Last week I was “tagged for a meme” on a friend’s blog. I’m not sure what that means but it sort of feels like the Internet equivalent of a chain letter.

Regardless, it has given me a good excuse to post an entry this Saturday morning. The idea behind this meme is to write about lessons you’ve learned from odd jobs.

When I was in high school, I decided I wanted to be associated with music in any way possible. I was taking piano lessons and little did I know that my teacher happened to have a very good connection with the local music store in Anderson, Indiana. The connection being that her husband and son ran the place. When I turned 16 it seemed like I was supposed to get a job, so I did. I’ll write more about that sense of duty that has dragged me through much of my life some other time.

When I started working at Music Today the summer before my sophomore year of high school, one event stands out to me. Right after I turned 16, I got a speeding ticket. I was driving my parent’s car that was sort of designated as the car reliable enough for the children to drive but not so nice that it would be a big deal if we destroyed it. Having had my driver’s license for about a month, I was busted doing 50 in a 35 that would eventually graduate to a 55 about 1 mile down the road. It scared me to pieces and I knew I’d never speed again.

Flash forward two whole months to a summer afternoon when I was driving the Music Today delivery truck to Lafayette, Indiana for an inventory delivery. A sheriff, coming the opposite way on a pretty quiet stretch of highway, somehow calculated that I was doing 13 mph over the speed limit and I got my second ticket.

At the time, I was dating a girl from school whose mother worked for an attorney who seemed to be notorious for “taking care of speeding tickets.” I know it sounds completely unethical (and it probably was) but all my friends were aware of this loophole in the justice system and learned at about the same time that we could get a second chance when this attorney would magically make our fines disappear. Which brings me to lesson number one.

1. Sometimes life gives you second chances. Third chances are pretty uncommon.

The first speeding ticket was “excused.” I did not get so lucky on the second one.

Back to the music store. There are so many stories and lessons I could relate. Maybe I’ll just give the lessons and not set them up.

1. It’s fun (but not nice) to play “set all items on the counter crooked for your OCD friend / co-worker who likes things neat and straightened.”
2. If you decide to kiss your girlfriend at your place of employment late at night, it’s best to make sure no one else is there. (Mom, I’m sure that one is a shock to you.)
3. When you are in high school and you work for a small business, you are not an employee. It goes beyond that really. I picked up cars from the repair shop for my employer, as well as other senior employees who just liked the idea of having someone to get their car for them.

And finally, I did learn that it’s possible to move a grand piano, but not fun. Here are the step by step instructions:

• Cover said piano with a blanket. Always do this. If you don’t, some people say that straps can leave permanent scars in the piano finish.
• Bind the lid to the piano with straps.
• Find 3 friends to help tip the piano on its side and onto a thing that looks like a sled but not as fun. Two of your friends should be large men.
• Detach the legs and pedals from the piano and put them out of the way so nobody trips on them carrying the piano up the stairs, for instance.
• Stand close to the piano while it’s moving so it looks like you’re helping lift. Seriously four people can’t really carry something through a doorway. Don’t try it.

It wasn’t the perfect job, but it was good experience for a wiry high school kid and the people I worked with were great. And I did learn one other life lesson. Be kind to your back: lift with your legs!

Popularity: 34% [?]

Let me say this first: I’m an Andrew Peterson fan. I’ve seen him play live a couple of times and his songs have touched me in ways that few others have. So, when I was perusing his site a little over a week ago and saw the invite for bloggers to join his new book’s blog tour, I decided to send an email to the listed address.

A few months ago, I read that Andrew Peterson was writing a book and I casually investigated the details. I think a few weeks went by and I looked into the story a bit, as it existed at his web site. The title sort of caught me off-guard at first. “Does he realize…” I thought to myself, noting the obvious redundancy in the book’s title. The answer is “Yes. Yes he does realize.”

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness releases Tuesday, March 18th. This is book one of the Wingfeather Saga and it primarily follows three siblings, Janner, Tink and Leeli Igiby, as they make attempts to pursue a happy life in a town that isn’t altogether happy. The children live with their brave peg-legged grandfather, Podo and nearly-as-brave mother, Nia. The family and other residents of Glipwood, live in what has become a police state run by Fangs (a sort of snake/human creature). One afternoon, in all the hustle and bustle of the local Dragon Day Festival, Janner, Tink and Leeli manage to make one of the Fangs hate them even more than he already does. Could this be the beginning of the end of their semi-peaceful existence in Glipwood Township?

So I started reading this book with the expectation of a Lord of the Rings style tale. It has a bit of that, but it’s difficult to say how it’s so different than that. One thing is certain, and this is the charming thing that sets The Dark Sea of Darkness apart from stories like the one I mentioned: the novel really doesn’t take itself too seriously for very long. Let me explain by giving a couple examples. The top Fang in the township of Glipwood is named Gnorm. Gnorm. It’s really not that silly until you say it out loud. And almost every one of the story’s short chapters has a footnote that is completely ridiculous, yet completely effective at moving the story along. To me, these endearing little bits made the story really enjoyable.

In a way, the silly elements and the fact that the lead characters are all under the age of 13 might make you think it’s just a kid’s story. On the contrary, I think it’s a story that will engage kids of any age, like all the great stories. There’s action, humor, peril and toothy cows (which are much worse than they sound). Actually, I think some of the other animals are worth mentioning just for their creative names. There are thwaps, ratbadgers, flabbits, sea dragons, horned hounds, quill diggles, digtoads and more.

Andrew Peterson’s On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness is an excellent book. The tale is engaging and absolutely satisfying. The characters leap off the pages like a pack of ratbadgers. In fact, I was so riveted that I plowed through the last two-thirds of the novel this evening. And amid all the silliness, there are some deep, important themes to the story–things I’ll be thinking about for a few days. I know a part of me really longs to attend the Dragon Day Festival and be rapt by the songs of the Sea Dragons…

Honestly I’m not surprised that I enjoyed this book so much. Andrew was already one of my favorite singer/songwriter/story-tellers. I just didn’t know he could write fiction.

I have a brand new, extra copy of the book to give away. If you’d like it, send me an email and I’ll give the book away on my next podcast. Email to jeff@jeffcaylor.com.

If you’re interested in finding out more about Andrew Peterson, visit his web site here and be sure to check out his writer’s collective web site, The Rabbit Room (I’m waiting for him to rename it “The Flabbit Room”).

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness can be ordered at Amazon.com here.

Popularity: 49% [?]

This is pretty amazing. If this works as well as it appears to, it is, in fact, pretty revolutionary. I’m so baffled about how this is actually possible. By the way, the announcer is talking about “midi,” not something “meaty.”

Here’s the Melodyne Page.

Popularity: 34% [?]

There’s currently a shiny new electro mix of Almost Flew. I’m pretty stoked about this one. It’s quite nice and production is by artist/DJ Marion Christian.

The quality on this one is over the top. I hope you like it!

This amazing photo is courtesy Michael Heath, a really talented guy I’m working with. Check more of his stuff out here.

Popularity: 43% [?]

The future is here and it came in the mailbox yesterday. Even though I’ve been watching the HD over the air signals on my computer tuner these past few weeks, the reality of HD TV really started to hit when my TV Converter Box coupons came in the mail yesterday.

I’m sure a lot of people will get the boxes, but many will be craiglisting scads of analog televisions until they go the way of film cameras and nobody wants one anymore. That also means we’re going to see a big television purchasing bump between now and next year when the analog signals shut down. I’m just sayin’…

PANASONIC - MC
SONY - SNE
SHARP - SHCAY
PHILIPS - PHG
GE - GE
PIONEER - 6773.T
TOSHIBA - TOSBF
SAMSUNG is traded in Seoul, London and Luxomburg
OLEVIA - BRLC

By the way, I’m just a musician. If I were you, I’d go elsewhere for stock tips.

Popularity: 37% [?]

Domain names are like pets. When you get one, you’re in it for the long haul. In the same way that it’s just not right to just dump off a cat or dog or hamster when you become disinterested, it’s not a good idea to leave your domain to fend for itself either.

I had a domain that I used for a project a couple years ago. I figured it would drift into obscurity when I let it expire since I didn’t really do much with it and traffic to it was fairly innocuous. I’m sad to say that some bad people have taken it over and now it’s an unsafe place in this Internet landscape. I can’t even link to it here.

So I’ve been thinking about getting another domain, but you know, it feels like a pretty big commitment. Maybe I’ll just get a plant.

Photo by tomooka

Popularity: 35% [?]