This blog is just not working out, so I've put it on hold indeflinitely.
I am updating my wordpress blog though, which is http://www.strugglingmuso.wordpess.com/
Friday, March 02, 2012
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
Cold n flu
Hi all,
It seems typical this year round that many teachers are getting the snizzles etc, and I'm one of them. Anyway, I'm still soldiering and taking it in my stride. I do enjoy teaching, and it's always a challenge to continually help children learn, as well as discipline them and consider the varied needs. It's especially hard when they have different learning abilities, personalities and emotional settings... And when I read "emotional Intelligence" I found a lot of insights to seeing how they develope, and I definitely believe that EQ is just as important as IQ. If you don't know already, I teach in a kindergarten, of kids around 6 years old. I've had the same class since they were 3 years... Anyways, this year our school will perform "Alice in Wonderland", and my kids will be the playing cards...
On the musical front, I was very happy with last weeks performance with Heartflow, although I had a wretched sore throat and was little support for Lily in the backing vocals department. And so, after the gig where taking a little break and thinking hard about our next phase -like what direction we want to go, and what other musicians we may need... I personally like "pop-punk" and a couple of our songs are fitting, but them a couple are kind of funky, and a couple are kind of "Taiwanese" style emotional rock sort of thing. So who knows. I guess we'll shoot for the middle and go pop... We were also considering more folk and jazz, but I think that's getting too eclectic... If you have any ideas feel free to post on my site.
OK, signing off...
It seems typical this year round that many teachers are getting the snizzles etc, and I'm one of them. Anyway, I'm still soldiering and taking it in my stride. I do enjoy teaching, and it's always a challenge to continually help children learn, as well as discipline them and consider the varied needs. It's especially hard when they have different learning abilities, personalities and emotional settings... And when I read "emotional Intelligence" I found a lot of insights to seeing how they develope, and I definitely believe that EQ is just as important as IQ. If you don't know already, I teach in a kindergarten, of kids around 6 years old. I've had the same class since they were 3 years... Anyways, this year our school will perform "Alice in Wonderland", and my kids will be the playing cards...
On the musical front, I was very happy with last weeks performance with Heartflow, although I had a wretched sore throat and was little support for Lily in the backing vocals department. And so, after the gig where taking a little break and thinking hard about our next phase -like what direction we want to go, and what other musicians we may need... I personally like "pop-punk" and a couple of our songs are fitting, but them a couple are kind of funky, and a couple are kind of "Taiwanese" style emotional rock sort of thing. So who knows. I guess we'll shoot for the middle and go pop... We were also considering more folk and jazz, but I think that's getting too eclectic... If you have any ideas feel free to post on my site.
OK, signing off...
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Webhosting downunder...
This is a website of a friend in Aus running a website business... Check it out, the link is:
http://www.aigallery.com/
http://www.aigallery.com/
Monday, October 18, 2004
Back in the madness + GIG
Hi all,
I'm back in happy Taipei now, back to the smog and madness so to speak. Oz was great, weather was beautiful, the air was fresh, and of course had my fill of nice wines and cheese and steaks etc...
Anyway, I'm real busy now, parent-teacher nights to organise (shudder!) and gigs to prep up for, so here are the details for Heartflow's up and coming gig:
在: 小客廳 The Livingroom.
Friday, October 29th, 10pm(10月29日, 晚上10點)
臺北市南京東路五段8號3樓3F, #8, Nanjing E. Rd, Sec. 5Tel: 02-8787-4154 Fax: 02-3765-1945http://www.livingroomtaipei.com/
I'm back in happy Taipei now, back to the smog and madness so to speak. Oz was great, weather was beautiful, the air was fresh, and of course had my fill of nice wines and cheese and steaks etc...
Anyway, I'm real busy now, parent-teacher nights to organise (shudder!) and gigs to prep up for, so here are the details for Heartflow's up and coming gig:
在: 小客廳 The Livingroom.
Friday, October 29th, 10pm(10月29日, 晚上10點)
臺北市南京東路五段8號3樓3F, #8, Nanjing E. Rd, Sec. 5Tel: 02-8787-4154 Fax: 02-3765-1945http://www.livingroomtaipei.com/
Friday, October 08, 2004
Don downunder
Well, I've been back in Oz for a week now, and I'm gearing up as bestman for my friend Tim's wedding. I used to play in a band with Tim and two others, we were called Rhombicvoid Void. we've still got a website I think. You can check it out on:
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Cabaret/8980/
I'm surprised it's still there, as we've been defunked since I took off for taiwan back in 2000. Anyway, we had a great time playing the odd pubs etc, despite the time, money and effort that goes into a semi-serious band. The most gratifying thing was being able to write our own songs and perform them, not that we had many fans (more a renta-crowd really). But we managed to get a decent demo of 12 songs as a sort of token, and it does give ourselves a sense of satisfaction because otherwise the songs would all be forgotten in dim memories...
Anyway, most importantly I'm happy for Tim and Bri and wish them the best on their wedding day tomorrow, and I'm very honoured to be the best man.
OK, signing off...
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Cabaret/8980/
I'm surprised it's still there, as we've been defunked since I took off for taiwan back in 2000. Anyway, we had a great time playing the odd pubs etc, despite the time, money and effort that goes into a semi-serious band. The most gratifying thing was being able to write our own songs and perform them, not that we had many fans (more a renta-crowd really). But we managed to get a decent demo of 12 songs as a sort of token, and it does give ourselves a sense of satisfaction because otherwise the songs would all be forgotten in dim memories...
Anyway, most importantly I'm happy for Tim and Bri and wish them the best on their wedding day tomorrow, and I'm very honoured to be the best man.
OK, signing off...
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Looking back...
09/09/04
Hi all... life's gone back to it's usuall regularity. I'm teaching for the second week and the kids are already starting to drive me crazy, but I love them, I really do. It's funny the expectations we put on them, because every other school is trying to teach 6 year olds advance phonics, so we have to do the same. And they haven't even made it into elementary school yet.
Anyway, Lily and I are very happy with our first "feature length" gig at the Livingroom Taipei. Even though there were a few booboos, and we still need to refine our tempo and rhythm with some songs, but that's all part of the learning process. We do hope to do more in the future.
Meanwhile, we're still working on our demo, recording etc. Lily bought a nice computer with Protools, so we're learning how to use it now. I've just got a nice condencer mike (10 000NT), but I must say the sound is good. And while we continue recording, we are also working through some new stuff... one song is rather "pop-rocky", about wanting to stay young (don't we all), and another is more on the melancholy sice, about some of societies evils...
And we will be looking for new players, after a short break of a few weeks in October (Lily is going back to canada and I'm going back to Australia). Anyway who has the passion and time is welcome to jam with us, and see if we can "gel" so to speak...
OK, signing off...
Hi all... life's gone back to it's usuall regularity. I'm teaching for the second week and the kids are already starting to drive me crazy, but I love them, I really do. It's funny the expectations we put on them, because every other school is trying to teach 6 year olds advance phonics, so we have to do the same. And they haven't even made it into elementary school yet.
Anyway, Lily and I are very happy with our first "feature length" gig at the Livingroom Taipei. Even though there were a few booboos, and we still need to refine our tempo and rhythm with some songs, but that's all part of the learning process. We do hope to do more in the future.
Meanwhile, we're still working on our demo, recording etc. Lily bought a nice computer with Protools, so we're learning how to use it now. I've just got a nice condencer mike (10 000NT), but I must say the sound is good. And while we continue recording, we are also working through some new stuff... one song is rather "pop-rocky", about wanting to stay young (don't we all), and another is more on the melancholy sice, about some of societies evils...
And we will be looking for new players, after a short break of a few weeks in October (Lily is going back to canada and I'm going back to Australia). Anyway who has the passion and time is welcome to jam with us, and see if we can "gel" so to speak...
OK, signing off...
Performing at the Living Room
29/08/04
Heartflow will be playing at the Living Room in Taipei on Friday night. The address is 3F, 8 Nan Jing East Road, Section 5 Taipei city. You can also check out the website:
http://www.livingroomtaipei.com/
We're very excited because technically it's our first "full feature" gig. So far we've mainly been playing at jam nights around Taipei, so you're welcome to bring friends and family!
Heartflow will be playing at the Living Room in Taipei on Friday night. The address is 3F, 8 Nan Jing East Road, Section 5 Taipei city. You can also check out the website:
http://www.livingroomtaipei.com/
We're very excited because technically it's our first "full feature" gig. So far we've mainly been playing at jam nights around Taipei, so you're welcome to bring friends and family!
Back to Taipei
24/08/04
I've been back in Taipei for over a week now. Even though it's my summer break from school (I teach English in a children's school in southern Taipei), I've been busy mainly with musical "stuff". Last night Lily and I performed in a venue called the Riverside. It was an open mike night, which we often go to where we can interact with other musicians. Last night was a milestone so to speak because the audience started clapping in the last song without our encouragement... that's a first for me. It was to a song Lily and I collaborated on called "Just to be".
Last Thursday we also perfromed at a place called "The living room" (if you want an address, just email me). We'd thought that it would also be an "open mike night", but it turned out to be a "spoken word" night with lots of poetry etc... They let us do three songs anyway, and loved it. We also really appreciated the intimacy of the spoken word, it really lets one feel more close to the performer...
Right now there is a Taiphoon raging on outside. I live with 7 other fellows (1 American and the rest are Taiwanese) in a two level apartment, so we've all got the day off work because of the weather.
OK, that's enough of my gasbagging... kit
I've been back in Taipei for over a week now. Even though it's my summer break from school (I teach English in a children's school in southern Taipei), I've been busy mainly with musical "stuff". Last night Lily and I performed in a venue called the Riverside. It was an open mike night, which we often go to where we can interact with other musicians. Last night was a milestone so to speak because the audience started clapping in the last song without our encouragement... that's a first for me. It was to a song Lily and I collaborated on called "Just to be".
Last Thursday we also perfromed at a place called "The living room" (if you want an address, just email me). We'd thought that it would also be an "open mike night", but it turned out to be a "spoken word" night with lots of poetry etc... They let us do three songs anyway, and loved it. We also really appreciated the intimacy of the spoken word, it really lets one feel more close to the performer...
Right now there is a Taiphoon raging on outside. I live with 7 other fellows (1 American and the rest are Taiwanese) in a two level apartment, so we've all got the day off work because of the weather.
OK, that's enough of my gasbagging... kit
From Hangzhou
Aug 9, 2004
Hi all,
This is my new blogg, so I can keep all my friends and fam updated...
Right now I've been seeing the sights, trying the tastes and savouring the smells of Hangzhou, a pictoresque city in China. I'm just here for a holiday, and will return in a week to Taipei, where I currently work.
It's interesting seeing China and it's funny how fast it's developing. I've noticed they're selling Bentlies and Porsches already... But there's plenty of poor, just as there is rich. It's not hard to spot beggars, scrawny workers, etc and then see wealthy business men. You know they already have 3 barstucks within 20 min walking distance. And they have 3 KFC's literally within 4min walking distance -I kid U not, they luv the stuff.
I've made two friends from LA. They're a wealth of information. I didn't even know the reason KFC changed it's name was because the chickens were genetically engineered to the point of being headless! I've been in Asia too long, I've missed out on all the horror stories going around.
Anyway, here's some lyrics I've written (because outside of teaching, I'm a songwriter back in Taipei -I'll keep you updated). I guess it's really a poem at the moment, because I haven't put it down to music yet:
Hangzhou summer
They don't sweat
Dusty, in heat, in exposure
The poor beg for more
Strollers, patrollers, old farmers and beggars
The workers in orange
Observers and spoilers
I'm wiping my brow
And wondering how
They just don't sweat
They pass by
Sqeaking by quiet
Teh riders, the buyers
The soldiers
Observers and spoilers
I'm wiping my brow
And wondering how
They don't sweat
Donak.
Hi all,
This is my new blogg, so I can keep all my friends and fam updated...
Right now I've been seeing the sights, trying the tastes and savouring the smells of Hangzhou, a pictoresque city in China. I'm just here for a holiday, and will return in a week to Taipei, where I currently work.
It's interesting seeing China and it's funny how fast it's developing. I've noticed they're selling Bentlies and Porsches already... But there's plenty of poor, just as there is rich. It's not hard to spot beggars, scrawny workers, etc and then see wealthy business men. You know they already have 3 barstucks within 20 min walking distance. And they have 3 KFC's literally within 4min walking distance -I kid U not, they luv the stuff.
I've made two friends from LA. They're a wealth of information. I didn't even know the reason KFC changed it's name was because the chickens were genetically engineered to the point of being headless! I've been in Asia too long, I've missed out on all the horror stories going around.
Anyway, here's some lyrics I've written (because outside of teaching, I'm a songwriter back in Taipei -I'll keep you updated). I guess it's really a poem at the moment, because I haven't put it down to music yet:
Hangzhou summer
They don't sweat
Dusty, in heat, in exposure
The poor beg for more
Strollers, patrollers, old farmers and beggars
The workers in orange
Observers and spoilers
I'm wiping my brow
And wondering how
They just don't sweat
They pass by
Sqeaking by quiet
Teh riders, the buyers
The soldiers
Observers and spoilers
I'm wiping my brow
And wondering how
They don't sweat
Donak.
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