So half yearly is my trend. (My cool Fix, A year at Maton, A Year Since the Accident, Rocktober, Book Clubbing)

May was it...? ...when i last made entry. Ok, it's obvious i don't really care. That or my life has surely been hijacked by interesting things to keep me occupied.

On with it then... we don't want to start sounding like a typical personal diary entry... but that's the way i roll ya know... It sucks. (oop's I just could not help it)

July 21 was a while ago now. July 21, 2008 was even longer. This was the day i started working for Maton Guitars. Yes... I fit necks, tap in frets, and inlay fretboards into some very nice guitars floating around Australia and the world.
It was also about this same time that i started blogging here... which i must say, hasn't been the most productive of things. hmm. But as for me and Maton... I probably said it back then and i'll say it again; "if i weren't such a pessimist, i'd be living the dream". Maybe that's a slight exaggeration. Pay isn't that fantatic and it gets obscenely hot in the the summer, which it is now. The controlled humidity doesn't help either. But, i'm still pretty happy where i am right now. I now sometimes work on high end and artist signiature models... and of course working in an industry that makes things that make people happy... makes me happy.
So anyway... here's a picture of me taking a breather on my bench (where all the magic happens!)

My Cool Fix
Suggestive of a narcotic remedy, or just a bad pun of an celebrated Aussie fingerstyle guitarist? Well a bit of both. "My Cool Fix" is the model name i have given to my custom, one of a kind guitar i had made as a present for myself after working at Maton for 1 year. It's based off the Michael Fix signiature model with a few changes made.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGqhHhuzxhk&feature=related
It's a small bodied bluegrass style guitar, very comfy. I spent a good part of June, july and some of August hand selecting the timbers i wanted. We use an "A" rating standard for the Sitka Spruce used on the face of the guitar. A, AA and AAA being the finest which are put on the higher end guitars. I went through dozen of AAA before finding what i wanted, so essentialy i got the best... but better. I personally fitted the neck and inlayed the mother of pearl snowflake fret markers. So yeah... I had made a conscious desision to be all anal about it and well it turned out pretty damn nice in the end.

I have a bunch of photos taken as My Cool Fix was coming to shape. I should probably make a blog entry dedicated solely to that. We'll see.

...The Accident
Most Australian's see the 11th of the 11th Rememberence Day. One may take a minute or so of silence to reflect on those brave souls who gave their lives fighting for their country. Well.. starting this year i reflect on how on that very date 2008... i took a nasty spill on my bike. Some of you may know I grazed myself up pretty stingy ow ow and shattered a small bone in my wrist. See previous blog... oooh pictures of grazes.
Well... yes it's been a year. My wrist is pretty much 96% effective and I have not yet got back on a bike. Not that the experience scared the Bjebus outa me, no. I've just not been in the best of financial situations to splurge on well... lets call it a luxury item. I do have a car that can get me places. Also... after long analysis of damage... i found it not worth my while fixing up the little 150 and ebayed her off to another "loving home". Had to do an honest sale... hope the guy can actually get her going again. So that's my 2 wheeled adventures for now.

Rocktober
Halloween? what's that??... honestly, most of us in Australia don't really give a rats arse about Halloween... but it's fun to make a deal of it sometimes. In this case, rocking out in the form of plastic instruments infront of a big ass TV! Whatta ya know, here's my dodgey promo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuiLY3B2334
People dressed up, got drunk, rocked out and fun was had by all. For anyone else out there with a copy of Guitar Hero/Rock Band, Go spend a hundred bucks on your friends for a cheap bbq and grog and i assure you it's like karaoke bar at half the price and quadruple the fun!!!
This mob are my more artsy and creative circle of friends. I love them all so much and without them would probably be a working as an IT consultant, have poor fashion sense, date materialistic girls and be generally unhappy. moreso *ahem!*

Clubbing!!! ...no not that kind.
Unlike those clubs where getting in, is decided upon your ability to look hot in a pushup bra or knowing the right people (some other dumbasses)... The club i've been going to requires literacy... something most other club goes don't really have. HAHA OK I KID KID.
Yes i'm taling about a book club! Now you may bombard me with your pro clubbing and irony assault cuz i will tell you all now... up untill this book club... I PRETTY MUCH NEVER READ. It's true. So i thought i should do so more... and what better way to pressure myself than... a bookclub. The invite was brought to me just before gig early this year by Kim. I think she's sitting on a couch in one of the Rock Band photos... Actually a lot of the people there are also part of the book club.
Anyway... just announcing that my reading has increased... i say around 7000%. We're not just restricted to books.... we do movies too and CD's (which we have yet to).
We're pretty laid back about the whole thing... most meetings, some of us havn't even finished. It seems just another excuse to get together where as this time we have at least 1 garunteed topic of discussion and as always we have a bit of a drink and a feed on edible things usually themed to the book. The last book we did was Donna Tartt's The Seret History, which i thoroughly enjoyed. The photos are of the lovely Helen's gluten free (yes there's a celiac amongst us) brownie cake in the form of the snow covered ravine, where the dead body of book character Bunny was left. We also sipped at whisky and shared a big ol cigar that night. haha. seriuosly... it's a good read. We just got started on Obama's Audacty Of Hope. Anyone read that yet???

Going to Bed
Like it says.. i'm going to bed, as the time i usually do that was several hours ago but i told myself i'd get this done! Ya know what i'm not even gonna go and check for spelling of gramatical errors. Just a few little things to leave you with:

Them Crooked Vultures album of Friday... some of it sounds very Hommefied just like Era Vulgaris. But still cant wait to see em in... Jan? i forget. For those unaware, Them Crooked Vultures is the new super group consisting of Josh Homme QOTSADave Grohl Foo, Fighters and John Paul Jones Led Zepplin. Scumbag BLues is a bit of a favourite track. Has a great percussive rhythm and moody almost sinister Josh Homme guitar lick.

Has the formatting always been like that when you have text and pictures? the whole "..." deal. I hope it doesn't crop key joings words in my sentences.

Ooh! it seems nectarines are in season!... if you live in Melbourne. I think i'll have another before bed.

yeah that reminds me... bed.

ok i'm done.

now.