TM

If he weren't absolutely insane, and dead, I would want to be him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmhP1RgbrrY&feature=related

I got into a bluesy kind of mood the other day. While I have over 20 hours of it on my computer, I wanted to see what some of these legends were actually doing. Granted, some if it lost on me as I don't play the saxophone or the trumpet. But I do play the piano, and I know enough about the rhythm section to understand the level of mastery some of these guys had. When I say understand...what I really mean is that they are freakishly good.

If you know me, you know that while I'm no slouch on the keys, I'm not the best. I don't have the mind for the theory that goes into making some really complicated stuff sound good. I'm more of the "sit down, shut up, practice till you get it right" school of thought. My former instructor, and dare I say mentor, has a mind that wraps around the theory, and he can map out what he'll play so that he doesn't even think while he's at the piano. He can just go. Freakish.

Now that's not to say that these greats didn't get where they are without practice. But practice can only get you so far.

Segue!

We had our first round of tryouts for volleyball last Saturday, these tryouts being for the little kids. The director had me working with the advanced 14 year olds so that he could assess them while I ran the drills. He also took me aside prior to the tryout starting and told me to give them no mercy. I really like Curt. Of course I didn't think he was serious because even at a nationals tournament they're not going to see power like a 22 year old male can provide. But he looked me dead in the eye and told me to crank it to 11. He also justified it saying that if they can handle my 11 they can handle a 14 year old girls 8. Short story long, they couldn't. And two of them really couldn't (they cried, I smiled on the inside).

Another segue!

Pending a drug screening I have a job out at Pioneer. I don't know how this affects Holiday plans as it is temp work, but is well paid temp work. It's also a Monday through Friday gig so that should make things a bit easier on the schedule.

Segue!

Sarah was hoping to come to Thanksgiving with the Hackelberg/Johnson/Guilde clan this year. But don't fret...we would be going to Minnesota the 26 of December. She has to do something at school for Christmas Eve...and apparently her family has never done Christmas on Christmas (her old man being a former Pastor and all). So... If I get time off from Pioneer for Thanksgiving and CBD, there would be another person along for the ride. I'll be able to tell you more after Monday about that. (Monday is my start day out there)

Buck