The Squamidian Report – Nov. 29 / 14
Issue #653
Including:
The Ontarion
Hi All,
I've been trying for some time now to finish the seventh and last song
for that CD I talked about last week. I have six songs recorded and
ready but finishing that seventh song has proven to be a challenge. It
will be done and included on the CD for any who request the CD, but it
has not been easy, no thanks to my computer. That big operating system
update from Mac a few weeks ago sufficiently changed the core OS that I
needed to update my recording and editing software, GarageBand, in
order to stay compatible. Normally thats not a big deal, you just pick
up from where you left off and away you go. However, the updated
version of Garageband is totally different from my old version. The
interface is not even recognizable and the filters and menus that I had
taken for granted and used regularly are barely findable, and when I do
find them, they don't work the same as they used to. Just trying to lay
down a basic track has proven to be almost impossible. (I'd sell my
sole to have the old version back but thats not possible). Its been a
frustrating struggle to get that song recorded and I can't quite get it
to sound like I want it to sound. I'm not a sound tech, I have really
no idea what I'm doing as I'm try to do it, whatever 'it' is at the
same time as I play or sing a given track. Perhaps at some point I'll
be comfortable with the new version and begin to like it but for now
its the pits.
Then, to add to the technical problems and perhaps even more pertinent,
just finding the opportunity to work on a recording is a challenge. I
don't have a nice, quiet, soundproof sound room. All I've got to work
with is my computer area, the open space upstairs from where every
sound in the house can be heard and the acoustics leave a lot to be
desired. I can only record when I am alone in the house, or when anyone
else here is asleep. I'm not much of a night person so the last option
isn't all that great. And when I do find time to myself, it must also
be quiet outside. No lawn mowers running, no vehicles going by, not
even any rain hitting the skylight above the computer. It all gets
picked up by the mic. Then of course there is always the very unwanted
and totally irritating endless phone calls that inevitably are
solicitors or wrong numbers. Can't win. Having the house to myself is
rare and often when there is no one else home, I'm not home either
which doesn't help at all. Heck, just coming up with several new
numbers this year has been a challenge. That too takes uninterrupted
quiet that must coincide with some degree of feeling creative. Oh well,
you get what you get.
Now, as many of you know, the Sea to Sky Gondola has been closed for
the last 3 weeks. They needed time to do a full maintenance and
inspection of the gondola equipment. It had been running pretty well
non-stop since last winter and every nut, bolt and bearing needed to be
inspected. As well, there were some modifications and renovations that
needed to be done including installing a fireplace in the upper lodge.
There was also the simple fact that they had been running full throttle
since they opened and most of the people there desperately needed a
break. None of the full time staff had been able to take a day off,
they were getting pretty tired. So, we were there for opening in the
pouring rain. One of those pineapple express weather systems had been
pumping rather generous amounts of rain into the area. We'd already had
100 mil of rain over the past few days with another 100 forecast
for Thursday, a bit wet. Anyway, everyone had hoped for lots of snow up
at the lodge but the rain had washed most of it away. Oh well, Kyra did
find some to walk and play in but the weather was so wet we spent most
of our time inside, sitting by the fireplace that turned out to be just
a wood burning stove but thats ok too.
If the forecast had worked out, this weekend would have been a winter
wonderland up there with several feet of new snow, and perhaps even a
few flurries down here in the valley. However, the forecast could not
have been more wrong. Instead of the temperatures dropping like a rock,
they climbed into the mid teens. Bummer. Then the skies cleared out and
it was glorious up there, no snow at that elevation any more but very
scenic.
Anyway, thats about it for this week. My brain is empty so I have nothing else to write about.
doug
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THE ONTARION REPORT
Hello everyone!
Well, it’s been nice to spend the better part of this week without any
snow on the ground. I can still remember a few years where we didn’t
have any snow until Christmas Eve or even a day or two after the
occasion. It’s been a while mind you but it has happened! With the Old
Farmer’s Almanac making an early prediction of a lot less severe winter
this year I was feeling pretty optimistic about this coming season.
However, after a few revisions of their 2014/15 edition they are now
saying that this winter is likely going to be a repeat of last years
cold and snowy December through March time of year. I guess we’ll just
have to figure that the people responsible for the Almanac’s
predictions know even less about the Canadian weather patterns than our
so-called “Meteorologists” of television fame! Might just be time to
bring back Dave MacDonald since he’s not going to be busy being the
Mayor of Waterloo! LOL! I always thought one would have to reside in
the city of which he/she wished to be Mayor. I guess maybe Dave has
moved to Waterloo since I last heard. I always thought he lived in Ayr!
Oh well, no matter since that isn’t the point of my column this week
anyway. Just a short sidetrack as quite often happens when I’m
freewheeling it!
Speaking of changes in the weather, the atmosphere in and around our
house has dramatically changed since this time last week. Carole did an
amazing job of decorating the inside of the house for the Christmas
season over the last week. The tree is up and is absolutely beautiful
as always! This year we replaced our old faithful tree of approximately
25 years or more with a new one that is what they call a “pre-lit”
Tree. This is a new ingenious artificial tree that is wired on every
branch with tiny LED lights that are fed with electricity that streams
through the trunk of the tree. The tree is a six and a half footer that
is in three sections and as you assemble it the connections for the
power are made at the joints of each section. I used to erect the old
tree and spend at least a half hour spreading the branches by hand to
make it appear full and life-like. Well now the new tree has branches
that just fold down and are already spread to give it that lovely full
appearance. This takes no more than five minutes from “tree bag” to
“Fully Complete”! I would have said “ To Full Erection” but I didn’t
want to shock anyone over the age of 60! LOL!
It actually used to take me at least an extra hour once the tree was
up, just to put the lights on the darned thing. What a pain it was to
string them in a uniformed manner. This way is such a relief when
compared to the old one that I wish we had done this many years ago. Of
course I don’t think they had pre-lit trees all that long ago. If all
goes well, and this one lasts 25 years (and I’m around to see it) we’ll
most certainly have made a good investment indeed!
If I’d had my way, we would have purchased a two-foot high table top
pre-lit tree instead and we’d also have hung a single wreath on the
front door rather than the barrage of light balls and other strings of
glowing lights all over the front of the house as usual. Of course we
have cut down on the amount of outdoor decorating I’ve had to do over
the past couple of years and it’s a lot easier than it used to be as
well. It’s fun to have the decorations up both inside and out and we
both like the looks of a well-decorated house for Christmas. It’s just
that when we start getting a tad old to be climbing on the roof to do
the lighting etc outside, it’s a wise thing to cut back on the amount
of high angle décor we put up! All in all, the house still looks great
with it’s seasonal “Bling” and the highest I have to climb now is half
way up a six foot step ladder to do the job! Life Is Good!
That’s about all for this week folks!
Thanks for tuning in and I’ll look forward to talking to you all again next week in The Ontarion Report!
Bye for now … Greg
PS: Something To Think About>
I got thinking once again about all the jobs I’ve had over my lifetime
and it still bewilders me when I think back. I used to work at one time
as a Lumberjack but I couldn’t hack it so they gave me the axe!
Then I took a job working on an assembly line in a muffler factory but I found that to be too exhausting!
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Have a good one..
the doug
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