Category: Narrated

Long-winded, rambling, or otherwise lengthy.

Musical Evolution

The first piece of musical software I remember sparking my interest was [Rebirth 1.0](http://www.rebirthmuseum.com/). I didn’t have a MIDI keyboard, and I barely had a lick of musical inspiration, but setting up drum loops and turning the knobs on the virtual synth just made me feel…I don’t know, I guess the proper word is *empowered*.

To the best of my memory, my discovery of Rebirth was also right around the time I found myself listening to electronic music. Rebirth came out in early 1997, and the span from 1996 to 1997 was when the US had that big HOLY SHIT **ELECTRONICA** moment. And even if it amounted to little more than press hype, it started me down the musical tinkering slope.

June of 2000: I discover [Igor Engraver](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2000/06/for_the_musicia.php) – a then-free piece of music notation software. I tinker, I toy, I play. Nothing comes of it, but that creative spirit blooms again briefly.

Early 2002: I find my way into Beatmania. I never recover.

Christmas 2003: I receive both a copy of [Traktor DJ Studio](http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?id=traktor3_us) and an [Oxygen8](http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/Oxygen8-main.html) keyboard. I put together a few mashups, and end up putting a few musical blips together to be used in some games.

In the time since, I’ve taken up photography, and as an immediate-feedback outlet, it’s hard to top. But that desire to screw around and craft music has never really disappeared.

Which leads us to today. Today is the day where I acquired [Ableton Live 5.2](http://www.ableton.com/index/live).
I list the software I’ve gone through because of the massive rate of growth the industry has seen. In 10 years, we’ve come from a simple synth and drum machine to something through which [beatboxers can reach new heights](http://www.ableton.com/_common/downloads/pages2/artist_kid_beyond/kid-beyond.mov), [loops can be made out of common household goods](http://www.ableton.com/_common/downloads/pages2/artists/shawn_pelton/down_and_dirty_loops.mov), and [music can be made while traveling](http://www.ableton.com/_common/downloads/pages2/artist_telefon_tel_aviv/telefon_tel_aviv.mov). (Seriously, folks, **watch these movies.**)

I don’t know if anything worthwhile will come out of me having Live. It may just be another plaything, another toy I end up growing tired of. But once again, I feel that grand empowerment that comes from having a magical tool that almost begs to be bent to my will – and bend it I shall.

Tags music, software

Narrated Reflected

2005 Year In Review

In January, I [replaced my Sidekick with a Sidekick II](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/01/goodbye_old_fri.php), [realized I had been online for 10 years](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/01/10_years.php), [embarrassed myself at a Shaun Of The Dead signing](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/01/my_occasional_b.php), [had an amusing IM conversation about my cat](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/01/the_endless_str.php), [got dripped on](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/01/yellow.php), [went to a snowball fight in Central Park](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/01/the_snowdown.php), [celebrated one year of VJ Army](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/01/happy_1_year_bi.php), and [rediscovered my favorite short story](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/01/you_must_choose.php).

In February, I [took my first really good picture](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/02/passing_train.php), [rebuilt everything after my site got hacked](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/02/recovering.php), [fixed a life-long health problem](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/02/five_minutes_an.php), [surprised Katie on Valentine’s Day](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/02/the_2005_valent.php), [saw Spamalot](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/02/review_spamalot.php), and [wrote another Quicksilver tutorial](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/02/quicksilver_fro.php).

In March, I [witnessed a very hostile panel discussion at the MT&R](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/03/jeffrey_steinga.php), [saw TMBG vs. McSweeney’s at the Allen Room](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/03/mcsweeneys_vs_t.php), [indirectly helped get a game to market](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/03/defying_the_mac.php), [got the shit kicked out of me by a movie](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/03/oldboy.php), and [explained where the names of my websites came from](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/03/allmix.php).

In April, I [previewed the new NIN album](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/04/with_teeth_a_ni.php), [lost my faith in 24](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/04/24_the_most_lud.php), [had a very peculiar courtesy call](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/04/lappel_telephon.php), [got dripped on again](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/04/leaky.php), [was a “cool new person” on myspace](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/04/holy_calamity.php), and [played with Quartz Composer](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/04/quartz_composer.php).

In May, I [rewrote my biography page](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/05/a_life_in_anecd.php), [got sick to my stomach at work](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/05/smell_like_this.php), [acted as a photojournalist for a day](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/05/british_consula.php), [did a long legal analysis on Konami vs. Roxor](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/05/deconstructing.php), [went to the Nintendo World launch](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/05/nintendo_world.php), [made my sleep-talking come alive with Photoshop](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/05/the_cat_is_stuc.php), [revealed 24 Season 5 spoilers](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/05/24_season_5_spo.php), and [went to a Gorillaz Q&A](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/05/gorillaz_qa.php).

In June, I [saw Glengarry Glen Ross](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/06/glengarry_glen.php), [went to Six Flags and did Kingda Ka](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/06/cue_vengaboys.php), [turned 25](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/06/two_five.php), [transcribed the WWDC keynote](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/06/keynote.php) and [tried to get developers not to panic](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/06/awww_freak_out.php), [recorded videos at SVGL](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/06/son_of_svgl.php), [had a bizarre Flickr moment](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/06/flickr_the_worl.php), [started a musical project](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/06/help_change_my.php), [waxed ecstatic over PokerRoom](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/06/happy_100000000.php), [explained what I do for a living](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/06/what_is_it_youd.php), [illustrated the benefits of workblogging](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/06/workblogging_my.php), [captured a subway ride](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/06/tunnel_ride.php), and [worried about the health of the city](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/06/well_shit.php).

In July, I [took a stand against fanfic writers](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/07/tear_it_up.php), [went to the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/07/nathans_famous.php), [found out what a competitive eater listens to](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/07/whats_on_eric_b.php), [rallied against blog luddites in higher education](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/07/tribbles_need_n.php), [explained how to make your own workblog](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/07/start_your_own.php), and [spent 4.5 hours at the Del Close Marathon](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/07/del_close_marat.php).

In August, I [got the Shutterbugs bug](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/08/youre_on_with_the_bugs.php), [stood out in a thunderstorm](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/08/catching_the_rain.php), [did the Monte Cristo](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/08/the_full_monte.php), [went to a Comedy Central taping and saw Ted Leo](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/08/save_your_strength.php), and [leaked a song online](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/08/ted_leo_new_song_mp3.php).

In September, I [canceled my New Orleans vacation](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/09/rerouted.php), [geeked the hell out over the DJ Shadow box set thing](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/09/inside_dj_shadows_public_works.php), [explained how to download Taiko no Tatsujin PSP songs](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/09/how_to_download_taiko_no_tatsu.php), and [went to my first Channel 102 show](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/09/channel_102_shows_posted.php).

In October, [my world shrunk just a bit more](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/10/world_gradually_collapsing_fil.php), I [examined the new iPod Video files](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/10/analyze_itunes_60_video_files.php), [my love for Pat Kiernan grew more](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/10/pat_kiernan_rocks_the_sidekick.php), [I took in the oddest music industry panel possible](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/10/industry_vs_artistry_braindump.php), [took a week off](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/10/vacation_postcard.php), [went to Eugene’s CD recording](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/10/eugene_mirman_cd_recording_rep.php), [mused on the mystery smell of ’05](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/10/sweet.php), [told the tale of two comedy shows](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/10/the_six_words_of_comedic_death.php), and revealed that [I am horrible at not cheating at games](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/10/cheat_to_win.php).

In November, I [saw NIN in concert](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/11/this_is_the_first_day_of_my_la.php), [reviewed the Channel 102 November showing](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/11/channel_102_november_recap.php), [laughed at Pengo](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/11/pengo_the_pimp.php), [had a joke catch up with me a year and a half later](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/11/like_a_gay_porn_site_with_a_ma.php), and [schooled a street team](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/11/free_advice_for_online_street.php).

In December, I [saw Ted Leo again](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/12/ted_leorx_webster_hall.php), [pondered the true name of my cat](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/12/whatever_you_call_him_he_still.php), [walked to work](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/12/the_walk_to_work.php), [took another great picture](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/12/interesting.php), and [caught the Lazy Sunday bug](https://vjarmy.com/archives/2005/12/true_that_double_true.php).

Other metrics of interest:

– [Upcoming.org Past Events](http://upcoming.org/user/384/past/)
– [Flickr: 2005 Photos](http://www.flickr.com/photos/remydwd/archives/date-posted/2005/detail/)

Tags yearinreview

Endured Narrated

The Walk To Work

I promised myself I would do it at least once. Yes, this morning I left bright (!) and early at 7:30 to walk to my office on the Upper East Side.

After getting over the GCP, I cut down Steinway Street, which was thankfully empty and uncrowded. It’s also full of odd businesses, so that didn’t hurt either.

Ruth from work was my walking buddy, which made the commute considerably more pleasant and enjoyable.

Once we hit Northern Boulevard, we got asked by a lot of desperate drivers if we needed a ride. It was tempting, but the truth is, we were moving faster than they were.

Getting from my house to the entrance of the pedestrian walkway for the bridge only took an hour, which is about what I expected, maybe even a little better.

Once on the bridge, there were some fantastic photo opportunities, particular once you hit Roosevelt Island. Just based on the pictures I pulled out today, I’m planning on doing the walk again sometime when it’s warmer out.

The Roosevelt Island Tram made an appearance just as I hit a fenceless patch of the bridge, so I lucked out with a picture. I’ve taken the tram before, and on the right day, it can be downright pleasant. But given the volume of people in there, I’m rather glad I didn’t try today. As Janelle pointed out, “not good for claustrophobics with fears of heights…”

The total walk took about 1:40, which was right around my estimate. My legs are okay (foot still hurts a little, but Advil has saved the day), my brain has returned to normal, and I’m almost – *almost* – looking forward to the walk home. Probably will take a different route, though.

(If you’d like to see the few more pictures of the walk, just check my photos tagged with “walktowork”.)

Tags adventure, astoria, photos, transitstrike, work