starsmars' studio diaries

Nov 17 2002

Sunday already?

Nov 16 2002

Has anyone seen Michael Jackson's nose?  Oh my goodness, I feel so bad for him.  It looks really sore.  Well, what's left of it.  Poor thing, did you see the photo-shop contest on Fark?  If you haven't, you oughta.

Nov 15 2002

I've been reading the Kurt Cobain conspiracy theories and I gotta tell you, it seems a little strange all the details that were supposedly overlooked.  Are cops really that dumb, or is all of this just rumour?  I just don't know.  I want his diaries now, and Tom Grant's investigation report book.  Ooooh, I love conspiracies!

Nov 14 2002

I did vocals on Dressed in Blue, but have run out of tracks.  All 24 are used up, and I haven't even got drums down yet.  I guess I'll have to get on with a transfer, or learn how to play guitar well enough to get all the sounds I want reduced from 5 tracks to 1.  I think I'll work on the transfer.

Nov 13 2002

More vocal tracking today, this time on Far.  I'm just not ready to cut the French manicure off my left hand in order to properly put down any guitar tracks these days.  Maybe this weekend I will, and by then, my callous' will be gone and my fingers will hurt after about 5 minutes of playing. 

Nov 12 2002

Today wasn't a complete wash-out in terms of recording I guess.  I laid two vocals down on Wouldn't You, and they sound all right I suppose.  Having drums on a track is certainly a lot more inspirational than singing to a lame click, and not really being able to absorb into the song.  Maybe that's a good thing. 

Nov 11 2002

I hate Mondays.

Nov 10 2002

I love Sundays!

Nov 9 2002

I spent the entire day doing laundry.  Wow.  Too much fun.  Then I put new click tracks on the 3 songs Aaron has left to put drums on.  They previously had sporatic clicks which Aaron just isn't fond of.  Then I put some hooky d-70 tracks down.  Then I went out with some friends but I'll tell ya, we just couldn't find a really good club try as we might.  Not Impressed.

Nov 8 2002

I have such severe pms today that I nearly lost it at work today.  My brain cannot cope with anything on days like these and I just want to be at home playing animal crossing!  After work, Chess and I went to treat ourselves to some new releases, PPG movie and Band of Bros.  Then we had marriage Prep.  Fr. Jim should really consider doing stand-up.  He is too funny!  After that, Friday became a living nightmare!  I discovered Calvin is infested with fleas.  So I had to give him a bath which led to gouges and crying and such.  Then I had to tweeze the fleas right off of him.  Gross! 

Nov 7 2002

Work was good today.   Choir however was not so good because there are just too many soloists in the choir.  Especially in the alto section, of course I'm slightly biased because I am in the alto section, but the pieces we're doing are difficult and require light singing not operatic belting out of each note which is what is happening.  It might even be okay if they were hitting the right notes, but you can't hit the right notes when they're being sung so loud, because the songs are super fast!  Geez.

Nov 6 2002

Worked again and was off at 4:30 so I took advantage of the evening and laid down some piano and acoustic tracks.  I'm trying to fill up my adats before the transfer.  Even if they're crap, at least Rob will have a few different ideas to work with.

Nov 5 2002

Worked again today then I went to school.  Again, we learned how to be empathetic.  How can you really learn that kind of a thing?  We have a test next week so I'll be out of there in about 20 minutes cause it's the same format as the last test which I did in fifteen minutes.

Nov 4 2002

It's really sick how a weekend flies by and then you're back to work.  I loathe Monday morning. 

Nov 3 2002

Day off.

Nov 2 2002

Rob and I did a lot of talking about doing the transfers, but nothing actually got done.  I went to some friends for dinner and we saw a pretty lame movie.  Dragonfly.  Don't rent it.

Nov 1 2002

I love a Friday!  Marriage prep.  #3, and boy was it fun!  We got to witness good and bad arguing skills, and the woman swore right in front of Fr. Jim.  I practically hid under the table I was so embarrassed.

Oct 31 2002

I dressed up like a ladybug, and I had to work all day and it sucked cause 2 people thought I was a bee.  I was wearing a red dress for crying out loud!  Choir practice was good, Michael decided we would go ahead with the concert after all.  We showed him we could pull our socks up and get the job done!

Oct 30 2002

I had every intention of tracking tonight, but realised that Halloween is tomorrow and I had to get stuff for my costume, and update these diaries, and stuff like that.  But I did practice guitar!  So there!

Oct 29 2002

I layed down piano tracks today on Far and Gaze, then I skipped class, hid out and watched Monsters Inc.  It was so good!  

Oct 28 2002

I spent the day with my dear friend and co-producer Rob.  We didn't do much per say, but we certainly chatted a lot.  He's arranging a meet and greet with another producer to see about finishing up the project at his studio. 

Oct 27 2002

Day off.

Oct 26 2002

I worked all day then Aaron came over and layed drums down on Far, which I had to change all the lyrics because I wrote it like 10 years ago!  The drums are good though.  I need to get a hold of some people so I can transfer the drum tracks from Adat to Protools then really tighten them up before I start putting more tracks on top of them! 

Oct 25 2002

No music for me today.  Strictly dispensing and marriage preparation.  Sex and sexuality was supposed to be week three!  Two weeks down, two more to go.  There's another couple getting married on the same day as us, but they have the 3pm slot!   I'll have to discuss sharing flowers with them before the lessons up!

Oct 24 2002

Sang my little heart out at choir tonight.  The concert is fast approaching, and I'll speak for all 55 of us in saying that we need MORE TIME!!! Ekerai.  We're practicing with an orchestra in a couple of weeks, and we are ill prepared to keep up with the professionals.  The pieces are sounding better each week though.  We're doing Telemann's Omnes Gentes, Bach's Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, and some other fun diddy's!

Oct 23 2002

More work, tracked drums on Wouldn't You?  Can't wait to dump them onto Protools and cut them up and stuff. 

Oct 22 2002

Worked out some new chorus chords for Dissolve, since it used to be the same chords over and over again and kinda boring after about 2 minutes.  I have yet to track them yet.  Maybe tomorrow.

Oct 21 2002

I negotiated some engineering time with the new guy from upstairs.  He's fresh out of school and looking for work, and lucky for me I just happen to have some for him.  He set up protools for me and boosted the drums on You Now.  That was nice of him. 

Oct 20 2002

Day off

Oct 19 2002

Cut drums on It's You Now (title to change) and they're good, but now I have to redo my guitars.  Went to Hoya for Sushi with two friends of mine, yummy!  Is that how you spell yummy?

Oct 18 2002

No music, only work and marriage prep.  Yikes!  The male half of the couple had to say one word to describe the couple.  Chess' reply: SHINY!  It's true!

Oct 17 2002

Worked today and went to choir.  Cut two new guitar tracks on Wouldn't you because the arrangement was all wrong.  Have to start layering all over again. Happy birthdays to my dear friend Jessica.

Oct 16 2002

I worked hard as a little engineer today!  Aaron and I tracked on Gaze, and It's You Now!  Keeper drums on Gaze, and almost keeper drums on the latter.  We're gonna redo them on monday.  Until then, I of course have my work cut out for me, since I never really clean up a new track before I'm on to the next and new idea.  That leaves a lot of mediocrity in the middle baby.  I have two slots booked tomorrow.  Lunch, and dinner, then I'm off to choir.

Oct 15 2002

Back to work!  Yahoo.  Well, not really.  Had a test at school, and finished in 15 min.  Then we all got to go home, so I made cookies and played animal crossing all night!  Yahoo for real!  Yahoo for me!

Oct 14 2002

I had a loverly thanksgiving courtesy of Chess' family.  His sister cooked up a feast, and I brought the pumpkin pie, and we all had fun and played with baby Portia, who was imitating me laugh all night, which in turn made me laugh even harder.  Twas a vicious circle.

Oct 13 2002

Day off. again.

Oct 12 2002

Oh to be off for the whole weekend is bliss!  I finished Bonesetter's Daughter and am sad that it's all over.  I love a good book.  I had coffee with my friend Pam.  She's an artist too!  But not the music kind.  She taught me all about St. Francis of Azizi.  Much fun!  Also the ceiling of the coffee shop was the most beautiful thing.  I'd love to recreate it someday in the studio.  It looked like a starry night!

Oct 11 2002

I'm trying to imagine how I would feel right now after having worked all night, then all day, then have to go in again tonight.  Disgusting!  Hellish!  But I don't so there.  I have the whole weekend off, and am going to get my shit together and get some work done so I'm not just writing about my stupid daily events that nobody, namely myself cares about.  But for now, I'm going to go read The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan, and play Animal Crossing, cause that's my heart's desire.

Oct 10 2002

As I predicted, FGI are officially pissed off at me. Geez, I hope they're able to find someone to cover the long weekend on such short notice.  Looks good on them though, what a bunch of assholes.  She didn't even want to know what my reasons were for not being able to accept the position, never mind try to work around my problems.  I hope she has to work every night in that stinky house with high risk adolescents.  At least she has her UMAB, which is a condition of hire that I don't even have yet.  There were 2 reasons I didn't want the position.  1.  Safety issues.  When I accepted the job, I was to be working at a house with a sleep shift, then I find out that the position is at the house I trained at which has no sleep shift.  I'm not really qualified to defend myself at this point.  2.  I wanted full-time, and part time nights just doesn't jive with my other position.  so there.

Oct 9 2002

Went to Markham today for some training on how to use the computer program, that they use in this pharmacy.  Piece of cake.  And good sandwiches.  Spoke to my mother about the anxiety I am having about this new FGI job.  I'm supposed to work the next four nights from midnight to 8am and still work my other job.  Mom says it's not worth it, and that I should just not take it.  Which is a shame because I did so much running around for it.  24 hours training (which I won't get paid for now) first aid, CPR, CPIC, driver's abstract, and medical.  What a waste.  I think I'm coming down with something too, so I'm going to bed.

Oct 8 2002

More work, more school.  I'm depressed.

Oct 7 2002

My first day of work at Marchese's.  What a difference!  I didn't even have to speak to a customer, which is great cause cause I'm not one for having to kiss a customer's ass.  I don't even have to count pills, cause there are machines to do it for me.  The only thing that kind of drives me is the lack of organisation.  I'll fix that. 

Oct 6 2002

Day off.

Oct 5 2002

My last day at work was spent avoiding various tasks, and rationalising the whole situation with "what are they gonna do fire me!"  So...It was a pretty easy day.  But it did drag.  And I ate a pita from pita pit and it made me sick.  Yikes.  I had every intention of tracking with Aaron, but he had already made plans to go out, so I had dinner with Janine and we played guitar and piano.  It was lovely!

Oct 4 2002

I was so miserable when I went in to work this afternoon, and then felt like a complete heel when they brought me out a cake that said "Good luck and Best wishes Mars".  I nearly cried, when I read the card.  I'm such a mess.  Stephanie, gave me a journal, and I really did cry, cause she is one of the most thoughtful people I know.  Now I decide I might actually miss my fellow employees.  And I noted that only 2 people actually gave me a real hug and not just one of those stupid fake hugs where they pat your back all prissy-like.  Bunch of losers.  Learn to hug you cold catty creatures!

Oct 3 2002

Only 2 more work days left!  I worked of course today then went to sign some work contracts for the child and youth worker position.  I think I made a bad call accepting this position.  They're all so terribly miserable.  Then I went to choir and am starting to get a grasp on a couple of the pieces.  I'm finally learning to appreciate Baroque.  The concert will be amazing!

Oct 2 2002

I didn't have to work until 4 today but was too depressed to do anything other than sit on my fat ass and play animal crossing.  

Oct 1 2002

Tuesday stunk.  I worked then went to school, where I handed in the most excruciatingly personal paper in which I had to analyze and describe every tragic event of my life in order to better understand myself.  Needless to say I have been miserable since the starting of this paper.  The Prof's reasoning is that we cannot help others if we can't help ourselves.  Oh stuff it!

Sept 30 2002

The studio monster hogged all my precious recording time today, so Aaron and I could only go through the tracks and decide what the drums might sound like if indeed he could ever play them.  I can't wait to start tracking drums!  These songs need a serious kick in the arse!  P.s  I got another job!  When it rains it pours hey!

Sept 29 2002

Day off.

Sept 28 2002

Had a band meeting and decided to work separately on various songs until we find a bass player and or keys.  I'll just keep plugging away until then.

Sept 27 2002

I worked all day at cleaning up tracks that I had originally laid down as ideas and had moved on to the next song.  Some songs are starting to sound a lot better now that I have new tracks with a guitar that's in tune, and I'm actually keeping proper tempo.  

Sept 26 2002

Went to Steve's Open Kitchen for breakfast this morning with Chess and Chess Sr., and it was dish delish!  Then I spent the rainy day reworking some lyrics and melodies and such.  I have little time to spare until Sunday.  I don't want to make more of an ass out of myself than I need to.

Sept 25 2002

Here are a few of my favorite things:

Jackie Chan
Manhattan Portage
The Powerpuff Girls
Umbrellas
My cat Calvin
Chess
My new lipstick
Coffee with milk and sugar
Malibu and Coke
Starbuck's compilations
Fresh cut flowers
Large bathrooms with claw foot tub and lounger!
High heels
Good films and music of course
Portula'ca
My favourite sandwich
My md player
to-get+her
7th Heaven
Hello Kitty
Bright red hair
White gold and diamonds
Ben and Jerry's
Kit Kat chunky bars
This is Spinal Tap

Sept 24 2002

They offered me a new wage that beats my old wage, and also there are lots of other perks, so I accepted the offer.  Yahoo for school!  Yahoo for me!  I start on the 7th of Oct. and I now I get to finally resign.  Fun!  I had night school tonight too and it was severely boring due to the fact that the teacher went over the entire chapter that we were to read, point by point.  I don't think I'll read for next week, then maybe I'll stay awake.  Oh I have more pet peeves to add to my bio page.   Check them out, I'm sure you'll agree.  mars

Sept 23 2002

I worked all night and all day.  I think I'll start playing the lotto.  I hate my job desperately.  I was offered a job today and didn't accept it because the wage was lower and the benefits not that great.  They're going to get back to me.  Went to the studio and met with Aaron so I could give him a tape of my work to date.  7 songs, bad lyrics and no melody to speak of.  Maybe he'll be able to help.  Also sent Joe P a copy so he can be ready for our first practice on Sunday.  Yikes, I'm nervous!  But not too nervous to go to bed and catch up on my sleep.  Buh bye

Sept 22 2002

Day off.

Sept 21 2002

10 hours of sound, seemingly dreamless sleep.  So far so good until I got to the YWCA and the first aid class I booked off work to take, isn't until next week.  Oh that's just wonderful!  So I went grocery shopping instead.  Then I made chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, with honey and whole wheat flour.  They're not that great, but they're good for you!  Lovely!  So then I met with Aaron, the drummer boy.  Great guy, great drummer, perfect for the position.  Hired.  And now I have to call Joe, so we can start practising.  Joe's the guitarist from The Screwtape Poets.  I hope he can commit.  Tracked E3 on "You know....", and came up with a good loop, courtesy of Jack Pedlar!  Maybe logic isn't so bad afterall. 

Sept 20 2002

I came off a  midnight and went directly to an interview which went fairly well, considering I had interviewed for the same position a few months ago, but had no experience.  I may be a pharmacy technician for the rest of my life!  Fun!  After my interview I had to get my driver's abstract and a police check, then work from 4-9.  I was in bed and asleep by 10pm.  Good night.

Sept 19 2002

Another shitty day!  I worked 9-5 then I called in busy to choir, which I did not particularly want to do because we're doing 3 terribly difficult pieces for the concert this year, which include songs in German, Italian, Latin and approximately 1000 annoying little trills that make me want to have a temper tantrum every time I attempt them.  So needless to say I really could have used a practice, but all things considered I needed sleep more, since I had to go in for midnight again for a training shift (potential job I hope!).  I hate being up for over 20 hours in a row.  Especially when I could be comfy cozy in my sac!  I did however watch The Gods Must be Crazy 2 which was as good as the first!  I can't wait until they're released on dvd so I can snatch them right up and watch them over and over again!  I wish this house would sell already, because the multiple showings everyday are really starting to stress me out.  Maybe I'll just starting leaving my place a dump, and to hell with a good impression.  I don't even care if I have to move out if it sells at this point.  I just want some privacy! 

Sept 18 2002

Still recovering from yesterday.  Midnight's really give you a good kick in the ass!  I have to work from 4-9pm too!  Maybe one day I'll have time to work on some music, and then I'm sure I'll tell you all about it.

Sept 17 2002

Possibly one of the longest days of my life!  No I don't want to talk about it!  I'm going to bed!  Did I mention I hate Audio Logic, and computers in general?  Well I do.  In other news, I'm meeting with the drummer on Saturday, after having played endless hours of phone tag.  Ridiculous really.  Buh bye, mars

Sept 16 2002

I found Rosemary's third egg this morning.  I wonder, If she'll keep laying one after the next until I finally leave one in her nest?  Poor thing, she doesn't realise that they're just not going to hatch, no matter how warm she keeps them.  Oh Rosemary, you sweet little yellow birdie!  Maybe I'll get her a mate, but then, I'll never want to get rid of the little ones, and it'll just be a mess!  Had an interview, went alright I suppose, then I went to work and daydreamed about telling them I got another job and laughing all the way out of the pharmacy, past the post office, past the cosmetics counter and out into utter freedom!  I hate it there.  Came home and ate chocolate hazelnut spread!  My heart's delight!  Also, got a call from a drummer who was interested in my poster.  I'll have to give him a call tonight I suppose.  I'm reading the Winds of War by Herman Wouk and it's sooo good, mind you I'm only on the 10th page.  I want to go finish it right now! Maybe I have ADD!  Or maybe there are just not enough hours in a day, now that I'm no longer on vacation.  I couldn't even go to chess night tonight cause I have such a busy schedule tomorrow!  Can you believe the injustice!  I really need to get my priorities straight.  I'll tell you that much! 

Sept 15 2002

I don't like to work, especially on Sundays, if I can help it....so I won't!

Sept 14 2002

Ah, my daddio's birthday.  What a wonderful man he is!  51 down, 49 to go!  We ate pizza and cake and I got him plastic dishes and such so he won't go breaking them.  We watched Loser too!  It was a really good boy meets bad girl in NYC and falls in love kinda movie.  I got my new adats and reformatted them too.  That's all really.  I feel like a fat blob, so I'm officially on a diet tomorrow!  NO MORE CHOCOLATE for me see!  check ya later skater!  

Sept 10 2002

 I dragged my sorry ass out of bed at 11:30 and took a bath, finally got my shit together and left the house only to find a ticket, on my dash. I really love the parking situation around here.  You can't park in front of my place on the 2nd Thursday of each month from April to November between 8am & 12 pm.  Oh alright, but then around the corner on the one side of the street it's the 2nd Wednesday etc from 1-4pm, so I finally thought I had it all figured out and parked on the opposite side of the street only to find out that you can't park there on the 2nd Tuesday etc..  Can you believe that?  It's more complicated then my work, volunteer, choir and studio schedule combined!  So it's possible to really fuck it all up and get a ticket 3 days in row, but luckily only during the 2nd week of the month, and of course only from April to November.  Thank God for that!.  Yikes!  No big deal I think to myself,  tomorrow's pay day. Get to the studio at 1;30, AFTER HAVING PICKED UP MY CAFFEINE FIX and things are going fine. Get everything set up to track, and the studio monster from upstairs barges in to let me know that they are doing some piano and vocals upstairs with very sensitive mics. Good to know asshole. Thanks for saying hello, and how are you, and by the way, if you don't mind (which I wouldn't cause I have a million other things that I could do)...blah blah. Thanks, you're such a diplomatic gentleman. FUCK YOU!
So that's mostly what is pissing me off, also, the vocals I put down are so hollow and empty and void of any emotion. Maybe, in a few days when I can actually make noise, I'll be able to put some emotion into them. Until then, I guess I'll just clean up tracks here and there. What's up with men in the recording industry? There is only a handful of men I've met that I can honestly say are a breath of fresh air. One such man is Dave Desroches aka Dave Rave. I just love him. He's so sweet all the time. I was in NYC last week and we got together for a cd release party for Joe Mannix (who rocks by the way), and he was such a gentleman. I guess it's that he hasn't done anything that has made me lose respect for him. I can't say that for a million other folks I've met along the way.
My poor dad's health is deteriorating too. His balance gets worse by the day, and I'm not sure what I can do. He's already using his walker most of the time.