DISTRACTIONS that I needed this morning

[shalanna]

I needed a few distractions this morning. On Monday, we're doing the Heart Place so hubby can have a nuclear stress test (which doesn't test to see if he panics when he sees a bomb, but is an elaborate version of the treadmill test for heart problems that lasts ALL DAY as far as I can tell, including the injection of radioactive waste and the imaging of same). Mama can't shut up about her worries about this. I'm about half crazy in the first place, and this is pushing me over the edge. We had to put off one of her doctor's office visits because it was supposed to be on Monday. Now we're stuck with that on Thursday. I need a change of scenery that does not include an IV line or a physician.

But anyhow . . . because I don't already have enough to waste time on, I created a little scrapbook-like page at "tumblr" that's just for photos, snippets, and sketches. It's kind of fun to fool with when you don't have enough to justify a full-fledged LJ post.

It's at http://shalanna.tumblr.com/, but don't feel obliged to peek. I may not keep that one up very religiously. It may be one of my flash-in-pan interests. (grin)

Some of my first posts there were of Album Cover Art Meme results. I really got a kick out of many of the covers people have come up with! If you don't know what I'm talking about, see threads of these at:

http://shalanna.tumblr.com/
http://www.typophile.com/battle20
http://forum.happytreefriends.com/showthread.php?s=0eec0f96d0fe24ec540e8f9dd71946d8&p=737419#post737419

Various LJ threads, including over at whatifoundthere's LJ

I've amused myself endlessly by trolling through and imagining what kind of music would be on these albums. Some people have told what their albums would be like ("Nordic jazz," "New Age panflute and the sound of dripping water.") I would love to do this one, but I don't know Jack about using a graphics program.



80s/90s love ballads.



Deep political statement about the rainforest.

A few people have made front-and-back images, including track listings!

Comments

Distractions

[dennismhavens.livejournal.com]

There are two "book covers" in the current issue of MUKO that strike me as being in the same ball park. http://www.mukoesperantujo.com if you want a look. When I had more free time (in other words, when I was not writing a book or music of one kind or another), I did similar covers for a few of my own CDs, the best being -- well, I should scan it and e-mail it to you with permission to post. Or does it have to be a doesn't exist, never will exist cover?
I think it's a great exercise in creativity and it helps hugely if you're working on development of your artistic eye.
Legal point: Copyright applies to images and rests with their creators from the moment of completion. If she wanted to, my ex-wife could sue me every time I use a photo from our days together in Ogdensburg that she snapped. She doesn't, of course, because she knows how much money I don't have . . . but she _could_. And she'd win.
Gotta check out this tumblr.com. Looks muy interesante.

I've been thinking of creating [sic] a nonexistent 1930s musical ensemble on my music notation program, calling the group the Electronic Potted Palm Orchestra. They will play nothing but my own compositions, thereby avoiding copyright issues. I'll put the tunes in MIDI format, save them to my hard drive, then burn those twos or threes of CDs as the demand escalates. Parallel project: "Electronic Sousa," (most of his marches are in the Public Domain now), or, better yet, "Havens Marches" by Havens's Electronic Band. All of the above would need CD covers, so you -- and others of an artistic bent -- just could find your work on a _real_ homemade CD. ;-)

So it's Don's turn to go through a battery of tests required when one's doctor realizes he needs a new deck, or a new wing attached to his McMansion. Well, he has my best wishes, as does your mother, who now has something new to panic about. Tell her I said it'll all work out okay. It has for her, after all. And for you as well.

Gotta find that CD cover. Check those book covers in MUKO. There's a stark, b&w one for Connie (The Godmother) Havenselli's autobiography, GROWING UP HAVENSELLI . . . and a nice of Shirelle Wisdom's latest blockbuster, DALLAS PSYCHOSES. (Exit music: "Shuffle off to Buffalo")