Frost

The weather forecast predicts "patchy frost" for this evening. That's it. I give up on winter already. If you need me I'll be hibernating under a large pile of blankets.

I'd never survive an East coast winter.

Las Vegas

Spent Thanksgiving in Las Vegas this year. I really, really needed the vacation from my regular world to go to the strange, surreal world of Las Vegas. Actually, I needed a break from my regular world to go anywhere, but Vegas was on the calendar, so Vegas it was. Growing up, we went to Las Vegas on a semi-regular basis, so the flashing lights and gimmicky pyramids and general gaudiness weren't exactly the draw. There are plenty of other deadly sins to indulge in.

After I leave Vegas I always feel icky and a little disgusted by myself, but you know what they say: What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Let's just say I self indulged and payed generously (but not too much so,) for it. After I got home today, I took a long, hot shower and scrubbed and scrubbed and breathed in the hot steam and enjoyed the tingle of Doc Bronner's Peppermint soap.

This is just a recap, since I'm too tired to go into too much detail. One of the best things about going to Las Vegas is the journey there. I like the starkness of the desert, and while it's nice travelling by car, it's more spectacular by air:

I think the desert is so beautiful. I always seem to find my way to the seaside in my travels, but one day I'd like to spend some time in the wrinkled heat of the high desert. After we landed we drove along the freeway that basically parallels the sinful parts of Sin City. They've been busy with construction since I've been there last. But I guess Vegas has always been a work-in-progress:
And look at those cranes below. I was wondering if they lit them up to go with the rest of the neon decor of the town, or if they work at night, or if they just don't want the planes to crash into them:And here is the lovely view from my room:At some point I'd like to get out to those mountains for a look-see. I'd like to feel the crunch of rock beneath my feet. Feel the heat rise up from the ground while the heat of the sun beats down on me. See the flash of lizard, the glint of quartz. Ah, next time maybe. . .

And yes, I gambled and enjoyed many buffets and stayed up way past my bedtime: I swear I'm never going back again. But that's what I said last time.

Horrible Childhood Memory Flashback:

I remember I would wake up at 5:30 in the morning and make myself bread and mayonaise sandwiches--which I would devour. Three or four at a time. What was I thinking???!!

Yuck.

Suckiness and stuff

Had a mini gig tonight. The Chamber of Commerce (I have no idea what a chamber of commerce is, by the way) was meeting at RCW and we had some of the teachers give little plugs for our classes. There was tai chi and dance and we were the taiko drummers, of course. It was just one song--my favorite with the most solid solo, but for some reason, my solo totally sucked tonight. Just couldn't pull it together. I blame it on the lights, which were flickering on and off, and the photographer guy who was flashing and getting all in our faces, and all those suits in the room. But no. I should have been more prepared. Or focused. Or, I don't know. I was totally not nervous about the song, but maybe a little fear is good. I've been performing that song for over 2 years now but I can't get cocky about it, I guess. Also tonight Janet made me talk. Yes, talk. Into a mic. In front of and to a bunch of people in suits. I spent a few minutes today going over what I wanted to say, but of course could not remember it. But I think I managed to say some coherent things. Talked about the song and my class. But I think I get all nervous and start sucking in too much air and get all out of breath. That happened last time. Or maybe I was out of breath. Eh. It's good experience though. Janet said nice things to me afterward so my ego is nice and puffy.

In other news, I've been reskinning one of the drums. It's going unbearably slow since I've been working on it in Janet's space and I have to schedule time to get in there. It's good to work there since I don't have to worry about our poor downstairs neighbor who can probably hear every sound I make, but slow. So slow.

Thanksgiving is next week, yo. I'm going to Vegas, and you know what they say: what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Or I think it would be more accurate to say that the money you bring to Vegas, stays in Vegas. It's all about Kino people. Yeah. And video poker.

Obi Fight 2007!!

Went to Texuba again today. Texuba is a rare opportunity to buy kimono and obi at discounted prices. As taiko players, we wear obi as part of our costume, but they're really hard to find. You don't just go to Macy's and pick one out. You can't really make them. Anyhow, this time the Texuba orginizers swore they were about to go into retirement and that this would be the last time (again) that they would be holding this event. Ok, whatever. I don't know if you remember the last time I attended Texuba. I was green and inexperienced that time. But this time I knew exactly what to expect.

First off, you bring a friend. They're your back-up, your wingman, your right hand man (literally--you bring them to grab stuff for you). I brought Kris again this year because she has experience already and also because she's small, quick and nimble. Secondly, you get there early. Last time I was 5 or 10 minutes late and it was like showing up for an after-Christmas sale on MLK weekend--there's nothing left. Anyhow. We were there half an hour early and even that felt late. The first 20 people got some free gift, but there must have been 50 people there already. Thirdly, you go in there with a game plan. The night before I showed Kris some of the types of obi I was looking for and told her the colors we were looking for. Janet, who was originally going to be my wingman (or was it the other way around?), had to back out at the last moment but asked for black obi, so we added that to our wish list. I wanted green.

The competition: cut-throat resellers and pushy, elbowy crafter/artists.

When they opened the doors, we knew exactly what to do. I grabbed an empty laundry basket and went left and Kris went right. Then you go through the racks like the worst kind of crazy, rabid bargain shopper and start rifling through and just grabbing anything that looks remotely interesting. Every once in a while my basket would suddenly get heavier and I knew that it was Kris dropping a load of stuff in it. She's good. But man oh man do I hate shopping like that. You just have to go in with a sense of humor and know that the polite rules of society don't quite apply until you've signed the credit card receipt and take your nicely stapled bag full of goodies out the door. When I bumped into people I said sorry, but certainly didn't expect any sorry's coming back in my direction when I got pummeled. No harm no foul. After you grab everything that looks interesting, you sort through what you want and don't. We walked out of there with 10 beautiful obi:

Those two grayish looking ones on the bottom are actually green, so I'm happy. I don't think I want to do that again anytime soon though. Enough obi for now. And boy, are my elbows sore.

Full Day

Woke up today after the CIA gig with the most horrible back-ache. I couldn't even bend over to put my socks and shoes on, but managed to make it to our gig in Berkeley. It was a good show. There were lots of children and adults in the audience. I talked, people! I led the group in kiai and managed to say everything I rehearsed in my mind, even though I was totally out of breath from our last song. I had to stop a couple times to gulp air. But I think I did ok! We got the audience kiai-ing and I led them in a kiai contest. Fun.

Then afterward I had enough time to go home, eat and shower before heading off to Emeryville Taiko's 10th Anniversary Concert. I realized halfway through the show that I'd never actually seen Emeryville perform--I'd always been part of their shows. They've really polished up some of their pieces since I've been gone, and added some I've never seen. They've got a wonderful procession song with lit nebuta and a dozen fue players and chappa players and okedo players. It was arm-hair raising, that procession. They've got great players and I was excited to see how far some of have come since I'd last seen them as beginners. They also performed a version of Kai to Ryu and though there were hiccups here and there, there was no train wreck. Wonderful. And of course they're super genki. That's something I take pride in, being a former Etaiko player myself. It was a great show. Great entertainment.

Gig at the CIA

Had our gig at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa today. Had to fight off the snooze button several times, but made it to RCW in time to load up and make the trek to California's famous wine country. It's beautiful out there, people. The grapevines are golden in the November light, and the trees are turning too. To get there you have to drive by dozens of beautiful wineries with their classic, simple architecture, and then through a small town that looks like something out of the movies. It was also nice that today was a beautiful, sunny, 80 degree day. Betcha makes you want to live in California, huh?

Anyhow, the CIA is a former monestary in the heart of wine country. Our gig was to play a set during the 1 1/2 hour lunch break in what was called "the Barrel Room." I think it should have been called "the Odaiko Room," since it housed several gigantic wine barrels. All we need to do is find some cows big enough to skin these babies:
This gig was part of some sort of international cooking conference. Special guests included Yan Can Cook (I don't know his real name--but I saw him. He was wearing a pink shirt!) and one of the Iron Chefs (the guy with a ponytail. I don't get food TV, but when I go to LA I fall asleep to episodes of the Iron Chef. I saw that guy too!) There were also other cooking celebreties, and Meri's eyes would light up each time we saw one and she would be like, hey, that's so-and-so! That's awesome.

As I've said before, it's a lost cause to try to get people's attention if there's food involved, even if you're pounding away on taiko. But I think it was a good set. Yes there were mistakes. The floor was crookedy, and the drums would literally slide away because it was so uneven. Plus there were tons of extraneous mics to play around, and the stage (or dance floor) wasn't as big as they said it would be. We didn't get as big as an audience as you would think, especially since they said there would be 600 people there. But there was an old guy watching us, and he seemed pretty enthralled because half way through our set he dropped and broke his wine glass, and someone ran up with a broom to sweep it up. And during my Kanki solo, the professional photographers came right up in my face and were photographing me for what seemed the longest time. Good thing my Kanki solo is set and I have my happy-playing-face down.

After our set we got to wander around and eat at all the booths that were housed there. It was a free-sample grab fest, and I walked off with a few goodies, and a full belly. Such good food! Such great flavors!

When we were loading out, I noticed a bunch of baby taiko drums, er, I mean, wine barrels just sitting there. If it weren't for the darn marimba taking up all the space in my car I would have rolled one of those barrels right into the trunk of my car.

But take a look at that line of spotty stains right across the front of that barrel. Boy do I know what caused that, and what can remove it!

Off again tomorrow to the lovely city of Berkeley where we are headlining our next show. I have to talk, so that should be interesting. Wish me luck!

The CIA

Tomorrow we play for the CIA. No, not that CIA--but the Culinary Institute of America. Personally, competing against food for attention, even while madly beating taiko drums, is a lost cause. The food always wins. We've been working real hard for this show, though. It's an opportunity to work toward something, and we've been composing a new song that we're going to perform for the first time, and we've also been polishing old songs that could use some performance experience. I just wish I had my Mokuyobi solo down, since I've been #$%^ing it up every time I try to pull it off in rehearsal. Sigh. Someday I'll have a solo for that song that I'm proud of.