Minesweeper Tips | 02/10/04

Just when you think you have friends, you make a little online quiz and they prove that they're not really your friends. Either that or you just don't hang out with them enough. Ok, at least one of the questions (about the amount of art in my home) no one other than me would really know the answer but the rest I thought were knowable. Anyway, I got to see some really good PowerPoint presentations in my classes today. I admit that I am starting to get really annoyed by the amount of absences some of my students are starting to accrue. When you're on five in the sixth week of school and your 6th fails you, it might be a good time to re-evaluate your priorities. Not that I'm the model student by any means but I've never failed a class because of attendance. In fact, I can count the number of classes I've skipped in my extensive seven years of college on my fingers. If I was going to do the homework, the least I could do was show up. Whatever. The sad part is one of them is a grad student. I've always been a believer in the unwritten law that a grad student can never give anything less than an A- to another grad student but this semester could pose a problem. Fortunately in the past no grad student has ever earned less than an A, so it's been a non-issue. However that was then and this is now. (Name that Wyclef Jean tune anyone?) I SOMEHOW managed to get a 100% on my Bibliography quiz because I was awarded the extra credit question "Question: Define any German term from pages 8-10. Answer: Dissertation: A Dissertation" I didn't think I'd get the point but I guess technically I answered the question accurately. (See February 3rd) After Bibliography I came home and got my ass kicked in online Euchre. For the first time ever, I was not even close to falling asleep in the Caribbean class. Today was no less-boring that previous days and I certainly didn't get any more sleep last night but I somehow was able to stay awake even though my Palm Pilot ran out of batteries as I finished my third Euchre game. I tried to squeeze out some Minesweeper but the batteries kicked it with 40 minutes left of class. There were lots of absentees from rehearsal tonight. I also received the "contract" for a gig. True, it pays $100 but it's for five hours ($20/hr) of performing plus the 2.5 set-up/tear down. Now we're up to 7.5/hrs ($13.33/hr). Ok, this is already starting to get a little low...especially since the rate we agreed upon was $50/hr/person. So as I'm reading this "contract" I notice there's a CD in there with six pieces that they want at their wedding. With the exception of Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire, I've never even heard of the songs requested. Seeing as the average piece that requires a full transcription and then an arranging takes between 30-35 hours, with six pieces this puts my total investment at 187.5 hours (30*6+7.5). Now I'm suddenly making $0.53/hr, well beyond the Ugandan minimum wage. Throw in the (MINIMUM) four rehearsals (4*2) and the total is now 195.5 hours. So my end total for this "great" gig is $0.51/hr. Now, I'm not saying this the customers' fault. They didn't know--the problem is that they're misinformed. They agreed to pay for two new arrangements for $20 each according to this contract. Even if they bought the already-printed music from Panyard that would cost them $80 a score. So it's absolutely ridiculous to me that they were quoted $20 each. While it's true I could probably slop a MIDI-skewed version of Ring of Fire together, it would anger everyone: me, because its my name on a crappy piece; the other group members, because the parts would be unplayable and most likely not in their range; and finally the happy-couple-to-be, because it will sound awful. As for the other five songs, they need to just flat out be transcribed. That said, let me dispel a common belief. Perfect pitch does NOT (NOT NOT NOT NOT) allow you to transcribe a piece in one playing. It does NOT make the arranging any easier. It does NOT save any time when typing things into Finale. Contrary to popular belief, the parts do not fall obviously into linear lines when you're listening to it. And GLORD HELP YOU if you have to transcribe a steel band recording. If it's not the intonation completely screwing with you, it's that all the instruments have the same general sound, so it's not like you can easily discern which part is which. WOW WOW WOW WOW. I just got a very nice yet very surprising call from a big group of my college friends. I'm now feeling very Milwaukee-home-sick. It sounds like nothing has changed and I miss that. Those were the best years of my life. My friend Dave is a sales rep for Hal Leonard and I found out one of his states is Florida. On top of that, he will be coming down to Florida in March. I hope I get to see him. Although everyone says that they want to come down here, I know they won't. I can't say I blame them. Anyway, back to my gig rant...I need to call this woman tomorrow and let her know what's going on because the current arrangement is just not going to work. Hopefully we'll be able to reach a happy medium but if not, I guess I'll just have to be a complete ass. Wow, this is a long entry...

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