frozen octopus

Woke up today thinking about how I am grateful to past me for implementing a couple of self-rules a while back that I take for granted now. They are glacial in scope, but they really see the difference now, even though I didn't notice changes when I started.

For example, when I put something into any to-do list or calendar app, the first word is a verb. When I first started doing it, I was like, “ I'll know what to do if I see "Drum Rudiment" in my task app.”

The problem with that is when I read "Drum Rudiment”, I have to think about what that means. I equate that split second of decision like leaving the window open and letting flies (distractions) in. When I start chasing the flies, I don't do the task.

If I read "Do a drum rudiment", I do a drum rudiment right away without opening the window of distraction.

Another benefit of verb first is that on apps, they often truncate the task when they display it. So on my Apple Watch, "Do a drum rudiment" sometimes gets shortened to "Do a drum...". It makes your brain crazy because you want to know "Do a drum what!?". I click to see, and now drumming is on my mind. Just having "Drum Rudiment" does have that effect.

Give verbs to the things you need to get done and write instructions for your future self. You'll start to notice things starting to get done.

( ^ . ^ )y

At the ticket gates here, and probably everywhere, you insert a ticket or pay with a card or phone on the right-hand side. That means right-handed people who pay with their watch have to do a clunky reach over to pay with their wrist.

Us left-handers wear watches on the right wrist. That means when I walk through the ticket gate, I get a rare chance to feel ergonomically normal. It is quite wonderful.

By the way, I finally moved my IC (integrated circuit) card to my Apple Watch and it rules. Don't know my I didn't do it earlier. Took it out for a test run while going to rehearsal and it was really fun.

I also think the IC card readers interacted a little quicker with my watch than with the iPhone. Could be me just thinking that but I was a little surprised a few times how quickly it connected.

Other benefits

On the Pasmo phone app, you can only top it up in increments of ¥1000, ¥3000, and ¥5000. The watch app is any amount up to ¥20000. Not a huge deal but also cool to have the option.

On a trip to rehearsal and back, paying with my wrist is four times less I pull out the phone from the pocket. Also not a huge deal until you do the math.

4 x 365 = 1,460 times I won't pull out the phone.

That is just transit. Throw in transactions at stores as well.

Month two of the focus on one drum rudiment plan is here. Last month I moved From Random Linear to to Monthly Pattern. I'd been generating a random linear drum pattern but decided I was practicing often but probably wasn't getting very deep into a pattern.

The focus on the six stroke roll was good. I am definitely a lot faster at that pattern. I never played it at a show but my hands feel noticeably stronger. All those RR LL is a good workout for sure.

June is the Seven Stroke Roll. Let's go!

I like this rudiment already because it sounds like the intro of Janie Jones by The Clash.

( ^ _ − )b

I went to the practice space last night for a couple of hours to practice two things. The first is the drum pattern I am working on, and the second is the art of messing up.

The way I rehearse a drum pattern is to play the drum pattern. The way I rehearse messing up is to not stop playing. You keep your hands moving and your drum your way back to what you want to play. Practicing recovery is a crucial skill. If you can get back on track, it comes off as “wow” instead of “I can’t believe they messed up”.

So I don’t stop and start over at rehearsal. If a stick flies out of my hand, practice grabbing a new stick. If a drum fill is borked, then you practice getting back to the beat.

There are two jazz albums left on my list of albums¹. I am trying to get through this year. This means I need to make a decision in two days because my thing is to play a jazz album first thing in the morning while free writing and drinking coffee.

Scenario one is to find new albums and add them to the list. Pluses are I keep finding new music and the morning ritual keeps going as usual. Minus is the number of albums on the list increases, slowing down getting to the end of it.

Scenario two is to loop back on the albums I have listened to and give them another spin. Since I have a massive list of albums I can go back to, I could re-listen to some. Pluses are I am not adding to the list, which would keep me on track to get to the end of it. I could also do things like flagging (or liking or starring) the great albums so I can find them in the future. Minuses are I don't discover new music.

Scenario three is to start the day with other genres for a while. Pluses are I start the day with a different vibe and I keep on ploughing through the list. It pushes me to get through classical and soundtrack albums. Minus is lyrics. I chose jazz albums first thing in the morning because there are no words, so they don't enter my free writing.

If I had to choose between these three scenarios, I am leaning towards number two. Number three is in close second right now. What would you do?

1: There are 263 albums left on the list as of 2026-05-19 7:27 a.m.