Luss is a musician from Switzerland. He makes awesome, tripped out, dub electronica with an all hardware setup, runs through his tracks in a live jam style and posts the vids up on YouTube, tracks on SoundCloud, etc. etc.
He just posted up this reggae jam today and it’s soooo fucking killer, brought a huge smile to my face. Great way to end out the week. Hopefully he’ll post it for download or sale soon. 🙂
Attack Mag interviews Korg designers Tatsuya Takahashi and Yuki Ohta.
The Democratization of Synthesis: Korg Designers on the Making of the Minilouge
A Volca is not a jack of all trades, they are each good at one thing, and this is something in common with the comeback of hardware in general. It’s simple machines doing simple things so your mind is free to enter a creative space. That’s at the root of the Volca concept: liberation through limitation.
Attack Mag nailed it with the “Democratization of Synthesis” line. Since purchasing my little Korg Volca boxes Tatsuya Takahashi has become a personal hero.
Andrew Hunter, Eurorack Modular Synth Improv.
Super rad. 🙂
Also, posting this using the new WP desktop app, which is also super rad and nice.
Man, I’ve got 16 years clean today. I knew the date was coming but I’ve been so busy that I didn’t realize today is the 19th, until my wife texted me this morning and congratulated me.
It’s been a great year. I’m no longer self employed, I took a gig doing web development at an agency called Ainsley & Co. and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier. 2 years working for myself was an amazing experience, no doubt, but a really good opportunity came my way and I took it. Now I commute 15 minutes to my job and spend my day doing great work with an incredible group of people.
I’ve also lost about 50 pounds over the past year, woot! Simon and Jen are doing great, and Jen and I are finally starting to see real progress towards our long term goals.
I feel lame that I’m not writing more, but I did write a pretty epic post last year if anyone wants to check it out.
I don’t know what else to say, other than, thank you, I’m so grateful. 🙂
You didn’t quit skateboarding because you got old. You got old because you quit skateboarding.
I don’t know if he coined this himself or not, but here’s some inspiring words from my friend Ed Fickert, on his 45th birthday.
I haven’t been on my boards for a while and I’ve definitely seen a difference. That’s going to change this weekend.
Thanks, Ed. 🙂
— updated with correct quote attribution. Thanks!
Image – Ed 50 50 @ Laurel, image by Jimmy Smutek
I’ve been eating better and exercising regularly for about 4 months now. Nothing too crazy, mostly just walks of about 3 miles and watching what I eat. It’s really been paying off as I’ve lost about 20 pounds so far.
One of the things I’ve been missing with this nasty Maryland winter has been walking out doors. One of the benefits of being self employed is that I can take off for a walk pretty much whenever I want to. The weather is starting to get warmer and this morning I was able to take off for a walk to a nearby park where I was able to enjoy the cool weather and the morning fog.
These images, taken with an iPhone 4s and processed in Lightroom, really don’t do the scene justice. It’s been a really nice morning. Now it’s time for some lunch, and then back to work.
🙂
I read this article on Medium today and had to share. The author is a freelance writer but the spirit of the article applies, I think, to any discipline. Good-natured, genuine, “from the gut” realness about life as a freelancer. The article was as inspiring in its honesty as it was full of humor and insight.
Couple of stand outs:
I was pretty sure that “freelancing” was Latin for “never-ending tsunami of rejection”? (Actually, we’re apparently named after medieval mercenaries. Bet their invoices got paid faster, though.)
Work can bleed into the evenings and weekends until you start to see Sunday as that annoying day when your work cafe is overcrowded with all of these inexplicably happy people in workout gear.
Absolutely classic. I’m reminded of the quote, “I don’t work from home, I live at work.”
Well worth the read, if you’re a freelancer or not. Check it out if you get a chance. 🙂
10 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me About Freelancing”, by Stephanie Rice.
Jimmy Smutek 