Monday, December 17, 2007
Health Care Reform
I think it is important that we seperate "health care" issues from "health" issues. Health care is an important part of health, but in Canada where there is a "universal coverage" there are still health issues - one of them being Health Disparities or Social Determinants of Health. I'll start posting some of that as time goes. In the meantime here is an interesting article on Health Care reform called "I am not a Health Reform."
I had a good workout at lunch. Lifted and also did some time on the treadmill.
KEEP LIFTING!!!
I had a good workout at lunch. Lifted and also did some time on the treadmill.
KEEP LIFTING!!!
Labels: Hell In Handbasket
Friday, December 14, 2007
12/14/07
Worked last night but I managed to get in an hour of practice. What I realized is that on the bass I need to practice the major scale, the lydian for the IV(tercera) and the mixolydian for the V7 (segunda), but not necessarily on the accordion. I will anyway, but I've noticed patterns on pasaditas in general - at least what I've studied and written out so far. Generally the I chord pasaditas focus on the triad or the I6 chord concentrating on the 1, 3, 5, and using the 6 and the b3 in some styles, and often using the 2, and b3 as passing tones. On the IV chord it is often an arpeggio of the 1, 3, and 5 of that chord, and the V7 seems to get the majority of variety.
From now on when I write them out, I'll seperate them into chord function. There are things on the triad that work on all three chords and I'll categorize those also.
I workout later. Got up late today.
KEEP LIFTING!!!
From now on when I write them out, I'll seperate them into chord function. There are things on the triad that work on all three chords and I'll categorize those also.
I workout later. Got up late today.
KEEP LIFTING!!!
Thursday, December 13, 2007
12/13/07
Did squats and straight leg deadlifts yesterday afternoon. Walking home sucked!!!
Going to do the treadmill this afternoon.
I had to work last night, but did get about 30 minutes to work on pasaditas. The first half of the song had some stragith forward stuff after having done the first song last week. Then I heard a couple of new things! One was using the 13th of the chord over the V7 - so in G this is D7/13th chord! And also a cool use of the flat 3rd and the 4th over the I chord. Really nice. It will be good to see where I'm at in a couple of months. It's cool when I can tell that I'm getting stuff, and of course the question will be when it gets into my fingers!
KEEP LIFTING!!!
Going to do the treadmill this afternoon.
I had to work last night, but did get about 30 minutes to work on pasaditas. The first half of the song had some stragith forward stuff after having done the first song last week. Then I heard a couple of new things! One was using the 13th of the chord over the V7 - so in G this is D7/13th chord! And also a cool use of the flat 3rd and the 4th over the I chord. Really nice. It will be good to see where I'm at in a couple of months. It's cool when I can tell that I'm getting stuff, and of course the question will be when it gets into my fingers!
KEEP LIFTING!!!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
12/12/07
Dia de Guadalupe. Didn't workout this morning, but planning to at lunch and this afternoon.
I forgot to post the RIP for John Lennon on Saturday. 27 years ago, wow.
KEEP LIFTING!!!!
I forgot to post the RIP for John Lennon on Saturday. 27 years ago, wow.
KEEP LIFTING!!!!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
12/11/07
Did an abs workout and some arm work yesterday. No workout this morning.
I wanted to be in the office. I think I'm getting challenged on something from 6 months ago. It's irritating. A couple of folks think there's underlying racism in it, but I'll just wait and see.
Musically - I ended up working on "Me Tira de Pata" and got through four pasaditas. Two were based on the primera and two were based on the V7 (11th chord like last week).
KEEP LIFTING!!!!
I wanted to be in the office. I think I'm getting challenged on something from 6 months ago. It's irritating. A couple of folks think there's underlying racism in it, but I'll just wait and see.
Musically - I ended up working on "Me Tira de Pata" and got through four pasaditas. Two were based on the primera and two were based on the V7 (11th chord like last week).
KEEP LIFTING!!!!
Monday, December 10, 2007
12/10/07
Did an OK chest and back workout today. Hopefully lunch will go better!
Feeling weak. Gotta just keep holding on.
Musically things are good. Had a gig on Saturday. That was good. I emailed M to ask if he had any gigs he could use me on. I'm getting short on cash. I'd like to pay off my debts, but the inflow isn't picking up!
On another good note, pun intended, I learned 7 Esteban Jordan pasaditas last week! There was two I wasn't getting, one was on the tercera (IV) and it was a single note trill and an arpeggio fragment. Then there was a segunda (V7) that sounded really funky, when I got to working on it I realized he was doing an Am7 arpeggio over the D7, or a D11 chord!
Stuff is opening up for me with this level of work. I did work through all of the pasaditas in all 12 keys. I also worked on the solo, and melodies for about three other songs through all 12 keys. This is stuff the button guys don't do because they only have three keys and switch accordions. The song I worked on last week was "Soy de Tejas" and this week I'll probably work on "Donde Estara". The hard part is getting this in my fingers enough to fit them into the songs I play.
I'm also learning some Tres parts on the guitar, working on Cumbia and Salsa on the bass, and doing some salsa montunos on the piano. This will only happen on days when I have the time. I also wrote a tune to the chord changes from "In My Life" by the Beatles. It's a little weird, but I figure practice will bring improvement!!!
Now I gotta find time/energy to start fixing up stuff around the house! LOL!
Oh, the realage tip of the day!
Orale Chicanos, Le Seguiremos!
Feeling weak. Gotta just keep holding on.
Musically things are good. Had a gig on Saturday. That was good. I emailed M to ask if he had any gigs he could use me on. I'm getting short on cash. I'd like to pay off my debts, but the inflow isn't picking up!
On another good note, pun intended, I learned 7 Esteban Jordan pasaditas last week! There was two I wasn't getting, one was on the tercera (IV) and it was a single note trill and an arpeggio fragment. Then there was a segunda (V7) that sounded really funky, when I got to working on it I realized he was doing an Am7 arpeggio over the D7, or a D11 chord!
Stuff is opening up for me with this level of work. I did work through all of the pasaditas in all 12 keys. I also worked on the solo, and melodies for about three other songs through all 12 keys. This is stuff the button guys don't do because they only have three keys and switch accordions. The song I worked on last week was "Soy de Tejas" and this week I'll probably work on "Donde Estara". The hard part is getting this in my fingers enough to fit them into the songs I play.
I'm also learning some Tres parts on the guitar, working on Cumbia and Salsa on the bass, and doing some salsa montunos on the piano. This will only happen on days when I have the time. I also wrote a tune to the chord changes from "In My Life" by the Beatles. It's a little weird, but I figure practice will bring improvement!!!
Now I gotta find time/energy to start fixing up stuff around the house! LOL!
Oh, the realage tip of the day!
Orale Chicanos, Le Seguiremos!
Friday, December 07, 2007
12/7/7
Did a good leg workout and am going now to do an abs workout!
My weight is creeping up again. I'll have to figure that out.
KEEP LIFTING!!!
My weight is creeping up again. I'll have to figure that out.
KEEP LIFTING!!!
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
12/5/07
Did chest and back workout today. Really hard. The cost of taking time off is paying for it now when I start back up!!!!
Finished the course at the School of Medicine. The students are interested in doing follow up so we'll have to figure out that will go.
Also, just looking at getting La Raza Unida back off the ground. Should be fun!
No music last night. Just relaxed. I needed it. But I've been listening to lots of John Coltrane and other stuff.
I'll be back on my music workouts tonight! It was great talking with my homie Mauricio. I don't know if he read the blog, but it was great timing.
KEEP LIFTING!!!!
Finished the course at the School of Medicine. The students are interested in doing follow up so we'll have to figure out that will go.
Also, just looking at getting La Raza Unida back off the ground. Should be fun!
No music last night. Just relaxed. I needed it. But I've been listening to lots of John Coltrane and other stuff.
I'll be back on my music workouts tonight! It was great talking with my homie Mauricio. I don't know if he read the blog, but it was great timing.
KEEP LIFTING!!!!
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Holiday Cheer and Check In
Darn, the first draft didn't save!!!
OK, so I thought we could all use some Holiday Cheer!
I've been dealing with a cough and feeling really tired lately so working out has been challenging. I plan to be in the gym tomorrow. But I've been trying to walk and stretch as much as I can.
Musically, I really miss playing with my homeboy Mauricio. Maybe I just need to drop by his work and see how he's doing.
My practicing is taking a good turn, it's taken me a couple of years to start following through on some stuff, but it seems to be taking now. I started last night by taking an intro and the first pasadita to an Esteban Jordan song. Then after getting it decent, I move it through all 12 keys for the full range of my acordeón. I'll work on this through December. Then I'll see if I feel like my playing improved. I don't have a gig until February I think, so I'll have time to assess it. But I really want to get to a level that I'm happy with.
There's some basic jazz stuff I'm working on with the guitar and the bass also. I'll also be working on doing some blues improvisation stuff. I'm really trying to get to where hearing the changes and following along becomes more automatic. I haven't gotten to where I want with that.
Keep Chingandole!
OK, so I thought we could all use some Holiday Cheer!
I've been dealing with a cough and feeling really tired lately so working out has been challenging. I plan to be in the gym tomorrow. But I've been trying to walk and stretch as much as I can.
Musically, I really miss playing with my homeboy Mauricio. Maybe I just need to drop by his work and see how he's doing.
My practicing is taking a good turn, it's taken me a couple of years to start following through on some stuff, but it seems to be taking now. I started last night by taking an intro and the first pasadita to an Esteban Jordan song. Then after getting it decent, I move it through all 12 keys for the full range of my acordeón. I'll work on this through December. Then I'll see if I feel like my playing improved. I don't have a gig until February I think, so I'll have time to assess it. But I really want to get to a level that I'm happy with.
There's some basic jazz stuff I'm working on with the guitar and the bass also. I'll also be working on doing some blues improvisation stuff. I'm really trying to get to where hearing the changes and following along becomes more automatic. I haven't gotten to where I want with that.
Keep Chingandole!
