Autobiography of Tony Iommi followed by auto of Ozzy Osbourne. The second because I was curious about a different POV for the same events. And indeed. Tony leaves out things like spending some time in prison. Ozzy in general is way more forthcoming. Tells a lot of negative things about himself. Beating his wives. Constantly cheating. Extreme cruelty to animals.

I got into Tony's first because he just seemed interesting in interviews. But not terribly so actually. But hearing about both's childhoods in England was interesting. Best part for both is before they were famous.

Same with previous autobiography of Joe Jackson. A much more intelligent guy who made music that really wasn't as good. Interesting childhood in england though. And Steppin Out and a few other really good songs. Interesting thought about Eye music and how classical music took a wrong turn. But now pop music certainly has also.

Really liked The Urth of the New Sun. Think it should have been part of Book of the New Sun but Wolfe wanted it separate I guess. First part takes place on a spaceship. Then he is "judged". It's really quite strange and works just right. Saving the world type books are so hard to end well.

The Art of Playing the Pianoforte by Cary Czerny. On a Czerny kick. His nocturnes are underrated. Learning op 599. Sightreading it with metronome. Read this and partially many others. Also lots of articles online. Developed my own technique practice. Scales and arps done many ways followed by trilling exercise. Then sightreading with metronome. No less than an hour. Closer to 2 on weekends.

Revisting Perelandra. For ideas for my friends sparse story about Samael, Lilith and Adam. The world is just so empty. How to make other than a very short story? Looking at the conversations between Ransom and the Green Lady.

It's funny that there could be disagreement over something as fundamental as looking at your hands for piano. Some very good players feel very strongly that it doesn't matter. Look at your hands if you want to. I have been I think very unfortunately influenced by them. I have finally decided to very consciously not look at my hands. I will try not to think about being 46 when finally deciding this. I don't like needing my eyes constantly going all over the place and I think it's limiting me. I suppose my memorization could be a lot better. And if it was it would be somewhat less of an issue. But even I have two hands. Perhaps I need to get better at just staring inbetween the two instead of whichever is doing the harder part. But I prefer to just learn to play without looking.

I actually wrote a learning exercise last night called "blind jumps". It's thirds, 4ths,  5ths, 6ths and 8ths going up to two octave jumps.

My routine:
All 12 major scales. Both hands. Just two octaves. This is something I have neglected that I need to get better at.
Trills. Just ten seconds for each combo.
The blind jumps exercise.
Sight reading.
Going back over old repertoire while not looking at hands.
Maybe some new.

I have almost completely neglected technique exercises and sight reading up till now. Not sure why in the last few weeks I suddenly care. I haven't eaten sweets in 38 days. Maybe this has caused some subtle change. Previously I ate them everyday. Sometimes to excess.

I recently suddenly love Chopin nocturnes. It caused me to search and see if there's anything else I suddenly love. Chopin etudes are nice. I seem to feel the same about everything else. Maybe learning his Funeral march is what did it.

In other news Hawth and I moved to the tree room. Always loved this room. He is finally got the attention span somewhat for real movies. Watched gremlins and now raiders of lost ark.

Also I'm forcing him to play the piano. Just 5 minutes a day. Trying to get him to enjoy the process of improving. Which he clearly is so far everyday.

1. 0 0 0 4 0 0 6 -10
2. 4 0 0 8 0 4 4.5 -20
3. 5 5.6 6.3 1 9 0 6 -33
4. 6 8 5 1 5 5 8 -38
Started intervals.
5. 0 5 1 5.4 0 5 0 -16
6. 3 3 3 0 3 4 3-19 (20min@9mm)
Easy intervals 10 min pace 4/2s
7. 3 3 1 0 3 0 3.2 -13.2 (sick)
Insomnia issues. Cutting back.
8. 4.2 0 t 5(54m6/2) - 9.2
6/2s 231lbs
9. 5.6 (58m) (terrible insomnia) 0 0 1.5 0 3 (32.20m) (moderate (5.5 here with 7.0 last 90 secs) once every 6 or 5 days, the rest at about 60% of mile current best) i have greatly improved my ability to play singles in 90 degree heat. Now gentle prods, not tortuous pokes. 0 0 -10 Hurt back again. No tennis.
10. 0 3e 0 4.5 (48m) 1e 0 3e - 11.5
11. 1e 5.6 (59.40m) 0 0 0 6.2 (66m) ugh .7 -13.5 (bw down to 228. No sweets since july 1st. Now 7.20.19)
12. .5 0 5.5 (54:06m) .5 0 0 5.5 (60m)-12 last run was awful. previous felt good. Just about passed out at the end. Truly a torturous poke. Don't know why i felt so terrible. But i should have recognized i did and taken it easy.
13. 4e 0 1(7:43m) 2e 0 3(32m) -10
LOW B12!!!!!
14. 4(43m?) 0 0 6(69m)

It's not going well. Hoping it will get better as my b12 level goes up. Down to 226. That I guess is slowing me down too. Haven't eaten sweets in 38 days. Maybe lost 4 pounds. I guess almost a pound a week is fine...