Sunday, March 16, 2025
I think I might be back to posting here.
I created this blog in 2004, while I was deployed to Iraq.
I haven't posted to it in years.
----
For various and sundry reasons, I think it might be time to revive and update this blog.
Sunday, December 25, 2016
My favorite Christmas'
My favorite Christmas' were in what Amy and Brandon refer to as "the country house",
The place Mom and Dad had about 10 miles outside of Eldon, MO.
---
It wasn't, necessarily, the place that was great.
It was the moment.
---
It was late Christmas Day.
Long after the frenzy leading up to the day, the "BIG FAMILY DINNER", AND the opening of the presents.
The toys had been assembled.
The new clothes had been "tried on" to see if they fit right.
---
That was all done.
---
My favorite moment:
Outside, if there is not snow on the ground (most often there wasn't), the temperature was in the 20's or lower. ... and tending the fire is "my job", and kind of a "zen" thing for me, anyway.
The TV is on, and football is playing.
At this point, it doesn't matter whether if it's NFL or college ball.
Dad is in his chair, asleep, on one of the few days of the year he can rest like this, and the "background noise" of the game is comforting to him. ... and it's not very loud, anyway. ... At least, not as loud as his snoring.
Mom is either puttering around in the kitchen, or reading a book, on the sofa.
Craig, by this point, has become bored with his new toys, and is entertaining himself with the boxes that those toys came in. In fact, most often, it seems like the boxes were more fun for him than the toys.
But he is off in the corner, under what we referred to as the "game table", and is fairly quiet.
I'm tending the fire in the fireplace (or later, in the fireplace insert), enjoying the tranquility, and, probably, "plunking" away at my acoustic guitar, quietly.
---
For the first time in weeks, if not months, all four of us are in the same place, at the same time, and there is no "agenda", or "frenzy" driving things.
We can just "be" and while we are separate, we are "being" together.
---
In 1984, Mannheim Steamroller, did their "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas" album/CD. It was one of the first CD's I ever owned, and I still have it.
---
On that album, they did "Silent Night", under the original German title: "Stille Nacht".
---
When I heard their rendition, it took me back to those moments, IMMEDIATELY.
I WAS THERE, in that time and place, even though that was, at least, 3 years in my past.
TO THIS DAY, I hear that piece, and in my mind and heart, I am THERE.
---
This song, and the memories it evokes give me a sense of peace that few other things do.
The place Mom and Dad had about 10 miles outside of Eldon, MO.
---
It wasn't, necessarily, the place that was great.
It was the moment.
---
It was late Christmas Day.
Long after the frenzy leading up to the day, the "BIG FAMILY DINNER", AND the opening of the presents.
The toys had been assembled.
The new clothes had been "tried on" to see if they fit right.
---
That was all done.
---
My favorite moment:
Outside, if there is not snow on the ground (most often there wasn't), the temperature was in the 20's or lower. ... and tending the fire is "my job", and kind of a "zen" thing for me, anyway.
The TV is on, and football is playing.
At this point, it doesn't matter whether if it's NFL or college ball.
Dad is in his chair, asleep, on one of the few days of the year he can rest like this, and the "background noise" of the game is comforting to him. ... and it's not very loud, anyway. ... At least, not as loud as his snoring.
Mom is either puttering around in the kitchen, or reading a book, on the sofa.
Craig, by this point, has become bored with his new toys, and is entertaining himself with the boxes that those toys came in. In fact, most often, it seems like the boxes were more fun for him than the toys.
But he is off in the corner, under what we referred to as the "game table", and is fairly quiet.
I'm tending the fire in the fireplace (or later, in the fireplace insert), enjoying the tranquility, and, probably, "plunking" away at my acoustic guitar, quietly.
---
For the first time in weeks, if not months, all four of us are in the same place, at the same time, and there is no "agenda", or "frenzy" driving things.
We can just "be" and while we are separate, we are "being" together.
---
In 1984, Mannheim Steamroller, did their "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas" album/CD. It was one of the first CD's I ever owned, and I still have it.
---
On that album, they did "Silent Night", under the original German title: "Stille Nacht".
---
When I heard their rendition, it took me back to those moments, IMMEDIATELY.
I WAS THERE, in that time and place, even though that was, at least, 3 years in my past.
TO THIS DAY, I hear that piece, and in my mind and heart, I am THERE.
---
This song, and the memories it evokes give me a sense of peace that few other things do.
Christmas/giving Thanks/"My Boys"
I am one lucky SOB. (That is no reflection on my mother, by the way. It's a commentary on me.)
---
I, still, even after retirement from the Army, have my DREAM JOB, and it keeps getting better.
Then there is Amy. ... I looked her in the eye, on June 22nd, 1985, and swore "til death do us part". I mean it more now than I did then, because, frankly, I didn't think I would live this long.
---
THEN, even though Amy and I have never "had children", biologically, I ... We have these THREE ... INCREDIBLE, WONDERFUL, AND AMAZING kids, that call me, or think of me as "Dad".
---
I came home, last night, after the culmination of my ROUGHEST time of the year ... and Amy is gone to visit her folks.
I was expecting to come home to a house empty of anything, except for hungry dogs. ... and trying to figure out what in the "Wide, Wide World of Sports" I was going to do to give my kids a "Christmas".
Thanks to everything that had gone on recently, we didn't even have a tree, much less a decorated one.
---
So, last night, I walk in the door, late, like my Dad used to (and you read my expectations above).
And there were my kids. Rainey was sick and laid out on the couch, but that's okay, because, no matter how much I love, adore, and amazed by her skills and talents, cooking is one of the few things that she does not excel at.
But, there was Zeus and Brandon, "my boys", going to town in the kitchen.
Even though they were "set up for failure", because of the state of the kitchen, they put on a good "Robertson Christmas Eve" dinner ... while running me out of the kitchen.
---
I was surprised, and we did our normal "banter" ... even though they wouldn't let me take part/help ... okay, let's face it, If they had let me in the kitchen, I would have taken charge.
---
They didn't let that happen.
They made me do what I should do to relax.
...And so I did.
---
While it wasn't a traditional "sit down at the table" meal, it fit us, and our history. ... and neither Amy or I did ANYTHING to make it happen.
"Our boys" did this for our family.
---
And because they did that, later today, we can all (except for Amy, she is in Tennessee) enjoy my favorite part of Christmas.
---
I, still, even after retirement from the Army, have my DREAM JOB, and it keeps getting better.
Then there is Amy. ... I looked her in the eye, on June 22nd, 1985, and swore "til death do us part". I mean it more now than I did then, because, frankly, I didn't think I would live this long.
---
THEN, even though Amy and I have never "had children", biologically, I ... We have these THREE ... INCREDIBLE, WONDERFUL, AND AMAZING kids, that call me, or think of me as "Dad".
---
I came home, last night, after the culmination of my ROUGHEST time of the year ... and Amy is gone to visit her folks.
I was expecting to come home to a house empty of anything, except for hungry dogs. ... and trying to figure out what in the "Wide, Wide World of Sports" I was going to do to give my kids a "Christmas".
Thanks to everything that had gone on recently, we didn't even have a tree, much less a decorated one.
---
So, last night, I walk in the door, late, like my Dad used to (and you read my expectations above).
And there were my kids. Rainey was sick and laid out on the couch, but that's okay, because, no matter how much I love, adore, and amazed by her skills and talents, cooking is one of the few things that she does not excel at.
But, there was Zeus and Brandon, "my boys", going to town in the kitchen.
Even though they were "set up for failure", because of the state of the kitchen, they put on a good "Robertson Christmas Eve" dinner ... while running me out of the kitchen.
---
I was surprised, and we did our normal "banter" ... even though they wouldn't let me take part/help ... okay, let's face it, If they had let me in the kitchen, I would have taken charge.
---
They didn't let that happen.
They made me do what I should do to relax.
...And so I did.
---
While it wasn't a traditional "sit down at the table" meal, it fit us, and our history. ... and neither Amy or I did ANYTHING to make it happen.
"Our boys" did this for our family.
---
And because they did that, later today, we can all (except for Amy, she is in Tennessee) enjoy my favorite part of Christmas.
"The Most HORRIFIC Time of the Year"
I have this love/hate relationship with time of the year.
---
Mostly hate.
---
It goes back to when I was a kid.
My Dad worked in retail.
---
From the day after Thanksgiving, until Christmas Eve night, we didn't see him, unless you went to the store, and even then, it was, at the EARLIEST, 10:30 PM before we say him.
---
Once my little brother quit believing in Santa Claus, we, as a family decided that "Christmas" was going to happen when Dad got home, no matter how late that was.
The "big dinner", opening the presents, etc.
... and we were ALL going to sleep in the next day.
---
So, I decided to do something different. I was going to be a musician.
---
Yeah, that made a big difference.
---
Now, instead of listening to the music that reminded me how my Dad couldn't be there for me, two months out of the year, I had to play it, in that time frame. ...
AND, joy of joys, I had to start rehearsing that music as early as September, to ensure the ensemble had it "down" to the conductor's satisfaction,
---
My worst Christmas EVER was 1991.
The commander/conductor of my Army Band decided that we would start working on Christmas music the first week of September, and he DEMANDED that we rehearse, at a minimum, 3 days a week (out of 5), for 8 hours, each day.
(the concert he is preparing for is mid to late December.)
---
Okay, I can get that, IF you have no idea what you want to program, and you are going to spend most of September, and, possibly, parts of October, "sight reading" things you want to try out.
---
Nope, this jerk had a firm plan on what he wanted to program going in, and by the end of the third rehearsal, he KNEW what we were going to play.
---
So, from the second week in September until the middle of December, we spent 24+ hours a week (out of 40) HAMMERING the same 45-50 minutes of music OVER AND OVER again.
---
Back then, the stores didn't start playing "Christmas music" through the store until "Black Friday", or later.
I remember, that year, going into a GROCERY store, where they were doing "elevator music" versions of Christmas music, and I started having PTSD-esque "flashbacks" (at this point, I would not go into a "combat zone" for another 14 years, or so).
We had to leave the store.
I couldn't take it.
... and before you call me a "Wussy", you didn't know this conductor.
---
THEN, there was ...
I won't go into everything that happened when I went to my parents' home.
Let's leave it at things got worse.
---
Mostly hate.
---
It goes back to when I was a kid.
My Dad worked in retail.
---
From the day after Thanksgiving, until Christmas Eve night, we didn't see him, unless you went to the store, and even then, it was, at the EARLIEST, 10:30 PM before we say him.
---
Once my little brother quit believing in Santa Claus, we, as a family decided that "Christmas" was going to happen when Dad got home, no matter how late that was.
The "big dinner", opening the presents, etc.
... and we were ALL going to sleep in the next day.
---
So, I decided to do something different. I was going to be a musician.
---
Yeah, that made a big difference.
---
Now, instead of listening to the music that reminded me how my Dad couldn't be there for me, two months out of the year, I had to play it, in that time frame. ...
AND, joy of joys, I had to start rehearsing that music as early as September, to ensure the ensemble had it "down" to the conductor's satisfaction,
---
My worst Christmas EVER was 1991.
The commander/conductor of my Army Band decided that we would start working on Christmas music the first week of September, and he DEMANDED that we rehearse, at a minimum, 3 days a week (out of 5), for 8 hours, each day.
(the concert he is preparing for is mid to late December.)
---
Okay, I can get that, IF you have no idea what you want to program, and you are going to spend most of September, and, possibly, parts of October, "sight reading" things you want to try out.
---
Nope, this jerk had a firm plan on what he wanted to program going in, and by the end of the third rehearsal, he KNEW what we were going to play.
---
So, from the second week in September until the middle of December, we spent 24+ hours a week (out of 40) HAMMERING the same 45-50 minutes of music OVER AND OVER again.
---
Back then, the stores didn't start playing "Christmas music" through the store until "Black Friday", or later.
I remember, that year, going into a GROCERY store, where they were doing "elevator music" versions of Christmas music, and I started having PTSD-esque "flashbacks" (at this point, I would not go into a "combat zone" for another 14 years, or so).
We had to leave the store.
I couldn't take it.
... and before you call me a "Wussy", you didn't know this conductor.
---
THEN, there was ...
I won't go into everything that happened when I went to my parents' home.
Let's leave it at things got worse.
Tuba Anniversary/TubaChristmas
Today is a GREAT DAY for tuba (and euphonium) players, around the world.
On this day, in 1902, the FATHER of modern euphonium and tuba playing was born, William Bell .
---
Mr. Bell was dead by my 6th birthday.
HOWEVER, I was mentored, momentarily, by one of his students, the late, great, Harvey Phillips (another Missouri "boy").
SOMEWHERE, there is a picture of me and Harvey, together, taken by my late mother-in-law. ... AND, Harvey autographed my "TubaChristmas" book.
---
Harvey was one of the founders of what is, now, ITEA, ... the International Tuba-Euphonium Association.
Part of that founding was Harvey creating "Tuba Christmas" celebrations, in homage to his teacher.
---
THAT is why the Bach chorale "Komm Susser Tod" (Come Sweet Death) is played at EVERY "TubaChristmas.
Because Harvey wanted to do an homage to his teacher, on his birthday ... and missed him.
---
And it is half the reason that I keep it in the Legion Band repertoire (the band I conduct).
The other reason is that is one of the pieces that my BEST musical mentors, John Howser, LOVES to conduct.
---
So, to all my tuba and euph playing brethren, "Merry Christmas", because we have DOUBLE reasons to celebrate the day.
---
And, once again, here is Harvey singing: "Santa Wants a Tuba for Christmas".
On this day, in 1902, the FATHER of modern euphonium and tuba playing was born, William Bell .
---
Mr. Bell was dead by my 6th birthday.
HOWEVER, I was mentored, momentarily, by one of his students, the late, great, Harvey Phillips (another Missouri "boy").
SOMEWHERE, there is a picture of me and Harvey, together, taken by my late mother-in-law. ... AND, Harvey autographed my "TubaChristmas" book.
---
Harvey was one of the founders of what is, now, ITEA, ... the International Tuba-Euphonium Association.
Part of that founding was Harvey creating "Tuba Christmas" celebrations, in homage to his teacher.
---
THAT is why the Bach chorale "Komm Susser Tod" (Come Sweet Death) is played at EVERY "TubaChristmas.
Because Harvey wanted to do an homage to his teacher, on his birthday ... and missed him.
---
And it is half the reason that I keep it in the Legion Band repertoire (the band I conduct).
The other reason is that is one of the pieces that my BEST musical mentors, John Howser, LOVES to conduct.
---
So, to all my tuba and euph playing brethren, "Merry Christmas", because we have DOUBLE reasons to celebrate the day.
---
And, once again, here is Harvey singing: "Santa Wants a Tuba for Christmas".
I LOVE my Little Tuba
Okay, I'm a "low brass" music geek.
My primary instrument, euphonium, is a "esoteric" horn ... and the "euph" I own is still considered one of the better "professional"-level horns available.
---
The "euph" is the "tenor voice" of the tuba family.
---
The flugelhorn, that Chuck Mangione made famous in the 1970's (with the tune "Feels So Good" (and the picture for this video, is Chuck hugging his "flugle"), is the "soprano voice" of that family.
---
Thanks to the vagaries of history, there is no "alto voice", in this musical instrument family, anymore. At least not in America.
---
HOWEVER, there are "tenor", "bass", and "contrabass" members of the family still current in America.
---
The "tenor" voice is the euphonium (or as some people call it (and I HATE this term, because it is SO innacurate) the "baritone" horn.)
---
The "normal" tuba is a contrabass tuba.
---
The "bass" tuba is, pretty much, an esoteric instrument. Even more so than the euphonium.
Anymore, in America, the bass tuba is just used for solo works, in small brass chamber ensembles (sometimes), and for certain tuba solos, in the orchestral repertoire.
---
Anymore, for most "tuba work", the bass tuba is considered to be too small, and not powerful enough to do the job that a modern tuba is called upon to do, in a large ensemble.
With that said, a few years back, tuba manufacturer's started building bass tubas that were capable, sometimes, of doing more than what had become their traditional roles ... if they had help from a contrabass tuba, or two.
---
Before I go any further, let me give you a graphical representation of what I am talking about.
In terms of relative size, and EXACT relationship, in regards to key, you can compare the relationship between euphonium/bass tuba/contrabass tuba to soprano sax/alto sax/tenor sax ... just double the length of the saxes to be exact.
---
The small horn, in this picture, is about 18" long.
The largest horn, is about 3 feet long.
---
In terms of this discussion, a euph is the smallest horn.
The largest horn in the picture is a "normal" tuba.
MY TUBA is the horn on the left.
The key/pitch relationships between these horns are EXACTLY like the euph/bass tuba/contrabass tuba ... except they are all half the length, internally.
---
Traditional bass tubas, though, are not capable of the "projection", and "size" of sound as a contrabass.
The horn is just too small to pull it off. ... It's physics.
They are not capable of providing enough "foundation" for much more than a VERY small group (17, at most.)
---
I have a bass tuba that is built a bit larger than a traditional one.
---
So, yesterday, my "little tuba" and I had to contend with an ensemble that was, at one point: 5 other brass players, about 12 strings (violin, viola, cello, and string bass), and 5 piece "electric" rock/pop group, using amplification.
---
I SHOULD have been OVERWHELMED by the ensemble, given the relative "weakness" of my horn, and how I was outnumbered.
---
I WASN'T.
Thanks to my "little" tuba.
If anything, I was told to pull back on the volume.
---
While, one day, I want a contrabass tuba (I prefer used (the link is for new), and I don't care if it is BBb or CC (more on "vintage" vs. new later)) SOMEDAY, my "little" tuba and I are "kicking butt, and taking names" ... and getting gigs. ... They aren't often, but when we have them, we make serious bucks.
---
ANYWAY, in the spirit of the season, check out one of my "tuba heroes" SINGING.
Did you know that Santa wants a tuba for Christmas?
My primary instrument, euphonium, is a "esoteric" horn ... and the "euph" I own is still considered one of the better "professional"-level horns available.
---
The "euph" is the "tenor voice" of the tuba family.
---
The flugelhorn, that Chuck Mangione made famous in the 1970's (with the tune "Feels So Good" (and the picture for this video, is Chuck hugging his "flugle"), is the "soprano voice" of that family.
---
Thanks to the vagaries of history, there is no "alto voice", in this musical instrument family, anymore. At least not in America.
---
HOWEVER, there are "tenor", "bass", and "contrabass" members of the family still current in America.
---
The "tenor" voice is the euphonium (or as some people call it (and I HATE this term, because it is SO innacurate) the "baritone" horn.)
---
The "normal" tuba is a contrabass tuba.
---
The "bass" tuba is, pretty much, an esoteric instrument. Even more so than the euphonium.
Anymore, in America, the bass tuba is just used for solo works, in small brass chamber ensembles (sometimes), and for certain tuba solos, in the orchestral repertoire.
---
Anymore, for most "tuba work", the bass tuba is considered to be too small, and not powerful enough to do the job that a modern tuba is called upon to do, in a large ensemble.
With that said, a few years back, tuba manufacturer's started building bass tubas that were capable, sometimes, of doing more than what had become their traditional roles ... if they had help from a contrabass tuba, or two.
---
Before I go any further, let me give you a graphical representation of what I am talking about.
In terms of relative size, and EXACT relationship, in regards to key, you can compare the relationship between euphonium/bass tuba/contrabass tuba to soprano sax/alto sax/tenor sax ... just double the length of the saxes to be exact.
---
The small horn, in this picture, is about 18" long.
The largest horn, is about 3 feet long.
---
In terms of this discussion, a euph is the smallest horn.
The largest horn in the picture is a "normal" tuba.
MY TUBA is the horn on the left.
The key/pitch relationships between these horns are EXACTLY like the euph/bass tuba/contrabass tuba ... except they are all half the length, internally.
---
Traditional bass tubas, though, are not capable of the "projection", and "size" of sound as a contrabass.
The horn is just too small to pull it off. ... It's physics.
They are not capable of providing enough "foundation" for much more than a VERY small group (17, at most.)
---
I have a bass tuba that is built a bit larger than a traditional one.
---
So, yesterday, my "little tuba" and I had to contend with an ensemble that was, at one point: 5 other brass players, about 12 strings (violin, viola, cello, and string bass), and 5 piece "electric" rock/pop group, using amplification.
---
I SHOULD have been OVERWHELMED by the ensemble, given the relative "weakness" of my horn, and how I was outnumbered.
---
I WASN'T.
Thanks to my "little" tuba.
If anything, I was told to pull back on the volume.
---
While, one day, I want a contrabass tuba (I prefer used (the link is for new), and I don't care if it is BBb or CC (more on "vintage" vs. new later)) SOMEDAY, my "little" tuba and I are "kicking butt, and taking names" ... and getting gigs. ... They aren't often, but when we have them, we make serious bucks.
---
ANYWAY, in the spirit of the season, check out one of my "tuba heroes" SINGING.
Did you know that Santa wants a tuba for Christmas?
Updated Blogger
I'm kind of pissed.
Okay, I've been off Blogger for a while (2 years), and I am not up to speed with all the changes.
I LOVED my old format.
NOW, they have changed the colors and font within my posts.
Kind of irritated about it.
---
and I need to get into the template, and update things in the right hand column.
Okay, I've been off Blogger for a while (2 years), and I am not up to speed with all the changes.
I LOVED my old format.
NOW, they have changed the colors and font within my posts.
Kind of irritated about it.
---
and I need to get into the template, and update things in the right hand column.
One of the Reasons I am a "Night Owl"
So, I am watching this documentary on Thales of Miletus. He was a Greek philosopher/mathematician that lived in the 500's B.C.
He was the first person, in historical record, to accurately predict not just the date, but the time of day for a solar eclipse.
---
He was, apparently, a genius, especially at math and geometry.
One of his great writings was a treatise or textbook on geometry.
---
That's bad enough, but he wrote in verse (poetry).
---
I'm sorry, but that is sick and twisted.
---
The question that bugs me is what kind of poet was he?
Are we talking the quality of Shakespeare (the Sonnets, and his plays in iambic pentameter), Coleridge ("Rime of the Ancient Mariner"), or Milton ("Paradise Lost")?
Or was he more along the lines of Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein (He wrote, among other things, "A Boy Named Sue", made famous by Johnny Cash. (My favorite song to do on the rare occasions I do karaoke.) My second favorite poem of his is "The Slithery Dee", as done by The Smothers Brothers.)?
---
More importantly, if you are a student of geometry, trying to learn from this book, which would be worse? ... Shakespeare/Coleridge/Milton - ish, or Dr. Seuss/Silverstein -ish?
---
I think this might be the worst: "I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
You may like them. You will see. You may like them with geometry!"
---
That would just be cruel.
---
By the way, of the "serious poets" in the English language, the author of "Beowulf", and Coleridge are my favorites.
"Beowulf" is just cool, on it's own.
I like Coleridge because of "Rime of the Ancient Mariner".
More appropriately, I like Coleridge because of the musical version of "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" that Iron Maiden did on their album "Powerslave".
It was half of the album.
---
He was the first person, in historical record, to accurately predict not just the date, but the time of day for a solar eclipse.
---
He was, apparently, a genius, especially at math and geometry.
One of his great writings was a treatise or textbook on geometry.
---
That's bad enough, but he wrote in verse (poetry).
---
I'm sorry, but that is sick and twisted.
---
The question that bugs me is what kind of poet was he?
Are we talking the quality of Shakespeare (the Sonnets, and his plays in iambic pentameter), Coleridge ("Rime of the Ancient Mariner"), or Milton ("Paradise Lost")?
Or was he more along the lines of Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein (He wrote, among other things, "A Boy Named Sue", made famous by Johnny Cash. (My favorite song to do on the rare occasions I do karaoke.) My second favorite poem of his is "The Slithery Dee", as done by The Smothers Brothers.)?
---
More importantly, if you are a student of geometry, trying to learn from this book, which would be worse? ... Shakespeare/Coleridge/Milton - ish, or Dr. Seuss/Silverstein -ish?
---
I think this might be the worst: "I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
You may like them. You will see. You may like them with geometry!"
---
That would just be cruel.
---
By the way, of the "serious poets" in the English language, the author of "Beowulf", and Coleridge are my favorites.
"Beowulf" is just cool, on it's own.
I like Coleridge because of "Rime of the Ancient Mariner".
More appropriately, I like Coleridge because of the musical version of "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" that Iron Maiden did on their album "Powerslave".
It was half of the album.
---
So, back to the title of this post, and my "Night Owl" nature.
I watch this 6 minute "mini documentary" on this guy "Thales", who I have NEVER heard of before, ... and all of the above springs to mind, not quite coalesced to a point that I can communicate it.
So, I am driven to figure it out, because, if I don't, it will keep me awake. ... one of those "nagging thoughts" that will not leave you alone, or give you respite.
---
Hence the name, and "banner" on this blog.
It's the place for me to "spill my guts" to allow me to sleep at night.
Otherwise, all this stuff will keep "rolling around in my head", and keep me from going to sleep.
---
It doesn't help that, since I haven't used this blog in so long, that I have spent about an hour fighting with the "editor" software to make this post readable (and the one before it).
I watch this 6 minute "mini documentary" on this guy "Thales", who I have NEVER heard of before, ... and all of the above springs to mind, not quite coalesced to a point that I can communicate it.
So, I am driven to figure it out, because, if I don't, it will keep me awake. ... one of those "nagging thoughts" that will not leave you alone, or give you respite.
---
Hence the name, and "banner" on this blog.
It's the place for me to "spill my guts" to allow me to sleep at night.
Otherwise, all this stuff will keep "rolling around in my head", and keep me from going to sleep.
---
It doesn't help that, since I haven't used this blog in so long, that I have spent about an hour fighting with the "editor" software to make this post readable (and the one before it).
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
"Off, I am pissed."
Okay, back to the "Yoda" post from earlier.
My "channeling" of Yoda was: "Off, I am pissed."
---
I LOVE tactical/strategic games.
For those of you that are old enough to remember, there used to be these games where you could reenact almost EVERY major battle or war fought in Western Civilization ... on a board with hexagonal spaces, and the individual units used in the battle were little cardboard squares.
Craig William Robertson and I played A LOT of those.
We fought every major battle of WWII against each other ... the Battle of Waterloo ... the air battles of WWI ... and some "fantasy" scenarios ("Conan the Barbarian"/"Lord of the Rings" kind of stuff) etc. (Craig William Robertson: I would LOVE for us to play one more game of "Divine Right" together!)
Craig won a few. I beat him more often than not.
My Dad was decent at chess, and EVERY time we ever played together, he SPANKED ME.
After seeing Craig and I playing the "Waterloo" game, he wanted to try ... against me.
---
I let Dad play the "Allies" ... Wellington (the historical winners), the first time.
I, THOROUGHLY, ran him through the rules ... IN PARTICULAR, what he had to do to win, ... AND what he had to do to make me lose ... even if he didn't "win".
---
I didn't just "win".
I DESTROYED him.
---
Then, we played the game the other way.
I BEAT him even worse, this time.
---
Same thing with Craig in that game.
---
It got to point where neither would play me, in "Waterloo".
---
Those games go too tiresome, eventually, however.
---
My "channeling" of Yoda was: "Off, I am pissed."
---
I LOVE tactical/strategic games.
For those of you that are old enough to remember, there used to be these games where you could reenact almost EVERY major battle or war fought in Western Civilization ... on a board with hexagonal spaces, and the individual units used in the battle were little cardboard squares.
Craig William Robertson and I played A LOT of those.
We fought every major battle of WWII against each other ... the Battle of Waterloo ... the air battles of WWI ... and some "fantasy" scenarios ("Conan the Barbarian"/"Lord of the Rings" kind of stuff) etc. (Craig William Robertson: I would LOVE for us to play one more game of "Divine Right" together!)
Craig won a few. I beat him more often than not.
My Dad was decent at chess, and EVERY time we ever played together, he SPANKED ME.
After seeing Craig and I playing the "Waterloo" game, he wanted to try ... against me.
---
I let Dad play the "Allies" ... Wellington (the historical winners), the first time.
I, THOROUGHLY, ran him through the rules ... IN PARTICULAR, what he had to do to win, ... AND what he had to do to make me lose ... even if he didn't "win".
---
I didn't just "win".
I DESTROYED him.
---
Then, we played the game the other way.
I BEAT him even worse, this time.
---
Same thing with Craig in that game.
---
It got to point where neither would play me, in "Waterloo".
---
Those games go too tiresome, eventually, however.
---
It took 2-3 hours to set up the board, and review the rules ... for, most of the time, less than 30 minutes of game play. ... then you had to put it all up a again ... another hour or so.
---
Which is why I LOVE Age of Empires II, and Age of Mythology.
You spend about 5 seconds setting up the same kind of game ...
ONLY THIS TIME, you have to build the ENTIRE civilzation/economy that ... does that ... that takes over the known world. ... and make it happen.
All without spending most of your time just getting ready to "play".
---
Call me a "sociopath", if you will, but there is something VERY satisfying about, ... after a long and difficult day at work ... coming home, and ... building human existence, from scratch, ... creating a civilization, and, in some cases, building some of the greatest wonders of human existence. ... and DESTROYING anyone and everything that would keep that from happening.
... on your computer, as a game.
---
and it has NOTHING to do with race or ethnicity.
Some of my FAVORITE victories have been when I was playing the Korean civilization against the Spanish, the French or the British.
(In particular, the Korean Navy KICKS ASS!, in medieval times)
---
So, I found a couple of games.
Their initial promise is that they would be successors to these games I ADORED. ... AND they promised that I could play, continuously, back and forth, whether on my phone or on my computer.
---
That worked up to a point.
The game that was the counterpart of "Age Mythology" worked on my computer well ... and took about another 3 hours to get the "smartphone" version working, and I'm not sure about that yet.The "Age of Empires" game worked well on my phone, and my computer ... they just don't sync.
At this point, on my phone, I have SERIOUS game going on ... conquering territory, and stuff.
On my computer, ... nothing ... I am faced with the tutorial.
---
AAAAHHHH!!!!
---
It's almost 2017!
This shit isn't supposed to be this hard!
---
Which is why I LOVE Age of Empires II, and Age of Mythology.
You spend about 5 seconds setting up the same kind of game ...
ONLY THIS TIME, you have to build the ENTIRE civilzation/economy that ... does that ... that takes over the known world. ... and make it happen.
All without spending most of your time just getting ready to "play".
---
Call me a "sociopath", if you will, but there is something VERY satisfying about, ... after a long and difficult day at work ... coming home, and ... building human existence, from scratch, ... creating a civilization, and, in some cases, building some of the greatest wonders of human existence. ... and DESTROYING anyone and everything that would keep that from happening.
... on your computer, as a game.
---
and it has NOTHING to do with race or ethnicity.
Some of my FAVORITE victories have been when I was playing the Korean civilization against the Spanish, the French or the British.
(In particular, the Korean Navy KICKS ASS!, in medieval times)
---
So, I found a couple of games.
Their initial promise is that they would be successors to these games I ADORED. ... AND they promised that I could play, continuously, back and forth, whether on my phone or on my computer.
---
That worked up to a point.
The game that was the counterpart of "Age Mythology" worked on my computer well ... and took about another 3 hours to get the "smartphone" version working, and I'm not sure about that yet.The "Age of Empires" game worked well on my phone, and my computer ... they just don't sync.
At this point, on my phone, I have SERIOUS game going on ... conquering territory, and stuff.
On my computer, ... nothing ... I am faced with the tutorial.
---
AAAAHHHH!!!!
---
It's almost 2017!
This shit isn't supposed to be this hard!
Sunday, August 17, 2014
One of the MOST Important Lessons I have EVER Learned
I'm happy to say that, as a musician, I am still learning.
In many ways, I am still discovering the profundities that teacher shared with me decades ago.
In the mid 1980's, a teacher, John Daniel, talked to me about how being a musician is 50% craft (or skill), and 50% artist.
I thought I "got" what he said then, but, even today, I am learning from that moment.
No matter your "instrument" (a wind instrument, voice, piano, a "rhythm" instrument", or baton), until you learn the "craft" of your instrument. ... Until you get so familiar with it that it feels like one of your limbs, then you will ALWAYS be hampered from expressing ... anything.
So, you HAVE to go through a rigorous process of getting to know your "axe".
THAT is the "craft" or "skill".
---
There was this one piece I played on euph, as an undergrad.
Every time I had done this piece before, my peers had described it as "nice".
---
Then there is the "art".
I remember sitting in a Master Class with the Empire Brass Quintet, in the early 90's.
I'm pretty sure it was Sam Pilafian that asked an undergraduate player, after listening to his solo: "What story are you telling?"
When the amazed kid had no answer, Sam's answer was: "If you don't know the story you are telling, then you CAN'T play the piece."
About 12 months later, I played a piece written for euphonium, without accompaniment, as a clinician, with a high school band. (same piece as above)
It was "mournful", and I had played it several times before, with success.
This was my best performance of it EVER. ... My "craft" was at it's peak. ... My internal story was of the most painful loss of my life, up to that time.
I asked the kids to tell me "the story" of what I played, after they heard it ... and I gave them NO clue as to what I was going to play.
---
So, there I was. Just me and my euph ... the sheet of music in front of me, and this story, from my life in my head.
In terms of technical precision, it was probably my worst performance of that piece, ever.
On the other hand, it wasn't just the kids in the classroom, it was the teacher's monitoring the room that were tearing up, if not outright crying.
---
Up to that point, I had been SO focused on technique and precision.
Until Sam reminded me what music and performing is about, I had been obsessed with "craft". ... To the point that I was just a "craftsman", in performance, and no longer an artist.
I was an artisan manipulating an instrument, up to that point. ... I wasn't "telling a story" with sound.
---
Sam, and a conductor I worked for, Bob Shoaf, taught me, that as musicians, in private practice, and ensemble rehearsal, we should be precise, if not "anal", craftsmen at our work ...
HOWEVER ...
Once it's time to "play the gig", GO FOR IT! ... The time to "play it safe", or be careful is OVER.
You have done the necessary preparation.
Ignore that "inner voice" that is critical of everything you do and ....
In many ways, I am still discovering the profundities that teacher shared with me decades ago.
In the mid 1980's, a teacher, John Daniel, talked to me about how being a musician is 50% craft (or skill), and 50% artist.
I thought I "got" what he said then, but, even today, I am learning from that moment.
No matter your "instrument" (a wind instrument, voice, piano, a "rhythm" instrument", or baton), until you learn the "craft" of your instrument. ... Until you get so familiar with it that it feels like one of your limbs, then you will ALWAYS be hampered from expressing ... anything.
So, you HAVE to go through a rigorous process of getting to know your "axe".
THAT is the "craft" or "skill".
---
There was this one piece I played on euph, as an undergrad.
Every time I had done this piece before, my peers had described it as "nice".
---
Then there is the "art".
I remember sitting in a Master Class with the Empire Brass Quintet, in the early 90's.
I'm pretty sure it was Sam Pilafian that asked an undergraduate player, after listening to his solo: "What story are you telling?"
When the amazed kid had no answer, Sam's answer was: "If you don't know the story you are telling, then you CAN'T play the piece."
About 12 months later, I played a piece written for euphonium, without accompaniment, as a clinician, with a high school band. (same piece as above)
It was "mournful", and I had played it several times before, with success.
This was my best performance of it EVER. ... My "craft" was at it's peak. ... My internal story was of the most painful loss of my life, up to that time.
I asked the kids to tell me "the story" of what I played, after they heard it ... and I gave them NO clue as to what I was going to play.
---
So, there I was. Just me and my euph ... the sheet of music in front of me, and this story, from my life in my head.
In terms of technical precision, it was probably my worst performance of that piece, ever.
On the other hand, it wasn't just the kids in the classroom, it was the teacher's monitoring the room that were tearing up, if not outright crying.
---
Up to that point, I had been SO focused on technique and precision.
Until Sam reminded me what music and performing is about, I had been obsessed with "craft". ... To the point that I was just a "craftsman", in performance, and no longer an artist.
I was an artisan manipulating an instrument, up to that point. ... I wasn't "telling a story" with sound.
---
Sam, and a conductor I worked for, Bob Shoaf, taught me, that as musicians, in private practice, and ensemble rehearsal, we should be precise, if not "anal", craftsmen at our work ...
HOWEVER ...
Once it's time to "play the gig", GO FOR IT! ... The time to "play it safe", or be careful is OVER.
You have done the necessary preparation.
Ignore that "inner voice" that is critical of everything you do and ....
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Tribute to Rob Lefferts
It was, probably, January of 1994. (This happened shortly after Mr. Shoaf took command. It was Chief's first winter at Fort Bliss.)
The band hall, at Fort Bliss, sucked, and EVERY winter I was there the heat went out.
We attempted to have concert band rehearsal, but the room was too cold. Intonation on ALL of the instruments was in the toilet, and, literally, you could see your breath as you tried to talk.
Finally, after a while, Chief (yes, you, Bob Shoaf) went on a rant, understandably, about the temperature in the room.
Chief demanded to know who was in charge of "R and U" (repair and upkeep) of the building.
It was Rob.
Chief went on a "rant", and it was a good one, as rants go.
It ended with Chief in Rob's face, yelling that Rob would receive a "Relieved For Cause" NCOER, if Rob didn't get the heat fixed in the next 36 hours. (End of Rob's military career.)
(Stick with me, folks, I promise this is a funny story.)
At the end of the rant, Chief ended the rehearsal, and sent everyone home.
I was stuck on "Charge of Quarters" duty.
I had to stay at the building, insure it's security, and answer the phones. My place of duty was in our orderly room ... not far from Rob's desk.
So, everyone left, except for Rob and I.
He called the "Department of Public Works" (DPW), on base.
The following is what I remember Rob saying to them. ... I didn't have to hear the stuff on the other end. (Everything in parenthesis is translation for those of you that don't speak "Army".)
---
Here is what I heard:
"Hello, Ma'am, this is Sergeant Lefferts. I am the R&U (Repair and Upkeep) NCO (Sergeant) for the 62nd Army Band."
...
"Yes, Ma'am. I am calling because our heat is STILL out."
...
"Yes, Ma'am, I have submitted THREE work orders for it to be fixed,"
...
"Yes, Ma'am, I have read the Fort Bliss SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for filling out a work order, and I am sure I filled out the forms correctly."
....
"Ma'am, when is the soonest you can have someone here to fix our heat?"
....
"MARCH!?!?!?!"
"Mister Shoaf is going to give me a "Relieved for Cause" NCOER, if I don't get someone here in the next ..."
...
"No, ma'am."
....
"No, ma'am, Mr. Paarmann went to Korea about 6 months ago. Mr. Shoaf is the commander of the 62nd Army Band, now. ... THANK YOU, ma'am."
...
At that point, Rob, hung up the phone, looked at me, with a grin, and told me that the heat should be fixed before 9 AM the next morning.
And it was.
The band hall, at Fort Bliss, sucked, and EVERY winter I was there the heat went out.
We attempted to have concert band rehearsal, but the room was too cold. Intonation on ALL of the instruments was in the toilet, and, literally, you could see your breath as you tried to talk.
Finally, after a while, Chief (yes, you, Bob Shoaf) went on a rant, understandably, about the temperature in the room.
Chief demanded to know who was in charge of "R and U" (repair and upkeep) of the building.
It was Rob.
Chief went on a "rant", and it was a good one, as rants go.
It ended with Chief in Rob's face, yelling that Rob would receive a "Relieved For Cause" NCOER, if Rob didn't get the heat fixed in the next 36 hours. (End of Rob's military career.)
(Stick with me, folks, I promise this is a funny story.)
At the end of the rant, Chief ended the rehearsal, and sent everyone home.
I was stuck on "Charge of Quarters" duty.
I had to stay at the building, insure it's security, and answer the phones. My place of duty was in our orderly room ... not far from Rob's desk.
So, everyone left, except for Rob and I.
He called the "Department of Public Works" (DPW), on base.
The following is what I remember Rob saying to them. ... I didn't have to hear the stuff on the other end. (Everything in parenthesis is translation for those of you that don't speak "Army".)
---
Here is what I heard:
"Hello, Ma'am, this is Sergeant Lefferts. I am the R&U (Repair and Upkeep) NCO (Sergeant) for the 62nd Army Band."
...
"Yes, Ma'am. I am calling because our heat is STILL out."
...
"Yes, Ma'am, I have submitted THREE work orders for it to be fixed,"
...
"Yes, Ma'am, I have read the Fort Bliss SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for filling out a work order, and I am sure I filled out the forms correctly."
....
"Ma'am, when is the soonest you can have someone here to fix our heat?"
....
"MARCH!?!?!?!"
"Mister Shoaf is going to give me a "Relieved for Cause" NCOER, if I don't get someone here in the next ..."
...
"No, ma'am."
....
"No, ma'am, Mr. Paarmann went to Korea about 6 months ago. Mr. Shoaf is the commander of the 62nd Army Band, now. ... THANK YOU, ma'am."
...
At that point, Rob, hung up the phone, looked at me, with a grin, and told me that the heat should be fixed before 9 AM the next morning.
And it was.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Kind of a rough night ...
I signed my initial contract to join the Army in Reagan's last few days as President.
I graduated from college with my Music Ed degree, and worked for an instrument repair shop for a few months, until I went to Basic Training.
While I was in Basic Training, the Berlin Wall fell.
While I was in "school" for my job, we invaded Panama.
In PLDC ("WLC" for the youngsters, or "Shake and Bake" for the old farts), we had CNN on 24 hours a day, watching the air war portion of Desert Storm.
I pinned on "hard stripes"(E-5 or SGT (Sergeant)) in March of 1992, and, shortly thereafter, the unit's computer (yes, there was only one) was upgraded from DOS to Windows 3.1.
In 1994, I was promoted to Staff Sergeant (E-6 or SSG), and sent to the Basic NonCommisioned Officer's Course (BNCOC). At this point, I was worried. The last two times the Army had sent me to "school" a war had broken out. ... The worst that happened was that President Nixon died, and we got a 4-day weekend.
I've been "Sergeant Robertson" (SGT or SSG) for OVER 20 years, now.
For most of my adult life, "Mister" is either what you call: a) my commanding officer, or b) my Dad.
TOMORROW, I will go to work as "SSG Robertson", and come home as "Mister Kevin Robertson".
I'm not sure how to deal with that.
I graduated from college with my Music Ed degree, and worked for an instrument repair shop for a few months, until I went to Basic Training.
While I was in Basic Training, the Berlin Wall fell.
While I was in "school" for my job, we invaded Panama.
In PLDC ("WLC" for the youngsters, or "Shake and Bake" for the old farts), we had CNN on 24 hours a day, watching the air war portion of Desert Storm.
I pinned on "hard stripes"(E-5 or SGT (Sergeant)) in March of 1992, and, shortly thereafter, the unit's computer (yes, there was only one) was upgraded from DOS to Windows 3.1.
In 1994, I was promoted to Staff Sergeant (E-6 or SSG), and sent to the Basic NonCommisioned Officer's Course (BNCOC). At this point, I was worried. The last two times the Army had sent me to "school" a war had broken out. ... The worst that happened was that President Nixon died, and we got a 4-day weekend.
I've been "Sergeant Robertson" (SGT or SSG) for OVER 20 years, now.
For most of my adult life, "Mister" is either what you call: a) my commanding officer, or b) my Dad.
TOMORROW, I will go to work as "SSG Robertson", and come home as "Mister Kevin Robertson".
I'm not sure how to deal with that.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
A "Redneck" Parable
Recent events reminded me of a story, or parable, I read when I was young. It goes something like this:
A swallow is flying through a wintery day, until, finally, it is frozen. It can fly no more, and drops to the ground in a cow pasture. A cow walks by and craps. The steaming turd, coating the swallow. The swallow, rejuvenated by the heat of the manure, sticks it's head out of the pile, and begins to sing. The barnyard cat, upon hearing the bird's song, pounces on the pile; uncovers the bird; and eats it.
There are THREE morals to this story:
1) The person who drops a steaming pile of crap on your head is not, necessarily, your enemy.
2) The person who digs you out of a steaming pile of crap is not, necessarily, your friend.
3) When you are warm, and happy, in a steaming pile of crap, FOR GOD'S SAKE, DO NOT OPEN YOUR MOUTH!
A swallow is flying through a wintery day, until, finally, it is frozen. It can fly no more, and drops to the ground in a cow pasture. A cow walks by and craps. The steaming turd, coating the swallow. The swallow, rejuvenated by the heat of the manure, sticks it's head out of the pile, and begins to sing. The barnyard cat, upon hearing the bird's song, pounces on the pile; uncovers the bird; and eats it.
There are THREE morals to this story:
1) The person who drops a steaming pile of crap on your head is not, necessarily, your enemy.
2) The person who digs you out of a steaming pile of crap is not, necessarily, your friend.
3) When you are warm, and happy, in a steaming pile of crap, FOR GOD'S SAKE, DO NOT OPEN YOUR MOUTH!
