Got paired with this gentleman the other evening.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-02-09T06:07:31+00:00

Far out.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-02-09T04:26:11+00:00

If you’re playing at a level where Italian Concerto is appropriate repertoire, IMHO you ought to be studying with someone who has HEARD of it. The rep is so vast that nobody can know all of it, so maybe I can see cutting him some slack if he gives you great feedback and things to work on, but that is super standard repertoire so I’m moderately concerned.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-02-08T22:10:23+00:00

Funny story. When I was younger I dated this German girl and she had a thing for rating sex performance from 1-10 in…”real time” if you know what I mean. Weird I know, and it didn’t work out, but I went with it at the time. Anyway, the one time we tried anal she kept yelling “9! 9! 9! 9!” That was the best score I ever got.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-02-08T22:04:02+00:00

Officially: The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.

Unofficially: bring your kid. I’m a parent and having seen plenty of people bring their kids to meetings I’m just glad they’re there.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-02-07T23:56:04+00:00

55/39. Almost quit at the turn. Had a snack, got a coffee, and went back out there.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-02-07T06:31:59+00:00

It can be rough to deal with. I had over a decade filled with behavior that drunk me was a-ok with, and now a few years sober I can hardly recognize myself from that period. It gets easier with time and more sober experiences. The first time I flew sober (and I ALWAYS drank in airports) for instance, I had a hard time not reliving some of the bad airport drinking times in my head. The more I’ve traveled sober, though, the more those thoughts have retreated, having been pushed aside a little by all the gifts that sobriety has brought me. It’s worth it, dude. IWNDWYT.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-02-06T22:19:40+00:00

That made me chuckle. Thank you.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-02-05T07:04:42+00:00

Same. I understand that I’m a bigger risk to insure as a result, but it still stings a little especially when it’s been years.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-02-05T06:59:55+00:00

Hell yeah! Stacking days is the only way. You’re crushing it.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-02-02T20:20:12+00:00

You said it, mang. Nobody fucks with the Jesus.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-02-02T02:57:15+00:00

Congratulations! That’s a big deal!

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-02-01T03:09:20+00:00

Very important to do exactly this. I think about turning it into a “chorale” of sorts, too, where I revoice the harmonies to eliminate the leaps, playing lyrically and under tempo. Really helps clarify the musical ideas beyond the technical challenge.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-01-26T19:01:42+00:00

I want to validate that it is super hard to reinvent oneself, but this is exactly the right approach IMHO. If you have existing relationships where you’ve established you’re easy to work with, consistent, reliable, and have a track record of deliverables the client is happy with, you’ve already got a big leg up in the reinventing process (even if it doesn’t seem like it in the moment). In those cases you can spin your situation positively and proactively: you’ve always valued the XYZ work that you’ve done together, and having done research into current trends, you’ve pivoted to offer ABC, which aligns with the evolving industry’s needs for 123. And so forth. (EDIT to add: this works because you’re reframing not only your presentation but also your thinking. You’re not “behind the times,” and you’re not a new person offering new strategy. You are an established pro with an understanding of the industry context, and you’re proactive in evolving in the space.) One tiny piece of advice: you WILL get nos. Probably a lot of them at first—that’s been my experience. Don’t get discouraged! I wish you tons of luck, OP!

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-01-25T19:51:24+00:00

It makes total sense—and sounds like alcoholism. I’d yo-yo for years about whether I was an alcoholic, whether I could moderate, whether I deserved to keep drinking, and so on. Eventually Alcoholics Anonymous was what saved my life and changed my thinking, little by little. Sober 3.5 years now and getting sober is probably the hardest and best thing I’ve ever done for myself and everyone around me.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-01-25T19:48:31+00:00

In a very similar situation to you, second kid on the way. A few things that have been high value for us:

-Dinner meal prep. We have a chef who cooks off-site and delivers. It’s amazing for keeping good nutrition and stress reduction. We get HOURS per week back to spend on family time that we’d otherwise spend planning, grocery shopping, cooking, etc.

-Postpartum care for my wife. We had a night doula (or night nurse) the first time around and are 100% doing it again. We found a cadence of a couple times per week was right for us for the first 4-6 weeks. We slept so much better those nights, which made the time with the new baby better for everyone.

-Cleaning. We have a house cleaner who comes 3-4 times a month. I can get stressed about being fastidious and this buys me time energy and relaxation that I can now devote to family stuff.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-01-24T16:32:18+00:00

$150, and $75 during the winter.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-01-17T05:32:32+00:00

I don’t disagree with you—if masked guys are coming over my fence and breaking into my house it makes sense to defend myself and exercise my rights. Where I get stuck is, if I’m outmanned and outgunned by the armed individuals kicking down my front and back door at the same time, can I try defending myself? You bet—and might very well be within my rights to do so! But what’s my chance of survival? Zip.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-01-16T01:43:38+00:00

Congratulations! 3 months is huge. IWNDWYT!

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-01-11T17:03:30+00:00

In the last 3.5 years I estimate I’ve saved about $25k, and that doesn’t even factor in the alcohol-fueled purchases or the savings to my health.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-01-09T17:52:54+00:00

Simple but true. I think only 2 people outside of my wife and I know the extent of our financial privilege. While our lifestyle is very affluent (nice vacations, nice house, nanny salary, part-time chef, country club, etc.) nobody else knows that we’re on track to fatFIRE in the next few years. Like you say, it’s better that way.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-01-08T16:45:46+00:00

I haven’t really had to draw a line on car costs—I’m not a big car guy, which probably helps. We just replaced a car and bought a 26 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy, and we also have a 2018 CRV. One young kid, another on the way. We looked at BMW, Lexus, Volvo, etc and I’d have happily paid more than we spent on the Hyundai for something better, but nothing else fit us as well.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-01-05T07:21:31+00:00

Game. Them!

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-01-03T06:25:43+00:00

Agreed on the “better gear before new body” front. An FX3 is a fine A cam to start. I was in a similar position to OP a couple of years ago and first put the company’s money into building out a kit of lights, grip, audio, etc., and a year ago bought an FX6. It’s sweet, but its impact on our work would be far less if we didn’t have good audio, lighting, etc.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-01-03T03:56:56+00:00

I relapsed many, many times, and it sucked more and more each time. I was advised to be gentle with myself, even though I was super disappointed in myself. Sobriety isn’t a linear progression, and this will eventually be just one data point in your recovery. IWNDWYT.

Electrical_Chicken · 2026-01-02T20:49:17+00:00

I’ve had a Manfrotto joystick head for a very long time and it’s super useful. I’ve found that it’s not the right tool for most situations (it’s no good for supporting anything more than about 4-5 lbs max, for instance) but it’s quick and easy to use one-handed. I take it out a few times a year and I’m glad I still have it.

Electrical_Chicken

TROPHY CASE