Adventure Log

A recent blog comment inquired about audio gear in my life.  Rest assured that a few of my treasures are stowed away securely.  My love of Studer tape machines has not diminished, even though the popularity of analog tape bit the dust over a decade ago.  To those of us who get wound up in audio details, there’s nothing like a tape machine rolling with a good reel of recording stock and fine music flowing through the electronics.  It sounds great.

In my travels I’ve had to let go of about 95% of my material possessions.  I’m happy to be free of so much “stuff,” but one item has been non-negotiable during this journey:  my beloved Studer tape machine.  Big, bulky, and heavy, it’s safely made the trip.

My trusty Studer, with an organ pipe leaning up against it.  Ah, the memories.

I continue to do voice work from time to time, and use Pro Tools for such tasks.  The days of mailing reels of tape are long gone.  Instead, I record digitally, export the file and send it as an e-mail attachment.  It’s easy, quick and convenient. 

Digital killed analog - mainly due to convenience and cost factors. 

Voice work and consulting keeps me connected to the old days, while cows and combines keep me moving forward. 

The grain trailer purchased this summer had issues, so it was replaced with a model from a more reliable manufacturer.  Earlier this week we pulled it into the shop and added a few custom touches.  We installed a motorized mechanism that opens and closes the tarp via wireless remote control.  It’s a nice feature to have anytime, but especially during cold weather.  It’s one thing to climb out of the cab and wrestle with a crank to unroll a crusty, icy tarp in the wind.  It’s yet another to push a button and watch in the mirror as the motor neatly rolls the 40 foot tarp up and out of the way. 

We also installed wireless sensors on the axles.  These sensors relay the weight to a hand-held device that is similar to an iPod.  Rather than running back to the cab to check gauges during loading, we can simply pull the display out of a coat pocket and view the weights.  Very convenient. 

Some semis roll proudly down the road with chrome silhouettes of women on the mud flaps.  Others have flames on the grill and frightful murals.  We chose the simplicity of Hello Kitty.  She causes smiles, is tasteful, and serves as a marker while loading grain.  Some truckers use reflective tape or draw an arrow to signal the beginning of the hoppers.  We chose Kitty.  Line up the auger with the little pink face and you know you’re in the right spot. 

Hello Kitty, hello auger of corn.

The next time you see a suggestive chrome silhouette on a semi, imagine Hello Kitty in her place.  It will make you laugh, and remind you that life is better lived with a smile and proper use of turn signals.