That’s it, really. Note to self: read more about underutilized crops.

If you’re willing to help, sign up to be notified at the site. When the kid is born, Will will light-up the email/sms Batsignal to notify everyone, and then you’ll use your cell phone, video recorder, laptop, pearlcorder, etc. to capture some sounds from your world. Then you upload them. There’ll be a form-based interface for you to upload your sounds, along with lots of meta information like location, time, description, etc.

Short-term, Will’s going to build a Google-map API hookup and whatnot, with Flashy bells and whistles, to plot the received samples across on a world map and give contributors an interface to explore the results of the project. Long-term that’s probably not too future-proof, but he’ll try to maintain and update it over the years. Eventually, when the kid’s old enough to care—which is probably sometime around the year 2030—it’ll be something cherishable.

Eh, just go there and read Will’s explanation. So far he’s had about 100 sign-ups, which will probably translate into 30 actual participants or so, if we’re to be realistic about things. Hopefully there will be some far-flung, globe-spanning submissions. It should be fun and interesting to hear the results, not to mention satisfying, knowing that your sounds will be part of a time capsule being sent to a kid 20-odd years into the future. C’mon, help out.

Of all these, none can match the Veat^® Vegetarian Breast for attempting to look like the animal it purports to replace. Tofu dogs and veggie burgers take the convenient form of other meat delivery systems — the better to fit into buns — but the Veat Breast actually has limbs. Molded to resemble a flattened Cornish game hen, the “breast” sports a gimpy wing and leg, as well as a severed neck-stump and tail. This is apparently a bid to underscore the fact that the Veat Vegetarian Breast “Eats Like Chicken!™” (yes, they trademarked that phrase).

Without further ado, behold… my Veat:

Emerging from its box, the frosty young Veat retains an outer membrane of plastic.

Within the membrane, a molded shell protects the Veat from the depredations of its natural predators: Shipping and Handling.

Its carapace removed, the crisp lines of the Veat’s shriveled wing and muscular haunch are manifest.

All that remains is to baste the Veat with teriyaki sauce, allow to marinate, and bake…

…Time’s up! Look at that crispy, Veaty goodness!

Truly, there is plenty here. 4 servings, says the box.

Simply slice Veat, season to taste and serve. Bon Appétit!

Surprisingly, it’s not so bad. The Veat Breast — mostly TVP and binding agents — has a smooth, chewy texture, and though it purports to contain spices, sea salt, and sugar, it’s pretty damned bland. The teriyaki marinade went a long way to infusing it with interest. It’s not vegan, however, since it includes whey protein. I can’t imagine preparing a Veat Breast as anything other than a novelty — the limbs really do push it beyond the pale — but Veat Bites or Veat Nuggets, chunky amorphous blobs that they are, would probably do fine in a stir-fry.

Note that Veat^® is made in Taiwan, so factor-in the cost of shipping this meatless monstrosity from the Far East if you’re concerned about the absurd amount of fossil fuels that can go into putting food on your table.

The Climbing French, on the other hand, are of markedly different inclination. They’re only half the height of the Fasolds at the moment, but the cunning things put off multiple vines, so it’s not surprising. Fasolds just have the one, central runner from which they leaf, flower and bean-up. The Climbing French are at least bifurcate, if not more — I haven’t rustled about in them to count the number of branchings — so one can imagine that their energy is somewhat divided. No flowers ‘pon them yet.

Ah, and speaking of flowers, the very heavily scented Stargazer lilies began to open on or about July 18th. Man, they have a heady scent. Particularly at night.

One or two of the Italian honey figs (Lattarulla) are looking ripe as well. The recent 100° days can’t have hurt … though come to think of it, I’m not sure if figs care about growing degree days or not. Anyway, figs soon. Hooray.

Jay Turser JTB3 Bass : $299
Roland Cube 30 Bass Amp : $225
Gretsch Guitar Strap : $29
ULTRA Guitar Stand : $20
10′ Cable : $6
Pick : $0.25
——————————————
$579.25

Not too bad. I’d like to restring it with Thomastic-Infeld Jazz Flats, but haven’t found a shop in town that carries them yet. Other than that, and a case, I’m pretty good. Buying the Cube 30 will probably save me a bit of money that I’d have otherwise been tempted to spend on pedals — it has some built in effects, like an an octaver, chorus, flanger, wah, reverb, etc., as well as some nicely modeled tube amps o’ the past. Shouldn’t be mucking with it at this juncture, I know, but it’s fun.

Right now I’m just working on familiarizing myself with the fretboard… a fretted short-scale is a definite change from a 7/8ths upright, but I think I’m getting there. Slowly rebuilding calluses on the fingers of my left hand, and playing a lot of scales. Woo hoo for arpeggios. I’ll worry about technique once I’m not overshooting third position. There seems to be a fair bit of buzz, which might well be down to my own incompetence, or to needing a bit more clearance, but I’m waiting to have it professionally set-up until I receive the replacement tuning machine and locate some Jazz Flats.

The bass is currently in New Stanton, PA, cooling its heels on a Sunday afternoon. Track its progress, if you care to. I know I am.

The beans are bolting upward as well, in a good way. The Fasolds are much more spry than the French Climbings — the former are climbin’ the twine with a vigor, while the latter are just looking promisingly leafy. Not a lotta vine action from them yet.

Oh, and we have tomatoes. Green, yes, but they’ve all set some early fruit. Strange, given that they’re still relatively wee, height-wise (dwarfed by the 10′ cages they’re planted in), but doing their thing.

And yeah, damn the aphids. Never found anything kind to apply to the Brussels sprouts — not that we looked that hard — and previous experience has been borne out in spades, as they almost vanish beneath a milky-grey layer of insect love. Eh, it was but a lark. I’m not interested in high-maintenance crops anyway. Take that, brassica family!

I’m waiting to hear back from the musiclandcentral peeps about a few questions I had, but that’s more just so that I know what I’m getting and won’t be surprised, I think. Don’t know yet if there’s a custom case to fit it (that’s one of the questions) — if so, I’ll buy it from him so that it can be shipped in a better-protected container than cardboard boxen. Then all I’ll be lacking will be an amp, some picks, and instructional material.

Re the amp: shall I buy a lil’ 10 or 15 watt practice amp, or ought I size-up (in a small way) to a 30 for better sound, if not louder playing? Buy it beforehand, to be prepared when the axe arrives in the mail, or wait until I can lug it around with me and try ‘em out on? I’m thinking the latter may be excessive — particularly if I don’t have a case or even gig bag — so maybe it doesn’t matter. Time to hit the amp reviews, I guess.