All about that bass

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Hello My Imaginary Friends,

Last week I decided to sell my old bass guitar. It wasn’t getting the love it deserved. I made the decision because I wanted to play it.

That might sound weird, but it was heavy and awkward (sort of like me :-0) I wanted to play but I wanted to play something I could pull out.

There are days that the only practice I get on my ukulele is between meetings when I can take it down from its hook and strum a few chords. I’d like to do the same for the bass.

So I sold my bass and now I have to decide if I want to get a bass ukulele or a short scale bass. It’s a decision I’ll make on Black Friday. I am excited to start playing.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

Stay safe and be kind,

Éric

Monsters Changed Everything

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Hello My Imaginary Friends,

Writing is a lot of fun when it’s going well. The second book in The Gates of Westmeath is going really well.

Credit goes to Jen and her boundless enthusiasm for the book, the characters, and the world. It’s extremely encouraging to have instant feedback as I write. I really mean instant. We write in google docs and she’ll sometimes read as I write. At first it really made me uncomfortable, but I’ve gotten to liking it. It’s encouraging, hearing your first draft jokes and dramatic moments affecting someone right away.

No outline survives the first draft and we had thought the gangs in this book would be more prominent, but the monsters have taken over. So we changed the title.

Let me introduce you to Monsters! Incidental Wedding Guests:

We don’t have a synopsis yet (we’re only 2/3 of the way through writing it), but there are monsters in it and a wedding.

I hope all of you are as excited as we are about this series.

Éric

Halloweentown – JenEric Movie Review

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How This Works – Read Other Reviews

Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 1998 film Halloweentown.

Story

This is a timeless Halloween fable about a kid who loves spooky things and turns out it was because they were spooky too. Every kid who loves Halloween and all the stuff around it wishes they were Marnie.

The villain reveal surprised me the first time I saw it as an innocent twenty something and overall the movie flows really well. There is a little awkwardness in the love interest, but overall it’s a solid offering.

Score: 1

Characters

I love all the kids. They each work so well in their roles as underappreciated kid, sceptic, and spooky girl.

The grandmother is fantastic and pulls the film together extremely well.

The villain is hammy and over the top in the best way.

The mother, however, is quite possibly the most frustrating character possible. I can’t stand her.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

“Someone’s coming.” is up there with “They’re here.” for creepy lines and I love it. Overall, the dialogue is solid, if a little young. Not quite as memorable as other Disney TV movies.

Score: 0.5

Visuals and Music

The special effects are cheap but endearing; the camera work is excellent though.

The music is okay, but could be better.

Score: 0.5

Fun

This movie is a family favourite. My son and daughter love it.

I didn’t see it until almost a decade after it came out and I’m sad I didn’t have the chance to experience it as a young teen. It’s an easy movie to watch and inspires wonder.

Score: 1

Overall

This is a fabulous movie for all those spooky kids that wish they were magical. The acting is solid and the story surprising. Definitely worthy of it’s place as a yearly family tradition. Kids will love it and parents will too, if they have any love of magic.

Final Score: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

Guitar Lessons Part 14

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Sep 18: Audience

I was sitting in my living room today, trying to get up the spoons to practice, and I was trying to figure out whether I should bring my guitar up to play for my family, or play in the basement by myself.

I was leaning towards the basement because playing in front of an audience is nerve-wracking, when I realized that I needed to play in front of them to get used to doing it.

If my publisher accepts this book and if they like the song, then I’ll ask them if they want me to play it for the book trailer and at the book launch. (Two very big ifs, imho)

So yeah, I need to get used to it.

I brought up my guitar and played my song. (I didn’t do a lesson today because I’m low on spoons)

Much to my delight, I discovered that my 2yo son also knows the lyrics to my song, not just my turning-five-tomorrow years old daughter.

I do sing it to him every night at bedtime, but he doesn’t sing along with me normally.

He was behind by a word, so it was hilarious to try to practice my song with him singing along, but omg he practically kept up.

It’s one thing to have written a song that they enjoy.

It’s a whole other level that they like it so much that they sing along with me.

Sep 19: Pros and cons

There are pros and cons to practicing my guitar in the living room.

Pros: practicing for an audience, being with my family, warmer than 16C (our basement has a heating issue), sometimes they sing along

Cons: I can’t do my lessons because the kids won’t stop screaming (although since my lesson right now is that awful riffs lesson, this might fall into the pro category…)

I played my song a whole bunch of times today. It’s starting to feel more natural, I think.

I played a bunch of other songs, too, and that was a lot of fun.

It’s my daughter’s fifth birthday today. I can’t believe it’s been five years!

Sep 20: Short but sweet

I played too long yesterday and ended up with tingling fingers today when I started to play.

So I skipped my lesson again and practiced my chords and my song.

I am feeling ever more confident about it.

It’s a nice feeling to have.

Sep 21: Strumming

I didn’t do a lesson today.

I did practice my song and my chords.

My son strummed while I practiced different chords. That was fun.

Sep 22: Repetition

I didn’t do a lesson again today. Tbh, I’m a little intimidated at this point. Once I finish the riffs, the next chord lesson is my nemesis…. The F major chord. I don’t think I will be able to pass any of those lessons. I tried the F chord today, and was barely able to manage it, after much adjustment. It hurt my hand and wrist a little.

I played my chords and my song multiple times.

My son pulled the kid’s xylophone over and played it while I practiced. It’s very hard to keep tune while a different song is being banged out at your feet.

Or maybe it’s just me.

I have my writer’s group tonight… The last one before I surprise them with a performance. I’m nervous and have no reason to be (today). I hope I won’t be in a constant state of nerves for the next two weeks!

Sep 23: Short again

I played my song several times. I know exactly where I need to practice.

I’ve decided not to feel guilty about not doing the lessons. I just don’t have the spoons to deal with them right now.

Dear Dragon – The Princesse

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Dear Dragon,

For about three years, as of this writing, I have been telling you stories at night. They’ve been improvised and a lot of fun to tell. They started out very simple, with little girls getting lost and having tea with pixies, or rabbits who couldn’t jump, they expanded to Heroes, Legends, Fairies, and other Absurdities, and about a year ago, maybe less, you started asking for the same characters.

I wanted to help you with your French and I thought that adding some words would help. So I made up the Princesse, she started out as a simple character who discovered the servant’s tunnels in her castle and made friends with a kitchen maid called Amie.

From there, the cast expanded to include the brave Chevalier and a whole lot of magical creatures. There was a dragon kept as a furnace, another castle through the lake in the basement, grumpy wizards, aliens, a knitting ogre, and many others. It was serialized and adventurous. You loved the stories, begging me for more every night.

I added a one-off superhero and you loved her so much you named her MIghty-Girl and she became part of the main cast.

After a few months you asked about bad guys and I introduced the Shadows, a group of shadow monsters that the main characters accidentally released when they opened a treasure chest with a warning.

We went back to serialized for a while and then we added the Silver Fox, the Princesse’s arch nemesis and equal in intelligence. He was an alien like Mighty-Girl, but has super magic instead. She captured him eventually, but I drew it out for over two weeks. You were really excited about it. Later there were other villains; the Swan Sorceress, The Nightmares from Beyond, and the Evil Serpent.

We added lore about the great Wizards, Dragons, and Mermaids who created magic in the golden days, there was the glass pyramid in the Arctic with a castle full of zombies, the castle on the moon, the dragon palace that flew in the clouds, the mermaid kingdom, the floating city of mermaids and people, the great caves of friendly monsters, and the ancient ruins that littered the world.

I tried to have the Princesse win through brains, friendship, and kindness. She built hospitals, learned magic, and helped people and even changed bodies with a girl from our world who you called Rachael.

A few weeks before Halloween, you asked me to read some of the Disney Halloween stories instead and I agreed. This week, I asked if you wanted to go back to me making up stories, and you said no. You’d rather I keep reading short stories from your bookcase.

I know you really like being read to, but I’m sad that this story has ended. Maybe we’ll go back to me making up stories for you at night, but I fear the Princesse, Chevalier, and Mighty-Girl’s stories are over.

I wonder if you’ll remember them, or if like so many other things, they’ll fade away. Maybe someday I’ll write some of them down, but it won’t be the same.

All things change and I’ve never been a big fan of change.

I love you little Dragon,

Papa

LAST DAY for Holiday Calendar Orders

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Hello Coffee Lovers!

Order Tonight by midnight!

They are whole bean, fresh roasted coffee which is a custom blend of Peruvian, Mexican, Guatemalan, and Sumatran beans.

Here are the options for this year:

  • 24 Bags at 1oz each ($50)
  • 12 Bags at 2oz each ($50)
  • 24 Bags at 2oz each ($100)

This is a pre-order for our Holiday Calendars. All bags will include fresh roasted whole bean coffee from a variety of locations.

Flavours will be picked from our current selection and a few experimental flavours.

Deadline to order second wave November 5th – Orders will ship mid-November.

Each Holiday calendar will come packaged with a surprise.

*ALLERGY* If you have allergies please mention them in your order.

Pre-orders are open now

Thank you!

Éric

Young Frankenstein – JenEric Movie Review

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How This Works – Read Other Reviews

Hello Cinephiles,

Today we’re talking about the 1974 film Young Frankenstein.

Story

Shockingly close to the actual novel, possibly with more quotes from it than most movie adaptations. The story was pretty much a remake of the novel with a lot of Mel Brooks spin. It toes the line from serious to absurd and I personally wish it went further into the absurd.

Story: 0.5

Characters

Then entire cast was having a lot of fun and you can tell. They often over do it in the most delightful way, but at times the jokes fall flatter than I’d like.

Score: 0.5

Dialogue

Oscillating between dick jokes and monologues about beauty that could be pulled from the novel, the dialogue was all over the place and I mean that in the best way. The contrast is what adds an extra level to the humour.

Score: 1

Visuals and Music

The filming style is a perfect match for the old monster movies, which was a little discordant when I saw the background actors with seventies hair styles.

The music was like the dialogue, all over the place. Not sure it worked as well though.

Score: 0.5

Fun

I have a feeling that I could watch this movie yearly and enjoy it on my own. However, it is a very slow-paced and very talky movie sometimes to a self-indulgent level. The kids were bored, but I expected that.

Score: 0.5

Overall

There are glimmers of genius in the comedy of the movie, but it tries too hard to be too many things. Personally, I prefer Brooks when his movies are more absurd and frantic.

Final Score: 3 out of 5 Stars

Guitar Lessons Part 13

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Sep 12: Sore fingertips

I was right, my fingertips hurt today, so I didn’t do a lesson.

I played Frère Jacques while my daughter sang it. She’s getting better (as am I). Apparently my son (2yo) is starting to learning the song as well, much to my surprise.

Then I played my song several times, focussing on my rhythm. I think it’s going well.

Going to hopefully play some ukulele this afternoon.

Update: I did play ukulele this afternoon… With my husband, because we have two ukuleles.

That was a lot of fun!

Sep 13: Repetition

I did my lesson today, playing the first part ad nauseum to try to get it to three stars. I didn’t succeed. It’s really hard. I’ll try again tomorrow.

Then I practiced my chords (successfully) and my song (multiple times).

I played a few songs after that.

But mostly today’s practice session was all about repetition.

Sep 14: Callus damage

I played the lesson I’ve been working on the past couple days again today. I got three stars after working on it a lot.

The next lesson was so easy I passed it right away. That was weird.

The next lesson was very very hard. I ran out of time to play it more than once. I got one star across the board. Barely, imho.

Then I played my song. This is where I noticed that the callus on my middle left finger had split, right where I (obviously) prefer to have my fingers placed. Sigh. So it hurt to play a bit.

I decided that I shouldn’t play too much so as to not aggravate the damage. I’ll have to build up the callus again. Hopefully it won’t take too long. I’m hoping to perform my song for my writer’s group on September 22 (or maybe October 6… Haven’t quite decided yet).

Update: Forgot to mention: we bought a music stand! It’s pink and it’s awesome.

I used it today and it works really well. (Much better than the gorilla tripod and bookcase combo I’ve been using lol)

Sep 15: Short

No lesson today.

I played Frère Jacques for my daughter today. She sang along with it with no problems at all. I’m very proud of her.

I played my song once. It hurt. I didn’t play further today.

Also, allergies are hitting me super hard right now (ragweed?) and my voice cracked so bad on the first ooh of the chorus that no sound came out.

So yeah. That was fun.

Sep 16: Healing

I did my lesson today. I passed the lesson I was working on two days ago after a lot of practice. Then I got to move onto power riffs. My time ended after one attempt at the first song, which I didn’t quite pass.

I played my song a few times and then realized that my callus hasn’t reformed yet, so that hurt.

My throat is still raspy from allergies.

I’m still debating whether I want to perform next Wednesday or two weeks later.

Sep 17: I despise riffs

My lesson started out well today. I completed the first lesson, learned about fingertip muting, and learned some new riffs.

And then the next lesson came.

😮👀😱

There were only four riffs in it. And I just fell apart.

And my wrist started hurting.

They are not easy to do.

So I stopped the lesson and moved on to my song. My voice sounds like a croak. I’ve decided not to play the song at the writer’s group meeting this coming Wednesday. Hopefully I’ll sound more like myself at the one two weeks after.

My daughter sang Frère Jacques while I played the tenor ukulele for her class today. I made a mistake. She didn’t. I’m very proud of her.