Δαφνη Ευτυχια Αρθουρος

"Funny how much there is to say about felines." -- anniemal, 2004-05-06

I need to get better at doing triage on my to-do list. Yesterday I thought I was doing okay, but I gradually started moving more slowly as the afternoon went on and I tried to get more done, until evening when I finally noticed how tired I was. I thought if I postponed the errand I had planned to do on the way to rehearsal, and allowed myself to show up late, the extra time might be enough to get myself feeling well enough to get there. It wasn't. So both rehearsals missed again this week, and both groups have gigs this weekend, and that makes missing rehearsals very much not a good thing. :-( Today I've already put off some of what I had planned to do (some must get done tomorrow though) and am trying to stay focused on: a) doing things directly related to the gigs this weekend, and b) paying attention to what my body is doing and trying to get my alert/drowsy cycle timed so as to make the weekend work.

I did finally get the 12-string restrung (which I'd meant to do three gigs ago), and if I have the energy I'll do the 6-string as well, so that both will have time to "settle in" before I play them on stage. The 12-string is tuned to concert pitch for the night for the strings to stretch out (I usually keep it a full-step low and capo it back up to concert, like a lot of other 12-string owners), but I want them to have a night at the tension they'll be at for Saturday as well. One doesn't absolutely need such a long ritual for changing strings, but it does seem to reduce the amount of time I spend retuning during performances.

Before I put the 12-string back in its case, I spent a little while playing it loudly, 'cause it sounds different tuned up (as well as sounding nicer with brand new strings). I like both sounds. Then I slapped the capo on at the fifth fret and let my left hand pull chord progressions out of the air, enjoying that high, ringy tone. While it's not exactly a high-priority item on my wishlist, I would get a lot of enjoyment out of a 3/4-scale 12-string designed to be tuned up that high. Then again, I'd probably have fun with a tenor guitar, too.

Anyhow, I'm currently trying to decide between dealing with the 6-string, finding something dinner-like, or taking a nap. In the meantime, here's the coming weekend:

The Homespun Ceilidh Band will be performing at the Anne Arundel Scottish Festival and Highland Games at the Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds in Crownsville, Maryland, on Saturday, 9 October at various not-yet-determined times throughout the day (which runs from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM). Admission: $10/adults; $8/seniors; $3/ages 12-18; free for children younger than 12.

Thrir Venstri Foetr / Three Left Feet is performing both Saturday and Sunday, 9 and 10 October, at noon and 2:30 PM, at the Hastings Medeival Faire at Marietta Mansion in Glen Dale Maryland. Admission: $5/adults, $2/ages 4-18, free ages 3 & under. (The event runs 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.) Obviously I'll only be performing with them on Sunday.

For anyone close enough to be thinking about coming but not quite familiar enough with local geography to be sure what these places are close to: the Anne Arundel County Fairground is within trebuchet range of the Maryland Renaissance Festival, and Marietta Mansion is about halfway between Greenbelt and Bowie.