To Live and Learn

Lessons learned today:

1. "Everything bagels" - are they really worth it? Half of that crap falls off into the toaster, which unleases that awful burnt garlic smell. The other half of the crap gets stuck in your teeth when you're eating the bagel. Not worth it.

2. "Pentax Optio S4" - yes, this is a bad-ass digital camera. Yes, there are lots of options including black and white and white-balance control. Yes, it's so small it fits in an Altoids tin perfectly. Yes, the rechargeable battery seems to last forever. Yes, it's 4 megapixels. Yes, there's a 4x digital zoom and macro and super-macro functions. Unfortunately, the highest shutter speed is ISO 200. No high-speed photography happenin' here . Not particularly good for high-quality rock 'n' roll live onstage when yr right next to the PA. Secondly, the innovative sliding-lens design which is the reason the camera can be so small creates lots of problems. This is not a perfect technology. Most of the people who buy this camera have had no problem, but many have. These problems usually include fun things like the camera won't always turn on or won't always turn off, or the camera will turn on, the lens will open, then the camera turns off without retracting the lens. All on it's own. Sometimes, when the camera is on, and you go to use the zoom function, it just turns off, sometimes without retracting the lens. Considering this is a $400 camera, I'm a little pissed, because I am one of those people with this problem. Even more reason to be pissed is that from reading Pentax user forums, I've found that if you send the camera back to Pentax (still under warranty), they will fix it, but they will charge you roughly $144 because they claim it's "operator error" or "operator inflicted impact damage." There are people on these forums who have had their cameras for less than a week, barely used them, and then had these problems. Pentax still will not offer any refunds or free repairs and the model has been out for over a year. That's probably why they don't make it anymore. Sometimes, some things are too good to be true. That's what I've learned today with this camera. If you're in my shoes with this particular Pentax camera, sometimes if you just hit it while it's turned off and the lens is retracted, it will work again just fine. There's no way I'm sending it in to have Pentax tell me it's my fault. Fuck that.

3. There are too many damned shows this weekend. I can't go to all of them. Another lesson learned. Ya can't be everywhere at once. Tonight, there's Sonny Vincent (formerly of NYC punk legends The Testors) with Dead Moon (legendary Pacific Northwest garage rock) at the Magic Stick. At Alvin's, Avail is playing with Only Crime, Jericho, and the Whiskey Diaries. Your last destination for tonight should be The Painted Lady, Detroit's newest bar. Look below to the previous post for details on who all's playin'. Five bucks to get in. That grand opening event will continue tomorrow night, when there's lots more to do, and lots more bands. The Lager House will have Capitol Cities, the Nice Device, and Fifth Period Fever. Also on Saturday will be the inaugural show at the White Heather club, which is located behind Como's in Ferndale. The Holy Fire and Sleep At Last will be playing as well as a third TBA band. Doors at 6pm, $5 cover, all ages show, and sadly for some, no alcohol. The Magic Stick has Natives of the New Dawn, who have been described as a cross between Tribe Called Quest and Medeski Martin & Wood. Dubphonics, Colic, and SA and Tenacity are also playing. Doors at 9pm, cover $7, 18+ only. Same night, Saturday, in the Garden Bowl is DJ Gutterball, also known as yours truly. No cover all night. I play from 9pm to 2am. If I could be everywhere at once...totally omnipresent, I would be at all of these shows, but I will be chained to the DJ booth at the GB as usual.