Since last month when

630 Ched dropped Coast to Coast from its line up, its been a struggle to find other ways to listen to the show. I'm not adverse to spending a paltry sum to become a "Coast Insider," to get the show on my i0s device. My concern is having the show on for several hours and over time what that's going to do to my idevice. What's handy for me by becoming a Coast Insider is I can listen to the show, without recording it. Any show topic at anytime. And that's probably what I'll end up doing. I don't mind listening to Coast the night after the last nights show on You Tube but some topics don't do anything for me. For example, I couldn't care less about DB Cooper, or ghost story shows.  

At this last NAMM 2018 show, Teenage Engineering released 2 new pocket operators: The 33 and 35. These are like samplers, which I find appealing. I have a couple of places in mind to order these at 2 retail stores on either end of the country. Usually these are priced out at about $120. At the moment I'd just like to order 1 of them. I mostly work on i0s devices anyway. Speaking of which I got the latest 11.2.5 update this morning. One thing I wish Apple would address is the lack of stereo on their screen recorder. Maybe they did on this update, I don't know. But I'm going to investigate ordering one of these pocket operators this month.

Anne is off to work on a rare Sunday because the Super bowl is one of their companies mandatory working days. That and New Years. So she ordered us 2 10 inch pizzas and I'll be tucking into that about 4:30pm in a few hours.

I was called in yesterday for tomorrow for my 4-9 shift. Now that the company is under new ownership, with a Edmonton head office, people are wondering if we're going to have more steady employment. Personally I like having the summer off. Our current project is about to wrap up so (I hope) I have a few days lay over until the next project. I've got a lot of stuff to do, like gathering my T4's,
a A1c lab report, ordering my Pocket operator (if it's in stock and depending on what my hours are this week), watching a few hockey games etc. So having a few days off in between projects for Jimmy is good. Even Anne is in favour of this. Anyway, that's about all for now.

Even though its a overcast typical winter

day out there the temperatures are getting better. We're at about -13 now. Its supposed to warm up this week to around -5. If we can get January to remain steady at about -5 to -10, I can live with that.

The other day I stumbled upon a curious device from Moog. Is it another add on for their portable "Minitaur." Upon closer inspection, this thing even though it looked like a Minitaur it had a patch bay. I checked out a review of the recently released "Moog Mother 32," or 32 for our purposes. This thing has a built in step sequencer and a button style keyboard. Ok, nice. I can add this to the file folder for later. Then I came across another You Tube video on the 32 only this time the 32 was cradled into a double stand of some kind and the demonstrator of the 32 was showing how the 32 can be used with modular modules from 3rd party developers. That really caught my attention. The modules and the 32 worked well together and makes the 32 very expandable. I immediately filed the 32 out from the file folder to wish list. I'd like to get into modular synthesis and this lets me get into it without breaking the bank. 

Later this afternoon Anne wants to check out Best buy to see what we can get for a boxing day tv special. I want to go with a smart tv. Then Marks next door to see if they have any mens winter jackets. I'd rather have a winter jacket as mine is still good for another year but showing its wear and tear. I'd rather not use the Visa at all unless its for my lodge dues. Anyway, that's all for now.

It's our exhibition time

here in Edmonton. It used to be called Klondike days, or just K days. A few years ago the city of Edmonton (coe) re branded K days calling it "Capital Ex

for exhibition. I didn't mind Capital Ex as in Edmonton's exhibition. K -days is even worse because it doesn't signify anything. The K in K day's looks like it belongs on a breakfast cereal box. The K day's parade is on at 10am this morning. I hope to be fast asleep. 

Earlier I was looking at bluetooth speakers for my jams but they aren't necessary. I like the Bose mini bluetooth because it has a better sound. At 50 watts, that's pretty good. I can pick up a headphone jack splitter and I'm ready to go. I'm considering the Korg Volca sampler, Beats and the Monotron hand held synth on a account. What I'd really like to get is Roland's System 1m modular synth:. 

 Not much on my plate for today other then making a phone call and watching the Esks/Red blacks game. We're getting some badly needed overnight rain, which is nice. Anyway, that's about all for now.

I don't see the project at work barely getting underway

to be put on pause until September. I got 16 completes Tuesday night as it is. About 50 % of my colleagues are 65 or older and probably wouldn't mind the summer off. Having my ei on hold sure I'd be ok for the summer but some of  my colleagues wouldn't. I'll be calling at 1:15pm to see if there is a shift or my boss could be calling me again. Fortunately I have a full cheque on Friday and my cpp so I could be okay for July.

The downtown arena has about a quarter of its roof built. There is so much going on at the moment. There is construction across the street with the extension of the original strip mall, the Clareview bus barn land is being excavated, Edgewater towers by Stadium is going up, the arena, Royal Alberta museum, City of Edmonton tower, Stantec tower, Delta tower, Charles Ramsey tower, Ultima, Fox 1 and now 2, Mayfair, NorQuest, proposed for this spring, Jasper house 38 stories, Healy ford lands those are out of some 31 projects going on around the city. Also, Blatchford, is in full gear and Metro lrt should be coming online soon and if that's not enough right around the corner is the $1.8B valley line.

Even though I could use another week off, I need my hours. I've got gear I'd like to get, like the Korg Electribe sampler and the Roland jd-x1. I want those 2 pieces of gear before the end of the year. So its imperative I get working today.
Anyway, that's all for now.

Our resident manager had the property manager

on the phone while I was in the office yesterday morning and approved a inspection notice. However if there is any hint or trace of bb activity, then we have to comply to spray. We bought ourselves a week. The inspector will be here none the less Friday morning. We passed the last two inspections in January and February.

So once I know what's going on with my job next week and I get on the schedule, I'm opening up a account with LM for the Electribe sampler when it comes in July. It's a cool piece of gear about the size of my laptop and half as thick. I'm still not giving up on Maschine as its a useful tool for sound design.

On National news last night they had this segment on London's "cross rail" subway project. With 9 stations and 26 kilometers of tunnels, and about 4,000 workers its the largest project of its kind in Europe. Yet a year after our own Metro line has been completed, we can't even get the system online.

I'm enjoying my week off. Last night I watched the Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in a 2-0 win over Tampa Bay. Wow. Then I watched Monday night Raw. I had a great night. Anyway, that's all for now. 

Monday just before noon and I have a coffee here

I'm working on before I get ready, and head out the door for another 4 hour shift.

This week I'm at Lodge Thursday and I'm under some pressure. There's also a budget meeting with the 3 main officers before that. It's going to make for a interesting night. That's the main event for me for this week.  

After doing a bit of research it looks like I'm going to buy the Yamaha Mx49 it acts as a co processor for my old laptop and has a audio interface built in. The guitar tones are VCM (Virtual Circuitry Modeling) not DSP (Digital Signal Processing). Nothing wrong with DSP but VCM is better. Also, with the Mx49 I don't need to take out an account. I can pay for it earning some Scotia scene points. It's going to be a nice Christmas present for me. In December I can work on paying my Lodge dues and getting my wife something for Christmas. The only difference between the MX61 and the MX49 is the number of keys and the price. The 49 fits nicely into my budget. I'll upgrade the PC in the Spring.

It's a nice looking sunny day out there and according to my iTouch, its -7 and most likely a wind chill in the air for my afternoon commute. After work I'm visiting Audrey's books to place a order and then home as it's Monday night Raw for the 10pm show. Anyway, that's all for now. 

For the most part yesterday

I was not watching any TV. Overnight this morning Anne comes in saying former Alberta Premier Ralph Kline had died at the age of 70. I knew that he wouldn't last the year being in palliative care recently. He was suffering from dementia and more recently emphysema and bronchitis. He was a heavy smoker and drinker for most of his life. Even early as Wednesday he was quoted as saying “I’m not dead yet,” he said with a chuckle. Ralph Kline from Calgary Alberta was Alberta's 12th Premier for 14 years. It's been quite the week for Calgary, what losing in a trade Jerome Iginla, their franchise hockey player with the Calgary Flames and now Ralph Kline. 

Tomorrow Anne and I are out off to the movies and I'm looking forward (for "free") the 2nd installment of the new GI Joe movie:
 
 I mean come'on, The Rock, Bruce Willis, how can anyone turn that down? Also, I'm making a pit stop into Games Workshop to see if there's any Warhammer action going on and dinner (not in the food court this time) then the movie and or even Chapters if there's time.

I've been cultivating an interest in basketball lately. Obviously I can't play it but I appreciate the athleticism from watching these guys run up and down the court and pulling off these amazing moves like they do. When basketball highlights come on I don't turn the channel anymore. Being Canadian I support the Toronto Raptors but otherwise I like the "Miami heat" for obvious reasons. 

In the 1960's growing up in Coquitlam BC, our family lived a few blocks away from the Vancouver golf course. The VGC in the 1960's was a great place to get the red huckleberries (these were very plentiful at the VGA and they would be nice and ripe about now.) until they put a fence around it. I'm not a golfer but would like to play as some of the guys in my Lodge play Saturday's in the summer and maybe practice with them a bit. The only problem is it's an expensive sport. A set of clubs (new) can cost about $600+ never mind the cart, balls, shoes and tee time. Frank encouraged me last year to come along to play but I was working Saturdays. I might go out with the boys for a few rounds of golf this summer. Now that I'm not working Saturdays. I have such a history with golf I even worked at the VGC for a couple of weeks back in 1973 but that's another story.    

Last night on her way to work Anne bought from the Dollar ramma across the street these pair of headphones pictured below. This is what I'm looking for a microphone headphone setup with a mic line in. The only problem after trying to figure out how to get my voice sample into Maschine, I'm getting a "shushing sound." I think it's because my threshold was too low. I'm going to tinker around with that for awhile tonight.  

  Monday is the last day of my 5 day weekend and I'm going downtown to Jack's in the Baker Centre and get my haircut and it's Monday night Raw/Oiler's. Tuesday night I'm going to Audrey's for a book signing and pick up my annual hard copy of Robert J Sawyer's new book "Red Planet Blues." The book is going to cost me (90% off due to my Audrey's book club membership) about $10. I've been seeing Rob at Audrey's every year now since "Rollback." I still want to get "Triggers" signed as well. Wednesday/Thursday are 2 more Oiler games but Thursday is Lodge night, that comes first. Friday is about the only night not tied up with anything,so it's going to be a busy week. Oh and there's an Oiler game on tonight, good stuff. Anyway that's about all for now.