Wow. What a load of short, stupid, pointless posts. Hopefully that means that all the meaningful stuff has gone into the last few papers that I've been doing. Or rather, HAVE DONE. Yes, lets stick that in as "PAST TENSE" as is possible. I'm still not really sure about the whole tense thing, like what to call it all, because I didn't do grade four, and it wasn't until grade nine that it occured to my English teacher that, while I could write, I didn't know what a verb was!! Last year I got a hold on "its" versus "it's"... this year, noun phrases and pre-and post-modifiers (yeehaw appositives!). Next year? THE WORLD. Mwuahahaha.
Indeed, yesterday was the last day of classes for term 1. Woo to the hoo. Oh dear. Did I really write that? Oh well. It's staying. It was rainy, which is fitting for the average UBC student, trudging in a daze across campus, having not slept, clutching (soggy?) papers and assignments. I didn't have my umbrella, and I had Travis in my head -
"Why does it always rain on me? Is it because I lied when I was seventeen? Why does it always rain on me? Even when the sun is shining, I can't avoid the lighting. Oh where did the blue sky go? What is it raining so bad?"
It's a "feel sorry for yourself" type song, but I wasn't thinking of it like that. I was just thinking "ick it's raining and I left my umbrella at home because I'm silly".
Finished the day off with Biology - for the exam we need to know up to the end of the male reproductive system. So I have a BIT of reading to do - but it's my last exam yay.
Then I went to Subway to get dinner because I didn't think there'd be time once I got over to the grad centre. While I was in the line I saw some little cheerleaders. I didn't recognize "COLTS" but I knew from their burgundy uniforms that they were from Richmond. We were rivals back in the "day", oh yes, but we always beat them, so I didn't feel any ill will towards them. I struck up a conversation with a few of the girls and one of the "male cheerleaders", and they were just soooooo excited (peppy? WE'VE GOT SPIRIT?!!! WE'RE NUMBER ONE?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) to talk to another person who understands that there IS a difference between a clap and a clasp (and that WE'RE NUMBER ONE!!!!!!! NUMBER ONE!!!!!!!!!!!). They had the typical stunt injuries, like shoe marks on arms and collarbones, and we commiserated that it just isn't fair that those wenches (and man-wenches) at Port Moody always win. Well, what do you expect when you recruit, then send your cheerleaders to cheer camp in Texas (where you cheer or DIE), and then pay thousands of dollars for a routine? I'm not bitter. At all.
I went over to the International House to pick up Zahida afterwards and together we left for the Grad Centre. When we got there, there were 250 chairs set up, and they hadn't wanted any chairs apparently. So we cleaned that all up (the poor assistant guy looked a bit upset that he'd JUST finished setting them up), and then Zahida and I built up the stage from stage boxes that we dragged down a ramp. Zahida commented that I was just so "strong" (oh yes! Look at those manly muscles! THEY'RE NUMBER ONE!!!!!!!). But really. I think it has something to do with the fact that I have a LOT of experience in lugging around ridiculously big and awkward box-shaped objects. Because that's what I do for a "living". Oh wow, that depresses me! Let's not talk about Tomko!
I inspected the little power mixer, and I understood everything, so I felt really good about that. The manager or whatever you call him finally showed up and he had this crazy box of a bunch of tangled cables, so I angrily set to work rectifying THAT problem. Maybe it's because wrapping cables is... well it's one of the parts of doing sound that I get 100% hahahahah! I am a WRAP MASTER (though not NUMBER ONE!!!!!!! for there are those who are *sniff* better).
The band showed up, and by band I mean half of them, and they lugged all their stuff in while Flavio ("manager dude") plugged a bunch of cables into the board. I wanted to tell him to go away. He was confusing and tangling everything and throwing cables in the stage and didn't have a clue which cables he was throwing where. He was like "yeah, you should probably follow them to find out where they're plugged in". I would have preferred just leaving them all neat and WRAPPED for the time being. Silly man.
We got everything set up, and I figure how to put a cd player in (thank you Foundations for Living Banquet ladies and Sam Scanlan of Basic Sound System Operations). Tom and Zach (1/2 of Lotus Child) played around and I got their monitors set up and fiddled around with levels and stuff. The board was set up on a coffee table beside the stage, so I was behind the speakers and, once Shaun showed up, beside a bass cabinet that is literally up to my shoulders. In a room for 250 people. So it was loud and I don't think it's wise to have the sound man there. Jenny Kliem was there with her FIANCE (awww!) Jeff, because Zahida'd asked her to model a Stompy Pow Pow t-shirt, and she was my precious assistant, and helped me by telling me how the levels needed to be fixed. Once the band was happy with their monitors, I had an opportunity to wander between the board and out to the audience so I could hear for myself. For a less-than-amazing venue, they actually sounded pretty good! I don't think I had a LOT to do with it, because they're a great band, but I did fix a little muddiness and had the vocals coming out nice and clear.
As a "soundman", I usually can tell that I didn't do TOO badly when I don't have complaints. As all of my sensais have told all us little underlings since day one, if you're doing your job, no one knows you're there. It was kind of neat to play around with the little board, because it was so much simpler than the one at PPAC. Eight usable channels, EQ for low, mid, high, two monitor mixes.... it forces you to keep it SIMPLE, which is usually good. At church I can sit there for hours, just entranced:
S: OOOOH!!! What does THIS button do?
Presses button.S: Alright... that's the 'start small fire button'... and what is that hideous popping noise that I heard? Why did all the lights just go off? Where is everyone?!!!! What's going on!!!?!!!!!
or maybe
S: Hmmm you can't hear the synth... I'll just lean in and turn up the VCA"
Hairpin falls into fader.S: *just gasps*
Actually, I did have to use an excessive number of hairpins yesterday, and NONE of them (count 'em, NONE) fell into the board. Hahaha! [Note: for those of you who DON'T know, and I've told many people this story, I actually DID have a bobby pin fall into a fader once... I guess that's why most sound guys with long hair just tie it in a long greasy ponytail ;)].
The band rocked, I was happy with the way things turned out, and I really didn't need to be that scared at all. It was my first time doing sound for something non-churchy though, so I guess it's acceptable that I was a little bit scared. Next time I can be not scared :).
I sold the two extra tickets that I had, so it worked out well.
John drove us home (Brea, Kell-Bell, and her friend Kaleena came). Kaleena slept over, because my parents are in Vernon until this afternoon, but she and Kelly cleaned up after themselves. So I don't have to threaten them.
I'm letting myself relax a little bit this morning and it's so nice. Just sitting. Sitting time is just about over though... I have things to do! Like STUDY. And work on my saying no skills. I have booked myself up a lot, which is ok, but now I need to be careful and make sure that I can get rested up and get studied up. I've decided to go to the old people service tomorrow. A) my day will get off to an earlier start and B) I won't know anyone there, soooooo I won't have any temptation to put off going home right after. I think Kelly wants to come though (:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D!)... not sure how she'll feel about 9 am, but my aunt and uncle will be there so maybe she still will.
Then there's Meghan's choir thing in North Van.... then on Monday I have a review session at UBC for philosophy, then I might be doing sound for this women's banquet thinger (I'm really hoping not, though!) then Tuesday I have to be on the bus at about 6 so I'll make it to my exam on time... then Wednesday I'm doing the sound rehearsal for Sunday... then Thursday, another exam... then Friday the Christmas production at church, then Sunday I'm doing sound most of the day.
I will just have to be wise with my time. Coagulate all of the time that I would spend not studying into a few key chunks (like Wednesday evening and Sunday). For me, it's more about reviewing a bit and getting enough sleep. Because if I don't get the texts that I've studied, there isn't a lot that's going to help me, other than reviewing what I know and being rested.
...
STABILO TONIGHT. YAAAAAAY. I'm listening to them right now... well Middle of the Night. It's not the whole cd, just an iTunes mix... but how convenient. They are so good (NUMBER ONE!!!!). I don't think I've seen them since... when was the last time I saw them? There was the botched attempt at A & B Sound, but I think there's been one since then... YES. FeFe Dobson HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. That's ok. I saw Chris Davies there as well, and I'm sure he was there for FeFe. I have to speak with them this evening... no fear. Who's got that for a slogan? Some sort of sports company. Anyway, they're right. No fear!
It also means I get to see KIRI. And HOLLY. And maybe RICK. And KARLA. And I'm really excited. This will be my nineteenth time (if you count the botched A & B Sound fiasco... and I did SEE them and talk to them). OK, maybe it's my eighteenth time.
I love iTunes. Everything Mac seems to not suck.
Thornley - The Going Rate (My Fix)
OK well it wasn't really as substantial as I'd maybe promised. Substantial in quantity, but the quality and content remained up here at the surface. I think I'd still like to mull over "What World AIDS Day means to me" by Sara J. Macdonald, but it's not going ot happen in here today.
Alright... I think I'm going to tidy up, go to GW and then settle into the learnin'
NUMBER ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
