h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I’m very tired, so I’m going to crawl to bed now.

I shouldn’t have stayed up late last night and it’s been a busy day. I give you a proper reply tomorrow.

Goodnight

Nighty night!
Sleep well and dream sweet Dudeness dreams!

Kafka on the Shore is a worthwhile read. The quality of Murakami’s novels dipped after the Windup-Bird Chronical, which is his most ambitious and perhaps best work, but Kafka is a return to form. It’s similar in style to A Wild Sheep Chase although not as fresh and startling as that book.

I love A Wild Sheep Chase. It left me reeling for a long time after reading it. I know what you mean about not being able to pinpoint your feelings about it. The scene where his girlfriend first unveils her ears in the restaurant sticks in my mind and I’m fond of the incidental characters like the limousine driver with Gods phone number.

Four books at once, eh? No surprises there then.

>> I have a feeling that human beings weren't specifically made to dance on the tips of their toes for extended amounts of time<< I don’t think we were made to do that full stop, but it doe look very impressive and graceful. After reading your post, I decided to find out just how hard it is to stretch up on my toes and I lasted about half a second before I fell back into my chair! My toes are quite sore now! No wonder you're feeling bruised!

Goodnight m’dear

*pirouettes into the night*

I'm a d-a-n-g-e-r-o-u-s influence on you Wile E.!
*or has the evil influence of Uncle Wile E. kept the hapless cynthesis in his diabolical clutches...*

When I think of the toll the sambaspirits, evil gins and now my ballet dancing has had on you...I mean, really!

You've become a hungover, hip gyrating, sore toed, night pirouetting Dude!

What have I done?
*wrings her hands in melodramatic despair*





Hope your day is lovely!
*flutters her eyelashes*

And this isn’t even accounting for the multiple personalities I’ve acquired since I’ve met you. There’s the scary uncle (now in your care), the dude and lets not forget my hair stylist alter-ego, Frederico! If I didn’t like you so much, I think I’d have to avoid you for my own well being!

I’m feeling a bit under the weather. I’ve caught a cold and I’ve had a few gruelling days at work, so I’m looking forward to the weekend when I can get a good rest. I’m trying to inject some summer into my life by listening to lots of reggae.

Hope you’re having a great Thanksgiving!

Hi Wile E.!

*takes his pulse, listens for bronchial rattles and crepitus and feels his forehead for fever*
Rest, ands for the weekend are indicated!

Sorry to hear that you've had to cope with grueling w*rk while feeling unwell lately.

My Thanksgiving day( and the preparations leading up to it) was sooooo time and labour intensive that I didn't spend much time online.
Now I'm in a sound room at a radio station during a break, waiting for a technician to give me a go ahead sign. *giggles*I'm tempted to toggle, push and pull some of the things they told me not to touch.
So, I thought I'd post a message to you while making an attempt to obey...

Yes, Frederico would come in quite handily right now to command, "Don't do that!!!!!".
I'm like putty in the hands of hairsylists like him.*unconsciously shakes and fluffs*

How has your day been? I'm hoping you're getting the rest you need and starting to feel a bit better.
I'll check back to see how you're doing later when I get finished with this recording session after the drive home.
Here's some Californian sunshine and warmth transmitted over the ether to you in the meantime...

Hi, Cynthesis!

Good luck with the recording, although I’m sure you don’t need it! I love the feel of recording studios. I think it’s the quiet you get in acoustically treated recording areas. Nothing is as naturally quiet as that.

So many buttons and faders! It’s hard to resist I know, but “Don’t do that!” See, I have a personality for every occasion.

I take it you were entertaining guests for Thanksgiving. Did everything go well?

Thanks for that Californian sunshine. I need it! It’s so cold here and I don’t even get the pleasure of any snow as it missed my area. Booooo! I was ready to dust off my copy of Ziggy Stardust too.

I’m still feeling a bit rough but knowing it’s the weekend has put an extra spring in my step. I won’t get much rest tomorrow though. While I was writing this, I got a call from a friend of mine. He’s just returned to the northwest for a few days to go to his grandmother’s funeral. I’m going out for a few drinks with him in Manchester to try and cheer him up.

So, the are taken care of. I better have some now, while I can!

I'm baaaaaa-aaaack!

yoo hoo...Wile E.?
*looks for things to switch off and on and tinker with(deconstruct)...*



The recording went quicker than I thought it might. I feel comfortable using microphones and, you're right, a recording studio's acoustic feel is a nice feeling. Kind of like an acoustically cosy hug. In RL I have a very naturally soft speaking voice and I'm used to being asked to speak up repeatedly. I like not having to self consciously throw my voice very far in such a quiet space. Being a vocalist, I'm immediately aware of the acoustics of a room and how much I need to adjust my vocal volume to fill up the space. In a sound room it's like a burden is lifted and I can attend to different nuances of my delivery and wallow in the joys of subtlety.

Thanksgiving day was fun and exhausting. I worked two days to stage the feeding of over 300 guests at the homeless shelter. This year we had a wonderful outpouring of monetary and food item donations. Plus, I had a team of eager volunteers(40 of them!) to keep things running fairly smoothly.
Everyone got fed a hearty homemade meal of turkey, ham, tofurkey, mashed potatoes, candied yams, green beans, bread stuffing, salad, pumpkin and apple pies and ice cream. All the guests were very appreciative and content. It was so good to see them let their guards down and just give in to enjoying the festive meal without having to worry about the immediate concern of surviving on the streets and the defensiveness that necessarily accompanies it.
Then I returned to my home where I served 14 of my family and friends another traditional dinner just a tad bit more gourmet in style and decor than the previous one. Afterwards, everyone sprawled out in the livingroom to watch football games on the big screen telly while I collapsed on my bed and stayed unconscious for a few hours. I woke to find that some of the dear souls had done the cleaning up for me...what a delightful surprise!

I hope you have a good outing with your friend in Manchester tomorrow!
Funerals are never easy events to go through. I'm sure your friend will appreciate your assuring companionable presence for him.

Just remember to take special care of yourself as well... and dress warmly!*wags an emphatic finger at him*

Sleep well tonight and get better soon, okay?
Goodnight and sweetest of dreams!

How are you today, m’dear?

I’ve just got back from Manchester, and I think I definitely could have done with staying in and resting up today. *cough* *splutter*

Still, it was worth it to see my friend and I’ve got tomorrow to relax. I decided to go easy on the ’s, but the cold’s got to me. I got stranded on a train platform in the middle of nowhere for 50 min. There was no shelter and it’s very cold tonight. It’s a good job I remembered you finger wagging and dressed warmly. I feel better now – I’m sat at my computer, huddled up next to a radiator with a soothing mug of hot chocolate.

Sounds like you were very busy over Thanksgiving. I hope you’re getting a good chance to rest after all that. Ok, I know you well enough to know that you won’t be doing anything restful, but it’s my turn to do some finger wagging now.

Hi Wile E.

Sorry I can't reply as I'd like right now. I've had some medical problems with my mum since Friday. A slight stroke. She's in hospital and I've been spending most of my time there.
So, I'll see you... when I'm still not in the thick of it.
Hopefully soon!

Goodnight and sweet dreams!

Oh, I’m so sorry to hear about your mum. I hope she’s going to be all right and I hope you’re ok too. I know how hard it is to see someone you love so sick, but there’s always a great deal of strength you can draw on when it’s someone you care for.

No rush with the reply. Wait until you’re good and ready. Goodnight.

Hello Wile E.!

Things are looking more stable with my mum's condition now. She's had rather a mysteriously vanished subdural hematoma...it was apparent in detail on the first CT scan but then a subsequent x-ray and MRI showed no blood leakage around the brain at all. Just a couple of hydromas. Fluid that is going down in volume at this moment.Hmmmmm.*ethereal harp music*

I've had a few puzzling and challenging days lately. The medications given to my mum to ward off a full blown stroke and seizures brought about violent hallucinations that required me to pin her down for hours. I was afraid that the trauma of being forcibly restrained by being tied down to her bed would be more than her heart could take, so I just kept up a calming litany and pinned her down when needed.
It looked pretty but it worked!

Anyway, she's improved today and can sit up and carry on a somewhat coherent conversation. The s say that no surgery is needed and that she'll need some medications, physical and cognitive therapies and time to make a decent recovery. They estimate that she'll stay in hospital for another week. What a relief!

I'm doing okay. I had my first night of real sleep and it's done wonders for my morale.
Thanks for your kind words of support, dear friend.

How have you been? What's new with you?

Hi there Cynthesis!

I’m so glad your mum’s doing ok. I’ve been thinking of you both and I’m relived she’s making a good recovery. about those scans, but very very good!

It sounds like you’ve had a tough time caring for her in hospital. I hope you’ve had people to support you too.

You’ve got your Bach performance coming up soon, haven’t you? Has all this effected that? I guess it’s low on your priorities now, but as your mum’s stabilised, will you be able to do it?

I’m listening to one of my favourite albums; Miracle by Bim Sherman. It was ‘borrowed’ off me a few years ago, and I’ve only just replaced it. It’s quite hard to find and I had to get it shipped from Canada. It’s a largely acoustic reggae album, with an Indian string section and tabla backing. It’s one of those albums with a really feel to it.

I managed to shake off that cold with lots of sleep. I think I slept fro 12 hours solid after I got back from Manchester at the weekend, and emerged the next day feeling fantastic! Over than that, I’ve just been up to the usual; work and music.

Yes, it was mighty about those scans. I thought perhaps they were the wrong films or a mix-up at the lab...but they were the actual results of the initial diagnostic tests done upon admission into the hospital emergency room. I'm pleased with the (better than the first diagnosis) outcome!

I've had a lot of support from caring friends(like you). I can be maddeningly calm and strong in panic stricken situations. So, my brother usually just lets me do my methodical thing while he takes care of making sure that I eat and taking control of transportation to and from the hospital when I'm overtired.

The Bach is pretty much all ready to go. It's already part of me and I've done all the fine tuning and refinements to my part that I can do. All I need to do is concentrate on staying well and mindful of technique. I have a pretty strict contract for this performance, so I really won't be able to bow out on such short notice this time unless it's something grievously serious.

I've never heard of Bim Sherman but the eclectic arrangement and intrumentation sounds delightfully intriguing. I've always loved the sound of tabla and sitar and I love reggae to an extreme degree. Mixing those kinds of sounds must be startlinglybeautiful!

I'm so glad you got the rest you needed and are feeling better from that nasty old cold you had. I hope things aren't still too grueling at your job.
How's the guitar and computer/synthesizer work coming along?

I might have to go off to the hospital in a while. In which case, I'd better say goodnight to you while I can!
It's lovely being able to chat with you again.

Have a restful slumber and sweet sweet dreams!
Goodnight Wile E.!

Hello there Cynthesis

How are you today? How’s your mum bearing up? It sounds like you and your brother make a good team, so she’s in good hands.

I’ve OD’d on that Bim Sherman album! I’ve listened to it so many times over the last two days, I’m forcing myself to take a break from it. If you like reggae that much, then it’s definitely worth checking out if you happen to come across it. The songs are in a similar vein to Marley’s Redemption Song, and have a very soulful feel. The instrumentation looks odd on paper, but it’s actually very complementary and adds extra to the songs. I’m going to stop talking about it, or I’ll end up putting it on again. Must_stop_myself!

I struggle with music if I hear the same thing too many times. There are lots of albums I have a deep love for, but can only listen to once or twice a year. I’m impressed with your focus on this Bach piece. I’d find it hard to be thinking about one piece of music for a prolonged period. It’s you feel it’s part of you now.

Actually, It hasn’t been that hard to stay away from Miracle, because that Luiz Bonfa cd arrived today. I’m listening to it now – what a lovely album! His technique is phenomenal, and more than that, the music is really beautiful. I love his voice too; it’s not very strong but that adds to the intimacy of it. If I close my eyes, I can imagine he’s performing in the same room.

I thought I was doing ok with my guitar until I listened to that! However, I’m concentrating on being inspired rather than intimidated!

The important thing is that I’m starting to enjoy it now. Playing those rhythms is exhilarating. The syncopated parts make me feel like I’m constantly tripping over the beats, but it's like Douglas Adams definition of flying; falling without hitting the ground.

Hi Wile E.!

It's good to hear from you!
I've been in and out of the hospital visiting my mum at all hours, so I haven't been online regularly at all.
My mum is improving steadily. She was moved to a rehabilitation facility today to work on physical strengthening and to regain some cognitive skills. About a week or two in there will do it before she comes home. I'll still be performing in the Bach concert on the 10th about 900 miles away. I feel confident that she'll be well taken cared of for the 2 or 3 days that I have to be away for rehearsals and the performance.

Unfortunately, my friend in London who I told you about 2 weeks ago, passed away Wednesday morning from cancer. I've been a bit and numb about it all today, but as my voice teacher told me last night at a rehearsal,"The show must go on...". I'll just make this upcoming concert a tribute to my friend's memory and do my best to make it as beautiful as possible.*sigh* That's the way my friend would have wanted it anyway...

I know how it is about listening to a favourite CD or piece of music constantly. It's like you're trying to absorb the beauty of it into every fibre of your existence because it's *that* good! True food for the soul. Sometimes I feel that the music that I prepare to perform has to be given my full and constant attention... that it's not unlike consciously falling in love with it by necessity. Music theory, logic and technique all have their places in preparing for a performance, but until I've fully absorbed it into the core of my being, the music might as well be a dry exercise.
That's my disclosure for the day!

Isn't Luiz Bonfa wonderful? I'd been playing bits of that CD every day for months marvelling over his genuine talent and feeling for themusic. There's just something about his playing that grabs you by the heart and stays with you somehow! I can't think of anyone better to inspire you as a guitar player. I'm glad you're experiencing his magic!

How have you been lately?

You poor dear. You’ve been through so much recently. I wish I was there to give you a real hug, but these smileys will have to do. I wish I could do something more, but I’m always here to listen if you feel like talking about it.

I think dedicating the performance to your friends memory is a beautiful way to say goodbye. It’s good to know that your mum will be in good hands while your away too.

Luiz Bonfa is indeed wonderful. That record is truly a case where technical mastery doesn’t get in the way of heartfelt music. Definitely something to aspire too.

I’m finding things at work frustrating of late. I recently moved into a new office and the atmosphere in there is getting me down. My old office was a comfortable place to be, but my new co-workers are really bitchy and two-faced. The way they treat each other is horrendous and would make me laugh if I didn’t have to put up with it every day. Still, it’s giving me extra incentive to find a better job, which is a good thing.

Has your agent got anything interesting lined up for you after you get Bach to reality?

Hi Wile E.
Thanks for the and for being the special friend that you are to me. Yes, it's been a bit difficult lately, but life can be like that sometimes*shrugs* and I'm made more aware of being blessed with the wonderful friends that I have who share the journey with me. Life is good.

Thanks for being here for me. I do have a terrible tendency in RL to omit telling friends if I'm troubled by anything. I mean, most of my friends didn't know I was having a problem with stalkers until they read it in the newspapers. They were in quite a huff regarding that. Now, they enforce surprise interventions just to make sure I'm not withholding vital information these days. I've given examples of their methods in prior posts to you. Now you know the background of these friendly abductions that recurr from time to time in my life.
I must admit, I'd probably tell you first if anything was bothering me before letting them know. At least you wouldn't physically carry me off, spoon feed me and force me to laugh at your jokes, would you?
Come to think of it... Uncle Wile E. probably would, though!

I'm so sorry your w*rk atmosphere is so unfriendly and toxic.It's understandable to be frustrated having to endure that during the w*rk week. Maybe it is a bit of a nudge to seek something a whole lot better for you. I'm hoping that something much more suitable will come your way soon. I don't like thinking of you as being that unhappy for very long.

My agent had a couple of offers on the table for Mozart performances in February and March.
One of them would be in New York!
Until then, I've taken a back-up vocalist offer from a Californian folk/rock artist to do some concerts in January and February. Probably 6 or 7 concerts in all with him and his band(ooh!slide guitar!) which should be a refreshing change from the usual classical repertoire.
Sorry I can't mention his name here,*hinthint* but I did mention him a few times on the music listening thread. I've worked with him in the past and his work ethics and penchant for doing benefits for charitable causes are compatible with me in the long run. I'm looking forward to doing some fun gigs soon!

Thanks, I’m glad if I can make things just a little better.

I knew there was a good reason I sent you Uncle Wile E. Remember, he’s got a lamp and he’s not afraid to use it!

I can be a bit like that too. It feels like you’re protecting friends from your problems. I hate it when friends do that with me – it feels like they’re not letting you be a proper friend, so I try to be open with them. Most of the time anyway.

I’ve got an image of your friends lying in ambush around your house, like Kato in the Pink Panther movies. In fact, Uncle Wile E’s probably hiding in your refrigerator right now...

I’m tough enough to cope with the work atmosphere for the time being. I don’t get involved with their games and they seem to like me (as far as that goes), but I feel drained when I get home. People like that just take it out of me. I’m patiently looking for the right job to move on to and can stick it out for now.

The backing vocal job sounds like a nice change. I hope you enjoy yourself. Do you do a lot of non-classical work?

I’ve rented The Machinist to watch tonight. Have you seen it? It looks quite interesting and moody, and is probably best known for the shocking weight loss Christian Bale inflicted upon himself for the role. Anyway, I’m off to watch that now. If I’m still awake, I’ll let you know what I think about it later.

You certainly do make things much better for me!
Even though you had a plan all along for Uncle Wile E. to infiltrate my lifestyle and what is he doing in my refrigerator?!!!I was wondering why my tortillas were creased and why there were no leftovers anymore!

Perhaps I do avoid bothering my friends with my problems because I don't want them to worry. They have found out that if they interrogate me regularly I'm apt to tell them what they want to know. Thank goodness they don't use the lamp.

It is a bit like Kato and Clouseau around here! They take grest delight in making me shriek and jump and I don't let them down in that respect. This has been going on for years. Even in London. It doesn't really matter where I reside. *sigh*

Well, those co-w*rkers had better like you. You're a nice guy. I'm just glad that you can be so patient about this whole situation. There really is probably not much you can do with company like that but ignore what you see as negative and get on with your job for now. A better work environment will have to wait ...but I hope sincerely that it won't be for long.

I've sung with jazz groups and folk/rock performers off and on for the last 10 years. I'm fairly adaptable because I read music so well and can take direction well enough. Most of my w*rk is in the field of classical music, however.

Well, what did you think of 'The Machinist'? I saw it and it was painful to look at Christian Bale, especially his eyes. The man was wasting away! The insomnia was almost secondary to the spectacle of Bale's extreme preparatory measures of fitting the role.

Better say goodnight!
Sleep well and have sweet dreams!