Monthly Archive for January, 2007

Roses

Written on January 23, 2007.

Today, it was time to prune the Ghanko (spelled something like that) tree ’cause it was just getting way too big and was hanging over the road ‘n all.

It was pretty easy to trim ’cause we had new saw blades so it cut easy. The branches were very long and shot out far. They were also kinda bouncy. When cutting the really long ones, I had to wait for the cars to pass before cutting it off. A couple times, there were a few harrowing moments (lawsuit wise). I was halfway through cutting a big one when, halfway through (which I believe I already mentioned), It broke off. Fortunately, there was a branch below that was going parrallel to it so it was fortunate that it was right below it. So, it was balancing on the branch and I was holding the butt of it so it wouldn’t fall. Once the car passed, I pushed it off the branch and it started to go into the road but it bounced back to the curb.

Anyway, after getting it pretty manageable, we noticed that or neighbor’s rose bush/tree (it was pretty high) was getting tangled in our bamboo so I went up and tried to take out the part that was going into our property but it was hard ’cause not only was it tangly, there were massive thorns on ‘em and I didn’t have gloves on. I cut off a big chunk which was a bit of a mistake. I tried to pull it down (’cause the rose branches were right above me. But it was stuck on bamboo and itself. I got the pole pruners to sever the little ‘uns which would hopefully loosen it a bit to bring it down. After getting a few pieces off, I swept ‘em to the side and went back to prune more. Then *snik!* Up went a 1/4″ thorn into my toe! That was annoying! Why don’t people plant the thornless kind!? I tell ya, when the barefoot look comes back into style, roses will be much less popular.

Anyway, I finished the rose tree and then cleaned off my foot. It felt fine after a while.

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Found Sweatshirt

Written on January 22, 2007.

It’s been getting warmer but downstairs, in the shop, it’s still nippy. I usually put on a sweatshirt, vest and long pants. Since I’m normally barefoot all the time, I figured I’d just toughen up and endure it downstairs. So I did that and I was fine but I noticed that even though I was fine and mainly sitting in one place, if I needed a straight-edge and all I had in my reach was a flimsy plastic ruler, I rationalized that it was good enough but I knew that since my feet were cold (the tops of my feet were fine but the cold linoleum sucks the heat right out of the soles of m’ feet), I didn’t want to get up and get the right tool for the job. So, I broke down (well, it wasn’t technically “breaking down” if I had a good reason) and went upstairs to get some shoes. Not closed shoes mind you! Sandals with socks.
Anyway, when I opened my warm-clothes drawer, I saw the sweatshirt that I thought was stolen at the Ugly Mug! Imagine that! I was so sure I brought that sweatshirt and took it off during the performance but I guess it was in my drawer the whole time!

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Coffee Shop Gigs

Written on January 18, 2007.

A while ago, Luke and I were preparing our Abbott Brothers set for if we ever play Abbott Brothers gigs. You see, we mainly play as a family in the Abbott Family Band but we don’t play many gigs. So, Luke and I have the Abbott Brothers band for the gigs but it’s also a branch of the Abbott Family band which is a branch of Abbott Family Music. Anyway, Luke was saying we should play at coffee shops.

Now, a few years ago, I went to a coffee shop. It was, what I thought, a classic coffee shop: Brick walls, dim lighting, coffee and above all, a musician playing in the corner that nobody listens too (in this case it was a piano player). Anyway, soi when Luke suggested playing at those kind of places, that didn’t sound too great. I was against it for quite a while, until last week! A friend of ours runs a coffee shop (or now known as an Internet Cafe) called the Ugly Mug. We were scheduled to play there and I was still against the idea of playing at any coffee shop. Anyway, for last Monday’s entertainment, they had two Shamisen players. Kevin and Masahiro Nitta. Since we were gonna play there the week after, we decided to go here them. Boy, that changed my perspective of coffee shops. For one, it was bright in there! Secondly, there was two aquariums which kinda formed a wall which was pretty neat. Then there was a lounge area.
I felt good about playing at this coffee shop!

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So, next week (yesterday), we played there. It was pretty good. What was also neat is that we played sitting down! We haven’t had a sitting down gig since ‘98 when Luke and I first started playing on the mall. Ever since then, we’ve stood up while we played (since there’s a bit more vocal energy when you stand). I’ve got nothing against standing up but standing up at the coffee shop gig would feel pretty funny. It’s good to stand up stage gigs when there’s an audience who are there to hear you but when it’s at a coffee shop where people are plugged into their ‘puters, sitting was more appropriate.
I went in wearing a sweatshirt and vest (as well as long pants, yadayadayada) but since I got pretty warm, I took off my sweatshirt. Two hours later, we finished playing. I got a free delicious spiced apple cider and a $2.00 cookie (I had to pay for the cookie ’cause somebody else supplied the cookies [meaning the Ugly Mug didn't make them]). After noshin’ and chattin’, we packed up and got ready to leave. I scoped around lookin’ for my sweatshirt but didn’t see it. I figured that it was in our pack so we left. When we got in the car, I saw it wasn’t there! Some swine had taken it! . . Accidentally of course. . . I assume. Fortunately, just a few days ago, Ma got me a sweatshirt that looks just like the one I lost yesterday! What luck.
Anycase, we made $52 in tips.

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Freezing Water

Written on January 12, 2007.

Well, last night was supposed to be the coldest night in 20 years. Well, I’m not sure if it was ’cause I slept right through it but I’m sure it was chilly ’cause in the morning, I went outside and the pan of water I left out there was frozen. (I would have gone ice skating but I’d only be able to fit one skate in the pan. Luke and I took the ice and threw it on the deck. It shattered interestingly.

You see, on Mondays and Fridays, we have a tradition of biking down to the beach to do our yoga and Tai Chi. Afterwards, we have a swim. It’s turned into a ritual for in order to get hot cocoa at marinis, we have to dive in the water.ice.JPG

Ok, back to the story. Since it was 42 degrees out and there was a chilly breeze, we weren’t sure if we were gonna bike down to the beach and do all that stuff. Well, I don’t know how but somehow, we decided to go. Boy, it was chilly outside! The bottoms of my feet felt like the heat was being sucked right out. Normally, when we go out, my feet feel fine but it was especially cold today. Anyway, we got our bikes out and rode to the beach.

When we got to the beach, we locked up our bikes and headed out on the sand. It was quite windy. We went to our usual spot by the big boulders and the cliff hoping the wind would be less there. It wasn’t (which wasn’t a problem of course). I was wearing a swiming shorts, shirt, vest and a warm windbreaker/jacket. I could feel some of the wind but none of the sun (even though it was chilly, the sun was out which was warm). I took off my upper clothing. The wind was much colder (since it was hitting my chest) but it was a bit better ’cause the sun was wamer.

After Yoga, we were getting ready to do Tai Chi (by starting Tai Chi). I noticed that the tide was out and the on the other side of the rocks, there was a little mini-beach that was usually covered by the ocean but was visible now. I decided to skip Tai Chi and check it out. Since the tide was out, I could get 3/4 of the way there without getting wet. Then I went in and had to go around the cliff. The water was rougher by the cliff than it was in more open part of the beach where we normally go. I had to walk slowely and carefully ’cause there was a lot of big slippery rocks in the sand. The water didn’t feel like a hot tub, let me tell you.

Anyway, I got to the beach and checked it out for a short time. I saw that there was a cave that went in a ways. I was worried that the tide would come back in again so I didn’t stay too long. Going back seemed easier than going there. After I got out of the water, it was pretty cold. I ran back (which dried off a lot of the water) to my jacket and towel and all and dried off. My hands were the coldest. After drying off and bundling up, we walked back to our biked and proceeded to bike along the wharf to Marinis. It was nice biking along the wharf ’cause the wind was at our backs so it wasn’t as cold and wasn’t hard to bike.

When we got there, we ordered a coffee and two hot cocoas. The coffee was piping hot so we all took turns wrapping our hands around it. We got back to normal tempature in there. Afterwards, we stepped outside and the wind was there to greet us. We got on our bikes and biked home. It was much harder biking home ’cause the wind was against us.

When we got home, we ran a bath. I was the last one to call “dibs” so I had to wait ’till the end but it gave me time for a preliminary warm up.

Finally, bath time! Whoo! It was worth the wait! Piping hot! So hot, it felt cold!

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New Year’s Festivities

Written on January 1, 2007.

Well, this has been a very quiet New Year. Usually, the mall is packed with boozers, partiers, the occasional stabber and some people wild as mixing Pepsi and Mentos. Well, we went down to hear Luke play some Blues at Lulu Carpenters. As we all walked down, we saw these various groups of people gathered together and were doing partyfull things but I mean it wasn’t packed. Wasn’t too weird either. . . oh, besides the guy dressed up as a monk in a jet black robe and hood combo with a rope belt and holding a lantern. Continue reading ‘New Year’s Festivities’

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