I take it it's newer then and not an oldschool thing? What do you intend on axe-ing with it anyhow? I just sharpened some Victorinox cutlery not an hour ago, but that's a little different, slightly. I don't often use an axe in the kitchen.

I've always liked Husqvarna just as a word. It falls into the "fun to say" category. For that matter, I often use "Victorinox" instead of victorious for similar reasons.

Husqvarna is indeed a fine word. Also the name of my chainsaw. I haven't needed to cut anything up with it for quite a while, but i make a point of mentioning it as often as possible, more or less just because i like saying Husqvarna.

I also prefer "Victorinox" as the long form of "victory". I tend to use it more as a battle cry slash eureka sort of interjection.

And yarr, it is a new axe. They closed the awesome antique shop(had tons of old tools in the basement) that i used to go to in New Hampshire, so i don't really know where i would go for a nice old axe anymore.

Swedish axes are a bit different than oldschool Americatown ones, anyhow. This one is smaller, lighter, more for limbing and whatnot, as opposed to the classic gigantic heavy american type which would be for felling proper. A felling axe is good for what it does, but the smaller types are more useful to me. It is sort of a combination of a long handled hatchet, and a very large knife. Suitable for chopping/normal axestuff, but also for carving/more like adze stuff.

As for why, i just kind of felt like i needed one. Lately i have been enjoying more of the old ways of toolthings. Been shunning my power tools for just about everything other than cutting metal.

There is just something fine and decent about a proper solid and good quality Sharp Device.

And my axe!

So last night I discovered that gin makes me sleepy drunk. Went to some house party/bbq thing and got hammered then considered driving home only to (luckily) pass out in the drivers seat before I could start the car I've really acquired quite the taste for gin and tonics now though, does this mean I'm already approaching middle age?

Maybe, just maybe I am going to start feeling quite a bit less like batshit from now on.

Re: Tom and Gin- I learned to like them 'cause of... Er, a... Friend. I hated the stuff before, but were I to drink now, I'd take it straight up if it's the right one. (Bombay Sapphire . Tanqueray's pretty good too, though New Amsterdam, while cheap, is more like a heavily flavoured vodka.) But I am prematurely old, defeated by the world and have lost most of my fighting spirit. I think "whiskey snob" is more an Old Man Thing. Scotch especially; Bourbon still has a bit rough-and-ready character even when you're snooty about it.

Re: Cam- is it just less of the ol' and or a change of scenery or...?

It is more along the lines of "or...?" Alleviation of some old, unwarranted brainsores.

I am green with envy. If large portions of my memory banks and mind(fuck) functions could be deleted- and Satan knows I've done my best on that front; really worked at it- I would be a much happier and more functional person. And it's very frustrating for me as an artist, as I know that while it's good fodder for things, it also really, really prevents my getting anything at all done.

Well, it is nothing I did on my own, to be fair.

And I think, that maybe our problem is our unwillingness to forgive ourselves for making mistakes. It is very easy for people who are not very smart to do this, I have noticed. So, by not being complete dolts we are kind of fucking doomed on that front. Especially if one can be socially accident prone and overthinks everything.

When you think about the fact that the rest of the population is dumb as fuck and is only interested in stupid, lame shit and probably doing worse than you on some levels it gives nice perspective. I mean, I gotta imagine having realized you've done nothing to be remembered by or created anything that no one else could create because you never learned any sort of art related craft or something has gotta be depressing as fuck.

"All I did was work a moderately prestigious job and raise 2 and a half shithead kids. No one will remember when I am dead besides my family. I am so sad."

I'm at a point where I can be rather dispassionate about it. It's an interesting perspective; had I the ability to have any sort of spiritual feeling whatsoever I would undoubtedly be a Zen Buddhist. Earth-worshipping Pagan is a bit too much and requires belief, vs. the former which would allow me my atheism. But I don't, and I tried in my younger years. I do have desires and I'm not about to sublimate my ego, what of one I have. A hedonist through and through, though mostly retired at this point; I find my joy in Old People Things like books and classical music.

It is odd, looking back on things, what could have been. And how much of it I wouldn't have wanted, really. I may have nothing but I'm free. Ish. I am not free from want nor obligation. And I have allowed convention to dictate more than it has any right to. I am not brave enough to wave my middle finger at the world near as much as I'd like or would allow me to feel whole, or at least semi-complete; I am a quiet, bookish thing who can put on the charm to play a rôle. Were I in a hipper place and still went out it would add a greater layer of mystique to the character.

Would I have been happier had things worked out the way I wanted them to? I don't know. I do think I would not have been the same person, to not have... Grown up, really, in my mid/late 20s the way that I did nor would I have the compassion and understanding that I feel I've gained. But I am rambling.

Well, it seems like my bassist is still in as a writing member, but we are actively looking for a session guy/girl for live work.

From a personal perspective, I wonder if I couldn't skirt around the rules given one (or another) of the potential sessionfolk, the drummer and myself as a three-piece + a backing track for live for me own stuff. No issue with managementpeeps or whatnot, it's just a different name. Same guys, you know them, they're all cool, etc. Same damn band, or part of; just different songs.

Well, perhaps because it isn't a London Dry, so it comes off as sweeter than you'd expect, what with London Dry being the most common variant of gin.

In the end all gin is more or less flavoured vodka, innit? Just instead of some godforsaken cupcake flavoured horseshit it's some proper manly botanicals, like juniper and various citrus peels.

Gin does not make me sleepy. It is a very lucid drunk for me, very grounded and talkative.

Fuckin' A, man? Fuckin' B, man. Sometimes, I just don't know. All I can do is laugh.

So: the guitarist I metalbass for, who is a personal friend of half my band (myself included) and cool with the other two, is swinging by tomorrow to discuss the sessionbass thing. Seeing as he's also cool with the building manager, who knows we've been doing sessions there for years, and he's down with playing on my solo stuff (we've collaborated on and off for years and years... I think we first did something together ten years ago!) perhaps this could work out for our Otherband Idea as well. No argument can be made against three guys who already work in that room working on another project without the other two; they're all known quantities.

It would work, too; gothrock power trio. Us three and a backing track would be a good-ass band.

16 hours of drinking solidly from 6am yesterday, I am spent

Fun gig yesterday out on a dock with a shitload of people. We were called in for the big summer opening of a place at the end of the Island, super drunkeness ensues. I've played at this spot many times one of the premier places to get to play at. Luckily we have a Limo van thing (and 7 ladies as guests) take us out so we started drinking at 10 am although it was only mimosas until I got gear setup then went to bloody mary, and Capt n Coke after that. I'm not an outdoor gig fan, but there was a great breeze they had a great awning for us. Those of you that FB can see the great pics up there. Paying for it today of course.

I have definitely hit a nice stride of motivation. Tomorrow is going to be a good day for recording.

Sometimes, I really fucking hate singing a lot.

So the guitarist from my metalliband is the gigging bassist for Garda and the drummer from Garda is doing session drums on the metal thing for at least one of the songs now. And both will do my solo thing. Having a solid core of solid rockdudes to work with is not bad, not bad at all.

Also: SO MANY POTATOES. It's proper peasant food, as a proper member of the proletariat. I'm hooked on the things as of late.

Potatoes are gnar. Got any good recipes?

We are attempting to grow a bunch. We are using a method where spuds go with soil in the bottom of a bin, and as the shoots grow upwards you keep adding more soil until the bin is full of soil. This should hopefully yield the bin's height in spud growth come harvest.