Tag: uke

Weekend Notes 8/17-18/2024

August 18, 2024 / laura bruno lilly / 37 Comments

FYI: A few days ago, I received my “Happy Anniversary – you registered on WordPress 11 years ago” notification. It may be my last.

Let me explain.

Surrounded by my notes, I just now sat down, opened my computer and logged onto my WP account to begin this newest Weekend Notes post. What I originally hand in mind to write involved copying a paragraph from a previous post, so I hit the “All Posts” button on my dashboard. Instead of the usual listing of previously published posts, I was presented with a chaotic array of vertical post titles and empty space. An ominous sign that more such chaos lurked elsewhere throughout my website/blog.

That’s when I knew the script changed.

Please consider this my ‘message in a bottle’ that hopefully gets out there for all to view. Given the above intro – this bottle may or may not reach anyone.

Dear blogger buds, followers, friends, and readers of all sorts,

Most of you know the ups & downs, joys & travails of using WordPress. Many of you know I personally have experienced a huge increase in the downs & travails of it beginning March 2024.

This newest set of freaky developments are not quite the final push for me to chuck this platform.

However.

In order for this website/blog to continue I know I am in for multiple rounds of trying to decipher, redo, fix, wait for/give up on tech support answers, etc. I know I’m in for a huge dive back into the technical aspects in going forward with this platform. This all takes an enormous amount of time & effort to enable this website/blog to simply go on doing what it is meant to do.

Will I be successful?

Why should I be? I’m no computer programmer or WordPress technician expert. Nevertheless, I have learned numerous tricks, HTML bits, plugin compatibilities, go arounds and more of the technical side of WP functionality/maintenance than I ever thought possible.

Don’t get me wrong, I love learning and a challenge. But given the fact that WordPress solicits itself as a user friendly, no technical knowledge needed platform with abundant tech support, I feel I’ve gone way over and beyond the call of duty.

And now, more than ever, as I am entering into a long awaited focused ‘Purple Patch’, with my 2024 projects & goals, I resent this intrusion into my valuable time. After all, this website/blog serves my (he)art, not the other way around.

So, just in case the blog goes silent again, know I am trying my best to maintain my website/blog presence. You can always email me and/or use the contact form to get in touch, if you like. 🙂

peace

LAURA

Memo to self: Regardless of the project focus – It’s All About The Music

Goals, ToDos & TryOuts – part 2

July 9, 2024 / laura bruno lilly

First seen in this earlier post and then again in part 1, a certain coffee mug takes center stage as an example of a ‘quick TryOut’.

That said, the ‘quick TryOut’ to finish Aromatic Steam Arising is only as good as the sum of its parts. Meaning: one of those parts was to compose a soundtrack specific to the video. That part was right up my alley and I certainly had fun noodling around on both the UKE and CG for ideas. The noodling resulted in two separate 4 measure motifs which I then entered into my NOTION notation program and arranged as a duo. Adjusting for the duration of coffee mug’s stellar performance, I came up with the 34 seconds of music needed for use in the video.

That was the easy part. Next came the actual putting together of a cohesive video highlighting my raw unedited phone footage in sync with a NOTION instrument rendition of my ASA 34 Seconds accompanying audio track.

Enter stage left – the challenging part of my ‘quick TryOut.’

Armed with some working knowledge of Canva, I decided to go forth and dive deep into using their free tools for video/audio projects. It took me a few days but I learned much through the process.

As promised, here is my first attempt at making a video with my personal & original uploads using Canva tools. Enjoy!

Aromatic Steam Arising postcard — **An easier to read version of the ending page in the above video – yes, I need to ‘fix’ that! 🙂**

The Meaning We Make with Our Hands (Poem)

June 3, 2024 / laura bruno lilly

In reading about the stories we as creatives tell through our (he)art, I came across this phrase from a Quiltfolk blog article.

It resonated. I ruminated. I wrote a poem.

The Meaning We Make with Our Hands
Laura Bruno Lilly © 2024

I tell stories
I paint pictures
I touch hearts
		with sound.
Found sound
Composed sound
and sometimes spoken.

Phrases shaped
Rhythms formed
and all the silent in-betweens.
Peppered throughout with tone colors
                both nuanced and bold.

Listen
My music speaks
		its own truth.