it's been a really long time since i've updated this page. i'm still recording stuff but not as frequently and when i do i'm not uploading any sounds to my page. things are the same with the pictures section. i like to think that soon i will have more time to devote to little projects like this one. keep checking back.
I Rock in Iraq followup
Out of about 60 people contributing audio clips to my brother, I have my personal favorites. The most creative one was sent from Felix Jung who keeps a personal blog at Avoision. He reads it in such a way that it is hard to believe he didn't write it himself. It makes me feel like I'm almost there. I've included the text below. Be sure to check out his page. Not only does he have a nice design, but he also has an audio section on the right side where he posts various songs.
WITH THREE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ON THE OLENTAGY BRIDGE IN OHIO
by Michael Lohre read by Felix Jung
It is twilight and the river barely winds.
The east arches remind me of Dresden far
away on the Rhine before we destroyed
our minds. Bomb us to the river. It's
the only place that's safe. Sandbars
below like the back of a whale to ride
away. The lights of the city coming
on like eyes in the water, like candles
in catfish jugs to me, like the first fires
of man to one soul whispering Chinese.
How frightening it must have been to see
that reflection: those first flames. A couple
stands near me and something in the woman's
face says jump now and all water finds a way
to Kenya. We are standing quiet at the rails,
the fog growing heavy as if to catch any spirit
or word produced either from pain or joy.
Then the city wind gusts in and sucks at our
open gums. And we hold our stories inside.
The moon appears and its light draws
our figures closer together down the rail.
Our shadows showing on the water
like folks up early to work or refugees
wishing against the moonlight. You can
bomb a river and it just gives and gives.
We are here because it's dark and we live.
You can bomb this river and never, never win.
I Rock in Iraq
Um, as some of you may or may not know, my brother is in the army and stationed in Iraq. He's a tanker and has been in all the worst areas, Baghdad, Fallujah, and tons of other places he isn't allowed to tell me about. While I do not support the war in any way, I want my brother to make it back safe.
I'm sending him a huge care package tomorrow late afternoon. It includes a ton of food, a few presents, and some music that he has probably never heard before in his life. I'm sending 5 minidiscs. 4 are filled with songs and the 5th one I plan to fill with good wishes from people I know as well as strangers. If you have a few moments tonight and want to contribute to this little project, please record a short message in mp3 or .wav or .aiff or whatever on your computer with your microphone and either post it someplace and let me know where or email it to my gmail account aliciafrantz AT gmail.com
I need to send the package tomorrow late afternoon noon to get it there before Christmas. I know this is short notice and if you don't have time I totally understand. This is really last minute but I know how happy it would make my brother, his name is Dale. Here is a picture of him in a tank:
Wishing you all the best.
Alicia
# radio sounds #
I have an old radio that used to belong to Jes' grandpa. It was one of the things I picked up at the auction in Attica during the summer. The radio is black and boxy with several labels on it, so my best guess is that it is a Solid State Airline FM/AM/Multi Band IC radio from Montgomery Wards. In total I count 10 different radio bands I can have it on, though I only get frequency on some of those and the rest are either blank or filled with whatever passes for music these days. When I bid on it at the auction I dreamed of myself sitting next to the radio late at night listening for shortwave numbers stations on the channel marked SW. Unfortunately, I've yet to hear anything besides commercial hits and an interesting robotic weather report that includes the regional weather and the nautical forecast for Lake Michigan. I'll get around to recording that on a different day. On Sunday I finally heard something more interesting. While it is not a numbers station, maybe it could be a signal sent to someone. After aimlessly flipping around the dial I heard an interesting tone that went on for about 30 minutes and then abruptly stopped. I recorded about 15 minutes but I am only including 4 minutes in the interest of space.
Also, if short wave numbers stations are of interest to you, I just found out today that The Conet Project collection of recordings is available in mp3 format. I would encourage you to buy the cd set though as the liner notes are incredible.
# squirrels #
mp3 = 00:02:02
the squirrels are up to something. this one was at my window, distracting me from doing anything with its half catlike, half birdlike cry. the anguished sound went on for over 30 minutes before i got up to find out where it came from. at first i thought the little squirrel was stuck in a precarious spot out on the wood pole by my window. then i wondered if it was bothered by the sounds of construction, tearing down a home, maybe the squirrel's home. i watched it for a while, twitching its tail and rubbing its claws together. i wondered what i could do to help it. there was nothing; squirrels live in a different world than i. i took a picture and recorded the cry. after two minutes of recording the squirrel turned around, stepped out onto the wire, and scurried away. he must have gotten his message across.
when you play this recording, i highly suggest you put your speakers in the window and turn up the volume. this message from the squirrel needs to be heard, and this is the only way. also, if you could please buy a bag of unshelled nuts at the store and throw them out into your yard, it would be greatly appreciated.
i normally would never say something like that, the squirrel made me say it.