  We present temporal and spectral results from monitoring Cygnus X-1 with the
Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) in 1998 and 1999. We concentrate on the long
term evolution of the hard state timing properties, comparing it to the 1996
soft state evolution. This leads to the following results: 1. the hard and soft
state time lag spectra are very similar, 2. during state transitions, the lags
in the 1-10 Hz range increase by more than an order of magnitude, 3. in the
hard state itself, flaring events can be seen --- the temporal and spectral
evolution during the flare of 1998 July identifies it as a ``failed state
transition''. During (failed) state transitions, the time lag spectra and the
power spectra change predominantly in the 1-10 Hz range. We suggest that this
additional variability is produced in ejected coronal material disrupting the
synchrotron radiation emitting outflows present in the hard state.
