The reason so many guitarists fail to reach their potential is error filled repetition, aka not knowing exactly how to do each movement! | |
— Aaron Shearer | |
Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment. | |
— Rita Mae Brown | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | I Ask For Two Minutes… |
Always | |
2020 | At Least A Lot More Gray |
2019 | Walking The Lonely Path |
2018 | The Ultimate Trial |
2017 | Vain Expectations |
2016 | Or Of One Thought |
2015 | What’s In Your Future? |
2014 | Light In Darkness |
2013 | How ‘Bout Just Obeying The Law? |
2012 | Or Maybe Not |
2011 | My Interval Is Too Short! |
Archive for May, 2022
I Learn The Hard Way
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Aaron Shearer, Bad Judgment, Experience, Good Judgment, Guitar, Music, Philosophy, Potential, Quotes, Repetition, Rita Mae Brown on May 31, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Three Treasures
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Compassion, Lao-Tzu, Patience, Philosophy, Quotes, Simplicity, Treasures on May 30, 2022| 2 Comments »
I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. | |
— Lao Tzu | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | How Trump Won The Fringe Right |
Hold My Hand | |
2020 | I’d Include Health Care |
2019 | Accustomed To It |
2018 | Booking My Trip Into The Expanding Universe |
2017 | Fear Instead Of Convictions |
2016 | Memorial Day – 2016 |
2015 | A Handful Of Reviews |
And You Can Quote Me | |
2014 | Get Wisdom |
2013 | Enjoying The View? |
2012 | Adam’s Rib |
2011 | I’m Sure I Remember That… |
Memorial Day, 2011 | |
Stumbled On This Memory (Of High Notes)
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, Work, tagged Favorite Lines, Gene Dozier, Included Song Lyrics, Included Video, Keni St. Lewis, Memory Lane -- music video, Memory Lane -- song lyrics, Minnie Riperton, Richard Rudolph, YouTube on May 29, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Memory Lane |
|
Lyrics: | |
I stumbled on this photograph, | |
It kinda made me laugh | |
It took me way back, | |
Back down memory lane | |
I see the happiness, | |
I see the pain | |
Where am I? | |
Back down memory lane | |
I see us standing there, | |
Such a happy, happy pair | |
Love beyond compare, | |
Look-a-there, look-a-there | |
The way you held me, | |
No one could tell me that love would die | |
Ohh, why did I have to find this photograph, | |
Thought I had forgot the past | |
And now I’m slippin’ fast, | |
Oh, back down memory lane | |
I feel the happiness, | |
I feel the pain | |
Here am I, | |
Back down memory lane | |
I’m in the sunshine, | |
I’m in the rain | |
Thought it was over, | |
Here I go again | |
The way you held me, | |
No one could tell me | |
That love would die | |
I don’t wanna go traveling down | |
Faster than the speed of sound | |
Back down memory lane | |
Be still my foolish heart | |
Don’t let this feelin’ start | |
Back down memory lane | |
I don’t wanna go | |
Back down memory lane | |
Save me, | |
Save me | |
Back down memory lane | |
Save me | |
Save me | |
Save me | |
Save me | |
Save me | |
Back down memory lane | |
Performed by: Minnie Riperton | |
Written by: Richard Rudolph, Gene Dozier, Minnie Riperton, Keni St. Lewis | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | A Chance Meeting Finds A Way |
Over 50 Years Ago! | |
2020 | The Magnitude Of The Challenge |
2019 | Still Tearing, Still Being Rewarded |
2018 | Nothing More, Nothing Less |
2017 | Memorial Day – 2017 |
No Wonder I’m Smiling | |
2016 | Thinking Science Fictional |
2015 | Dawn Is Coming |
2014 | Back When I Was A Firebrand |
2013 | Pen In Hand |
Word Up! | |
2012 | Disturbing |
Trying To Keep Up | |
2011 | Unreliable And Selective |
2010 | Adult-Onset Athlete |
The 99% Solution == 10,000 Hours
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, Work, tagged Genius, Inspiration, Mastery, Michelangelo, Perspiration, Philosophy, Quotes, Thomas Edison on May 29, 2022| Leave a Comment »
If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful at all. | |
— Michelangelo | |
Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. | |
— Thomas Edison | |
. | |
On This Day In: | |
2021 | A Chance Meeting Finds A Way |
Over 50 Years Ago! | |
2020 | The Magnitude Of The Challenge |
2019 | Still Tearing, Still Being Rewarded |
2018 | Nothing More, Nothing Less |
2017 | Memorial Day – 2017 |
No Wonder I’m Smiling | |
2016 | Thinking Science Fictional |
2015 | Dawn Is Coming |
2014 | Back When I Was A Firebrand |
2013 | Pen In Hand |
Word Up! | |
2012 | Disturbing |
Trying To Keep Up | |
2011 | Unreliable And Selective |
2010 | Adult-Onset Athlete |
Smoldering Or Burning?
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Cynicism, Idealism, Illusions, Inner Flames, Marie-Louise von Franz, Naive, Philosophy, Quotes, Realist on May 28, 2022| Leave a Comment »
It’s easy to be a naive idealist. It’s easy to be a cynical realist. It’s quite another thing to have no illusions and still hold the inner flame. | |
— Marie-Louise von Franz | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Make A Difference |
What’s That Sound? | |
2020 | Promise Her In Music |
2019 | But I’m Well Past 100 By Now |
2018 | Learn |
Land Of The Free, Because Of The Brave | |
4 Appearances In A Row, 4 Wins To Go | |
2017 | And Yet I’m Still Having Fun |
2016 | I See Coincidence Everywhere |
CA3: Civil War | |
2015 | I Resemble That Remark… (5!) |
2014 | The Writer’s Dilemma |
2013 | Just Paying The Rent |
2012 | Remembering… |
2011 | A Little Farther |
Vision Test
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Albert Einstein, G.K. Chesterton, Life, Miracles, Philosophy, Quotes on May 27, 2022| Leave a Comment »
The things we see every day are the things we never see at all. | |
— G.K. Chesterton | |
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. | |
― Albert Einstein | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Or These Days, On The Internet |
There Goes My Heart | |
2020 | Find An Antidote |
2019 | Take A Few Minutes To Remember |
Start By Doubting | |
2018 | You Cannot Pretend |
2017 | A Long Shadow |
2016 | Learning, Experience, Chances or Money |
2015 | The Critical State |
2014 | Dawn, n. |
2013 | Ouch! |
2012 | Just Lookin’ Around |
Still Growing | |
2011 | But Do You Want To? |
An Honorable Preference
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Cleaning-up, Exhaustion, Frustration, Futility, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Laughter, Philosophy, Quotes, Striving, Tears on May 26, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Laughs are exactly as honorable as tears. Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion, to the futility of thinking and striving anymore. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward. | |
— Kurt Vonnegut | |
. | |
On This Day In: | |
2021 | Very Young Or Very New |
Feelin’ It | |
2020 | Or To Destroy Democracy |
2019 | A Defense Of Liberty |
2018 | And Blog To Word Up To The Universe |
The Irony Of Greed | |
2017 | Or Revisiting A Blog Site |
2016 | Alas, Too Often The Latter |
2015 | Either / Or |
2014 | Memorial Day – 2014 |
Perfection | |
2013 | Memorial Day Video |
Equal = Equal | |
2012 | Congrats, Nephew!! |
Doggie Vision Networks | |
The Flash: Omnibus | |
JLI: vol 1 | |
Flash: Rebirth | |
Burning Images | |
What Do You Believe? | |
2011 | Are We Still At War With The Poor? |
10 (40)
Posted in Diets, Health, Water Fast, tagged 40Hrs, 5:2 Fasting, Diets, Health, Kidney Stones, Water Fast, Water Pills, Water Retention on May 25, 2022| Leave a Comment »
This morning I completed my 10th 40hr water fast (at 9:00am) over the last 35 days. A bit of a delay since #9 because of scheduled company over the weekend. My weight has been bouncing around. Fewer visible kidney stone / grains, but still fluctuating water retention (represented by 5± overnight weight gains / losses). The actual full day (yesterday) of not eating didn’t seem particularly difficult. We watched the NBA playoff games last night. The constant food commercials didn’t really set me off on a psychological hunger binge. (That’s good!) | |
I’ve moved from daily water pills (Rx) to every other day. It doesn’t seem to impact water retention (bloating) as much as eating salty (or sweet) food. I’ve noticed a start of ankle bloating after the two day skip, so it looks like I need the water pill at least every third day. The bloating doesn’t seem to start in my hands on the same schedule. It’s hard to tell because of the variability of food(s). My GP was fairly emphatic to be on them as little as possible, but stay within my cardiologist’s recommendation. | |
Since my scale doesn’t indicate I’ve had any weight loss, all I can go by is how do I “feel” after and during my water fast days. My body feels good. My head (concentration), less so. Not really headaches or anything, just general fatigue – which is not helped by the frequent night-time “breaks”. | |
It looks like I may end up with “only” two days a week fasting – in which case, I will probably pick days and build a schedule / lifestyle around it / them. It seems that will be easier than on / off every second day rolling protocol. So, it looks like there may be merit to the “5:2” daily fast regime – although not in the way my general review of the methodology indicates. In any case, my “reality” is I’m sitting pretty close to “5:2” anyway, just because of “life happens” and it interferes with a true “on-again / off-again” 72 hrs rolling protocol. Anyway, slowly… slowly… listen to my body and go with the flow. (“Water retention” pun intended!) | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Still Learning (And Practicing) Guitar |
Still Ain’t Quite Right | |
More Changes… | |
2020 | Remembering… |
You KNEW That Man Was Trippin’ | |
2019 | Kingslanding |
2018 | I’d Bet On Taxes |
Ooops! I Spoke Too Soon | |
2017 | A Cautionary Wish |
2016 | Slogging |
It’s About… | |
Man / Man | |
2015 | Memorial Day – 2015 |
Content People Love To Share | |
2014 | I Resemble That Remark |
2013 | Long Range Exploration |
2012 | UBI |
2011 | Opportunity |
Dozing In The Backyard Hammock
Posted in Guitar Stuff, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Beauty, Doing Nothing, Hammocks, Philosophy, Proverbs, Quotes, Rest, Spanish Proverb on May 25, 2022| 2 Comments »
How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then to rest afterward. | |
— Spanish Proverb | |
. | |
On This Day In: | |
2021 | Still Learning (And Practicing) Guitar |
Still Ain’t Quite Right | |
More Changes… | |
2020 | Remembering… |
You KNEW That Man Was Trippin’ | |
2019 | Kingslanding |
2018 | I’d Bet On Taxes |
Ooops! I Spoke Too Soon | |
2017 | A Cautionary Wish |
2016 | Slogging |
It’s About… | |
Man / Man | |
2015 | Memorial Day – 2015 |
Content People Love To Share | |
2014 | I Resemble That Remark |
2013 | Long Range Exploration |
2012 | UBI |
2011 | Opportunity |
Strumming And Changing Chords
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Guitar, Improvement, Music, OCD, Philosophy, Practice, Quotes, Scales And Strumming, Talent on May 24, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Talent is a pursued interest. Anything that you’re willing to practice, you can do. | ||
— Bob Ross | ||
[Maybe Bob is right, but it sure would be nice if this effortless guitar playing came faster… Good thing I’m one of those OCD folks who actually enjoys practicing without seeing much improvement. LoL. — KMAB] | ||
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On This Day In: | ||
2021 | B U | |
Blueprint Blue | ||
2019 | I Struggle With One At A Time | |
2018 | An Infectious Political Cancer | |
Site Update / Poems Page Evolution | ||
2017 | Our Thirst | |
2016 | History Favors The Victor | |
2015 | This We’ll Leave Them | |
2014 | Sounds Like Faux News To Me | |
2013 | Reasons | |
2012 | American Libertarianism | |
2011 | The Goal | |
Try Walking
Posted in Philosophy, Quotes, Walking, tagged Henry David Thoreau, Love, Paths, Philosophy, Quotes, Reverence, Walking on May 23, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence. | |
— Henry David Thoreau | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Probably Why It Hurts So Bad |
5-0 | |
2020 | Unlike Faux News Viewers |
2019 | I Don’t Know Truth, Either |
2018 | An Approaching Disgrace |
2017 | Liberty, Collusion, History And The Republican Majority |
2016 | But I Have Too Many Questions |
2015 | A New Friend |
2014 | Do I Have To Fall In Love? |
2013 | More Democracy, Please |
2012 | Speaking Of Love |
2011 | Limits |
One Working Future
Posted in Economics, Philosophy, Quotes, tagged Belgium, Corfu, Economics, General Sir John Hackett (Ret.), Monte Carlo, Philosophy, Quotes, St. Moritz, Stratford-on-Avon, Taxation, Telecommuter, Teleworker, The Third World War: August 1985, Volgograd, Workplace Automation on May 22, 2022| Leave a Comment »
It was recognized that free trade in goods, though to be continued, was likely to be much less important to rich countries in the future than freedom for international and transnational telecommunications. Now that factories (except in low wage areas) were bound to become more and more automated, people in the rich northern one-third of the world would mostly be in white collar jobs where they would be working with their imaginations rather than their hands. But people in such jobs would not necessarily need to live near their workplaces. What should be the nationality and tax position of a Belgian dress designer who lives in Monte Carlo and St Moritz in the winter, at Stratford-on-Avon in the spring, and Corfu in the summer, and does his work by daily telecommunication through a portable console to colleagues and computers at the largely automated textile factory at Volgograd where he works – who becomes, in fact, a telecommuter? | |
— General Sir John Hackett (et al) | |
From: “The Third World War: August 1985“ | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Still A Work In Progress |
An Innocent Man | |
2020 | Three Stooges |
2019 | #Impeach45: Halt The Slide Into Tryanny |
2018 | Expecting Profit |
2017 | In Spite Of The President |
2016 | And Sets |
And My God For His Graces | |
2015 | About Character |
2014 | Your Gain |
2013 | Look Up |
2012 | Count Me In |
2011 | Pirates Four, Three Songs |
Sir Charles | |
Look First, Not Last | |
2010 | Par-a-diddle |
Zappa-ed!!
Posted in 2022 Book Review, Book Review, Music, Reviews, tagged 2022 Book Review, Book Review, Frank Zappa, Jägermeister, Library of Congress, Moderate to Strong book Recommendation, Mother's of Invention, Music, Peter Occhiogrosso, Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, Separation of Church and State, The Real Frank Zappa Book - book review, YouTube on May 21, 2022| Leave a Comment »
“The Real Frank Zappa Book” (1989©) — book review | |
Today’s review is for the autobiography: “The Real Frank Zappa Book“; written by: Frank Zappa and co-written by / with: Peter Occhiogrosso. | |
Background: a network system admin colleague was listening to some music when I approached him for assistance. I asked about what he was listening to and he said it was Frank Zappa and the “Mother’s of Invention”. He then proceeded to tell me how great Zappa was and that he listened to a Zappa show on the radio every Friday night where this little station ran a two hour program on Zappa’s music. My friend said there was nothing more relaxing than sitting in an easy chair with a tumbler of Jägermeister and listening to Zappa to kick off a weekend. I was familiar with the “name” but (honestly) could not recall a single song or album, but I said I’d check it out based on his (my friend’s) recommendation. | |
Well, I still haven’t gotten around to listening to the radio and I don’t know if the broadcast is still happening every Friday evening, but I was in the used book store (several years ago) and I saw this book and picked it up to add to my reading list. I keep seeing Zappa’s name referred to in my guitar studies, so I finally made a point of opening (and reading) it. | |
Who is Frank Zappa and why should we care about him or his views (on anything)? Zappa is / was (died 1993) an American musician, singer, composer, songwriter and bandleader. He self-produced over 50 albums and his estate had published another 30+ albums of “new” material since his death. He was a self-taught musician and composer. He claims to not be a very great guitarist, but that is the only instrument I ever knew him to play and he’s said to be one of the top 100 guitarists in history. His book says he originally learned music on a drum set and picked up guitar later. He was also reasonably well known for his libertarian political views particularly about free speech and the separation of church and state. Zappa is in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has an album in the Library of Congress preserved for its historical significance. Zappa’s music is a blend of rock, jazz, fusion, concert / symphonic music with a heavy dose of political / social satire – comedy. He poked fun at both the left and the right. | |
What’s in this book and is it any good? The book is really several parts: 1) a personal biography; 2) a discussion of his career and production thoughts about the music industry; and, 3) Zappa’s views on various political and social / societal trends. I didn’t find his biography interesting. I thought his comments on music and the industry were very insightful. I was only mildly amused by his political stances and societal observations. While I might personally agree with much of his stances and observations, I found his sarcasm / humor tiring long before the end of the book. | |
Part 1) I grew up poor and we moved around a lot. My escape was music. I learned about it on my own by listening to an unfiltered variety of sound(s). I got ripped off constantly by almost everyone else in the music business. (Pgs 1 – 137) | |
Part 2) Everybody is out to screw the composer / artist. Including, but not limited to: all production companies, all music unions, all venue owners, all governments (local and national), most fellow musicians, and, most hangers-on / groupies. (Pgs 139 – 209) | |
Part 3) Small, efficient government is the best. Taxation should be limited to sales and should not include income – to have some hope of charging taxes on the wealthy as well as the workers. All organized religion(s) and “church” institutions are corrupt (themselves) and corrupting to governments which allow them to have political influence. There should be a full separation of Church and State. Public education is a “mostly” a waste of money. Education post-high school should be paid for by the individual only. Special interest groups (guns and religion lobbies) have too much influence in America. You cannot legislate morality and you should not be allowed to use morality to limit freedom of speech (particularly in the arts and music industries). (Pgs 211 – 352 / end) | |
Final recommendation: moderate to strong. As stated previously, I didn’t find Zappa’s personal life (growing up or music performing) very interesting. I found his thoughts about the concept of music (and art in general) VERY interesting. This section was the strength of the book. I would have been over the moon if he had devoted the rest of the book to elaborating on his theories of sound / art / artistry / and music production. Unfortunately, he didn’t. The final chunk of the book was “really” only moderately interesting. My impression was: “this is filler to add 80 extra pages”. Again, just because I agree with an authors’ statements, doesn’t mean I like / enjoy how they choose to express the statements. The book was worth the time invested in reading it , if only to gain an appreciation of a historic music figure. I will be offering up some quotes from it in the future. – BUT – except for the discussion on music / art, I can’t say the book inspired much after-thought / reflection. (Actually, I’ve already posted a few of Zappa’s quotes, but didn’t know they were from this book. I will probably get around to updating those prior posts at some point.) | |
Afterwords: I have made an effort to go to YouTube and sample some of Zappa’s performances. I’ve yet to be impressed. Mostly, what I’ve heard has been ok. JUST ok. They remind me of what you’d hear at a county / state fair. If anyone reading this can provide specific suggestions, I’d be more than happy to check them out. I will say, I have found the video’s of his interviews to be much more interesting than the music I’ve listened to. | |
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On This Day In: | |
2021 | Every Time It Gets Better |
Distant! | |
2020 | I’m Persuaded |
2019 | Hungry For Trust |
2018 | Mutual Assistance |
2017 | The Toughest Job |
2016 | Congratulations!! |
Better Yet, Read! | |
2015 | Even If It Kills Us Slowly |
2014 | Fun To Play God |
Of Anything | |
2013 | Legal (Almost) |
2012 | Great Scots! |
2011 | The GI Bill – A Simple History Lesson |
Breaking Even | |
Memorial Day 2022
Posted in General Comments, History, Leadership, Pictures, tagged Arlington National Cemetery, General Comments, History, Leadership, Memorial Day -- 2022, National Holidays, Pictures, Sacrifice, The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Thoughts And Prayers on May 30, 2022| Leave a Comment »
Arlington National Cemetery
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
enjoying the freedom you sacrificed your lives to provide for us,
a grateful nation
remembers
and prays for you and your families…
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