Finding the beats wherever you can

Have been sitting at the kitchen table basically all day, grading a big pile of papers while listening to CDs. I noticed, during a Dan Bern CD -- catchy tunes, fun yet intelligent lyrics, go buy his albums!!! -- that I was tapping my foot to the songs.

Took a break from grading, went and grabbed the dead microwave that I'll [someday] cannibalize for parts, grabbed a spare kick drum pedal, and put both under the kitchen table. Gave my right foot something substantial to work with.

The sound was too clangy for my taste, so I also grabbed an old towel and put it over the end of the microwave: it has more of a ''thump'' sound, now.

I can keep a pretty coordinated beat going while I'm just making check-marks and writing the number of earned points in the margins. But I have to stop while I write actual comments.

Just something to keep my hand in, musically. WIFMD (When I Finish My Dissertation) -- and when we move across to the new house -- I intend to get back into playing and recording.


--GG