Δαφνη Ευτυχια Αρθουρος

"But these are not the most dangerous times in American history, despite the self-flattery of our politicians and media. This is a nation that expelled the British, saw the White House burned to the ground in 1814, fought two world wars, and faced down the Soviet Union. Sept. 11 does not justify ignoring the Constitution by creating broad new federal police powers. The rule of law is worthless if we ignore it whenever crises occur." -- Representative Ron Paul (R-TX), 2005-12-27

Dear World,

In the past month, I've seen more and more folks complain about things that have "erked" or "urked" them. I find this quite irksome. Please make it stop.

On the other hand, I have no objection to "urk!" as an interjection.

Last night I prepped the same combo of experimental anti-migraine concoctions I tried New Year's Eve, but with a couple of dosages reduced, hoping that taking them when I woke this morning would make me function well enough to actually get out of the house. Well, I have made it to Arlington -- yay! -- and am now waiting to see whether the crash is bad enough to wipe me out the rest of the day, or I'll get to go to 3LF rehearsal. So far it's not as bad as Saturday, but I'm not all the way into the crash yet. Here's hoping.

One or more elements is still a heck of a diuretic, even at this dosage.

Okay, the bass-guitar solo I was working on that somehow decided it wanted to be in six instead of four also a) has a somewhat "lighter" feel than I'd been aiming for, b) turns out to sound pretty good three octaves higher, and c) fingers reasonably on both recorder and mandolin, so I'm going to think of a new title for that and start over trying to write something with the feel I was initially aiming for. But I'm also going to finish an extended bass-guitar version of the 6/8 tune as well (I'm thinking maybe a "power trio" arrangement with the bass being the lead).

But last night during a failed attempt to sleep, promising ideas came to me for new tunes in 4/4 and 9/8, and a lick in 7/8 from last week popped back into my head. I'm not sure whether they'll wind up related enough to package as a suite, but if they do then I'll have yet another "will I get around to finishing this?" project to work on: a suite of tunes in 1/1, 2/2 or 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 6/8, 7/8, 8/8 or 8/4 (either a 3-3-2, or a 4-4-3-3-2 that I'd already been toying with), and 9/8. Is it worth trying to write something in 10/4, or is that too much like 5 to be worth it?

The challenge, of course, is that each of the tunes has to stand on its own as worth listening to, not merely demonstrate that boring music can be written in any time signature.

Finally, a question: if I've composed something where the 'A' section repeats and has a "first beginning" and "second beginning", is it easier for folks to read if I write it thus:

| first beginning |: 2nd measure | 3rd measure | 4th measure | 5th measure |

                            +------------------------------   +-----------
                            |1.                               |2.
| 6th measure | 7th measure | 8th measure | second beginning :| 8th measure ||

or like this:

2nd time: | second beg. |
|: first beginning | 2nd measure | 3rd measure | 4th measure | 



| 5th measure | 6th measure | 7th measure | 8th measure :|

assuming the engraving package I'm using can do the "extra staff in smaller print for a measure" trick? (Which I think it can.)