Classical Guitar Can Kill You

I've been wanting to take guitar lessons again for something like 10 years, but I could never settle on a style. Should I continue with classical guitar, or take up with a slide blues guy, or just give up my soul and learn some horrid bubble gum pop series of chord progressions and sound like your local youth music minister. Ughhh...!
What I really wanted was a teacher who could interpret and work with the following rambling desires - I wanted to learn to be comfortable on the whole guitar (not just first position and the high e). I didn't want to be tied down to music like in normal classical lessons. I wanted to learn enough about the guitar to be comfortable in any style, and to feel free to noodle around on my own, play some familiar tunes, and eventually write my own stuff.
Well, today, 5 minutes into my first lesson with my new teacher -- I will call him "David" (because that's his name) -- I realised I had stumbled on to the best teacher possible -- because David is a recovering classical guitarist. He knows his stuff, having taken 6 years of classical guitar at CSUF (funny enough, we had the same teacher -- another David), but once he got out, he realised that classical guitar sucks...you can play all kinds of "esoteric" (as he put it) pieces of beauty that nobody knows (don't get me wrong -- I like listening to that myself now, and again) but you can't play anything else. Without that music, you're lost. You can't jam. You're in a musical prison.
Just like I felt. And, now I've found my key that's going to get me out of the music book and into improvisation. It's wierd how things work out like that sometimes. Now, I've got to go practice.

Toasted Multicultural Treat

Toasted and buttered English Muffin
Russian Spicy Mustard
Feta Cheese
Whole Green Chile

Mmmmmm.......

Dubious Support for Teenage Marriage

One of the many odd bits of dialogue from Breaking Away, a movie about
a bicycle racing and growing up in a small college town.

A straggly haired boy in t-sirt and bell bottom slacks meets up with
his girlfriend on the stairs in front of the large granite courthouse:

Mooch: Hi! Sorry I’m late.
Nancy: You look nice.
Mooch: Your hair looks great! What do think they’re going to ask us?
Nancy: Well, nothing we can’t answer, I suppose.
Mooch: Wonder if I have to have a job.... to qualify?
Nancy: I don’t think so. I think it’s mostly blood and relatives that they’re interested in.
Mooch: Blood and relatives? Well, that’s great. I’ve got both of ‘em.
Nancy: Aww, fudge. You know what?
Mooch: No...what?
Nancy: I only brought four dollars.
Mooch: Huh, well it’s only five. I tell you what...we’ll go Dutch..
Nancy: On a marriage license?
Mooch: Sure, why not?

30,000 Steps

Gnarled trees surrounded by fields of manzanita stand and watch as hikers like my friend and me gasp out the final half mile on the trail to the summit of Mount San Antonio. I doubt that they have much sympathy. Their twisted tortured trunks and limbs give evidence of the fierce fighting that goes on each winter.
Four and a half hours gets you to the bald head of this tough old mountain where piles of rocks seem like a sweet place for a lie down and butterflies come to bless your acheivement.
The roasted almonds and animal crackers you brought seem a lot less tempting at 10,064 feet than they did down in your living room. The Dr. Pepper that you lugged up the trail tastes divine, even though it's been thoroughly warmed in your pack.
The air is thin up on top, and so you descend, giving back the elevation gained with sweat and struggle.
Vistas unimaginable down in the urban haze tempt you to stop, but the cool crystal mountain stream two miles down the trail sings a song that your feet can't ignore.
Back at the trail head, you might look up back towards the seemingly unreachable summit and wonder...were you really all the way up there?
Old Baldy has treasures in abundance, and he doesn't give them up for free; he exacts a demanding price. But he is faithful and will repay you efforts with deep blue skies, sweet air, and memories that will bring you back.

Hmmm...is this a good thing?

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Yesssssss!

You Are an Espresso

At your best, you are: straight shooting, ambitious, and energetic At your worst, you are: anxious and high strung You drink coffee when: anytime you're not sleeping Your caffeine addiction level: high

What Kind of Coffee Are You?

Gannet

oughtredgannet01
Originally uploaded by beniy_w.

Some of you know that I've been thinking about building a boat. Well, I've finally picked the design and ordered plans for Iain Oughtred's ~15' Sailing Dinghy "Gannet."

It's a sweet design, and hopefully when it's done, will also be a sweet ride.

I've got the woodworking thing down, but, now I need to learn to sew!

Book Memmme

Finally!....Gosh.

Total Number of Books I've Owned:
It feels like a kabillion, but it's probably more like ~2000+
I got rid of half a kabillion books last summer at the Bookman in Orange and the La Habra Library.

Last Book I Bought:
I just ordered a book on Boat Building by the Gudgeoun (sp?) Brothers that emphasizes strip plank construction with epoxy. It seems to be a really cool cost effective way to build round hull shapes. Wood combined with epoxy has a stiffness to weight ration that way outdoes steel, aluminum and fiberglass.

Last Book I Read:
Hmmmm....I've been reading LOTR since Pascha. Before that, I had just finished The Count of Monte Cristo and Watership Down ?(Can't remember which one came last). The Count was a solid bit of reading, but I'm not into it like Chance. Maybe it's the translation. I am also continually dipping into books on boats and sailing.

5 Books that Mean a Lot to Me:
I'm with Chance on this one; you never really know about a book until you've read it more than once. A lot of these are repeats from other people's lists, but I guess that makes some sense.

1. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien have both been my constant companions since I was in fourth grade. I've read them both about once a year or so since then. I read The Hobbit to my fourth grade class every year, and I'm currently on my way again to Isengard with Gandalf and Theodan after the Battle of Helm's Deep. What keeps drawing me back? I know the story cold. I don't have anymore real questions to be answered. But, there is a beauty of place and culture and character that makes we want to repent and create more beauty in my own life. That's my key definition of a great piece of art.

2. The Silmarillion, also by JRRT, deserves it's own place on my list. It now lies at the top of my personal list of fictional works of art. The story of the creation and fall of the elves and of their dreams and their doom spans thousands of years all taking place ages before the events of LOTR and in a realm of Middle Earth that is now under the sea. Myth and piercingly beautiful english prose makes this worth reading again and again. (Plus, their are so many new names and places that the first reading is really just like a good stretch before the real marathon.)

3. Watership Down, I've already commented on in a previous post. Let's just say it's a kick ass read that doesn't get any less powerful the fifth or sixth time around.

4. The story of Ernest Shackelton and the Endurance. This real life adventure of trauma and heroism would be impossible to believe if it weren't true. Just one of the many amazing feats these men accomplished to reach safety after having their ship crushed by the grinding ice of the Weddell Sea near Antartica, is an open boat journey of 800 miles across one of the most treacherous oceans on the planet.

5. There are a ton of books that should probably go here, but right now Harry Potter has earned the right, because it's the one series of books that I'm ready to read all over again (this will be read number 4 or 5 I think). Why? I love the characters. I want to hang out with them again. It's that simple.

If the books on my shelves got together to fight their way onto this list, the one with the best chance (and it should probably go right below The Silmarillion) is Herman Melville's Moby Dick. BAM! This book packs a powerful vision and language that I can't find anywhere else. And it's hilarious! Over half the text is an exquisite rendering of the english language into a verbal weapon of wit. The first time I read it in high school, i didn't get more than the basic plot, and that was good stuff. When I read it again during my student teaching, the light came on, and I became a Melville apologist. I wish I could do him justice.


I'm defecting from the infection.

Best Recess Come Back of the Day

I was walking on the blacktop back to my classroom, and I overheard one little girl give the best playgound come back to another little girl that I've hear in a long time. You'll want to save this one for future personal defense in extreme circumstances:

"Well....at least I don't eat my boogers like you do!"

Girl can be so cold.

Kingdom of Heaven = Kung Fu Hustle

I went and saw the same movie twice last night.

On the surface, some might challenge that and say that I really saw two. And they would have some cause. Yes, the movie had two different names. Yes, they had completely different settings, characters, time periods, styles, and feelings. Even the plots were different.

In fact, it seems like Kingdom of Heaven, a story about the Crusades, and Kung Fu Hustle, a story about chinese gangsters and a peaceful slum called "Pig Sty" are total opposites, but I saw some striking similarities.

Most people have seen or at least heard about Kingdom of Heaven. On the other hand, Kung Fu Hustle, in Chinese, with English subtitles, is probably not coming to your local Target, and that's a shame. I like Kung Fu movies, and this is one of the most original takes on the genre I've seen yet. Kung Fu Hustle takes Crouching Tiger and Flying Daggers, adds a little Al Capone served Spaghetti Western Style, and shakes them up into a Kung Fu Power Jumbo that puts Chow Yun Fat to crying shame. The mid level fighters in this movie could take him and that Jade woman, and twist them into pretzels. Halfway through the movie, the idea of what you thought was really cool Kung Fu gets sent back to school for extra homework and returns like a mindblowing tsunami. In the end, the most dangerous Kung Fu Killer around, The Beast, gets worked by the Chosen One in a battle that really screams.

So how does this connect to Kingdom of Heaven? Well, I saw them both last night, and thought they would be totally different, but they weren't. In both stories, the main Hero and Villain end up respecting each other. They finally find worthy opponents. The real antogonists are side characters who end up humilated and unimportant. Respecting and understanding virtue in their enemies leads to peace in both movies.

They also both glorify the common man and his ability to rise to power and respect through talent rather than rank or title.

I hope people go to see (or rent) Kung Fu Hustle. But if you do, you'll never look at your landlady the same again.

All Dressed Up

I'm all dressed up and I've got nowhere to go.
That's because tonight is Open House, and I'm
hiding out in my classroom.
All the parents and students are outside
eating the traditional Carl's Jr. meal from
a cool traveling Carl's Kitchen.
I'm no mingler, and I've still got 40 minutes
before my students and parents get official
access into our room to check out all their
stuff. I'm nervous.
It's my fifth Open House, and they've all gone
off smashingly, but there's always a bit
of a nervous buzz in my stomach until everything
gets under way.
Getting under way means turning on the tube!
Classroom movies are the key to Open House success!
Once the tv is on, all eyes are glued, and then
I'm just a bystander. 60 minutes later they all go home,
and I'm free. Another year gone. School's really over
after Tonight. Everything else is gravy. Busy, crazy gravy
pouring down in rivers (there is still SO much to do this
year: design and build sets, build crystal radios, and Gold Rush Day
to name just a few.) but it's gravy nonetheless.
Summer, here we come!

A Renewed Hunger

During Lent, sometimes I look forward to that first McDonald's Sausage Biscuit on Sunday morning. But, during Bright Week, the food doesn't even come close to giving what I really want now.
After Lent, I want something different. I've been given a new hunger that I didn't feel before. Maybe it was asleep. Maybe I suppressed it. But after Holy Week and Pascha, it wakes and rises up and calls for satisfaction. I want to go to church, because that's where I get what I need. But, I'm forced to go to school, to teach, to shop at Albertson's. My chosen life pulls me away from what I need, and unless I do something, I'm afraid that like every other year, this new hunger will fade away again untill it's gone, and I need to go through lent and all that work, just to wake up again. Sometimes it's not ok to go back to sleep.

Running

Running in the morning is good.
Running in the morning works my legs.
It works my lungs.
My heart.
It works my laziness,
when I don't want to get out of bed.

Running makes orange juice taste better.
Running is super darn fine.

Running

Running in the morning is good.
Running in the morning works my legs.
It works my lungs.
My heart.
It works my laziness,
when I don't want to get out of bed.

Running makes orange juice taste better.
Running is super darn fine.

The Playground

The playground is large.
Two trees dance in the wind.
The twisted grey trunks climb into the sky speckled with orange peeling bark.
Sand covers the ground.

Two trees dance in the wind.
Swaying masses of green leaves throw speckled grey shadows.
Sand covers the ground.
Red bars look like a fire truck.

Swaying masses of green leaves throw speckled grey shadows.
Ghost leaves swim in unison over the sand like a school of silver fish.
Red bars look like a fire truck.
Black rubber tires sit frozen on the ground.

Ghost leaves swim in unison over the sand like a school of silver fish.
Children glide over little waves of sand.
Black rubber tires sit frozen on the ground.
They dream of being free.

Children glide over little waves of sand.
They climb and swing and slide,
They dream of being free.
Children are attached to the playground.

They climb and swing and slide.
Yellow monkey bars stand next to a sliding pole.
Children are attached to the playground.
It takes so long to grow up.

Yellow monkey bars stand next to a sliding pole.
The twisted grey trunks climb into the sky speckled with orange peeling bark.
It takes so long to grow up.
The playground is large.

Lenten Cookbooks

At some point during the fast, most people have occaision to check out or think about those Lenten Cookbooks up on the shelf. The shelf may be in your kitchen or in your church bookstore, but one thing is always the same. They are always exotic. Recipes include weird sounding words like pirog or babganoush. And, hey. That's ok with me. I'm open to new things (really, they're so useful during lent that they don't really feel exotic anymore, anyway.) But, sometimes, a person just wants some home food.
That's why I've decided to make my own lenten cook book. I will call it -- "Lent: Orange County Style."
Here are a couple of possible entries that I might include:

1. "Vegetarian Burritos"

Step One:
Drive to Taco Bell
Step Two:
Say "No, thanks" when the kind tape recorded voice offers you some evil bacon and sour cream temptation of the week.
Step Three:
When ordering, say exactly these words (add lib at your own risk)
"I would like two bean and cheese burritos with green sauce, no cheese."
You may substitute "one" for "two", or "red" for "green", but whatever you do, don't just ask for a "burrito."
If you feel lucky, ask for a side of chips, but usually, you have to end up ordering the "nachos" and tossing that cup of yellow orange petroleum distilate they try to pass off as cheese, and which you should get merit points for eating without a court order.

Best eaten on the way home from a late night service.


2. "Bean and Rice Burrito"

Step One: Drive to El Pollo Loco (wear nose plugs unless you are a year round vegetarian type)
Step Two: Order a # 6 BRC Burrito (Beans, Rice, Cheese) with guacamole inside, no cheese.
Step Three: Add yummy salsa on the side.

3. This one, I like to call: "Variations on a Theme"

Step One: Drive to Jack-in-the-Box
Step Two: When ordering, say "Can you give me directions to the nearest Taco Bell?"

A Book Worth Reading Again

Some books stay alive and provide what's neededtime and time again.
Watership Down is such a book.
It being one of my favorites from my childhood and again in later years, I had wanted to read it to my classes over the years, but was always reticent.

First of all, the language and style is advanced for fourth graders. Words like "mustlidae" pop up all the time giving Webster a run for his money (the college edition didn't have it, but the unabridged did.)

More importantly, the book has themes and content that are pretty heavy and sometimes dark: death, violence, tyranny, freedom, elitism, and nihilism, true leadership, bravery and sacrifice. It is tragic and adventurous, soft and wildly threatening. And this book is about rabbits. Chocolate Easter Rabbits and
Little Bunny Foo Foo need not apply.

Instead, the reader is given Hazel - the inexperienced leader. Fiver the prophet. Bigwig - strong, blunt, but fearless and true. There comes Kehaar - a seagul with a sailor's mouth who flies like lightening out of the thunderous clouds to save the day.

And, there is General Woundwart. One of my personal picks of baddest of the bad, and not "bad meaning, bad, but bad meaning good" Though he is a tyrant, the author gives him depth and his powerful menace provoke not only terror, but a true admiration and respect for a soul on fire and without fear.

So, I finally am reading this book to my class, and they, to their credit, are loving it. And even though I have read it myself about 3 or 4 times, I still have to read ahead in the evenings, and only put it down again with a sigh.

Something Lenten This Way Comes

In my desk calendar of daily quotes from Mr. e=mc squared himself,
he says:
"I admit that thoughts influence the body."

The converse also seems true. The body influences the thoughts,
and I'm looking forward to the church's helpful encouragement
of my good thoughts by the coming fast.

Yes, there's the hunger (actually, not really as often as I imagine) and
the tiredness. But, more importantly, with the fast comes a sense
of lightness, clarity, and sometimes joy.

Lately, after three weeks of preemptive "make-up work" for
what I'm soon to be missing, my body is most often telling me to take a nap.
Maybe today I'll take a walk instead.

Trouble Counting at Mickey D's

This is in honor of Sean...

Taco Bell employees must be where it's at! Because the other
day at McDonalds, the hired help just weren't up to their normal
"High Level" of proficiency.

I drove my silver saturn up to the speaker menu-phone.

Hired Help: Hi! May I take your order?

Me: Yes. I would like a vanilla ice cream cone, please.

HH: That will be 98 cents at the second window.

Me: Thanks!

As I waited in line, I , Mr. Preparedness, sorted through my spare change gathering
exactly the right amount -- 98 cents precisely in quarters, nickels and dimes, with 3 pennies
to make it just right. I was so proud of myself.

Meanwhile, I had finally reached the window. I quickly began this high level financial transaction
by handing over my change. They accepted. I waited for my ice cream.

Hired Help: I need twelve more cents, sir.

Me: What?

HH: The total is $1.08, and you only gave me 98 cents.

Me: Ok....

(Being startled, I wondered if maybe I had forgot the tax. Then I recovered.)

Me: Wait!? No way can an 85 cent cone come out to $1.08!

HH: Um.....(quick conference with manager) Ok. That will be 98 cents please.

Me: Um... I already gave you my money.

HH: Oh. Ok. Here's your cone.

They handed over a nice cold creamy vanilla Ice Cream cone. I have to admit. It looked good. But, there was no napkin, and while I like the taste of vanilla even if my mustache is the plate, I do have some pride. (Well, not really, but my car is messy enough.)

Me: Could I please have a napkin?

The hired help then proceeds to hand me a stack o' napkins about and inch thick, probably thinking that by giving such a boon, I could sell off the excess, invest the money in a high interest stock, and reap untold profits.
His glare clearly showed his envy at my future life of leisure.

I drove off wiping the excess vanilla yumminess from my beard.
Another fine piece of evidence towards the resources and stability of our fine nation.

Stairway to Heaven

Quing up just after 5:00pm onto the parking lot known as Harbor Blvd.,
I popped in my new CD - Led Zepplin's greated hits.
The simple sounds of an acoustic guitar and a group of recorders
washed my heart clean of the busy duldrums collected after an hour or
two of driving around doing errands.

Not all music is like this. But some pieces just make me stop and listen,
and after I'm done, I'm in a better place than before.

Books can be like that, too. Like Lord of the Rings. Why have I read this
same story over and over (something like 20 times). I know what's going to
happen. But I feel cleansed by traveling with these characters and
going through the emotions and events in the story.

I want to collect these things in my life, and make a list -- A list that
I can go back to when in need of a break.

What music and literature does this kind of thing in your life?
I would love to know.