Monday, August 31, 2015

104 (Misspent) Days of Summer Vacation

My kids spent their summer vacations, for the most part, actively resisting doing anything much at all. If they had their druthers, they'd have spent the entire break staring at any one of a half-dozen screens cluttering our home. As a highly productive, consistently motivated bundle of ambition, I can't for the life of me figure out the source of this behavior.

Imagine my surprise, then, when I came home from work on Friday (a day that the kids spent home alone, as my wife returned to work as a teacher earlier in the week) to find that my 13 year-old had learned how to use GarageBand and begun recording an 'album'.

Her working title is 'Factual Fiction'. The first two tracks are an original called 'Fantasy Land' and a cover of CHVRCHES' 'Gun'. I think she's pretty good, but I'm not really an impartial observer. Lord knows her musical talent didn't come from me.

Apologies for the Dadbrag, but, you know, post count. Also, please feel free to send to any major label executives you know, because my retirement compound isn't gonna build itself.



27 comments:

rob said...

that same kid went to the first day of the new school year with maroon hair and a t-shirt that read 'today i will do absolutely nothing'. starving artist material.

Clarence said...

I am super impressed by her work, sincerely. I am extra astounded since I have been a part of music-making with her father. His percussion for Random Idiots was such to earn him the nickname "Popcorn" because of the sporadic, arrhythmic drum beat he provided.

Danimal said...

Rob - I won't be able to listen to this 'til later, but based on the fact that 1) you posted it and 2) Clarence digs it, I'm guessing it's pretty solid.

Tony T from your days of W&M - football player, Twalt's old roommie...is very good friends and neighbors with a music mogul out in L.A. A biggie. Goes to the Grammy's every year with him, has been on the company jet, etc...If I can figure out his name/label I'll shoot it to ya.

zman said...

I will miss Fred Jackson.

TR said...

I can't wait for the dumb Jets to get excited and sign him to "get back at Rex".

TR said...

Rory McIlroy is 28th on the PGA Tour's all-time money list, at $27.7 million. Yes, the all-time list. He's ahead of Norman, Azinger, Parnevik, Tway, Poulter, Faxon, Duval, Price, Funk, Westwood, Couples, Harrington and many others.

He also turned 26 in May. It ain't so bad to be Rory these days.

Also, it's not so bad to be Jodan Spieth, who's #61 all-time at $18.6 million. Or Jason Day, who's #37 at $23.6 million.

zman said...

Jodan Spieth is Jordan Spieth's indigent twin. I suspect all three of these guys make an order of magnitude more in endorsements.

Danimal said...

Spieth's endorsements: Under Armour obviously, Rolex, Titleist, AT&T, Netjets and a couple of other small ones.
Would guess the Under Armour and AT&T combined exceed the $40M/year guaranteed mark, with a few more wheelbarrah's worth as incentives.
At the same age and with a similarly terrifc year (4 wins and 9 top 10's) Tiger won just under $2.1M. Oh the times they are'a changin.

zman said...

Tyrod Taylor is the Bills' week 1 QB. Not to be confused with Tierod Taylor the auto parts kingpin.

Dave said...

fantasy land is awesome! weird and spooky and very bjork . . .

Clarence said...

I found it more Regina Spektor, but I can go with Icelandic over Russian.

Shlara said...

She's talented Rob!
And, I'm going to the US Open this weekend--need some advice on the Gheorghie tennis fans who have attended

zman said...

Check out matches on the small side courts. You can sit 25 feet from the court and even though you want see Federer out there, being that close makes you realize how insanely good the 150th player in the world is. Move around and try to catch a good match out there. Then head over to Ashe to watch at least one big name. Federer, Nadal or Serena are even more impressive live than on TV.

TR said...

I second the small courts call. Wander and see top-ranked players playing doubles from absurdly close. You may also get lucky and see a top player sneak in a quick practice session on an empty court. Of course, enjoy a Heineken while you do so. There are ample beverage options all over the grounds.

Be prepared for the 7 train experience. It's more like the Queens seen in Coming to America than the Queens you might see visiting a hipster friend in Astoria.

zman said...

Yeah, if you drive and break down, you don't want to go to one of those "flat fix" places.

rob said...

the kidlet is mortified that i let other humans hear her work. which doesn't bode well for my plan for exploiting her for personal gain.

rootsminer said...

Rob, your kidlet has a good voice and I like her vocal harmonies, but I'm not sure I'd encourage music as a career. Even bands that get lots of love on the interwebz and appear successful are often just barely getting by. Only a select few people pay for music these days.

rob said...

oh, my encouragement of her music career in this space is entirely tongue in cheek, rootsy. i have no illusions that she'll be the next arianna grande. or even jenny lewis.

Clarence said...

The W&M college newspaper (The Flat Hat) has a poll on its site which asks:

What should be added as a new symbol on the College's mace?

Your choices:

- The Griffin
- The Wren Building
- The Crim Dell Bridge
- Jon Stewart's face
- A squirrel

Looks like we need to stuff the ballot box (on this gripping issue). Go vote!

Shlara said...

Thanks Zman & TR!
We're definitely taking the 7 train, so appreciate the tip.
And we'll spend time at the side courts for sure--I've never been to a major and would LOVE to see Serena and/or Djokovic up close

zman said...

Cape May Zoo gets two thumbs up. They have giraffes!

Danimal said...

so the new GOOGLE logo is pretty rad heh?

TR said...

I gave up my Jets season tix at the end of last year, after my then 7 y/o son became perectly fluent in every permutation of asshole, fuckface, cocksucker and dickhead that could be uttered by drunken meatheads. I got into a written kerfluffle with the season ticket office about the remainder of a small outstanding PSL payment. I held my line by repeatedly citing the conditions at the game, and they stopped harassing me for the remainder after making some empty threats. I assumed they weren't that thrilled with me these anymore.

Or so I thought. I just got a call from the ticket office saying they wanted me back, and saying they had a deal where I could pay for 7 regular season games and go to all 8. And this was after I avoided buying the pre-season games.

So the loyal fans had to shell out money for a PSL and for 10 games to watch 2 scrimmages and 8 regular season games, versus my paying for 7 games and not paying a PSL. The NFL is a mess.

And the home games this year include expected juggernauts: Washington football team, Browns, Bills, Jaguars, Dolphins and Titans. Eagles and Pats offset that.

Schedule includes a Thursday night home game against the Bills, for those who like going to bed after 1 AM on school nights.

Clarence said...

National Chicken Month began today. Be afraid.

zman said...

Bills/Jest games will be exercises in offensive futility, but the Rex and Fitz angles will get a lot of air time. I'm not sure I can stay up to watch that thursday game on TV, let alone go to it.

Clarence said...

Did anybody get my joke?

TR said...

You should've nominated it for comment of the year, Clarence. I hear that's how one drums up attention in these parts.