#365challenge — Public Fediverse posts

Photo a Day: Front Facing Camera

Today’s photo a day thing is the first photo taking with my new iPhone’s front facing camera. You are fascinated, of course.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54281138339/in/datetaken/

144/365

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #frontFacingCamera #GibsonES335Pro #Guitar #iphoneography #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #selfieCamera

Photo a Day: Album Cover

Quarantine Tunes Volume 8 is going to need an album cover. Coincidently, I need a photo for today’s photo a day challenge thingie.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54271506808/in/dateposted/

Hello, two birds. Meet my one stone.

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #dirtyFingers #dirtyFingersPickups #es335 #es335Pro #Gibson #GibsonES335Pro #GibsonGuitar #Guitar #iphoneography #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography

Almost There

It’s 2:15pm. Lunch is about to end (I started my break a little later than normal today). I have a vacation day booked for tomorrow, then the following two days are off for Thanksgiving, then the weekend. That’s right, folks. I have a five day weekend coming and it is just a bit more than three hours away. I have one more meeting on my schedule this afternoon and I have a few email threads that need updating. Other than that, we’re just riding out this fine Tuesday in the office.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54165223412/in/dateposted/

So before Covid shut everything down I was a regular user of Audible, the audiobook subscription service. I forget how but at some point I came into a whole bunch of credits and blew them all on a number of books that I never got around to listening to. Back in March when my company upped our in-the-office requirement from once a week to twice a week I reopened my account and all of those unread books were still there. One was a biography of Syd Barrett. I’m listening to it now and while many of the events and facts the author describes are clearly incorrect, and many others are trying to show Barrett as some poetic legend on a level that is infinitely greater than his catalog demonstrates, it is a good read. I have been listening to a lot of his music over the last week.

The National Solo Album Month (nasoalmo) rules allow for one cover song. While adding another song does not fit my personal theme for this month’s project, I am wondering if I should record a cover of Dominoes. I’m thinking about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tY1aNaIazA

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #aVeryIrregularHead #audible #audiobook #biography #dominoes #holidayWeekend #iphoneography #LongWeekend #Music #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #SydBarrett #Thanksgiving #vacationDay #work

I have been playing guitar since 1986. Today was the first time I adjusted a truss rod myself. Hell, it was the first time I even took off cover.

I think it worked. I had a nasty fret buzz on my ES-335 down around the second fret. I think it’s better now. Crossing my fingers.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54110733247/in/dateposted/

I used this video and it was helpful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxyhIPVu0zo

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54111865523/in/album-72177720304753363/

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/11/02/neck-adjustment/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Gibson #gibsonEs335 #gibsonEs335Pro #Guitar #maintenance #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #trussRod

Well, looks like Friday is going to be one seriously shitty day for ol’ Robbie and his rebuilt guts.

I had more sleep last night than any day for about a week. I should have awoken feeling right and spiffy and good. Nope. I woke up with stomach pain. Lots of it. I never wake up with the hunger pains I get when I haven’t eaten for a few hours. I don’t know why that is, but this morning that was exactly what I thought happened. I got up, went down cellar to do my exercise for the day and have a bottle of water. I thought that would alleviate things, at least for a little while. After the exercise was done I could have breakfast and I fully expected that would be the end of that.

Nope. Exercise made it worse and I only got a few ounces of water down before I decided to stop and have breakfast. Unfortunately, eating didn’t help at all. Nope, this is not hunger pain. This is something else. Shit.

I sat there, staring at the walls for a while and then tried to power through these aches and pains. I played some guitar and did some laundry and then went upstairs. In the past, when these out-of-the-blue stomach pain issues hit me (I think there have been five since having the gastric bypass surgery on May 4, 2022… maybe six. I’m losing count) the only thing that gives me any relief is laying down on the floor on my side, curled up in a ball. Yeah, I don’t get it either. Today has not been nearly as bad as the really bad times, but I tried it anyway. I went fetal on the floor in front of my desk and just stayed like that for about an hour. It helped and by 9:00 I was able to get up and punch into work.

That was an hour ago. I’m starting to feel worse again, but is that because I have been up for four hours and have only had four ounces of water? Is it because it’s been almost three hours since I had anything to eat? My water bottle is staring at me. I think I am going to try to have a drink and see how it affects things. Wish me luck, oh my readers and only friends.

I was able to take some pictures in an effort to crank out the photo a day thing. Here’s one that I did not add to the photo a day photo album on Flickr…

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54024995026/in/datetaken/

Here’s another that I did not add to the photo album. The record is The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, side one, by Genesis…

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54025172586/in/datetaken/

Here’s the one I added to the Flickr album. This is the winner. Robin, of course. Photo a day 27/365.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54024273752/in/datetaken/

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/09/27/so-far-so-awful/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #Cat #gastricBypass #gastricBypassSideEffects #Guitar #health #iphoneography #Kitty #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #robin #stomachIssues #stomachPain #weightLossSurgery #z5

I got up super early this morning. I wasn’t planning on it, but I was up and at ’em a little before 5:00am. Yikes!

That let me get all of my exercise in, eat breakfast, water all of the plants, do a couple of little things to help Jen get ready for her in-the-office day, finish my normal morning routine, go to the grocery store and get dinner for tonight, and put vocals on two songs… all before punching into work at 8:45.

Wow… it’s been a long day. I need a nap. Doubly so, thanks to the crummy night’s sleep last night. Damn.

The current music recording project is Quarantine Tunes Volume 8. Four songs underway. One ready to mix, two ready for lead guitars, and one ready for rhythm guitars. How do you like that?

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/05/02/musical-morning-4/

#365 #365Challenge #iphoneography #Music #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #QuarantineTunes #QuarantineTunesVolume8 #QuarantineTunesVolumeEight #Recording #SongWriting #theGreat2015ReRecordingProject

Two days in a row. It is silly how sneaking in 20-30 minutes of guitar playing before work in the morning can just brighten up the whole day. Silly and a little weird, maybe.

I mentioned last night that I started working on a new song for the re-recording project thing. I put rhythm guitars on it this morning after I did my daily exercise and had a quick breakfast. Done and done. I used direct outs from two of my amps again. That’s the norm now. Oh well. It sounded pretty good today. It sounded pretty good yesterday too, I think.

Here’s the obligatory guitar pic. Let’s use it for today’s photo a day project as well. Day 243 of 365. Actually… 366, but we won’t worry about that until the end of the line.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/04/30/more-guitar-2/

#365 #365Challenge #Guitar #iphoneography #Music #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #QuarantineTunes #QuarantineTunesVolume8 #QuarantineTunesVolumeEight #Recording #SongWriting #theGreat2015ReRecordingProject

I mentioned last night that I was hoping to get some guitar playing in before work.

This morning? I got some guitar playing in before work.

I put rhythm guitars on the song I worked on last night, and lead guitars on the only other song I had in progress. I think I might have a little time to add vocals on Thursday morning, so I’m hoping to start another song tonight and put rhythm guitars onto it before work tomorrow. Wednesday is an in the office day so there’s no time for anything there. If I apply myself (HA! Fat chance of that!) I might be able to get to three songs ready to mix by early next week. That would be cool.

The current project is updating, editing, rewriting, and rerecording songs that were originally written for the 2021 Fifty Songs in Ninety Days challenge. I picked 10 songs to focus on. I might decide along the way that some of them are unworthy, but as of now we’re going with 10. Two songs in progress. Many more to mess around with.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/04/29/pre-work-guitars/

#365 #365Challenge #Guitar #iphoneography #Music #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #QuarantineTunes #QuarantineTunesVolume8 #QuarantineTunesVolumeEight #Recording #Rock #SongWriting #theGreat2015ReRecordingProject

Two days in a row my photo a day pic has been taken with an old point and shoot digital camera. What is commonly known by the trendy YouTube photography folks as digicams. Look at me being all trendy and shit.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/04/01/digicams/

#365 #365Challenge #casio #CasioEXS10 #digicam #gibsonEs335Pro #Guitar #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #pointAndShoot

I woke up this morning with every intention of working in the office. Now it’s 9:07am though and I am sitting at my desk at home.

I woke up a touch later than I wanted to, and that was the first issue. By the time I finished my morning exercise (jogging [pronounced yogging] in place for 45 minutes) I just couldn’t bring myself to drive into the office. Instead of packing up my stuff I just ate breakfast and finished the episode of The X-Files that I was watching (the one where the baseball player in the ’40’s is an alien in disguise… not the best episode).

I am still planning on making tomorrow (Saturday) a major musical day. Jen is going to be at a conference all day so I am on my own. The to-do list includes getting a haircut (which I desperately need) and an oil change for one of the cars. Other than that, it’s music. The Record Every Month Challenge and Quarantine Tunes Volume Seven… and maybe a start on Volume Eight too.

I promise you, owe internets, that there will be guitar playing, song writing, and recording done on Saturday. Unless I change my mind and just sleep and watch TV all day, of course.

Anyway, here’s today’s photo a day challenge masterpiece.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/03/22/schedule-shuffle/

#365 #365Challenge #Guitar #Music #Nikon #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #plans #QuarantineTunes #quarantineTunesVolume7 #QuarantineTunesVolume8 #QuarantineTunesVolumeEight #quarantineTunesVolumeSeven #recordEveryMonth #recordEveryMonthChallenge #Recording #remChallenge #SongWriting #theGreat2015ReRecordingProject #toDoList #weekendPlans

We are in our second week or having to come into the office twice per week instead of once. It’s Monday so here I am. At my desk. In the office. Monday feels like a really crappy day to come in, but I need to pick a day to go along with our usual Wednesdays and I don’t want to come in two days in a row and Monday just feels better than Friday so I’m here on Monday. I did Friday last week and the morning commute was all right both days. Friday had the benefit of having far, far fewer people around. Monday has the benefit of getting the second day out of the way really fast. I think we’ll stick with Mondays for now.

My step daughter is flying home tomorrow afternoon. I took the afternoon off so I can get her at the airport. I am thankful to have as much personal time available to me so that I can do stuff like this. It’s a good thing and it makes me happy.

I took a pic this morning. Nothing special but it’s a photo a day challenge kinda thing.

I need a haircut. Did I mention that? Do you care? No? That’s okay. I need a haircut anyway. Just sharing, or maybe just over sharing.

What else… I don’t know. I have a meeting in half an hour. That’s fun, right?

I watched the third episode of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (aka the Rick and Michonne show). It’s the weakest of the three so far (there are three more coming this season), but it was still pretty good. I am pleased with the season to this point but I am hoping the quality goes back up starting next week. No spoilers. If you like The Walking Dead, you should be watching. That is all.

Jen and I have been watching Star Trek: Lower Decks. I started watching Penny Dreadful the other day. I’m still plowing through The X-Files. I watched the first movie after finishing season five. Tomorrow morning I’ll start season six. I’m getting near to the point where Mulder leaves and that’s going to make it hard to power through. I’ll stick with it though. I promise.

Okay, back to work with you, Robert.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/03/11/office-day-3/

#365 #365Challenge #Airport #commute #es335 #es335Pro #Family #gibsonEs335Pro #GibsonGuitar #hybridWorkSchedul #inTheOffice #lowerDecks #Nikon #nikonZ5 #pennyDreadful #personalTime #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #returnToTheOffice #StarTrek #starTrekLowerDecks #Television #theOnesWhoLive #TheWalkingDead #theWalkingDeadTheOnesWhoLive #theXFiles #theXFiles #timeOffWork #vacationTime #work #z5

The progress being made in the kitchen is stunning. The demo is done and they are installing cabinets. It feels like they might be as much as half a day ahead of schedule. We’re already starting to talk about things that weren’t supposed to happen this weekend. Tiling and painting, specifically. The tile guy is coming on Sunday. It’s absolutely nuts!

Anyway, here’s today’s photo a day pic. I took it before the kitchen guys got here this morning because I didn’t know if I would get a chance for anything once the crazy arrived.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/03/01/photo-a-day-14/

#365 #365Challenge #contracotrs #es335 #es335Pro #GibsonES335Pro #Guitar #homeImprovement #homeImprovements #homeOwner #iphoneography #kitchen #kitchenImprovements #kitchenRemodel #kitchenRemodeling #kitchenUpgrades #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography

I will be taking my 335 to the shop in just a few minutes, so I snapped a few pics for luck.

And for added luck, here’s a cat.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/02/10/heading-to-the-shop/

#365 #365Challenge #Cat #es335 #gibsonEs335 #gibsonEs335Pro #GibsonGuitars #Guitar #Kitty #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #robin #z5

It has been a couple of years since we’ve had a snow storm like this. I don’t know what the official snowfall total is for my city, but I live in a spot that is subject to snow drifts and the piles of snow in my front yard were easily over two feet. Down the street from us, the accumulation appears to be a lot smaller. I don’t care about their driveways though. Mine was pummeled. 

Last night I cleared most of the snow off of the three cars in the driveway, shoveled the driveway and the humongous plow snowbank at the end of the driveway, on the street. That was easily three feet deep and packed in tight. It was heavy too. Basically a shoveling worst case scenario. Finally, I dug out the fire hydrant at the end of our front yard. That involves more plow snow bank, just to add insult to injury.

I left a couple of things unfinished. I did not clean off the cars completely. They were still covered with frozen, packed in snow. It was less than an inch of coverage, but it was going to take an ice scraper to clean it off and I didn’t have it in me last night. I also did not shovel a path from the driveway to the door on the side of the house, which includes digging out access to the trash barrels.

My step son, Harry, was supposed to move from our house to his dad’s house for the week yesterday but the snow kept him with us for an extra night. I sincerely thank the snow for that gift of bonus Harry time. That means he is going to leave sometime this afternoon while Jen and I are working. I took a few minutes to fully(ish) clean off the car that was at the end of the driveway (as mentioned there are three cars in the driveway, our Mazda is on the end and Harry’s car is in the middle. The Mazda needs to move so he can get out) so it would be ready to go when he’s ready to leave. Further, that car was down to less than one gallon of gas so I wanted to fill it before I did anything else. 

Fortunately, the ice wasn’t too bad. I started the car and scraped it pretty clean in a short amount of time and then headed to the gas station. It should be noted that the state line between Massachusetts and New Hampshire was, as usual, clearly defined on the roads. Citizens of Massachusetts pay sales tax and income tax. New Hampshire citizens pay neither. The state line is clearly marked by the spot where the road goes from snowy but safely passable (the Massachusetts side of the border) to barely plowed at all and a mess of snowy shit (the New Hampshire side of the border). You see kids, paying taxes means you get services from your government. Services like snow removal after a fucking blizzard. Dig?

Anyway, I went to the gas station which means I had to take pictures as if I were a youtube film photographer even though I am not a youtube film photographer and I took these with my phone.

Speaking of film photography, of course the morning after a huge snow storm had an absolutely glorious sunrise/golden hour which I was not able to take advantage of because mother nature is a friggin’ ass whipe.

The gas station and car clearing process went very quickly which meant I had more time available before I had to start getting ready for work. I was inspired to spend that time finishing off the last of the shoveling. I dug a trench around the side of the house so that I can get the trash barrels to the street tomorrow, and so I can get the daily trash bags out to the barrel from the house. I also dug out the stairs to the door on the side of the house. While in the process I took one final aftermath photo with my phone. This time to give an idea of how deep the snow drifts were. Marvel at the depth…

It was deeper on the cars last night, and I think it is deeper in some spots in the back yard as well.

Well kids, there you have it. The snow removal fun is done. Here’s hoping the temperatures climb unseasonably high over the next few days and most if not all of this shit melt away and never come back. Seriously. I’m making a command decision and moving the whole family to San Diego, pronto. I hate snow.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/01/08/snow-aftermath/

#365 #365Challenge #Blizzard #Family #IHateSnow #iphoneography #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #shovel #shoveling #shovelingSnow #Snow #snowRemoval #Weather #winter

The last post talked about trusting my instincts. A big part of me is wishing I hadn’t written that because for most of this morning my instinct has been telling me that today is going to be a really shitty day.

Why?

I don’t know.

It’s the day before Thanksgiving and I am working in the office. The office alone sort of points to a bad day, but it’s more than that. In the United States, the day before Thanksgiving is traditionally the busiest travel day of the year. Everyone in the country hits the road on this day each year. I expected my morning commute to be an absolute nightmare. Add to the expected gridlock that it was pouring rain outside and it would be safe to assume that the traffic would be a gridlocked nightmare times 10. Nope. There was no traffic at all. Everyone drove a little slower than the speed limit thanks to the rain, but I never had to hit the breaks once over the entire 40-something mile drive. You would think that would ease my sense of impending doom, but nope. Somehow it made it worse.

Today should be a quiet day at work. If the office is anything to go by, it’s dead as can be here. I only see two other people and they both work for me. Weird. I should be feeling optimistic and excited about the coming holiday weekend, but instead I am just dreading everything. Once I get home tonight and see my beloved bride again, I will start feeling really good about the weekend, but until then?

It’s going to be a long, sucky, painful day.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2023/11/22/impending-doom/

#365 #365Challenge #commute #Hipstamatic #Holiday #holidayWeekend #impendingDoom #inTheOffice #instinct #iphoneography #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photography #Thanksgiving #thanksgivingWeekend #trustYourInstinct #work