Greetings, whoever-reads-this!
A snowy day all around. My brother has just retired from his job of 40-some years, and is celebrating the fact that he doesn't have to trudge through it to get to work. That is a wonderful feeling, one I'd wish for everyone who wants or needs it.
I left the world of daygig in the middle of the year, so I had to wait on that one. But the following January was nasty- the Winter of 2014(remember that one?)-- and I couldn't help posting a picture of my street, with my vehicle being just about the only one left on the block.
I added a note, which read “don't hate me because I'm beautiful. Hate me(if you must)because I'm retired and don't have to trudge through this shit anymore”. I could certainly feel the hate that day…
Lesson learned: sometimes it's best to keep your good fortune to yourself.
Music News. I'm practicing more these days. The impetus for this is partly just because it's there, but mainly from hearing a whole crop of guitarists from the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Guitar Competition. You can find it on YouTube. It's a humbling experience…
These players all looked to be in their 20s or 30s, and all of them without exception had monster chops. Stoopid good technique. All were plectrum players--meaning that they used a pick--but the fingers are used a lot more for chording, with the thumb for bass notes.
I don't expect to be pulling off the kind of fingerboard shenanigans I saw going on at that competition, but I can at least try. Seems like the bar is set awfully high as far as that goes. Killer chops are now a prerequisite, just to get your foot in the door. At least it's something to aspire to.
More to come on the YouTube page. I just lost two subscribers, but got a number of very nice comments with the last thing I posted. As long as people are enjoying the stuff I post, there's no sense worrying about a few fluctuations here and there.
So that's my news, such as it is. Still in there plugging away. Thanks as ever for stopping in and reading. Happy Saturday to you! For now, ich bin outa here. More later.
