Update

Just a quick update since I have not posted in so long. What have I been up to?

Well, I am currently on my second week this year of unpaid leave that my company has forced us to take. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I guess it is better than losing my job, but I would obviously rather be working and making money. This week is March Break here for the kids, so between keeping them busy and pet-sitting my brother's golden retriever Charlie while they are in Florida, I haven't really accomplished anything yet. It is only Tuesday, so I guess there is still hope.

Things I want to personally accomplish this week include:

• Getting some work done on the next batch of guitar amps that Todd and I are designing.


• Play around with and learn JavaScript.

Other things on the TODO list:

• Become a rock star.


• Solve the world's energy problems.


• Come up with a unified theory of everything.

I figure if I at least solve the last item, that *should* take care of the second-last one, and perhaps the rest will come naturally. For now, I'm off to make some juicy burgers for dinner. We have to enjoy this beautiful, 14 degree weather while we have it!

Tonelab For Sale

I'm selling my VOX Tonelab SE in an effort to minimize my guitar rig in 2009. If anyone reading this knows anyone who may be interested, feel free to contact me. The Kijiji ad is here.

I think I'll try to round out my sound with a few more home-brew pedals. I have a Tube Screamer and a Ross Compressor built. I'll need to find some good designs for a chorus and delay pedal and perhaps a flanger and a simple reverb unit. I wonder what's involved in building a tuner as well. Hmm... Tonepad here I come.

A Couple More Flies

I tied a couple more flies this weekend. I had a go at an elk hair caddis:



It turned out alright. I added a bit of a tail to cover up a mistake, and after I took the photo I gave it a bit of a haircut. ;)

My second one turned out to be a completely original creation due to a failed experiment. It has a fairly convincing wing and body, but the head didn't turn out at all how I planned. I think I'll call it a ruby-throated whipper-snapper.



That's what I like about fly tying though. I take a fair amount of artistic license when I tie a fly, and that what makes it so exciting. Will the fish bite it? Maybe I have stumbled across a new killer combination of colours and materials.

That's why I enjoy cooking as well (when I get around to doing it). I like to experiment and see what tastes work and don't work. Sometimes my family might not enjoy that part of it though. ;)