Thoughts for Company

…that I lack.

Deja vu?  Perhaps I might have explored this idea before on the blog… but it seems to be a recurring theme here.

When I started blogging, I was warned that my level of production might vary greatly, and that if I had the ideas and motivation to write multiple blog posts in one sitting, I should save them for a rainy day.

But I’m really not good at waiting, or saving, or raining, so I tend not to wait.  I get a little trigger happy with the Publish button…

I understand the point of keeping extra blog posts in the queue, in case I get busy or lost for words, but I just can’t bring myself to hold off.  Much the same as how I can’t purchase a gift or organize a surprise and actually keep it a secret until the appropriate time.

Life may be short, and I’m shorter.

Now that I have your attention…

A new video, entitled Muffins (not naked, sorry!), has been posted on the Video page.  But it requires an explanation…

The song was composed early last year as a project for my Ableton Live class, taught by the awesome Erik Ubels.  Our assignment was simple: perform some semblance of noise using the software and various tracks (including vocals, I believe) and trigger different parts of the song using the keyboard.  I added my own Roshena-esque twist on the classic “Muffin Man” nursery rhyme, with new and exciting lyrics and melodies, and voila!  Two minutes later, a delicious treat for all the senses!

And I actually brought muffins to share with the class that evening.  Yum!

I swore that I would never let this video see the light of day.  But now that time has elapsed, I’ve learned to embrace my ridiculousness.  Perhaps you may even find it remotely entertaining.  I’m only afraid that I will become the next Numa Numa guy - but then I remember that no one is actually reading or watching this anyway.

Special thanks to Ken Watts for recording the video, sending me a copy, and most importantly, not putting it up on YouTube (to my knowledge) first.

So, for my own sake, the recipe:

Do you know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man?
Do you know the muffin man…

Gather round while I bake you a song
I hope you like it!

Muffins can be good for you, good for you, good for you
Muffins can be good for you
And they taste great too!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, 400 degrees, 400 degrees
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
That’s 200 Celcius!

And for every minute that you bake
Take a minute to shake
I said, take a minute to shake!

Here is your shopping list (flour!), shopping list (oats!), shopping list (eggs!)
Here is your shopping list (milk!)
Don’t forget to take it (there’s more!)

Baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar, applesauce
Cinnamon and vanilla
It’s simpler than you thought

I like apples, I like berries, I like bran and nectarines
Carrots and zucchini too
I like muffins made by you

And for every minute that you bake
Take a minute to shake
I said, take a minute to shake!

All done!

Serve to a class of starving musicians.

Ahh, I love school and miss it every day… but I happily console myself with my fave Power Muffins from Capers.

With a name like that, how could one go wrong?!