Full blown excuses

[Mark]

I'm not kidding. At a recent rehearsal (I'm not saying what ensemble for reasons that will become obvious), while we are playing, a cell phone goes off and the person who was playing a lead part (hint) stops playing and says in a loud voice: "I have to answer this".

[OldsRecording]

Sorry guys

Ive just been in a rut of my life and several PMs have hurt......

I will leave till I get it together.....

Time to practice Plog.....

Oooh! You're tellin' me. I once had a PM the size of my forearm, and it was covered in blood. Thank goodness it came out quickly.

[TubaCoopa]

I left my tuba in my other pair of pants.

This has to be one of the best I have heard in a long time!

Wow! Thanks, but I can't take credit for this one. My friend actually thought of it, and he plays trombone.
Go figure...

[Chuck Jackson]

Oooh! You're tellin' me. I once had a PM the size of my forearm, and it was covered in blood. Thank goodness it came out quickly.

Now that is some funny stuff. I have one question for James: Does your Mom still cut the crusts off your PB&J sandwiches?

Ladies and Gentleman, it has been a rare honor to be part of this board again even if for a little while. You make me miss being with the brethren in the back row. Unfortunately, life intrudes and a busy schedule starts tomorrow. Think well of me as I will of you. Hope to have some time next summer to be a part of this again. To the person who PM'd me, conducting Beethoven's 6th in the Smetana Hall in Prague is an experience I will never forget. Sorry I didn't get back to you, but my computer ate the messages. Have a great year one and all and James, for God Sake get off this board, get laid, and get a life. Have Peace everyone.

Chuck

[TubaRay]

...You have no friends here right now...

...maybe...one...(??)

Some here think it is a badge of honor to be "that guy" who is "mean". I don't see it that way.

Clearly, Sean had not read much, if any, of the thread or threads. There wasn't anyone who set out to be mean. There were those(or rather, one) who labeled some as "mean." My interpretation was that those who took on the title "mean" were only responding to someone as having labeled them as such. They stood by what they had posted, so they accepted the mantel. That was about it, from my recollection. Under those conditions, I would have embraced the title, as well.

[The Jackson]

...You have no friends here right now...

...maybe...one...(??)

I wouldn't put it outside the realm of possibility. Really, I wouldn't.

[TubaRay]

Thanks. I am mean. I am "mean" because I care. Those who accept mediocrity and brattiness from today's students are THE source of this problem because they do NOT care and do NOT get upset by it. I know that a small number of members here are very weak and turn pale at an honest opinion that might rock the boat. I regard these people as slugs and fence sitters and they disgust me by their inaction and inattention to both their own kids and their students. A few here do not actually have many principles at all or are too afraid of making people angry with them to express their principles. I have little respect for that.

HOWEVER, there are many here who do and say what they mean in life and try hard to reach talented but arrogant students to help them get it together and see some success as a player. And we get called "mean" by the cowards. Some of these cowards lock threads after taking pot shots at us for trying to help, because they do not bother to see what is going on, by their own admission (yet make snap judgments about members here that are completely uninformed, again based on their own words).

My point it that "Life is hard." These grossly permissive people are setting up their own kids for a certain amount of failure by trying to shelter them from this reality.

Your statements here are indicative that you "get it." From my experience, that makes you part of a gradually diminishing percentage of the American populace. You add such power to your words due to the fact that you have experienced the "life is hard" part. And Wade, though I haven't been able to get to know you since you have become an adult, I have grown to have tremendous respect for you.

To others of you who may be reading this thread, the "mean" tag that has been thrown around on Tubenet is most often thrown around in a joking manner. I know some perceive Wade to be mean. I believe he is actually sincere. I believe he is often direct in his communication. I believe he can be pretty blunt. But most of all, I believe he cares. I am not always willing to go as far as he does, but I find I almost always agree with him.

[The Big Ben]

I now just want my username deleted from the forum....thats it, that is my wish. I do not want to bother or annoy anyone on here again. Please leave me and my professors, students, and personal colleguages alone and do not associate them in a negative way because of me.

My students love taking lessons from me, I don't have an ego in person, in fact I rarely talk in person.....online im different

I am sorry to all....

If anyone could tell me how to delete my account on here I would gladly appreciate that

Please reconsider.

What's needed is less talking and more listening.

I'd like to remind you that, just a few days ago, you provided a link to the name of a tune that had been going around in The Elephant's head since the 80s. It came out of a book you have recently read in college. You helped and it was appreciated.

Listen for awhile and, when talking, offer only facts not opinion. You did well at that with the tune question. Over time, you will get respect. It will take awhile because of what has already happened but it will happen.

[The Big Ben]

Before yall say I cant write, have you ever read a scholarly paper of mine? No one who posts on here has.....
My typing and grammar is normally a bit more lax on the internet.....

We've gone through this before. The only thing we have to go on is what we see. Wanna appear illiterate? Write like an illiterate.

[ken k]

it was a funny shirt, honest....
k

[The Jackson]

James, I know exactly what you are feeling right now. I have been in the exact same situation. It's a horrible feeling that I don't think anyone deserves, but you have to try and pull yourself out of it or you will be consumed. You're a good guy, James, and I would hate to see you leave here.

When I first started looking at Tubenet (on the board style before this one), the anti-spam measures weren't in place, so I spent a lot of time just lurking because I could not post yet. I think that that lurking around here, reading all the new posts here and just getting the general "feel" of the forum has helped me enormously. I saw the attitudes of the posters here (which was unlike anything I had seen before), the feelings they had towards each other (in the public light, anyway) and what they expected from others as members of a public, online community. I'm not saying I changed my views or thoughts, but I did fashion out what I said in a manner that, in my mind, suited this forum very well.

This is probably not the case with you, but I had no problems with just reading posts because I really didn't have much information that somebody was looking for. Still, though, just reading and seeing the little bits of communication beneath the texts spoke volumes to me, and I think you could benefit from that.

Again, you are a good person, and I would really not like to see you leave here.

Sincerely,

Jackson

[TubaRay]

Listen for awhile and, when talking, offer only facts not opinion. You did well at that with the tune question. Over time, you will get respect. It will take awhile because of what has already happened but it will happen.

This is excellent, excellent advice. I hope he takes it.

James, your passion for playing tuba shows. At this point, it is the one thing I can respect about you. I hope you will learn to write better. I hope you will learn to take criticism better. I hope you will learn to be more careful about boasting. This is particularly important when you have as little credibility as you have. All this said, I truly hope I get a chance to meet you sometime. Perhaps we could sit down and just talk about playing tuba. Maybe even play some duets. Believe it or not, I would like that. To those of us who are passionate about our tuba playing, getting to know others who share that passion sounds good. I believe you have some positive traits. You simply have had trouble bringing them to the Tubenet table.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

James considers every comment about his playing, his writing, or his opinions a "cheap shot." He doesn't possess the ability to separate comments about those things from comments about him, and he immediately becomes defensive and starts making excuses.

I'm not going to apologize for taking a few minutes to quote his excuses in a thread about excuses. Those of you who keep PMing me telling me how I'm so "mean" to do so can kiss my big wide butt. Post it in the thread if you have something to say, you miserable weasels (you know who you are).

I'm just the tiniest bit optimistic that he might actually be "getting it"...his last post only has one excuse in it.

Being in Abilene, there aren't many playing opportunities and others outside the universities that hear me play.

There's that little bit about making your school look bad again...the very first post after you said you wouldn't do that any more.

I'm sure James is referring to me when he talks about the users he "has a problem with," especially since I'm not a "professional." I don't consider it a badge of honor to be "mean"...I see those of you who see frank, candid advice that might actually help someone as "mean" to be the problem. C'est la vie.

There's going to be a lot of Todd S. Malicoates in your life, James. I'm just words on a screen to you...what are you going to do when someone is critical of your job performance, or playing, or whatever? You had best learn to deal with people who don't always agree with you or even like you. Now, was that "mean" or good advice? You decide.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

I'd like to remind you that, just a few days ago, you (tubashaman) provided a link to the name of a tune that had been going around in The Elephant's head since the 80s. It came out of a book you have recently read in college. You helped and it was appreciated.

If you're talking about the Musicology "geeks" thread and the Machaut tune, SplatterTone found the tune and I provided a link to a copy of the manuscript (in an attempt to confirm it was indeed written by Machaut). Thanks for noticing.

After some banter on the thread about the two of us being geeks, James' only post on the thread was about how the composer's name translates to "William from Machaut" much as I might be "Todd from Oklahoma City (where I have never lived???)."

It's interesting that you chose that thread to compliment James for helping out. It is a classic example of how he jumps into a thread, after the original question has been answered, with a tangent point that has no real bearing on the original question and trying desperately trying to sound "authoritative." Certainly, a skill that will be most helpful to someone with career goals including teaching at the university level.

If you're talking about something else, I apologize. I can't imagine that I missed a whole thread that involved Wade remembering an old tune, though.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

I also mentioned to the side that it might have been a different Guillaume de Machaut who wrote the piece, as there is debate if the composer we are familiar with wrote it

Yes, you did...a point that was made by SplatterTone in his first post and I attempted to bring to rest with a scan of a scholarly source pointing to Machaut.

...so many of these tunes were of annonymous origin, I would be hesitant to call Machaut the composer without an authortative confirmation.

Here's some pretty convincing evidence that it is indeed Machaut (from http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/vladislav/f ... 2small.gif [note the use of citation] )

When Guillaume de Machaut wrote, there was not much "penned" music by composer.

In my music history book from last year, I researched, and it said that alot of the composer we know as Guillaume de Machaut could have been written by a different composer.

His name translates William from the town of Machaut. That would be like saying Todd from Oklahoma City for example....

Getting past the unintelligible sentences for a moment (a lot of the composer was written by a different composer?), I think you were trying to refute my scholarly source by pointing out you had read something in a music history book. That's what I'm talking about...your continued attempt to be "scholarly" when you don't have the first idea whether this particular tune was written by Machaut or not. Have you ever heard of the Ravenscroft Songbook? The Lant manuscript?

[The Big Ben]

I also mentioned to the side that it might have been a different Guillaume de Machaut who wrote the piece, as there is debate if the composer we are familiar with wrote it

Yes, you did...a point that was made by SplatterTone in his first post and I attempted to bring to rest with a scan of a scholarly source pointing to Machaut.

Let's all back away from the keyboard awhile, eh?

Let it all rest. James, be quiet. If you know what's good for you, you will read and not post for a couple of weeks. Todd, we get your point. Please, no piling on, 'K?

Let it all rest and come back later.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Let's all back away from the keyboard awhile, eh?

Let it all rest. James, be quiet. If you know what's good for you, you will read and not post for a couple of weeks. Todd, we get your point. Please, no piling on, 'K?

Let it all rest and come back later.

Congratulations...you are now officially "above the fray." Ever run for office?

I do apologize if I appear to be "piling on." I do enjoy the vigorous debate and feel there is a point to be made. You say "we" as in "we get your point" but I believe you can only speak for yourself in that regard. There is undoubtedly someone else involved here that doesn't get my point at all.

That being said, if my style of writing bothers you, you can certainly choose to skip my posts. I won't make you read them, promise.

Todd S. "wondering why, if he's so dang rude to James (as he keeps hearing about in PMs), he hasn't been added to that darn "foe" list yet" Malicoate

[Donn]

I'm not going to apologize for taking a few minutes to quote his excuses in a thread about excuses. Those of you who keep PMing me telling me how I'm so "mean" to do so can kiss my big wide butt. Post it in the thread if you have something to say, you miserable weasels (you know who you are).

OK. I guess it might be interesting to review the definitions of "mean", since it has come up a few times here. I'm not here to tell you you're mean, but I will say this - or ask rather - if you have a personal beef with this guy, as does sort of seem to be the case, please don't bring it here. If we must see a thread or two change subjects to turn into James-flames, that's life in the big web forum, but the fewer, the better. It seems unfair to expect him to be more mature than the rest of us and ignore the sniping, and if we really have a situation where people feel like it's "open season" on one or two individuals, I'd worry it will end in moderator intervention that somewhat unfairly focuses on one or two prominent posters with prior moderation histories. You're not the only one, you just seem to be asking for it, so here it is.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Well, Donn, thank you posting your concerns in the open forum.

I don't have a personal beef with James. I don't even know him. Subjects turn into "James-flames" (a term which I disagree with) because of the content of his posts and for no other reason. I would (and sometimes do) respond the same way to anyone else posting with the arrogance and unwillingness to learn (from people who have been where he is before) that he shows on a consistent basis.

People have radically different ways of viewing the world, and certainly the written word. There's nothing wrong with that. But I would suggest that asking me to "not bring it here" is counter-productive to the debate in general. It reeks of elitism.

Again, as I told another poster in my last offering, there are easy methods to avoiding my words if you find them distasteful. Use them. I'll continue to post when I have something to contribute.

[The Big Ben]

Let's all back away from the keyboard awhile, eh?

Let it all rest. James, be quiet. If you know what's good for you, you will read and not post for a couple of weeks. Todd, we get your point. Please, no piling on, 'K?

Let it all rest and come back later.

Congratulations...you are now officially "above the fray." Ever run for office?

I do apologize if I appear to be "piling on." I do enjoy the vigorous debate and feel there is a point to be made. You say "we" as in "we get your point" but I believe you can only speak for yourself in that regard. There is undoubtedly someone else involved here that doesn't get my point at all.

Is this the part where I threaten to take you out into the alley? If so, I'm not interested.

What I am interested in doing is moving along. Has James learned anything? Time will tell. If you want to go on and on and on ad nauseum beating on an earnest but somewhat naive and obnoxious young man, the only thing I can do is lose respect for you. Sure, you can go on and on, not giving a damn about anyone but what does it prove? Continuing to verbally assault someone when it is obvious that he has been beaten down is a little rude, don't you think?

I don't intend to continue commenting in this thread. I don't really know what more I could say.