Dave Rat - Roadies in the Midst

Month Two Home

Immersed in pondering I I wonder where have I felt this sensation before? The trigger this time is surfing. Or more specifically, the territorial nature of surfers guarding their surf spot. I grew up in LA and for quite a few years lived very close to the beach. Yet at best I am crappy surfer that spends most of my time and all of my energy just paddling out past the waves and then chasing them back in after avoiding the ones that look like doom cometh. I am not one much for being chilly except in the Peppers sense and until the very recent now, I never made a true effort to truly grasp the whole pattern and strategy of timing, preparedness and mental state optimization necessary to improve my surfing skills and truly embrace the art. Though now it has clicked and getting up at 6:30 am to be wet by 7 in 55 degree water for two hours of alternating exertion and waiting has become something I look forward to. So back to my pondering, it dawns on me that the pattern of possessiveness of surf spots is reminiscent of trying to change lanes on the freeway while driving. The hot surf spot is the fast lane with cars cruising past and the beginner or alien surfer is a "lane changer" that is moving slow or stuck behind a truck or just wanting in to the fast moving herd. Guardedly, no car wants to open the space to let you in, as your mere presence slows the fast lane down and ruins the spot. Yet after you do manage to merge and if you do drive at a solid speed, it wont take long before all is forgotten and you become one of the locals not wanting to let those slow lane cars come clog the cruise. Why of course!, is that not that the way humans naturally act and respond when they have access to something that is both desirable and in limited supply. And my resentment fades as it all makes sense. Do my time, learn my skills, walk softly till welcomed and enjoy the process. Otherwise I would just be one of those idiots with road rage or surf rage as the case may be.

Anyway, currently I am immune, as I have hooked up with a group of long boarding old timers that have welcomed me in. They surf there every day, "C Street" they call it and they have their spot and their time and no one hassles me as I hang tight with a cool gang of locals.

Hey, check out Gene at http://surfstills.com/ in the middle picture, who introduced me to all.

Ok, audio nerdy tidbit of the day, Jon Rat sent me this web site which is full of cool calculators for all kinds of figuring.

http://www.sengpielaudio.com/Calculations03.htm

Oh and this one is cool to and came from Greg Cameron, my long time friend and former drummer os SWA and several other bands "back in the day"

http://users.swing.be/hdepra/home/P22/E-sounds.html

You can put these on your iPod or MP3 player and test it's frequncy response with Smaart or an RTA or whatever test software you audio humans use.

Speaking of pals, check out another good friend Derek Van Ord also known as DVO who an awesome monitor engineer and does Ben Harper and many other cool bands

He got roped into doing camera blocking for a french TV show on a Ben Harper gig, you can just feel how much joy he radiates in being on stage!

Finally for this segment, though they are long since burned their course, the California fires had their impact. I live a bit away from them but not far enough away to have an erie sky and thick smoke smell wrap itself around our lives.

while piles of ash find their way to settle everywhere

Next stop, Halloween, and until then, big eyes and smiles 'cause it is way more fun than complaining.

Dave Rat

PS, I am headed out to LDI to mix on for EAW for ET Live, if you are there, come say hello!