What's shakin'? - drop by and say "Hi"

[michelew]

willem wrote:

In May I had my holiday and became sick for one week,,now I drive 4 times a day my cab/bus and in between I work in my vegetable garden,,I do a lot in between,,shoping,,cooking,walking,,etc,, when there is time left I work on songs bit by bit..

still working on this song,,timing etc..........

Nice one Willem. JT is hard to emulate.

You had me worried when you sang "I can't sing the blues any more." Good thing it's just a lyric.

Thanks for sharing.

M

[thereshopeyet]

Michelle

I'm still working on Question (slowly) Canon in D a little at a time and looked at Hotel California today its' a great lesson.
Lots of interesting detail.

I was looking at guitars (dreaming), Martin Taylors and Matons.
I'd need to be able to play much better before considering any guitar as although they are
quality guitars I felt it difficult to decide the advantages / disadvantages due to my lackability !!
The chap in the store explained that I would get a great guitar for £800 explaining further that
more expensive guitars £1,000 and upward can have a lot of cosmetic refinements and other refinements
may not be truly appreciated until more experienced.
Anyway.... it's okay to dream eh?

Dermot

[michelew]

Jean - good to hear you've still dropping in. Don't forget a good way to get the forum moving is to start a thread about something that's on your mind. (I've definitely start my fair share of zanny posts. I suspect members would really appreciate some new perspectives, musings, questions.) when you've got time and your bull dog is paying dividends, don't forget that we'd love to see you playing something.


Chris - you sound like a very busy man. Interacting with kids, well it sure brings a smile to my face and yours too by the sounds of it. It's good for the soul. Gorgeous photo - so that's how superman turned professional.

Dermot - cool. Wedding - lovely. Guitar - the dream is a large part of the fun. Enjoy.


Thanks for sharing. It's always nice to hear what people are up to.

M

[cosmicmechanic]

Hi all,

Just back from my electricity-free cottage, but will return there soon.
This last excursion was great timing: 32 degrees Celsius in the shade, but 30 steps from the (quiet) lake

Working on musically? In a word: "WHITERSHADEOFPALE" ! So many techniques can be explored with this lesson of Neil's.
I watched the WSOP lessons a few times, then went off into the jungle with the PDF and Guitar Pro files on my tablet (cool!).

Also, the "Acoustic Genius -> Country Blues" exercises are excellent drills ... not that I'm good at them, but seeing gradual improvement.

Although vacation season reduces traffic on the TG forum, I find a lot to explore in posts from the less than 2 week period I've been away.
LESSONS ! And BANTER ! Interesting stuff, but can't comment on everything of course. So Wink-Wink to youz.

[Edit] Oh, I forgot to mention that I just officially received my honorary Native American name: "Running Bill" :S

Pierre

[TGNesh]

HI!!! :cheer:

Well it certainly nice to read what some of us are up to these days, what a great pic Daryl!

As for me, well actually working really hard, trying to get a few TG-lessons done, before I have four weeks of vacation (not leaving the country though). Last week of students as well, and indeed in between social stuff and enjoying the sunshine a bit.

Can't wait for my time off!

[Music Junkie]

Hey Shel:

As for me, I have just been working, working, working....... Although I am wiped out, I consider myself fortunate to have a good job these days. Kids are out for summer break and keeping me busy with football (American style). We are trying to plan a camping trip, but the dry weather has made for less than ideal conditions up in the high Sierra Nevada Mountains.....

In the meantime, I have been fighting a pinched nerve in the C6 region of my neck. My left arm and hand go numb, and the left side of my back cramps up a bit. Some nights I can get through a whole song, some nights maybe only a verse or two. I have had x-rays which showed some degenerative issues, but nothing too serious. The MRI results will show more probably. Hoping against all odds that I do not have to have surgery.... :unsure: If I do, I will probably postpone it til after the IGC. I am far too excited about attending, and I don't want to mess with that. I may not be able to keep up with everyone, but I plan on doing my best.

Also, I am getting ready for our yearly block party this coming up Saturday. We close down the street and all the neighbors congregate at the end of the cul-de-sac to BBQ and join in general merryment (code word for drunken bash)..... :woohoo: I will be cooking up Tri-Tip, Ribs, Pub-style burgers, Linguica, Brautwurst and various other artery clogging items....... :laugh:

In the few spare minutes I get each day, I have been playing the new 12-string as often as possible. I am absolutely infatuated with it currently. I have been working on "Thrasher" by Neil Young, and also a couple of songs by REO Speedwagon - "Blazing Your Own Trail Again", and "Roll With the Changes". Very fun songs to play.

As far as the weather goes here in Southern California, we are generally in the 72-75 degree F range. We do get a pretty heavy marine layer from time to time when the inner valleys get super hot. Evenings are cool, and when it is clear enough, the boys and I sit out in the backyard and do some star-gazing. Not optimal due to the light pollution, but still better than in some cities.

Seeing Daryl's video of chow time brings back old memories of working on my grandmothers farm as a kid. I really miss those days. Hard work, but the simplicity was fabulous....

Hope everyone else is doing well too. Only 2 months till the IGC, and I am truly looking forward to it.

Jason

[AcousticAl]

Hey all,

Nice to read a few updates.. MJ, I hope your pinched nerve works itself out!

It's been a pretty slow summer for me so far. Unfortunately when I don't work, I don't get paid (and no vacation pay!) so that's not great. But it has given me extra time for the guitar. I've been working on the blues.. trying to learn some lead-stuff. Slow going, but (mostly) enjoying it.

Still get distracted very easily with new songs. I'm trying to resist the temptation of adding anything new and focus more on getting better on the songs I sortof know already.

Still enjoying recording videos- some end up on here.

Still trying to play once a week with the 'garage band' and I think we're sounding better. Tough to know without an audience. We were joking about picking a name for the group. Bros & Cons was a contender! If you saw us, you'd understand (although I don't fit in either category!)

Other than that.. just trying to stay cool. Going to reach a high of over 40 degrees (celcius) today with the humidex!

Have a great summer!

[Chasplaya]

daryl wrote:
[quote]Here's me being "creative" bottle feeding our one month old buck "Otto III" with a wine bottle. Chas might get a kick out of that! We were feeding him 4 times a day now we are down to 3 times a day (soon to be twice a day). He's a good boy and loves his bottle!


4 times a day!! Phew not many could handle 4 bottles of wine a day... See me at the store I could cut you a good deal... Lol

[Chasplaya]

michelew wrote:

Chasplaya wrote:

Hi Shel good post,

Well I'm learning roots stuff... Scottish folk music Why cos its work related ... What am I listening to well believe it or not French music again work related... No good concerts of late .. sad to say.. Whats keeping me busy... damn work!!!!!!!!

Music for work...I'm intrigued. do tell.

Sounds like you're doing a jig to me. Does Scottish folk music get people in the wine buying mood? Isn't it generally the other way around?; first the wine and THEN the jiggy, jiggy.

Any chance you're going to record something for us? .... Just the music.

As well as Fine Wine I sell top shelf malt Scotch; I organise a malt Scotch tasting club and the first one I had a entertainment for the customers; a Highland dancer at the start then I recited Robert Burns 'Address Tae a Haggis'. Each of the Malts being tasted were accompanied by traditional Scottish canapes. The evening was very successful , selling 29 bottles of Scotch! SO now I have set a benchmark for future evenings, hence the possibility of my playing traditional Scottish Folk songs. Listening to French music... well each month we have a theme on the wine we are promoting, this months its French Wine. Jiggy jig... absolutely no chance of that happening.. my dancing is worse (if that's possible) than my singing lol. Recording well... If I'm satisfied with the outcomes you never know

[auntlynnie]

Hello All,

It is fun reading what's going on with everyone else.

My life is changing - my son recently moved down to Richmond (2 hours away) to attend college. He'll be a junior.
So now we have an empty nest. I'm loving the quiet days, after 24 years of always having kids here.

Playing guitar often, but not quite every day. Having some hand problems - strength, achiness, and age related stuff.
But I'm still working on Country Blues and some other stuff in open G.

Very hot and humid here near Washington, DC.

Lynn