Strummy tummy

A month or two ago our pub switched from karaoke to an open mic night.

"Our pub".
We've been doing this for 3 or 4 years now. Meeting every week for a drink and maybe some apps.
Our pub has changed a few times. The favourite place closed a few years ago and we moved to the dirty place... then we got tired of always having the grumpy waitress... so we moved to our current location. The jail.
Our first 7 months there the place was empty all the time, but since they've added entertaining activities we've seen fluxes in the attendance. 

And now it's open mic.
So much more civilized than karaoke night. The people who get up there have worked hard to get to the point where they feel comfortable enough to share their skills. They aren't up on a drunken dare, and the sound is pretty good.

One of the pubcat jailbirds suggested I get up and play a "Leslie and the Lys" piece, I laughed it off.

It's one thing to host an open mic type event (like for uke jam) and another to enter someone else's space. With uke jam I'm someone else. I play the part of the entertainer, my job is to put others at ease. Same with playing in church, or jamming with friends.... there's no repercussions or expectation, everyone there is there with you. I don't think "repercussions" is the term I want...
An open mic has expectations.
And it's not "my" people.

I was never going to get up and play, I wasnt ready, but I spent the next 45 minutes having a mini panic attack as I went thru all the emotions as if I were prepping to take the mic.

So weird.

Maybe it means when I do go up, I'll have filled my quota of scaredness.

The "other" Lovelies

At Amber and Shawn's wedding a week ago, I had the pleasure of singing with two sweet girlies.

There's something really wonderful about being included in your friends' special day.. and it's the first time I've sung at a wedding where the music playing the bride down the aisle has gotten applause! Click for the video...

(thanks to Roshan for the video!)

(I'd blame the camera angle for my twelve hundred chins... but that would be a lie)

haha. I love how when she gets in place at the front we start to rush the song... it just seemed like such a long time!

Brunch. 2nd breakfast

I hosted "family brunch" this morning.... I first started to blog this morning before breakfast, but decided that the "it's about to happen" story wasn't as lovely as the "it just happened" story.




While I didn't have any blood family relatives over, I had the next best thing with some of the favourites joining in the pot luck meal. Brunch as a pot luck is likely the best thing ever. You can bring anything and it'll fit. Eggs and jube jubes? why not? Sausages and pie? sure! go ahead! Crumpets and fruit and hashbrowns and cheese balanced the meal out just perfectly.








Much laughter happened at the table, and conversation ranged from festival frustration and celebration, to faith, babies, jobs and literature.

"I brought you a book, you said you needed ideas for things to read"... Bob hands me a ragged coverless binding of pages. Dog eared doesn't even cover it. "It's ok if that one gets beat up a little, I've got another copy at home. But you have to read this one before I lend you the next one."

Once our stomachs were filled, we moved to the living room... instruments were tuned... more laughter... Two ukes, guitar, mando, and an autoharp... a request- Rolling Stone, and then "Fat Bottomed Girls"... A rockabilly Sunday.

Swimming in Lakes

Tonight I'm headed North to spend some time with lovely people, listening to some lovely music. And I've been listening to the CDs so I can play the part of a good audience member, and hum along in the catchy parts, and smile big when I hear the opening notes of a favourite tune.

Yesterday I got sent this fantastic little email from a man who's part of NUkeO (our Uke Jam group) He'd been trying to figure out the chords the night before for "Skinamarink", and he'd found them, and sent them my way... then at the bottom of the page, a huge picture of the two of us, grinning like fools at the Uke Jam. The email made me smile so big, my coworker took one look at me and said... "that's your Ukulele smile, I can always tell".



this picture makes me laugh too much. One, because Jim asked if he bunny ears behind his head... before the picture was taken. And two, because my fingers look so long. It's because the Uke is so tiny... but when I first saw the pic, I immediately thought of my sister, who has these long graceful fingers- I've always been jealous of them... it's like when you hold those tiny tiny cans of pop they serve on some airlines... they make you feel like a giant.


Today a friend of mine is meeting some members of his birth family... I'm really excited (and nervous) for him. I can't imagine... really can't even begin to imagine, the pile and mix of emotions all of them must be feeling right now... praying for them today.

....

um, so today was one of those days where there were a few times I thought to myself "HA... I should write that down".

But then something else would happen... and I'd forget what it was.

I've got some fun choices to make over the next week or so. One of them includes the purchase of a Uke. I want to get that done before the end of the week, so my new little best-ey (best friend that is) and I can hang out on the beach together.

Did I mention it's only 11 sleeps till Florida?

not so much theory... mostly just fact

disclaimer:: the link which you are about to follow may or may not lead you to some unsavoury language. However... it's worth it.

Remember how I'm in a band (theoretically?)

not only that... I'm now quoted on the band's site.
Can you guess which entry is mine?

A Year of Firsts

... or new beginnings.
If you were into numerology you'd understand that this year is a year of beginnings... something about "add the 2 and the 8 and remove a zero and shift the decimal... and you get a 1".
errrr.. something.

So, to a year of; new things; new people; new places; new emotions; new goals; new dreams; new adventures!

Ok, so I made the most brilliant discovery today! Rock Band (which I love) and Guitar Hero (That I don't so much love) are NOT new concepts!!! Nope, they are a rip off of an old design.
Press a button, strum, feel like you're creating music... oh yeah, it's all been done before.... may I present to you ....



The Autoharp!
Yup, press a button (they are cleverly decorated with the chord printed right on them) strum... and you've got instant music. errr. so long as you aren't laughing too hard to keep playing. Now, that said... there's alot more you can do on the autoharp than my ridiculous plunking of "leaving on a jet plane" or trying to play "blowin in the wind"... esp if it's been set up right... I had the privilege of using a um... designer autoharp tonight... so the chords were limited. If you click the photo above, you'll get to hear a pro in action.... I sound more... umm... stylistic?

I'm not faking it.

I don't know if maybe I'm just in my own world, dreaming. Maybe it's wishful thinking?
I've been wearing my new shirt all day... and I keep hoping I'll run into a beautiful stranger... one who will glance my way, see my shirt and walk up to me... offer me his arm, and whisk me away. Saying only “hypothetically, I'm in that band too”.

ooooh!!!!

goodie!

(cause... you know... I say "goodie" a lot)


Last night, I ordered my t-shirt from that band I'm in....
I know you're jealous.



ALSO***********
today is my dad's birthday!!!!!! Happy Birthday peaches ;)

better late than never?

Know when you get the wrong words to a song?
At one of the group homes I sometimes work in, every morning starts out with music at full blast. We're blessed (and sense me clenching my teeth and gritting a smile out when I say blessed) to listen to some Shania.. and Shania knock-offs... re-mixes that go on forever and ever.... "is that CD skipping... or is it a really bad remix?" (says I, joking about the remix) "no... it really is a remix" (comes the glum response).
Two mornings now we've been greeting the day with a children's mix. This one though really IS scratched.... the chorus goes on forever till you think you might be crazy.

I had the words wrong for an hour.... apparently the song isn't "stop prohibition"
who knew!
it's a safety song...."stop look and listen"

YEAH!!!!

guys.... for real... this band I'm in... it's so great!!!