These are the final remains of a ten foot tree (ok it’s a shrub, but a goddamn huge one) that I cut down in our front yard a few weeks ago. I’ve been slowly disposing of it in our yard waste bins ever since, feeling a bit like Radar O’Reilly sending a jeep home from Korea one part at a time. Each week I further tested the limits of what the garbage men are willing to deal with. They have impressed me. Today I converted the last of the trunk into firewood and all that’s left is this minor mess. I’ll miss it. A little.
I am so conflicted about this. First, it’s a weird challenge for a children’s doodle book. Second, those are pretty disturbing responses. Third, it’s affirming, I suppose, to have the kid jump to concluding that parental death is a very high-ranking sadness, even above cat death and vegetable stir-fry. But FOURTH, AND MOST IMPORTANT: MOM GOT EXPLICIT MENTION AND I DID NOT.
On the subject of etched circuit boards: I was hoping to find shots of these etchings online so I’d not have to re-open my own, and lo! A seemingly very cool blog by the name of leinermedia (http://www.leinermedia.net/blog/?p=21) came through for me. I went to attempt (and ultimately fail) to repair a Sequential Circuits Pro-One once upon a time, and found some interesting stuff inside. Here is one shot. The other follows shortly.
If you’re dreaming and find yourself being pursued by either Rutger Hauer, Klaus Kinski, Richard Kiel, or a young Nick Cave, fucking run.
I have no evidence aside from the familiarity resulting from a deep and undying affection for the sound, but I’m calling the bass tone herein as the product of the Traynor TS50B. If testicles made a sound, it would be that sound. It appeals to me on such a low level that I don’t think the idea that it’s the reason I play bass is as outlandish as it ought to be. And rumor has it that if you crack one open, etched into the circuit board is a three-quarter portrait of Rutger Hauer.
I don’t know about anyone else, but Matt’s never asked me for *anything*. It was the least I could do. The cats are looking at me funny now, but it was worth it. Do take a couple of minutes to enjoy this.