Now - 2018-02-27

Before I had to take my WordPress site down thanks to DDOS attacks, I had a category on my site called Now that is connected with the NowNowNow site created by Derek Sivers. While my blog here on Steemit is pretty much the same idea, I still support Derek’s idea and will link my account there to any Now posts that I create here.

Current Status

I’m still getting settled at my new place in Bothell, which is a bit unfortunate as I’ve already been here two months! I’ve been able to downsize a fair amount of things since I’ve been here, but I’ve got a lot more to take care of.

I’ve spent a lot of time downsizing over the past couple weeks in preparation for a safety inspection the landlords did yesterday. I didn’t want my place to look too junked up after just moving in a couple months ago, so I went harder with the cleaning than I should have. It caused me more stress than I’m used to, but it also helped me gain some insights into how I can better balance my creating and downsizing projects, so it all came out for the best. Apparently all the safety devices are working well, which is also reassuring!

Music

I’ve been working on an industrial noise piece that I was almost finished with, but after working on it last night, I’ve decided to scrap it - it just doesn’t feel genuine.

What does feel genuine has come about through jamming with one of my martial arts training partners. We got together last Monday before martial arts, jammed for a couple hours (he played drums, I played guitar), and I played some arpeggios in time signatures outside of 4/4 that he really enjoyed drumming to.

Though I’m a little rusty, I really enjoy playing arpeggios, so the music I want to create will blend the ambient drone of my last four albums with arpeggios on the upper strings of my guitar and bass (which I’m going to tune to the upper strings on my guitar, as opposed to the bottom) and I want to have those arpeggios intertwine in different time signatures.

In addition to the arpeggios, I want to color the pieces with chords on the low strings of my guitar and on my synthesizer, occasionally add some extra texture with miscellaneous instruments I have, as well as add a downtempo backdrop to keep things from veering off into too many strange rhythmic directions (though a few are okay). I’m also going to write these pieces in 9 tone scales, just to keep things even more interesting.

I’m not sure if such creations will go anywhere and I may change directions again before too long (it does seem to happen fairly often), but I’m going to explore this creative idea and see where it goes!

Travel

I’ve just returned from an enjoyable weekend trip to Bellingham, where my girlfriend and I got breakfast, did some brewery hopping and met up with some friends from Seattle that moved up there.

On Sunday, we went to HomeSkillet (still the best breakfast I’ve ever had in a restaurant), Structures (whose owners I had just met the day before at Brouwer’s during their Hard Liver festival), Aslan Depot, Menace (my girlfriend and I have been friends with them since our first trip there), and McKay’s Taphouse and Pizzeria (because late night pizza is always a good idea).

On Monday, we spent most of the day relaxing once we got back to the eastside, though we still made it to Lafeen’s Family Pride Donuts and Ice Cream before we left Bellingham. It probably won’t be too long before we get back up there, as there are a couple events at the end of April that intrigue - April Brews Day (which I might try to get some Outlander beer to if registration is still open) and Bellingham Beer Week (which April Brews Day is a part of).

However, I can’t look too far ahead, as my girlfriend and I have an upcoming trip to Portland on Friday! We’re going to Cascade Brewing’s Barrel House for the release of their Kentucky Peach sour, which is one of my girlfriend’s favorite beers. I’m sure we’ll end up a few other places as well!

Brewing

Brewing is starting to pick up again at Outlander, as business is starting to do so as well. I’ve been brewing once per week for most of winter, but the last couple weeks has kicked the frequency back up to twice per week.

Granted, I’m mostly replenishing our standard beers right now - batches of Holy Basil, Cascade Warrior, Rocksteady (Jamaican Stout), and Slo Lager are in the tanks. I’ll be brewing the Azacca Pale (which became pretty standard last year) soon, as well as something a little more interesting in a Lavender Stout. I’m not quite sure how much lavender I want to use, but I have a pretty good idea.

The springtime will bring back some more favorites from last year (Guava IPA) as well as some new favorites (Oooh Yeah!!! Brown, named after Randy Savage’s distinctive phrase - not the Kool-Aid Man’s), and maybe some yet-to-be-brewed beers. I’ll do my best to keep it interesting and tasty!

Anything Else?

Isn’t that enough? Other than continuing to work on downsizing and creating new content for Steemit and its apps (DSound and Steepshot for now), I think the above sums things up pretty well! Until next time!