Want to start writing music again.
1. Simplistic doesn't matter at all. (4/4, been done before, simple song structure, etc...)
2. Try to make it somewhat unrepetitive. Make it richer. So what if it takes longer. Considering how little I've written in the last few years and the complete indifference of all mankind, who the hell cares?
3. No presets.
4. Work off lyrics, poems, essay, stories to give some direction, just a general sense. Nothing exacting. The emotion strived for will hopefully become more nuanced eventually. And still keep some song structure. Not just musicking conversations.
Or instead I can just use the concept I use when writing piano music and take it to everything else. Have one main track that is actually really going somewhere and then just add bits of this and that around it.
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Read 70% of Jerry West's autobiography. Because he goes on about how awful his father was. Was more than a little bit of a downer but not because of that, just because of West's ...outlook.
Played Matt Buffington and was up 7-5, 2-2 when we ran out of time. Elbow was iffy but held on. Tried to play two days later and had real issues. Going to start doing an exercise to build up the muscle that rotates the wrist, see if that helps. I had been fine for a while, but now been having issues again for a while. Getting sick of this.
Want to write a story where we all die and go to a world of justice. Primarily where we pay for how we ate. That would be somewhat worth writing to me, though it would be unlikely to get published. But I could almost make it into a religion I think. And I could use one of those....
Played Matt Buffington and was up 7-5, 2-2 when we ran out of time. Elbow was iffy but held on. Tried to play two days later and had real issues. Going to start doing an exercise to build up the muscle that rotates the wrist, see if that helps. I had been fine for a while, but now been having issues again for a while. Getting sick of this.
Want to write a story where we all die and go to a world of justice. Primarily where we pay for how we ate. That would be somewhat worth writing to me, though it would be unlikely to get published. But I could almost make it into a religion I think. And I could use one of those....
Sunday, January 11, 2015
When you've snuck into the king's bedroom and you're standing over him as he sleeps. You can't just kill him. Something always happens and he wakes up and there some action sequence. This is writing 101.
When you're the most powerful wizard in the world and your best friend can make himself invisible and walk through walls, I guess you better be very reluctant to just go ahead and kill the bad guys already. And so, they keep on making trouble till you finally kill them.
The problem with the cycle of arawn is that it isn't dark enough. You know it's all going to work out just fine. The heroes have it too easy. And their banter is just annoying.
When you're the most powerful wizard in the world and your best friend can make himself invisible and walk through walls, I guess you better be very reluctant to just go ahead and kill the bad guys already. And so, they keep on making trouble till you finally kill them.
The problem with the cycle of arawn is that it isn't dark enough. You know it's all going to work out just fine. The heroes have it too easy. And their banter is just annoying.
After watching Sam Groth who basically has my body I decided to try to use my legs on my serve. Try to jump up as I hit the serve. This takes a lot of leg power to lean backwards and then jump up without using your arms at all for the jump. I couldn't do it before but after a month or so of wearing a 25 pound pack while using the elliptical (last few days up to 35 pounds) apparently I now can. But it seems to have made my elbow hurt. Or was it the racquet? It was the red handled 6.1 prostaff stretch that I hadn't used before. Bit lighter than the other. Had to use 4 layers of duct tape (other has only 2) to get it up to 14 ounces. And I was playing with NXT. Had a huge kick. Was going up over H. Yu's head. Best my serve has ever been. He couldn't handle it at all. I got up 4-0 and then my elbow started really bothering me. Had trouble lifting water bottle up to mouth.
...so at 6-3 I switched to other 6.1 stretch, this one with natural gut. And I changed my serve. Eventually still jumping but cocking my arm more before jumping and coming more straight through the ball instead of a motion that imparts more kick.
And elbow started feeling better. Good as new by end of second set. Although serve a lot less impressive. But will work on it. Definitely like getting my legs more involved. I get to the net better if nothing else. And expect my serve will improve.
Other issue is the 2 layers of duct tape versus 4. It was much better with 4. Too many variables. But think I have to continue experimenting with more than 2 layers.
Won 6-3, 6-3. Won last 6 games. One hand backhand just needs a lot of practice, which it doesn't get.
...so at 6-3 I switched to other 6.1 stretch, this one with natural gut. And I changed my serve. Eventually still jumping but cocking my arm more before jumping and coming more straight through the ball instead of a motion that imparts more kick.
And elbow started feeling better. Good as new by end of second set. Although serve a lot less impressive. But will work on it. Definitely like getting my legs more involved. I get to the net better if nothing else. And expect my serve will improve.
Other issue is the 2 layers of duct tape versus 4. It was much better with 4. Too many variables. But think I have to continue experimenting with more than 2 layers.
Won 6-3, 6-3. Won last 6 games. One hand backhand just needs a lot of practice, which it doesn't get.
Food
6 apples peeled and chopped with a bit less than 1/4th a cup of maple syrup. Covered and baked for 40 minutes at 400.
Oatmeal, half a cup or so with 2 spoons of maple syrup. Add some of the apples above if you like.
Make rice in rice cooker. Add some canned peas and ragu sauce. Just leave rice sitting out. It will be fine for a day or so.
Or add rice to canned black beans with salsa and/or taco seasoning mix.
Little yukon (?) potatoes. Cut in half or so and bake at 400 for 45 to 60 minutes or so. Add ragu or hummus.
6 apples peeled and chopped with a bit less than 1/4th a cup of maple syrup. Covered and baked for 40 minutes at 400.
Oatmeal, half a cup or so with 2 spoons of maple syrup. Add some of the apples above if you like.
Make rice in rice cooker. Add some canned peas and ragu sauce. Just leave rice sitting out. It will be fine for a day or so.
Or add rice to canned black beans with salsa and/or taco seasoning mix.
Little yukon (?) potatoes. Cut in half or so and bake at 400 for 45 to 60 minutes or so. Add ragu or hummus.
Diet
Eating meat (and animal products) is bad for your health, the environment and the animal that was needlessly killed.
Sex
Don't be controlled by the animal within you. Like a woman for something more than her ass. Clothes can pervert us sexually. Sex becomes forbidden and other forbidden things can get tied into the mix... Clothes make us go overboard and act crazy when they are finally taken off. Try to restrain yourself to some extent and not act too stupid.
Work
I think the ideal would be a college major where you are actually learning useful things in your classes, not just jumping through flaming hoops. Biology, medicine, that direction has somewhat less bullshit.In engineering you can learn to derive equations for some ideal scenario that doesn't exist in the real world and then go run and assembly line. Most college majors have some similarities to this. Becoming a doctor would mean a lifetime of hardwork taking care of cheeseburger eaters but at least is actually useful and being high up in the power hierarchy at work means less stress, less worrying about the whims of stupid people with power over you.
Play
Be well rounded. Play multiple sports but don't just play sports. Please read. If you don't, you're going to be ignorant. Watching TV will not make up for not reading. TV is just too stupid. A thousand channels and nothing's on because it's all controlled by just a few companies. Oligopolies produce shit products the same as monopolies. Don't be too serious but don't always be unserious. Find a medium.
Art
To express one's self is to do art. Just the action of speaking is expressing yourself. But playing music is also. And painting, etc. I strongly recommend you attempt to express yourself in some manner. I would like you to learn a musical instrument, although how far you go depends on how much you like music.
Politics
Those with the power/money want to stop change from happening and will do whatever it takes to ensure that. They control the news media. They fire/don't hire people who don't say/report exactly what they want to be reported. This means a certain slant (certain facts are excluded or emphasized/demphasized). And only certain stories get reported at all. Thus it's not really much of a democracy.
Drugs
They really aren't worth it. The legal ones even are just playing with fire. Chocolate and caffeine often lead to insomnia and feeling excessive stress. The illegal ones have the negative jail and addiction. A very few people go on about the incredibly positives. In my experience these people are generally incredibly stupid though. And a wrong turn here could turn your life into hell.
Religion
On a subconscious level, we're all mystical. If we weren't, it would be impossible to live. Lot of ugly crap is tied into organized religion though. And generally speaking followers of organized religion are kind of stupid.
Friendship/Relationships
Got to be some kind of balance. If one person feels inferior, just doesn't work. Got to be able to disagree. Got to be able to criticize each other.
Eating meat (and animal products) is bad for your health, the environment and the animal that was needlessly killed.
Sex
Don't be controlled by the animal within you. Like a woman for something more than her ass. Clothes can pervert us sexually. Sex becomes forbidden and other forbidden things can get tied into the mix... Clothes make us go overboard and act crazy when they are finally taken off. Try to restrain yourself to some extent and not act too stupid.
Work
I think the ideal would be a college major where you are actually learning useful things in your classes, not just jumping through flaming hoops. Biology, medicine, that direction has somewhat less bullshit.In engineering you can learn to derive equations for some ideal scenario that doesn't exist in the real world and then go run and assembly line. Most college majors have some similarities to this. Becoming a doctor would mean a lifetime of hardwork taking care of cheeseburger eaters but at least is actually useful and being high up in the power hierarchy at work means less stress, less worrying about the whims of stupid people with power over you.
Play
Be well rounded. Play multiple sports but don't just play sports. Please read. If you don't, you're going to be ignorant. Watching TV will not make up for not reading. TV is just too stupid. A thousand channels and nothing's on because it's all controlled by just a few companies. Oligopolies produce shit products the same as monopolies. Don't be too serious but don't always be unserious. Find a medium.
Art
To express one's self is to do art. Just the action of speaking is expressing yourself. But playing music is also. And painting, etc. I strongly recommend you attempt to express yourself in some manner. I would like you to learn a musical instrument, although how far you go depends on how much you like music.
Politics
Those with the power/money want to stop change from happening and will do whatever it takes to ensure that. They control the news media. They fire/don't hire people who don't say/report exactly what they want to be reported. This means a certain slant (certain facts are excluded or emphasized/demphasized). And only certain stories get reported at all. Thus it's not really much of a democracy.
Drugs
They really aren't worth it. The legal ones even are just playing with fire. Chocolate and caffeine often lead to insomnia and feeling excessive stress. The illegal ones have the negative jail and addiction. A very few people go on about the incredibly positives. In my experience these people are generally incredibly stupid though. And a wrong turn here could turn your life into hell.
Religion
On a subconscious level, we're all mystical. If we weren't, it would be impossible to live. Lot of ugly crap is tied into organized religion though. And generally speaking followers of organized religion are kind of stupid.
Friendship/Relationships
Got to be some kind of balance. If one person feels inferior, just doesn't work. Got to be able to disagree. Got to be able to criticize each other.
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Lost 6-3, 6-4 to Jay C the #1 ranked player (I'm still #2). I did better than last time (lost 6-4, 6-2 before). This time I played with a 6.1 prostaff stretch weighted to 14.5 ounces and my serve was much better than last time when I played with an unweighted Prince Graphite Classic Longbody. Only had a single ace. But had very few double faults and had decent pace and moved things around OK... He has a great ROS though. I did rush the net a lot. My net play sucked. I absurdly tried a semiwestern forehand grip and without any practice of course my forehand sucked. In the second set I went back to western grip and hit my forehands much better. Maybe could have won a couple more games if I had played western in first set.
Backhand wasn't good. Slice was inconsistent and drive with eastern was better than last week with continental but seeing as I never get to practice it's to be expected that it wasn't very good.
I have to start playing at least twice a week. Such inconsistent exercise isn't good. Always feel like shit afterwards not to mention I don't play very well.
This guy actually drives all the way to Pittsburgh to play also he's so into tennis. I'm not willing to drive that far.
Backhand wasn't good. Slice was inconsistent and drive with eastern was better than last week with continental but seeing as I never get to practice it's to be expected that it wasn't very good.
I have to start playing at least twice a week. Such inconsistent exercise isn't good. Always feel like shit afterwards not to mention I don't play very well.
This guy actually drives all the way to Pittsburgh to play also he's so into tennis. I'm not willing to drive that far.
Friday, January 2, 2015
Greatest players grips
Roger Federer-(17slams)-eastern forehand, modified eastern backhand
Pete Sampras(14slams)-eastern and semi-western forehand backhand-looks like eastern or continental
Rafa Nadal (14 slams) western forehand (extreme?)
Rod Laver (11slams) eastern for both
Bjorn Borg (11slams) western forehand
Jimmy Connors (8slams) eastern/continental forehand
Ivan Lendl (8slams) easter forehand, continental backhand
Andre Agassi (7slams) semiwestern forehand
McEnroe all continental
Wilander semi-western forehand
Novak Djokovic-semiwestern forehand
Becker-semiwestern forehand
Only Rafa and Borg hit western. Was wondering if I could hit a forehand slice with a semiwestern. Also I don't put away the short balls as well as I should because I have trouble going through them flatter with the western. Probably would make more sense to just work on swinging flatter when necessary... Also not a big deal to change grip... Except on serve... when it's nice to just do continental on ROS.
Random thoughts
1. hit short balls flat or even with backspin
2. lean forward to hit forehands (and backhands)
3. set up usually as if hitting towards center of court and then swing early or late
4. stay very upright on the serve and aim to the left, just "push" it out when going to the right
5. treat first serve like a hard second serve
6. elliptical with weighted pack makes it so much easier to serve and volley
7. if it's not going to be a winner but it is going in, more pace mostly just means the other person can hit it back hard with less of a swing, more topspin means they've got a better angle for hitting it back, additionally it's usually easier to get a slice in. Unless they're rushing the net. Then topspin is very useful.
Roger Federer-(17slams)-eastern forehand, modified eastern backhand
Pete Sampras(14slams)-eastern and semi-western forehand backhand-looks like eastern or continental
Rafa Nadal (14 slams) western forehand (extreme?)
Rod Laver (11slams) eastern for both
Bjorn Borg (11slams) western forehand
Jimmy Connors (8slams) eastern/continental forehand
Ivan Lendl (8slams) easter forehand, continental backhand
Andre Agassi (7slams) semiwestern forehand
McEnroe all continental
Wilander semi-western forehand
Novak Djokovic-semiwestern forehand
Becker-semiwestern forehand
Only Rafa and Borg hit western. Was wondering if I could hit a forehand slice with a semiwestern. Also I don't put away the short balls as well as I should because I have trouble going through them flatter with the western. Probably would make more sense to just work on swinging flatter when necessary... Also not a big deal to change grip... Except on serve... when it's nice to just do continental on ROS.
Random thoughts
1. hit short balls flat or even with backspin
2. lean forward to hit forehands (and backhands)
3. set up usually as if hitting towards center of court and then swing early or late
4. stay very upright on the serve and aim to the left, just "push" it out when going to the right
5. treat first serve like a hard second serve
6. elliptical with weighted pack makes it so much easier to serve and volley
7. if it's not going to be a winner but it is going in, more pace mostly just means the other person can hit it back hard with less of a swing, more topspin means they've got a better angle for hitting it back, additionally it's usually easier to get a slice in. Unless they're rushing the net. Then topspin is very useful.
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