The Shortest Distance

"The shortest distance between two points is through Hell."
-Brian Clarke
My Orchestral piece is performed tonight. I hope it pans out for me as far as masters programs go. I would be devastated if somehow I fucked up the recording and couldn't use it. I'm thinking of bringing a MD just to make sure things work out. I'll be playing in the orchestra, so recording might prove to be a bit difficult. I must say that I am surprised that this orchestra piece worked out for me. The orchestra has put a lot of work into it. Now I have to think about something interesting to say about it during the concert.
It was a very good experience. I learned many things in a short period of time.

I'm gonna have to talk a bit about the piece, so i'd rather just thank people. People to thank: -Earl Stafford, for allowing me the opportunity to write a piece, and the orchestra for putting hard work into my piece.

I owe those orchestra players so much!

THE DAY HAS COME

Uncover the secret of dried chickpeas: (check)

Life will never the the same.

Back to the grind!

The Orchestra will be performing my piece Scars of Thunder
On March 30th at the RWB building. Mark Wiser will be performing the first 2 movements of the SaintSeans Piano Concerto.

I'll be playing Constantine's piece Lament for end of Time

Constantine's bass parts are very hard to play in tune. They play like the left hand of a piano part. Not very easy on double bass. They are filled with G flats.

Also, check out TenTooMany's new site! Our CD release is on April 12th, I hope thigns go well. The band has been busting their collective asses to get this thing off the ground. Well.. Nick and Tiffany don't bust any asses, but we like them anyway.


I fucked up today. I somehow got double booked for Orchestra and recording a 3rd year recital. I don't have a clue who this girl is... NEVER piss off a singer when it comes close to curtain. They are like bridezilla but have no husband to direct their wrath.

Things worked out in the end. I hope my reputation hasn't been completely destroyed. It's the first time I made a mistake as a recording tech. I felt like a huge jerk.

ZERO HOUR + 2!

It's Done.

Thank you to all my friends who supported me.
Thank you to all the people involved in putting the show together.

Kevin: Technical/Computer Stuff.
Chris Jhons: Sound/Technical.
Dave: Setup/Equipment.
Paul: Security.
HellBoy: Protecting Kevin's computer from supernatural threats.
All My performers:
TenTooMany and Company: Tear down and moral support.

I got to give people a glimpse of what goes on inside my head when I'm staring blankly, and not listening to them. That feels good for some reason.

I thought that my brain would be able to just relax the minute the show was over. It's funny, but it's almost like it needs to power down like some sort of turbine. My stress level and need to organize minute details is slowly going back to normal. I'm going to use the last fragments of organization power to clean my neglected room, and catch up on some of the school work I have been neglecting over the past few days.

ZERO HOUR!

I have a big day tomorrow. I have to start early. I am so happy that I have so many wonderful friends who are helping me put this show together. I hope people show up! Here is my plan for the day: Anybody is welcome to come and help me at any point during the day... God/Satan knows i'm going to need it.

Wake at 7:00. Finish CD, Practice Borisa's Piece
-Zigg + Stereo + Pics on a CD Add 30 Seconds of Silence to the Track
-DVD
-Borissa's Bass Part
-Deodorant
-Ashes and Ghosts on a Separate CD
-HB shirt, Black Jeans.
1. 9:30 Long and Mcquade pick up equipment. Lights + cables + Mics + Adapters. + Patch Chords for Lexicon.
2. 10:15 Pick up Data Projector from From: room 123 Fletcher Argue Building
3. 10:30: Rajat's thesis
4. 11:00: Pick up Keys for locked Chairs: (Beg Borissa/chris to setup the Altec Speakers for Tape part)
5. 12:00: Borisa's Dress Rehearsal (Get Bass from Annex)
6. 12:30: Record and Play Borissa's Piece.
7. 1:30: Pick up Cast Key's From West. / meet Kevin / Start setting up chairs!
8. 2:00 Get stand lights from Gillis
9. 2:30: Get Sound System from Room 310. Get keys / Meet Dave @ Cast Building.
10. 3:00: Setup Sound Equipment In Cast Building/EvaClare
11. 4:30: Order Pizza + continue Setup: ENTER CHRIS JHONS!
12: 6:45 Eva Clare: Begin Brass/Organ Dress
13: 7:00 Begin Dress with Curtis/Keri/Tim In Cast. Piano Quartet in 310 Dress
14: 7:30: Get things ready in the Hall. Sign People In, (Remember Yourself)
15: 8:00: START. Little Talk Thank yous.
16: 9:00: Paul Secures Cast Building. Move to CAST during Intermission.
17: 9:10: START Little Talk (Score info for panel).
18: XX: Tear down equipment/Chairs. Store school stuff in Room 310. Rental Equipment into Car.
19: YY: *Breathe a sigh of relief*
Saturday 9:30: Return Equipment
Monday: 8:15 SHARP: Return Projector to AV services. Return to normal life.
Extra Things:

1. Duct Tape
2. Marker Tape
3. Masking Tape
4. Extension Chords x 2.
5. Kevin's Camera
6. White Sheet:

Winning Streak!

I have been very luck this past term. Things have been going well for me, and I wonder how long this will last.

I won a call for works for the CCMW.
I get to go to Toronto and have one of my works performed. I also get to work with leaders in the field of electroacoustics in Canada. I have to apply to the Canada council and the Manitoba Artis council for travel money.

Even If I don't get any money and have to shell out a few hundred for a plant ticket, this is going to be fun. I hope to make some good connections. Perhaps find out a bit more about schools and programs.

-Eliot

One sacrifice for the Many... TEN TO MANY!!!

Do you ever have one of those days when you have a billion things to do, and every thing that can go wrong does? Let me tell you a tail! It was a day from hell! but, it has a happy ending!

*All info in stars is something I'm thinking*

7:30: Alarm goes off *Thank god it's Friday, I don't have to go to school until 10:30*
"click"
8:15: Nightmare about some sort of robot snake killing people in assinaboine park:
8:30: *Oh my god! Snakes! ... Oh crap! I have a rehearsal at 9:00 today!*
-Get dressed, no shower, no food, brush teeth go to school.
9:09 no parking in legal places.
9:10: The space was booked, my performers need a new practice space with an organ.
9:20: Practice moved to st jhons colege found.
10:00: Ass Hole administrator power tripping because his life is horrible:
Ass: "What are you guys doing in here?"
Organist "There was an arrangement made, where if I can't use the organ at the school, I can use this one"
Ass: "That must have been under the old administration, things are different now"
Me: *What a fucking loser!*
10:30: Back home, pick up equipment, call craig to make meeting after lunch.
Me: "When can I pick up the CD?"
Craig"Now is good"
Me: "Ok, on my way"
10:40 Craig calls back: "Actually it is going to take about 30 minutes"
Me: "I have a sound check at 11:30 Can I pick it up at 1:30?" Craig: "no."
11:00: at Craig's. CD not ready, he needs to piss around with all sorts of paper work, plus he informs me of changes that need to be done for the graphics.
11:30: Me: *fucking bloody hell! I'm missing orchestration!*
"Craig I have to go"
12:00: Late for sound check: Borisa and company didn't set things up the sound system because they assumed I would do it. Me not being there clearly isn't a good initiative to do it themselves..
12:20: Set up other people's equipment, prepared to record Paul Levaseur's Jury material.
12:30: I'm signing in students at the door, Constantine (Greek conductor) + Musicians walk out on stage before I cue the lights or get into the recording booth. *Jesus Chris! What are those idiots doing!?*
Me: Yelling from the entrance of the hall "Don't start Constantine!!! I'm not even in the booth yet!" Group stands on stage like morons in front of the audience for 3 minutes until I finish signing people in, get the lights and set the levels on the mixer.
1:10: Paul's pieces are done, Now Borissa's stuff.
*I"m going to have to do a sound check in front of the audience! Fuck! How is this possible when i'm a performer?* Plug in all the shit, set the levels mentaly... Right speaker won't work. Oh well. Gotta go anyway... 1 speaker only.
1:30: Performance goes well. Haul away large heavy speakers and equipment. *not my job* clean up stage *not my job* (missed Philosophy class)
2:25: Run to meet Dave, coming out of philosophy so Craig's changes can be made to the album art. Dave didn't go to class. *Fuck!*
3:00: At Dave's House. ring door bell a billion times, bang on door, eventually Dave gets up from his nap.
Dave: WTF!
Me: I need your help!
Dave: I have a calculus exam!
Me: Just change the text and burn the shit! God! *I need some juice*
3:30: polar bear records. Working with graphic designer to fix problems with CD bleed panels.
Talk about album specs, song listings... Flags go up because we don't have a lisense for Ordinary world! *MARK!!!!!!!!!!* Pay 600$ from my credit card for half of CDs.
4:00: Must be home by 4:30 to get dad car... *Rush Hour!! NOOOOOO!*
4:10: Miss turn off route 90.
4:30 in osborne
4:45: get home, scolded for being late.
5:00: I won the CCMW Toronto call for works competition. April 23/24 i'm heading to Toronto to have an electro acoustic piece performed.
5:01: Sleep.

Annual Sword Ritual

Another year has come and gone. I am always amazed at the way one of my most treasured gifts never seems to rust or dull. The only thing that ages is the penny that is taped to the blade. It was supposed to bring luck... But of the three people present when I recieved the gift, i'm the only one left alive.

Once a year (right after festival) I take my Red Katana out of its sheath and repeat the last words Rieja wrote for me.

******

Eliot,

Do you know what I wish?
That we could talk more.
So much has happened that
I think I'm in denial, but,
What I DO know is that
you and I have to see each other
during the summer and years
to come. (I plan to see quite a few of them)

And, through the crazy, confusing
often fun, great and unforgettable
7 years we've spent as friends (And more),
you've never failed to make me laugh and feel
good during times that weren't so great! -_^
See ya during the summer!
Friends Forever,

Rieja.

******

Then, I go to Juniors and order Rieja's favorite (Double Cheese Dog, Plain) And think about all the good times we had together as kids. I learned a lot from her. She taught me everything I know about drawing and graphic design. Each time I sit down to draw, I can always hear her saying: "Eliot! you draw like a coward! You shouldn't be afraid to let the lines fall on the page! What are you afraid of?" She was the only one who saw my drawings and never questioned why they were all monsters and demons.

She never liked endings. I used to lend her my video games and she would get to the end and stop. She just couldn't bring herself to finish it.

Me: "Rieja!!! What is wrong with you? You can't just keep all my games and never finish them! You're right at the end! Just do it! Here... I'll do it for you!"

Rieja: " NO! I don't want to see it!"
Me: "Why?"
Rieja: " I don't know... It seems so final... Once it ends, there is nothing after that. The story ends and the screen goes black! "

Many things Rieja said stuck with me, those last few words bother me to this day.

-Eliot

GONE GONE GONE

I haven't seen Kevin online for over a day! It could only be because he has moved out! Good for you man!

Things are going well for me. Graduation is on the horizon. I know the end of the year is coming up when I see my own posters around the school. One day i'll figure out how to post my own shit on the Internet. Until then, I'll have to let you imagine how cool my poster looks.

It seems like TTM might actually release the album soon! SOON! I know I've been saying that for over a year, but this time I'm serious!