Friday, September 30, 2005

The Law and the Body

I remember the Logemonster bringing up some issues about governmental control of the body-- particularly the force of the law over particular bodies. (I think it might have been during the Schaivo power grab.) Anyways, I saw this news piece today on the AP news-wire, and I thought I would see if anyone has comments or ideas about this sort of invasiveness. I'm not entirely comfortable with the ruling myself, but I'm not sure whether or not to blatantly condemn it. Let's just say that it makes me anxious...

Sunday, September 25, 2005

NPR: Music from Iraq

Fellas,
I heard a story on NPR la otra dia about an army reservist who is a jazz musician back in the world but who continues to compose music while in Iraq. He composes electronically-- not unlike 611 studios-- and posts his music on the internet-- not unlike 611 online. I thought that this would be particularly interesting to a lot of us here (especially Dave, Steve and Aeijtzsche), so I'm puting up a link. You have to love "All Things Considered."

Monday, September 19, 2005

Lifestyle changes for Jon

Hello guys, in the last month I've made some pretty radical changes (for me) in my life and am finally here to give everyone an update.
But first I'd like to say a huge thank you to Strauss, Dave DeGroot, Brett, Liz, and Carrie for giving me places to stay during my vacation in August and for spending time visiting with me. It was an awesome trip and very relaxing. It felt great to see such good and dear friends again. Hopefully it won't be another three years until I can see you guys again. And now the update....

As we went into September and right before my vacation I turned in my notice to McDonald's. While the job certainly filled a need for me in the past it had become a great source of trouble for me in the past six months or so. It was almost impossible for me find ways to keep advancing myself musically except for the odd lesson or so because I had to schedule everything at least a month in advance. I was also almost never able to attend church because there were only three of us salaried managers to cover all the shifts in a week. And I had zero time to unwind with friends and family whom I was seeing about once every two weeks or so. Add to this an ever growing sense of frustration and depression and this job had to go.
I'm now doing several things part-time to earn money. On Monday through Wednesday I'm teaching piano lessons and accompanying a few singers at East Central College. I only have a very few students or singers right now though so it's not as much money as it will hopefully become. And for the other part-time job I'm now a bartender at a local restaurant called the Pasta House Company. It's been a lot of fun lately and once I learned the different alchohols and drink recipes it got a lot easier and while I'm not the best bartender they've got I definitely not the worst either.
Since I can no pretty much set my own schedule I auditioned for a select choir in St. Louis and made it in. They're called the Bach Society Chorus. You can check them out at www.bachsociety.org if you want. It's really been a great choir to be a part of everyone in it is such a high caliber singer that it's really a joy to be in rehearsals with them. And almost everyone in the choir is a Christian and most of the pieces that we perform and sacred in nature. Almost all of our concerts are performed in the great cathedrals and churches in St. Louis. All in all it's going to be a blast I think. Hopefully if I'm a member again next year I can actually earn one of the paid positions but we'll see.
I'm also able to take lessons right now from two really great teachers, Dr. Leon Burke and Jim Uselman. They are both really great guys and I feel blessed to have them both as mentors and teachers. Which I've been sorely lacking for the last few years. I think that under their tutelage I'll be able to grow both as a musician and as a person.
I'm going to go now but I'd like to leave a note of encouragement for anyone who might need it. If circumstances in your life are making you feel miserable and depressed, whether they are from a job or whatever the cause. Don't be afraid to change your life. It can be pretty scary to leave the safety of the known for the uncertainty of new things. But if you don't make the changes you need to, then the only thing you can be certain of is that no one else will do it for you. Think hard, pray hard, and then act. You'll be much happier in the long run if you listen to your heart and what God is telling you. Bye guys I'll talk to you all later.

Sunday, September 18, 2005

The Struggle to Find Us

I decided to see how hard it is to find our site using the new google blogsearch.

It couldn't find us using Traber 6 or Traber6.

It couldn't find us in a search for TEFKAMS.

It couldn't find us in a search for Traber Wheaton either (but it did provide some mildly interesting results).

Nor could it find us in a search for Strauss Greenspan or Glubby Jones.

I did find us when I searched for Dusty Marlett.
Dusty rollin' in the dough
16 Jul 2005 by Stephen
Dusty, what happened to your site?? http://www.marlett.net/ Did you sell the
domain name for the big bucks?? "This site is currently under contruction If you
are looking for Dusty's personal site, it has moved to a folder inside of this ...
611 Online! - http://traber6updates.blogspot.com

I also found us when I typed in 611 online.
611 Online! - Welcome friend! Consider this your online Steve-and-Adam's room! Traber 611 Online! So kick back, grab your favorite SAGA-esque snack,...



Personally, I don't see what the big deal is. I'm not ashamed by our site. Plus, our site is stinking hard to find even with blogsearch unless you know to type in 611 online, or you have a fascination with Dusty. If we really feel that this situation needs to be remedied, the easy solution is to expel Dusty from the blog and wipe out all 611 online records of his existence. I don't see wordpress as necessary.

For Dusty: John 15:13*


* Disclaimer: Expulsion of Dusty is a tongue in cheek suggestion that I do not feel should be carried out yet.

Saturday, September 17, 2005

Tabla

Steve and I went to an new Indian restaurant in our area tonight. We were the only ones there for most of the time, so we started talking to the (Japanese) owner and asked him if he had any cool Indian music to play on his CD player there. He played a 'tabla' drum CD and the reason I'm telling you this is 1)Steve made me, because I never post to the blog and 2)I'd like to know what other intellectual-friendly tear-inducing brooding and esoteric music you guys know about and I don't...said music retaining intricate chord structures and penetrating and voice-shatteringly high melodies and at the same time remaining radio-friendly.

If that's not clear, just tell me and the rest of us some music worth listening to that we don't know about. (And for me, remember, I really know nothing.)

Thursday, September 15, 2005

I Have Seen the Future...

Alas, fair friends, it is true. For those of you, like Dusty, who have been fearing this for some time, I bring to you grave tidings of a new and insidious search engine, developed by Google, to infiltrate our fair blogosphere. I can bearly bring myself to speak its name... blogsearch. Oh, the humanity!

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Adam's Road Trip

Adam, I expect you to fill this post or a new one with an personal update if you ever get some down time while in Wheaton. I hope you got there safely.