WTF-Beta

Chicago has a tradition of poor leadership at the mayoral level. Both Mayor Daleys did some good things - but left the city in poor financial shape. Rahm did a reasonably decent job of improving the image of the city, focused on tech and education - and made some hard calls to address the financial situation in the city - but the city is still struggling in that area. Daley's giving away the parking meter business really f'd the city long-term, a legacy that perhaps no one can fix. He's smart, tough, articulate, disciplined, strategic -but I'm not sure how well he does with unifying as suggested by Bernard - some parts of the coalition might not show up for him.

One thing that would be interesting is he has no love for Netanyahu - that could be a deal breaker or maker for some.

Good here as well

I was just thinking of him last week - and wondering why he hadn't been posting. He always seemed very outgoing - and asked if I traveled to SD to stop in. He has a lovely family - sad.

You da best Keep celebrating your birthday

Performance classes are great. I haven't been in one since my 20s - and understand your dual feelings of joy/angst over the class. I hope you make a recording - love to hear you.

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.

@DougG said:

yeah, I pretty much download books to my iPad and that’s it.

But that’s just me, I can’t speak for the older set…

Yeah, and I remember you telling us about when all the tablets you read were made of clay.

And here I thought you were talking about when Adam and Eve were showing the fence around the Garden of Eve to Doug.

The quest for a piano is fun - do try them all. If you've got it in your budget, NYC is a great place to see everything even if you don't buy in NYC. If you'd like an upright and unconstrained by price, do include Bosendorfer in your quest. But frankly, Yamaha and Kawai make some very fine uprights.

If you go to high end grands, you're talking some big money - and value can often be found in the previously owned inventory - especially in down markets.

Wish you both the best in the coming days - do take care of yourself as well.

They were making money delivering Amazon packages but a certain President threatened them helping to build the case for Amazon to develop their own network for delivery

Always scary. A long while back, I was running with a young guy on a very warm day. Our group would run 4 miles before stopping at a park, let everyone catch up - and then run the last half of the run. In any event, the young man and I were the first people there having run pretty hard. He turned to me and collapsed in a seizure. At that time, I didn't carry a phone. It took a couple of minutes to find a person with a phone - called an ambulance and got him to the hospital, notified his grandmother with whom he was living. In speaking with him later, he had medication that controlled the seizures but stopped taking it because 1) he didn't want the expense and 2) he wasn't certain he needed the meds. Lesson learned that the meds were necessary - and while we offered help with expense, he said he'd be good.

So sorry to here this news. Prayers for you both.

My father was born in Canada to Canadian citizens, lived there about 2 weeks and then moved to the US. I applied for Canadian citizenship about 6 years ago and now have joint citizenship there. It took over a year.

With you Steve. We humans are weird in the things we're attracted to. I think the days started better watching Captain Kangaroo than listening to the news. There's some comfort in that. Best to get out of our houses - and take a walk in the forest - or look at the stars from time-to-time for a counterpoint to the madness that exists outside. Find a quiet place to retreat to from time-to-time.

It's a brave new world. That's for sure.

I've had some success on FB Marketplace - buying and selling fitness equipment and some electronics -BUT I've also given away a lot of things - and have more to dispense with. Last night I was giving away some Arcteryx and other high end gear at our running club - but it is amusing that some folks are funny about things - even if gently used or in a few cases new. Didn't want to even look at the stuff. They're above that. Ok - whatever...

He did a few humorous things for TikTok