be the easiest as it seems to have the paragraph sizings done already. The text reads better the further I get, suggesting my style is becoming slicker, or at least less wordy and pretentious. Shame it's a family visiting weekend or I might even get it done by early next week. Will need a cover though for the whole trilogy.
Once done I'll have another vanity print-off and go through it before announcing it exists. That way I'll avoid the basic errors that leaked into the first edition of FAF. Hey ho, lessons learned. Only then will I be able to continue work on the new one.
Well, that was relatively easy. Completed on Saturday evening while visiting family (yeah, I'm a real fun guest to have). Just need a cover, which is proving quite hard to visualise. Getting a cover to suit even one of these tales was tough but to consolidate three? Anyway, might do a temporary cover for the first edition so I can check everything, maybe work on a painting or two or see if Tim has any ideas.
Some ideas for the cover - not what I'll use but hopefully to trigger ideas in folks who know art and stuff. Gonna print one for me, go through and fix the obvious stuff, get cover sorted, update, tell the world.
Tuesday, 13 June 2017
More FAFfing about
Today (Sunday) did very little except see my mum, play piano and listen to the recent session (Uvulitis) which, as usual, has more good stuff than we realised at the time. Tally ho, what!
Well, I reached the end of my read-through of Future Art Factory. It definitely gets easier to read towards the end. The sentences get a bit shorter, I don't overfill every one with adjectives and the story heads somewhere. However, I've decided it would be too mind-blowing to do a major rewrite so I'll go through the things that leapt out at me the most insistently and do minor fixes, reformats, pruning etc. It'll always be an over-large, wordy, confusing mess but given so many people seem to quite like it, I'll settle for superficial tweaks and move on. Unless anyone with an editing background is prepared to go through it properly, being ruthless, pointing out consistencies, repetitions and so on.
Yeah, made updates today and resubmitted the 'final' version for print and kindle.
In parallel I'm a short distance into BF6x9 and still working on the next few chapters of GD. Something to keep me going for the foreseeable. No reviews in, should look for some modular stuff I guess.
Yowch - new main board for my V-Synth is £328.95 + VAT! Methinks I could find one second hand for not much more than that. Or an XT. :(
Hmm, Tuesday and already I've done 1/3 of the Bogus Realities compilation reformat. Bogus Focus was quite easy and I've not tweaked the text too much. Next 'Beer'. Might take a couple of days for each one, then I should think about a cover for the three together. A painting perhaps, although I should practise a bit first! Maybe Tim will think of something.
Starting this tomorrow. Unless it's sunny ;)
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