Vintage Star Wars Roleplaying

Vintage Star Wars Roleplaying

I’ve uncovered my old West End Games Star Wars Roleplaying Game books recently and am excited to say that I will soon be planning at least one adventure for my gaming friends.  To help me work out the details I have begun a WordPress blog and an Obsidian Portal campaign wiki.  Between them I should be able to keep track of everything that I need.

Any comments or suggestions are more than welcome.

Charles

Ben Moll Percussion Recital

Ben Moll Percussion Recital

Ben Moll is a colleague of mine teaching at Clark College in Vancouver, WA is performing a percussion recital on Saturday, December 13th at 7pm at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Vancouver.

I will be playing the trap set on some jazz standards and perhaps some Bach Inventions at the end.

Ben is also premiering a new percussion & soprano duet by Fred Strong.

Among we percussionists, the following musicians will be accompanying Mr. Moll:

• Kathy Charles – Piano
  Clark College Piano Faculty

• April Duvic – Soprano
  Clark College Music Faculty

• Eva Richey – Violin
  Concertmaster, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

Donations accepted for St. Luke’s Church.

Ben Moll will be playing on a Rosebush Marimba

Marimba Repertoire

I have several students now playing advanced marimba repertoire and though I’ve been playing since college, my repertoire is not as extensive as it could be so I’ve picked up this collection of works by Keiko Abe and am overjoyed with my purchase.

The book contains 5 compositions written for 4 mallets on a 5.0 octave marimba with “alterative suggestions” for a 4.3 octave cousin making this edition a great purchase for most high school band students.  The advancing technical progression between pieces is well designed to give the student new tools to master.

Whether Keiko Abe intended it or not, this collection is an excellent path for those early advanced marimba students.  Purchase it here.

Alex Acuñe Clinic

Last Monday, my students and I went took a field trip to Rhythm Traders in NE Portland for a clinic with Alex Acuntilde;.

It was AWESOME!

Alex Acuñe is a Peruvian percussionist and drumset player who is world renown for his timing and South American stylings.

Pics coming soon…

EVE Online

EVE Online

My newest gaming experience is EVE Online.  It is massive and satisfying my intellectual desire to survive and even thrive in a new environment.  Mental Masturbation might be too light of a phrase.

Anyway, if you should feel it necessary to check it out, look me up.  The name’s “Alys’an.”

Breitenbush Hot Springs

I went to Breitenbush Hot Springs today and I enjoyed it immensely.  My only wish (forgive the tired truism) is that I was still there.  Breitenbush Hot Springs is located up in the Cascades of Western Oregon between Detroit Lake and Estacada.  It is open all year, but during the winter months you should call before you drive because Hwy 224, the easier road from Portland, is not always clear and open.

Emily and I first enjoyed the scenery and community at the Meadow Pools then we found the Spiral Tubs, a succession of heated tubs built into a circular deck where each tub is slightly warmer than the last.  I dipped myself in a cold bath between every near-20-minute soak in each tub until hunger overcame us and we headed toward the river and the isolated rocky beaches for a picnic.

The image to the right is of the path to the labyrinth just north of the Spiral Tubs.  The daisies where out in force all over the cascades and from Bend to Estacada ‘die Sonne schein und die blaue Himmel’ was gorgeous.

I hope this Spring finds everyone well and may the end of your labyrinth begin a new maze of opportunities. 

CP

Narn I Hîn Húrin

I’ve made new comments on my Narn I Hîn Húrin page.

Just some ideas on the concept of fate and fictional characters.

Enjoy.

http://charlespike.wordpress.com/narn-i-hin-hurin/

Hellhounds at Trails End Saloon

There was a Hellhound spotted at the Trails End Saloon in Oregon City. I was there burnin’ it up with Ward Stroud and his friendly blues cats. It was a great time! Thank you, Ward.

Check out the new MySpace page: myspace.com/hellhoundsblues!

Petting Zoo at Chaos Cafe & Parlor

myspace.com/pdxpettingzoo

Petting Zoo played at Chaos Cafe & Parlor last Tuesday night and we rocked it. With friends coming out from all over the U.S., and people leaving with holes blown in their socks and their heads, we consider our first night in Portland a great success!

Coming soon are several more performances for us, including:
July 4th : Estacada ‘Big Bang’ 4th of July Celebration
July 18th : Chaos Cafe & Parlor – a return to Chaos for a second helping of tasty metal.
August 1st : Chaos Cafe & Parlor – a well received show deserves two more appearances.

Reed College

 

I am now a private instructor at Reed College and am looking forward to the wonderful opportunity of working with students at the collegiate level as well as students of all ages. I will be adding many links to my Music page so keep your eyes peeled for any changes.

I am truly blessed.

Thanks be to everyone who helped me along my way.