I had someone recently tell me they were very perplexed and sad because they didn’t know the meaning of life. I shared some thoughts with them that I think are rather obvious and pedestrian. The thoughts were very new to them and opened up some new thinking. So I’ll write them here in case any one else finds it of use. And if you read this and think “OMG, that’s so obvious and marshmallow” – well, hey – just move on.
Christmas Dogs – Merry Christmas
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XfJ5zksF4M
Merry Christmas 2010 from Macau, China. It’s mid-November and they are already putting up the Christmas trees and decorations around here so it’s time to dig out some of my Christmas music.
Blog Stats 2010 – Almost Top 100,000 in US
I was a little surprised to find out my little blog is almost in the top 100,000 of US websites. This blog was never created for any particular marketing or SEM campaign. I just started in 2006 to write about things of interest to me at the time. Maybe that’s why it’s popular – no ulterior motive!
Conradaskland.com’s three-month global Alexa traffic rank is 344,767. The site is relatively popular among users in the city of New York (where it is ranked #100,546). Compared with all internet users, the site appeals more to users who are aged under 25 and 35–55; its visitors also tend to consist of both uneducated and highly educated men earning over $60,000 who have more children and browse from work.
Visitors to it view an average of 1.3 unique pages per day. We estimate that 58% of Conradaskland.com’s visitors are in the US, where it has attained a traffic rank of 101,553.
Askland Piano Nocturne #6
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTdRupBmZAw
My Nocturne #6 from the album “Piano Nocturnes Conrad Askland”. A friend of mine selected this as one of their favorites and made the video for me. Thank you so much!
Conrad in Hong Kong piano recording session
Finally got some pics from our recording session of the Cirque Du Soleil ZAIA soundtrack in Hong Kong – December 2008. Most of our tracks were recorded on location in Macau but we did string section and piano recordings in Hong Kong.
Continue reading “Conrad in Hong Kong piano recording session”
Freddy Fender Memorial – Lucerne Valley, CA
Well this is certainly a trip. A friend showed me this photo of a Freddy Fender memorial sign in Lucerne Valley, CA. And I guess it’s just a sign out in the middle of the California High Desert but to me it has much more significance.
Continue reading “Freddy Fender Memorial – Lucerne Valley, CA”
Audio Downloads
I was going to wait until the uploads were finished to announce this but Google is already indexing my audio – so you can download audio I’ve written and produced at http://www.ConradAskland.net
It’s the “dot net” version of my name. The site you’re on now is “dot com”. I split the downloads into a new website because this one is already getting really bogged down with traffic.
And since I’m at it I’ll let you know that my forum which I never told anyone about is at:
http://forum.ConradAskland.com
I’ll keep doing uploads as I can and then come back here to make all the navigation between the different areas more user-friendly.
Current Musical Adventures
An update on current activities. I’ve received a couple emails asking why I’m not blogging so much. After making it through Chinese New Year here in Macau, China I was able to take a long overdue vacation and return to the United States for the first time in two years. (Beloved Skagit County, Washington USA – I didn’t visit down in Southern California). The break gave me a chance to bring some more gear back to China and to set new goals and aspirations for myself – pretty much like starting a new year.
The Secret Treasure of Failure
“Curiosity is the most powerful thing you own,” he said. “Don’t put limitations on yourself. Other people will do that for you…failure has to be an option in art and exploration because it’s a leap of faith.”
“In whatever you’re doing, failure is an option, but fear is not.”
– James Cameron – TED Talks 2010
Just read these words today and they hit me so strong. Like if you’re reading the bible and a verse jumps out and you think God is speaking directly to you.
O Holy Night – Celtic Singers
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDeXUvWbLp8
There is a little confusion in China when it comes to Western holidays. For instance, on Christmas Eve the street was littered with confetti as people exploded party poppers at the stroke of midnight for the beginning of Christmas Day. And then Auld Lang Syne is playing on all the bar sound systems. Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve – what’s the difference right? Ugh.
So thank you to my friend from the Great White North who sent me this. I got home tonight as Christmas Eve turned to Christmas Day in China. Was feeling very sad not to be with my family, and to not have the usual Christmas events around me. This video helped center me a bit.
Her is an alternate verse for O Holy Night (Cantique de Noel), and I think a more powerful one.
Chains shall he break
for the slave is our brother
And in His name
all oppression shall cease
Sweet hymns of joy
In grateful chorus raise we
Let all within us
Praise His holy name
Christ is the Lord
And ever ever praise we
Noel, Noel
O night, O night divine
Noel, Noel
O night, O night divine