At the title states, Yes I am still alive and kicking :)
Haven't had must chance to get much writing done, only a few paragraphs here and there. Work seems to be an endless catastrophe or reaction rather than prevention. I also made the mistake of saying something about looking forward to retirement and that opened another can of worms as the higher-ups fear that my knowledge will be lost and now among everything else that it seems only I can do, I must train two others in all the crap that I do.
Of course management thinks the best way is to schedule the training, instead of what I suggested of grabbing the ones they wish trained when one of those interesting problems occur that no one else seems to have the ability to take care of and have them tag along so I can explain the thought process used to diagnose and correct the problem to two people that don't even have a basic understanding of networking, DHCP and static IP configuration and subnetting!
On a better note, the little one (OK she isn't so little anymore at 12 years old) has far surpassed the old guy that got her started on the Violin in the couple of years that she has been playing now. Okay I was never that good on one as I only fiddled around with them (yes that pun was intended) She has taken up the Flute in the Jr. high band and I have to say is pretty impressive on that for the time she has been playing. She has gotten as good as I am on the Mandolin (tuned the same as a violin for those that didn't know)
She has also taken an interest into having me teach her the guitar and the 5 string banjo. Both she wished to learn but only fiddled with (there's that pun again) with until the past couple of weeks. She seems to be more inclined to start really learning the guitar as her next instrument. biggest pitfall I'm having to overcome is she really wants to use my 12 string guitar instead of one of the 6 strings.
Her interest in these reared its head when I took her to a little traditional music jamboree a couple of weeks ago where the group playing old time country got to talking with us during one of their breaks found out she played the violin and invited her on stage with them loaning her a violin to play. (She is insisting we play with them more often and I bring my mountain dulcimer since they don't have one in their band. Yes she got information on where they played weekly)
So today, an average day at home. Spent a hour with a flute playing 3 feet away from my ear (you know how loud those things are?) while I was trying to write. Then another hour of violin practice, which she did take requests that I enjoyed listening to :) After which I had to become more involved in as she picked up the guitar and insisted I begin teaching her the flat picking of wildwood flower since sometime in the past I had told her it was the first song I learned on the guitar. Sometime before my fingers actually began to bleed she decided I could use a break and switched to the banjo, which I had to sit and go over the finger picking patterns with her slowly over and over as she tried to replicate what I was doing. Okay it wasn't much of a break but at least I got to put on my finger picks and ave the right hand, which she finds completely hilarious that my finger picks are three time older as she is LOL.
Comments
Wildwood
Well the wildwood weed grew wild on the farm and we never knew what it was called
Some said it was a flower and some said it was a weed, I never gave it much thought...
"He said he flew up there.
"He said he flew up there. I had to fly up to get him down."
I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.
Wildwood Flower?
Is that the song every guitar picker learns first? I can murder that one with only a couple off key notes and flubbing the melody. I'm strictly a one trick pony, guitar and not even good at that.
Your young lady impresses the you know what out of me. It takes a very special person to be multi talented on the strings. When do we get a DVD with you know who and daughter doing the magic on the instruments? I pray you are recording her. Years from now, you'll regret it in the very bottom of your heart if you aren't. Little girls grow up so fast and become young ladies. Then all too soon they change into young women and become some young man's gift to love and hold. All too soon as we look back wondering how did it happen so fast. Always our little girl but no longer ours to hold and wipe away the tears from owies, or hold and comfort them when they have a heart break or two as they learn about boys.
The world doesn't stop and wait for us, time rushes on dragging lives along with it. "I love you" can never be said enough before they are grown up and gone.
Hugs hon,
always,
Barb
Believe life is a gift and treasure it.
Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl
A bit off topic, but BarbieLee's response brought this to mind.
Letter to my daughter’s husband, son-in-law, on their wedding day.
I printed it out and told him to read it on the plane as they flew off to their honeymoon.
Dear Son,
I can call you that now. Today, shortly after noon, I walked my daughter down the aisle. When I reached the end, of the aisle, the pastor asked, “Who gives the woman to be married?” I responded, “Her mother and I do.”
Well, I don’t own her, so just what was it I gave? What I gave was her care and keeping. For 19 years, I picked her up when she fell; I dried her tears when things went wrong and patched up her boo-boos; I held her and hugged her and let her know she was loved, valued and important.
I provided her a place to lay her head at night; saw to it she had food to eat and clothes to wear. I gave her guidance when she faced unfamiliar circumstances. In short I was her steward, responsible for her physical and emotional wellbeing. I didn’t own her, nor will you.
She is an intelligent, free thinking individual, capable, for the most part, of taking care of herself, but still, what I gave you was stewardship over her. I’m counting on you to take up the torch I’m passing you. It is up to you now to see that she still grows and thrives and feels emotionally sound.
I’m counting on you son. Don’t let me down, but most importantly don’t let her down.
Your new Dad.
I'm proud to say, he hasn't. After 26 years, they're still growing and thriving as a couple and have raised two marvelous kids (my grand-kids) to adulthood.
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Ich bin ein femininer Mann
Is it a Monster?
Or a "Finnster"? :)
Gumby - I'm flexible
"Imagination is more important, than knowledge" - Albert Einstein
“The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds
new discoveries, is not ‘Eureka!’, but ‘that’s funny…’” - Isaac Asimov
Cat is a music critic
Walking out across the yard I was singing Apartment Number Nine close to the style of Tammy Wynette. When I came back into the house still singing, Mindy was up on the back of the couch, jumped on my shoulder and started batting at my mouth. To shut me up no doubt. The only time I can "sing in the bathtub" is lock the door with her on the other side. She has jumped in the tub with me and started batting at my mouth. I know I'm bad and can't carry a tune but does she need to be trying to shut me up? I've put up with critics before. None who were aggressive and attacked me. "What did you do with the money your momma gave you for singing lessons?" "I spent it on kazoo lessons. Wanna hear me play?"
Years back I was working out of town on a motel. The crew was working back between the walls in the pipe chase. I started singing The Lion Sleeps Tonight. One of the guys joined in toward the end and we had to do it over together. He was a pretty good singer, we harmonized really well, I thought. Before the day was over we had run through a couple dozen songs we both knew, much to the entertainment or the annoyance of the rest of the crew. Time flies when you're having fun.
You ever sing down a pipe? Or in front of fan blades. Ir's different, wouldn't want a DVD of songs like that. Grew up singing and harmonizing with momma. Looking back, none of the rest of the family ever sang along with us. I never heard any of them sing even by themselves. Funny, this is the first time I ever gave it any thought.
hugs hon,
always,
Barb
Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl
Singing
All my daughter's younger years I spent intentionally singing off key or several octaves too low or so high out of my voice range that it sounded terrible, to her favorite songs, (Imagine "Let it Go" sang in a deep bass and off key to boot!...Shiver!) just to have a little fun with her as she would run over and try to cover my mouth to get me to stop.
Between those times and her mother always saying that I couldn't sing, she grew up believing I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket.
It was only a few months ago that the little one and I were in the car when a song I loved came on the radio and I began singing along without realizing what I was doing. she spent the whole song staring at me eyes wide the whole time, finally I asked her what was wrong, she blurted out "You can sing...I'm telling mom!"
I tried telling her it was her imagination, that didn't work. So I finally told her to go ahead, your mom won't believe you! Of course she raced into the house to tell her mom and then start trying to convince her mom she wasn't trying to pull her leg :) her mom played right along, swearing I couldn't sing the whole time :)
We the willing, led by the unsure. Have been doing so much with so little for so long,
We are now qualified to do anything with nothing.
Busted!
That is way too funny. Next thing you know, she'll be demanding that you sing to her.