Since you heard from me last November 19, 2008
Posted by onemouthband in : Inspiries, Notes to Self, Travels , add a commentMy life looks very different now than it used to. After a very turbulent year or so, the current instability doesn’t seem to be phasing me much. I’m doing pretty well now, thanks. Here’s some of what’s different:
- Last Year: Left my corporate job of 6+ years as an eLearning Developer for GreenPoint Mortgage. Within three months, the whole company folded anyway. Began consulting as an Instructional Designer, part-time and almost fully remotely. This kind of independence works great for my increasingly mobile and musical lifestyle.
- February: Separated from my partner of nearly 10-years, Mary Keydash. This was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. Still suffering a bit on this one.
- March: Turned 32, started writing loads of new music.
- April-May: First Grand Solo Road trip, visiting folks all over from San Francisco to Portland to Colorado to LA and plenty of places in between. Along the way I rekindled connections with family and close friends that had gone untended for far too long.
- June: Incorporated as Snap Synapse, a media content production company shell for my consulting and music work.
- July-August: Taught at kids music camp, attended California-Brazil Camp, had a blast performing all over Burning Man.
- September: Decided Couchsurfing lifestyle (AKA no fixed residence) was working out so well that I would continue through at least June of next year.
- October: Graduated from my 3-year international rhythm training program, becoming a Certified TaKeTiNa Rhythm Teacher.
- November: finished new CD with The Irrationals, revamping One Mouth Band / Organic Human Music web presence.
Through all of the above I’ve been traveling all over both coasts and performing a lot. I plan to continue, but take it international. I’m currently planning trips/performances in Australia/New Zealand (January-February 2009) and Europe (May-June 2009).
If you’e like to get in touch, now is a great time to do so. My phone is the same as it has been for about 8-years now, and you’re welcome to email anytime! I look forward to hearing from you!
License to TaKeTiNa October 21, 2008
Posted by onemouthband in : Inspiries, TaKeTiNa, Travels , add a commentIt’s official, I am now a fully-qualified TaKeTiNa Rhythm Teacher!
So what does that mean? Well, not too much in and of itself. It just means I can use the TaKeTiNa name to lead rhythm workshops anyplace in the USA. But this basic level certification is the result of the past 3-years of work and a whole life full of changes. This was the last remnant of my former life (of any structure, really) that I have been holding on to. This incredible training program was in fact a catalyst for letting go of everything, and its completion is big for me.
Now what? I don’t know. But I can’t say I’m too bothered by that question these days. Or by any others for that matter. How about that?
I Vote for Losers September 16, 2008
Posted by onemouthband in : Notes to Self, Randomnimity, Recommendations , add a comment
Some time ago I realized that I have a very poor voting record. I probably have a better chance of winning the lottery than voting for a state or federal official who actually makes it into office. The day I realized that was the day I stopped worrying about elections so much (beyond the local).
Sure, I’ll always vote every chance I get, but I don’t have the expectation that it will count for anything much really. That’s fine with me, actually. I am not attached to the results, because I firmly believe that there is just one possible outcome in the long term, and it ain’t pretty. I also think the closest thing our country had to a real election was in 2000 (remember that one?). Since then, things have shifted such that those in power are inoperably entrenched. Presidential races will either be just close enough to be believable but not enough to be any real threat, or they will be pre-empted by some great catastrophe. If those in power can win the easy way, they’ll win the easy way. If they have to win the hard way, there’s no reason to think they would hold back at all.
This is not an uninformed opinion, by the way. I’ve met some of the Thems of the world, and the experience is what led me to some of these conclusions. Rather than making me apathetic, this gives me a lot more courage to invest in how things are right here and right now. This is probably as good as it’s ever gonna get, folks. We are at the peak of access to information and the resources to do things with it. “Winning” is always temporary, and gives rise to a whole set of problems of its own. Risk all you can for the present, for the doing, for your soul and your world as it is. Or as I am so fond of saying, bet on the best, and be prepared for the worst.
It costs my mind and body so much to plug in to the rage and fear that permeates both ends of the political landscape. Personally, I make it a point not to listen to anything any candidate has to say, instead I just do some quick internet recon to see where their money comes from and vote accordingly. Maybe that’s why the folks I vote for always lose.
And yes, I am planning to vote for Obama…
The Eight Irresistable Principles of Fun September 12, 2008
Posted by onemouthband in : Inspiries, Productivity , add a commentAs you may know, I’ve been into David Allen’s Getting Things Done methodology for a year or two now. Thanks to my recent trial subscription at GTD Connect, I found out about Michael Stanier and his work. It’s all cool stuff, but here’s something in fairly quick and digestible form that should provide the adequate inspiration to learn more. Click below and enjoy!
TaKeTiNa Rhythm Days September 9, 2008
Posted by onemouthband in : Inspiries, Music, Recommendations, TaKeTiNa , add a comment
Okay, you’ve probably heard me rave about TaKeTiNa before, and maybe you’re curious but it usually costs money and stuff. Well, here’s your big chance!
There is a whole series of FREE TaKeTiNa sessions that you can attend in October near Portland, Oregon. They will be led by the members of my TaKeTiNa Teachers Training class as completion of our 3-year training. For these polyrhythmic adventures in stepping, clapping, and singing, it is very important that we have members of the general public who are not necessarily musicians, and have little to no experience with TaKeTiNa. This is a great opportunity for you to help me/us out while getting benefit for yourself at no risk!
These rhythm journey sessions will be held twice daily from October 1-12, at Still Meadow Community near Clackamas, just east of Portland. It’s pretty easy to get there, less than 15 minutes off of I-205. If you’re coming from out of town, don’t worry, there are a few places to stay nearby. All sets are free, and you can attend as many as you’d like. You just need to register!
Here’s a downloadable flyer, please feel free to forward it along to anyone else who you think may be interested. You can find more about TaKeTiNa here, or if you have questions about anything, just ask me! Thanks!
Longer Days September 5, 2008
Posted by onemouthband in : Productivity, Recommendations , 1 comment so far
Ever since reading Tim Ferriss’s The Four-Hour Workweek in February of 2007, I’ve tried outsourcing a variety of different things, different ways, with different people. Learn from my trial and error and cut to the chase with LongerDays.com. I recommend these people left and right because they really are that good. Based out of Charleston, SC, you will find no language or cultural obstacles, only bright and capable folks who can do pretty much anything on this side of the law. I was the first client to go visit their office on a trip to Charleston earlier this year, and I was impressed with them and their setup. They work in one room, all together, as a team, and very well.
Their rates are not the cheapest, but for all my exploring, they are by far the best value. For around $20/hr, depending on how many hours a month you buy, you can have a staff to deal with all the parts of your business (or personal) life that you aren’t good at or aren’t rewarded by. They bill down to the minute, and I rarely have to explain anything twice, unlike almost all of the other folks I’ve tried.
Here’s some of the things I’ve had Longer Days do for me in the last few months:
- research (anything from market research, to travel options, to computer programs, to getting CD duplication quotes, to helping design a wearable portable sound system, etc.)
- find and book performances
- update 8 different web calendars every time I get a gig
- design logos
- audio transcriptions (English and Spanish)
- filter through and organize all my web bookmarks to remove duplicates and outdated pages
- handle my MySpace requests and updates
- manage an email box and respond to job inquiries
- proofread/test online courses
- find yoga classes that fit my travel schedule
- find dozens of long-lost friends
- and, my personal favorite, call me every day and ask me 10 simple questions that help keep me on track (2-3 minutes, daily)
Now I’m ramping up a new small business (or Muse, as Tim Ferriss would say) and Longer Days is at the heart of my strategy for doing it without going crazy and self-sabotaging. I never would have been able to pull off half the stuff I’m doing without their help. Seriously, it is SO worth your time and money to check them out. And I don’t get any kickbacks for saying so…
One Mouth Backup Band, at your service July 10, 2008
Posted by onemouthband in : Inspiries, Music, One Mouth Band , add a comment
I’ve been frequenting open mics a lot lately. Portland, Charleston, and all over the SF Bay Area. One thing I’m starting to do more and more (and absolutely LOVE!) is being the rhythm section for other acoustic acts. Lucky for me, the other performers — and more importantly, the audiences — seem to love it too!
I’ve had the chance to do everything from folk to funk to jazz to pop to reggae to rock to blues to hip-hop to latin to indian to the indescribably genre-bending journeys between and beyond all those. I’ve channeled my favorite drummers (like John Bonham and Zigaboo Modaliste) on their own legendary tunes, juggled some killer vocal bass or keyboard parts in the drums, taken outrageous vocal guitar or trumpet solos, generally put a bunch of instruments where there otherwise wouldn’t be any. Every so often I throw in some actual, lyriced harmonies, too.
The best part for me is that I never know what’s going to happen next. I rarely if ever get any direction beyond “go”, and 80% of the time I don’t even know the song I’m joining in on. The best part for those I’m jamming with is that they get the energy infusion of a whole band for no hassle (and so far, no pay, but that can change anytime).
I am wide open to do more of this kind of work. If you have a favorite singer-songwriter that you think would spark well with me, please let me know. Thanks!
I’m crazy for Barbatuques! January 5, 2008
Posted by onemouthband in : Inspiries, Music, Recommendations , add a commentMan, oh man! Half my life ago I had this fledgling idea of combining a percussive ensemble like Stomp with the purely human music of a cappella like Bobby McFerrin’s Voicestra. This body percussion and vocal band would combine elements of music, dance, and theater to take down the wall between performer and audience. Keith Terry’s Slammin’ (I pestered him for a year to let me in) is the closest thing I’d found in the world…until now. Meet Barbatuques.
Okay, so it’s got a long buildup and the rap section may be a bit much, but my first urge at the above sight was to run away to Brazil and join this circus. I may still, I’m in a cool down period while I find out everything I can and learn to read Portuguese. I am still shocked that they managed to escape my attention for so long. There are so many connections and commonalities: they cite Bobby McFerrin and Keith Terry as major influences, draw on the beatbox movement, and use a CircleSinging-like model. This is all stuff I know well, and I am no stranger to Brazilian music either. I suppose I should be grateful that life still hands me these beautiful surprises.If anybody knows anything about these people, or can help me translate, please let me know! Thanks!
Yes Really: Trash can be minimized December 29, 2007
Posted by onemouthband in : Inspiries, Randomnimity , add a comment
As consumers, we all have say-so about what gets made. We tend to wield this power poorly, but strikingly simple choices can have astonishing results. Here’s and example:
In my 2-person household, we generate only about one small cereal bag worth of landfill trash per week. How? I do most of the shopping, and I just don’t buy stuff that can’t be recycled or composted if I can help it. It’s that simple. We canceled our trash pickup and simply dispose of this meager refuse on our way in to the supermarket where most of it comes from.
What is left? Thin plastic packaging mostly, and that is truly hard to avoid. Usually dental floss and cotton swabs, bent staples and paperclips, broken rubber bands and any other small detritus not built for consistent reuse. Occasionally a spent lightbulb or toothpaste tube…
What’s not trash at our house?
- Glass, aluminum, paper, cardboard, etc. - This is all called recycling. Since we don’t have curbside in our neck of the woods, we sort it and drive it into town as needed while running other errands.
- Hard plastic - If it comes in plastic, we avoid it. If there are no available alternatives (yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.), look for brands that use either #1 or #2 plastic which is easiest to recycle. You don’t need to deprive yourself of essentials, there are almost always other packaging choices (i.e. roll-on deodorant instead of stick).
- Food - That’s compost, for the most part. Of course dead flowers and plants go this way too. We’re not vegetarians though, and any meaty/oily scraps go outside for the neighborhood cats and our resident raven to cart away.
- Batteries, broken electronics, etc. - These should not be trash at your house either because they are toxic. It’s actually illegal to put such things in your trash in California, so there are specific free recycling days for this stuff and facilities you can pay to take it off your hands anytime. Yes there are plenty of scandals and dirty secrets about what happens after that, but your local landfill is obviously not the solution.
- Used clothes & stupid stuff - Goodwill, Salvation Army, Hospice Rummage Shop, etc. are all great places to unload these.
- Styrofoam - Now this one is only for the hardcore. It used to be that it was accepted at recycling centers, but now it’s not because it seems nobody really knows what to do with the stuff. We don’t let it in the door if we can help it, but for the stuff that finds its way in, we have taken the intentionally drastic step of mailing it back to the president of the company that it came from. Yes, it costs some postage (not much, it’s light after all!), but that is offset from what we get from turning in our bottles and cans, and remember our trash pickup bill is $0. The ecological statement may never make it to the intended recipient, but at least there’s some justice in styrofoam again being the property of it’s creator.
So what is in your trash? Take a look at what’s there and ask yourself:
- What did it take to make this?
- Do I really need bring this in my home?
- What happens to this when it breaks / breaks down?
- Where will this be in the period between 50 and 50-million years from now?
Loss of Wisdom December 20, 2007
Posted by onemouthband in : Notes to Self, Randomnimity , add a comment
This morning I had my wisdom teeth removed. Well, technically, just my third molars (#1 and #16), but for me it meant more.
Dentists have been telling me for half my life that these teeth would need to be removed because I only had them on the top, and with nothing to oppose them they would eventually dig into my jaw. Being the skeptic I am, I preferred to wait until this was within 1mm of happening. By this time the teeth in question were about an inch long, and with such long roots that they required an oral surgeon to remove. Dr. Tolstunov (who looks to me like a kinder, gentler Vladimir Putin, though I doubt he’d appreciate the comparison) managed to remove them in about 5-minutes without an incision, stitch, or anything more than novacaine and what looked like fancy pliers. Aside from some disconcerting crackling that reverberated through my skull, I wouldn’t have even known what was up. Nice work, Doc!
The brevity rather disoriented me from my symbolic intent. I wanted to focus my time in the chair on giving up my wisdom, letting go of my sense of deep knowing. As long I as I can remember, I’ve always been consoled, grounded, saddened and satisfied by this inner sense of place and purpose. It’s not something I generally know how to make manifest in the world or interpret with reliability, but it does pull me through the world and always has. It’s gotten me in a bit of trouble in some regards lately, and part of me wants to be able to let it go. I have ignored my innate wisdom before, and always at my peril, but I’ve never really tried letting go of my need for it. Seems like a good thing to try.
Easier said than done. The teeth came out fine, and I’m recovering nicely. My need for wisdom has yet to be extracted…
