@ShiroKuro Yes, it's the last (in my book, not chronologically) Nocturne op. posthumous. No. 21 in C Minor, KK IVb/8. An issue with reading vs memorizing is the need to spot large jumps, especially in my left hand. So my eyes come off the page and need to return in a split second to where they left off. I'm working on some blues music in hopes that it helps me improve my left hand 'marksmanship' without looking as much. Another issue is the brain power needed to read... but on the other hand, if I memorized there would be the brain power needed to recall. So I guess that balances out. This week I'm working on setting up 'clues' so I don't need to have my brain racing so much while reading. (For example, noticing that every other 8th note in the first half of the first page is almost always a G, and it doesn't stray far from there throughout). I had actually taken note of this at first readings, but fell out of consciousness at some point. Re: page turning. It's only two pages long, but last week I played from photo copies so I could avoid the page turn. Made a huge difference. Will be doing this from now on. Link to video

@Axtremus I remember this, from back when my kids also found it amusing.

@jon-nyc Have you read The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón? Novel set in Barcelona, 1945. Murder, madness, doomed love… My friend said it was a must-read. I enjoyed it, but maybe not as much as she did.

That's weird. Both vasectomies and tubal ligations are reversible with high success rates, which makes it hard to understand the 'regret' argument.

@Daniel said: @bernard Wasn't it Citizens United (the irony and sarcasm can't be lost on many) that declared corporations are people and can give whatever they want to candidates? Not quite. There are still campaign law limits that cap the amount any person (corporate or natural) can give to a candidate. But they can spend an unlimited amount supporting that candidate via their own messaging or other efforts.

Love old coins.

Good for you. I love Walmart+. I couldn't live without it.

We have sink holes. I never heard of one taking anyone's house personally but it happens.

@bernard Speaking about the global trade in oil, as I said in a different thread, our gas at the pump rose from $3.50 to iirc $4.75 in the last two weeks. They'd better do away with pennies if I'm not going to be worried about pennies. Jeez.

When I was learning Bach's First Contrapunctus from the Art of Fugue, I listened to various recordings - and after I had it in my hands, I started playing the piece while listening to recordings. It was illuminating - and helpful. I learned how different artists phrased and accented the piece - and tempo variations that I didn't fully appreciate while listening to them perform the work. It was VERY helpful. My teacher who chaired the piano department at the American Conservatory liked for us to listen to performances and recordings of works we're working on. The best it can do is give on some ideas. As for "imitating" a master, that would require having their technique. On the other hand, one of my favorite pieces is Albeniz's "Evocation". I play it more luxuriously than any recording I've ever heard. Decades ago, I played it for a pro classical pianist - and she told me she loved what I did with it. Nice thing about not having to perform for a competition - is one can occasionally break the rules a bit. More recently, I learned "Standchen" by Schubert/Liszt. I fell in love with the way that Khatia Buniatshvili plays it. Still, I again have played along while listening to her through headphones - and gotten some ideas. No one will confuse my performance with hers - but I have stolen some of her ideas. work.

I do get Tangle but haven’t been reading it recently. I did read this - thanks for posting it.

I received a message from the Universe. It said, "You need to be silent now. The time for words has passed, and the time for action had arrived." Who am I to disagree? ; So, from today, I will occasionally send private messages. Be well, everyone!

@Big_Al I can't remember what I did exactly, but I read about it and got advice from people on PW. In the end it was super easy, and I didn't do anything special to protect the parts outside of the logo. It may be because this is a Yamaha, and the finish is probably as indestructible as you can get for a piano. ??

Well, what I read and listen to (stuff about real estate and about the economy in general) seems to all be pointing to a consensus that we're about to hit something like the 2008 situation but structurally different and even worse. I hope I can buy real estate soon because frankly it's so low here now I don't care if it goes lower. I was paying my rent today and Mr. Monopoly the owner was at the office. He was very friendly because he remembered meeting me when he got parked his car on the road and got out of it a few months ago, and I was likewise. It's all fun and games until the land you live on gets sold to private equity.

It's scheduled to pass through my area on July 11th. I'll certainly make an attempt to see it if the trackside crowds aren't too enormous. Big Al