Cables for electronic instruments cost a lot of money. They are pieces of wire. Encapsulated by rubber. With plugs at the end. How does 6 feet of this stuff end up costing $18? At least I will be able to record tracks now. Reminder to self: I am not allowed to get a guitar and mod it until I can play the piano properly in public.

One of the best features of my digital piano is its headphone output. This lets me play completely without shame - it's amazing how fast my hands lock up the moment I turn on external speakers. I am beginning to play on random pianos (starting with pika's when I go there for bread-baking lessons tomorrow) to attempt to get over this hump; right now I start out timidly, and then I can let loose with blues licks, walking bass lines, whatever.

Ian Daniher is here, visiting OLPC and then Olin, in that order. He's in the office with Seth doing crazy things with arduinos.

I realized I haven't been keeping people very up-to-date on what I've been doing because I've been too busy doing too much stuff. I'm trying to change this. I want to have a more openly documented life; it's been a good experiment so far, but I am slacking.

Right now: pasta and listening to Greg and Ellen try to game a voting system. I'll start describing yet more projects next.