20.04.08
    Went weedbusting today, the weather was great, the ivy sucked. We got mired in a patch of vines-like-tree-trunks trapped under deadfall covered over in blackberry. I was hunched over trying to rip up nodes of resilient ivy from the ground, then hauling overly heavy and ungainly bags of plant material. My right hand hurts a bit and the back muscles are letting themselves be known. I’ve probably undone months of semi-correct ergonomic positioning at work and whatever benefits pseudo-yoga afforded me. Still, I hadn’t seen the crew since last summer and we cleaned out a patch pretty well. Also I get to feel like I did something, and have some credentials in talking about environmental remediation.

12.04.08
    Ah, the wonder of the internet. This week I attended a concert by the University’s Indonesian Gamelan (as opposed to say, Scottish Gamelan) orchestra; a pan-ethnic plethora of batik-swaddled students hammering away on an assortment of quasi-xylophones, gongs, drums, and cymbals producing a pleasant polyphony of percussion. Last night was the University Symphony’s seasonal free concert, featuring an American theme night of modern orchestral music. I was rather taken with Hovhaness’ “Meditation on Orpheus” for his innovative use of the range of sounds created by standard instruments, though my companions were less impressed. The first piece from the orchestra was John Adams’ “Short Ride on a Fast Machine”, a driving, rhythmic work described in the program as “highbrow, yet accessible” or something. I’ve been enjoying the availability of Gamelan videos available online and also looked up “Short Ride” only to find a version played on a Gamelan orchestra. If it was already a small world to begin with, the internet has us all arm in arm, or stepping on each others’ toes; or both.

08.04.08
    Today was a particularly vocal day for museum visitors staring at us. Perhaps it was the presence of adults supervising kids that led to the need to explain what we were doing; with varying degrees of accuracy. Of course most people made the erroneous assumption that we’re students, but we were also called “museum scientists” today, which always pleases my supervisor. For me, the science label isn’t that novel. We also had a guy who seemed really into the process, “Nice work if you can get it”, he commented. And it is, despite the minor stresses and partial monotony of shooting your thousandth bowl.

    Also, in tales of freelancing: if you can go to hell for graphic design, I've now crossed that line. Ah well.

06.04.08
    It's funny, I don't feel all that busy, but there are a million different things going on at the same time, all competing for my attention. April has crept up on me like a black cat at night wearing big woolly socks. That may have been the worst metaphor I've ever written. Still, you open your eyes and it's light out during dinner, and the salmonberries are blooming, and the garden is getting unruly, and the weather is ever-so-marginally warmer. Time is short.

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