Not the case.

 

Is Peter correct when he accuses this blog of coming from the right?

This is a purse. It is not the case.

This is the case.

Actually, I don't know what the silly old guy is going on about. 

In my last post I said, "Prepare to move forward, in a VERY POSITIVE WAY!"

I think this statement is what got the old fellow excited. I was actually talking about personal ambitions, in my case music. At the present time I have done 311 hours of practice this year. This amount will be increased today. Remember that I showed you this video.

This is me practising very quick picking on the guitar. Believe me, it has nothing to do with politics. You won't hear a lot of guitarists play this quickly because it is something that requires concentrated practice. Quite a lot of concentrated practice.

Okay, I don't get many music gigs these days, but does that really matter? I have been practising some very interesting things on the violin and double bass as well. I have a whole way of approaching scales that I use for improvising on the violin. I show these to my students but I don't think they really see the value in what I am showing them. Hopefully the penny will drop one day.

Ah well, you can only share and hope.

This is Peter. He also goes by the name
The Curmudgeon.

Evidently his lady is not keen on him wearing hats. I wonder why?

Peter has decided that I have turned right wing in my political thinking. Maybe a guy who chooses to wear a raccoon hat processes things differently from the rest of us? Anyway, I can assure you that I will be voting Labour at the next election, which is early next month. Hopefully that statement will shut racoon boy old man up.

Well, I'd better get back to my practice. 

Ciao for now.

Out with the old, in with a preferred part of the old.

 

Okay, there have been some changes around here lately.

• I have a new computer that I'm still trying to get comfortable with.
• One blogger, Robert, has closed down his blog and buggered off, leaving behind two old chaps whom he has told many times, "I love you." He obviously didn't really.
• Our little blogging community now has a different link to the Catholic church - Angry Jesus. A good move. A very good move indeed!
• TC (aka Peter) is no longer selling communion hosts. I don't think he's going to confession either. However, he is residing in Thorndon.
• Maybe now there will be more room to talk about music theory?

Let's move forward.

A bright new sky.

Think about your passions. Are you exceptionally good at your chosen activities? Or do you really see yourself as a bit of a dreamer? Do you really have the ability to succeed with these passions? 

Well, I believe that you do, if you can close out all the shit that a lot of people will throw at you. 

You have to look at how things really work.

If you want to move forward, you've come to the right place! This blog has been in existence for nineteen years. Prepare to move into the twentieth year! 

Prepare to move forward in a VERY POSITIVE WAY!

Onward and forward!

Ciao tutti.

A wet Sunday morning.

 

Good morning. Angry Jesus left a message early this morning that said, "Hi Richard (of RBB). It's a wet morning so don't bother coming to mass."

HEY, THE COMPUTER IS WORKING AGAIN!

What's going on?

It is now about 40 minutes since the computer packed up!

I don't feel like writing a post now.

I hope you're happy with this effort.

Ciao.

Looks like I'm back!!!

 This is Peter.

He is pleased because I'm managing to post again, but I don't know why he's wearing a helmet.

Everything is a bit different on this new computer but I'm sure I'll get used to in.

Eventually.

Maybe in a few months?

Anyway, I'll have Angry Jesus watching over me.

Akish The Philistine says that he will be popping in too.

You certainly won't miss that catholic ex-blogger with Akish around to give advice. TC says that he would like to see more essays from this blog. Well, TC, Akish will be taking care of that, along with help from Mr. Nis, Mr. Hire, Mr. The The Guy and a few more of our trusty mates.

So, get prepared to sit back and enjoy!

See you soon,

Ciao tutti.

Okay, let's get on with it.

I plan to replace my computer today. It is time for an update.

I posted this video yesterday.

Peter didn't like my haircut. I'm not crazy about it either, but the hair will grow back.

EVENTUALLY.

I lay awake thinking of my four octave violin scales last night. Major, dorian, natural minor, and dominant 7th. I don't think you'd quite fit a four octave scale on the violin, though you could probably do it for G scales - just. But that's not really the point of them. the point is that you are covering all possible fingerings. It really pays off when you have practised them and you come to play improvised solos. 

As I said, I'm replacing our computer today. We've had it for a very long time. You do need to replace them once in a while. Our time has come.

I see we're down to two bloggers in our little community now as one has totally left. Well, it's great that the best two are still here! Anyway, we still have The Wine Guy, The Curmudgeon's Agony Aunt, Bin Hire, The The The Guy, Phillip Edward Nis and Angry Jesus, and there are more! Life goes on.

Well, it's guitar practice time, so I'd better go.

Ciao tutti.

Good practice makes you play better.

 

Okay, speed is not everything, by any means BUT to play fast successfully requires a lot of practice.

A lot of things improve with SERIOUS practice.

Here's me doing a bit of guitar speed picking practice...

In 1977 I worked as a secondary teacher in Taumarunui. 

There was a famous folk song called Taumarunui on the Main Trunk Line.

In1977 I wrote a song called The Taumarunui Blues.

It started...

I woke up this morning

To the sound of a train, I said

I woke up this morning 

To the sound of a train.

My alarm clock was working

But I couldn't hear it for the rain.

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  

I've got the Taum Taum Taum

Taumarunui blues

I've got the Taum Taum Taum

Taumarunui blues

I'm stuck here in Taumarunui,

Thats why I'm singing the blues.

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

Well, Taumarunui ain't a one horse town, I said

Taumarunui ain't a one horse town.

Them horses got more sense,

Ain't a single horse for fifty miles around.

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

What's the point of me mentioning this after all these years?

Well, I'd done a recording of that last verse today, but the blog people won't let me post it.

Cazzo ancora!

I'm off to do more practice.

Ciao.

Cazzo.

 

I deleted my 'nothing' posts. Well, nothing lasts forever.

I was inspired to do so by an insensitive comment by a catholic after I mentioned the passing of a friend.

I was going to post a couple of videos of me practising fast runs on the guitar but the computer is not letting me download them.

Bugger it.

Cazzo.

St. Reginald's Day.

 October the 2nd. is here again. This is a feast day that is not observed by the Catholic church. I don't know why they avoid St. Reginald. Well, it's their loss.

A lot of so-called religious people can't find St. Reginald
in this picture.

Actually, he's the one with the blue and white striped shirt on his left shoulder.

St. Reggie, as his mates often called him, believed that all souls in Purgatory should be identified by wearing a blue and white striped shirt. Evidently the 'P' on his shirt stood for Punishment. St. Reggie was a bit like a judge and knew that someone had to take charge of working the people in Purgatory out.

How long should they be there?

How bad were their sins?

Is this where paedophile Catholic priests and brothers should spend time?

Should a paedophile be in Hell?

St. Reggie felt that there was hope yet for some of these Catholic priests and brothers.

Purgatory offers many people hope.

Make of this philosophy what you will but remember that St. Reggie did get canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic church. There you go.

* * *

Wow, that was a pretty controversial topic for this morning's blog.

I think I might be better off to go and do some guitar and violin practice.

 

So long.

New Post.

 The last post was getting some strange comments, so I did a Robert.

What's a Robert?

That's when a post (or a blog) disappears.

"Yes, I do that. I like to dress 
as the pope too."

There doesn't seem to be anything new on the blogs this morning, so this post may help.

My practice for this year has nearly reached 300 hours. Nearly. I have been doing quite a bit of guitar practice. The guitar is my 'hobby' instrument. It is a fun instrument to sit and play. Hey, but I am working on some serious guitar stuff. Today I must get some serious violin practice done because I'm planning to go to a jam on Sunday and I want to be playing well.

I went to the doctor yesterday and he told me I look 64. That's about the third time I've been told that by a doctor. Ah well, that could mean a bit of time yet for instrument practice. I'll push on.

Well, that's it for me today.

Ciao tutti.

The picture I see when I think of Robert's and Peter's blogs.

 They are...

What really happened last Thursday.

 Peter rang me early last Thursday morning. He said that he was booked in that day for a RBB tour and that he had paid $5000 for the adventure. He said that he had a sore foot and would need help getting in and out of the car. He insisted that, for $5000, he wanted to be driven around in a Nissan Note. I said that I could bring our blue Toyota Vitz but he insisted on the Note. Inconvenient. Then he barked, "And make sure you leave plenty of room by the kerb. My foot is bloody sore and I don't want to bump it while crossing the gutter. Hey, and I'll choose the route I want to take." Then he added, "Bring your wife but charge her $2000. Then you can drop my fee to $3000."

I followed his instructions about parking the car.

Here's visual proof.

We set off on our adventure just after 11am. 

"Take me around the bays." he commanded.

We got to the 'round the bays' road and were soon confronted by major roadworks. We pushed on to Shelley Bay, only to find that the road heading to Seatoun was closed. We drove back towards the entrance to Miramar and drove up the hill towards old Mt. Crawford prison. More damn road works! This MUST HAVE been planned by our elderly passenger. We finally found somewhere to feed him. Admittedly, we didn't get any food for Robert, who moaned about that on a comment on one of my blog posts. Hey, I thought he was living off communion hosts. Well, he swallows enough of them!

The next day Peter flew up to Auckland. Shelley and I looked forward to a bit of respite from him, but no such luck. I got thousands of comments on my latest blog post about him travelling down country by train to get back to Thorndon. Nothing was said about the opera he had evidently gone up to Auckland to see. I don't even know what opera it was. Maybe he just went to an action movie, but wanted it to sound like he was cultured?

Well, there you have it. Make of his posts what you will, but this is the truth.

Ciao.

I interrupt my music practice to warn you of new posts from TC.

 

Yes, Peter (Aka TC) is threatening us with has promised to write two new posts today. For me writing this quick post is taking me away from practice. I did 3 1/2 hours yesterday. I'm working hard on my guitar playing and I'm also putting much needed revision into my violin repertoire.

Peter will be telling you about two things.

1) His trip to Auckland, featuring his train ride back to Thorndon.

2) His experiences the day before on RBB Tours. Expect pictures of how I parked my car.

Robert likes to get a mention on my posts. All I can tell you is that he is going to church too much and making a bit of a nuisance of himself at communion time. Peter actually wasted less communion hosts than Robert back in the 1960s! Jesus will be getting tired of Robert using up all of his hosts. I heard that he is thinking of Purgatory for Robert.

Well, that's it. I'm back to my practice.

Ciao tutti.

And remember that Jesus doesn't like you wasting these.

No work today!

YES!!!

Oops, I meant...

NO!!!

It's a chilly morning in the Nui, but it's sunny and there is no rain.

AND I'm at home.

I have done 280 hours of music practice so far this year. 193 1/2 hours of that is violin practice. The rest is a mixture of double bass and guitar practice. Not too bad. I'll be pushing on towards 290 hours today.

Poor old Peter has had a rough time lately. I hope he's feeling a bit better today. It sounds like he has finally been given the correct drugs. I had advised him of these drugs, I learnt all about them at medical school. Anyway, I think he's finally on the right path. Let's hope he's feeling better soon.

Well, time for me to go and get organised.

If you're going to work today, sorry about that.

Ciao tutti.

A very surprising event!

 Some things happen that you just do not expect!

I woke around 6.30am this morning. Really no big surprise there. I took a while to get my thoughts together. I made my usual quick visit to the bathroom for a pee. That all went according to plan. Fortunately I didn't take my phone with me, so there was really no chance of a phone mishap, like often happens to Peter. 

I lay in bed for a while and then I got up. I guess I should have spotted that something was different. I guess I was still in the process of waking up and didn't spot anything to worry about. I revisited the toilet, cleaned my teeth and had a quick shower. I forgot to mention that I also had a shave with my electric razor.

I then took my meds and put some cream on my arms and legs. I went downstairs.* I turned on the heater and prepared to write a blog post. What should I write about? McDonald Trump? Ed Sheeran and his problems? The Catholic church? The Warriors getting beaten? Yesterday's jazz jam? I thought for a little while.

Then I noticed our front door.

I quickly went and checked the back door! Both doors were locked. On thinking about it, this was probably because we always lock both of these doors a little while before we go to bed. We're not usually expecting anyone to break in, it's just a safety precaution. Having them locked probably makes us sleep feeling more secure.

Okay, so far this was really a pretty normal Monday morning, but then everything changed! 

I realised that I had nothing to write about. How was I going to hold my readers' interest? I really needed some sort of catastrophe to report, but I had nothing! 

This is when 'normal' can really hurt.

I guess I'll just have to get on with my day.

Hey, I'm really sorry about that.

Bye.

* There really are only two stairs. Still, it involves going down stairs.

Domenica.

 Would you believe it? I'm going to mass this morning!

No, I'm not.

I'm just trying to warm up a bit, by the heater. I'll probably go to the Aro Jazz Jam this afternoon. I'll give my ears a bit of a workout. I don't use written music at these jams, though nearly everyone else does. I like to use my ears, to listen and play like a singer. 

I'll spend some time this morning playing the four scale shapes for major, dorian, natural minor and dominant 7th scales around the violin. That's sixteen shapes, each scale starting on fingers 1, 4, 3 & 2, in that order. I'll play the scales with completely long bows. I'll play different amounts of notes with my long bows. 

Of this AI says, "Think about what you're doing and don't listen to me."

Peter will be up by now. I hope his phone is dry. Robert will be dressing up for mass and maybe a quick confession. "Bless me Father for I have sinned..."

I'm enjoying the heater.

To quote Spike Milligan, when he saw and heard small things on his floor reciting numbers, "It's the little things that count."

Okay, I'm off to play some scales with long bows.

Bye.

Huge, exciting news!

 This is going to make your day!

Okay, I know he looks a bit serious in his raccoon hat,

but I know that this news is going to make Peter, also known as The Curmudgeon, also known as 3P Boy, very happy!

Very, very happy!

Wait for it!!!!!!

Ah, nothing really.

Not my cup of tea.

 

This is not mine.

I went to a practice for a 'band' last night. Again, not my cuppa tea. One of today's jobs will be messaging the guy in charge to say I don't want to be involved. What was wrong? I really don't know where to start. It just didn't work for me.

Well, I have to get back into my practice mode today. Funnily, I feel a bit put off playing after last night. I'd better get over that fast!!!

Hey, the rain has stopped! It pissed down last night. Fortunately I decided to leave my double bass at home. A good decision.

Oh well, I'd better go.

Ciao tutti.

Giovedì

 You won't find anything new around the blogs this morning, so I thought I'd better write something.

My plan, after I've finished this post, is to change my guitar strings. I have a practice with three other guys tonight in a band called Art Ghetto. I'll be the double bass player, but they also want me to play some violin and a bit of guitar. I've noticed that my guitar seems to have lost a bit of its tone lately and then I realised that it has been a few years since I have changed its strings. I thought about seeing if Rob had some used strings he could give me, but then I found a brand new set in my guitar case that has been sitting there for a few years. I'll put them on this morning.

Talking about Rob, he needs to get his violin bow rehaired. If he gets in touch with Alistair's Music, Alistair can give him the number of an NZSO player who is replacing bow hair as a sideline. He's evidently very good at it.

Well, that's my little effort for Giovedì. Time to get those strings changed.

Probabilmente Peter si lamenterà del fatto che il mio blog è troppo breve o poco interessante. Cazzi suoi, Peter.

Ciao tutti.

The Loan Arranger.

 Need a loan?

You could try this guy.

No.

This guy probably won't be able to help either.

He's often referred to in Thorndon
as The Lone Raccoon.

 

Though, probably best to search Thorndon for the real guy.

Here is all about The Loan Arranger...

He was never employed by banks or loan sharks.
He always offered low interest rates and precise speech devoid of slang and colloquialisms.
Whenever he was forced to use lawyers, he never took customers to court, but instead tried to make their repayments as easy as possible.
He was never put in a hopeless situation; e.g., he was never seen as a bit of a crook.
He rarely referred to himself as the Loan Arranger. If someone's suspicions were aroused, the Loan Arranger would present his credentials to confirm his identity. Usually someone would ask, "Who was that generous man?" as the Loan Arranger was going about his business. His decision to adopt the moniker of Loan Arranger was inspired by Brent; following the ambush at Westpac Bank, the Loan Arranger was able to win people over with his sincerity—in other words, he was the "loan" ranger. Brent noted this.
Though the Loan Arranger offered his aid to individuals or small groups facing powerful adversaries, the ultimate objective of his story always implied that their benefit was only a byproduct of the development of Thorndon.
The Loan Arranger enjoyed Cleanskin wine, and always kept a few bottles at home, he kept his wine glasses very clean.
Customers were never shown in enviable positions of wealth or power, and they were never successful or glamorous. They were just regular people. Some were even Catholics.

By the way, Italian is quite different from Filipino.

L'italiano è piuttosto diverso dal filippino.

Ciao tutti.

Good morning world.

 

I know, I know. I only have two fairly regular readers and to claim I'm writing to the world is a bit over the top.

I'll start again.

Good morning, two fairly regular readers and anyone else who has popped in for a look.

Well, I didn't expect to see Brother Benedict this morning. Good thing I'm wearing long pyjama pants!

My practice currently stands at 269 hours for 2026. I'll probably start with some double bass practice today. Today is number 257, so I'm currently 12 days ahead and will be adding more before the day is over.

I haven't read my bible today. That's really no big surprise. We have a bible, somewhere on our bookshelf, that came from Uncle Steve's place. It is somewhere up there. I don't remember when I last looked at it. Probably a few years ago. I prefer to read Jack Reacher. I'm sure that Robert feels the same.

It'll be sunny in Thorndon today, so Peter probably won't write a post. No big deal there. That could even be quite a good thing.

 I think I'll head off now and have a shave and a shower. Don't worry Peter, I'll leave my phone in the living room. Then I've got a little bit of schoolwork to do.

Non ho nulla da dire in italiano stamattina.

Ciao.

Robert did something he doesn't usually do on a Saturday morning...

 He rang Peter!

"Hi Rob, this is an early call. What are you up to?"

"Richard has just written a new post! I'm so excited! I haven't read it yet!"

Peter let out a grump.

"It'll be the normal stuff. You know, me in a silly hat. Then he'll take a shot at religion. Then we'll get to hear all about his practice."

* * *

Hi all. Lynn doesn't think that hats work for Peter. Is she wrong?

Maybe there's a mention about hats in the bible?

Brent 16:22   Jesus walked down the road towards the local church. Some people stared at him. What was he wearing?

Most of the locals didn't understand English, but the few who did didn't understand what was written on his hat. "Make America Great Again?" What the Hell was Jesus on about?

A man approached him and asked what it meant. 

"Well," said Jesus, "In years to come I am sending a special saviour to a country that doesn't exist yet. This man will become its president and will carry on my good work. It'll be like my second coming."

The man who had approached Jesus was confused.

Okay, let's move onto my practice. I did some violin and some double bass practice yesterday. On violin I worked on the four octave shapes for playing major, natural minor, dorian minor and dominant 7th. scales. Yes, that's right, there are just four scale shapes but, to get the chosen scale form, you just start in a different place.

I mainly concentrated on 'warmups' on the double bass. I have a gig coming up in November and the first practice for that gig in about a week's time. If you want to know how I'll get the double bass to the practice, read my last post.

I'll certainly make time for some guitar practice today.

Okay, that's it for this morning.

Don't forget to get your practice done and don't just play away while watching the clock. Make sure that long bows and intonation checks are included in your warmup.

Ciao tutti.