AQUA

UPDATE: I’ve posted a downloadable PDF with the music for the techniques in this series. Head over to This Post to download it.

I’ve released a series of how-to videos on how to play a funk groove on the piano for expertvillage.com.

You can find links to all of the videos in the series, in order, on YouTube at How to Play a Funk Groove on the Piano - Entire Series.

The final video in the series, demonstrating all of the techniques from the series is after the break:
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It is with a heavy heart that I report that our cat, Sunny, who recently was involved in some other emotional turmoil, passed away last night. [Read more →]

With the new gig eating up most of my time, I can only point to some other things out on the net that are worth checking out. I particularly like this duo, because they assume their audience is smart enough to appreciate all of the tiny little hand and finger movements which are what truly make this performance stand out. Excellent.

Today was my last day of nearly three years working for AMD (Advanced Micro Devices). It was a difficult decision, but I decided to work for another company — more about that later.

The AMD building where I worked

For those of you that don’t know, AMD manufactures microprocessers. I have been working on an internal project called “ARMOR” at AMD, which is a document management system that runs in the fabrication plant in Dresden, Germany. [Read more →]

A great little commercial from a Polish director who puts some of his work on youtube for public viewing. My favorite moment: the way the young rider slowly transitions from befuddled amazement to joining in the fun. Enjoy!

Madison has been wanting to cut her hair — not just a centimeter or a mere inch — a serious chop. After several near-misses and almost-attempts… she finally did it. Off it came!

Before:

After:

Personally, I think it’s very cute, and infinitely easier to fix and wash. Madison likes it — as does everyone else who sees it. It’s certainly a change!

Today marks the arrival of Fantastic Fred, the newest member of our family! He’s about five months old, and is a mix (we like the mutts) of shelty, and who knows what. He’s a great little guy — very sweet. He’s got lots of puppy energy, but unlike most puppies, he doesn’t seem to ever use those sharp puppy teeth, other than working them out on a good bone. He’s also not a big face-licker, instead going for a kind of a nuzzling thing that just feels like a nice doggy hug.

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“Do you think they’ll be okay?”

I looked over at my wife, sitting in the passenger seat. The slight visible tension in her forehead, and her upturned eybrows turned the question into a slightly anxious plee.

“Do you think my cats will be okay?” she repeated. I could hear the trace of real worry in her voice.

“They’ll be fine,” I said. “Ben’s coming to see them and feed them every day. They’ll probably be a little freaked out, but they’ll be in their own place, with food and water and Ben’s attention. They’ll be fine,” I repeated. [Read more →]

It’s sort of a spiritual thing, Canoeing.

It’s hard for me to verbalize, but there’s something about floating down a river’s current in an unmotorized boat which just connects with who I am at deep levels. It has nothing to do with whitewater rapids or excitement — it’s pure appreciation of natural beauty and the power of the river. I fondly remember many river trips with my dad from childhood and I love the way a certain combination of paddle strokes will push the boat this way and that, using the river’s power, rather than overpowering it. [Read more →]

At the crack of ‘two-hours-after-sunrise,’ Katie and I went out for a hike to the top of Sacagawea Peak in the Bridger Range. When I lived in Bozeman, I did this hike four or five times, and remembered it as being a little steep, but mostly a nice easy walk.

My memory sucks. Or I used to be in better shape… or some of both. [Read more →]