Well I think I've just got time for a quick blog before bedtime!
The continuing saga of cataloging my records!!
The cataloging, I have to report, is almost complete. And I'm feeling suitably chuffed. Still a few stragglers to be logged but I'm almost there.
The down side of my fervent cataloging is that my flat is now awash with piles of records, and I can't find anything. There are various piles: piles of records to be added to the database, piles which just need their photo adding, piles which have a different catalogue number to the one listed....I'm sure you get the picture.
All this is particularly annoying when you try to have a mix and the next record you fancy playing takes so long to find the last one has run out!! But ho hum, not really complaining, am still quite chuffed with my self.
All in all it has been great. I've rediscovered countless forgotten gems and made a few interesting discoveries about the value of a few of them. For example whilst cataloging the sell or send to a charity shop box today I was quite shocked to find the 'spiral tribe' LP I nearly sent to the charity shop last year is changing hands for between £60 and £100!!
Might actually put that one up for sale after all.
Am also quite chuffed as I had my first release submission accepted to discogs today as well. After a few rejections I have managed to get my head around the discogs cataloging system and am now the proud contributor of "Zero dB's Bongo's Bleeps and Basslines", which I have to say is a mighty fine record. In fact I would go as far as using a favored phrase of my littlest brother and describe the record as DIRTY. And by DIRTY I mean the kind of record that makes you want to get very sweaty shaking your ass.... So anyway its a small claim to fame, and really rather insignificant, but I am proud to have that little 'submitted by mcop' to look back at in years to come. - I'm easily pleased!!!
Now if you have managed to wade through my boring waffle to this point, you may have come to realize I have a bit of an obsession with records.
Its not going to get any better.
I have a problem and I don't care!!
So there!!!
(And I also quite like using exclamation marks)
Have just noticed the time and although I had other subjects to waffle about, I have to get up in the morning so had better go to bed. So good night all.
26 April 2006
19 April 2006
18 April 2006
Cataloging Records
Well I'm back home again, and back to my current obsession - cataloging my record collection. It's something I've been intending to do for years and have attempted a few times but not succeeded before.
This time is different however. Rather than having to create databases as I have in the past, (which to be quite honest is tediously boring) this time I have found a much simpler way of doing it - Discogs.
Discogs is an online database which is being built with the aim to catalogue every record ever released. Release information is added by members and the whole thing seems to be being built in much the same way as wikipedia. I rather like the idea of this huge resource being available for nothing to anyone wanting to find something out about a release, I've certainly found it useful.
To most people, cataloging your records may seem rather dull, and to be fair it is rather nerdy (I'm not ashamed) and not the most exciting thing I have ever done. However it serves a purpose. I have rather a lot of records and a catalogue is a good way of keeping track of what I've got. Also I probably should get them all insured.
I've never been that fussed about the value of my records - I bought them for their musical content rather than their value - but if I lost them I would be really rather miffed. True I could survive without them in the grand scheme of things but I don't want to. My music collection is something I enjoy and I would hate to live without music.
The other good thing about this cataloging is that I have been rediscovering certain parts of my collection which have been forgotten as my record collection grew. I've also found a few I no longer want so its also encouraging me to have a bit of a sort out and streamline my collection - a bit of a spring clean you could say
This time is different however. Rather than having to create databases as I have in the past, (which to be quite honest is tediously boring) this time I have found a much simpler way of doing it - Discogs.
Discogs is an online database which is being built with the aim to catalogue every record ever released. Release information is added by members and the whole thing seems to be being built in much the same way as wikipedia. I rather like the idea of this huge resource being available for nothing to anyone wanting to find something out about a release, I've certainly found it useful.
To most people, cataloging your records may seem rather dull, and to be fair it is rather nerdy (I'm not ashamed) and not the most exciting thing I have ever done. However it serves a purpose. I have rather a lot of records and a catalogue is a good way of keeping track of what I've got. Also I probably should get them all insured.
I've never been that fussed about the value of my records - I bought them for their musical content rather than their value - but if I lost them I would be really rather miffed. True I could survive without them in the grand scheme of things but I don't want to. My music collection is something I enjoy and I would hate to live without music.
The other good thing about this cataloging is that I have been rediscovering certain parts of my collection which have been forgotten as my record collection grew. I've also found a few I no longer want so its also encouraging me to have a bit of a sort out and streamline my collection - a bit of a spring clean you could say
16 April 2006
Larch Blossom
Sat 15 April 20:30
Today for the first time in years I saw a larch tree whilst walking Meg, my sisters dog in the park. Now you may not find this quite as exciting as I do but it is a long time since I have seen a larch tree, and it is an even longer since I have seen a larch in flower. I had forgotten that the larch has both male and female flowers although I couldn't tell you which was which these days.
This got me thinking about all the stuff I used to know, which no doubt is still rattling round the dusty recesses of my brain, lost through lack of use.
When I was a boy I loved living in the country. Exploring the fields, hedgerows and woods with my pocket 'Collins Gem Guide to Wild Flowers'. I was a bit of an amateur botanist and could once have told you quite a lot about what was growing in the hedgerow.
As a family we used to spend a lot of time walking, us Copcutt's and the Davis family that lived the other end of the village. The Davis's dad Alec was an artist, although the only work of his I really remember was the intricate pictures of insects he used to produce for some book or other. Anyway all of us used to go out walking a lot throughout the year (although probably less in the winter), taking various routes through the countryside around our village. We also used to spend a fair amount of time out just us kids. Playing and having dens in the wood and all that kind of stuff.
As well as playing games exploring what was growing there in different seasons and harvesting wild fruit for jam, mushrooms and giant puffballs. Now the puffballs were a prized find, it was always extremely exciting when we found one. These things could get up to the size of a small football, and we would take them home, and either slice them into big mushroom steaks, or they'd get turned into soup.
Ok so I've wandered of from the larch tree a bit and got a little bit 'Walton's' but the whole seeing a flowering larch in the park took me back. It's been a while since I really got out and saw much nature in general.
You get so caught up in the whole work and living bit you forget there is a whole other world just getting on and growing around you. When I was younger I used to be much more aware of the changing seasons and what went on in the natural world. These days I just seem to watch nature programs on TV.
The only reason I was in the park today was because I am dog sitting for H&J as they are away for the weekend. And I have to say what with the flowering larch it's been great - in fact I'd go as far as to say it's made my day. And Meg seemed quite happy tagging along, although she seems less impressed now we're back home and I'm tapping away on this computer.
It is a shame in a way that it takes Meg sitting for me to remember what is growing in the world around me. I get so caught up in moving ever forwards with my life that I forget to sit back and watch things grow. I have no intention of beating myself up about this, it's just been apleasantt reminder to take things slow once in a while and get out in the park and just chill...
Today for the first time in years I saw a larch tree whilst walking Meg, my sisters dog in the park. Now you may not find this quite as exciting as I do but it is a long time since I have seen a larch tree, and it is an even longer since I have seen a larch in flower. I had forgotten that the larch has both male and female flowers although I couldn't tell you which was which these days.
This got me thinking about all the stuff I used to know, which no doubt is still rattling round the dusty recesses of my brain, lost through lack of use.
When I was a boy I loved living in the country. Exploring the fields, hedgerows and woods with my pocket 'Collins Gem Guide to Wild Flowers'. I was a bit of an amateur botanist and could once have told you quite a lot about what was growing in the hedgerow.
As a family we used to spend a lot of time walking, us Copcutt's and the Davis family that lived the other end of the village. The Davis's dad Alec was an artist, although the only work of his I really remember was the intricate pictures of insects he used to produce for some book or other. Anyway all of us used to go out walking a lot throughout the year (although probably less in the winter), taking various routes through the countryside around our village. We also used to spend a fair amount of time out just us kids. Playing and having dens in the wood and all that kind of stuff.
As well as playing games exploring what was growing there in different seasons and harvesting wild fruit for jam, mushrooms and giant puffballs. Now the puffballs were a prized find, it was always extremely exciting when we found one. These things could get up to the size of a small football, and we would take them home, and either slice them into big mushroom steaks, or they'd get turned into soup.
Ok so I've wandered of from the larch tree a bit and got a little bit 'Walton's' but the whole seeing a flowering larch in the park took me back. It's been a while since I really got out and saw much nature in general.
You get so caught up in the whole work and living bit you forget there is a whole other world just getting on and growing around you. When I was younger I used to be much more aware of the changing seasons and what went on in the natural world. These days I just seem to watch nature programs on TV.
The only reason I was in the park today was because I am dog sitting for H&J as they are away for the weekend. And I have to say what with the flowering larch it's been great - in fact I'd go as far as to say it's made my day. And Meg seemed quite happy tagging along, although she seems less impressed now we're back home and I'm tapping away on this computer.
It is a shame in a way that it takes Meg sitting for me to remember what is growing in the world around me. I get so caught up in moving ever forwards with my life that I forget to sit back and watch things grow. I have no intention of beating myself up about this, it's just been apleasantt reminder to take things slow once in a while and get out in the park and just chill...
14 April 2006
Me n' Ted
Possibly a bit of a naff way to start a blog, but to be honest not sure what a blog will be....!!!! So here's a pic of me and ted from quite a few years ago. Ted is still with me although he has lost some weight since those days. He is in desperate need of a stuffing transplant.
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