Sorry, but this name change for the Sci Fi Channel is one of the most ham-handed things I've seen done by a large organization in a long time. They insult their core audience in the initial announcement, then go on to try to explain why this name change is "cool".
Apparently, the real reason for the change is that you can copyright Syfy and can't copyright Sci Fi because it's in common usage. Why not just say that up front if that's the case? And why not change it to something less goofy if you feel a need to make a change?
And the tag line "Imagine Greater"? Sorry, that just sounds wrong and says nothing. Either the Sci Fi Channel people devoted surprisingly little time to something as important as the name of their channel, or some marketing people aren't very smart and really need to be replaced. I suspect that they didn't bother to ask any of their target market what they thought about any of these ideas.
Frankly, I won't be the least bit surprised if they change the name of the channel to something that has nothing to do with science fiction within the next three years, considering the direction of the majority of their programming, and eventually get away from science fiction almost entirely.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Practice, Practice, Practice
I started splitting music practice time between bass and guitar this week, to get back to improving my bass skills again. It's harder for me to get myself to focus on bass than guitar at this point, because it's harder to improve on bass after playing it all these years, while guitar is still new to me and there's an amazing amount of new territory to cover. It's also more fun to sing while playing guitar by itself than while playing bass by itself.
On the other hand, I can take on much more technical challenges on bass. I had the pleasure this week of coming up with a very new approach to practice that should leave me with a few new melodic tricks up my sleeve, once I smooth out some rough edges. After all these years, it's really refreshing to find something new to do that doesn't feel like a gimmick.
I tried checking out instructional DVDs for bass on Netflix, but didn't find much of worth to me. Most of it was too basic to be helpful, and the ones that weren't seem to leap directly to the other extreme of being the showy stuff that doesn't have much practical value unless you do a lot of soloing, which I don't. I already know how to slap and pop for the rare song I play that calls for it, and tapping seems like I'd spend a lot of practice time on a skill I'll virtually never use. I suppose it'd be good to have it available to me, from the viewpoint of general mastery of the instrument, but it hardly seems worth the time compared to learning guitar or keyboards. I think I'll give at least one of those DVDs a try, though, to see if there is anything I can use.
On the other hand, I can take on much more technical challenges on bass. I had the pleasure this week of coming up with a very new approach to practice that should leave me with a few new melodic tricks up my sleeve, once I smooth out some rough edges. After all these years, it's really refreshing to find something new to do that doesn't feel like a gimmick.
I tried checking out instructional DVDs for bass on Netflix, but didn't find much of worth to me. Most of it was too basic to be helpful, and the ones that weren't seem to leap directly to the other extreme of being the showy stuff that doesn't have much practical value unless you do a lot of soloing, which I don't. I already know how to slap and pop for the rare song I play that calls for it, and tapping seems like I'd spend a lot of practice time on a skill I'll virtually never use. I suppose it'd be good to have it available to me, from the viewpoint of general mastery of the instrument, but it hardly seems worth the time compared to learning guitar or keyboards. I think I'll give at least one of those DVDs a try, though, to see if there is anything I can use.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Sex, Demons, and Videotape Completed
Just finished this scenario today, at least until I get the chance to playtest it. I'm happy with the demons I've come up with for it, but it's hard to know whether or not humor works until you get players involved.
And I found out that "Clerks" actually came out in 1994. Another fun fact to make me feel old.
Now, on to "Tiger by the Tail", the sequel to "A Slice of Blackwoods" for GURPS.
And I found out that "Clerks" actually came out in 1994. Another fun fact to make me feel old.
Now, on to "Tiger by the Tail", the sequel to "A Slice of Blackwoods" for GURPS.
Murderball
Watched a very good documentary last night called "Murderball", which was about a sport played by quadriplegics in specially modified wheelchairs. The actual name of the sport is quad rugby, but it was called Murderball when it was first invented. This isn't a warm-&-fuzzy, look-at-everything-they-have-overcome sort of thing. It's really a sports movie about unusual characters playing a little-known sport.
This sport is not for the timid. Broken fingers are fairly common and wheelchairs flip over regularly in spite of being specially modified to be particularly solidly balanced. The participants are strapped into the chairs, but it amazed me that head injuries weren't more common.
One particularly dramatic story is that of a former player who'd lost a little too much speed due to age and became the head coach for his former team's biggest rival. A particularly bitter rivalry ensues and is played out over the course of several major tournaments.
A jock father laments his son's interest in music and lack of interest in sports, though he loves his son dearly and doesn't fail to demonstrate it.
A group of young men discusses their unique techniques for picking up women.
The movie doesn't overly focus on the disabilities of the main characters, nor does it shy away from them. It's a good balance, and a very good film. Highly recommended, though I'd caution anyone who might be bothered by very salty language, explicit discussion of sex, or seeing the injured body parts of the athletes.
This sport is not for the timid. Broken fingers are fairly common and wheelchairs flip over regularly in spite of being specially modified to be particularly solidly balanced. The participants are strapped into the chairs, but it amazed me that head injuries weren't more common.
One particularly dramatic story is that of a former player who'd lost a little too much speed due to age and became the head coach for his former team's biggest rival. A particularly bitter rivalry ensues and is played out over the course of several major tournaments.
A jock father laments his son's interest in music and lack of interest in sports, though he loves his son dearly and doesn't fail to demonstrate it.
A group of young men discusses their unique techniques for picking up women.
The movie doesn't overly focus on the disabilities of the main characters, nor does it shy away from them. It's a good balance, and a very good film. Highly recommended, though I'd caution anyone who might be bothered by very salty language, explicit discussion of sex, or seeing the injured body parts of the athletes.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Twenty Songs
I set a goal for myself earlier this year to learn to play a song on guitar (as well as sing it) by memory each week, for no particular reason. When the song I'd picked turned out to be too easy, sometimes I'd add another, which is how I got this many this fast. Not all of them are suited to solo performance, since the reason I chose some of them is that I was already playing them as part of the musical project (or just because I liked them even if they wouldn't work solo), but enough of them are that I could probably play a credible solo set now if I had a reason or desire to do it.
I won't actually start the twentieth song until this upcoming week, but I think after twenty, it'll be time to try something different. In my enthusiasm for something new, I've been neglecting to spend much time on bass, my usual instrument, so I think I'll step away from learning songs in particular to focus on improving my technique on both instruments. I'm sure I'll pick up a few new songs along the way, and I'll certainly need to occasionally practice the ones I've learned so I don't forget them, but I won't be so focused on accumulating material for which I have no particular need.
I'd eventually like to get back to the whole reason I started playing music in the first place, which was writing songs, but the inspiration for that hasn't returned yet, and I think I'll write better songs if I just let it happen when it happens.
I won't actually start the twentieth song until this upcoming week, but I think after twenty, it'll be time to try something different. In my enthusiasm for something new, I've been neglecting to spend much time on bass, my usual instrument, so I think I'll step away from learning songs in particular to focus on improving my technique on both instruments. I'm sure I'll pick up a few new songs along the way, and I'll certainly need to occasionally practice the ones I've learned so I don't forget them, but I won't be so focused on accumulating material for which I have no particular need.
I'd eventually like to get back to the whole reason I started playing music in the first place, which was writing songs, but the inspiration for that hasn't returned yet, and I think I'll write better songs if I just let it happen when it happens.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Sex, Demons, and Videotape
I finally got down to work on my comedic Sorcerer scenario that's been in the plans for a while now, and this will be the title. You might guess from the title that it's set in the early eighties, and you would be correct if you did. It's essentially "Clerks I 1/2", using the main characters from the original movie shortly after the events of that movie and tossing demons into the mix. As I'd expected, it's coming together very quickly, and I might even have it done by the end of this upcoming week if all goes well.
It will only be a four player scenario, and I doubt it would fill a full four hour convention slot, so I'll probably just offer it as a two hour game and offer it twice.
The really good news is that this should allow me to offer my GURPS Banestorm sequel for DexCon. The title will be "Tiger By the Tail". I won't really know how quickly that one is going to progress until I start getting into the meat of it, but that could be as early as two weeks from now.
It will only be a four player scenario, and I doubt it would fill a full four hour convention slot, so I'll probably just offer it as a two hour game and offer it twice.
The really good news is that this should allow me to offer my GURPS Banestorm sequel for DexCon. The title will be "Tiger By the Tail". I won't really know how quickly that one is going to progress until I start getting into the meat of it, but that could be as early as two weeks from now.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Music Project Update
My stepnephew Bryan joined Jason and I for today's musical session, meaning that we had a full-fledged guitar player for the first time since we've been getting together. I've been enjoying improving my guitar playing, but it was Big Fun (and actually more than a little strange) stepping back into my customary role as bassist/singer. I'd been a little concerned about how well this was going to work because of substantial gaps in age, tastes, etc., but all three of us expressed how much we enjoyed ourselves, and Bryan agreed to join us again next time!
We played through some of our usual stuff, then jammed our way through some songs Bryan already knew, some of which he was able to sing. We found at least some common ground with the White Stripes, Blink-182 and Green Day. It's not material I would've chosen myself, but I'm happy enough with it, and a significant part of the point for me in playing with other people is to expand the range of songs I'm playing.
Most importantly, there seemed to be a common thread of humor. We tried a couple of odd experiments, playing songs very differently from the original versions just for the heck of it. A good time was had by all, and I'm looking forward to playing again next month.
We played through some of our usual stuff, then jammed our way through some songs Bryan already knew, some of which he was able to sing. We found at least some common ground with the White Stripes, Blink-182 and Green Day. It's not material I would've chosen myself, but I'm happy enough with it, and a significant part of the point for me in playing with other people is to expand the range of songs I'm playing.
Most importantly, there seemed to be a common thread of humor. We tried a couple of odd experiments, playing songs very differently from the original versions just for the heck of it. A good time was had by all, and I'm looking forward to playing again next month.
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