Thursday, May 16, 2024

Measurable...

 

"Your IQ, Jim?"  Funny.  OK, more hurtful than funny.  I like to fly under the radar... besides, those IQ tests are biased in favor of smart people.  But, I digress.

Just as I was ready to head out to the garage to gear up for a ride this morning, it started to rain.  I had already taken Murphy outside for a while; it was cloudy, but didn't look like rain.  For the whole event, we got .01"... for those of you who don't do decimals, that's 1/100th of an inch.  On the local weather, they said that is "the minimum for measurable precipitation."

I scrapped the ride.  By 10:00, it was sunny and the humidity was up to 41%.  I knew we were going out for lunch (pre-determined), so I wasn't concerned about cabin fever.  Lunch was good; we at at the Garden of Olives... after a stop at a special club we belong to, run by my buddy Sam.  Joan had a short list.  The club was pleasantly lightly occupied.  We weren't able to use Scan & Go because, according to one of the associates: the wifi here sucks.  I like Scan & Go: you use your phone to scan the items as you shop, when you're done you click "pay", show your phone to the big burly woman at the door (who makes sure no one tries to get out with absconded goods, and you're done.

Along the way there and back, there was some discussion about the guitar tone on the duo we saw at MIM last Saturday... I don't remember which of us brought it up.  Joan did remember the guitar sounded particularly good on one song (it sounded good on all of them), where the guitar player was using an octave pedal to add bass notes to what he was playing on guitar.  There was a motion and a second that I should form a committee of one to look into it.

When we got home, I looked into it... so many pedals doing so many things.  I have concerns that it is a rabbit hole that will lead to the center of the Earth, while throwing $100 bills all along the way. 


 


4 comments:

Earl49 said...

I have heard a few performers get good results with octave pedals, so it can work, but I never investigated them myself. "Rabbit hole" describes the whole pedal / pedal board / effects thing for me.

These days my bad ear (nerve damage) precludes me from being around almost any PA system or amplification. If it isn't pure acoustic, I need to wear an ear plug in the left ear. Ear plugs are mandatory for any concert that I attend now.

Duke just came into my office, walked on the windowsill, then turned around and peed big time on the glass. He has a vet appointment for next Tuesday - we suspect a UTI. We will also ask her about kitty Xanax, which another vet suggested last time. He is a rather high-strung guy. That is what we get for adopting a "special needs" cat. But he adores Alice and she loves him. he is (mostly) a good boy.

Captain Jim and the Blonde said...

I've not been into guitar pedals, other than the TC Helicon vocal harmonizers. The TCH Play Acoustic has some nice guitar shaping, like their Body Rez and chorus. I only use that when I'm playing solo; no pedals when playing with the guys.

The last couple concerts we've been to have been at the theater at MIM - great seating, and never the high volumes like arena concerts. I wear some kind of hearing protection (Air Pods with noise canceling or molded ear plugs) when riding the motorcycle/scooters.

Duke peeing on the window? Poor guy - that certainly sounds like the behavior with a UTI. I hope they can get that addressed right away and get him back to his old self. I wondered about some kind of kitty Xanax for him... maybe that will help with his behavior towards Lucy, too?

You and I had more than a few laughs about Rufus being a good boy - he truly was. Murphy is definitely more "energetic." He is either very active or napping - doesn't seem to be much in between... I'm hoping he mellows out with age. We call it: Devil Cat or Angel Cat. It is often a 49%/51% that goes back and forth. Joan is his favorite, but he is apparently "my cat" when the Devil stuff kicks in.

Earl49 said...

"...apparently "my cat" when the Devil stuff kicks in...". Birds of a feather??

Captain Jim and the Blonde said...

I could deny that... then we'd all have a good chuckle. Murph and I use the same Flip Wilson defense: The Devil made me do it!