Another Resolution

The Frugal Film Project.

One roll of film per month using a cheap camera and cheap film.

I’ll use my new cheap Soviet medium format camera. I think you’re supposed to use the same film each month but I’ll bend that rule because I don’t want to use black and white all year and the roll in the camera right now is black and white and also I want to feel like a rebel.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

Also the link is to an out of date website. It was replaced by a facebook group and I don’t like linking to facebook. You understand, I’m sure.

Tradition

Last year on New Years Eve my family huddled around the warm glowing warming glow of the television and watched Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

This year we made that viewing a holiday tradition by watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Harry’s expulsion hearing is wrapping up right now.

Worst line in the entire series: Padfoot, are you barking mad? You have to know the story to know why that’s such a terrible line. Just take my word for it.

New Years Eve Bonus!

The plan was to have dinner with the whole family after Jen and I finished work for the day. Then my step daughter, Bellana, was going to head back to Vermont. After that we, meaning me, my wife Jen, and my step son Harry, would ring in the New Year together by probably watching a movie or something. Harry was planning to go back to Vermont on Sunday so we’d have him here for the rest of the week.

Now things have changed! Bellana’s Vermont plans have fallen through and she is staying with us until Sunday too! BONUS!

Our Happy New Years Eve plans just got happier! Both kids are here for the holiday! Awesome!

New Years Eve

Hello and welcome to New Years Eve! 2025, the year that will see the end of US democracy as we know it, is just hours away! I’m working from home today, which is nice. No commutes for me. Just a desk full of fidgety stocking stuffers that Santa Claus brought me this year.

Any plans for first night? Boston throws quite the shindig. Unfortunately for everyone, I am very old now. Well… I’m old but not that old. I could go… I just would rather stay home and veg with my family and then go to sleep at 12:01am.

Here’s to a nice quiet day at work. Fingers crossed.

Happy New Year.

Flashback

I watched a video on youtube tonight of a band playing in a bar in DC back in the late 90’s. I saw the band play in a bar in Cambridge at around the same time… maybe about a year earlier. Whatever. That’s not the point of the post.

The point of the post was that I had what seemed like almost a full sensory flashback. I could smell the cigarette smoke, I could feel my ears ringing from the volume, I could feel the heat of the room and the crush of the people packed into the tiny space… it was weird and also kinda wonderful. The video was 26 years old and I almost felt like I was there.

How weird was that?

Seriously, underground bands playing live in the 90’s was the absolute best musical thing ever. EVER.

In an unrelated note, I have three guitar pedals in my amazon cart right now. If I pull the trigger on it, I hope I’ll have a band to use them with. We’re looking at trying to start up again next month, and next month is the day after tomorrow. Cross those fingers, kids.

Amp Sim

The RPM Challenge opened for sign ups for 2025 today. That seems a smidge early, but who cares. I haven’t signed up yet but I will. Soon. I am starting to feel the pull. I am starting to feel the anticipation. I am starting to look at my pedal board and recording setup at home and think about things I might want to change for this February’s challenge.

Last year I went entirely direct input into my USB audio interface. I have two amps with cab sim line outs and I used them both. Over the course of the last year or so there have been a ton of very good amp simulation pedals released into the world. Most are grossly expensive. TC Electronics has a series that is reasonably priced. Do I want to try one? They have one the sims a Fender Deluxe Reverb. I went looking for one on amazon the other day and they appeared to be out of stock. I checked again today at a couple of music vendor sites and they are definitely available. I must have misread the amazonian’s site somehow.

I would only ever want to use a device like this for home recording when there are people in the house. Otherwise I am playing through a real amp and just try to stop me. The demos for these pedals make it seem like they sound pretty good. Should I try one out? Should I take the amp sim plunge?

Or should I just splurge on an expensive new guitar? Or, should I splurge on an expensive new guitar?