Good to hear from you, Carol! How are things? Still chasing all the dishy men for miles around?

Flute or violin? I want to play both...

Edit: one of my housemates has just got home so it will have to be the violin with a heavy mute on. Poor flute...

Does your housemate not enjoy the sound of your beautiful violin playing?

Compromise. Play the violin but flautato!

They say they don't mind me playing. But playing isn't the same as practicing, and I feel really uncomfortable practicing with people around because I always worry it will sound awful. I don't like playing my violin with other people around because I don't think I'm good enough even for playing to sound nice and my flute's too loud to play with other people around. I'm trying to be careful of the neighbours as well...

I like this idea, very much indeed

Sounds interesting!

I just put rags in my hair. The curls that have resulted from this in the past have always been way too weird looking, not proper loose curls, but I live in hope (and separated larger chunks of hair this time).
If it doesn't work I'm giving up on curly hair forever.

We had bright sunshine a minute ago. It's now chucking it down with rain - and I mean really heavy rain.

*warning: possibly silly question from non-violinist coming up*

What is flautato?

It's a direction for string players to use the natural harmonics of their instrumment to create a 'flute-like' sound. I'm sure that if you were to do a search on the term you'd find it was mentioned also in a thread earlier this year.

I'm no string player either but I was mad enough to learn ALL the terms listed in the AB Guide to Music Theory when preparing for my grade 5 theory exam. In the end I got asked for the meaning of con spirito and a couple of others I knew before even embarking on the journey to learn them all!

Nevertheless, I just knew they would come in handy one day!

A mention of Alfred Brendel on another thread just now reminded me that my piano teacher said Brendel was rather sartorially-challenged when he last came across him at one of his concerts, to the extent that an unknowing steward coming across him hanging around near the artists' entrance might have requested that he move on!

I recall seeing the LP covers to Glenn Gould recordings, where Gould was dressed in heavy overcoat and gloves, possibly looking out on the wastes of Canada, again looking rather tramp-like.

On a similar note, there was an old Polish cartoon I saw many moons ago which showed a couple of folk walking along a pavement, hearing some solo Bach violin music. As they rounded the corner they saw a tramp with long hair and beard playing the said instrument. "Wonderful music, but boy is he ugly?!"

This happened several times more, with the same exclamation, "Wonderful music, but boy is he ugly?!"

The tramp had had enough of the comments and decided to get his hair and beard trimmed. Consequently all the soul disappeared from his playing and all that emerged from his instrument thereafter were screechings and scratchings.

So of course he subsequently let his beard and hair grow back again, back to its previously dishevelled state. "Wonderful music, but boy is he ugly?!"

The forum will be free from rambling rants and random comments from the romantic tenor for a few days - we're off for some peace and quiet to Alnwick. Barter Books here we come........

Why do I never learn to go to bed at a reasonable hour when I have work the next day?

I was thinking the same yesterday morning, although I wasn't having to get to work. I had to be in Kingston by 10am and only woke up at 9.15am. Oh well, I got there by 10.30am and at least everyone was in a good mood so did not mind too much.

Must learn to go to bed before midnight sometimes......

I've made that a new year's resolution several times and never kept it... I just lose track of time

Can't say I've been a morning person for a long time either, I'm more alert late at night and it's when I do my best playing

I have always prefered start early and finish early.

Yep, that's best in the summer especially I don't know what happened, I think that having a few jobs in the past where I had to work night shifts permanently messed up my body clock as I was always up at 6am without any worries before that. Nowadays I literally have kick myself out of bed!

Wine makes you say the silliest things! Think I've actually volunteered to cook Christmas dinner for 13 people this year!!

Can I come too?

yeah why not?? New forum event, Christmas at mine

Stick a cork in the end of a trumpet, fill it with beer! Hey presto, mini yard of ale!

Now that sounds like a plan!

Thank you dahling x

Oh yeah, baby

Indeed - and even catching some of them

Best use for a trumpet *runs*

How very dare you!!

I asked for a Blueberry muffin and was given a carrot cake one. It isn't very nice.

Why did you take it?

I didn't realise until I started eating it.

Have a lovely break! We were in Alnwick for a day last summer, but spent almost all of it at the castle; we are great Harry Potter fans.

Looking forward to hearing about it when you're back online.

The MP for Middlesbrough South has died suddenly. Does this trigger a bi-election like it normally would or, in view of the forthcoming general election, do they just wait? The general election hasn't been announced yet, so does that mean they have to start the bi-election process and then abandon it when the general election is announced, or do they hold the bi-election and then the general one really close together?

Something similar happened in Wirral South some years ago. We had a by-election, but I think there was more time than there is this year before a General Election had to be held

I'm upset because someone called me an emo. Does that make me an emo?

If you were, you'd be too sad to post and spending your time in the dark, hiding from this heartless, despicable world etc etc

So what will it be? Turkey or goose?

I've got the time, I'm going to try and cross a couple of Turkeys with octopuses, then everyone can get a leg!!

sorry

Like that one!

How many shopping-days ....?

I think it's 243 based on a six day shopping week

This housework/coursework procrastination must stop!!

Oh, I'm definitely coming along!!! I want to see what these turkeyopuses look like!!

I've just noticed my town is now available on Google Street View

...and if for some reason we can't make it, I think we'd like pictures

Most definitely!!

Lunch break in front of the forum

I'm being very healthy today. I have a tomato, a carrot, a piece of cucumber AND an apple.

(and some other food too... )

Hmm, so chips and tomato sauce, carrot cake and apple pie then?? can't think of how to make cucumber unhealthy I'm afraid

You're not actually that far off the mark Juniper

Does "random hair pins stuck into curls" count as a style? Otherwise I may have to rethink...

It sure does!

Yay!