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General
When were you born?
November 3, 1978.
Do you have any brothers or sisters?
No.
Are you a vegetarian or vegan?
Vegetarian by a strict application of the two terms.
How long have you been vegetarian?
Since 1999.
Why did you become vegetarian/vegan?
Just decided I didn't need meat anymore.
What is your opinion on [fill in the blank]?
I don't give opinions on a lot of things on this website, but when I do you'll find them mostly as part of the
Blog.
Which Linux distro do you use?
Ubuntu with various desktop environments (MATE, KDE, or GNOME) depending on the machine.
Have you tried [Linux distro and/or desktop environment]?
I've used Linux Mint and various flavors of Ubuntu. I'm not a distro hopper and Ubuntu gets the job done for me.
Have you ever performed anywhere?
I read three times at the old open mic at Bill's Records, twice in 2002 and once in 2003, reading other people's work each time. I have never performend anything I've written myself.
Do you play any instruments?
I have a cheap drum set that I used to play occasionally. I have never played in a band, but maybe one day...
Why don't you fly instead of driving on your trips?
Flying would defeat the purpose of a "road trip."
Where are your favorite places that you've been to?
I'm pretty fond of large urban areas, with Toronto, Chicago, and Vancouver having been been favorites. I've also had pretty good times in Louisville, Oklahoma City, Nashville, Austin, Portland (Maine), Ottawa, and Halifax. I like to visit Cape Breton Island for the scenery and for Celtic Colours, but it's much too rural for me to stand for longer than a few days at a time.
Where are your least favorite places that you've been to?
I didn't much care for Billings, Detroit, St. Louis, Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Montréal. Montréal and Detroit in particular - especially Montréal - have some really bad infrastructure, though both do have their highlights. I'm also not a fan of the states of Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, all three for cultural reasons and the latter also for the unbearable heat and humidity.
Where would you like to go that you haven't been?
I'd like to have visited all ten of the Canadian provinces, plus the Yukon and Northwest Territories, by car. As for overseas, if I were to go anywhere I would probably pick Scandinavia, New Zealand, and the U.K.
Why aren't you shown in many of the road trip/travel photos presented on the site?
Except for the 2020 road trip, I have always traveled alone, and I don't do selfies. Any photos showing me in them were taken by people I met or visited along the way, or as part of a tour where I paid extra for the privilege.
Will you be involved with another open mic?
I have no plans to be personally involved with running another open mic.
Photography
How long have you been taking pictures?
Since 1995.
Where did you learn photography?
From experience, mostly.
What camera equipment do you use?
A Canon EOS 60D digital SLR, and various other cameras depending on the circumstances and on whether I'm doing something "serious." See
this blog post for the complete list.
What software do you use for post production?
I use multiple pieces of software: Photoshop, Canon Digital Photo Professional, Adobe Lightroom, Gimp, and RawTherapee.
Do you hire out as a photographer for shows / events?
I have done some volunteer stints with Girls Rock Dallas and Kids Rock Dallas. Other than that, it's still up in the air, though I am not interested in doing weddings.
Do you shoot film?
Not since 2008, except for a few one offs (the last time being in December 2016, as of this writing). I don't miss the hassle and expense.
What films did you use?
Color: At the end, the main color films were Fuji Pro 800Z (2007-2008) and Kodak Royal Gold 100/400 (1995-1997). I also (from 2006-2007, afterward far less frequently) used Fuji True Definition 400, Fujicolor Superia X-TRA 400/800, and Kodak Max 400/800. These latter films were of snapshot grade quality and produced inferior results, so I tried to restrict their use to situations where I wasn't able to get my hands on something better or when quality was not paramount. Fuji Pro 800Z was a premium film that performed extremely well in low light levels, making it an ideal choice for shooting live music performances.
Black and White: Kodak T-Max (1995-2003), Ilford HP5 Plus 400 (2007-2008), and the C-41 process films Kodak BW400CN (2007-2008) and Ilford XP-2 (1995-2008). I also tried Ilford Delta 400 for a short time.
Did you process / develop your own film?
No.
What do you use to scan 35mm film?
A Pacific Image Prime Film XAs super edition Film Scanner with VueScan.
Are prints available of any of the photos on this site?
No, not as of this writing.
Are you still shooting concerts?
No, not as of this writing. By 2015 I had mostly lost my enthusiasm for it, for a number of reasons. At this point I will only do it again for a few select musicians.
Other Projects
Where do you get the copies of music releases that you use for your audio comparisons?
In nearly all cases, they come from physical media in my personal collection. A list of items in my music collection can be downloaded
HERE. In a very small number of instances, I have had to use other means to obtain source material, generally borrowing copies from friends, or - in one or two really exceptional cases such as for
this comparison - through more creative means.
What did you use to record people for the Open Mic Project and Lost Art Open Mic?
Audio recordings were initially made using a Sony TC-377 two track 1/4 inch tape machine (some earlier recordings were made on a TC-399 model). From August 2010 onward, recordings were made as digital files with a simultaneously running analog tape backup. The tape backup served as a fail-safe in case of a computer failure or audio clipping on the digital copy.
How do you decide which artists / musicians to feature on this site?
Generally speaking, the bands and performers featured here are personal favorites of mine, or have played at venues I used to frequent or have visited.
I am / I know a good poet or open mic artist. Are you looking for more people for the Open Mic Project?
No, not at this time.
Are there CDs or publications available for any of the performers featured or pictured on this site?
There have been a few releases through me (PAO Productions) of material by Opalina Salas and Josh Weir, as well as the
Live at Lost Art Open Mic CD from November 2010 which features recordings of a number of people who attended that open mic. These are available for free on the
Downloads page. Where I have access to a list of published works, it is included with an artist's biography or write up. See the
Open Mic Project for these.
Are you interested in selling anything from your local / indie music collection?
No, not at this time.
