After being sick for about 8 days... I'm finally feeling better.

I had never been as sick as I was in these 8 days.... started with high fevers.... my entire body ached.... then it was soar throat and headaches..... then it switched to headaches, fever, sinuses... then headaches, fevers, sinuses, earaches.....  then headaches, fevers, soar throat, sinuses.... then soar throat and sinuses to finish it off...

For the entire week, I could barely work.... I tried to work on some stuff from home here and I just couldn't focus for any length of time.

So I ended up taking what I think was a great decision and rested (for the most part) for a few days.

Hard being self-employed and being sick like that not being able to work.

This week, it's back to normal.... I've got a long list of stuff to catch up on.... and at least, I've been productive in the first 2 days of the week.

How are you?? Hope you are well!

This video clip is from the Dave Weckl band which includes another one of my favorite musicians... but in this post I wanted to post about Steve Weingart.

I remember several years ago when I used to go to the Montreal Drum Fest faithfully (haven't been able to attend in several years now) there was a band in the lineup that I didn't really know.

In fact, it was a band that I believe Steve was filling in for.. he was playing along side of Joey Heredia and Marco Mendoza . After we got in Montreal, little did I know that I was staying in the same hotel as many of the artists performing @ the drum fest.

We had heard that these guys were playing at a local bar... 3 nights in fact.. plus at the drum fest (on the saturday I believe).

We went down to the small place they were playing in and had front row seats to a mastery of musicianship. Their performance was nothing short of awesome.

After that show (on the thursday night) we met the band afterwards.... it was very cool to chat with them.

On the friday after the drum fest I was gonna make my way down to watch them again... and I met both Marco and Steve in the hotel lobby, we chatted a bit (they recognized me from the night before) and I let them know I was gonna see their show.... it was neat because they invited me to take the cab with them.

When we got down to the club, I paid for the cab ride.... I remember Marco thanking me (as I did it without offering or anything) and he told me "tonight you're our guest" and he proceeded to tell the door man I was with the band that night.

That friday and the next night on the saturday, I remember chatting with the guys a bit... I remember sitting with Steve and just chatting music for a little bit. About studying formally vs self-taught studying... about playing live....... stuff like that.

Steve was (and most likely still is) very cool.... he seemed to share when I asked my questions, seemed very down to earth... and left a long lasting impression of someone passionate about music and sharing his knowledge... for me it was one of the best learning experiences chatting with him and watching his incredible talents in a small setting.

A great talent on the keys!

In the video....
Dave Weckl - drums
Tom Kennedy - bass
Steve Weingart - keyboards
Gary Meek - saxophone

Looks like a new facebook worm has been detected.

I won't write too much about it... but I'll post a link toward's Chris Shiflett's blog post on it.

Chris Shifleet - Facebook worm

I've been on my own again for a few months. These first few months have shown promise and challenges.

As I was reading some blog posts I found 2 posts the certainly echo many things that I relate with.

Advantages of being a freelance developer

Disadvantages of being a freelancer

I really can relate with this stuff.

I don't really buy CDs like I used to.... nor do I buy any new music (in whatever format) at the pace I used to. And I do not illegally download music. I usually buy from iTunes when I do get something.

That being said, I'm a guy who happens to love drums.... and has played drums live, studied them, been a hired hand.... played bands.. showcases... recorded.. .and I absolutely love music.

Music has always done something to me.... a good groove just does "it" ya know?

Over the last few years, I "discovered" an artist that I've followed since.

Hiromi Uehara.

She has this way of playing the piano/keys that not many could attain. And her band is simply amazing.

I bought most of her albums.. I think I'm missing one.

One album features a great drummer that really caught my eye at a Montreal Drum Fest some years back. Dave Dicenso.... amazing talent on the kit.

And on the other albums, I got to discover another great drummer. Martin Valihora. He's a great drummer... plays great jazz feel and can also lay down some great feelin' grooves.

Here's a clip from Hiromi's latest album.

Hiromi Uehara - "Ue Wo Muite Aruko" live in Palermo (11/2008)

It was a historic night last night for sure in a couple of different ways.

History was made as the USA dropped some of it's historical baggage by electing the first african-american president.

History was also made in the the democrats victory was quite large... winning over some traditional "red" states.

The consensus in the voting results last night seem to indicate that the greater population wanted a resounding change.... the message should be heard by the republicans as such I would think.

I didn't get to watch Obama's speech.... as I feel asleep on my couch (it was late!!!)... but I did catch McCain's speech.

I thought McCain was well spoken and very respectful.... last night during his speech I found myself really liking him more then I had during this election season. I really thought he spoke well of Obama, of putting their (parties, partisans) differences aside and getting to work on fixing their problems (economy, jobs....etc).

Some of the class that McCain showed wasn't shared by some of his crowd who would start to boo as he talked of supporting his new president. But every time they started, he shushed them...

After all was said and done, I think the change they voted for last night was an important one. If I had been american, I would have likely voted for Obama myself. Regardless, I was very happy to see that McCain was totally classy in his final speech and his expressions of unity are the expression much needed in the tough times at hand and near.

Both of these men (Obama and McCain) deserve respect, as I believe that as all the campaign dust has settled, both seemed to really have an honest desire to serve their country.

Congrats to Obama as the new president elect and also congrats to McCain for the fine example of the continual service he's shown towards his country no matter the outcome.

(man that rhymes!)

That's right folks.

Today, I think the US will have a very high voter turn out today as people have been hit by several issues in the last years....

I'm sure George Bush is watching from some undisclosed area and reminissing on the years gone by.

Back to McCain VS Obama.... Obama has been in the lead in polls but not really an insurmountable lead when you figure in the % of error from polling.

I'm just kinda wondering what will happen when it's all done... as there are die hard supporters on both sides.

Some really don't want McCain, and some really don't want Obama.

Maybe they should all vote for Nader!

Anyways.... I'm watching...

Found this on a couple of blogs.

ColdFusion, which is often mentioned as being dead or dying is anything but...

CF was ranked among favorite app servers.

2 blog posts I found mentioned it:
Gary Gilbert's blog
Monochrome blog (John Beynon)

 And.. here's the article which mentions it....

Found this article tonight.

Russia, Iran and Qatar might be teaming up to form a gas cartel.

(AP on Yahoo!)

Looks like Iran's oil minister is leaning towards cutting production by some 2.5 million barrels of oil per day.

Here's an interesting quote:
"Given inflation and the current circumstances of the market, the current oil price is very low, and 150 dollars should not be out of the question," Nozari said.

"If oil prices do not reach a realistic level, they will go higher (than 150 dollars)," he said.

If anyone out there has felt a bit of relief on the wallet ever since oil prices went down... and of course gas and heating oil prices haven't gone down in direct proportion to what crude oil.... you probably won't fell that relief much longer.

They will most certainly push to raise the price to $150+ per barrel... and expect that as the same proportions haven't been felt at the pump or in heating oil as were in crude oil dropping to under $70 per barrel.... that when oil is again priced in the $150 per barrel range gas prices will be even more inflated then they were when oil originally reached that $150 peek.

But... I must say that there may be light at the end of the tunnel.

While all of these inflated prices really hurt your and my wallet.... more and more people are taking measures into their own hands. Some people are using small wind turbines to help heat + power their homes.

I also believe that as car makers have started to do, they will change the way car motors run... and we'll see huge improvements in electric cars, hydrogen fuel cell cars... solar power... etc.

I believe while some big industries begin (or continue) to seriously gouge it's clients... we'll see true innovation.

Henry Ford new that if people couldn't buy his product.... he had no product.

(AFP article on Yahoo!)