March 2007

27-Mar-2007 - Making music and other resolutions

One of my new years resolutions was to make a complete music track. I have never done this before, so I have a lot of learning to do.

So I went out and bought myself a couple of music making magazines, got a music sequencer (Cubase), and ordered a Behringer MIDI keyboard (which is still yet to arrive).

The gear

There are a few tutorials on the internet that I have looked at but they all work with keyboards, so I think I'll wait until mine arrives.

I've been wanting to do something like this for years, so it will be great to get started. Meanwhile I have been working on my other new years resolutions...

Swim a total of 50km

I have been going down to the pool in my building a few times a week. Unfortunately most times it is full with people and I cant swim. But when I do get an opportunity I make the most of it. Last night I did 1.5km - probably a record for me. And it is very obvious how much I have improved. At first I was struggling to do just 50m, but now I can go far longer without any problems. Its improving my jogging too. The other week I went for my usual 10km jog, and it felt much easier than ever before. I have now done 10.5km of swimming all up, over 20% of my goal.

Make a music video

Every now and then I have been shooting bits and pieces of footage. I have a general idea of what I want to do, its just a matter of filming it all. Then I'll have to learn video editing software and work out how to put it all together. A bit learning curve.

Run a half marathon

I jumped on my mountain bike last weekend (or the week before?) and rode the entire 21km path that I will be doing. Man its a long way! I was completely exhausted by the end of it, and thats on a bike!! But at least I know where all the drink stops will be, and it was well worth it because there were a few places where I wasnt sure where to go and had to retrace my steps. At least I wont be doing that on the day. I have bought myself plenty of gatorade to use on the day, and have got some lollies to take with me on the run to prevent me from 'hitting the wall' as they say. Looking forward to getting this one out of the way! :-)

Read two classic books

I can finally announce that I have completed my first new years resolution by finishing both The Island of Dr Moreau, and The Mysterious Island. The former being pretty crap - I wouldnt recommend it, but The Mysterious Island was great. If you havent read it then I would highly recommend it! One resolution complete, 6 more to go...

23-Mar-2007 - Environmentally Responsible Counter Strike

I got home the other day and wanted to go to the pool in my building to get some more laps done for my new years resolution.

But the pool was full with people, just as it had been the previous night. So I thought I would go for a jog instead - it had been over a week, but I looked outside and the weather was miserable.

So what did I do instead? I created a webpage devoted to how to become an environmentally sustainable counter strike player.

For all you hippie CS players

Yep, its a bit of a send up on all those crazy environmentalists who think buying a Prius is going to help save the world from its supposed doom. Even though the carbon emitted in creating the Prius is considerably higher than a similar non-hybrid car, so much so that even over the entire lifetime of a Prius you may not even make up for its production emissions in reduced petrol emissions.

The website I created has tips for how to play Counter Strike in a virtually environmentally sustainable manner. Its a bit silly but hey, I was bored. I was amazed that I managed to get it all done, graphics included, in one evening.

Oh, and if you have seen the Al Gore movie An Inconvenient Truth and you think there is global scientific consensus then you are wrong. If you are actually interested in what the other side has to say then check out The Great Global Warming Swindle. Well worth watching.

16-Mar-2007 - Manic

On the 24th Feb, me and Julian went to another powerhouse rave called Manic. Again it was at the Acer Arena (formerly the Sydney Superdome) out at homebush bay. I'm kind of getting sick of this place and it makes me wish for the old days of powerhouse raves when every rave was at a completely new venue.

The flyer

The rave was pretty similar to the other powerhouse raves i've been to at the superdome. There was the main room with an awesome lighting setup, and there were two upstairs rooms - one in a large room, another in an area with a glass wall looking out of the complex.

There was also the usual chillout section with a very dizzying ride. As usual I did not want to spoil my night with a stream of vomit being ejected from me all over the unsuspecting crowd below, so I didnt go on the ride :-)

Now if you've seen a few pictures of the raves at the superdome, you've seen them all. I've already posted some pics of superdome raves before so this time i'll do something a little different. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this video will smother you in the english language!

 

Main room at Manic

The following week I went to Sublime at Home nightclub on friday. It was too packed as always, but I really liked the middle drum 'n bass / breaks room.

I havent been to sublime in a couple of years so it was funny to get there and realise that EVERYONE was now doing the melbourne shuffle. Funny stuff. Anyway i've bought tix to the next Utopia and also a party called Marvel: Nightmare.

Should be fun!