What Are You Doing Right Now?

We are staying home. Our dogs are 14 years old and no one wants to take care of them anymore. They are afraid something will happen while we are gone. Cody only has three legs and his only back leg is getting weak. We have to help him up the 3 steps into the kitchen. Finally got him to not try it on his own. Now trying to get him to bark to let us know when he is ready to come up. Off now to finish checking out the forums.

It is hard when our furry companions get older.

Listening to the news and posting on the forums before hubby gets home. Also doing laundry!

Waiting for a client, someone who will pay me money to learn Access. But he is late and I fear that all the wonderful things I was going to buy with his money will remain on the store shelves - sigh...

But I have news! Perhaps you will all share in my excitement. I have accepted a position teaching Mathematics at the Moore Haven J S High School in Glades Co, FL. Moore Haven is notable for four things: It is the only incorporated town in Glades Co, the population is 1,600, the major employer is Wakenhut Corp who runs the Moore Haven Correctional Institution (I'm not making this up), the major festival Chola Nikta (spelling uncertain) was first held to commemorate the paving of the main road in 1949.

Wish me luck!

Storm tracking. we're supposed to take the Key West ferry from Ft. Myers to Key West Saturday morning at 8:00 AM, which I bet won't be running due to soon-to-be Hurricane Dennis (Friday, winds strengthening to 30 knots & gusting, seas to 12' and very rough. Saturday, tropical storm conditions possible). Hotel rooms aren't refundable; ferry offers credit, not refunds. Just paid for a 2-day vacation that probably won't happen. Oh yeah, I turned down a wedding for Sunday because I was going to be out of town...

remembering

Remembering what?

Drinking coffee and checking the forums. Need to get outside and start arranging the patio. We built the pegola top on the patio yesterday. It turned out pretty good for a couple of people who didn't know what they were doing. Now to straighten everything up, hang some plants and some windchimes. Need to get some material to weave through the top for extra shade until the plants grow over the top. Hope everyone has a good day.

Learning "Hava Nagila" on the great Highland bagpipe for a Jewish wedding on Sunday.
No, I'm not making this up...

That's not going to be easy, man. The modal systems don't match -- you have that pain in the neck augmented second in the song (called "ahavah rabah" mode). You would probably have to flatten it out to a plain minor scale. I'd love to hear how you do manage it.

Has anybody ever experimented with creating a fully chromatic chanter? I can see how you could fudge one with a basic recorder body and fingering.

Hava Nagila for bagpipes

I just got this request about 11:00 PM last night for a gig this coming Sunday. The first and second parts sound nearly identical, as do the third and fourth parts, so I'm working on a simplified, condensed version; two parts, with repeats (the last two parts definitely don't work on pipes!). Best I can do on such short notice, and the bride's mother says that even a few (recognizable) bars of it will be a hoot.

As someone with a music background (I played in school bands all throughout my schooling), I would say that looks very complex.

"...that looks very complex."

It is. When I get a moment, I'll write out and post my simplified version.

For better or worse, it's now fully spun up on the pipes. Tomorrow's wedding set will be:

"Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms"
"Hava Nagila"
"Murdo's Wedding"
"Wings"
"Boys of County Cork"
"Wearing of the Green"

No repeats except on "Hava Nagila", they seem to segue pretty well one into the other, and will hopefully be sufficiently Irish for the groom.

Emmet, you stay pretty well busy with those pipes! I am impressed!

I am playing catch up and listening to Highlander radio.

I am finally catching up on what's going on with CR after a short absence. I'm also at work. Guess what I'm doing though???

I know some of the older members may remeber me back when I graduate school and was slightly out of a job right? Well I got a job since then. I've been working at the local news station as a production assistant (running master control and recording shows and all that). Well after about 5 months of employment I have been promoted to news director. I will start training to direct the news in two weeks.

I'm going to Colorado to visit family and when I come back I will start directing! Wahoo! How awesome is that???? I still have to discuss pay with my boss though. I always feel so weird about talking about my pay with my boss. Ugh.
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