Good times

Today, I broadcasted for the first time on live internet radio, on a real station no less. The Atomic Vibes radio crew was cool enough to let me start their day’s events with my taste of dnb.   The day started off early for me, since the station is based in the UK and their schedule is based on GMT.   I woke wide awake and ready to go.  This had been something I had been looking forward to.  I blasted out a set that to my ears, wasn’t the best or the greatest, but I did enjoy each of every tune and it was a great way to start the day.  I hope they will ask me back next week.

Many, many years ago, I used to hang out with the rave scene.  I would find myself parked next to the sub woofers and near the dj.  Back then, there would only be 2 or 3 djs to a show that would last for up to 8 hours or longer.  Some of these shows would last for days.  The djs noticed my love for music and trusted me with keeping the tunes flowing when they needed a break.  The tunes were mostly house and trance with a bit of tech in there.  Sometimes, the dj would return and tell me to keep going.

Life happened and I stopped going to the parties, the raves, the festivals.  I settled down but kept my love for the music.  I followed the scene and stayed in the chat rooms.  Just sitting back and enjoying the work of others.  I would help others by going over their set with them and mentioning pointers or changes in various ways they could mix.  I watched many a dj improve and tuned into many a show both live and on the internet.

Life happened again and this time, was for the worse.  After many months of doing not a whole lot, the itch to spin started to crept up inside me.  Memories of the old days drifted within my mind.  I planned out buying new gear, tried to save up for it, but life continued to happen.  One day, I was at a friend’s house and  I noticed a set of decks under a pile of stuff.  I asked him if I could barrow em for a bit, knock the dust off it.  He was all for it and soon enough, I had a set a decks on my desk again at home.

After hacking together the setup to work with the computer and broadcast and such, I started practicing.  I felt the calm, the peace of the mix back within me again.  The joy of a perfect mix, a perfect transition from track to track, flowed in my veins.   I recorded a few of those sets and got a fair amount of feedback.  With each session, I tried to improve on what I did before or would try a completely different way.   I spin for the love of the tunes, for the joy it grants me.  I will continue to mix and I hope it does continue to improve.

I know I will never be as good as Andy C, the one DJ Gumby or Mr Miggat, but I hope to try.  I give props to those select djs that have the talent and the passion for the mix, I look up to you guys.

Random Audio Sessions

Soon to come is a brand new internet radio show for the weekends.  Random Audio with feature DJs performing live various types of music.  The normal type of tunes is DnB of course, but any genre of tunes is open for game.   That includes techno, trance, hardcore, rock, pop or what ever fits the mood.

Featured DJs for this weekend are DJ Gumby, Dr Lasers, Dr Vimto and finally, myself, Wyvernict. Tunes will be starting around Noon PST (that’s 8pm GMT for you all on the other side of the pond) this Saturday – Jan, 29, 2011.  Shows will continue on until about 4pm PST, though we may continue rolling it.  Sunday, the show returns at the same time (noon) and will roll until we get tired.

We hope to showcase new music, old music and just good times in general during the weekends.  We will have returning DJs with myself and Dr Vimto hosting the event.  We hope to be able to bring in many other DJs as well and artists.  Stay posted for more information and possibly a listing of guest slots to come during the week.  All is welcome to join in the fun.

Until then…….

The best laid plans

We all have plans, hopes and dreams.  One of mine is that my computer will remember to save things when I tell it too, especially when I click the publish button after writing this out once already…….Guess what I had written wasn’t ment to be published…. oh wells, here’s the second try……

We all have that “To Do” list.  We all have it written somewhere too, on a computer, a piece of paper or in our heads.  We try to work at it, try to cross things off it.  But in the end, it only gets longer and longer.  This year though, is time to take that list and get creative with it and go full throttle with it.  Most years are full of twists and turns, but this year feels like a smooth, straight road.

I’m not just saying that because of the holidays.   The holidays can go suck a nut for all I care.

I’m saying that because of the feeling I have right now.  I haven’t had this feeling for over 6 months now and it feels good.  I have learned a lot these past couple of years and have met a few people who have given me hope and made me smile.  I have also learned a great deal about myself from those that are around me and that I have reached out to.

This last month, certain realities have set in.  Now, time will only tell if those realities will match actuality.   But I just can’t sit back and wait it out, I have to step up more and do more.  Do more the right thing, get things going the right way.    This is going to be a good year, not just for me, but for everyone.   We just have to stay focused and keep building that bridge.  Never know who is waiting at the other end with a smile.

3rd day of “No Senior Left Behind concerts”

This past Monday, we held the 3rd  and final day of the “No Senior Left Behind” concert series.  We were at Adlerwood home on a very rainy day.  I got there on time, but the band was running late due to the weather.   I walked in and talked to the home’s organizer, she had some of the people already set up and waiting for us.  I told her we would be starting late and she was nice enough to keep the people happy until we could get started.

When the ladies of Trios Ellas showed up, they set up quickly and couldn’t wait to get started.  The room we were in was already full of people and they were excited to see them.   They played another great set of music to smiling faces.  The people clapped at the end of each song and some even sung along.  The people got up and danced, laughed and had a good time.

After the show, I talked with the gentleman that runs the home.  His office was clear across the building from were the ladies performed at and he was able to hear the music clearly.  He stated that he loved the music and couldn’t wait to have us back.  Seeing him smile made my day.  I mean, seeing the seniors laughing and smiling is an awesome feeling of its own, but to know that we impressed the owner, makes it all worth it to me.

I am partially sad to have this concert series over with for the year, but I am looking forward to doing it again next year.  Hopefully too, we will have more than one band to perform.  Good thing I have all year now to plan it out and get those other bands.  I am really glad I got back into the event organizing, feels good to make people smile and have a good time.

Until the next time we host a show….. everyone enjoy this holiday season and make sure to hold that person closest to you and if you can’t hold them, at least contact them and say hi.

Happy Holidays all.

Second day of “No Senior Left Behind Concerts”

Today we held the second day of “No Senior Left Behind”.   The show went off without a hitch though it was a rainy day.  Some the seniors were already in the room when we showed up and welcomed us with open arms. The ladies of Trios Ellas gave us a great performance and made everyone smile.

Just like the last show, people were being wheeled into the little room to hear the music once we got started.  The songs drifted out to the people in the hallways and I heard clapping coming from some of the rooms.  People tapped their feet, clapped their hands to the music.  The workers from the home even joined in a couple of times.  One even danced for a  bit.

Just like the last one… Some left only to come back with another friend.  Some would roll closer to their friends and smile at each other.  When more came in, those in the room would move to the side to let them in.  Everyone was smiling and having a good time.

After the show, the people that work there told us how much they enjoyed having us and that it was a great break in their routine.  They even invited us back to play again.

Such a good feeling to have.  To make others smile, to bring a little bit of joy into another’s day.  Happy holidays all and we hope that you can smile these days too.

The Mind

The mind is a powerful thing.  We all have read that a mind is a terrible thing to waste (or is a mime?)  We all know we can be our worst enemy, which is probably more true the previous statement.

During the winter, us in the north here have a tendency to stay inside.  Course, it is way too cold outside to do anything and it gets dark so freaking early.  While we sit on our asses inside, we tend to think of things.  Things about the past, the present, maybe the future.  I am no different this year.

When I was young, I would look forward to this time of year.  I wondered about all the presents I would get and all the tasty food we cook up this time of year.  It was a happy and playful time of life.  No worries, no real cares, no real problems.

As I got older and more ‘responsible’, I started to not look forward to this time of year.  There was always so much to do, to set up, to plan out.  Most of the time, things wouldn’t work out too well and of course, I wouldn’t take the stress too well like most peeps.

My friends would contact me during this time of year to talk and hang out.  Most of the chats would be nice and happy, short and sweet.  Others would be harsh, sad or depressing.  Always, the conversation ended with, ‘Just sit back and relax, things will work themselves out.’

So I wonder, why is that this time of year brings up all the shit from the whole year and why is it that we get over it all come January?  Is there something to do with the sun, the lack of light?  Does darkness really hurt us?  I know, rapid fire questions….   It’s all one question though.  Why do we get down this time of year?

I figure it is for one thing, cause we let our minds get to us.  We think of things cause we are bored or distracted or just too stressed out.  All we need to do this time of year is just sit back, have your drug of choice and enjoy the season.  Before you know it, January will be here and things will go back to normal for another 9 months.

Timeless

Timeless was an event held at first only once a month at a little bar in Reseda.  Each month my lady and I would take the long drive out there and see friends and listen to good music.  For 3 years we went, only missing a few of the shows.

Each year I celebrate my birthday during this show.  It always falls on the Saturday afterwards and is the only time of the year I get totally shit faced drunk.  The friends come out and say hi, buy me drinks and dance with me.  The music is always off the hook and the energy strong, happy.

Last night was no different and unfortunately, the last of the series.  They plan on doing no more at that bar.  The show was great from the beginning to the end.  The tunes flowed together so well that I never noticed the DJ’s switching.

There are only a few true pleasures in life, and music is one of them for me.  Music has never hurt me, never turned me away, never called me an ass.  The tunes I got to enjoy last night were not any different.  I danced in front of the speaker, the bass blasting in my face.  The bass rolled from the speakers and flowed through me.   The vibes flowed through my feet and I enjoyed every minute of it.

I will miss you Timeless.  Thank you for all the memories and good times.  Someday, maybe, we will meet up again.

A happy birthday indeed

So today was my birthday, my 31st during this lifetime.  I want to say thanks to all of you that posted on my fb page today, Thank you.  It’s nice to get messages and the such on a day as this.

I was lucky enough to have a lovely, sunny day today.  The sky was clear and the wind wasn’t a pain.  Perfect weather for a motorcycle ride.  I just had to ride today and was a good thing I had already made plans to do such a thing.  My friend had just gotten a new bike earlier in the week and wanted to ride.  We meet up and took a spin into the canyons around LA.  The traffic was none existent on the canyon road and the pavement was nice and smooth.  At first, he took the lead.  He rode his crotch rocket and me on the cruiser, he could take the turns much faster and easier than I could.  But I still pushed the bike around the 20mph turns at like 50, scrapping the pegs the whole way.  He pulled over up the road a ways and I soon caught up to him.  He slid back onto the road behind me and followed me the rest of the way to the top of the hill.  Most of the turns are tight and I love to push the bike as hard as it is willing to go.  The feeling I get when I take the turn a little too fast but pull out of it perfectly, is like no other feeling. There really is no way to describe that feeling, that rush.  As we passed the last turn, a freaking tumble weed was in the middle of the road rolling towards me.  I couldn’t avoid it and ran right though it.  Damn thing got caught on the bike and we had to pull over.  Good thing was, it was only a tumble weed.   Damn weeds….

We stopped at a buddies house and chilled for bit once we got to the other side of the hill.  After the pit stop, we blazed on back to my friend’s house to have a beer.  The freeway was busy, but being on bikes, we split the traffic with ease.

I came home to a hot meal and smiling faces of my wife and kid.  They handed me hand-made cards for this day.  They even had cupcakes in the oven cooking too.  We watched cartoons to dinner and laughed at the funny stories.

Right now, I am enjoying my smoke and smiling.  Thinking back to all that I have been though, to have such simple pleasures makes it all the better.  I am lucky to share this day with another friend of mine and I enjoyed seeing all the people posting to her.  It is rare to meet with someone who shares the same birthday as you and even rarer to have them as a friend.  I wish to her many more days and hope the best to her.

Even though I didn’t get any presents (yet) or any cards in the mail, I can still look back on today and think of the good times I got to enjoy.  Hell, if the worst thing that happened today was running into a tumble weed, then I think I shouldn’t complain about anything else.

Life

I’ve been working on a new storyline.  started off great and with lots of possible outcomes and plot lines I could follow.  But after that first chapter, been kinda stuck.  I have this image in my mind of what I want the scenes to look like, how I want the characters to act and say.  I know what I want them to do.  It’s just the part of using words to describe it.  I can’t find the words to say what it is, to draft up the picture without drawing it, without being lazy about it.

So many things going on to at once right now, becoming hard to focus.  As things clear up, more gets added onto the list.  My mind seems clogged.  I think what I may need is to get some time alone again and shit back to relax.   Something to clear the mind and be able to get that focus again.

After I wrote ‘Freaky Love’, I had all these ideas and all the visions seemed to flow with the words that described them.  Maybe I am just distracted right now by life and what it brings with it.  Maybe I am waiting for the story to happen before I can write about it. Only time will tell.

Finals week

Today is the first day of finals.  This is a week that is normally filled with stress and the feeling of not having enough time.  This time though, the stress is only for today.  I am only taking two classes this term, so only two finals this week.  The final that is today, is the only one I have to study for.  I have done the homework and did all the reading, so in theory, I should be ready for this test.  The other test isn’t until Thursday, so I have plenty of time to get ready for it.

So now, it is time to sit back and relax.  Maybe take a walk in the park or just go out and enjoy the sun.  This month is always an interesting month for me.  With finals, my own birthday, my kid’s birthday and Christmas, I am usually so busy.  It is nice this year to be able to sit back and have no worries.

I am going to kick on my favorite Gumby mix and smoke a phatty.   Sit back and keep the mind clear so that this week goes by fast and proper.