Update Update

[TubaRay]

I retired today after 28 years as a Deputy Sheriff.

Congrats!

Ditto that!

[Dan Schultz]

Before starting to play with The Rhein Valley Brass at Volkfest 2013 last night... I was busy checking out my Miraphone bell-front horn and mounting the microphone. I overheard part of a conversation at a table about what kind of horn I was playing. One of the middle-aged folks approached me holding up a smart-phone so I could see the screen and asked "is this you?". Apparently they had searched for tuba and my web page popped-up.

Recognition isn't necessarily a bad thing!

[gwwilk]

Bought a Jeep Wrangler for my wife last night. Pretty cool vehicle.

What year is yours? Is it a YJ, TJ or JK?

Greg is too busy to respond. He's out driving 'her' Jeep!

[Heavy_Metal]

I was just up there!

[davidgilbreath]

FREE AT LAST . . .

Yesterday I was given the all-clear by my orthopaedic surgeon to play again . On 13 June I underwent anterior cervical discectomy fusion to remove bone spurs in C4-C6. thus ending four years of acute and chronic pain/therapy (including facet injections).

One of the best things is that Joe is almost done with my "post-surgery" tuba. Man, I am having a difficult time waiting, even though I know when he'll be finished with the Bloke-ification of the "mythical" tuba.

BTW, big congratulations to bearphonium for her service and retirement.

David Gilbreath

[tbn.al]

Basement tile job finished! Not a pro job but pretty good amatuer effort if I do say so myself(and I'll have to 'cause nobody else will). I have discovered something in the process. I am old! Really old! I hurt in places I didn't know I had. On to the trim. You have been updated whether you wanted to be or not.

[Donn]

Basement tile job finished!

Ceramic or porcelain? On the basis of only a couple of tile jobs, in recent years it seems to me that porcelain is kind of taking over. Nice stuff, but when I went to drill some holes ... I think I went through approximately one drill bit per hole, on the average. The run of the mill hardware store masonry bits could barely make a dent during their brief lives. Went to the hardware store that has all the weird stuff and got a pair of "Artu" brand drills that might be good for a few holes more yet. Old heavy duty 900RPM drill.

[MaryAnn]

Basically unrehearsed and after many years of not playing but what the hell; I was requested to play this at a Celebration of Life so I did.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYHu802ti6I" target="_blank

MA

[bearphonium]

MA, great job!

[tbn.al]

I can see the end in sight. The ceiling is up in the hallway, complete with pot lights and an HVAC return air vent. Now on to the main room. I was surprised how easily the drop ceiling went in. The second time that is. After I read the directions. Armstrong has really good directions. Unfortunately you have to read them.

[bearphonium]

Just finished up the 20th Anniversary season with the Springfield Community Concert Band; the Oregon Tuba Ensemble had a guest performance there. A good time was had by all.

UPDATE: I am now down to one performing group for the remainder of the summer.

[k001k47]

I smack balata balls around with persimmon woods, butterknife blades, and a bullseye putter because I can. Wait, wrong forum.

You have been updated.

[bort]

I just got a GREAT tuba shipped to me. I'm not going to offer it for sale until I've had plenty of fun playing it.

What a tease! C'mon Joe, what is it?

[bort]

I took the GRE yesterday. I did as good (maybe slightly better) than I thought I would, so I'm happy with it, and won't have to take it again.

[Uncle Buck]

on facebook:
------------------------------------
band directors,

If you think that "music store rep" (who comes in to your school trying to get your students' parents to pay double-market-prices for instruments) is your "buddy", just watch what *they* do the minute *you* don't do just what they want you to do...

...from behind-the-scenes phone calls, to saying things about you that are not true to colleagues/superiors, to just-about-anything. (After all, they need someone sitting in your band room who will "play ball".)

This is the 21st Century.

As many places are there are now to find serviceable musical instruments, accessories, equipment, and supplies, what need do *you* have for someone (who has nothing whatsoever to do with "teaching your students") to get in the middle of *your* business, to manipulate *your* students, to manipulate *your* students' parents, and to manipulate *you* ?

What do *you* think students' parents suspect when they compare "your" rep's prices with online prices?

Shouldn't it be enough (for you to keep your job, and for you to - possibly/eventually - get even better jobs) for you to just *do the very best you can for your students*, without having to worry about some monkey-on-your-back "music store rep" ?

You don't have to put up with any of that mess. You know what you can do about this, and further, there is strength in numbers. You can make it go away.

+1 to everything he said. Except that many don't want it to "go away."

The one thing you didn't address is how many band directors take kickbacks under the table.

[Dan Schultz]

on facebook:
------------------------------------
band directors,

If you think that "music store rep" (who comes in to your school trying to get your students' parents to pay double-market-prices for instruments) is your "buddy", just watch what *they* do the minute *you* don't do just what they want you to do...

...from behind-the-scenes phone calls, to saying things about you that are not true to colleagues/superiors, to just-about-anything. (After all, they need someone sitting in your band room who will "play ball".)

This is the 21st Century.

As many places are there are now to find serviceable musical instruments, accessories, equipment, and supplies, what need do *you* have for someone (who has nothing whatsoever to do with "teaching your students") to get in the middle of *your* business, to manipulate *your* students, to manipulate *your* students' parents, and to manipulate *you* ?

What do *you* think students' parents suspect when they compare "your" rep's prices with online prices?

Shouldn't it be enough (for you to keep your job, and for you to - possibly/eventually - get even better jobs) for you to just *do the very best you can for your students*, without having to worry about some monkey-on-your-back "music store rep" ?

You don't have to put up with any of that mess. You know what you can do about this, and further, there is strength in numbers. You can make it go away.

In the last week.... I've had to create parts for several 'Oxford' instruments. The trumpets are likely Bach copies but the valve guides are horrible! A Bach guide will fit but has to the modified a bit. An then... the pistons can easily be installed 180 degrees off. I had a trombone come in today with a broken waterkey. Yesterday, one of the attachment tabs on a Selmer 'clone' just 'popped' off.

It might be easy for me to blame the music stores for buying this crap if the parents weren't so damned gullible. If they gave up a couple of lattes' a week, they could buy something descent for their kids to start out on.

[Dan Schultz]

Tamales.

That is all.

Tamales? I remember when I was about six years old.... the tamale guy pushed his cart down the street in my neighborhood. Thinking this was on the same order as the ice cream man, I threw a fit until Grandma finally bought me one. I remember vividly her making me eat the damned thing!

[Chadtuba]

I didn't want to punch them in the nose. I just wanted to make them stop and think.

ie. If you dance with the Devil, the Devil will get his due.

So far, no band directors have "liked" it.

There you go, at least one band director "liked it" and for the record, I fully agree. I have kicked one store out of my band room and left instructions with the office to not let them back in. I also spoke with the reps manager as to why I did what I did with the reason being the rep spoke very poorly about me behind my back in multiple emails and forgot to delete that portion of the email when she replied/forwarded something to me.

[tbn.al]

When I was a kid in South Arkansas, about 8 miles north of Louisiana, we had a local guy who pushed a tamale cart. His wife made them every morning and he pushed the cart until they were gone. They were from somewhere in South America. Maybe once a month my dad would bring them home for us. I have never eaten another tamale as good as those, anywhere, including San Antonio. Corn husks, some kind of meat paste, who knows what and a really nice sauce, not too hot.Thanks for the reminder. Great memories.

[davidgilbreath]

On my way to Bloke's to pick up the "mythical" tuba.