Anything noteworthy happen to you today?

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polydigm - 2-2-2018 at 23:27

The oldest book I have, which is in serious disrepair, is from 1890. It's a book about chess from England and its new price was one shilling.

BBP - 3-2-2018 at 09:43

The oldest one I have is from, what is it, the mid 1800s? It's German and written in Fraktur.

aquagoat - 4-2-2018 at 09:07

polydigm - 5-2-2018 at 02:40

I've started reading the book The Intellectuals and the Masses by John Carey. It's quite shocking when you look into what the intellectuals of the late 19th and early 20th century really thought. People who I had just assumed by default were authors worthy of respect that basically turn out to be a bunch of fascists. That book you're referring to there seems to be of that ilk. In the early stages of the 20th century, these intellectuals weren't worried about population growth due to limited resources (they were still behaving as if those were infinite), but instead they were afraid of being overrun by common people. This is the period when eugenics was coming into fashion.

BBP - 5-2-2018 at 20:10

It's very difficult, and I can't help but relate it to #MeToo, but as a musicologist you can't get around Wagner. Or Stravinsky.
Or longer ago, Tromboncino, don Gesualdo, Nicolaas Gombert... even Mozart was known to be quite a cad. Zappa himself had a number of objectionable sides.
If there's something we need to put a halt to, it's continually using our 21st century perspective to judge people, their deeds and their work from a completely different era. A lot has happened over the past hundred years. By the late 1800s, industrial revolution had a strong grip on society - along with 7 day work weeks, 16 hour work days and child labour as about the only way to make ends meet for a major class of people.

polydigm - 6-2-2018 at 22:18

The importance of John Carey's book is that we are all still living in that era. We all still live in largely patronistic societies. Our economies are still controlled by people who largely believe they are destined to rule.

BBP - 8-2-2018 at 18:18

'Tis the season to feel puney I guess...

polydigm - 9-2-2018 at 10:27

Why's that?

BBP - 9-2-2018 at 12:03

Been having intestinal turmoil for some time now... combined with the cold has been making me feel miserable...

polydigm - 11-2-2018 at 00:21

That's no good, I hope it gets better soon.

aquagoat - 11-2-2018 at 08:37

Hope you'll get better soon, Bonny.

BBP - 12-2-2018 at 10:07

On Saturday sis and I went to the carnaval parade, but I paid for it on Sunday with a migraine. Today it's back to work because I'm replacing somebody who's celebrating the season more than I do.

Will post the pics eventually but I'm exhausted...

BBP - 13-2-2018 at 18:32

Turned out to be quite a good day with the Dutch secretary of foreign affairs forced to resign!

polydigm - 16-2-2018 at 13:57

I've joined the ranks of injured bicycle riders. I was riding home from a meeting the other evening and came across a mother and her very young son on push bikes waiting at a side street that I was approaching. It seemed clear to me that the mother had seen me and that they were waiting for me to pass before crossing the road. At the last second, the boy decided to shoot across right in front of me. I did everything in my power not to injure that boy and ended up doing a somersault over my handle bars and over the boy. I ended up with some significant injuries but it seems no bones are broken. To add insult to injury, while I was dragging myself up off the road, the father appeared and started shouting abuse and blame at me. Some people are just unbelievable.

BBP - 16-2-2018 at 15:24

Sorry to hear about that Poly, that's nasty! What part of you got hurt?

polydigm - 17-2-2018 at 08:43

Lower right shin. Both knees and right shoulder. Heels of both hands. Lower right ribcage, which is the most painful and the reason I still need pain killers. I banged my head as well but my helmet minimised that.

aquagoat - 17-2-2018 at 09:04

Ouch, bicycle accidents can be pretty brutal, I've broken my wrist several times because of that. I'm sorry for you, Poly.

BBP - 17-2-2018 at 21:33

Sorry to hear about that...

I recall when you broke your elbow, did you fully recover from that Aqua? My ankle still gives me trouble.

polydigm - 17-2-2018 at 23:39

Thanks guys. I broke my wrist when I was 13 and that is still problematic. Wrists and ankles - not good things to break.

aquagoat - 18-2-2018 at 09:57

Quote: Originally posted by BBP

Sorry to hear about that...

I recall when you broke your elbow, did you fully recover from that Aqua? My ankle still gives me trouble.

Yes, totally, but it took quite a while before I didn't feel any pain or difficulty using my right arm.

I've had a pain in the left elbow for a few months now. I thought it was a tendinitis, so I stopped doing sports, but my work still requires physical effort, so it doesn't heal as fast as I wish. I'll probably go and see a doctor if it doesn't improve.

On a different note, I've just bought myself a 32 cm wide life guaranteed inox frying pan. I'm finally gonna be able to cook the quantities of food I want without being extremely careful that some doesn't fall on the ground when I stir it. What a relief! lol.

aquagoat - 18-2-2018 at 09:59

Quote: Originally posted by polydigm

Thanks guys. I broke my wrist when I was 13 and that is still problematic. Wrists and ankles - not good things to break.

I'm lucky my right wrist still works perfectly despite having been broken at least 3 times.

polydigm - 19-2-2018 at 00:29

Quote: Originally posted by aquagoat

On a different note, I've just bought myself a 32 cm wide life guaranteed inox frying pan. I'm finally gonna be able to cook the quantities of food I want without being extremely careful that some doesn't fall on the ground when I stir it. What a relief! lol.

That's why I like cooking with a wok. I use a very large one with a wooden handle.

aquagoat - 19-2-2018 at 19:57

Yeah, a wok is great too, I might buy one someday.

BBP - 20-2-2018 at 10:21

Yum!
We once got a big one in Dad's X-mas package - it's so big it won't fit in any closet and is now on the top floor, waiting until we cook bami again.

At BFs again, his sister got married yesterday. Was beautiful!

BBP - 23-2-2018 at 16:24

Looks like zappa.com is down...

polydigm - 23-2-2018 at 23:02

That's no big deal for me, but there will be several people going into withdrawal around about now.

aquagoat - 24-2-2018 at 10:55

Due to the wave of cold that is announced on my part of the country, I won't be working next week. Which is fine by me, cause I needed a little break.

BBP - 25-2-2018 at 13:11

Ooh!

I'll be working next week, riding a bike at 5:30AM at -10C... not looking forward to it.
The wedding party was last night. I'm pooped.

aquagoat - 26-2-2018 at 08:45

Ouch, I'm sorry or you, Bonny.

Well -6 around here, today, so the roof is gonna be completely frozen, which is pretty dangerous. Plus, the zinc sheets we use would break to easily to work with them. The sun spending most of its time on the other side of the bulding, that roof won't be unfreezed before 2 in the afternoon, giving us about 2 1/2 hours of work, so all in all it's not worth it.

polydigm - 26-2-2018 at 10:14

You two can just stop that - you're not putting me off.

BBP - 26-2-2018 at 11:35

:bald:
First day was today. I'm going to wear extra trousers I think... brr brr brr brr brr!

aquagoat - 27-2-2018 at 08:18

Quote: Originally posted by polydigm

You two can just stop that - you're not putting me off.

At least we tried.

aquagoat - 27-2-2018 at 08:23

Quote: Originally posted by BBP

:bald:
First day was today. I'm going to wear extra trousers I think... brr brr brr brr brr!

I never need to many extra layers when it gets cold, never any extra trousers, but my hands, damn, as soon as it gets a bit cold I feel like my fingers going to fall off.

polydigm - 27-2-2018 at 13:32

I said stop it!

BBP - 27-2-2018 at 19:26

Went out for a second-hand cycling trip. Took a shower to get warm again, but I got a Stephen Fry pocket book.

Thinking of sending him some fanmail...

aquagoat - 1-3-2018 at 08:35

Let it snow, let it snow let it snow!!!

BBP - 1-3-2018 at 14:28

No snow here, just f***ing cold this morning, -7 with a very strong wind, feels like -20...

BBP - 3-3-2018 at 12:24

Snow here!

polydigm - 3-3-2018 at 22:46

aquagoat - 4-3-2018 at 09:05

Happy birthday, Poly.

BBP - 4-3-2018 at 09:55

Happy birthday Poly! :biggrin:

polydigm - 4-3-2018 at 23:40

Cheers guys.

BBP - 6-3-2018 at 18:26

Had a good day Poly?

BBP - 10-3-2018 at 21:51

Posted an animation that took hours today. So far the response is underwhelming.

aquagoat - 11-3-2018 at 09:15

Where can we see it, Bonny?

BBP - 11-3-2018 at 10:56

Here's one of them:
https://orig00.deviantart.net/d984/f/2018/069/9/a/sweet_7_by...

Was the original intention of the film to have Sweet Transvestite start out like that, but they didn't over budget trouble.

polydigm - 15-3-2018 at 11:13

I've been really busy. I hope you guys are going okay.

BBP - 15-3-2018 at 12:44

Still working for a while... I'm often exhausted and had a migraine yesterday. And in mourning for one of my heroes Stephen Hawking.
In other news my father was sent an article in a Dutch science magazine about recent research claiming to have pinned down migraine to a vitamin deficiency: specifically of vitamins B2, D3, folate and Q10. In female patients it would often be related to Q10 deficiency and in male patients to vitamin D deficiency. So I've turned to supplements - little to lose and a lot to gain.

Still, Poly, I have a hard time believing that you down there in Australia would have a D3 deficiency. Although vitamin D deficiency is so common in The Netherlands to the extent that the government advises all people under 4, pregnant or nursing women, senior citizens and people of colour to take supplements.

BBP - 15-3-2018 at 18:33

Today, 15 March 2018, we installed a new lamp in the 70s light fixture. It's an expensive type of which I can't find the English name, but it has a pleasant light. We keep on trying to keep track of how long they last, but the data failed in the last few years.

BBP - 16-3-2018 at 10:12

Off to BF again, won't be back till Sunday...

polydigm - 16-3-2018 at 14:31

I was diagnosed with a Vitamin D deficiency a couple of years back and have been taking a supplement daily ever since. This certainly hasn't reduced the number of migraines I get - maybe the severity - it's not clear. I'd not heard of Q10 before. Apparently it's not a vitamin but a coenzyme.

BBP - 18-3-2018 at 19:54

True. It's hard to find too: only in beef, fish, and to a lesser extent in avocado. Dad's already anticipating eating beef liver. Yegh.

Just got back from visiting BF.
There's an annual week to promote Dutch book sales, it's a big thing every year. Most noticeable to the common audiences is there is one short book written by a prominent author that's given away for free when you purchase over 15 euros worth in Dutch-language books. Now that the Dutch Railways are the main sponsor, they allow you to travel for free with this book on the last Sunday of the week.
So that's how come I spent a weekend at BF, a day of free train travel is too good to lose out on. This year's free book was nothing to write home about, BTW.

One other action I saw this year is notable author (until he was found guilty of plagiarism) Adriaan van Dis, he used to host a TV show where he interviewed other authors. A few days ago they revived it for a day, and it resulted in a wonderful interview with Stephen Fry. Here's a fragment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0Ody-HLvTk

polydigm - 19-3-2018 at 04:34

Yes, Fry is a compelling thinker and communicator.

aquagoat - 19-3-2018 at 09:46

Fry really is an interesting person. I should delve a little more in his stuff.

And, Bonny, beef liver is excellent.

BBP - 19-3-2018 at 09:47

I'm reading his first book "The Liar" now. I'm not going to pretend I understand it yet, but I can be completely honest about it being occasionally disgusting.

ThreeHeadedMonkey - 21-3-2018 at 14:06

Have you finished it yet? I read it about 2 years ago and found it quite brilliant. Smart and funny, kind of reminded me of David Foster Wallace in some ways. (Infinite Jest is still a "read once every year" novel for me.)

Hope your migraines are better! I used to get them too, but they mysteriously disappeared over the years. Doctors can't explain it.

BBP - 23-3-2018 at 10:03

I hope to make a bit more progress this weekend, work's been hard...

BBP - 25-3-2018 at 21:21

Didn't work, got a bad cold...

BBP - 27-3-2018 at 11:02

Still pretty sick. I went to work but didn;t feel right, all sweaty...

aquagoat - 27-3-2018 at 18:19

Get well soon, Bonny. I spent most of the day working in the rain to try to gain time cause my boss completely fuck up his estimate, and now we have to run to compensate for his mistakes.

BBP - 27-3-2018 at 20:08

Sorry to hear about that Aqua...

BBP - 29-3-2018 at 08:56

Still stuck with a bad cold but I'm beginning to settle: fever's diminished, voice sounds a little better, not as slimy...

BBP - 30-3-2018 at 21:30

Today was a busy day!

I woke up real early, thinking it was the alarm clock. I was so sleepy so I don't remember much, but I put the light on, fiddled with the alarm to turn it off, then realized it wasn't time yet, checked the alarm to see if it was still set, then went to bed.
Woke up at the sound of the alarm. Stood up, got dressed, walked down, about to turn on the light in the kitchen when I noticed the microwave clock at 4:18, one hour earlier than my usual wake time. In my sleep I had advanced the clock one hour. I grumbled, went back upstairs, set the alarm forward 23 hours and went back to sleep.
On my way to work I notice an awkward guy standing still with a blue plastic bag. Paranoid as I get with too little sleep I continuously repeat every detail to myself.
Work goes as normal, except it's the last day of the receptionist. We shake hands.
Home for the weekend.
On the way I pass a now nefarious crossing that has only been re-constructed a few months back, but that has since seen a number of near-accidents, and unfortunately one major accident with one casualty. Apparently an accident had just happened there. A young female cyclist was sitting by the roadside in the grass, obviously in pain, the young male driver and quite a few other people around it.

Later in the afternoon Dad does two things: one is starting to repare the pinball table again. It says justage fehler - means something's wrong with the batteries. When measuring it appears one battery is not giving out any power, but it is full enough, and sanding of the holder's edges doesn't help. Couldn't fix that, but Dad did solder two loose wires and I removed a dead spider from the headboard glass.

Otherlong-term project we were working on: a radio cabinet my dad had gotten for free at an auction, somebody didn't want it but it came with the lot. Dad took it home, but it turned out to have woodworm.
Over the past two years he's tried the ammonia in plastic bag trick, which caused a woodworm massacre but there were still more than enough in there. Last time he filled all the holes to be sure they were gone, but there were quite a few new ones.
There's something to be said for looking a gift horse in the mouth.

On the way to buy cheese I see a guy, rather intoxicated, walking his dog and kicking and hitting it to make it behave - a woman speaks up and an unpleasant conversation follows.

I am really looking forward to going to bed...

Goodnight guys!

aquagoat - 1-4-2018 at 09:46

Ha, quite a busy day, indeed, Bonny. Hope you slept well after that.

aquagoat - 1-4-2018 at 17:20

And by the way, Happy Easter, everyone.

BBP - 1-4-2018 at 17:35

Merry Easter!

Too many chocolate eggs...

BBP - 1-4-2018 at 17:40

Lately I've spent a lot of time on this site:
http://boschproject.org/#/

It's the site of the Jheronimus Bosch researchers who, in the vein of the 500th year since death anniversary in 2016, have been working on restoring and researching the paintings of one of the greatest Dutch artists. You can view a lot of the man's works in intensely high resolution (Garden of Earthly Delights is 156547x89116 pixels, zoom WAY in!!) and the X-rays and infra red images if applicable, using curtain view for easy comparison...

aquagoat - 2-4-2018 at 06:51

That's awesome, Bonny, I like Bosch a lot. I'm gonna check this out.

BBP - 2-4-2018 at 12:55

How many characters do you reckon there are on Garden of Earthly Delights?

BBP - 3-4-2018 at 15:23

Recovering from the flu, unfortunately Dad's just caught it. I decided to call off the visit of my BF and his mother because of it...

aquagoat - 3-4-2018 at 18:14

Quote: Originally posted by BBP

How many characters do you reckon there are on Garden of Earthly Delights?

I have no idea. I should know, since I studied Art, but it was such a long time ago.

BBP - 4-4-2018 at 14:33

Really? Cool!

35 today...

aquagoat - 4-4-2018 at 18:58

Happy birthday , Bonny. I hope it was a good one. And you got rid of that darned flu.

BBP - 4-4-2018 at 19:35

Not really, BF and his mother were supposed to come over, but I called them off. Dad's not well. I'm still in bad cold mode with stuffy nose, headache and elevated temperature.

BBP - 8-4-2018 at 22:46

4 days since my last post?! I must do better!

I'm currently hosting a Cluedo game at the Cluedo fan forum.

polydigm - 9-4-2018 at 01:01

Sorry I missed your birthday Bonny. I hope you're feeling better. I've been really busy. I'm back working on my music almost full time. I got a really amazing deal on a new trumpet from an auction of stuff from a closed down music shop about a month ago, which I'm teaching myself to play. I also got a really amazing deal on a second hand drum kit about a week ago, with the help of an old drummer friend, which I'm also teaching myself to play. I'm also working on my alto sax again and have a new baritone sax arriving later today.

I've cleared out all the junk from my studio and I've been spending a lot of time in there, practicing various instruments and reacquainting myself with Logic Pro and my 8 track digital audio interface. To start things off, I'm working on an arrangement of one of my compositions for drums, piano, acoustic and electric guitar, bass guitar, trumpet, alto and baritone saxophone. It's been a dream of mine for some time to play all the parts on one of my pieces. I'm also getting a Roland Integra synthesiser, but won't be using that until I've achieved this first piece with all live recording and no programming (but probably with lots of editing).

My first main goal is to put a demo tape together and then I'm going to advertise for musicians for my second main goal, which is to play some live gigs. This has been a long time coming.

BBP - 9-4-2018 at 14:30

Wow, that's so cool! Good luck to you Poly!

We're all under the weather now, which is nasty since I really need to get to my inlaws tomorrow.

polydigm - 10-4-2018 at 16:34

Get well soon!

aquagoat - 10-4-2018 at 18:52

Great news, Poly, I'm already looking forward to listening to some of your stuff!

BBP - 11-4-2018 at 08:44

At the inlaws, we had dinner yesterday which was great fun!

BBP - 12-4-2018 at 10:31

Still at the inlaws, having a great time!

ThreeHeadedMonkey - 12-4-2018 at 18:52

Spring cleaning. First time in my new appartment, since moving about 6 months ago. I forgot one of the benefits of living in a tiny (affordable) appartment in a large city - less space to clean! I do love my new digs though, back in my hometown after many years of absence!

Good to hear you're feeling better BBP (caught the damn thing myself a few weeks ago), and good luck to Polydigm with the musical ambitions!

aquagoat - 14-4-2018 at 07:13

Quote: Originally posted by BBP

Still at the inlaws, having a great time!

Good, have fun.:roll:

aquagoat - 14-4-2018 at 07:18

Quote: Originally posted by ThreeHeadedMonkey

Spring cleaning. First time in my new appartment, since moving about 6 months ago. I forgot one of the benefits of living in a tiny (affordable) appartment in a large city - less space to clean! I do love my new digs though, back in my hometown after many years of absence!!

Ha, I plan to do that this week-end. Clean everything, fix this or that, get rid of unnecessary stuff, etc, etc.

BBP - 14-4-2018 at 22:31

That's what I had planned before I got ill... and it's what I'm planning for the near future too.

Inlaws were awesome but today I went home and straight away the dredge starts...

polydigm - 15-4-2018 at 02:17

I'm basically spring cleaning my studio. While I was back at uni it had been gradually encroached upon by various items for storage and various drawers and shelves had become filled with junk and outdated equipment and cables and so on. And various species of insect had taken advantage of the lack of activity in there, including an army of ants, so some significant cleaning has been required. I've also forgotten a lot of the detail of some of my equipment including digital recorder, mixer for the the drum kit and vast quantities of microphones, stands and cables and am rethinking how it should best be organised.

I ordered my baritone sax Tuesday before last and after being told 2 - 3 days delivery, they didn't get it until Wednesday last. Anyway, I love playing it; its sound is amazing and it's instantly become my favourite instrument.

BBP - 16-4-2018 at 13:56

It's DED's birthday!

aquagoat - 16-4-2018 at 18:06

Happy birthday DED!!!!

BBP - 17-4-2018 at 12:40

Local football team became champion!

BBP - 18-4-2018 at 17:54

Methinks I finally fixed my bike...

aquagoat - 18-4-2018 at 18:30

Good news, Bonny!

And another good news, the sun is finally over my part of the country, hallelujah!!!

polydigm - 19-4-2018 at 04:07

A belated happy birthday to DED.

BBP - 19-4-2018 at 18:04

Scored a job! :bouncy:

aquagoat - 19-4-2018 at 19:02

Now, that's great!!! What kind of job?

BBP - 19-4-2018 at 19:05

Customer service.

polydigm - 20-4-2018 at 04:06

Are you going to turn this into 20 questions?

For which product will you provide customer service?

Will it be in person or over the phone?

... etc ... ?

BBP - 20-4-2018 at 18:18

Over the phone, inbound, it's for @Leisure, which is a business that intermediates between people who want to let out their summer houses, and the people who want to hire them. On Monday I start training. I was hired for my skills in German and French.

News from my little area has been wild:
at a nearby park, a woman walking her dog found the remains of around 5 cats. A specialized organisation went to check for other kitties - now around 10 have been found, one belonged to the woman who found the first remains. It sickens me that people would do that to living creatures, let alone other people's pets.

Yesterday, a 22-year-old idiot was speeding on a cyclist's road (means cyclists have priority and max speed for cars is 30 km/h), going so fast he got launched on the speed bump, he hit a 76-year-old cyclist, then threw a tantrum at the victim, the witnesses and the police. He was arrested.
Unfortunately the cyclist passed away last night...

aquagoat - 22-4-2018 at 07:38

Well, pretty bad news for cyclist and kittens. But congrats on the new job.

Today, I'm gonna try tocook my first Gratin Dauphinois, wish me luck.

Edit: well, we can say it's a success.

BBP - 22-4-2018 at 21:15

Wonderful!

BF came over for a surprise visit, which was lovely!

BBP - 23-4-2018 at 07:08

Starting at my new job today!

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