As we head into the Memorial Day weekend here in the U.S., how about some chill, tropical sounds to get you through the pandemic-plagued holiday? Here's Waitiki performing "China Fan" on Hawaii Public Radio, a relaxing antidote for the over-crowded local rivers that will be overrun with COVID-spreading tubers this weekend. Stay safe, y'all!
The Moody Blues may be one of the few bands to score top 10 hits in three different decades, but they're also one of those bands that seem to have far fewer hits than their talent and output would warrant. I mean, they have some inspired work, and although gems like "Nights in White Satin" found a wider audience from time to time most of their work seems to have flown under the radar. Here's one you've probably heard at one point or another, but not for a very long time, "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)." I like it because it poses that age-old question, "Who is the artist? We gotta agree!"
"A Moment of Tiki" returns for your viewing pleasure with two new, hand-crafted, artisanal episodes! First up is episode 5, in which I take viewers on a step-by-step how-to for caring for and preserving rattan furniture. Remember, rattan is essentially a wood, and is subject to all the pitfalls of wood furniture: drying, cracking, splitting, mold and insect damage. A little effort up front can help protect your investment for the long term!
In episode 5, I share my process for building a suitably tikified frame from scratch using wood and bamboo, with which to proudly display your tropical and tiki-themed art works. It's a simple build I've perfected over quite a bit of trial-and-error, requiring no upscale woodworking techniques (don't worry about rabbets or dovetails here), so I thought it'd be a simple, easy video to edit. Wrong! The editing process proved to be far more challenging than expected. Fortunately, I finally beat it into submission and hope the result is a clear and straightforward instructional video. Plus, you get to learn what to do with all that bamboo we torched way back in episode 1!
Remember, you can view all of my videos online at YouTube. If you enjoy, don't forget to subscribe and leave a comment! I'll be mighty grateful!
Episode 5: Rattan
Episode 6: Framed!
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Believe or not, I was never much of a Bruce Springsteen fan. I liked a few individual songs, sure, but overall, I was in the take or leave it camp. Blasphemy for an 80s kid, I know. But you know one song of his I liked? "I'm Goin' Down," which kinda feels like an anthem to how 2020 is treating us in general.
