Monday the 8th.

What's new?

Well, I'm at the computer and the heater is on.

Peter and his phone are probably in the bath.

Robert is probably cleaning a Baptist church. Or is it a Hindu temple that he does on a Monday?

Today I'll definitely be practising the chords to Besame Mucho. There are some tricky ones thrown into what should be a pretty straight forward progression. Obviously I'll be doing other violin habits too.

Peter is running out of time at golf. I wonder if he'll go, and take a couch, today?

Those couch legs could sink into the grass a bit.
Especially if it has been wet.

Robert tells us, on his blog, that it's Mary's birthday today.

Not too bad for 2043 years old!

It has been wet in the Nui, but it's not looking too bad at the moment. I've got a couple of things to do this morning. I wonder if Robert is practising Manha De Carnaval? That's the tune that he wanted to play at my gig last Saturday. I said, "No."

Well, that's about it from me. Pill time is coming up. Not a bad post from someone who had nothing to say.

Sii gentile.

The violin lesson.

 

Okay, as you know, I've spent a week playing solo violin in an art gallery. I actually got a lot of positive feedback but, for me, it was all about the positive experience of spending a lot of time with my violin.

My violin.

Robert came in yesterday. He flicked through some music on my stand and settled on a piece called Manha De Carnaval. He put his hands out to take my violin. I said, "No." I knew that he was going to sightread this piece. Hey, it's an easy piece to sightread. I refused to hand over my violin because he had missed the point of my experiences during the week. Hey, anyway, I already know how that tune sounds. 

Those little 'habits' that I practise every day have really paid off. I'm also into playing the violin like a singer sings and copying the approach of a solo jazz guitarist. To get really inside a solo piece you have to really know the chords and their voicings. You have to find good sounds. You have to listen beyond the obvious chords. You have to stretch out a bit.

This piece is called Nature Boy.

There was a boy
A very strange, enchanted boy.
They say he wandered very far
Very far, over land and sea
A little shy and sad of eye
But very wise was he.

And then one day
A magic day he passed my way,
And while we spoke of many things,
Fools and kings,
He said to me,
"The greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return."

I think, yesterday, I probably played my violin for close to three hours, if not longer. The instrument really started to feel like it was part of me. I'm going to try hard to really increase the time I spend holding my violin and, hopefully, my double bass. I'll also play as many tunes as pop into my head - thinking like a singer would. 

Today is pack up day, at the gallery, so I'll be spending my time with a hammer, scissors, a knife and plyers. Then a bit of putty and paint. I won't be taking in my violin, but I will have a good play before I go. I'm also popping in to see my two best friends Harrison and Henry. They still live with their mum and dad, so I'll wish dad a happy Father's Day. Ha, ha, I always feel that it should be called Fathers' Day because there are a lot of fathers out there. 

That's it.

Sii gentile.

Nature Boy.

 

I've boosted my unaccompanied violin tunes to 12.

 

I've added Billie's Bounce (F) and Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Bb). The unaccompanied tunes (no backing track) seemed to go down well yesterday. Well, I got some very nice comments. I'm going in early to Thistle Hall Gallery this morning, and will do my Atomic Habits practice there, while it is quiet. Rob is coming in at 2pm. I'll be there to see him.

Good that Peter found his seat at golf. 

Peter's seat.

It must be quite a job getting it into his car. Maybe he tows a trailer when he goes to golf?

I read Rob's latest post. He tells us that his god loves us and that he gave us a moral code. Evidently being kind isn't such a good thing. Rob talks about Adam and Eve like he doesn't believe in evolution. Ah well.

It's nearly time to take my pills. Each week my Prednisone pills drop by one pill. I only have to take 6 today and for the rest of the week. Then it's 5, and so on.

It'll be quite a long day at Thistle Gallery today. I'll plan to get away by 4pm. I'm heading off at 8.30am to pick up Zach. I guess I'll get quite a bit of violin playing done.

That's it.

Sii gentile. 

Back to Thistle Hall today, con il mio violino.

 Peter has left snide remarks about me busking and making a nuisance of myself.

The lady running the venue yesterday had a different opinion.

No, I don't get any money - I'm just helping out a friend. In fact, it costs me $30 a day to park, before other expenses. I've actually enjoyed the performing practice. I'm presently extending my unaccompanied (no backing track) violin repertoire to 9 tunes. That's about 45 minutes of playing. My tunes are Besame Mucho, Nature Boy, The Accordion Lady, The Immigrants, The Orange Blossom Special, An Irish Medley, Manha De Carnaval, Sweet Georgia Brown and Oh Lady Be Good. Remember that this is when I have to play like a solo jazz guitarist - supplying chords and arpeggios with the tune and solos. 

The Irish Medley sort of came to me the other day because my daughter is presently in Ireland. Plus, I have a very good Irish friend who likes to hear some tunes from the old country. I'm using The Irish Washer Woman, Garryowen and Danny Boy.

I don't understand Peter's latest post. It's just a picture and a quote, "I didn't get where I am today by using acronyms. Begone social media trolls!" 

It has a title that says, "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!"

An acronym is an abbreviation formed from the initial letters of other words and pronounced as a word (e.g. NASA).

I wouldn't have thought that, with a readership of two (when Robert is around and he often is not) he'd be very concerned about any type of reader.

Ah well, I guess that's the way they do things up in The Rei.

That's it from me for today - I have violin practice to do. Got to do those Atomic Habits.

Don't waste your time reading The Bible, get your practice done.

Ciao tutti.

Playing at Thistle Hall.

 

I'm going into Thistle Hall each day this week. I help out with any 'maintenance' and play background music on my violin, to create some ambience. The 'maintenance' might be little things, like moving an artwork or removing an unwanted picture hook or tidying something up. My main self-appointed job is to play the violin. I play background music to add to the atmosphere. Sometimes I have a backing track and sometimes I don't. Sometimes I just walk around and play unaccompanied, supplying my own chords and harmonies.* Rob hinted that he's popping in today. 'Performing' like this has been good for my playing. It's obviously different from practising or playing at home. You're putting yourself out there. It's good to be doing that.

So, it's Thursday. Rubbish day in the Nui. I'll head into Wellington around 12.30pm. Parking is awkward. It is easy to get a park at the top of Cuba Street, but you can only park for two hours - for about $10. I tried to repay yesterday, but the machine wouldn't let met.  Maybe I'll park further down Cuba Street today and then move the car closer after two hours? Hey, as I say, there are plenty of empty parks up there. 

Shit! Peter will want some pictures! I nearly forgot!

Bassoon.

Tricycle.

Empty beer bottle.

That should do it.

Actually, I will do some violin practice this morning. Why? Because, as Pablo Casals said, when he was caught practising in his nineties, "I think I'm getting better." 

Well, there we go.

Hey, remember that worrying about sin all the time is a very silly way to waste your time.

Ciao tutti.

* Not all 3/7 chords, Rob.

Rob read my last post and left a message!

 Peter was probably busy drying his phone, but he did leave some comments too.

Because Peter is so old,
I'm assuming that his phone
is more old style.

Rob said he'd need more time to reread my info on tritones and stuff.

Fair enough.

I played solo violin, with backing tracks, for two solid hours at the Thistle Hall on Cuba Street last night.

I played jazz with a little bit of Italian music. The crowd seemed to like it. I'll pop back into the gallery this afternoon and play a bit more - just to give some atmosphere. 

It's fun to get a chance to play out.

I have work this morning, so I'll drive to Upper Hutt at around 7.30am. That gives me time to do a good violin warmup before my students arrive.

Warming up (with little habits) is very important.

Okay, that'll do for this morning.

Don't get hung up on sin and the teachings of silly religions.

If you want to follow a god, go with Zeus.

Ciao tutti.