Headphone fatigue

One advantage to living alone is all the time you can devote to recording music. I've devoted a lot of time to recording music recently. I wish I had an electric guitar and drums, but I've just got my new acoustic. So, I'm manipulating acoustic recordings with computer software. I'm not too pleased with the results. One disadvantage of spending five hours recording with headphones on is that I don't ever feel like listening to real music.

The washing machine here drains all over the bathroom floor. Of course, I always desire to brush my teeth in the middle of a load of laundry. It's not possible unless I want to get my feet wet or wear rubber boots. I don't have rubber boots.

I have a lot of oatmeal. I've been eating a lot of instant oatmeal. I really like instant oatmeal these days.

I need to kill 'Hummer'

In the beginning, the best artist name I could come up with for myself was 'Epiphender.' When I tried to do vocals, I started labeling all my music 'Peter Pan.' When I switched from a 4-track cassette recorder to computer-based recording, I also switched my pseudonym to 'Hummer.' Everything I've recorded since 2006 has been by 'Hummer.' However, I really don't care for the name anymore. Problem is, I've decided there's no good name to be had, and now I've got a big identity crisis going on. I mean, think about the concert poster situation... I guess I don't play any concerts, but I'd still like to have an interesting name.

Happy X-mas (War is over)

The music in this coffee shop is a mix of Frank Sinatra, John Lennon, Sting and artists who idolize Frank Sinatra. I don't think I've ever heard "Happy X-mas (war is over)" on a public sound system. I've just heard it twice in the past hour, though. I guess you can't go wrong if it's a Christmas song by John Lennon. Famous AND seasonal. "Woman Is The N***** Of The World" next? Sure hope so! Think about it. Think about it. Wait, am I the only person among my acquaintances that knows that song? Maybe not - good thing I know Jeff Milburn. Elvis? Gross. I guess I better put my computer away and get out of here.

I can't perform in the subway

Sometimes when I leave class and go to get on the subway I find one of the students that just left my class is waiting for the same train as me. It's not my favorite situation. I don't like trying to force a friendly conversation amidst train noise. I'm not good at faking smiles. The only time I can get into performance/teacher mode is in a classroom in front of at least five people. I just can't perform in the subway. I wonder if I would feel worse about it if my students tried to avoid me at the station. Depends on the student, I guess. Depends on whether they tried to talk about the mountain climbing gear they were about to buy or if they had something interesting on their mind.

I've settled in Incheon - in the Jemulpo neighborhood. I'm connected to Seoul by subway, but there is nothing in Jemulpo that resembles Seoul. Actually, there is nothing in Jemulpo. Right now it's a real 'tower of isolation' situation at my apartment. I'm on top of a hill with no roommate and no internet. Also, no water pressure. It's not all famine though; I have three different colognes from my previous students in Sangdo. They smell pretty good.