Garageband

This is fun for me. I participate in this international music contest at www.garageband.com. I've actually received quite a few awards over the past year. I appreciate that my musical colleagues occasionally throw accolades at my guitar playing or arranging or producing.

The latest award is for "It's a Shame." I wrote this song in 1979, nursing a hangover in an empty (except for my fellow itinerate musician, Tim Kohler) sports stadium in Flagstaff.

A couple months ago I was in my makeshift studio working on a song that had me rather frustrated. I decided to take a break and blow off some steam. Within about a half an hour I had recorded all the parts to "It's a Shame" and mixed the darn thing. I was going for the original garage band jam sound. I fully expected to delete the result.

On a whim I submitted an MP3 of the song to Garageband.com. As I expected, the guitar hero wannabes dissed my unschooled licks. A few reviewers caught the feeling, but nobody seemed to catch the parody that I intended. Apparently "Garageband" is now a program for Apple computers rather than a way of life.

Imagine my surprise when "It's a Shame" was named Track of the Day in the hotly contested category of Blues Rock. Makes me want to jump on the hood of the Rambler, wailing on my Flying V!

Left without saying goodbye

I'm kinda wondering what the planning commission finally will recommend. I just could not sit through the entire deliberation; kudos to you who did. In any event this LNG thing goes to the Clatsop County Commission for their preference. That may be a good thing...

What! Has Huhtala gone mad?

Hey, back off, I have my reasons to expect the appropriate action from our elected officials. First, I seriously doubt that they are subject to bribery. Second, they are generally very responsive to protecting the interests of businesses and property owners in this county. Allowing this industry in our vicinity is clearly a huge step backward for our economy. I also think that the Commissioners care about the negative cash flow the Clatsop County govenment should expect from doing business with these un-persuasive speculators.

Okay, maybe I'm wrong to trust in the good sense of the Commissioners. In that case this still goes to the Land Use Board of Appeals, and probably beyond. The measured and sensible recommendations of County staff will factor very favorably for sending these cats back to Houston.