A proper start

More reading today (I suspect there’ll be a lot of this!) – finished Chapter 1 of the HTML 5 book and now powering through Chapter 2. Very interesting to read about the outline model – that’s going to have interesting implications in the future. Plus it appeals to my cataloguer’s heart

Also made a rough list of content I want to include in the site and started thinking about how to display it, esp on the homepage. Currently thinking along infographic lines. Possibly not hugely original, but I’ve got to start somewhere. Most of the designs I’ve made for this site in the past have never got past the scribble stage simply because I lack the illustration skills to make them work. At least flowcharts don’t require much in the way of drawing!

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Finished Art & Fear

For the second time. That’s one powerful book. It totally captures the wonder and massive insecurities of being an artist. I think this should be required reading for anyone who lives with an artist and isn’t one themselves. And even if they are, then I’d probably recommend it. I’m hoping to do a proper book review of it soon, but first need to sort out this house business first – putting in a lease application in the morning, then signing the lease probably on Thursday. Moving in about a month, it seems, so regular posting should hopefully resume after that.

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Wrote a list of everything I’m trying to do

It filled a whole A4 page. Without really trying. Which is rather scary, I think. Conclusion: I’m expecting too much of myself, and because I’m too tired to be rational, I’m blaming others for not apparently putting in as much effort as I’d like them too (even though they have their own stuff going on). I think this has been useful. Unfortunately there’s very little I can ditch off the list right now, but at least now I have a better handle on why I’m falling apart so I can hopefully be a bit kinder to myself and a bit more forgiving of others. Or at least that’s the plan. Oh look – a plan. That’s another thing for the list. *sigh*

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Played my first-ever game of foosball

Not a great talent in the making, but I don’t think I made a total fool of myself either. Scored a couple of goals even!

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Played around with my new camera

Found an interesting-looking graffittied gate on Brick Lane on my way to the station and just had to pull out my new camera and have a play.

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Started to learn (properly) about Subversion

Maybe not hugely creative but necessary knowledge anyway. And with the immininent departure of our resident command-line guru, it’s sort of a self-preservation measure too. Should know it anyway though…

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Worked through compound time

Yup, Chapter 5 done & dusted. Quite straightforward really, especially considering the minor scales chapter. Also settled on a text for the choral piece – Edgar Allen Poe’s sonnet on Silence. Yes, I get the irony of writing a piece for multiple voices on ’silence’ but nevertheless, I think it’s the best poem for the task in hand.

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Learnt all about minor scales

Understanding a LOT more than ever before, thanks to new book’s approach focusing on pentachord/tetrachord combinations rather than just lonely scale degrees. Trying to hammer in basic info about modes too (Ionian – Dorian – Phrygian – Lydian – Mixolydian – Aeolian – Locrian. ‘Major’ modes are Ionian, Lydian, Mixolydian; ‘Minor’ modes are Aeolian, Dorian Phrygian. See how I didn’t look any of that up? I bet you’re impressed, huh? )

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Worked on rhythm & metre

Chapter 2 of the new book was on rhythm and metre. I’m really enjoying this actually, even though everything’s so simple – it’s all stuff I know – but it’s also stuff I haven’t really needed to think too much about since… ooh… year 7 non-elective music and I’m really enjoying just reviewing the basics and doing the exercises, basic as they are. It’s good to be reviving these ancient undercurrents of knowledge. Scales up next!

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Read the first chapter of the new harmony book

I was a little alarmed, I must say, to find that I actually learnt something (or rather, corrected some misinformation I had somehow picked up) even from the scarily basic first chapter. But this is A Good Thing, I think. Looking forward to chapter 2 now.

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