WTF-Beta

Dave is always good. I remember a column he wrote on dating. Sent a copy to a friend - and the next thing I knew it was being faxed all around the country.

I had two for a while - a Yamaha U1-Silent Piano - and a regular grand piano. I sold the Yamaha when I didn't think I needed to worry about the disturbing a roommate, but then for the same reasons, I bought a digital piano where I can use headphones.

This just confirms my previous sense that even collectively, this group fails to match my quotient of weird. I am clearly the Charles Foster Kane of WTF.

It's a game we can all play. When I was a child, my parents had something like 9 televisions - of which we used 3 and some were original to the 1950s and didn't work. They also collected empty boxes - cuz you might need one someday. Sadly, I've got those genes - maybe you have to a lesser extent.

How many lamps (not counting wall or ceiling fixtures) do you have in your living room?

Me - 24

How many colanders do you have in your kitchen/pantry?
8 that I know of.

Feel free to chime in on your living room lamps or colander collection - but also join in and add your "gee, I wonder if I have enough ______ in your house." Don't think of mentioning compact discs. Wondering how many wing tips Doug has....

@ShiroKuro said:

I have never attended a HS reunion. Has anyone else here gone? Does anyone go regularly?

Nope. We had a 1000+ graduating class but don't believe any of my closer friends attend so not much point to catch up with people I didn't know back then.

Heh... It depends on how much you like/love a piece. CDL is one of the few pieces that even non-classical music lovers know and love. Even once you have all the notes down, there's a gestation period before you really get to work in the depth of the piece.

I think I spent forever learning the 1st Contrapunctus of Bach's Art of Fugue. It was a real slog through a tropical jungle with some swamps along the way. And a couple of years hence, I'm still learning from that journey - sorting out touch and tone issues that I didn't capture the first round. And it's only 3 pages long!!

Personally, I would keep at it, but perhaps down the intensity of your focus - just settle for a measure or 2 at a time. As for the jury, maybe take a stab at something easier - but I would encourage you to keep some effort on Clair de Lune.

Having said that, I know longer think about learning a major Beethoven Sonata. i prefer to learn a prelude, mazurka, song without words, waltz, Bach pieces - or recently, Standchen by Schubert/Liszt - still a relatively shorter piece.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

@RealPlayer said:

Ms. Kluurs sounds high maintenance.

Her lungs can shut down. It's amazing how sensitive she is to dust in particular - but fragrances can set her off as well. We have to be careful.

As for maintenance - not a big deal - and she puts up with me. I think most sane women would be putting a pillow over my head while I slept within a couple of months of living with me.

Yup - old people. A bunch of college friends suggested getting together for lunch. I was thinking, "that will be nice. There are a lot of restaurants i'd like to try." Email came back with the restaurant selected - "Mother's Day Restaurant." Now, I realize that does sound awfully highfalutin - but sadly, you'd be mistaken. My first thought after hearing the selection was "that's a restaurant for old people." Second thought: "You are an old person." Third thought, "I was a little embarrassed years back when my parents wanted to go there." The circle of personal humiliation has come full circle. Oh yes, it was everything I remembered - except now... I belong.

I'm thinking of trying it - though Mrs. Kluurs will not wish to surrender an inch of property to a non plant-based item. Perhaps, I can squeeze it under the porch....

Ok. Spouse left town Wednesday morning - back on Saturday morning.

Kluurs is on a rampage - of cleaning as spouse is deathly allergic to dust, cleaning products, aerosols, smoke, etc.

But first - need to replace the wax ring on the t-bowl. Should be a 30-45 minute project. Wasn't. My fault, I decided to use a new fangled product that was wax-free and would last as long as the pyramids - maybe longer. Leaked the first 5 installs. So...off to the Home Despot. 45 min project was multi-hours. Spent the rest of the day - washing tiles, tub, floor, ceiling, etc.

Day 2 - "Day of Dust". I had hoped to do dust day as part of day 1 - but.... So day of dust went well though birds were a bit annoyed at the vacuum. As part of day of dust, shampooed the carpeted stairs. Washed towels and anything that looked cloth like.

Day 3 - Redid some of day of dust stuff as somehow I was seeing things on the carpet that should have been gone. Wrapped presents for spouse's birthday - and birthday party for friends. Journeyed halfway to Canada (not really) to pick up a small (very small) piece of fused glass that would look perfect over Mrs. Kluurs's art desk. made a side trip to downtown Chicago to pick a gift. Washed walls in kitchen and went to friend's birthday.

Day of Return - Plan a run in the a.m. shower and pick up she who hates dust. Pray that no dust remains in the house. Windows have been open - central air fan has been on for 3 days. Baking soda in bath. I know it will be a failing grade - but can only hope.

Don't ever leave us. You know how we get.

Nokbox sounds good for me. We've put things off - too long. I kind of want to make sure we have an up-to-date will in case we both foolishly leave simultaneously - and then do a trust for a more thoughtful exit - as that will take some thoughtful effort and time.

@AndyD said:

I think you may discover Earl Spenser is a lying, moneymaking, adulterer, with his own agenda. His newly published book certainly has a number or errors, where the truth is something different from what he remembers & writes.

Good to have your perspective. Like many, I was saddened at Diana's death and felt sorrow for her children. Most of us can't imagine the world they live in - which is part of why books like his spark such interest. That he would have an agenda is not a shocker. That people say ill-considered things at times of despair and sorrow is commonplace.

4.79 - not sure who I displeased. I really haven't used it much lately though twice in the last week.

I do the 54321 for the third chord. It's only an octave, but yes, I do find my self leaning to the right a bit to make it comfortable.

All of Doug's, 17 of the top 100 of the 21st century.

Lots of good news here. Happy to hear everyone making progress. Bernard - argh - hard to give up an instrument. Yes, the cello is an amazingly resonant instrument. I've had a few cellist play in our living room. One of the Chicago Symphony cellists played a few times. I loved his playing because he played as if he were performing in Orchestra Hall. Sitting five feet away from him, you really felt the cello in your chest. From a completely different standpoint, the chief cellist of the orchestra toned his playing down for the size of the room. They both were beautiful - but personally, I loved the over the top resonance. Similarly, my piano is overpowering for the room. When I am playing, the lid is completely down. That helps me a lot when practicing. On the other hand, when someone else is performing and the lid is up, it sounds great from the side of the piano. I'm sure the piano is happier when one of the pros is playing.

@AndyD

Image Size: Approx. 26.5 × 34.5 cm (10.4 × 13.6 in)

Nice picture, Bernard. You - and he did well.

This is a recent picture I purchased. It's at the framer's. I may pick it up tomorrow. It's a work by a Japanese artist who passed away a couple of years ago named Tanaka Ryohei. It's titled, "Kamo Road".