One from the road. I was amused by this signage while taking the country route to the Black Paths last night.
Disruption
This article by Carole Cadwalladr is salient. Unfortunately it serves only to show us where we are.
New era dawns, America’s tech bros now strut their stuff in the corridors of power
A chat with an AI
My question: Who would better weaponize the possibility of rats in the walls, H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allen Poe or John Steinbeck?
All three of these writers were known for their ability to create suspenseful and frightening stories, but they had different styles and approaches to horror.
H.P. Lovecraft was known for his cosmic horror and the idea of unknown, indescribable terrors lurking beyond human understanding. He would likely approach the possibility of rats in the walls as a source of cosmic dread and a hint of some unspeakable terror waiting to be unleashed. Lovecraft might use the idea of rats as a symbol of a greater, more terrible threat lurking just out of sight.
Edgar Allan Poe was known for his psychological horror, using the inner fears and anxieties of his characters to create a sense of terror. He might use the rats as a metaphor for the character's own internal demons, suggesting that the true horror lies within the mind.
John Steinbeck was known for his social realism and his ability to capture the struggles of ordinary people. He might use the rats as a symbol of poverty and desperation, exploring the lives of those who live in squalor and must contend with the constant threat of disease and vermin.
Ultimately, all three writers could potentially use the idea of rats in the walls to create a sense of horror and dread, but they would approach it in different ways depending on their individual styles and interests.
Ah well, what was I expecting anyway?
A word from our sponsors
David Byrne. Never let a distaste for an artist’s work stop you from listening to them discuss their practice. I have made this mistake and regretted it.
All men dream, ...
All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible. —T. E. Lawrence
New release day!
Tying Up Loose Ends: #1 Culport is now available to buy and, as promised, here's the link: https://toneburst.bandcamp.com/album/tying-up-loose-ends-1-culport
The process and the results were new territory for me so I was nervous submitting the work...but it's all out in the open now!
New release on Toneburst coming v.soon!
I'm very excited to reveal that I have a piece appearing on the upcoming Toneburst release Tying Up Loose Ends. I'll update with a release date when I have it!
The sailors make fast the loose ends to ensure the boat is shipshape.
"Tying Up Loose Ends" is a nautically themed project split into 2 segments.
The first, titled "Noise Forecast", is heavily inspired by BBC shipping forecasts, the rhythm of their delivery and the alien yet comprehensible language used within them. The compositional framework for this part of the project is a text-based score which was written in a way that aimed to allow each participant a unique translation. To further contrast the finished pieces, careful attention is made in approaching different artists with varying sonic palettes.The score for this first installment of the project reads as follows:
"Culport;
Southern Bleakness. 8
Phront - Lofty, Stressure: NIL.
Bromide Sprinkles - Occasional.
Eudaimonia - Swindling, Tempestuous Nodes.
Torrential Data, Deluges: 37, Clustered.
Drainage: In Toto, Preparation Timely."The second project segment, titled "Flotsam, Jetsam, Lagan & Derelict", is an exploration of how new life can be given to short pieces of sound that perhaps could get lost somewhere in a timeline. To achieve this, audio is salvaged from one person and recycled by another, although organised in such a way that 'who is collaborating with who' remains unknown. Artist and equipment information are intentionally removed as to hopefully have no influence over the finished works.
Guidelines for FJL&D are:
"SALVAGE
You have received some salvaged audio from another participant involved. Use these sounds as a starting point.
RECYCLE
Please use both files, although they don’t have to be used in their entirety. One shot or single cycle samples are fine. You are free to edit & treat these in any way you see fit. Chop, Sample, Granularize & Mangle. Unrecognisable is good. Additional instrumentation is allowed and encouraged. This is not a remix project.
COLLABORATION
Audio discovered amongst your posts has been shared with another participant to carry out the same process."Loose Ends #1 is focused around the fictional land, and surrounding coast, of "Culport".
The tracklisting is as follows;
NOISE FORECAST
1. Claude & Ola - Culport
2. Sw1n Hunter - FOAM_DRIFT(2vids)
3. Shane Latimer - Deluges: Clustered
4. Una Lee - 1 fib or no
5. BJC - Torrential Data v4_2
6. Scy1e - Racing the dawn
7. Mysterioso - Unapproved Beliefs
8. Vivienne Griffin - The Fake Haven
9. Hadi Bastani - nines am(o)ur aiFLOTSAM, JETSAM, LAGAN & DERELICT
1. T.Jervell - Fanfare of Spring (Initials M.C.)
2. sweetearthflying - prismatic wounds
3. Sqrtsigil - nontitle
4. Morn Valley - Solar Transmission
5. Expanding Foam - saxa vord
6. Wimming Spools - flotsum & jetsum
7. Disxiple 113 - fiesta, forever
8. Subfusc - Batons
With some sprinkles of sea sounds recorded by Matilde Meireles, Lisbon, 2020.
Another gem from Rick Wayne's ongoing curation.
Ferenc Pinter (1931 – 2008) was an Italian painter and illustrator. He was born in Liguria to Hungarian father and Italian mother. His name was spelled Pintér Ferenc in Hungarian and he signed most of his works with the Hungarian name order; however in Italy he was known as Ferenc Pintér. In 1940 his family […]
(Art) The Pulp Drama of Ferenc Pinter — Curiomancy (fantastic art + fiction + curiosity)
Slacker
I don't need to cut myself some slack, I need to recognize what I've achieved so far. It's essential that Istep back, see my context and recognize that I've achieved a lot already.
- I've dropped 15 kg.
- I regularly go to the gym (3x a week).
- I study and practice my instrument 10x more than I ever have.
- My bass playing has improved immensely in the last year.
- While I'm not regularly cycling this winter, between April and October I did regularly and over long distances (30-70 miles). This was curtailed only by injury.
Sure, I'm still expecting immediate results, I've still not sussed out my sleep balanced, I'm still tired and still feel undermotivated, and yes it still feels like my momentum is driven by anxiety rather than by a positive energy: but I am doing what I said I would do. And that is a real thing.
For the day that's in it.
The more frustrated I get, the more stress I feel. The more stressed I am, the more anxious I become. As my anxiety levels rise, the less confidence I have in myself, and my self-confidence is very low at the best of times. The less confident I become, the more depressed I become, the ridiculous any idea of self-worth becomes.
You can see how I've discovered a genuine perpetual motion machine here.
I don't know where to start.
On top of that I compound these problems with several horrible mechanisms:
- I want instant results.
- I prevaricate (so many things need done, where to start, start nothing).
- I reach an initial goal then abandon.
Baby steps.
One thing at a time.
- Break down each task to subtasks and handle all prep first and in the right order.
- Study, practice & take measured risks to assess progress *
- Reflection before & after action is important *
- "make time" rather than "find time" *
So how can I improve? Where do I start?
- I can make time for all the things I want to do.
- I can get up earlier to be at the gym for 8:30am.
- I can enable this by getting to bed and ready to sleep by midnight.
- When I can I will cycle to work.
- I can set aside that hour after dinner to study for work.
- I can practice my instrument for 15 mins a day, after studying.
- On the weekends I can do study music.
- I can aim to be studying for work 3x a week.
And that's a simple plan.
And now, three weeks into the New Year, I've stuck to the 3x a week gym attendance regime for a 6 weeks. Getting up at 7am is an established thing now, preparing breakfast and lunch in the evening is bedding in. It's going to be OK.
*some strong advice perfectly summed-up by BJC. Thank you Barry.
bjc – D&Dv2_Studies_v1 — barry joseph cullen
The latest TONEBURST release is now available. [toneburst.bandcamp.com](https://toneburst.bandcamp.com/) Studio improvisations. The recordings are mono. From instrument to hard drive. From hard drive to tape. Each of the four tracks were made using the Drone & Drama v2 instrument. The recordings were selected from a pool of recordings made over the course of one […]
bjc – D&Dv2_Studies_v1 — barry joseph cullen
Here's a fascinating example of creation, formal process and examination. And great results!
Horoscopy
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
"No Eden valid without serpent."
Novelist Wallace Stegner wrote that pithy riff. I think it's a good motto for you to use in the immediate future. How do you interpret it? Here's what I think. As you nourish your robust vision of paradise-on-earth, and as you carry out the practical actions that enable you to manifest that vision, it's wise to have some creative irritant in the midst of it. That bug, that question, that tantalizing mystery is the key to keeping you honest and discerning. It gives credibility and gravitas to your idealistic striving.