"Today my heart is broken, Ronnie passed away at 7:45am 16th May. Many, many friends and family were able to say their private good-byes before he peacefully passed away. Ronnie knew how much he was loved by all. We so appreciate the love and support that you have all given us. Please give us a few days of privacy to deal with this terrible loss. Please know he loved you all and his music will live on forever."
- Wendy Dio
First Pete, now Dio...
Worst year for metal ever...
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Book: Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami
This was exactly what I needed after 2666. It is very unlike me to go into a novel without knowing anything about it, but I find myself appreciating surprises more and more these days. Needless to say after reading a couple other Murakami's I had an idea of what I was in for: Surreal dream-like excursions grounded by the self-reflection of interesting characters. Lucky for me, within this short description a lot can happen and Hard-Boiled certainly had enough surprises to keep me interested.
The plot develops around one character, (a name is never given) who makes a living organizing the data of scientific experiments in his mind; known as a calcutec. This skill, one he was trained for with various brain surgeries, comes at a very high risk because the setting is a world in which information is fought over constantly. The ability of being able to absorb a seemingly infinite amount of data and organize it into a usable form would obviously be very valuable to either side of these data wars.
From that description, this might seem like a sci-fi novel that would fit nicely between Asimov and Dick, but not quite because this is only one of the two stories introduced in this novel.
The second is set in a town completely isolated from the outside world by a giant wall. In this town there is a gate keeper who removes the soul of anyone entering the town and watches over beasts that roam within the town, a dream reader who absorbs dreams from the skulls of dead beasts, a librarian who minds the library and assists the dream reader in his duties, and a retired colonel who keeps the dream reader company at home with words of wisdom and games of chess. Next to the town, but still within the limits of the wall, is a forest which is forbidden to the townspeople and would cause harm to them if they passed through it. Within this forest are people forbidden from the town for having refused to give their soul to the gate keeper.
Right?! Wow...
The two stories alternate with each chapter of the novel. At first they seem completely unrelated as if you were reading two different novels, but with each chapter another parallel is formed that bridges the gap between them. The subtlety and patience used doing this is unbelievable. There were so many times during this book when I'd be reading along not paying any attention to the alternate reality, but during a pause to take in all the detail, images from the alternate reality would come rushing to me as if from my subconscious, which was the obvious intent of the author; to blur the gap between conscious and subconscious minds and show that one can be lost in either.
Highly recommended for those who like sci-fi, those who like fantasy, and those who just like to think.
5/5
The plot develops around one character, (a name is never given) who makes a living organizing the data of scientific experiments in his mind; known as a calcutec. This skill, one he was trained for with various brain surgeries, comes at a very high risk because the setting is a world in which information is fought over constantly. The ability of being able to absorb a seemingly infinite amount of data and organize it into a usable form would obviously be very valuable to either side of these data wars.
From that description, this might seem like a sci-fi novel that would fit nicely between Asimov and Dick, but not quite because this is only one of the two stories introduced in this novel.
The second is set in a town completely isolated from the outside world by a giant wall. In this town there is a gate keeper who removes the soul of anyone entering the town and watches over beasts that roam within the town, a dream reader who absorbs dreams from the skulls of dead beasts, a librarian who minds the library and assists the dream reader in his duties, and a retired colonel who keeps the dream reader company at home with words of wisdom and games of chess. Next to the town, but still within the limits of the wall, is a forest which is forbidden to the townspeople and would cause harm to them if they passed through it. Within this forest are people forbidden from the town for having refused to give their soul to the gate keeper.
Right?! Wow...
The two stories alternate with each chapter of the novel. At first they seem completely unrelated as if you were reading two different novels, but with each chapter another parallel is formed that bridges the gap between them. The subtlety and patience used doing this is unbelievable. There were so many times during this book when I'd be reading along not paying any attention to the alternate reality, but during a pause to take in all the detail, images from the alternate reality would come rushing to me as if from my subconscious, which was the obvious intent of the author; to blur the gap between conscious and subconscious minds and show that one can be lost in either.
Highly recommended for those who like sci-fi, those who like fantasy, and those who just like to think.
5/5
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Fairwell to Beer
It's time to accept reality. I am allergic to beer...
After all the Imperial Stouts, the Hefeweizens, the rich Porters, it's time for me to say goodbye.
I conducted a test to confirm this horrible conclusion. Last night, a night like any other, I sat down to a movie with a few Sam Adams Summer Ales and with each sip I experienced the inevitable truth; the pounding headache, the eventual nausea; symptoms I've been feeling for years but have refused to recognize.
Tonight, to confirm that it was indeed the beer and not alcohol in general, I bought myself a liter of Jack and had a few servings mixed with coke (probably 6 or 7 shots worth) leaving me in my current state, which is drunk, but with no headache, no turning of the stomach, no feeling of impending doom.
Granted this change in my body chemistry was gradual. Some times were obvious, other times would instill a feeling of hope that there was some other cause to my ailments.
But, no. This is definitive. This is my goodbye to beer, a hobby that kept me guessing, kept me interested, but became too painful to endure.
After all the Imperial Stouts, the Hefeweizens, the rich Porters, it's time for me to say goodbye.
I conducted a test to confirm this horrible conclusion. Last night, a night like any other, I sat down to a movie with a few Sam Adams Summer Ales and with each sip I experienced the inevitable truth; the pounding headache, the eventual nausea; symptoms I've been feeling for years but have refused to recognize.
Tonight, to confirm that it was indeed the beer and not alcohol in general, I bought myself a liter of Jack and had a few servings mixed with coke (probably 6 or 7 shots worth) leaving me in my current state, which is drunk, but with no headache, no turning of the stomach, no feeling of impending doom.
Granted this change in my body chemistry was gradual. Some times were obvious, other times would instill a feeling of hope that there was some other cause to my ailments.
But, no. This is definitive. This is my goodbye to beer, a hobby that kept me guessing, kept me interested, but became too painful to endure.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
The Circle of Fifths
There is a fifth interval between each of the following notes:
C, G, D, A, E, B, F#(Gb), Db, Ab, Eb, Bb, F, C
This string of notes can be thought of as a circle.
Each note represents a Major Scale.
In ascending order from C to F#, the number of Sharps in each scale is incremented by 1, with C Major having 0 sharps and F# Major having 6.
When F# is reached to continue in order you must understand that F# Major is the same scale as Gb Major, and going forward you count the number of flats in each scale.
In ascending order from Gb to C, the number of Flats in each scale is decremented by 1, with Gb Major having 6 flats and C Major having 0.
To identify the specific accidentals (sharps or flats) for each scale there are two methods.
First method:
Starting at C and ascending to F#, the note to become sharp in each scale is going to be the seventh degree of that scale. For example G Major has one sharp which is it's seventh degree, F#. And these accidentals are kept as you ascend. For example A Major has 3 sharps, G#, C#, F#, with G# being the seventh degree of A Major.
Once the scale of F# Major is reached you must stop and begin at the final C and descend.
Starting at C and descending to Gb, the note to become flat in each scale is going to be the fourth degree of that scale. For example F Major has one flat which is it's fourth degree, Bb. And these accidentals are kept as you descend. For example Eb Major has 3 flats, Ab, Eb, Bb, with Ab being the fourth degree of Eb Major.
Second Method:
Starting at C and ascending to F#, the note to become sharp in each scale is going to be the fourth degree of the previous scale. For example G Major has one sharp, F#, with F being the fourth degree of C Major. And these accidentals are kept as you ascend. For example A Major has 3 sharps, G#, C#, F#, with G being the fourth degree of D Major.
Once the scale of F# Major is reached you must stop and begin at the final C and descend.
Starting at C and descending to Gb, the note to become flat in each scale is going to be the seventh degree of the previous scale. For example F Major has one flat, Bb, with B being the seventh degree of C Major. And these accidentals are kept as you descend. For example Eb Major has 3 flats, Ab, Eb, Bb, with A being the seventh degree of Bb Major.
FML
C, G, D, A, E, B, F#(Gb), Db, Ab, Eb, Bb, F, C
This string of notes can be thought of as a circle.
Each note represents a Major Scale.
In ascending order from C to F#, the number of Sharps in each scale is incremented by 1, with C Major having 0 sharps and F# Major having 6.
When F# is reached to continue in order you must understand that F# Major is the same scale as Gb Major, and going forward you count the number of flats in each scale.
In ascending order from Gb to C, the number of Flats in each scale is decremented by 1, with Gb Major having 6 flats and C Major having 0.
To identify the specific accidentals (sharps or flats) for each scale there are two methods.
First method:
Starting at C and ascending to F#, the note to become sharp in each scale is going to be the seventh degree of that scale. For example G Major has one sharp which is it's seventh degree, F#. And these accidentals are kept as you ascend. For example A Major has 3 sharps, G#, C#, F#, with G# being the seventh degree of A Major.
Once the scale of F# Major is reached you must stop and begin at the final C and descend.
Starting at C and descending to Gb, the note to become flat in each scale is going to be the fourth degree of that scale. For example F Major has one flat which is it's fourth degree, Bb. And these accidentals are kept as you descend. For example Eb Major has 3 flats, Ab, Eb, Bb, with Ab being the fourth degree of Eb Major.
Second Method:
Starting at C and ascending to F#, the note to become sharp in each scale is going to be the fourth degree of the previous scale. For example G Major has one sharp, F#, with F being the fourth degree of C Major. And these accidentals are kept as you ascend. For example A Major has 3 sharps, G#, C#, F#, with G being the fourth degree of D Major.
Once the scale of F# Major is reached you must stop and begin at the final C and descend.
Starting at C and descending to Gb, the note to become flat in each scale is going to be the seventh degree of the previous scale. For example F Major has one flat, Bb, with B being the seventh degree of C Major. And these accidentals are kept as you descend. For example Eb Major has 3 flats, Ab, Eb, Bb, with A being the seventh degree of Bb Major.
FML
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