A Bard's Real World Blog
Journal, Blog, News, and Diary

(I'll Never) Return to Ballyho
Songs, song, songs, Yippee!!! I think I finally finished the lyrics for ANOTHER song! This one I've been working on for about three years. The music's been done and sounds pretty good on it's own, but it's had a story that was waiting to be told. And finally, I think it's done!

Nothing like a sense of completion!

Blast my server!!!
The Bards website is down again. Gotta get off that crappy server. Ah well. I had a great evening last night. Didn't get what I planned to do done, but it was a lotta fun since I had one of my (ass-)bestess buds come over. (that sounds wrong... oh well;) We chatted and gossiped and played with the kitties. Then I vegged and watched Enterprise while I did a wee bit o'cleaning.

I have too many random pieces of paper lying around. Ah well.

Oh yeah, Happy Halloween! Hoping to put out a Celtic MP3s issue and need to get started, but I wanted to chat a wee bit.

Ooo! And I also think I may've finally finished a song I started a year ago or so--"Figwort's Love Song for Ember". I was working on it and almost in tears as I wrote the lyrics and role-played.

The song was inspired by a faery I played music for at front gate of TRF last year named Ember. In her real life, she was married to the guy who played Figwort the Goblin. I was in the mood to compose new material and asked for a theme. So Ember wanted a love song from her Goblin husband. Vroom! The idea took off!

So the story is about a goblin named Figwort who happens upon a fairy ring while looking for a warm fire. There he sees Ember dancing around the fire, and falls in love. Then he's confronted with the horrible knowledge that he's a hideous goblin and she's a beautiful fairy. So he's left wondering if there could ever be love between them despite their differences.

It's very touching to think about. *sigh* Alrighty, off to do what I need doing.

The Quiet Bard
Ah, what a wonderful evening last night. I finally got to see The Quiet Man and also got to see Waking Ned Divine at the Alamo Drafthouse thanks to The Gaelic League of Austin. It was a wonderful wee evening of Irish movies and some Gaelic lessons.

This was my first time to see The Quiet Man Andrew's been ravving about it for a lonnnng time, and I hate to admit it, but it really was a fantastic movie... despite John Wayne being it. :)

It was shot on location in Ireland (rare when it was filmed), and features some exquisite cinematography. Beautiful colors. Apparently, when the studio saw some test shots, they said, "It's too green!" Which makes sense, since it on stopped raining four days for the entire shoot. Any case, if you get a chance go see it.

Waking Ned Divine was as wonderful as usual. Actually, moreso since I saw it in the theatre and could see all the beautiful landscape shots in all their majesty on the big screen. Left the theatre with joy, and was promptly inspired to go home and record till wayyy too late last night. But I'm not complaining. I finally recorded a song to finish off the album which I'll feature next month. I also started remixing all the songs and hope to have the album refinished soon... but how long have I been saying that? Ah well...

In other news, the Gaelic League had the cutest little green Teddy Bears for sale. So I had to buy a couple to give to my tabby cats, TnT and Jasper. Oh, they're so sweet! ;)

Writing a new bio
I've had the same bio for a long while. I need to rewrite it, so I thought I'd ask:

What would you be interested in finding out about?
What is newsworthy to you?
What bit about me would you like to find out more about?

Submit questions and thoughts in my forum.

Here's my old bio.
Brobdingnagian Bards Bio
Brobdingnagian Bards extended Bio

Submit questions and thoughts in my forum.

If Tolkien fans were allowed to rule the world
You'd probably things like this.

Celtic Reels in Austin... a different sort of reel
If you're looking for something interesting to do this evening, the Gaelic League of Austin is hosting two classic Irish films: "The Quiet Man" and "Waking Ned Divine" at the Alamo Drafthouse in downtown Austin.

Find out more about Celtic Reels from the Gaelic League of Austin webpage.

Rocking the search engines
Ooh! Just checked out my Celtic MP3s Music Magazine (featuring free Scottish and Irish music downloads) and it looks like it is kicking butt on the search engines. Yesterday, it had over 300 visits to the homepage. Woohoo!

(Search engines are one of my main promotional methods combined with newsletters, so it gets me excited.)

Jonesing for this and that
Yeah, I'm feeling the bug again. No, not that sore throat I still sorta have rather for two things. One, playing music in Austin. I know we don't have much time for this sorta stuff, since I'm still wiped out from the weekend, but I LOVE to play music, and I really would love to play more in Austin.

Second, I miss Italy. *sigh* I'm so ready to take another trip to Italy. Maybe it's the escapist in me, or maybe it's the Celtic World Italy newsletter I got today, or maybe it's all the time at faire, but I so would love to head back to Italy this Winter, but the pocketbook is saying, "not likely". Especially considering, I'm still hoping that next year will be my last year in my current job. Ah well, patience, bard-son.

Focus, focus.
I was chatting at lunch with a friend about my inability to focus right now. Can't seem to get much done because I'm left in a daze at the end of the day after staring at a computer for the whole day.

Okay, I actually did focus. Just not on what I should be focused on. Today, i was perusing for Scottish folk lyrics. One of the songs I've come up with is this one:

The Maid Went to the Mill
traditional

The maid went to the mill last night
Hey-hey, so wanton!
The maid went to the mill last night
Hey, so wanton she!
She swore below the stars so bright
That she should have her corn ground,
She should have her corn ground
The miller grinds so free!

Then out came the miller's man
Hey-hey, so wanton!
Out came the miller's man
Hey, so wanton he!
He swore he'd do the best he can
For to get her corn ground
For to get her corn ground
The miller grinds so free!

He bade her rest upon a sack
Hey-hey, so wanton!
He bade her rest upon a sack
Hey, so wanton he!
Her maidenhead went with a crack
Right well she got her corn ground
Right well she got her corn ground
The miller grinds so free!

It's easy up and easy down
Hey-hey, so wanton!
It's easy up and easy down
Hey, so wanton he!
She scarce could tell her corn was ground
Right well she got her corn ground
Right well she got her corn ground
The miller grinds so free!

When nine months were passed and gone
Hey-hey, so wanton!
When nine months were passed and gone
Hey so wanton she!
This fair young maid brought forth a son
Because she'd got her corn ground
Because she'd got her corn ground
The miller grinds so free!

Her mother bade her cast it out
Hey-hey, so wanton!
Her mother bade her cast it out
Hey, so wanton she!
It was the miller's dusty clout
For getting of her corn ground
Getting of her corn ground
The miller grinds so free!

Her father bade her keep it in
Hey-hey, so wanton!
Her father bade her keep it in
Hey, so wanton he!
It was the chief of all her clan
For getting of her corn ground
Getting of her corn ground
The miller grounds so free!

This young man must have a nurse
Hey-hey, so wanton!
This young man must have a nurse
Hey so wanton he!
So the miller's man drew out his purse
Because he got her corn ground
Because he got her corn ground
The miller grinds so free!

New Photo Album at Long Last!
Haven't yet integrated into the website, but I have finally gotten my photo album working properly thanks to my friend Michelle with Three Shades of Grey Web Hosting. So hopefully, I'll be uploading a lot more pictures in the very near future.

Meantime, here's the link to my new photography and pictures.

Tipsys
Mreow. Good evening last night. Got a few things done and still had time to relax. Yeah, I went to bed a wee bit late, but slept late to compensate.

So what did I do? Well, I started by recording a little bard stuff until I got frustrated. Then I went over to visit Jasper and continue my reading of Hawaii by Michener, which we started a while ago. Oh, Jasper was sooooo nibble-able. So very adorable. I couldn't help but tackle him and give his belly a rasberry. What's a bard to do?!

Afterwards I came back home and started fixing up some other songs, got a working version of "Buttercup's Lament". Just need to listen to the album a wee bit and see if there are any other probs that need fixing. I also decided to add my two newest fae recordings to the album: "My Titania, Wake You, My Sweet Queen" and "Kyara, the Elven Mistress of Whispers".

Oh, but before I did that, I got to do some painting!

Okay, nothing spectacular, just a sign that reads, "Tips" for our tip bucket at faire. Kinda pleased the way it turned out. I think I might do another tonight.

The mining ship, Red Dwarf
Well, last night I wrote a rough draft of another kitty drinking song about Red Dwarf. It was late, so I don't remember much. Want to read over it before I post it. Kinda tells the story of the TV show...or at least the first two seasons since that's all I've completed thusfar. So I might want to finish the whole thing first.

Just thought I'd share.

Itchy and scratchy legs
Ye know, I never have been allergic to wool (from my kilt) in the past, but now I'm starting to wonder. It's either medicine or just the wool, but my legs itch, and it sucks.

Something different to listen to...
Well this is interesting. I'm listening to music I don't listen to much... ME! Or rather, the Brobdingnagian Bards.

When you play the songs as much as we do, we don't usually care to listen to our own music. So this makes a nice change. Not to mention it gives me a chance to remember some of those songs we Never play.

Except... I just realized it's just background music to me. Most music sorta is. I love vocal music, I just don't listen to the words much. And right now, I'm not singing along, just listening. Maybe I should try focusing on that a wee bit?

OH NO, I'M LATE!!!
I talked with one of Tiziano and Torre's former parents. Seems I was mistaken. TnT were born in late September BEFORE Texas Ren Fest! Well, I guess I'll just have to make do for now and stick with the plan for a (now belated) birthday party for November. At least it'll be a big suprise.

Tiziano and Torre's Birthday Party
Okay, I'm still a month, so shhhh... don't tell them, but I want to have a birthday party for TnT next month. Tiziano and Torre will be one year old. I'm thinking a nice party with a wee bit o'music where I might sing some of my Irish Kitty pub songs. Otherwise, socialize, hangout, eat drink...

If you're interested, then stay tuned to Marc's Musings, where I'll make a formal announcement with RSVP instructions.

Plow Monday calls it quits
Well if you're in Austin on November 15th, make sure you head out to the Hard Rock Cafe to see Plow Monday's farewell show. Plow Monday is a band I used to manage a decade ago. They've come a long way since those days. Their sounds grown and so have they, but alas, all good things must come to an end, and so it is with PM. They're final show together is next month and should be an incredible evening, so head out there and check them out. If ye want to hear what they sound like, check out their music on MP3.com.

Preserving the music of a culture
I was listening to a cassette of Irish pub songs by The Dubliners on the way to work, and it brought up some memories. I started the Bard's Celtic Lyric Directory for two reasons: one, to preserve traditional Celtic songs in the new format, MP3; and two, (always the marketer) to establish ourselves as the forerunner of traditional Celtic songs in this format. To some degree, I've kinda been successful too.

But it's interesting to think that once upon a time (and still today), The Dubliners inspired countless people to explore their musical heritage and listen to traditional Celtic songs. And here, we're kinda doing the same.

I found this same tape at Half-Price Books for just five bucks, and I've seen others there and elsewhere at the same price. Heck, the title Songs of Ireland came from my desire to try and enter that same market. Sadly, we don't have the distribution available that the major labels have to do the same.

Which raises another interesting question. I wonder if The Dubliners even receive a penny in royalties for that album or if they just get the publicity?

Not saying they get that either, considering this tape didn't even list The Dubliners name at all. I had to hunt it down online to find out who was performing on the tape.

Well the album is well worth the money. It's a bit short, but I love the live feel to the album. You learn when to sing-a-long and when not to. It's fantastic! That's what I hoped to capture with Songs of Ireland, Irish Folk and Pub Songs CD. Hopefully, our next CD Real Men Wear Kilts will do even better, but only time will tell.

Meantime, I'm happy that we can help preserve the music and share it with a new generation of Celtic music lovers!

The Mysterious Disappearing Bard
Hello again. I iz back. Been out sick for the past two days. I really don't like being sick. Worst thing about it is you have those perfect days for getting stuff done, but ye just don't feel like it. There's so much I could've done at home.

But then even when I had days off, I never did what I should've done. So what's new, I guess.

At least I had a nice Red Dwarf marathon yesterday. I'm almost ready to start a fan page with t-shirts that read "Give Quiche A Chance" and "Chameleonic Lifeforms, No Thanks!" (or whatever that phrase was)

Texas Ren Fest Update
The Texas Renaissance Festival has been a blast! I've enjoyed every minute of my adventures. More sleep would've helped last weekend as this week's sickness no doubt alluded to. But other'n that, all's been great.

We've a new routine this year. In the past, we played music non-stop sunrise to sunset and didn't really do much else. This year, we're kinda enjoying it more.

Sure we have our usual routine where we wander around the faire grounds playing for vendors before our 10:30 show. But we're mostly playing music only on Saturdays. Sundays we take some time to enjoy ourselves and see the faire. We even practiced a wee bit last weekend. There's a concept!

Course, we still hit the fairy picnic and whatnot. Ooo! And last weekend while I was playing music for the fairy queen, they decided to bestow on me my own fae name. I think it was the elven name, Govanon, or however that's spelled. Need to ask about that one. Guess that makes me a half-elf though since I'm a little scruffy to be an elf. Now I just need to figure out where I can get some decent ears. :)

So I guess that'd make me a Half-Elven Brobdingnagian Bard unless I'm getting into this fae thing too much. :)

Oh, and lookie, I'm finally making an impact on the bard term on google. Sorry, it's the marketer. I keep track to see how well I'm climbing up the ranks on google and all.

Course in general, my personl website ain't doin' too great since I don't have many people linking to it, but I have enough websites that I ain't too worried. I'll always have links to my personal page.

Oh, for those who've been wondering, it is official. Excalibur Fantasy Faire, a Texas Renaissance Festival outside of Austin is officially doing it's leap-frog theme year. This year, the faire will enter the world of Robin Hood and Ivanhoe. I got to see the program design for this year which is done by Lee Seed of Poppyseed Graphics.

Don't think the image is available online, but you can see the picture at her TRF booth. Enter the faire and follow the shops left all the way down to shop with lots o'beautiful fairy artwork.

How does Robin Hood and Ivanhoe fit in with the title Excalibur Fantasy Faire? Well, as long as you keep in mind the fantasy part, you are set!

Finally, happy birthday to my nephew, Daniel!

How to Manage Your Email
Step One. Cry a lot.
Step Two. Cry some more.
Step Three. Get a grip.
Step Four. Cry some more.
Step Five. Develop a plan in between crying spells.
Step Six. Stop reading email at home!

Well, I think I may've finally figured out how to deal with my email problem. Recently, I've spent too much time on the computer. I go home and then get suck on email all night and do nothing productive.

Well last night, I changed all that. I checked it once. Closed up the program and wasted time in other ways!

Actually, it weren't too bad either. Decided I'd just check email at work. That way I can make time for other things at home. Just file stuff at the end of the day. Worked pretty well cuz I got to do some cleaning and cooking and kittying... and I ain't kittying!!! Now maybe I can finally get off my arse and get some stuff done.

Tired and Wired
Bed late. Aside from visiting Spider House last night, I just kinda spent the evening putzing around on email. Nada to do really. Answered a few emails. More than anything, the past few nights have been obliviousness as I start at that computer screen.

I kinda wonder if maybe the reason I hate checking email at home is because the monitor or text is so small. I have a huge screen at work, but home it's piccolo.
Whatever the case, it was another evening of not getting much done...hell a day of it.

Web Promotion Tip of the Week: Websites are ranked in part due to their popularity with other websites. Thus, if you have a hundred relevant links to your website and another site has only fifty, you will be ranked hire than the other website. But a lot of websites don't understand this or don't know how to effectively promote themselves online. They may not've even submitted their website to the search engines. You can remedy this by submitting their site yourself. Or even better, submit the webpage that links directly to you. This will ensure that it gets spidered and you get another link added to your site.

A great start to the Texas Renaissance Festival
Well the first weekend of the Texas Renaissance Festival had a brilliant beginning. There was a record opening-day for the faire with over 29,000 folks showing up. The weather was beautiful, and it was a joy to see all our old friends again, and to start making a bunch of new ones.

And as a special surprise, I'm trying something new this weekend at TRF. I've ordered a bunch of wooden nickels with our name, URL and logo, that we plan to give out to tippers at the faire. Should have them this weekend.

Other news: I was checking out my free sticker page, Real Men Wear Kilts, and wow! We're getting a heckuva lotta hits. Keep sending your friends there. Seems people like our little philosophy and it's great promotion for the Brobdingnagian Bards. Also working on a brand new design for the next run of stickers. So order some of these as collectors pieces.

Texas Musicians' Texas Music Biz Tips is a website I started in 1997. Well, I'm turning it into another music biz resource for Texas musicians. If you're a Texas musician, make sure ye check it out and add your band to my directory. If you're not, check out the great articles I've published on the site.

I LOVE MY NUTS... and you can too!
Yes, it's that time of year again. Last week, I was overjoyed to go to the grocery store and see the nut bins out again. Spent too much mullah on nuts. Then last night, stayed up checking email, snacking on my nuts... Mmmm!!

Pecans, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts... Oooo! How I love eating those nuts. It immediately reminded me of my nutty poetry from last year's nut season. If you're a nut-a-holic like I am, head over to your grocery store and get your fix!)

Ten Tips for taking better photographs
It sometimes amazes at how poor some photos look in composition. Many people don't realize that the head of a person does not need to be the center of the shot. So I found this great list of photo tips to share.

Free Stickers - Real Men Wear Kilts

Making a difference
It's always cool when ye see ye make a difference. I was listening to some music promotion tips from Kathode Ray Music. There was an interview with Bob Baker of The Buzz Factor fame was talking and he mentioned me. :)

What about? Oh, I published in The Bards Crier Music Marketing and Promotion Tips Ezine about one of the music marketing tips I learned from The Rogues about going out into the audience to sell CDs more effectively. Now if I can only get something like that working for us.

I'm horrible about promoting our music to the public. That's why I love having sales helpers. It's a first-hand testimony when people help you out because they are fans first.

Ooo. As an FYI, had a booking agent contact us from the Northeast. No guarantees, but mayhaps we'll get some more gigs up there in the near future.

Titania; Wake You, My Sweet Queen
Yup. I seem to have a running theme of fae folk so why not stick to it... Course this is in addition to my Irish pub songs for cat fanciers theme...

But nevermind that, I have a new song. At this rate, I'll have another album before I know it. Sheesh! Which isn't my plan, but I do enjoy composing solo instrumental autoharp music. When there's a lead instrument, it makes it tough for the autoharp melodies to really stand out. So this way, it will, and last night, an image swarmed my mind, so I played and recorded and voila, a new song!

Course, I didn't stop there. Had to finish my next kitty song that I started last week, "When Kitty Eyes Are Smiling" (guess what that's a parody of). So check the forum or "Marc's Musings ezine to read it.

Just two more days until Texas Ren Fest starts up. The countdown continues. The excitement builds...

Oh, and last night, Andrew and I practiced. He brought over a GREAT new song that you're gonna love. It's a filk by Boogie Knights. And if you're about my age, and remember Saturday morning cartoons when they were cool ;p, then you will LOVE it! Hopefully, we'll have it ready for this weekend. But we'll see. Got lots o'practicing to do.

Oh, I started a new webring for Brobdingnagian Bards fans. Please sign up if'n ye're a fan and have a website.

DQOD (Dumb Question of the Day)
So how do you know the gender of a Corv? Do you have to look under the hood to figure out if it's a Corv or Corvette?

Computer hypnosis
Well, last night, I felt I woke up for the first time this week. It was around midnight as I was lying down to bed. I realize, I've a wee prob. (well, one of many)

I was exhausted. I'd been staring at the computer all day. And yesterday, it felt worse than ever.

Ye see, the computer and I really don't get along as well as you'd think. It's very hypnotizing. It sucks me in and then I start wasting time. I'll spend hours doing nothing but staring or checking email.

Last night, I realized my folly and I'm now on the road to correcting it. But it's no easy task. Getting into ruts is too easy to do. Hopefully, TRF will help me out of that. I realized the great paradox of my life.

On the one hand, I want to be social. On the other, I want to spend more time with my kitties at home. But when I'm home, I get hypnotized by my computer which takes me away from my kitties. Then when I'm hypnotized I forget to do other things, like practice my autoharp and whatnot. Thus, my entire social life revolves around playing gigs, which mean I'm away from kitties who I wouldn't be giving enough love to as it is because I'd be hypnotized by my comptuer. Ugh!

It's all a major hassle and extremely frustrating as you can imagine. Last night, I woke up and realized what I need to change. And a lot of it is taking more breaks to do other things. Gonna see about reading offline at work and home in between jobs. Anything to help me take more breaks and maintain my sanity, cuz I'm really burning out of messing with the computer.

Thank goodness TRF'll be here. I'm looking forward to seeing friends and spending more time outside under God's incredible night's sky. To breathe in the splendors of the night air. Ah pure joy!

Travelling is always good for the artist in me it seems. While a large part of me wants to move far away, another part says, would it really matter? Or would I just get stuck in a different sorta rut.

The grass is always greener on the other side, but I can't help but wonder if I moved my entire lively-hood to Italy or Colorado or to some mountains would I really be filled with as much artistic joy and expressive passion as I would here in good ol' reliable Austin?

I'd like to think the place would change me quite a bit. But who knows. Maybe not. Maybe I'd be the same schmuck no matter what? I'd still spend too much time inside staring at a computer instead of on my porch breathing the night air, or petting a kitty. But you can never really tell until you do it.

Stickers and Budgets
Well, in case ye missed the news, the new free scottish stickerss - "Real Men Wear Kilts" are in and going fast. So get your copy.

Oh, also, I created a budget for this month. Yipppeee! I'm horrible with money. Hopefully, the budget will help a wee bit and get me in control of my finances enough to save up for another trip to Italy.

On the road again...
Course, though I may not be able to do an Italy trip this Winter (we'll see), I am thinking about doing a road trip. Not sure how that'd work exactly, but some time on the road'd do me good, and give me a chance to see the country and visit friends. Just one of a zillion ideas I'm thowing around as usual.

Oh and I posted a new Irish pub song for Cat fanciers on my discussion board this weekend in case ye missed it.

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Well if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer those as well.