A Maze - Page 24

The work on my fourth maze is going well. At times I almost believe that I will finish by the end of the month. Then I do the calculations and see that it is quite unlikely. It is the internet that makes the posting of my mazes possible, but it is the internet that proves the biggest distraction to the work. Last night it was YouTube again and the music category of Folk Metal Bands that side tracked me. Here is a band new to me. As you will see, it is pen and ink and calligraphy related.

This video shows what the dark-ages might have been like if they had invented electric guitars but not light bulbs. The lead singer should try an anger management class to see if it can help his singing. Still, the music sounds great. I love the hurdy gurdy.

I think you can see why I might find it difficult to work while listening to this kind of music. But yesterday morning I did get something done. Here is page 77 which was in progress yesterday.

For today I give you the page 24 of the first maze.

Page 24

Here is the same page in the wild. This is a closeup of one of the trees lining the entrance to the mansion. It is pretty darn old for a planted tree in California.

 

Now I must start page 78.

Jonathan

Musical Interlude - Robert Carty

It is at this time of year that one of the community radio stations I listen to does their Visionary Music Marathon. It is a fund raiser for the station. The station is KKUP which was until last year located not far from where the end of my Line Around The World is now. They have since moved to a studio somewhere in San Jose. Unlike most of the public TV or radio fund raisers, this annual one does not bother me much. In fact I truly look forward to it each year. For two, three or (one glorious year) four days they play visionary music nonstop. Hey, wait a minute … I think ... that may be why they call it the Visionary Music Marathon. Anyway, as I write this I have it on in the background.

In one of my earlier musical interludes I posted a YouTube video by an artist that falls in this genre of music. That was Robert Carty. One more artist who is somewhat similar in style is a very prolific composer named Steve Roach. Here is a very cool video featuring his music.

Sorry that the embed code is not working, but here is the link to YouTube.

Wouldn't it be a blast to travel on a star ship across the galaxy like this. One reason I enjoy this kind of music is that it brings me the illusion of the eternal. It helps me work on my mazes because it makes time seem more plentiful and spacious. Sure, I may be drawing something that no one will ever solve, but what the heck, you have to do something with your time and it was just blank paper before I started.

I think it was sometime this year, or it may have been last year, I discovered an awesome website. It plays this kind of music 24/7/365 (hey, I'm hip!). Now I don't have to wait for these once a year specials. I can tune in and zone out and work anytime. The site is StillStream.com. Sometimes you can even chat with the artists in the chat area.

On Monday I will have the next page of the maze and on Tuesday I will have another update on the Line.

Jonathan

Musical Interlude - 5

I am a big fan of Natalie Merchant. In my life I have only attended a few live concerts and one of them was a concert Natalie did up in Oakland. It was during the promotion of her album Motherland. I don't know for sure, but this album was probably not as popular or as big a seller as her earlier solo efforts.

As I wrote in a previous post, I know nothing about the music business and don't pretend to be a critic. I just enjoy music. It wasn't until long after Natalie left 10,000 Maniacs that I even discovered their music. As usual I was a Johnny come lately. The 10,000 Maniacs had a great sound and Natalie's voice was distinct and beautiful.

Here is a video of one of the most popular of their songs:

That has a pleasant upbeat sound. Some of their other songs dealt with heavier material and yet remained nice songs to listen to for pleasure. I'm thinking of songs like “Don't Talk” or “Eat For Two”.

When Natalie went solo she had several hits on the radio and VH1. This is when I finally discovered her and discovered the 10,000 Maniacs. Here is a song that was played over and over on the radio. I don't think I ever got tired of it.

When the Motherland album came out, I admit that I was a bit disappointed. It didn't have any instant hits or instantly catchy tunes. Over time it grew on me and now when it comes up in my iPod rotation I love it. There is one song that never caught my fancy though. There is no official video for it. The best I could find is this audio video.

Hmmm. See what I mean. If it wasn't for Natalie's voice to carry it, I wouldn't listen to it. But as it turns out, I want to use this song to start an interesting (to me) train of thought.

Jonathan

Musical Interlude - 4

For my last musical interlude I introduced the classic band Renaissance. The music business is completely foreign to me. How they decide which category each band belongs in is beyond me. There is a school of thought that Renaissance belongs in the Progressive Rock category, along with bands such as Yes, Traffic, King Crimson and even Jethro Tull. I don't know. It seems very arbitrary to me. The main thing most of the bands under the label Progressive Rock (Prog Rock) seem to share is minimal radio air play.

Be that as it may, there is at least one magazine devoted to covering Prog Rock. It is well that they cover this type of music since the name of the magazine is Prog Rock.. A couple of weeks ago I happened upon a copy of this magazine in a Borders Bookstore. I perused it without buying it. I was curious if Renaissance was mentioned. I didn't see that band, but I saw lots and lots of others. Yes, had a big article in there.

Way in the back was a list of less well known bands and their albums. One of these bands was called Indica. It was new to me, so I made a note of the name in my Rhoda #11 notebook using my Noodler's roller ball fountain pen. When I got home, I brought up YouTube and searched for 'Indica'. This is what I found.

This is the English version of one of their hits:

This next video is the Finnish version. They are a Finnish band. This is probably the music my favorite racing driver listens to before a race. Or from what I gather, quite possibly during the race itself. He is a Finnish driver named Kimi Raikkonen who put the fun in Formula One.

I prefer the Finnish version myself. I can't put my finger on what it is, but there is something appealing about this band. And the song is pretty catchy too. But is it Prog Rock? Who cares?

Tomorrow is a day off, but on Monday I will have the next page of the first maze for you.

Jonathan

Musical Interlude - 3

More than likely everyone has some favorite music. The music that no matter how many times you hear it, the magic still works. Perhaps it takes you back to a special time or place or reminds you of someone. Or maybe all of those things. Maybe it just makes you remember that you were young once.

For me it is the music of a band called Renaissance. The first time I heard their music must have been in 1976. Yikes, that is a long time ago. I must have played my old LPs of the band to death. The thing that is so amazing about them is that almost no one I talk to has ever heard of them. How can something I find to be so incredibly brilliant and important be so unknown to the majority of people, even those of my own age group?

Nowadays the world of music is so huge. All the of acts I grew up with are still there at least in recorded form. There is the real old stuff my dad listened to. And then there is the music of the more recent generations. Some of which is actually music. All told it is a vast pile of stuff. It is no wonder things get lost in the noise nowadays. But back in the 1970s there wasn't all that much to choose from. And yet I don't think I have ever heard a Renaissance song on the radio. Back in the day or on a classic rock station now.

True, many of their songs were long, but some were short enough for air play. It is strange and frankly I sometimes wonder if I'm a bit strange for loving the music so much.

Here is one of the short pieces that could have been a hit.

Annie Haslam is the lead singer. Her voice is the absolute best of any singer I've ever heard. And I enjoy many female vocalists. Natalie Merchant, Enya, Mary Black, Loreena McKennitt, Sarah Mclachlan, and more are all to be found on my iPod, but Annie is the top. I love the casual way the band is playing in this video. It makes me darn jealous of their musical talent.

Anyway Annie is still performing if rarely, solo and with a new incarnation of the band. If you are in the area of Pennsylvania you might be able to see her. She is doing a couple of Holiday music shows. Check it out here.

Annie's new passion is painting. I really like her style. I have purchased two of them myself. They are small enough that the prices are quite reasonable. She has done several violins. I mean she actually paints on a violin. They look fantastic! Check out her work here.

Thursday is Turkey Day, but that is no excuse to skip the next page of the maze.

Jonathan

The Point Of The Point

Last August my buddy was down here in California for a visit. While he was here he showed me the fountain pen he has been using. It was a Pilot Vanishing Pen with a Fine Nib on it. It was very cool, but I didn't think that it would work for my mazes or for writing in my journal. I write very small and draw narrow passage ways. I didn't think a fountain pen could handle it. He let me try it and I was surprised to find that it was capable of detailed work. I didn't buy one right away. I waited a week, and I have been using one, actually two, of them ever since.

What was the point of the thread of posts about the Ball Point Pens? Just that I like to run them out. I could have just said that, but that is not my usual way. I mean, if I would have said, “Hey Dude, I like fountain pens”, you may have thought that I was some kind of crank. After reading my earlier posts you will see that I have a very good reason for liking them, dude.

The great thing about fountain pens is that they run out of ink much more often than ball point pens do. While you are sleeping all comfy in your bed at night, I am carrying out scientific research into just how much more often they do run dry. No, I'm not asking for a medal, it is what I do. Then there are literally hundreds, maybe thousands of different inks to try. It is a whole 'n other world. So in the last year I have purchased four fountain pens. While that might seem like a lot, it is fairly restrained compared to many addicts.

Take this gentleman for example. It is clear that he likes his pens. Notice that this is part one of his collection. I'll spare you further episodes, but I think I'm a bit jealous.

Some people have enough money that they can take their addictions to extremes.

Addicts such as these have an online meeting place called the Fountain Pen Network. Yes, I'm a registered member, but haven't made any posts there. Yet.

Here, completely off topic and with no point in mind, but because it came up as a related video for some unknown reason, are three fellows and their cellos. There may be a connection I'm just not seeing.

Yes, I know that it is sooooo 2007, but I don't get out much.

Jonathan

A Musical Interlude - 2

Yesterday was my first blog free day since I began this here project. My hat's off to those people out there that post something everyday. It is more work than people that haven't tried will understand. Anyway, the point of the day off was for me to experience life in all its glory.

So I got up, did the usual morning rituals. You know, brushing the teeth, shower, corn dog for breakfast, getting disgusted by the news reports, reading a little, all the while waiting for this wonderful thing called life to happen. Eventually I made my way back to my work space and slipped with ease into my regular routines. I figured that if life happened by, I could drop what I was doing and take notice. In the meantime I might as well work.

There are three Blog related projects underway on my desk at this time. Despite the technical difficulties I have continued to work on my “Line Around the World Project” (aka, The Subway Line). I have been experimenting and have learned some surprising things. I have also received some very helpful suggestions which I will be incorporating. There is also a related project which took up a couple of hours yesterday. This project is highly scientific and will be a boon for mankind when I post the results.

It was now after eleven o'clock and life had yet to make an appearance. I was in a groove so I worked for a couple of hours on my fourth maze. After that I noticed it was time to go to my real job, the one that pays the rent, until the Subway deal comes through.

I was happy that I hadn't waited around for life to show up. It would have meant a wasted day if I had.

Anyway, I normally listen to music while working. My iPod is loaded with all sorts of music, from ABBA (don't laugh!) to Zwan (actually after Zwan, there is 10,000 Maniacs and 3 Doors Down, but... A to Z). But yesterday I was listening to an Amibent artist named Robert Carty. His music is very well suited to concentrating on a task that requires it. His website is here.

Here is one of a number of cool music videos he has made.

As I get older this is the way time seems to flow. More and more quickly. I imagine a time when this time lapse stuff will look like slow motion.

Tomorrow we will have another page of maze to tackle.

Jonathan

Musical Interlude

In honor of the World Series, and for the benefit of one reader in particular, I give you a touching bit of music.

My pick: Giants in Five.