There is something about the ukulele that just makes you smile. It makes you let your guard down. It brings out the child in all of us.
For me it has been a busy morning. Dear Alexa woke me up at 7:30. I wanted to fall back to sleep, but, instead, I dragged myself out of bed and went downstairs. Henry is always first so he went out, and I fed him. Next I managed one paper and a cup of coffee before I had to leave for my first ukulele lesson. That’s right, a ukulele lesson where I strummed and sang Day-O in C and F. My fingers, three of them anyway, had indentations, preludes to future callouses I hope.
Following my lesson, I did three more errands but was still home by eleven. I don’t think I have ever finished a music lesson and three errands so early before this. I’m exhausted. Really, come on, 7:30?
My computer adapter, the one I bought a few months ago, has stopped working. It could be something else, but I’m thinking this looks all so familiar. I tried the four USB ports and different plugs. No go. I ordered another one. I am using my iPad.
Last night was downright cold. Tonight will get colder, down to the 30’s. I’m not ready for winter.
When I was a kid, I used to pretend to smoke on really cold days when I could see my breath. I’d hold the pretend cigarette between my two fingers and wave my hand in the air as if I were talking and smoking. I would take deep breaths and exhale the smoke. Years later I did smoke but was never as flamboyant.
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November 7, 2019 at 1:55 pm
Happy Joni Birthday Day, Dead Lenny Day
These two giants in the pantheon of KTCC mega stars see their planets collide today. I saw Joni on the Mingus tour but I did not see Lenny and probably wont. I own Joni stuff and will happily argue that “Court and Spark” is her greatest work but am willing to concede ground to “Hissing” (if just for the swimming pool photo), “Don Juan” (it was a memorable gift when I had very little) and “Blue” (The last time I saw Richard was Detroit…)
I bought the original Lenny album and realized it was music to jump off a bridge to, and that was that.
Both of them have brought great pleasure to many. We remember them today
Tonight I head to the Chapel for our Service of Remembrance. I have had a week full of losses that I will reflect upon together with the long lost folks. Perhaps there will be a brief chance to hum something Lenny..
November 7, 2019 at 7:06 pm
My Dear Hedley,
I had to chuckle at your opening salutation!
I think her greatest work is Blue followed by Court and Spark. My sentimental favorite is Clouds which I had with me in Ghana. We played it just about every night.
Their planets collided far earlier. They were together for a year or more. A Case of You is supposed to be about Lennie.
How about Halleluia.
November 7, 2019 at 5:05 pm
Hi Kat,
Your fingertips will shred before they get calloused. Ask me how I know this. 🙂
I’m on my third adapter for this mac. The wires wear at the point where the cord joins the mag plug and also at the usb end. I’ve decided that the cord just can’t protect the internal wires at those stress points. This time I taped both ends of the new cord with gaffer tape to strengthen it at those two points. So far so good. Thumbs are being held and fingers are crossed.
I did the same thing on cold mornings and also smoked later on. Possibly half the reason people do smoke is to watch the smoke come out of their mouths and noses. Set free the inner dragon. 🙂
It was grey and damp but no cold. Now it’s colder and raining.
Enjoy the evening.
November 7, 2019 at 7:52 pm
Hi Caryn,
Okay, how do you know about fingertip shredding?
THis will be the third one for me as well. The first one lasted years while number 2 lasted only a couple of months. Gaffer tape? I haven’t ever heard of it. I’ll put it on the list.
I didn’t love smoke out of my nose. It just seemed a strange feeling, almost as if I was expelling a ghost.
The rain is on its way. The weather said it would be down here last. It has gotten much colder.
November 10, 2019 at 12:57 pm
I know about finger tip shredding because I took guitar lessons as a teenager. So much shredding that pieces of skin could sometimes be found stuck to the strings. It was an interesting process watching the shreds turn to callouses. In a gross kind of way. 😀
Gaffer tape looks like electrical tape except it’s not shiny plastic. You can also buy little spring thingies that will do a similar job of keeping the cords from crimping too much at the point of attachment. Here’s an Amazon link for one but there are lots of other types.
November 10, 2019 at 10:39 pm
Thanks for the link to Amazon. I bought one of those springy things and a tuner for my uke. The teacher suggested the tuner.
I will be happy to see callouses grow. Anything is better than shredded fingertips!!
November 8, 2019 at 12:43 am
So much to love here: anniversaries for our Canadian friends, an amazing live Leonard, ukulele…. You’re learning ukulele! This is tremendous.
November 8, 2019 at 12:21 pm
Rowen,
I have a lovely ukulele, and I’m set for 5 more lessons then I can take another set for intermediates. There is something neat about a uke.
I love these songs.