Meanwhile.....back at the Bootleg gig...

Baz, Baz, Baz, did we BOOGIE or what????!!!

Yes-Sir-I-Can-Boogie-Bag x

I would have to see such a thing in the flesh to get some ideas rolling. I would not want to do ANYTHING upon the basis of purely what I read about. Outside of the AB there are other music clubs that I've found out about - in Bristol there's an excellent little Piano Club that have a very detailed homepage. I'm sure there are similar things in other UK cities too. Again, in the uncultured West Midlands there's nowt (that's on Google anyway).

And we knew most of the words, too

Indeed. I was in the same position when I organised the first one seven years ago - the only similar event I'd heard of was in Washington DC and I thought that was a bit too far to travel, so I set one up over here....

We did, Baz, indeed we did. However, at least you didn't tell me my singing was "good" enough for me to go on the X Factor..........

Bootleg-Bag x

I've had that too. It was someone in church, and I think they were being nice.

Am with you there, kj......

ahem.....

The-X-Bag x

Is it safe?
Feeling like a right stay-at-home!

I still have it in mind to hire Lucky Voice in Leicester Square, London, for a forum karaoke night

Well, Tenor Viol, watch out for the Bootlegs near you! (Although, of course, it's more fun with forum friends to boogie on down with at their gigs ).

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah...

A quick Google suggests Stoke on Trent next week or Manchester or Liverpool in December!

I have the small matter of a Vaughan Williams Sea Symphony and the Garden of Proserpine to sing next Sunday, with an extra rehearsal on Saturday, so might have to leave to December....

Manchester's is at the Bridgewater Hall and Liverpool's is at the Philharmonic Hall. Liverpool looks easier - it's a Friday.

You were great

(I didn't know most of the words but the few I did know...... )


btw it was good to meet you at last Bagpuss

William Byrd. Again.

Lucky you...

Finally I've had a good day (after almost 3 months of ######). Entered local festival in duet, French composer and senior recital classes and won them all with scores of 88, 90 and 90. Winning wasn't what I went for. It was for the experience of performing and getting constructive feedback, but if course it was nice to do so and has given me a much needed boost :-)

Lovely sun, mountains, food, friends... and a completely wild jam session on anything percussive we could find.

I had 14 gymnasts (plus coach) learning dance moves in my garden yesterday for 3 hours and they were so well behaved..... I was a bit anxious and although my 15 year old son said he was intimidated as they could all kick him in the head 3 times before they landed it was lovely to hear kids (mostly teenagers) working so hard, giggling and enjoying themselves.....Who said the youth of today are a nasty bunch?

The coach is only 21 (and a British Champion), but he gave up his afternoon for free to help them.

I also saw a friend who dropped her daughter off for gym, who has terminal cancer and she looked a 100 times better than when I last saw her 2 weeks ago and although nothing has improved for her- she is at least feeling a bit better......

Well done Appassionata : sounds like you're comfortably on the right sort of tracks!

Why would anyone describe a 'working class' area as a hellhole?

We live in Co. Durham, which is not known for it's middle England snobbery, and there are plenty of musical events and opportunities around here. Granted that London and the south-east have more, but then the density of population around the capital is much higher, so musical events tend to be more viable.

To balance this, we are outnumbered 10:1 by sheep up here, we don't get much traffic, and the air is cooler and fresher than in London, but I am not complaining.

SB

Well not exactly happy, but I had to smile at this ! http://uk.news.yahoo.com/video--dog-######...rufts-2012.html

Edit Oops thats doesnt seem to work , I will try again in a mo !

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/video--dog-######...rufts-2012.html

No good ! It was a dog doing the agility test at Crufts and halfway round it stopped to do a ###### ! Instant disqualification !

Seeing one of these in our street this morning.



It may be a publicity stunt but its a good one.

SB

an email from my library telling me my book has come in

Was wondering if your 'happy' would be something to do with your lip...

Blossom on the trees.......

A 2 hour folk fiddle rehearsal!

it is rather better today thanks

Having a moderately peaceful day at home - exhausted after yesterday's gig at musiclearninglive...

Just had a call from my band conductor asking me to move from 2nd to 1st clarinet!!

Congratulations.

Thanks sbhoa - it's good to know he thinks I am improving!

I'm happy improving away on 2nd. Though sometimes I wonder at the logic of keeping two people on first with erratic attendance.
Very occasionally I get to play first when all three are missing at rehearsal.

Got my holiday booked - at a time I can manage and a price we can afford - though we will have to keep searching to find cheap enough travel to get there.

Going to Orkney. Don't want to drive there (not from Cambridge! though we'll probably hire a car in Kirkwall) and OH can't travel long distances by coach for the same reason he can't fly - too prone to DVTs. So it has to be a train. As we're staying in St Margaret's Hope on South Ronaldsay, there's a nice ferry from Gills near Thurso, but the timing means that we have to get on the train the day before and sleep on it.

Still, I have a little over four months to grab a bargain ticket.

(I've been to Orkney before, on my own, and started a cold as soon as I got there. I remember I was absolutely gagging to go to Skara Brae, and when I got there it was a grey miserable day amd I was feeling lousy, and I felt - nothing. So I'll have another chance. I was also told last time that I'd missed the puffins by about two weeks)

I have maybe overstated my achievement - I should have added that this is only the training band and there are at least 5 players on each of 1st, 2nd and 3rd parts!! My aspiration is eventually to make it to the Senior Concert Band, but this is at least a start!

Congratulations I've recently moved up to 1st at my training band too, difference is, we only have 2 on 1st, 1 on 2nd and 1 on 3rd (when everyone turns in).

Happy tootling, and good luck with moving into the senior band

Well done, whatever band it is!

Thanks Louise and congratulations to you too!

Orkney must be a wonderful place to spend time in. The train jorney through Scotland is also spectacular.

I spent a few days on Iona during March about twenty years ago. The population of the island at that time of year is about 65, (most of them Monks), and nothing was ever locked. The nearest light polution was from Oban, which is about 50 miles away and on the other side of a range of mountains, so the night sky was just amazing.

I just wish we could switch off the street lights around here. Perhaps then we could enjoy the Aurora Borealis without the constant sea of orange.

SB

Thank you





Hope you have a good holiday Little sis has just moved to Shetland, looking forward to visiting at some point but can't believe the fares across to the islands


My happy for today - being able to play my clari again

The Lord owns the sea and all it contains, but the isles; they belong to McBrayne's.

(Well, it goes something like that!)

SB

having a good driving lesson with minimal stress/panic did a nice bay park in Tescos which was nice seeing as how my perception of straight needs some work My driving instructor has very nicely found a really quiet corner so I can practise reverse round a corner in calmer conditions after the first attempt that left me shaking for the next hour! Then I really enjoyed the show me, tell me questions, particularly under the bonnet! I love it! The smell was amazing

seeing a fantastic concert/gig at the college i'm at featuring my course tutor and his best friend.

i don't think violins are supposed to be played through amps.

Happens a lot these days : buskers do this frequently

finally managed to remember all the elements on the periodic table in one go to complete the quiz

http://www.sporcle.com/games/g/elements

I can remember up to number 42 or 43 in order but after that it's a bit random.

I know I'm strange, You don't need to tell me

Off for a long weekend tomorrow to daughters (and a Hertford Symphony Orchetsra concert) tomorrow.

Wont be on line until Wednesday (just poss Tues evening)

I shall be doing just that tomorrow....it depends how good your pickup is!

Getting another job application in (18 pages long!!!) ...even though I know I don't stand a chance

Having so many nice new pieces to learn across the instruments that I really don't know which to do first!!

lambs and daffodils - ahhhhh spring is here

....and blossom on tress.....


and a pupil who had made masses of progress......

Yesterday....went to a masterclass given by the festival adjudicator.....he is the guy that chooses the ABRSM piano syllabus and an examiners trainer/moderator. Very interesting session, illuminating, and very inspiring too. Apparently he's just finished picking the pieces for the 2015 syllabus!

Watching a gannet repeatedly diving for his lunch. The descent is so fast with wings outstretched, then at the very last moment he turns into an arrow-head shape and enters the water with no splash, and resurfaces a couple of metres away. Could have stayed all day, but unfortunately the gannet didn't.

my examiner ringing me.... so I know that the exams haven't been 'deleted'...

my 13 yo daughter being lovely company today

having my hair cut

catching up with a friend.... a lot to be thankful for