So, in the process of getting ready to upload a January song (it’ll just be a simple warmup, nothing fantastic, and won’t appear til mid-February because I am still working on technical glitches) I’m repairing and transcribing a rare manual for my OEI Voyetra Eight synthesizer.

Yes, those Voyetra guys. They started off making synthesizers. Very cool stuff, but very oddball hardware design, making it a bit difficult to fix. And there never was an official troubleshooting guide, so the one I have is a rarity (and apparently buggy as hell.) So here’s to the rest of you owning (or wanting to own!) one of these things. Perhaps my manual will help you out a bit.

I’ve decided, this year, I’m going to write one song a month and upload it for public fun. Unfortunately, I decided this pretty late in January, so I don’t have much time!

Hopefully by the end of the week…perhaps it won’t be anything more than a simple piano recording this time.

The Japanese word madogiwa refers to employees of a company who have been “demoted” by their management. Yet, because of restrictive Japanese labor laws, they can’t be fired — so they receive a salary for doing nothing all day.

What do you think of that? Would you accept a role in which you do nothing, but get paid a salary — and yet have to live with the humiliation of telling your friends you’re in this despicable position?

snarky comments aren’t good at 8:15 in the morning. At least you can recover from them easily, but misplaced tensions are always a terrible way to start your day. :(

Meetings, meetings and more meetings! And me without putting on antiperspirant this morning :(

At least I had my Dekavita C energy drink this morning! woo woo!

Too much crab. but it was nummy! but what a salt overdose with both that AND the nabe tsuyu! :P

Lunch reminded me, yet again, that I HATE T.G.I. Friday’s. I know, I know, I’m no longer an American. But I sure as hell am not “turning Japanese!” Last time I checked, I still hated anime :)

great film. Benicio Del Toro deserved the Oscar.

Staying up until 1AM to watch is is bad. Visiting your gf’s mom and brother is totally worth it, especially when you get a trip to Costco out of it :) Yay 2lb. bag of M&Ms!

Can you be friends with your ex? With your partner’s ex?

Can your new partner be friends with your ex?

Six people have announced their departure from my company in the past week. Not a good omen.

On one of the private IRC networks I sit on (and help run), we have a little automated response bot that learns from what people type and responds in kind, based on the frequency of learned words. This morning, he made me fall over laughing:

grommit, will you impregnate me?
Will coooooooome.

My company’s issued me an overseas travel accident insurance policy. Apparently I’m worth Y1,500,000 in medical expenses from injury and sickness, and some unreadable kanji for death & residual disability. Nice to know how much you’re worth! :)