muzakil notez

-Apologies to PHD
(this was the first thing i've written in a long time)

B's mom got the kids an electric guitar and a little amp last month--
it's a 3/4 size, i think the whole set-up only cost $120 or so, but still works just fine, i play almost everyday, just started reading guitar tabs (short-hand musical notation) been playing around with the Hammer On and Palm Mute,
my two latest things...
still only playing one string at a time, tho-- have to get a tuner this weekend... the upper strings sound way too tinny, tried tuning by ear, but hasn't worked out. I downloaded some Rolling Stones and Beatles tabs, but haven't had a chance to play around with them yet.

some of my fav songs are pretty uncomplicated---at least the main riffs--i've been working on this one from Dinosaur, Jr. and the main riff is only two chords...

e -------------x-x----------------------------------------------------l
G -------------x-x------------------2--------------------------------l
B -------------x-x----------------3---3------------------------------l
D -------------x-x------0--------------------------------------------l
A --------3-2-x-x-0-0------------------2----0-0-0-3-3-3------l
E -------------x-x----------------------------------------------------l

kind of disappointed for some reason, not sure why-- a bit of a letdown-- kind of like the first time you have S-E-X--"is that it? sheez, i thought there was more to it..." but of course, once you start practicing more and get better, it becomes exciting again...

not much going on-- oh, Hap McCue passed away the other day--- Anishinabemowin (Ojibwe/Odawa/Potawatomi) lnaguage teacher at UofM-- his star sudent was Heismann winner Desmond Howard--

I was all pissy thE other day and E says to me,
"DADDY! why you so angly? Everything's O.K. with the world. Everybody's fine. So don't be mad, O.K.?"
almost made me cry...

E's favorite song is Smoke on the Water, which is really easy---

e ---------------------------------l
B ---------------------------------l
G ---------------------------------l
D -------4-7-9--4-7-10-9-----------l
A -------4-7-9--4-7-10-9-----------l
E -------2-5-7--2-5-8-7------------l

I cheat and play it like this, only on one string:
still sounds alright, just not quite as full-
BUT it sounds the best like this---this is just the bass line, which dominates on the recording
e -----------------------------------l
B -----------------------------------l
G -----------------------------------l
D -----------------------------------l
A -----------------------------------l
E -----0-3-5----0-3-6s5--------------l

kind of wish i had started a long time ago---fun, but also very relaxing for me--
i just pluck away for an hour or so, forget about whatever for a short while...
the two older kids both read music, so they can play better than me already. maybe we'll start a band or something--
OOOOhhhh--I bought a guitar tuner yesterday--WOW...what a difference!!

frozen walkabout

knew you were right about the time being wrong
not saying anything different one way or the other
just living with whatever it is as it is
but so hard to not stop and wonder
so i'll just shut up and keep going
can't feel my fingers face has gone numb
15 degrees not even considering windchill
needed to quiet everything else just a bit
had just me to myself for a couple of hours
skating my way homeward on city sidewalks
just wouldn't really work out any other way
whatever it is i'm carrying would grow tiresome
hating me like all the rest after awhile
punishing and blaming even though i know
the problem has always been internal
just leave it and don't think on it again
making mountains out of absolutely nothing
so go on and do what you've been
strength and vision never my strong suit
not sure what is but maybe its still something
clicking and sparking even after everything
so it goes maybe as it should
but if you change your mind let me know
but not going to push it either way
ride it out and see where it goes
either way i think we both know
even if i can't tell you so
even if i mentioned it in passing
out of reach but within sight
everything else ruined by my needing
so i'll pretend that i can walk away
although i want you to ask me to stay
our stars crossed from the very beginning
don't feel i deserve it any other way
karma coming back to bite me
not sure if this lifetime or the ones before
so i suck it up and do what i can
probably full of shit just the same
so let's leave it at that just for now
not going to ask you otherwise
but i would if i could
if i had been born under another sign
if i could stop destroying myself
just the way that it goes
at least this time around
two hours and seven miles
and still stuck in the same place
feet swollen thighs reddened
frozen walkabout from L-town
back to the same spot i started.