Bring it around town

D'oh! Jamie and I were gonna rotate the tires - first one was froze on. Gotta bite the bullet and get a couple of new ones this fall instead of next spring.

Some comfort

I'm not an expert. I just tried some of the tabs that were there, and my ear said they weren't quite right. So I tried similar chords in the places that others had written their chords - Dan Hogan taught me a little about progressions, and how sevenths fit in, and I've learned a little online and in books. So, I found a progression that made sense to me. The internet helped me name my chords, and I submitted my creation. One day turn-around again.

Sarah McLachlan - Angel - tabs

Acceptance

It's nice to be worthy.

Under The Milky Way guitar tab

Sunday afternoon, comin' down

Yesterday I wore the lion costume at the Heritage Hill Halloween event. Then our crew went out to Coaches' for a sandwich and drinks.

This morning I went to First United Methodist with the Gibsons to watch Nicky do the readings. This afternoon Bungee and I watched the Packers beat the Browns - with chili dogs at kickoff and a little catnapping at halftime.

The last couple of hours I've learned how to transcribe guitar tablature to the correct format for a website that posts fans' interpretations of popular music. I transcribed how I play Under The Milky Way by The Church. I'll post the link if they accept my writing.

Got my motor running

It was nice midday, so I rode my Nighthawk to my dental cleaning at 2. When I came out, I wondered if it was warm enough for me to ride to Two Rivers. The only way to find out was to get up to speed. The warm south wind pushed against me, but it was doable. I stopped at the Maribel PO along the way, to say hi to Bev, and pick up some stamps . Then I went to Brown's to visit Chuck and Jesse. It was good to see them again.

Got home, picked up the truck. Not a bad day off.

Appointments

I've got the day off. Dentist appointment and mechanical work on the truck. In-between, I've transcribed the Cincinnati Chili recipe I used to my website .

Fall guys

Jamie played his last game of the season on Saturday, they fell to 3 and 3. A very good team and a good head coach for this age group - all three of the coaches fit well with this team. Coach Kris Healy gave a good end of season speech on the sideline after the game to the boys. He told them how proud he was of them as players and as people. He congratulated them on their effort, skillful play, teamwork, their hard work and constant improvement, and their sportsmanship. I think that message might just stick with those boys for awhile. I liked his, "Knock 'em down. Help 'em up. Then knock 'em down again."

Jamie and Dave and I looked for a couple of geocaches in the afternoon.

Today Kayla came over too, and we had the Cincinnati chili that I cooked yesterday - it turned out well - different enough so you knew it wasn't regular chili, plus I had all the fixins for the different ways it's served, plus the oyster crackers.

We rode our bikes to the park for a little catch after the Packers took care of business. Then Dave and the kids stopped by for a quick visit on their way home from Shopko.

Wish I knew what you were looking for

Talk about connections. We were watching Glee, and the new Lincoln commercial used a cover of Under The Milky Way by The Church. I was telling the kids about the song, when I figured there'd be data.

I found 3 chord sequence attempts. Used my ear, listened to the YouTube, used a little of my understanding of chord relationships, and I think I've got it, Watson.

That's pretty cool.

Wandering notes

I figured I'd play my guitar for a few minutes, then put the clothes in the dryer and watch a movie.

An hour later...

Engrossing. My mind doesn't want to stop learning this skill.

29W

Jamie's team won their football game on Saturday, then he and I went to visit Doug in Wausau. Michaela had plans with her friends.

We arrived at Doug's apartment around one o'clock. We found a half-dozen geocaches, then scouted The Bar for a possible get-together to watch a Badger Basketball game this winter with my friends from Platteville. (We had some nachos and Point Oktoberfest, too.) We went bowling at Dale's Weston Lanes, then watched a movie that Doug rented from a vending machine. I had heard of that before - Redbox - I just never experienced the process; new-fangled gadgets and gizmos these days.

Doug made us Chicago-style hot-dogs for dinner and a big brunch on Sunday, with a little video-gaming and guitar-playing mixed in throughout the visit.

My, my, my, it's a beautiful virtual world

Arizona a song by Kings of Leon, performed by Melissa Mesko and Brian Mesko.

Wow. I love the KOL studio version, but these two really get it, too. Sometimes you click through to find something so beautiful it brings tears to your eyes.

Gaining yards

Got my first electric guitar in the last couple of weeks, played with Dan a couple of times - Kayla sat in on drums during one set. Jamie switched from violin to trumpet this fall. He has musical instinct - he remembers melodies very well, and is very interested in the guitar, too. Michaela remembers chords on the guitar, plays a consistent rhythm on drums, but seems to have more passion with the vocals - she really likes her school chorus.

Jamie split his last two football games. They've got a good team, not standout players - just guys working together to move the ball down the field and stop the other guys. Michaela had an overnight lock-in with the gymnastics team on Friday. She tells me she's completing new skills every week that she wasn't last year. Jamie, Kayla, Sami and Logan stayed over last night. We baked cupcakes, watched a movie, played spoons, and while I was grilling - they found Terabithia (apparently it's a muddy place.)

Today I, J, & K did a little geocaching.

It's a musical journey

Sometimes,...

... sometimes music just takes you away. I know that sounds like a cliche, but music pushes our buttons. Music is a reprogramming of our circuits. The simultaneous flip of a multitude of switches that throws open a curtain, washes a blue light over us, flashes a cold wind through the room, sharpens our senses or dulls the din of the chaos all around. There's usually a baseline, maybe the tss, tss, tss of a high-hat, or - when I'm full of energy and motion - a full recording of a song that's playing in the back of the room of my mind. And this idea of music, what it is I cannot say, something that has enveloped me so fully throughout my life - is such a mystery to me. Yet, even now; it is strengthening. Whether I am taking more control of the music that I feel, or I am becoming a more pure conduit of the music of the universe, I know not. But this is one heck of a ride.