the pod bay door

.: We are a few weeks into 2008, and I think the year could evolve into one in which I treat myself to a few new toys. Earlier this month, I began by buying myself a new guitar, specifically a RainSong OM1000. RainSongs are guitars made from graphite only, no wood involved. RainSongs have a unique sound to be sure, but are also impervious to temperature and humidity change. The creators describe the RainSong guitar as having “the crystal detail, warmth and volume of the classic carbon sound.” I’m not sure exactly what “the carbon sound” is, but I like the guitar. It is certainly lighter than the wood acoustic guitars I own, and the sound might be described as brighter than a traditional acoustic guitar. The OM1000 has a body depth of about 4.125 inches, smaller that what I am used to playing, but which was something I wanted in a new guitar. I first became aware of the RainSongs when I went to the Mandolin Bros store on Staten Island in October 2001 and played one in the shop. At the time, RainSongs were manufactured in Hawaii, but the company relocated to Woodinville WA in 2001.

I’m looking forward to playing my new guitar – it’s the first acoustic guitar I’ve purchased since 1989. I’m also looking forward to using it in upcoming live performances. I can’t explain what motivated or moved me to buy a new guitar now. I was in Avenue Guitars in early January, the chief guitar shop I have frequented for decades, where two models were on sale. I took each one home for a workout, and chose the OM1000. It felt like the right thing to do, and so far I’m happy with the decision. It’s like a late Christmas present to myself. 🙂

.: After maybe seven weeks away from any form of exercise, I’ve been at the YMCA the past two days, getting in 40-45 minutes of cardio on the upright cycle. I’ve been in a rut of some sort, unable to find the energy or drive to work out. I’m hoping I can sustain it indefinitely for now. Since I switched to the upright cycle, I’ve been reading while working out. I’ll get back to this later.

I’ve stuck to my resolution to not watch any new television shows this fall, and surprisingly enough, the sun continues to rise in the east every morning. Imagine that. Right now I’m watching Bono and the boys on a DVD borrowed from the library, of the 09 and 10 May 2005, Chicago, performances from their Vertigo tour. This was the same tour I saw twice in NYC last October. The DVD quality is quite good, and includes songs U2 didn’t play in NYC, at least at the two shows I saw, such as Zoo Station, which rocks on the disc.

I’ve ordered three CDs from Amazon, and was prepared to order a fourth, but it wasn’t available for immediate delivery, so am postponing its order for a few weeks. I haven’t bought a new CD since Donald Fagen‘s Morph the Cat was released earlier this year, so to have four new discs from artists that matter to me appear almost simultaneously is amazing. The artists in question are TV on the Radio, Los Lobos, Pete Yorn, and Shawn Colvin. I’ll order Colvin’s disc in a few weeks to coincide with the release of the second season DVD of Harvey Birdman, the most brilliant cartoon I’ve seen in years, which I will order as well at that time.

I’m still working with the band, aka Hardy Drew and the Nancy Boys. It’s still fun, and I get to make lots of loud noise in David’s basement while we rehearse and work on tunes. I think my lead playing has actually improved, which is very cool, considering it was 40 years ago this month, October 1966, that I started guitar lessons in St Boniface, Manitoba, at the age of 13. Time flies when one is having fun, right?