I have had two attempts at a comment deleted from Rob's blog 'Mostly bible'.

Here's the comment I tried to leave.

I tried twice, but each time it was deleted.

A natural consequence of this is that I will not provide links to Rob's current two blogs and I will delete any comments left on mine. Hey, that's just common sense - how the world works.

Arricederci Rob.

The sun is slowly rising over the Nui.

 I slept in until about 6.30am this morning. It's 7.05am as I begin to write. I have a quiet day today. Nothing really planned at this point, except violin practice.

You'll notice that I always use that picture. It's the latest picture I have of my violin. Practice will be pretty much as usual today. Like the picture, I guess - nothing different. 

Now I can't think of anything to write about. That's alright because it seems that only Peter reads this blog and he's busy down south. I hope he's not making a nuisance of himself at the local tennis club. I had a quick look at Robert's blogs. Yes, he has two now. You can get to one from the LINK on this site. The other is quite hard to get onto. That may be a deliberate tactic to keep atheists away. I'll leave my LINK there, but I think I'll change its name. I haven't decided what to call it yet - you'll have to find it.

I guess I'm sort of writing this post to myself, but that's okay, I like the process of writing and it's a nice way to wake up in the morning. I think I'll have to start leaving thoughtful comments on my own blog. Yes, that sounds like fun. 

Peter would probably post a 'humerous' picture at this point. Let's see what I can find.

Yes, that's definitely up with Peter's level of humour. Well done, me!

I wouldn't mind popping into Wellington today and getting a new block of rosin. This is the one I am using...

It's about $60. Maybe I should just get a cheaper one locally. Yes, I think I might do that. I think we are planning to have a look in the Dowse today and maybe the gallery in Upper Hutt. Really a medium priced rosin would do the trick. 

Well, that's just about it from me for today. I don't really need a shave, so just two Ss this morning.

Ciao tutti.

No Comments expected today.

 

Hey, that's alright. My old mates Phillip, Bin, Rick and The will probably pop in at some point. We don't hear much from Robert around here and Peter has buggered off to Christchurch. 

It's a cold morning in the Nui, probably warmer for Phillip and Rick up north. Bin and The will have their heaters on though. Looks like I'll get to spend some time with my grandsons this afternoon. That'll be nice. It's work in Upper Hutt this morning. I've got to introduce the troops to those string orchestra parts today. We have a concert coming up halfway through term three. I hope they're all keen. Time will tell.

Not to be confused with William Tell.

I only practised for 30 minutes yesterday. Today will be a busy day too, but I'll try for at least an hour. 

I bet that The will be getting his practise done.

The The The Guy

I'm not so sure about Bin, he's a busy guy.

Bin Hire

I'd better leave you there for today.

Work calls.

Ciao tutti.

A scary thought.

 

Peter is off to Christchurch to have some fun. On one of Rob's blogs, Robert left him with a scary thought - Peter had made a statement about his 'funny religion'.

"Don't forget that you are a baptized and confirmed member of that 'funny religion' too."

Once a catholic, always a catholic (yes, I purposely didn't use capital letters)?

Is there no way out? That's like getting a tattoo or losing a leg. Peter was a baby when he got his 'tattoo'. He was never given a choice. His confirmation happened when he was a child. Again, I can't imagine that he had a choice. I lived through those times and know what nuns, priests and Marist brothers were like. So, how does one remove the stigma of baptism and confirmation? 

Look at it this way - I'm like an escaped prisoner. An ex-prisoner of war. I took my beatings but then I escaped. Let those brothers, priests and nuns try coming after me now! 

Hey, I'm here. Come and get me!

* * *

Today is Bbm7 Eb7 Abmaj7 day. The last of the twelve II V7 I progressions. I won't keep doing this routine of one a day, but I will keep randomly running over them. I'll also concentrate on the chord charts for my four chosen solo pieces - that's a lot of chords! 

That's it for this morning. Enjoy your trip, Peter. 

Ciao tutti.

Wise words.

 

This does not apply to any of our bloggers around here.

However, it is something that we all have no doubt experienced. If you listen to what someone has to say, they'll probably see you as an interesting person. Thanks Rowan.

Peter (aka The Curmudgeon, TC and Geon) is off to Christchurch tomorrow. Best wishes to him and let's hope he has a great time. I don't think he'll be able to write blog posts while he's away but Rick (Bagno Plumber) and RBB will keep things rolling along. Pope Robert I is on my LINKS list, and he writes posts regularly, but it's quite rare to see him comment on another blog. 

* * *

I have chosen four pieces that I'm practising to play solo, two are originals and two are jazz standards. Playing solo can work well if you supply different devices to keep the timbre interesting - a strong melody with nice long bows, 3/7 chords or just plain chords to remind the listener about the harmony, arpeggios that also keep the harmony alive and interesting solos.

Today is the second to last day of playing through II V7 I chords with 3/7 chords. Am7 D7 Gmaj7 today. I know this progression very well, so I'll also practise chords from my four solo pieces (as I have been doing).

* * *

I guess that I should go over and leave a comment on Rob's latest post, just to be friendly. Maybe that will encourage him to leave a comment or two elsewhere. Have a great time down south, Peter.

Ciao tutti.

I heard it through the grapevine...

 

...that Father Lion has taken to adding commandments. 

Father Lion giving a sermon.

"I give you a new commandment. Love one another."

I guess many people will be busy rewriting The Bible. 

"The 10 11 Commandments."

Father Lion won't be involved with that because he's too busy writing a book.

""One in our midst: honouring Mary in the 21st Century". *

*Note for RBB and TC: Fr Lion is donating all proceeds to the Home of Compassion."

Did Father Lion tell Robert to inform us about that? Or did Robert just think it was important? Maybe his money would be better spent training priests and brothers not to interfere with children?

To borrow a word from The Curmudgeon, "Sheesh!"

* * *

Okay, it's that day with the Abm7 Db7 Gbmaj7 (G#m7 C#7 F#maj7) progression, but first I need to do more work on that arrangement for the school string group. I want the students to feel comfortable learning it, so I certainly won't be writing it in Cb Major! Actually, if you know your four violin major scale shapes, no key is that much of a problem.

* * *

It's a very wet day in the Nui, so tennis is off. Not that I mind, because I don't play tennis. Peter wrote a comment on his own post where I think he is trying to compare two concepts.

"AI Overview, blah, blah, blah, Yes, that's fair. It's like the similarity between AI and 3P I guess."

If that were really the case, AI would write everything in Latin. I think that, in 3P, students were taught Latin and lots of quotes from famous people who lived in past centuries that they could throw into a discussion or an argument. 

I think we were better off in 3G, with bookkeeping and French.

Okay, I'm off to try and get that arrangement finished. I'll visit 'il bagno' at some point. I won't bother with a shower, and I don't need a shave, so it'll be just the one S this morning.

Ciao tutti.

1928 Porter.

 Check it out HERE.

Well, it does make as much sense as Christianity.

Today is Gm7 C7 Fmaj7 day.

However, tomorrow will be Abm7 Db7 Gbmaj7 day. Or, if you prefer, G#m7 C#7 F#maj7 day.

Abm has seven flats, but we'll be using the Dorian version that only has six. On the other hand, F#maj has six sharps. This is where knowing your four possible major scale (and mode) positions really pays off! If you're not sure, Abm7 is the Dorian mode of Gbmaj and Db7 is the Mixolydian mode. That makes it pretty easy. On Tuesday I'll practice the last of the 12 II V7 I progressions. Then I'll probably start again.

Good to see a new post HERE from Bagno Plumber. Peter enjoys his posts. No post, so far this morning, from Rob. Maybe he slept in?

It'll soon be light in the Nui. I have a violin arrangement to do for the 'string orchestra' at one of the schools I teach at. It's quite a big job, so I'd better make a start. I'm doing an arrangement of Manha De Carnaval and it needs to have parts for good players and more beginner players. I'd better make a start. 

Ciao tutti.

Wally Gator is a swinging alligator in the swamp...

 Watch HERE.

Wally was off to tennis later in the day and had found that playing in bare feet was not good for his feet. He decided to buy some tennis shoes.

The trouble was that they were rather expensive. Then he saw something that took his eye and could work perfectly for an alligator.

He asked the salesman in the shoe shop what they were called. The man told his that they had many names:

• Zories on the East Coast.
• Clam diggers in Texas.
• Slippers in Hawaii.

But they were originally referred to as flip-flops. The salesman also knew that they were called plakkies in South Africa and thongs in Australia. Wally asked him if they would be good for playing tennis in. The salesman, who just wanted to get the sale done, answered, "Yes, they'd be great." Wally bought them.

Later that day, at tennis, he found them clumsy and they kept falling off. He finished up playing in bare feet again. He thought to himself, "If I were a bear, I could have played in bear feet."

Sometime, in the next few months, Peter is going to write a post about his new tennis footwear. Perhaps the above story will warn him about buying jandals as his first choice of tennis footwear. It's good that he got rid of those silly boots he bought. I can't really see those working for tennis.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see what he comes up with. Keep yourself busy, because it can be a long wait for a new post from Peter.

* * *

Today is F#m7 B7 Emaj7 day. I thought about this progression in bed last night. I found the positions for 3rd / 7th voicings quite quickly. Looks like those Atomic Habits are paying off. 

I don't get many gigs (almost none, actually), so I'm presently working out arrangements of some of my own compositions as solo violin pieces. Maybe I'll play them at an open mike night. I have two influences - how a guitarist would do it and how Paganini would do it. I think that, while you're throwing in some fancy stuff and backing chords, the melody must be strong, with nice long bows. It is important to make the melody stand out. Maybe Peter is secretly working on something similar on bagpipes?

"This hat will make me look classy!"

Robert is probably busy playing that cello concerto that he talks about and lots of hymns.

"I wonder if Peter would
consider lending me that
silver hat when he moves
to Moera?"

Well, that's it from me for today.

Ciao tutti.

And, as God said to Moses, "Don't forget to take the tablets."

 

Malcolm was a bullfrog
Was a good friend of mine
I never understood a single word he said
But I helped him a-drink his wine
And he always had some mighty fine wine.

"Hey mate, Tom here, I have a direct line to Jesus and I know stuff. I'm pretty sure that the bullfrog in that song wasn't called Malcolm."

* * *

Okay, let's get down to business. Violin practice.

Today is Fm7 Bb7 Ebmaj7 day and I'll be running over the 3rd / 7th chords that come from these three chords. I usually practise scales and II V7 I progressions by going around the cycle of 4ths but, just for a change, I'm moving up through semitones on these ones. 

No cycle needed.

Remember how yesterday's progression was Em7 A7 Dmaj7. Peter would have remembered that.

Okay, here's a little tip if you're running 3rd / 7th chords over II V7 I progressions. The II chord will contain the root note of the I chord - your two notes for the II chord (Fm7) are Ab and Eb, so the Eb tells you where to start. There are only two possible voicings for this chord progression on the violin. See if you can work them out. Peter, you won't need your bagpipes for this.

No Peter, you won't need your 
tricycle either.

* * *

It is nice to see Robert leaving some comments here. He says he leaves them at morning tea time, which is probably quite early for him because he gets up very early. I do read his blog posts, though I did find today's post a bit confusing. The title is "God has raised up for Israel one of God's descendants." He must be talking about Paul. It'd be a bit easier if Paul had a surname. Something like Smith or Jones. It seems like Protestants are messing with Rob's thinking. "I've had Protestants act as vessels of God; correcting my thoughts and behaviours." This is a bit mean of them, when you consider that he cleans one of their churches. Personally, I can't recall having much trouble with Protestants. Though, I must admit that I don't know what they're protesting about.

* * *

I'm going to try to tidy up a bit of our section this morning then, later in the day, I have to take the Vitz to have two new tyres fitted. It's booked in to go to a mechanic, but there is a bit of a wait for that. Fortunately, I can drive Shelley around in the Tone. The clock has just hit 7.01am, so I'm off to get organised for the day.

Ciao tutti.

The Cycle of Fourths.

 

My second practice task this morning, after some long notes, will be to play today's II V7 I - Em7 A7 Dmaj7. These three chords are all a fourth apart. The cycle of fourths shows up in music a lot. For example, the first four chords in Sweet Georgia Brown are D7 G7 C7 Fmaj7. Hang on, my one reader won't be interested in this! Remember his last post?

It is on a post labelled 'Boring'. There was nothing else in the post. Just this copied cartoon. He has so far had one comment, from me, because I'm a nice guy. Robert, tells us we have to love everyone...

"In the Gospel Jesus tells us He loves us and we must love one another. Not rocket science, but a lot of people including Christians have a lot of trouble with it. He didn't say 'just a little' or 'don't go over the top'. LOVE."

...but it seems that his love is conditional. Ah well, the usual catholic bullshit. 

I don't know why he needed to make a comparison with rocket science. After all, rocket science can be explained, whereas christian religion is all about the guessing system they call faith.

I think I need to visit the bathroom. Back soon.

* * *

All done. I'm back.

Okay, I'd better go and get ready for work. The first of the three Ss is done. Two to go. Enjoy your Wednesday.

Ciao tutti.

Does this look like a man to you?

 

I suspect that his real name
is Tom.

I really do condom Rob supporting transgender people on his blog. Unusual for a catholic.

John 33:64 Jesus wandered among the people and neither men nor women were wearing pants. He admired some breasts and thought, "Only a dick would get in the way."

I think that, if Rob doesn't comment on my blog in the near future, I'll remove his name from my LINKS list. 

Ciao tutti.

When you're only getting comments from one person there is a good chance that only one person is reading your blog. This means that you can really write whatever you like.

 Jesus is a sausage.

This is what Robert said on his blog about Peter, "I wonder if in TC's model of morality there is a culture that condoms hypocrisy?"

The catholic church is full of sinners. Through no choice of his own, god has decided to fill heaven with atheists. "Hey, overall they're just better people." he said.

On Rob's blog he puts up permanent pictures of people and makes them say whatever he likes.

"I'd rather wear a condom
all day than listen to some
of the shit sermons at mass."

Here's a good recipe that Peter shared with me.

Fried egg recipe.

Put a little oil in a frypan and heat it. Get an egg and break its shell on the side of the frypan. Put the inside of the egg into the frypan and cook it until the part that is not yellow goes white. You can sprinkle pepper, or something else, over the egg if you want. Some people don't condom doing that. Enjoy.

That's my post for today. If you don't condom this post and don't leave a comment, I don't give a folk.

Shower tutti.

So, what's up on the blogs?

A comment from blogger Rob is a rare thing.

Often, well just about all the time, there are only two bloggers commenting.

These two young chaps (though Peter [aka The Curmudgeon] is quite a bit older) are keeping the blogs alive.

Well done boys!

I have quite a busy dad today. I need to get two new tyres onto Shelley's car, I need to book that car in for repairs, I'm taking an elderly neighbour* for a Covid injection and I have one of my regular appointments at Hutt Hospital. I'm also taking time to write a blog post AND I commented on Rob's blog.

Oh yes, and there is practice to do.

Today has an easy start because the scales / chords are Dm7, G7 and Cmaj7. You see, I'm working my way through the twelve II V7 I progressions - this way no chord gets overlooked. Yes, yes, I also practise other chords like I7b5, V7b9, V7#9, #11th chords and the rest. 3rd / 7th chords take a bit of practice on the violin because, say you're heading for Dm7, there is no D in the chord to guide you. 

If Rob were reading this, he might ask something like, "How would you play over a D7b9 chord?" Well, a good thing to do is to use the notes from a diminished chord, using the b9 as your starting note. For example, D7b9, the b9 is Eb, so use the notes Eb Gb(F#) A C. Remember that there are only three sets of diminished chord notes - C Eb F# A, C# E G Bb and D F Ab B. Each set works over four chords. Isn't that easy! 

What if your instrument is the bagpipes? Well, good luck there, and don't wake the neighbours!

That's just about it from me for this morning. I hope you enjoyed this post. I know that Peter is very curious about violin practice. That's why I bother to include a few hints on practice. 

I wonder if Rob is dressing regularly as the pope?

Ciao tutti.

* Yes, there are some people who are older than Peter. Just a few.

Sunday, but I won't be going to mass today.

That's probably going to cost me another mortal sin, but what the hell!

I've got some people coming to lunch, so it'll require an early visit to the supermarket. However, I will fit some practice in.

Practice comes first. The video is just me mucking around with some ideas. The computer made me shorten its length. Hey, it was originally only 55 seconds long! Anyway, I'd better get this day organised. Enjoy your day.

Ciao tutti.

Sì e io sono il papa.

 

Okay, okay, enough about il papa. Enough about Donny too! 

Time to get on with life. I've got the AA battery guy coming at 8am. Just by chance I checked the WOF on Shelley's car to find that it expired last November! My excuse? This happened in the time I was sick. It appears that both warrants ran out. Our mechanic died and his business closed down. J B Motors was great and sent us a reminder each time a WOF was becoming due. I guess we got used to this system. Once I saw this expired WOF, I rushed down to the WOF place in Seaview. I wrote a musical called 'Seaview Appleby' many years ago that was performed by St. Pat's and St. Catherine's Colleges.

There's a story that's told

In the township of Appleby,

That on a clear day

A sea view is at hand,

But if you know the facts

It doesn't add up very logically,

From 56 miles inland.

But back to the present. They found quite a few things wrong with the car, including the fact that the battery was nearly flat. I decided to take a risk and drove it home. I made it. Now I have the AA battery guy coming this morning. At least that makes the car driveable because I obviously need to get it to a mechanic. 

It should be light within the next half hour, so then I'll move the Note (my car) onto the road so that the AA guy can get up close to the Vitz.

Okay, what else can I tell you? 

I see that Pope Robert I left a comment on one of my recent posts. It tells us that he was smiling and says something about his/her 'LQGBTUBNRDVJGDF- status.' That's probably a catholic joke.

Peter? Well, he quite often writes things like, "OK, here's a comment for you." Hey, not all the time though. He also writes things about Trump and the new pope. Though, I did enjoy the video on his last post (May 9th.).

Well, I guess that's it from me. I'm guessing that no one wants to hear about my violin and double bass practice. Philistines.

Ciao tutti.

Two similar surnames.

 

P  R  E  V  O  S  T

P  R  O  W  S  E

How many letters are the same?

P  R  O  S  E

How many letters are different?

W  V  T

Five out of Eight. Robert deserves to be pope or, at least, vice pope.

Old Robert Prevost has gone with the name Leo XIV. I guess that leaves the title Pope Robert I free for, you guessed it, Robert.

Have fun boys, but don't cross paths with Pope Robert I.

The two faces.

 

Pope Robert I x2