Some days are best for staying in bed. I’m pretty sure yesterday was one of those. Today, on the other hand, has been a mightily productive day. I think I’ve mentioned little baby Jaśka before but today is her 1st birthday. Around 7pm last year, little miss Pea was born to the delight of her parents, Kasia and Kuba.
Asia and I had talked about what we might do for the wee ‘un’s first birthday and I thought it might be cute to write her a wee lullaby as a present. While I was upstairs, composing, coincidentally on a keyboard that I’ve borrowed from Kasia, Asia was downstairs creating a pretty CD cover to accompany it.
I’ll be honest, I’m delighted with the results. Of course, as it’s a gift, the music isn’t going to be online, certainly for a while. It wouldn’t be much of a gift if I put it up for streaming, that said, I might play it live sometime as it’s quite pretty.
Happy birthday Jaśka.
Post Script – 100 Days. Day #70
Blogged.
Polish Phrase: “Co to znaczy?” – “What does that mean?”
Album: still working on finishing the first track.
With the anticipation many of my twitter friends are feeling towards the Superbowl tonight, I’ve come to realise that I really miss football. Not necessarily because I can’t get to an Airdrie match but more so that it feels like there hasn’t been an Airdrie match for an age. Weather postponement after postponement has felt like we haven’t played a competitive match in months (let alone actually won one). Talking of football, it doesn’t look like I’ll be watching Scotland in Poland in 2012. Spain and Czech republic? That’s a pretty nasty little group right there. Still, we’ll no doubt beat Spain comfortably only to be put out by Lichtenstein.
Post Script – 100 Days. Day #69
Blogged.
Polish Phrase: “Na co pani ma ochotę?” – “What do you feel like doing?”
Album: music box samples added and then taken away. Fickle, fickle, fickle.
Published on
February 7, 2010 in
100 days.
Yesterday, we had a disaster. Today was an attempt to remedy the disaster – it didn’t work. While out photographing in Pole Mokotowskie, Asia and I wandered down one side of it the park and then returned up the other side, stopping for a little time in the “Lolek” bar. As we left the bar, Asia mentioned how she really loved her new iPhone and that it allowed her to do things like this without worrying that she needs to return home as there may be a job waiting for her in her inbox. So we left the bar and walked towards the top of the park again, occasionally carrying on and having a mess around with the snow. It was only when we were nearly leaving the park that Asia noticed her phone was no-where to be seen. The next two hours are a blur as we walked up and down the 15 minutes of pathway time and again and waded through the snow that Asia has been in, but nothing.
Today, we had a metal detector. No, I’m not joking. An actual metal detector. This is where Asia’s up-bringing and mine differ. While my family would have spent hours looking for it as we did, they would never have though to borrow a metal detector and try again. So there we were, slowly sweeping the path and the snow with Asia’s dad’s friend’s metal detector. I’m here to report that we found a fair few beer cans and some manhole covers but sadly, no iPhone. My poor lass’ is heartbroken.
Fear not though, I need to get myself an iPhone contract over here, so rather than Asia having to buy a new one for £500 odd quid, I’ll get one for a lot less with a new contract and she can have that one as – of course – I have my own, freshly unlocked 02 one. Still, a real shame. If only you’d seen the look in her eyes. Breaks my heart to even think of it.
Post Script – 100 Days. Day #68
Blogged.
Polish Phrase: “Muszę iść spać.” – “I have to go to sleep”
Album: Lovely mix of animal noises and bells. First listen coming soon.
It feels good to have started to take photographs again. I have been so concentrated on what I’m doing musically that the visual aspect of what I do got lost for a little while. I took a walk down to Pole Mokotowskie, camera in hand, and started to force myself back into practise. I think I had forgotten how happy it can make me and certainly did.
The park, of course, was covered in snow but the bonus in this is that children were out on their sleds and trees were rendered with that Victorian-Christmas-card feel. I will be doing all I can to get out with the camera more often. I just need to make the time.
Post Script – 100 Days. Day #67
Blogged.
Polish Phrase: “Nastaw jakąś muzykę” – “Put on some music.”
Album: Again nothing substantial today but more tweaks.
Published on
February 5, 2010 in
100 days.
So “Hamburger Wednesday” came a day late. It was Asia’s gran’s birthday on Wednesday so cake was eaten and hamburgers were forgotten. We picked up the mantle the next day and boy, this time we surpassed ourselves. Last week, the burgers tasted a little bland so this week we made some changes. Much the same recipe as before except we added another spice (I’ve no idea what it was) and much more of the original pepper, salt and paprika. We also fried the onions and garlic in a red-pepper-y oil which gave them some spicy goodness also.
The result was fantastic. Lots of lip smacking and “to było bardzo smaczne” around the table.
Post Script – 100 Days. Day #66
Blogged.
Polish Phrase: “to było bardzo smaczne.” – “it was very tasty”.
Album: Lots of little tweaks today but nothing substantial.
Earlier in the week you might remember me mentioning a mammoth blog post I was writing for We Sink Ships. I was writing it as part of a mix-blog created on the art-social-networking-community, Central Station, to coincide with their “Sound” month. Heidi and I decided that it was relevant to discuss our podcast given that Tuesday’s episode features an interview with the site’s Executive Producer, Damien Smith. In the end, it was deemed easier if only one of us write it, so I chose to write about the “genesis, evolution and the future” of We Sink Ships radio. I think it reads pretty well, though for all the proofreading it got, there are still a couple of spelling and formatting errors. Ocht well. Anyways, it’s a good read and you can find it here…
‘Casting Off – We Sink Ships
Post Script – 100 Days. Day #65
Blogged.
Polish Phrase: “Nie mam tyle pieni´dzy przy sobie.” – “I don’t have that much money on me”.
Album: Trying to work out a method of using a particular sample is doing my head in.
Today sees the first podcast of the second episode of We Sink Ships radio online and while I do say so myself, it is our best yet. Not only do we have our first interview but it is with Damien Smith, executive producer of online art community / social networking site, “Central Station”. He tells us all about its creation and how it will grow. After that, I have 45 minutes to play some music and as with every first show of the month, I dig out the electrodiscowonkpop. From Ferry Corsten to Girls Aloud this week and pretty relentless.
You can download the show, as always, at Radio Magnetic.
Post Script – 100 Days. Day #64
Blogged.
Polish Phrase: “oto reszta” – “Here’s your change”.
Album: Borrowed a keyboard from a friend so a little easier to test ideas.
Today. Day one of “Get Shit Done” month, which I suppose is a sub-section of Hundred Days, was ultimately successful. I did two things today. One was complete my mix for tomorrow’s We Sink Ships radio podcast and the other was buy “suitable shoes”. I’ve been wearing a pair of suede pumas since I got here and Asia is convinced that is why I got sick – no suitable shoes.
We went out to an Outlet village type of place on the edge of the city and I bought a pair of Adidas “adventure” style boots. Big grips, big tongue, those “mountaineer” style laces. Really not my style but better than most of what was out there. The more I look at them, the more I’m coming to like them but still, I’ll need to compensate by getting a pair of Chucks sometime soon.
Post Script – 100 Days. Day #63
Blogged.
Polish Phrase: “czy to daleko?” – “Is it far?”.
Album: Finally some progress. I’ve got the basis of a song now – just need to firm it up.
Published on
January 31, 2010 in
100 days.
As tomorrow is the first of February, I’d like to introduce you to the concept of “Get Shit Done” month. Created by me in response to a recent conversation with Heidi, we both agreed a pact that for the 28 days of next month we would email each other with regular reports of our productivity in an effort to spur the other on to “Get Shit Done”! I’ve already made lists and planned tomorrow as best as I can – though as most of it may be taken up preparing and recording a DJ mix for Tuesday’s We Sink Ships radio show, it might be an otherwise unproductive day. But. We shall see.
Post Script – 100 Days. Day #62
Blogged.
Polish Phrase: “czy mogę otworzyć okno?” – “Can I open the window?”.
Album: some more sampling with the VSS-30 and step-sequencing on cubase.
Published on
January 31, 2010 in
100 days.
I’m all blogged out today. I spent most of the morning, into the afternoon writing a mammoth blog for we sink ships that will go online on Wednesday, so I’ve not a whole lot to say. I’ll write more tomorrow.
Post Script – 100 Days. Day #61
Blogged.
Polish Phrase: “co zginęło?” – “what is missing?”.
Album: some more sampling with the VSS-30.
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