Parallel Musical Universe

[Griff]

Cool! The Guy Brothers backin' him?

[warch]

Some Guy is on rhythm guitar and Another Guy is on drums, but that sweet old dog Jonny Penner is on bass!

[warch]

Last night it was Jonny on bass, Pete Something on drum (great with just a snare and cymbal) and That Guythatwillnotbetherenexttime on rhythm guitar. Jr. was his usual freak genius, but the performance wasnt as tight as last time. That Guythatwillnotbetherenexttime got some looks and words shot at him, the end of a long roadtrip I think. Still a lot of fun, and when we got out, it was nice to walk through a light snowfall with our ears ringing.

Made me hanker some late night Texas fun. Like a 3:00 am run to Taco Cabana for some greasy chips and queso, plus 17 mini cups of fire roasted salsa

[warch]

Last weekend came and went- I didnt catch Nickel Creek- I blew out my back and was a pretty gimpy, whiny baby all weekend. But this weekend, Sat and Sunday Acoustic Hot Tuna is at the Cedar Cultural Center. The Mr. works all weekend nights, so I may venture on my own.

[Griff]

Originally posted by warch
Last weekend came and went- I didnt catch Nickel Creek- I blew out my back and was a pretty gimpy, whiny baby all weekend. But this weekend, Sat and Sunday Acoustic Hot Tuna is at the Cedar Cultural Center. The Mr. works all weekend nights, so I may venture on my own.

Ow sorry bout the back. Acoustic Hot Tuna! Very Cool!

[j03L10T]

Originally posted by Griff
Okay, I admit it, I have no idea what they're talking about over on the other music thread. Occasionally someone will toss in the Cranberries, Tom Petty, or They Might be Giants but mostly when someone mentions one of my old bands its in an historical context-

Hope you don't mind me asking, Griff but when you said one of "your" old bands is that from the view and standing point of a performing artist or a fan? I conceived and recorded alot of those vocals while stoned and wearing headgear. Petty is my tribute to my impression of the personae of Bob Dylan.
They might be giants was nothing more than a brain fart for me actually, and I requested that my sister-in-law fill the position as the "stage" performer for the cranberries. I used to use the term stage "puppet" quite frequently, but that does seem such cruel and unusal punishment after the fact of the stress these individuals must have to endure while merely working for peanuts.

It's really not such a serious question matter for me after what I have been through just to hold the title, just curious that's all. I wouldn't die without a reply from you.

[Griff]

We are not so different, you and I.

[j03L10T]

Even Rob Zombie is a mutherf'kin lip syncing idiot- Brian. Griff is your DADDY, boy. GRIFF GRIFF GRIFF!!:p

[Griff]

I caught an article on Alpha Blondy in our paper the other day. He has a new album called Merci. I guess he's become increasingly distressed with the state of the Ivory Coast. The revolution there was attributed in part to the frustration which he expressed in his music. Some soldiers threw a coup and as is common with revolutions it was time to "meet the new boss, same as the old boss." Do I have a point, not really, I've just been thinking of my own idealism and how it sometimes gets in the way of living life...

[warch]

I think I know what yer saying, but how so?

[Griff]

Apparently, the revolt in IC became known as the Reggae Revolution when one of the first acts of the revolutionaries was taking a radio station which featured Blondys socially aware music. The soldiers wheeled around the country with Blondys music cranking in their Jeeps. Now the IC is teetering on the brink of total meltdown and Blondy is thinking maybe he should have been more circumspect.

As it relates to me (barely) its far less dramatic. I've got an inside track for a teaching position, which I need to decide if I want to pursue, while at the same time, I just don't like the idea of living on tax dollars. I'm in a much better place intellectually and emotionally to teach now than I was way back when I graduated, so I'm going to check it out, just to see if I can still bring it in the classroom.

[warch]

Hmm. What are your views on/about teaching? What do you think you'd personally get out of it beyond tax dollars.(You hint at the creative challenge but you could maybe get that in another way.) What would you bring? (knowing the humor and intelligence of the cyber Griff, that could be considerable)

I find tax dollars funding public education to be a valid, essential, I dare say, noble expenditure. But then, I am on the dole.

[Griff]

Okay... I dumped my first reply accidentally so lets try to get back to that place.

First, making money is never the issue with me. I have everything I need. Taxation is how education gets done, so I need to set that aside. I have a passion for the material and do bring "a quiet humor" to quote my observing prof, to the classroom which I was known to use to de-fuse potentially messy situations. What I need to discover about myself is, do I have a real desire to teach or is another creative outlet good enough? I have projects but most involve my holeing up in a woodshop, over a notepad, or another isolated place around the farm. I love those things but am I missing a place in the greater society?

There will be levels of bull to contend with but if I enjoy the staff that will be fine. I like teenagers with their certainties where uncertainty should reign and uncertainty where there should be no doubt. I want to open minds without following up with the ideological brain washing. I have a passion for living that I know is sometimes missing from a school enviroment. I've been the lazy student who at all costs, even of a decent education, just wants to skim through without making a ripple. One thing I don't like to feel is that I'm coercing someone. I need to prove that my enthusiasm can surmount reluctance.

I've found a good building with a solid principal, rural kids, and a positive first impression. So I'll sub for a while, gauge the impact on my emotional health, and we'll see if its something I should be doing. Will I miss my solitude? Can I maintain a reasonable level of energy at school and still be a solid Dad/hubby? Can I keep drinking the Black Bush I was just handed at this pace? Well, I have one answer tonight.

[Griff]

Hey who hijacked my thread?

Thanks for making me think on e-paper. g

[warch]

I can relate. I came to teaching reluctantly. I was doing the self-employed solo art thing. My business was a living, but hard, and getting to feel like sweatshop production. Generations of teachers in my family,it was what I was expected to do, so I think I avoided it for those reasons.

I can do old school stuff like weave. Run looms, spin, dye, the works. So I started to get these requests to teach. I did it for $, but I found it was fun, and I felt comfortable. I would pick up teaching gigs at schools, museum, festivals, shops. Finally that led to school for teaching licensure, art K-12 and a teaching job, at a school I later realized was amazingly supportive and cool.

What I need to discover about myself is, do I have a real desire to teach or is another creative outlet good enough?

For me teaching is socially, hothouse creative, very different than the lone pursuit, and can charge up batteries in an unexpected way. But like anything it can also drain ya dry. I found I go in cycles, but the creativity is all connected and cross-pollinates freely.

One thing I don't like to feel is that I'm coercing someone. I need to prove that my enthusiasm can surmount reluctance.

There's the rub. At least for me. Later I got into a particularly bad school situation, and had to face that I was no match for the chaos. Way beyond reluctance, it was physical violence. My ideals said to take the job, my intestines wouldnt let me stay. I did learn where my strengths were and weren't. You sound far more aware of your potential situation that I was.
Surmounting the reluctance, thats where the creativity gets addictive, when you find a way to engage. One thing I take great satisfaction in is getting to know and really like students- those relationships.Thats why I dig it and that is what I would miss terribly.

My job now is the best balance Ive ever had between working with students (all ages), getting energized with new material, supporting for my own learning, and down time. I'm having urges to do more solo stuff, and It feels like it will work.

Subbing is a good idea, get the inside view and a feel for the demands. I would imagine there could be all sorts of partial contract possibilities... maybe?- community based learning, enable you to find a balance, rather than the FT deal? Interesting. All the best, man.