October 26, 2023

Yesteryear
One year ago today: October 26, 2022, the streets of Eufala.
Five years ago today: October 26, 2018, thousands of acres, they say.
Nine years ago today: October 26, 2014, the St. Jude festival.
Random years ago today: October 26, 2011, a real BMW, sigh.

           Before we start, take a moment to admire the doll trunk. This is rough, unplaned, unsanded lumber. Anything pretty about it is from time spent cutting the pieces. There’s no latch yet. I intend to disassemble the pieces and run the interior through a very fine sanding process so it is super-super smooth. This is a random gift for the Reb meaning it must be nice for whatever she puts in it. I plan another similar box soon, but held together with dowels. I read up on the Miller Dowel product, which is nice but expensive overkill for me at this stage.

           The dominant tale this morning is the gig last evening. The music was the usual but the politics got politely heated, mostly on the other side. You see, my band is drilled to contain anything too guitar-centric and that show was an excellent demo of effectiveness. The clips are already reviewed and samples sent to the 17 people who have an interest in the process. You’ve heard some of this before, how most people are aware there is something wrong with guitar music these days, but can’t say what. Then I happen along, not only defining it, but devising countermeasures that work—and that was much of the sequence last evening. So you get the info on what went wrong. Musically, my little duo is far from great, but we utilize what we have. Importantly, we have “a sound” that is the kernel of all successful fun bands.
           Foremost issue if the gig was the guitar players present. They try their usual on you, “Can you play any Eagles?” They are testing & baiting you but 99% don’t know that. What happens is they are expecting us to “back them up” and there is a subtle shift of ballast. Once on stage, they must follow the band, that is, play what the rest of the band is playing because they can’t impose their style like they are accustomed to. Every one of them tried but they soon realized they are just another person in the band, nothing special.

           The result was not great for Bradford (the guy from Bartow), but he’s a unique case. I know he’s been avoiding putting things to the test for a while. He got on stage for one song, then high-tailed. He realized to do a good job, he had to play the same things as the rest of the band and promptly forgot both the chords and the lyrics. He royally messed up “Wagon Wheel” while the camera was rolling. There it is, the rest of the band cool as a cucumber while he is the one launched into recovery mode because the tables have been turned, that is, the much-vaunted “follow me” shoe is on the other foot.
The other guitarists were less than pleased by how neither the Prez or I pay much attention to them, because we know the music. Yes, this is rehearsed.
           It’s always an eye-opener for guitar players and there is not much they can do except play it right. How do I know what is right? By the same method they use and with the same authority. If you are not a musician, don’t imagine any of this is confrontational, it is not. But there is a protocol that musicians are cool—a fact all too often used by guitarists to confine opposing viewpoints. You might say we are merely giving them a chance to practice what they preach.
           You could do it their way, but before you do, look over my decades of stats. Such a band will last four gigs, at which time the members figure out they are what’s really being played on stage. I would not be surprised to hear five such bands form and break up every month in this area. It’s the trial-and-error approach, where my band focuses on the music that keeps things on a more even keel.

           Now that we’ve met the host, I do know him from Karaoke and he’s low-energy. He was only too happy to let us play most of the two hours. Then again, a couple of floozies came in and one still had quite the figure, although she talked a lot about her daughters. They are not from around here and he spent a lot of effort chatting them up. He played mostly standards, including two Eagles, and we chose one to accompany him, “PEF”. That’s bass talk for “Peaceful Easy Feeling”, This will test our learning, as the original is A and Jim plays it in D.

Picture of the day.
Miller “stepped dowel” system.
Remember to use BACK ARROW to return to blog.

           Let’s do some shopping and listen to the audio-book in the van on this fantastic winter day. First stop was the lumber place for a tin of Minwax pecan stain, they had my exact color. But the display rack and available colors is half the size it was not that long ago. This is happening with all kinds of products with stores stocking only what moves well. Next, I picked up some extra air couplings. It’s become cheaper to buy the whole piece rather than the brass adaptors. I will make this a lazy day, though I already did some woodwork, sanding, and would you like a papaya shake? There’s lots.

           I had three papayas turn yellow, move fast once they start. The tree grew so tall it requires an extension ladder to harvest, but I remember that pole thing JZ had. Maybe I can rig something up as ladder climbing ceased to be a favorite around here long ago. I’ll exercise my retirement option to sort of vegetate today. It’s powdered milk, so you get the calories without the flavor, but I laced it with coconut milk from a can. So it has that gymnasium juice bar flavor.
           To keep track, this concoction has a powdered milk base, other than that it is health food. When ripe, these are perceptibly around half again as sweet as the grocery kind so I did not add any turbinado. Also, you get only the very best scoops of juicy sweet center, shown here. There it is in the blender, the first time I’ve really enjoyed this fruit. Help yourself.

           Let’s look at the news. Nothing. Just the usual paid anti-Trump smear campaigns and fake headlines. My favorite was “Ex-Trump Lawyer Pleads Guilty in Election Fraud Case”. Powell was never Trump’s lawyer, just an outspoken supporter, and while she winning a trial concerning election fraud, she plea bargained a lesser charge on some other matters. The Bidenistas are in full panic mode, knowing these old tricks are having no effect on Trump support—and he is now winning by 60 points in a race where 6 points is success. And, several of the staunch Democrat northeast States are so disgusted with Biden, there is really only one other person they could vote for wh stands a chance. America is angry.
           That’s why a headed out to the shed and puttered. The neighbor’s lawn tractor had another flat, so I strung out the hose and soapy water, but we could not find the leak. I say it is the seal and I can’t fix that. Then I cut my hose to repair a leak that kept kicking in the compressor and found I have the wrong size repair coupling. Duh. But I got two layers of pecan stain on the box and the hinges installed on the doll trunk. That trunk goes straight to the Reb for storing important stuff. I still have no good procedure for getting hinges to fit right every time,

ADDENDUM

           I’ve not made the investment decision, but I’m beginning to like Gab for the aspects of free speech that get it banned from other sites. That would include ethnic humor, biting sarcasm, and an easy manner toward criticism. They have this feature called “block” that infuriates liberals, so I love it. You can adjust the level of block at setting like “mute” but I say just crank it up. The libtards cannot add comments or view yours and it makes their blood boil. Being forced to leave others alone flies in the face of libtardism everywhere.
           The Jihad Name My Band has gotten so hilarious, I need to post a list of my favorites. This Muslim type with a guitar posted the challenge, I don’t know the circumstances. But the replies are priceless.

1. Mecca Death
2. The Throwing Stones
3. Sharia Twain
4. Quran Quran
5. Rage Against the Crusades
6. Sunni & Cher
7. Iraq & Roll
8. Jihad Me At Hello
9. The Beheaders
10. BananaRamadan
11. Jew Fighters
12. Allah-Hu-Rock-Bar
13. Bricks ‘n Spears
14. Kill-Her Swift
15. Bomb Jovi
16. Shawl & Goats
17. Camelback
18. Iron Mujahadeen
19. Allahbama
20. Allah In Chains
21. Birkha Bacharach
22. Keith Turban
23. Allahs Cooper
24. Procol Harem
25. Stoned Templar Pilots
26. The Bestiality Boys
27. Palestinian Light Orchestra
28. Twisted Ishtar
29. The Moody Jews
30. The Martyrs & the Poppas.

Last Laugh