I’m hoping Nigel doesn’t mind me trying this idea out.

I thought of the idea when, some time ago, one of the members here who I didn’t particularly take to because of his pompous way shared some personal information in one of his postings. After reading it and understanding his thought processes, I saw him in a different light and I realized his public face was probably just a façade. I like the person more now after he shared some of what goes on in his life.

I thought about it some more today after reading Captain Russ’s Holiday gift time thread. I spend a lot of time just thinking and sometimes I like to just lay down my thoughts without rebuttal or aggressive comments or getting caught up in some kind of crossfire (and, yes, we all know that I’m just as guilty of that!).

This post would just be for casual thoughts about……..anything. They are not meant to open up a p%*&^%ing contest, nor an “I know and YOU don’t, so listen to what I say” response.

I find musicians and people in the Arts have a different way of thinking than mainstream America. We view life differently and hence interact with each other and society in a very unique way. A lady said to me many years ago, that your potential mate needs to be “artsy” or she’ll never understand you. I found that to be very true. Of many lady friends I had in my life, not one ever understood me as a musician or tried to relate to my unusual life style.

So back to this thread. I’m very interested in hearing casual thought s going on in the minds of other musicians in here. Thoughts that others wouldn’t understand, but that you can drop off here without any consequences.

I’ll start it with an example:

Example:

Since I entered the music profession, I always wanted to do a “show” on stage in front of thousands of people and entertain them. But I got so caught up in the complexities of life over the years I never got around to it. It is one of my great regrets!

Some or YOUR thoughts would be……….? Regrets, appreciations, failed goals, views on life, your station in life, how you feel about playing music, trying to balance your music and your family, religion, etc?

Lucky

[This message has been edited by Lucky2Bhere (edited 12-31-2008).]

Great idea, Lucky. I regret the missed time with my family...all the years of working days, playing nights, freelancing and going to school. That's time you can never regain. Luckily, my kids are all in Lexington and I see them every other day or so.

I regret never being brave enough (or good enough, I suspect) to make a full-time commitment to music. I just didn't have the balls to commit to one thing and suspect I've done lots of different things in a half-assed way.

I sometimes regret being such a "hardliner" concerning jazz. I'm so close to it that any other type of music seems like a sad waste of time. Conversely, I wish I had a greater appreciation/tolerance for entertainers. A great entertainer who is a mediocre musician generally needs to practice or give up, in my opinion. Usually, they just piss me off.

I appreciate my association with several people....Ray Brown, Tommy Johnston, my old music partner/teacher, Steve Allen, Pearl Bailey, Bob Bostrom, my mentor at the University of Kentucky and Dr. Gragg, my father-in-law and life-long best friend.

I appreciate the days we live in...exciting from a technology standpoint. That technology has impacted graphics, film and music, but only makes it clearer that technology is not enough...it takes talent to excel.

I appreciate being able to provide for my family and help others. I've been very lucky and sharing that luck is now a priority in my life.

I appreciate you folks. "Warts" and all, this is a really neat place that Nigel has created.

And, I wish that in 2009, and beyond, we'd all appreciate and be nicer to others.


Great post, Lucky. Really appropriate at the end of the year.


The best to everyone in 2009...


Russ

I regret being sick 2 days before Christmas Bah freakin humbug!

I'm trying, Fran. It's just.......really, really hard.

Happy Chrisislamahanakwanzza



chas

My GPS saved me again on the way to a job. An accident on the highway I’m on stops traffic dead still. I previously memorized where all the exits are so I head for the nearest one. I know about where I am now but not sure of the streets. The GPS takes over because it memorized my destination and not my starting point. It guides me to my event without missing a turn. I'm not a gadget freak, but now I won't even brush my teeth without the GPS device in my back pocket!

My longest running account on Xmas day...I play every year for a very rich lady with a very large family of 30-40. She hires me to do a Xmas sing-a-long for everyone on her living room Steinway. My 12th year now. She does this to keep the family united, but I've seen the changes over the years. The adults politely "try" (to please their mom) but their hearts are no longer in it...too many pressures these days and not enough time. I think "mom" is fully aware, but she gracefully carries on trying to restore family tradition. Thankfully the kids are still fun and I'm looking forward to tomorrow afternoon.

I really started this thread for EVERYONE to drop everyday thoughts in here…not just me. If anything, I think it’s a refreshing break from the keyboard reviews.

Lucky

[This message has been edited by Lucky2Bhere (edited 12-31-2008).]

I regret not putting in the time practicing the physical HARD WORK part of playing and relying on theory and sequencing after teenage years learning to play Jon Lord and Greg Rollie solos. Can't come close anymore. No need for it. Got "Lazy" LOL Easier to slow down the sequence then to play the part over and over and over again which is what one has to do to play acceptably live where there are no "do overs".

I really really regret not taking the guitar seriously. I find it the most expressive instrument in the world. Yet I cannot make sense of the fretboard that glues it all together like the 12 tones on a keyboard. I highly respect guitar players. In my performing days I worked with the best. Berkly educated GIT educated Music major Guys who can read and play down a chart in the afternoon rehearsal in any style with great tone the first time with all the dynamics for an evenings show in front of 5000.

That said, I am grateful for the samples we have today and 'Guitar Rig' in Sonar that can make a sine wave sound like Eddie Van Halen playing through a Marashall....(well tonewise anyway)

I am deeply grateful to have experienced performing with pros in every area in theaters,amphitheaters,Stadiums and speedways home and abroad even if not as myself to the audience.....My dirty little secret... I was always myself but the audience did not know it.Then to be able to leave that world on my terms with no regrets rather then shame myself out of it like an overthehill athlete.

I throughly enjoy selling musical gear to young and old with a dream to come or finally quenching a life long thirst to play an instrument

I throughly enjoy watching a non singer get up in front of a crowd in a bar, and for the first time in their lives sing a song publicly.

I am extremely grateful and thankful to have a wife who shares my passion and continues at 44 after 30 plus years of earning her living playing keyboards and now guitar (darn her). A real musician who reads and has played behind hacks like me and the more accomplished in theaters and venues.

I applaud anyone who can demand payment for their musical rendition and or abilities without regard to what I think. They are still less than a fraction of the many who are still seeking that "pinnacle of success". Many of whom deserve it more than I. Especially when I realized there were only 22 spots open worldwide per quarter for lucrative permanent self employment as a tribute performer and I enjoyed a minimum of two of them per year for my sole employment them for 12 years.


[This message has been edited by Kingfrog (edited 12-25-2008).]

Sometimes I think: What if the Internet goes into bankruptcy and files a Chapter 11? The Synthzone would vanish and no one in the "family" here would know how to get in touch with each other. Or if someone "passes on"...none of us would know about that. I don't think any of us left instructions to our executor to notify the fellows in the Synthzone that we've "kicked the bucket."

The other night I was making gravy and it splashed on my shirt. I had to take 30 minutes to wash it out before it stained. That 30 minutes could have been avoided if I was more careful. That caused me to think about what Tony Mads wrote about with his rotator cuff accident and his warnings. I remembered how careless I was when I slipped and fell on the ice and had to spend the next 2 years dealing with a torn ligament in my knee.

And the time I was doing pullovers and tore my forearm muscle. Another 2 years recovering from that.

It's much easier to simply do what Tony said. Pay attention and avoid all these unnecessary happenings. It's kind of like you're driving your car and you haven't got a care in the world and suddenly you rear end someone because you weren't paying attention and you have to spend the next month taking a taxi to your gig while your car gets repaired.

I'm going to be more careful now when I make gravy. I value my 30 minute chunks of time!

Lucky

[This message has been edited by Lucky2Bhere (edited 12-31-2008).]

Yeah, that's 30 minutes more you could be posting to Synthzone.

chas

Regrets-(2) I regret agreeing with the Elementary School guidance counselor that my step-daughter ought to be allowed to visit her Dad for a week many years ago. He wound up kidnapping her, holding her for a month in a rural farm house. We finally got her back, but she's never been the same...

I also regret not raising our kids more in the church. Jobs, a lack of motivation, etc. are the excuses I'll cite. Also, relocating here from Pittsburgh, we've found most churches to be more the "fire & brimstone" variety which isn't something either patty or I are comfortable with. I attended church weekly until I was 18-19 and rather enjoyed the sermons I heard. Never once did I hear "unless you do this, this and that, you will never got to heaven..." On the other hand, we've instilled a very strong foundation of personal ethics in them and have had an on-going discussion about God with each of them...To say we don't go to church, doesn't
mean we're not spiritual at all...

Appreciations-My wife, Patty...Came from a very modest, rather harsh homelife with no advanced education. She's within months of obtaining her Masters in Nursing. Oh, did I say she's pretty hot, too?

Failed goals-I never could really figure out the proper transfer of weight in executing a slap shot while on the ice. I can skate very well and understand the game...Always could make nice passes, I had a decent wrist shot, but ripping one from the blue line past the goalie's head never really worked out too well...

Failed goals #2-Not sure I ever really, really tried at this but I would've like to dance better. I have no rhythm from my knees down and look like I'm having some sort of seizure when I've tried to dance in the past. It's painful to watch I've been told...

Views on life-Well, short of a full treatise, I'll just say I strongly advocate personal responsibility and being nice. If you have those two traits in healthy doses you can go a long way in this world.

Station in life-Married for 20 years, three kids...all healthy, pretty smart, nice people. We have a nice big house and a nice big yard. Bills are paid...Food's falling out of the frig/cupboards...I get paid to play great music for people who really enjoy it and are very nice to be around. Things, all in all, are pretty good.

Music-It is simply one of the passions of my life. It has been a life-long friend. When I was a little boy, I'd march around the dining room table to "Little Red Caboose" over and over again while my Mom ironed. In high school, the hours I spent with headphones on listening to and learning from Kansas, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, etc. kept me going sometimes. Discovering Broadway music in my late teens opened up a whole new world for me. Playing in a road band that did original material and played the college circuit was different and a hoot. Playing bass and fronting a trio in the next project was also rewarding. Next came commercials and jingle work which paid well but was pretty dry. Now, for the last 13+ years, doing my current work mostly as a solo has been wonderful. What's next musically? Who knows...

Balancing family/music...This I'm working on. I have a pang of guilt when I turn work away because I know we can always use the money. However, a year ago I started blocking out Friday evenings in the Fall so my wife and I can watch our daughter play the flute in the Troy HS marching band. I've had no regrets about this and am now looking for other times to block out for family stuff. I must confess, this year may be the last NYE gig I book that keeps me away at midnight. For different reasons throughout our marriage, we've never been together as the new year rang in and we've many kisses to make up for...



Hope my answers weren't too long...In closing, former hoops coach Jim Valvano gave a legendary speech at the first ESPY's award where he, fighting cancer and in the last few weeks of his life, won the first Arthur Ashe award for courage. This section has stuck with me ever since...

"To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special."

Each of my kids knows this speech...I'm glad for that...

Cheers-
------------------
Bill in Dayton

[This message has been edited by Bill in Dayton (edited 12-26-2008).]

Well done, Bill! You have a full life and can be proud....


R.

It is my pleasure Russ. I love all of you. It takes all of us to make a community. Even if we have the occasional rough spot it really is worth it to know you all.

I cannot read your post enough. I laughed today,I thought today, and your post brought a tear. I envy you guys (and my wife)who can play covers from all artists for hours and hours. I only got 20 minutes a 6 act 2 hour show twice a day.

More Lucky thoughts...

Diki often asks for folks who critique others to "put up or shut up." I can see his point but in this way. It helps me to understand better what someone is saying if I hear their playing and where they are on the musical ladder. In my book, they don't get judged...they only get "understood."

Personally, I simply want to hear what others are doing no matter what level they’re at. I heard a very poor player doing Spanish Eyes, but he had some good ideas in there. It didn’t matter that his fingering was poor…..I listening for the “ideas.” Scott Yee does this too!

Lucky


[This message has been edited by Lucky2Bhere (edited 12-31-2008).]