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memories / Monday / photo — Comments Off
12
Sep 16

This really takes you back

I haven’t been in a real radio studio* since 2004. And I just wrote and deleted 160 words about that. Suffice it to say, it was an important period of my career, very helpful in many ways and still impacts the work I do today. And, yet, it was a good time to move on to the next thing. If you find that theme in your career path, I figure, then you’re doing something right.

I’m doing something right.

Anyway, the three things that have been a part of every job I’ve had in my career have been, in no particular order, writing, editing and my voice. And now I’m running, among other things, this brand new production facility too:

This is a 14-channel Axia board that has four customizable configurations and push-button alterations besides. This is the nicest board I’ve ever stood over, and the muscle memory kicks in easily. This will be a production booth, a podcast facility and a part-time radio booth. (The actual radio station will join us in the building, upstairs, next year.) This room can do a lot, even in those times when it only needs to do a few things. When they designed and engineered it, they decided to build it up for anything. Eight microphones, two CDs, three computers, a turntable, a piano, two phone lines and more. I’m sure I’ll spend a small amount of time in here doing things.

*I built one in my last office and will re-construct it in my home office one day soon. I can do most of the same things in my home-studio, but it isn’t exactly the same.

adventures / cycling / Indiana / photo / weekend — Comments Off
11
Sep 16

Barns and corn and lakes and hills, all in one ride

We rode 40 miles today. This includes five significant hills and my ride falling apart about midway through for no reason whatsoever. But the company was, of course, lovely:

And the scenery was nice. Say this about this place, if you can get in a few dozen miles you can see plenty of different scenery. For example:

adventures / Friday / music / photo / running — Comments Off
9
Sep 16

We ran a race, watched balloons and saw Lee Greenwood

There was a 5K for a local hospital. We ran it. We didn’t win, but we didn’t come in last. I actually placed second in my age group. Most importantly, we finished with smiles, so who cares, otherwise?

This race was at the local fairgrounds, and I have photos to prove my alibi, should the need arise:

After the fun run the trucks came in and dumped out piles and piles of nylon and dacron. The bigger purpose of the night was bringing people out for hot air balloon rides:

And this is what I learned: Depending on how you frame or crop your shot, Yoda’s expression really changes a great deal.

Also, feel free to grab one of the above three shots if you need a new social media avatar, I guess.

There was only one Yoda balloon, but he was clearly the star of the evening for kids young and old:

I bet you could do a Star Wars hot air balloon theme. It’d be great fun, until the blasters and light sabers came out.

Also Lee Greenwood appeared. He did a three song set, by himself. No band, so karaoke, basically. Well, we think it was actually Lee Greenwood. You had to stand so far away that you couldn’t tell. And it wasn’t the crowd, which was sparse, that dictated the distance from the stage, but the drop zone. A parachutist descended with a flag to set the night off right. They mis-timed this. Greenwood hit that last “AAAAAAAAA-” said thank you and was back in his trailer and maybe on his way to tonight’s steak dinner before this guy got to the ground:

On the way home, we wondered how many times in his career Greenwood has sang that song and if that is annoying for him. So I looked up his booking rates. Let’s say the site was accurate and there is no bargaining. Let’s say his aunt isn’t the marketing agent for the county fair. Or that he didn’t lose a bet to a county commissioner. Let’s say he didn’t have to be in a nearby town the next day and that this was a just another convenient stop. (Judging by his published tour dates, he was here special.) They might have paid $25,000, for a three-song set.

You’d think that for that kinda dough he might run the chorus one more time to help the skydiver, but no.

He was already off stage, counting his money, pleased that he’s been singing that song for more than three decades now.

memories / photo / Thursday — Comments Off
8
Sep 16

Remember this

If ever you should feel homesick, remember this: look around.

Before long, you’ll find something that is familiar and right. Take this water valve. I saw this walking back to the office from lunch today:

Albertville, the “Fire Hydrant Capital of the World” is just 100 miles northeast of where I grew up. (I remember the first time I saw that slogan on a sign outside of Albertville. Now I’m going to smile about it every time I pass by that Mueller.

Also, I mentioned I found Milo’s Tea, right? That’s brewed in the town where I lived as a kid. Same water supply.

You just have to seek it out.

IU / photo / video / Wednesday — Comments Off
7
Sep 16

On campus, in the building

And now a bit of landscaped fauna meditation to help you through Wednesday:

Here’s another picture of some of the hand-planted things:

Inside: though the control room is dark today, the engineers are down to the last bit of their build. We should be in the new studio in the next few weeks:

Very exciting indeed.