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| Monday, October 30th, 2006 | | 11:31 am |
November looming
Here comes November, the month that turns leaves to dust, when the ground stiffens and your hands and start to become permanently cold. Last year's November was a bit of an unreality. I thought I had completely lost my mind. I had this feeling that the whole world was going to crumble me and the only thing I could do was stare at the wall write some music. Some of the songs became part of Todd's gritty film about a jetsetting male prostitute, shot entirely on a mobile phone camera. I had to srite 80 minutes worth of music with no gaps, a big feat. I'm compiling a few of them, plus some remixes off of my last two albums for a new CD. I've been working obsessively fo at least a few hours everyday, and with a screening later this month, I had better be ready! Here's t November being slightly less choatic and nasty. | | Thursday, September 21st, 2006 | | 3:04 pm |
How to put together an 80's compilation, Part 1
Putting together a good top five song CD or a good compilation that defines a period of your life is difficult, as the old adage goes -- At best. I decided to take a pragmatic approach, one that works when I'm putting my own music together. Find out what song you'd like to begin with, what song you'd like to end with and then fill out the middle, ejecting the songs you thought would sound good, but didn't cut it because of some annoying turnaround or middle-8-bar nonsense or it was crap and it you didn't remember it that way. Hey, these were the 80's. Yes, a time when almost every flipping song had a 10-second fadeout. Where's my turntable when I need it? My principles in this definitive 80's compilation are: Good musicianship (programming a drum machine counts here), a hook I can listen to over and over again, and a nice groove. I'm excited. All I can tell you is that it starts with "Cars" by Gary Newman and ends with "Burning down the house" by Talking heads. | | Friday, May 12th, 2006 | | 9:24 pm |
| | Wednesday, January 18th, 2006 | | 8:41 pm |
And on my way out...
Seems like a I have a bit to catch up on. If I didn't have jet lag before, I do now. My mouth tastes like sandpaper. Arrived on Tuesday amongst the pandemonium of people working, children and the need for food. Pizza! A quiet drink and retirement. Wednesday...shopping and the possibility of going out for our first night of craziness to celebrate Andy's birthday, but no, he got sick, so we all stayed out for a drink and Zoltan and I retired to smoking the good stuff and drinking the good wine. Thursday, I went to the old EU work-stead and instantly declared that I would re-design the logo. Oops, not a good idea if I want to work there again. Then again, it's what they liked me for when they hired me... Friday was all about dancing, dry-humping and debauchery, albeit we were relatively light on the booze. Six Rum Coolers and a single shot of tequila? Light boys, light. No Absinthe. However, we were up till the sun came out and danced out asses off. "Bob Dobolina, Mister Bob Dobolina" anyone? Danced like a robot I remember. No hangover! Saturday was going to market and picking up ingredients for a veal stew and a rare tuna steak with ginger for Andy and Paola (minus the kids for a change). Yum. Now I am sitting on the Eurostar to London after sleeping (or not) on the overnight from Turin to Paris. The Metro was mad this morning. All I wanted to do was fall over from exhaustion. Missing the big A- Can't wait for our big date on Saturday night. What will we do? There's so much we can do that I'll probably draw a blank -- Am already overwhelmed with the choices. When your gal's got a kid, there's a lot you don't do. Then again, there's a lot you do get to do quite regularly, which is nice. I just the sign for Calais, which signalled our descent into the Channel Tunnel. Now the man is over the speaker now saying as much. I've done this journey so many times going to London from Turin on emergency trips for Emma. Over for the weekend or just a couple of days and then back to Turin for work. Nuts. Yes, I realise this is the first time I've mentioned her in this, but I have had my moments. Like now. Jesus. To had the energy to balance two completely different lives and still remember my own life before I came here. I don't think I did. I practically reinvented myself when I came here. In Turin I am a fun-loving and care free guy. In London I have brains. In Boston I have a past and it seems not even my oldest friends like me (except for Tom, who doesn't count because he lives in DC). I do have some good people in Boston (especially two fantastic people with four crazy cats). It's just cutting off the haemorrhaging fat that people become when all they see in you is what they thought you were before your girlfriend died of cancer and you lived in two other countries for several years. And on that note, the absolute craziness and fright that I had when I was in Boston is gone. I am here. Like I said before, I am home here, not the other way around. Just like the time when I was 16 I said "Oh, London, I'd like to live there some day." Or when I said "I'm going to Live here some day" when I was 23. Or when I said "I will live here again under different circumstances." What was when I left on this very same train in the opposite direction. Time to get cracking then... As is tradition I am listening to "Lady" by Fela Kuti. He should start singing at about the time we get out of this tunnel in Ashford. Have I got the timing right? Might be a wee off. Nope. Just a little off. Oh, and it's raining in Britain! How unusual? | | 8:40 pm |
Turin -- No brakes needed
I've just seen the landscape go from foggy to completely bright and sunny and clear to covered in white, trees and all. France is diverse indeed. Last time I was here it was nearly boiling and I was carrying too much. Still not too sure I didn't bring two much: A backpack and a rucksack. What the hell do I need all this shit for? Oh yeah, underwear and computer related stuff. I reckon if I rid myself of this laptop in favour of a pen and pad I'd have much less -- But you wouldn't be reading this would you now? I can't read my own handwriting. | | 8:40 pm |
Paris bound
Listening to La Ritournelle Just hopped onto the Eurostar. This is the same train I used to hear going by my flat in Vauxhall every 20 minutes or so. The rhythm of the trains would start at around 6:30 and continue on until after I'd get back from the pub or work (most likely). The last one would hum by like a phantom and disappear, taking with it the rest of the night, leaving nothing but empty tracks. It's going to be 2 hours on this train, get off, Paris RER to Gare de Lyon for a 5 hour journey on the Eurostar to Turin. Just like old times. Went out to a nice pub with Kal and Peter last night called the Jerusalem Tavern, which serves only Organic ales (why can't we get quality cask ale in the US?). Then Kal gave me a ride on the back of his scooter to meet Elise! Side note: I just saw the most beautiful sandy brown horse outside of the window. Elise, Chris and I talked about going nuts in our thirties. Is it that all of the heavy stuff happens when you're this age or is it that you just realise your own mortality? We're at the bridge that connects youth with old age, looking over our collective shoulders, pining, whilst having to accept the inevitable sagging of skin and the creaking of bones. It may also be that the earliest memories of my own parents are when they were about my age. I definitely look like my mother. My was just thinking about getting older again. Of course my parents are getting older. I'm getting older. That's clear. But it's seeing all of my friends looking older is what's bothering me. I bumped into a friend in Boston with J- that we both used to work with and I commented that his cheeks looked sullen and his face looked gaunt and the crow's feet were deepening. J- didn't bat an eyelid at it -- Maybe I'm just getting more sensitive to it. I've definitely looked more sprightly and youthful myself. We're in the channel tunnel. I'm listening to the Cocteau Twins. I'm probably not wearing enough black because I'm still wearing grey socks. | | 8:39 pm |
I've been down that road before
Well, what have I done in the past couple of days? I've caught up with friends, seen art and bought loads of stuff I can't find in the States. It's not at all what I thought it would be like. I have absolutely no problem going anywhere. It's more about the people than anything else. If I can just sort out the the people who are good for me from the people who are not, I'll be fine. So far, it's all been good. In fact people have been tremendous, spontaneous, intelligent and above all warm and friendly. Who could ask for anything more? Simon and Carolyn for one are both not only tremendous urns of knowledge, but they're also compassionate and respecting. Their relationship with one another is fresh -- I was surprised that they have been going out for 5 years. Maybe now I'll be able to sleep through the whole night as A- has suggested. She's probably right about this thing as a wrap up of just a particular moment in time. Damn she's smart. Now if I can just get this @£$%ing iPhoto to stop being so slow, I'd get to posting some photos here. | | Friday, January 6th, 2006 | | 5:15 pm |
The Big Smoke Day 1
I'm at my old work as I type this. I was so excited that my girl dropped me at the airport! Her excitement must have rubbed off on me because as soon as we took off, I dozed off. No movie, just me drooling on the guy's shoulder next to me. Note to self: Don't drink so much with happy pills. So, I arrived, took the tube for the first time from Heathrow and could get my damn oystercard to work! Sorted that out and went straight to Vauxhall for a good morning full English breakfast from the good people at the Kennington cafe who still warmly remembered me. I stopped by my old house, took a walk around and went to Ellie's new place. Then I fell over and slept through a hoover, a screaming child, the banging of dishes and a delivery man. Took some more photos of the Elephant & Castle, picked up some tea and came straight here. Not bad for someone who doesn't know what time zone they're in yet. | | Monday, December 19th, 2005 | | 6:33 am |
This late in the day, so early
4 am. The witching hour. Seems like I wake up almost every day at this time until the sun comes up. In December it takes longer. I reckon I'll be up for a full 3 hours until I can safely rest my head. I have a lot on my mind. I returned from living abroad for 2 years after watching someone I cared for die of cancer...It's the Holidays, which haven't been very happy for a few years. That and I don't like my home town too much. It's all a mess. Best just to wade through it best I can and hit the reset button. Good news, though. I've just finished uploading my most recent album for mastering. And I start teaching at the end of January!  | | Monday, July 11th, 2005 | | 12:02 am |
The tube is fantastic.
 I lived in London until recently and spent a lot of time before that working and visiting. I rode the tube a lot. I have been thinking a lot of riding the tube lately, of examining people and making stories up in my mind about them. What happened last week took the wind out my sails. I agree with red Ken: sod off whoever did this. I took a lot of pictures. I took pictures on my way home from the numerous jobs I had all over town, a town I discovered little by little above ground and by the people who rode the tube with me. I learned more about London from the tired, the drunk, the well-dressed and even the late-night burger king eaters than I did from some of the offices I worked in. What I have online is but a small number of photographs I've taken over 4 years. Have a look here: http://www.owensdesign.co.uk/pictures/index.html Current Mood:  sad | | Wednesday, January 26th, 2005 | | 11:03 pm |
Music update 1
24 songs, two albums and no gall to get moving on it. The first album is going to be a return to Spaghetti Western. The second will be a mostly sung poppy album in a more or less rockish format. I have 3 songs to do vocals on. 2 of those songs need lyrics. The first song to get lyric is "New new England" and the other is one with a working title called "soulful." New new England is somewhat about my experience of working in the Canary Wharf for a brief period of time. What a scary place. Look for some finished product in February. Colin ---> Current Mood: still tired | | 10:12 pm |
Blackout
There was a blackout in in my neighbourhood last night. It shut down the tube and rendered a few of us confused. I went out with my digital and took some shots...The bus station that is supposed to be powered by solar panels on the roof? A sham, apparently.  I did get some excellent photos for my forthcoming series "Vauxhall Days." Current Mood:  tired | | Saturday, January 1st, 2005 | | 10:41 pm |
Plans
There are good years and bad years. Most years aren't actually years, but a collection of experiences you have during some of yor life. I have had a collection of experiences this year that have taught me lessons about how people behave. Mostly, I've seen denial and avoidance and downright nastiness. That may be where I live too. But there are a few shining beacons of light. People that helped me out so much that it more than makes up for the people don't appear to be in the same gene pool. I have a few resolutions for this odd year:
- Move out of London
- Pay attention to the people who like me, ignore the ones who don't.
- Quit smoking. This one has been surprisingly easy. I quit over a week ago.
- Travel a lot and try to be more open minded.
- Write more music and find a new director to work with.
- write a book. fiction.
Moving out of London is tops on the list. I think moving out of London means moving out of the UK and back to the US. It's not-so-surprisingly easy for me to move around in the US. Living in London is like attaching a vaccuum cleaner to your Bank account and hitting the on button. I can count the number of people I socialise with with on a regular basis on one hand and that includes their spouses too. The others are people who make false promises to hang out, one of whom has been bullshitting to hang out with me for over a year. Boston will be nice for a while, but it will drive me mental. I know everyone there. It's either Australia or New York. New York gives me London in a smaller bundle with home only a few hours away. Why the hell not? | | Friday, November 5th, 2004 | | 11:31 pm |
I know why you aren't talking
I haven't spoken to my friends and family since the election and I am beginning to suspect embarrassment. The election was a disaster, not because the Democrats lost out so largely, but because there is now a unilaterally complete conservative government. Losing the Presidency was not embarrassing. Losing the Senate Majority Leader, the Senate, the Presidency and the potential to nominate two liberal Chief Justices is a disaster. That is to say, there is now only one voice and if you are left leaning, that voice will not be yours. And that's when government doesn't work. That is to say, we are not the great diverse America we used to be. I have several questions I hope we can answer over the next few years: Why is it we become involved with politics too much and too late? Why are the so-called "they" more clever than the so-called intellectual "us"? Why do we see ourselves as Democrats versus Republicans? This bipartisan black and white division does not hold as much weight in other first world countries. Why are we surprised that the federal government is now overwhelmingly Republican when the states that put those Republicans into office put up new marriage and pregnancy termination bills in front of voters? And with that, why are we, as Americans so insular and inward looking? Are we not children who want what we want do do not want to share it with others? Why do we view the rest of the world as curiosity? Why do we look upon anyone with disdain who disagree with American policy? | | 10:24 am |
Comments made to another site about the election
My more recent post is more lucid, but I liked the styling of this writing better: Remember that finding the Weapons of Mass Destruction was not an issue to the people of the US. the fact that Bush lied and lied and lied again was not the issue. What seemed more important to people was the right tell a mother when terminating her pregancy was correct and whether or not a gay person could marry and; Which man can get us the hell out of this one? Twenty five percent of the American population or slightly over half of the people said "bush." American issues are sadly American issues. the rest of the world is quite small from the inside. Sir, take a look at what really happened in this election. The liberals lost the majority in the upper house, lost their chance in the big seat and two new conservative supreme court appointees within this term. Any bill that is far right will pass through both house with ease. Any proposed bill would have to have the sealed kiss of a conservative. It would seem the sacred triangle of balance has been focused quite conservatively. What you're looking at is not another fours years, but a whole new meaning to the term "Four long years." | | Monday, October 11th, 2004 | | 10:12 pm |
London Fog
I was inspired by knome to write something about someone close to you passing after reading his journal. I haven't really been able to piece together what's happened in my mind, so maybe I'll try to do it here. I won't get it all done on one journal entry or one page, but I'll here's the first piece: About 8 months ago, my girlfriend died. 8 Months and fours days to be almost exact. She was 36 and I was 30. Our relationship lasted for nearly two years. We met at work and dated for almost a year before any of our co-workers found out. We loved well and fought well. We had excellent times and horrible moments and we always made up, in spades. We shared many of the same interests and she was just as coy and annoying as I was. that's what made me instantly attracted to her. I met Emma when I was working one day. I had just recently discovered AOL instant messenger, as many of my coworkers didn't believe in talking face to face, even though they sat in rooms within close proximity. I received a message from a name I didn't know. It said something like "Hello, I work with you." I replied "who are you?" She wrote back "I work for D--- in London." We exchanged pleasantries and that was how I met Em. A little while later, she came to Boston on a business trip and I met Emma face-to face. I remarked that the girl had a large, pretty face and a small body. She was cute and strangely attractive. Lost for something to do, We all went out for drinks as a company outing and then I took the Brits out for a few drinks at a favourite local pub I was sure none of the other people would go to. Sometime later in the evening we started flirting and when it came time to take cabs back, I sent her boss in one cab and took the other one with her. We went back to her hotel room. I slept in the other bed. We chatted like girls. I got a text from her the next day from her: "Hello, did we miss an opportunity?" I was a texting moron, so I didn't reply. I got an email from her private email account entitled "I think we're alone now" that said "I cannot tell if my modem has failed or the text service doesn't work or you're asleep or at a party or busy or ignoring me or you aren't working on the same etiquette lines as we brits." I wrote her back and invited her to dinner at my place. She wrote back "I think I am traveling back thursday night though I may extend it depending on how I'm getting on with work." She extended her trip. We made it official the day she came over for dinner. Tuesday, Feb 26th, 2002. We had Spaghetti and Meatballs and a bottle of wine. It was probably chianti. | | Saturday, October 9th, 2004 | | 11:16 am |
It's been a long time since I've rock and rolled
It's Saturday morning and the lady upstairs is hoovering her carpet. She's a canadian playwright who pretends to be an administrative assistant by day. Her boyfriend once tried to jam his key in my door. When I presented myself in a towel at the door, he thought twice, apologised and left. Anyway, enough about me, how about more of me? I've been ill. I'm still sneaking the odd cigarette, but I know it's bad for me. I've seen the evidence at the end of one of my great coughing experiments. The kind that makes me look like a cat caught in a battle with a furball. I find faking that I don't smoke in front of other people reduces my overall intake, and right now that's good enough. Eh? So, this morning I'm freezing my ass off in my unheated apartment and trying to get some music done. I'm the guy downstairs who's actually a musician, but by day I work as a corporate whore translating bad business ideas into unusable products. That's it...for now. | | Saturday, December 13th, 2003 | | 1:45 pm |
Bank Details
If you're a multinational and you don't have a bank account in the UK and you'd like one -- Good luck. All you need is a proof of address and your passport, which should be easy enough. It's not. When you walk into the bank they change the rules on you on the fly. The first 8 banks I went to flat out refused me. One -- HSBC -- was over the top. Some woman stepped on my foot on her way to her office. Turns out she was the one to interview me later and ultimately refuse my application. Not even with a 3500 GBP cheque. Guess they didn't want my money. IF you want a bank account go to Lloyds TSB or Citibank and ask for their worldwide or international branches. Make sure you have your council tax or british gas paid for and documented under your name and bring a passport. That's all it takes. Good luck. | | Sunday, November 30th, 2003 | | 1:00 pm |
Update
Turin: 2 parties, a fabulous lunch with my workmates and a night out before I got on the train the next morning. Who could ask for anything more? Party 1: Porno. People got dressed up in their own interpretation of the 'meaning' of porno. Karelle and Robbie were schoolgirls, Andy had a life preserver that had a girl'[s head on it facing inwards, Ian looked like a right porn star, Arlene was a bar slut and I had a shirt with hardcore porno all over it. We ended the party and went over to the usual haunt, KM5 and most of us don't remember what happened there and we prefer to keep it that way. Probably the best party I've ever been to or hosted. Party 2: Uniform. It was just a loose theme, so not much to report here except a lot of bar dancing, and of course an unplanned stage dive by yours truly. It was good to see the people I hadn't seen the week before. My last day of work: We went to our favourite local restaurant and they gave me 8 bottle of wine! Night before I left: Once again, absynthe. Nasty stuff. But we had lovely wine before that. I think more people showed up to this than 'Uniform.' Traveling: Remember to send all of your stuff over minus what you wear and what you need to keep yourself clean. I transported a very large duffelbag, my standard suitcase, a bag with my Emu Groovebox in it and 24 bottles of wine. The wine was the downfall. The Samsonite trolley I bought didn't carry the weight designated on the package and broke. 24 bottles of wine hardly equals 40 kilos. I cursed it and left it in Paris Nord station. It was sort of useful up until then. I still had to keep stacking boxes every time I got onto the train, but luckily the carriage didn't run out of room like it usually does, leaving your stuff strewn in the passageways. I took the Eurostar from Turin to Paris was lovely and at one point we stopped in the middle of a field in France full of Rapeseed flowers, which was nice. I hired a porter in Lyon station and a taxi to paris Nord. I got on the train wihtout a hitch. No problems with security in Paris. Had I had problems I would have been there for hours while they took all of my worldly posessions out and examined them. Waterloo station was even stranger. I stacked all of my stuff and headed down the ramp, bracing myself for the usual interrogation I get when I get back to the UK. They love me. I once spent 2 hours in detention before they let me go with no justifiable cause. And they're more methodical than the French. Lord only knows how long it would have taken to go through all of my stuff. Anyway, All I saw when I came down the ramp was one Eurostar employee with her walkie talkie. I asked her where customs was and she said I was looking at it. I was disappointed. I wanted to put up a fight, but coincidentally Georgie Bush was in town and I gues they were elsewhere. London: Getting settled, figuring out what Em can eat and gettinga job. This is ongoing. | | Wednesday, November 12th, 2003 | | 11:50 am |
National Identity -- Their eyes are watching yours
Arrest me. I am a foreign national. I am not one of you. I am a holder of two passports and that irritates at least a few governments, no least of which the government whose country I was born in. The other government bothered by this would like me to identify me as a dual national at all times, against the EU charter that defines a European national no matter where else you hold a home or passport. I read an <a href="http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,11026,1083046,00.html>article in the Guardian </a> this morning that says that the UK is setting up a national identity card system with biometric scanning devices to match up the cards with their proper owners. This is not a problem. Most European countries mandate that their nationals have one and it's sometimes easier to carry a national ID card over the border, from say France to Italy, instead of finding your passport in that dusty shoebox.
It goes beyond that.
The problem is that the UK is a culturally wonderful country and an indecent country politically. The other problem is that the UK has a bad technology track record. They spent loads of money with Fujitsu to develop national court record systems that don't work and won't work. They should look into the practicality and cons of what they're proposing.
Identity theft in the biometric world is more finite than losing your key. Once someone theoretically steals my thumbprint, my whole life, including my bank account, my car and everything else could suddenly become someone else's.
Eye scans are the subject of the book and movie "Minority Report." The main character gets around the fact that he's a wanted man by having his eyeballs replaced. I suppose it's possible in the future tense world to have parts of your body replaced. So in theory, think of the possibilities for abuse. If you were rich and criminally predisposed, you could change whatever is biometrically fashionable to scan for every year or so.
It just ups the anti for the good guys and the bad guys. Evading the police and doing some really nasty things to normal people could become a sport. Governments call this terrorism. Terrorist call it fighting for freedom. The rest of us just wish everyone could stop killing each other. This whole thing could quite possibly make the world a much more scary place. What the hell is this going to solve? I don't see it.
Why not take a personal approach?
Every time I go to and from the UK from 'the continent' I feel like the officials from the Home Office really don't want me there. I've had run-ins with the customs people and the National Insurance system. I'm an Irish citizen, which is almost as good as being a British citizen (hell, when my grandfather left Ireland, he still had his old British issued certificate). I pay taxes in several countries. I have no criminal history. I work for the European Government as a civil servant. I have a good business track record and I can generate cash for the system.
But why do I feel lower than a refugee every time I step over the border? Why do I feel like I've done something wrong when I clearly haven't? About the worst thing I've ever done is to carry a knife that exceeded the length requirements by 1 mm. When they confiscated it, it still had crusty cheshire on the blade. So what, I killed a round of cheddar.
Back to biometrics and government scare tactics.
People need to use caution when dealing with other people, particularly when they are different from you. Intolerance is the opposite of patience. Embrace the different. Treat others kindly. Deal with those whole betray you with equal justice and only in front of impartial judge and jury.
Nationality is a matter of patriotism in service to the incumbent government. Be a patriot of the world. Embrace it all. |
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