Done this month (20140401 Tu - 05 Sa)

[mdlbear]

Lots of puttering. In part because we're getting ready for Heather Dale's house concert this coming Sunday (contact me or Naomi if you're interested in attending), and in part because it's a way of feeling that I'm doing something useful while avoiding the taxes.

I was on tap for jury duty Wednesday and Thursday -- had to go in, but didn't get picked, or even assigned to a case. Oh, well. I've only been on a jury once -- very educational. The people running the jury assembly room were very competent, and did their best to make it a good experience. Successfully, in my opinion.

Three of Colleen's roses arrived on Tuesday; they finally got planted today.

A little noodling -- I need to practice more. And we need to encourage Colleen to sing more.

Links, as usual.

0401 Tu
  * up 6:30; W=209.4; d, n
  @ AMAZORK - by Zachary Mason
  : have to go in for jury duty tomorrow.  8am. :P
  : Colleen's roses arrived from Jackson Perkins.  (Not the Amethyst, though)

0402 We
  * up 6am; W=209.4; d, n
  * leave 7ish.  Take the 21 local to 3rd and James. -> 21x and walk
    8:45 checkin tomorrow, but it gets busy
    : table, power, and coffee.  Civilized.
  @ Why I’m not feeling blue on Autism Day | Irish Examiner Autism Speaks lossage
  @ Stylus | Filk.  WBUR/iLab - In the late 1950s, with the American folk song... 
  @ Make it Through - What to Do to Make it Through disaster preparedness, via the
    WiFi splash page in the jury assembly room.
  * let out noonish; still probably have to go back tomorrow
  * quite a bit more walking than usual today 3rd and Seneca to courthouse (3rd and
    James), courthouse to work, work to and from Arizona (Terry and Thomas)
  @ Justices strike down political donor limits – CNN Political Ticker 

0403 Th
  * up 6:35; W=210.2; d, n
  @ On Common Core Math | Ferrett Steinmetz
  @ Build 2014: Here come the universal apps | ZDNet Interesting.
  * Got sprung from jury duty about 9:30.
  @ Daily Kos Action - Koch Industries - products to avoid 

0404 Fr
  * up 6:30; W=209.4; d, n
  & didn't even start today's entry until well after 9pm :P  Spent pretty much all day
    head down at work.  Good progress, but still...
  & a few minutes of noodling (plus The Fox) after checking out my new micro-tuner where
    Glenn could hear me.

0405 Sa
  * up 7:30ish; W=209.4; d, n
  @ Stylus | WBUR/iLab - Filk: In the late 1950s, with the American folk song... 
    (Finally got around to listening to it)
  @ Ford Ad agency's brutal pw3nage of Cadillac's "Poolside" ad. Awesome and
    hysterical. *so* damned good.
  @ HeatherDale.com | modern Celtic songs about world legends
  @ t r a c y  g r a m m e r - home
  * 15min:  assemble hot tub steps and handrail.  
  @ Personality and Change Inflamed Mozilla Crisis - NYTimes.com 

Comments

[solarbird]

I can't be sure because I'm already ramped up into Festival mode, but if I can drop by on Sunday I would like the option. How's it work?

[solarbird]

Also, do you want an Emerald Forest Filk webpage post about this? (And you should drop a reminder on the list too imo,)

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

What's hosting a house concert like?

[mdlbear]

Yes please. I think we've already put a reminder on the list, but will check.

[mdlbear]

We'll find out :)

This is the first time we've done it. Among other things, it's a good excuse to de-clutter the Great Room.

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

What preparations did you make aside from clearance if you don't mind saying?

[mdlbear]

Well, we spent an hour or so this afternoon moving furniture to make space for the chairs -- Betsy Tinney is bringing some extra.

We've spent some time finding out what the artists would like to eat before the gig, and generally working out logistics and timing.

And of course getting the word out on FB, LJ, and the local filk mailing list.

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

If you don't mind my continuing to pester you-- did you get much overt response through those channels?

And what sort of audience size is needed by the artist, at minimum, and handlable by y'all, at maximum, and how do you wrangle that?

[mdlbear]

I haven't gotten much direct response, but others in the household (who are apparently better connected to the local folk/filk scene) have gotten 20-odd confirmed replies; we're expecting another 20 or so walk-ins. If we get much more than that we'll be out of chairs -- one of the performers is bringing 20. The room will handle 50 people once we accumulate enough folding chairs.

We're suggesting $10-25 as the donation. So with 40 people, that will be somewhere between $400 and $1K. From what I'm reading (as the result of a quick Google search) the typical range is 20-35 people, with as few as 10 not unheard of. House concerts aren't mostly about making money, they're about building a fan base.

If you're thinking of hosting a house concert, I'd suggest just asking an artist you'd like to host. That's how we got Tracy -- Naomi is on her mailing list, asked on a whim, and got a positive response.

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I am not thinking about it in a very concerted way, but investing in information for possible futures. I a, also a idly curious person at all times. I thank you for your generous answers!

[mdlbear]

You're most welcome! I'll post more tomorrow after the concert.

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

Thank you!