Christmas Staycation

Considering the time between posts, I expect to be slightly tight lipped this time around--for fear of rambling.
One space, not two, after a period is the more common modern practice. In undergraduate classes, I was, shall we say, a bit Victorian on the matter. I also wrote my papers single spaced. It always made for a dramatic reveal when I felt stuck at a point. And yes, I have rambled now. One sentence in and I have successfully rambled.

I suppose I should mention the holiday. I did, in fact, go to the beach; however, the whole day did not seem that much different that most. I did wear festive colors though, so that was fun.

Bokeh seem to dominate pictures this time of year.

So, I wrote this one fairly quickly and with a person and an idea in mind. The vocal loops clip a bit but I suppose I am okay with that. Like I have mentioned before, I am no musical engineer and have not in my possession a studio. It is called

Explanations

Explanations aren't always easy. Sometimes they aren't something pleasing. We all, well, we all tend to argue someway; but, it's okay when it's something playful. All of it doesn't matter when you've got somebody to hold you--even those things that you disagree on, those too. And, like glue, all that remains are the things that we do admire. It's so true: it builds on the affection that it inspires. So, remember, explanations and arguments aside, the only thing left to hide is a smile.

It's weird how this reminds me of my small town but it's right outside my building.

Anyway, my work is done here.

More soon.

Love,

tm

The Veriest Charlie Brown, Linus.

Hanukkah started last night and Christmas is right around the corner. The holidays are upon us. I would probably be lying if I said I was super happy to be spending them in Miami--is asking for a little snow just too much? Though, I do enjoy the prospect of being able to go to the beach on Christmas day if I am so inclined. That would be a first. Well, it might not... I did live in Hawaii when I was a child; so, it is pretty probably that I spent a Christmas on or near a beach. Damn, there goes the first for everything column.
Interjection: this cat really wants to clean my beard... ALL the time.
My favorite thing about this time of year is a combination of things really: winter clothes, snow, breathing really deep through  your nose just to feel the cold air, a red nose on a girl, and the old style Christmas lights at night. I have to admit, though, there is probably more than that.

So, I suppose that I should post more than one song to commemorate the two holidays. Sadly, I am not going to do a Hanukkah song. Instead, I will post an ambient instrumental I did that sounds awfully drenched in a certain culture.
Uta Ichiban

The other, is my hurried and probably off kilter attempt, thanks to you mr. drink, of a Charlie Brown Classic:
Christmastime Is Here

Maybe, sometime soon, I will finish one of those actual songs that I have been working on, but, until then I guess you will have to make due with this.
Love
tm

Put on some old, sad bastard music,

See if I care.

So, apparently I have been addicted to Carmex for like a month or two. I use it so often that when I forget to bring it with me somewhere, I am in complete agony. I am strategically weening myself off of the stuff and drinking tons of water. My body can do the work! I think I usually do that with other things in my life too (like headaches and getting sick--I do not usually take medicine unless I feel I really need to do it).

On lighter news, I am growing a beard, apparently. I have not shaved in a week and a half. It pretty much says that I am resigned to the thought of being single at the moment. Because, honestly, who needs a beard in Miami? Exactly.

Oh, and I bought some spray paint today for a project in the apt. and I think I am going to maybe make a stencil and put some stuff around town. I have been thinking about it ever since I saw Exit Through The Gift Shop, anyway.

If someone could give me a loop pedal or point me in the direction of a super cheap one, that would be amazing. I want to start playing shows again and this thing would make it so much easier being that it caters to the anti-social nature of its user: i.e. I would not have to find other dudes to play parts that I could play.

I figure that recording, even if it is not my own song, is still productivity, right? Anyway, this is a cover of a Doc Watson tune inspiré par Sam Amidon. I wish there was not this thudding noise on the recording.. oh well. It is called...

Wake Up, Little Maggie

Love,

tm

Mim on his Handlebars

I told you that I would be back soon. I think I am hitting that creative time of year. That ring, ding, ding, a-ling time of year? Yes, I just said that. It is probably just that it feels a bit cooler (finally) down here. To be honest, it does not compare to riding a bike in the fall everyday to work in New England. Here, I go the public transit route which is more people watching which is, relatively, the same to and from work. Whereas, the bike ride during the day with the trees and the cold fall air bit at you in a loving way vs the nearly moonlit rides home that were never harrowing but comforting. I would like to be back. But I do like Miami and this cold front is moving in at just the right time.

I cannot tell if I will regret this cup of coffee or not, it being eleven and all. I was talking to my old roommate/band-mate and we are working on collaboration again. This kid is an amazing musician. I like to think that I serve as a pretty good foil to him. I sent him the files to that last song I did and he is toying around with it. So, we will have that up soon too. Productivity, that is the word. Anyway. This one is a continuation of Proof Rock. The uplifting continuation--it picks up right where the other left off and is hugely similar in sound.

Rolling Proof

Even with my eyes closed I'll feel the wind on my face. I can take off these clothes when I get to my place, then, maybe I"ll call. This whole way home I've thought about turning around. Why should I postpone what's running aground? Better left alone doesn't work after all. The rain coming down makes me look okay, but i'd look better with the right part to play; so, with my wet clothes thrown on the floor, come over now--let that boat run ashore. I'm getting tired and I need you here. My eyes are open now, the path is so clear. The wind hugged me but it wasn't you dear. It's sincere: I hope you know that's true. I want to fall asleep while holding on to you and never have to leave. It's the only thing that I want to believe. Let me believe. Oh, please believe. And Don't leave me.

I will see you soon.

love

tm

Do I Dare Disturb The Universe?

It is Halloween, a Monday, and I have the day off. I understand the aversion to one's typical beginning of the week, but I, personally, am not used to the idea of starting off the week with a pause in place of a step. I feel like I should take advantage of the fortuitous placement of Halloween and this Monday devoid of work. I have been entertaining the idea of going as Clark Kent. My hair likes to curl naturally in that way in the front. And, I have found that I can bumble around and be clumsy easily enough. Delightfully meta fiction: I would be dressing up as a character's form of dress up. Cool.

So, Thomas Stearns Eliot and I were getting reacquainted a bit this morning and I decided to do a sketch inspired by his work. When I say inspired, I mean that a few of the images draw heavily (nice way of saying they are basically those images) from his work. I may have too much free time. There is that Updike novel I just started. I could read that. Or, maybe, those Bakhtin essays.
Proof Rock

Words, words, words:
With the buildings drawn in haze and the streetlamps shake and are dripping wet, the collar of my shirt rolls up around my neck comfortingly. It's a different kind of warmth: one I've known before. The moisture allows my hair to keep off my face and I feel more attractive. It lies grounded in place instead of every which way. But it doesn't pull its weight across this divide in my mind. I have only this warmth as company. It assures me so far as I know my blood flows with certainty. The moist wind licks at my face and arms, shown bare from rolled up sleeves. And, I'm only able to squint at where I'm going. Where am I going?

More coming soon. I promise.
Love,
tm

All Cowardice Comes from Not Loving

Or not loving well, which is the same thing.

I have been at the park the last four days in a row. For an hour or so with the ball looking for pick-up games. I just work on my ball control if I cannot find any games going on. I love the idea of getting reacquainted with the game. I feel like if I can have, at the very least, relatively decent control on the ball that it will trickle down into other things. I guess I am just trying to elevate my patience and determination. Ooohh, positivity?? That is weird. Oh, and the "cold" weather is actually quite nice (I say cold because people here think 68 degrees is cold).

Anyway, I have been sitting on this cover of a song for a while; so, since I am not getting any closer to finishing any of my own stuff this month, I recorded this. I think it is a tribute to my mixing skills and how far they have come. (Yeah, right. That is a joke if I have ever heard one. They are still pretty terrible). Anyway, if you have not heard the original, you should (It is by Saves The Day). This band makes me think of high school. Somehow, though, I turned it into a country-esque song. So... yeah.

Take Our Cars Now

So I guess you won't have trouble remembering me someday.

Maybe you'll never remember me.

There's my bit of color for the day, flecked with a bit of pessimism.

Love,

tm

Frankie Say Relax

My creative stamina is a sprinter. You might be able to use track and field analogies to describe the many facets of my personality, but what is the point in going there? That race has been over. Speaking of running, I need a partner for that. What I really need is a road bike. Want and need happen to cross the streams here, I believe. It feels a bit more cluttered with stress, like it mirrored itself.

I have tomorrow off and I am going to relax: watch a couple games, read some, and try to finish some more songs. As for tonight, I think I will go over to the park and kick the ball around a bit before the sun goes down: stretch my legs. Later on, we will see. Anyway, the rambling bit is over--down to business. Simple lyrics with a, less than creative, play on words. Yay.

Tapes on Five

Anyway, I will talk to you all at a later date.
Love you.
tm

I want to be living here within the next five years. When I say want, I mean need.

Here is my beginning. Here it is.

Crunchy Peanut Butter + Nutella = Satisfaction

Does it get any better than that? Well, I guess there's the chocolate shake from Checkers, but that is a crap shoot. See, there's this off chance that they used the banana flavor more recently and it mixes with the chocolate a bit: holy f. Last one I had was perfect. Next one is going to be terrible probably. Peanut butter/Nutella is always a winner.

I thought about doing this today but it rained.

I did go over to the beach and look at shoes and clothes. ( I might have a bit of a problem...) I found a windbreaker that was fucking beautiful. Red and white. I have been into blue a lot lately (weird) but red is so nice. I miss it. Anyway, the music.

A quickie this time. I'm actually about to finish 5 songs at the moment but this one shot out of me tonight. It was my way of keeping myself occupied, I think. So it might not be that great. Where the lyrics were going is a shout out to Jermaine Stewart. Now I just need some cherry wine, uh huh.

Fitting

I will be a quarter century old this month. I'm sitting on a lot of time: these bones. So, there's that.

And there's this.

Anyway, I have to get my fantasy team ready. The season started last week! My weekend mornings are pretty much planned until May.

love

tm

There was no battle.

I feel like I am not utilizing Miami to its full potential. There must be so many more places to see and things to experience that I am not getting. The trouble is finding it. I need a seasoned Miami vet to show me some good stuff because right now I am stuck in the working grind and sticking fairly close to home (granted, transportation may factor in to that as well).

One thing I can be sure of though, I have been sniffing out good food since I arrived. I know of plenty food serving establishments that are cheap and delicious. So, there is that.

So, the whole "headphones as microphone" thing only goes so far before it gets old. I think it is pretty apparent that I did not go to school for any sort of recording industry. One can only mic a mandolin with a pair of headphones and expect a sound to be any more than almost average.

Anyway, here is a new one that is my first mandolin heavy track. Given the rant about my mixing skills, I would listen to this on headphones but turn down the volume for the best experience (it is a bit on the high end at times. It clips in a few places too; so, there's that.)

Exploring Dreams of Loyalty

I cannot believe all the things that I read or else I'd be back at home with my feet up on my desk.
Now, I'm out on the sea to prove there's life happening out by the edge.
So, they tell me, "you're crazy and you'll die alone."

We call out the stars like we call our friends;
but, the names they have aren't the names we miss.
The night is kind to our sunburned skin.
We work for each other so we can get back again.

Some days we're thirsty but we can't drink.
We wait for rain. We're on the brink of
going overboard.

Then we pull together.
We keep the course.
We watch the weather
and heed the force of
the wind in our sails.
My men trust me and that's all that I need.
Believe me.

We call out the stars like we call our friends;
but, the names they have aren't the names we miss.
The night is kind to our sunburned skin.
We work for each other so we can get back again.

So. Enjoy.

Time for hell/work. Whichever you prefer to call it.

Love

tm

To be the carrier of a load which was his own self.

I have been thinking about posture a lot lately. I know that is odd but I guess standing on my feet all the time sort of pushes the thought. I notice older people as they start to hunch forward--turtle over if you will. It instills this sort of preventative fear in me, I think. I do not want that. I suppose morning yoga will be on the agenda more often.

I need to go to the beach soon. It seems to be calling my name. I have a book that needs finishing and relaxing to do. Maybe if it is nice tomorrow I will do that since I have tomorrow off and my soldier will fend off the birds.

But, instead of needing a parasol on the way home from work tonight, its brother, le parapluie, was nearly necessary. Which makes it all the more fitting that I decide to post this one. It is from the unfinished New England ep that I was working on at the end of last year. I picked up my cousin's guitar and played it yesterday and relearned it (it has been forever since I have played too because my fingers were sore). I almost wanted to add more to it and re-record it, but I think it will take away from the sound it has. It has this cheap but warm bedroom feel that I cannot reproduce without that microphone I was using there (need to get that soon).

Anyway, it sounds like a breakup song, or something of the sort; but, I like to think of it as an existential realization song. Someone coming to terms with a change of self. But it's pretty much just about how I rode my bike to work and it always seemed to be raining.

Always Raining

No posting of lyrics this time. But, do you think I should add more? Is it too short or feel unfinished? (I have that fear a lot: wondering if it needs more or is unfinished).

Anyway,

love

tm

The Language of Impossible Stories.

My friend and teacher, Lucia has this idea to explain why attractive girls always dated me. It seems so harsh (she is a nice if brutal woman like that hah). I call it the "Couch" theory. In the same way that someone sees a piece of furniture with potential on the side of the road, these girls see me: a project. Something to mold and impart what they want onto it by way of new upholstery or cushions. I always offered up opposition, but she would have none of it. So, women--of various ends on the attractive spectrum--around Miami are overly flirting with me on a regular basis now (not to be shallow or an asshole in quantifying but it seems the simplest way get my point across). I'm not the guy who gets flirted with by multiple women.
A coworker told me that I now have in my possession; pretty boy swag. So, there is that hah. I am guessing Lucia would still offer up this in response:

This is for my attractive girl.
I hope she likes it--all its frailties aside.

Remember to Save Often

When you smiled at me,
I could forget my name:
it was so good.

It was so long ago.
I'd like you to know that
I'm thinking of you.
This is my way to show it.

I remember a note that you left me
when I was elsewhere.
You wrote it in pink
and dotted the "I" with a heart.
And all I could think:
I knew that you were leaving.

I ran out to find you.
You were already fading.
All the nights that we'd been through
weren't something that I looked at replacing.

Is it easier just to say hello and then rebuild from there?
No one likes to hear when you're alone so just forget the fear.
Tell her how much the air was lifted when she was near.

For my birthday
you got me a present that I'd never had
and you named him after me.

You put the life in both of us:
it was the light inside you.
Him and I, we revoked our love.
We were gravely mistaken.

You can only sit without the light for so long.

We were friends back then, you said.
Like the time you fell in my arms
instead of falling off the bed.
I remember you.

I went to the beach today only to get called in to work. Beach day lasted for nearly an hour and a half. And how fitting that the song that reminds me overtly of her comes on my shuffle. Sing it Bird.
Here is to more on the way soon.

Love,
tm

Mais au-dedans, plus de frontières!

Hey, remember when I said I was going to start writing more? Me too. More than one time too. I think it is born of necessity, really. Having days off and no internet/no roommate to be found caters well to this. My dad is, apparently doing better after having his umpteenth wake up call--so that is good.
My allergies are killing me and my face is itchy from too much beard. Been thinking about switching to a straight razor. Seems more economical: fiscally responsible is the phrase thrown around. So, here is to me not slicing open my throat by accident.
No matter where I move it seems someone would prefer me somewhere else. Miami is fine for now. We'll work things out. Now, people just need to come to visit!
This one is about the new view from out of my window (that has a ledge that makes an amazing bookshelf). A simple melody- short and succinct if undeveloped.
The Light, The Wind

So, this girl I used to be friends with is having a birthday soon. I'm writing a song for it. I'll be back soon.
Love,
tm

Everything is possible in possibility.

It's been a while since I have done some public speaking. I'm in Miami now (without a computer for the moment). I'm writing stuff on mandolin because it is what I got. Oh and a bit of stuff on the keyboard which is nice. Getting back into the physical with regard to songwriting, but I guess I'm not getting carried away with the possibility (thanks Kierkegaard).
How about a bit more of an update: I am now a glorified security guard and trying to see as many shows down here as I can. Still trying to figure out what the music scene is like by making friends with kids in bands and maybe some music writers. We'll see about it. Miami is pretty amazing so far though.

Anyway, since I do not have a computer to really track out any of the material I have, I figured I would post some remix/mashup stuff I did back in the cold cold north.
First up is a mashup that I'm really surprised works so well.
Washed Out vs Rick Ross - Feel The Aston Martin Music


And secondly, a remix of a 90s mainstay that will never reach fruition or maybe it is already ripened. I suppose you can be the deciding factor on that one.
Atimallen vs Lisa Loeb - Stay Unfinished


Ok then, enough of this. Doing this from my phone has taken forever. Done.
Love
tm