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Welcome to awbmusic
24.01.11
Happy 2011 from
AWBMUSIC! It’s freezing in Maryland, but sunny. And my batteries are
recharged thanks to a great concert of the L’Arabesque
Baroque Ensemble, playing at the Damascus United Methodist Church last night.
Though the venue is off the beaten track and the concert only moderately
attended, the professionalism and virtuosity of the flautist, viol players, theorbist and soprano are worthy of any concert hall. But the intimacy of
the church’s beautiful acoustics made the evening extra special. Thanks, L’Arabesque!
In other news,
K. is growing daily. Don’t forget to see the family pics
at www.allgoodbrown.smugmug.com.
My next guitar is well under way and I am already dreaming of the next
instrument. B. and I are searching for the next project to support
a four hour work week; that
will be interesting!! 14.12.10
BRRRrrrrrrrr….Cold! Hello out there. Christmas is fast approaching and Beth,
Katie and I are happy, though sniffling and moaning a lot. The flu season
swept us all up with some funky illnesses, but I dare say,
we’re coping. I wanted to update the pics of
my old Karmann Ghia,
which now drives and stops when I want it to. It’s very cute and I even feel
no longer that it’s a moped with four wheels, but rather a classic car in its
own right.
Also of note
are the new photos of “The Goat”, a 16” arch top guitar I finished in
October. It sounds and plays great, though it yet needs some tweaking on the
finish, pickup and frets. I’m taking offers for it, in case you are
interested…
26.10.10
Hi From AWB.
It's October already, and though it's not cold, it certainly looks like fall
out there today. The family just got back from vacation in the great state of
Oregon. We were lucky with the weather: fine sunshine almost every day. I
would have felt cheated, however, if we did not have at least one rainy and
cold day, and indeed one sneaked through near the end of the week. It was
great to see the coast, be on the beach, see the big
trees (what's left of them) and my family members in Hillsboro. There's a lot
more to relate, but a picture is worth a thousand words, so please go to
www.allgoodbrown.smugmug.com for the latest pictures of the vacation and our
daily lives...
In other news,
work at school is fine, my band, Brulee, is playing
fairly often at Columbia Station in Adams Morgan, D.C. on Fridays, and I
finished my first "from scratch" guitar two weeks ago, a
blond archtop cristened
"The Goat. The axe turned out awesome (!) and it's
best quality is the sound and feel. I've also been driving in the '61 Ghia quite a bit lately, and it's a strong starter now
with it's new $190 6v
Optima battery. There are pics of all these news
items pending right here...
08.31.10
Hello and
welcome to AWBMUSIC 2010. After a long hiatus of baby-raising, kranken-pfleging and guitar-making, I'm back! In the news
lately, it's been back to school, with its ups and downs, Katie with her ups
and downs, and Beth, who is having mostly ups lately
(though she returns to work next week!). I spent the spring and summer
getting the lower level of our 1929 cottage finished with drywall, paint and
trim, and in the meantime, Mr. Guzman and his crew of one built a great back
porch onto it. So for several weeks the pressure I have felt to spend every
spare moment on the improvement of our abode has abated...replaced by guitar
obsession!
At one point in
the preceding weeks, I rolled over in half-sleep, thinking that I'm starting
yet another project with that new archtop guitar.
But I do generally finish what I start, eventually! I thought about my
various academic degrees: the middle one took eight years! I'm fluent in two
languages, written a book, given speeches before hundreds of people, taught
hundreds of students, performed in Europe's most famous concert halls and for
heads of state, designed a new music instrument, recorded many CDs, restored
an old VW and three double basses, renovated two houses and been though six
mortgage settlements in the past four years. (ZZZzzzz...)Of
course, that's nothing compared to hooking up with Beth and having our
daughter, Katie. Raising her is the easiest and the hardest thing I've ever
done, but I certainly have the best partner to do it with! Thanks, Beth!!
15.01.10
Happy New Year
to all of you hard-core visitors THAT KEEP COMING BACK in spite of no
updates. Well today there's an update, be it ever so humble. Beth, Katie and
I are having a good 2010 so far. We surfed through Katies's
first Christmas, managing to visit with many folks, exchange presents (i.e.
LOTS of baby clothes), eating well and finally escaping to the ocean on the
25th. The water was cold and forbidding, and the air was filled with wind,
rain and clouds, but we enjoyed our little escape from the routine and may go
to Ocean City next year, too.
There was also
a lot of cabinet-making for the man of the house. The built-in shelves gave
our cluttered living room a new lease on life. Complete with a new (used)
Belgian rug and a toy box window seat, our family hang-out has become roomy
and cozy, too. The new space for books led to an instant domino effect of
arranging and rearranging the books that haven't seen the light of day since
last February, and to start the finishing of the lower level of this house of
ours. We will have made 1728 sq ft
out of 864. Well, baby is waking up prematurely from her nap (rats!)- gotta go!
18.09.09
This humble
blog bears witness to the toughest week of my life- and that of my spouse,
Beth. She had a 5cm pancreatic cyst removed on September 10th. This involved
opening her abdomen from top to bottom, removing the head of the pancreas
with the cyst, the duodenum, gall bladder, then reattaching the small
intestine to the rest of the gland and hooking up the bile duct and stomach
downstream. Yeah, it was a big deal. The good news is that there was no
cancer involved, that the operation went well, and that her prognosis remains
good. The bad news is that Beth was in horrible pain, that we are taking care
of our four-month-old, Katie, while this is going on,
that the rest of the family got a bad cold the day of the surgery, that there
have been some complications and it is yet unclear when they will release her
from Hopkins. I thank all those that have
supported us and who continue to make our load a little lighter. Thanks!!
Please see new
photos of the family (well, no pics from in the
hospital...) at www.allgoodbrown.smugmug.com
27.08.09
Well, there
went the summer! We teachers and the kids are back at school for the second
week already. It's going to be a good year, I think. Each slog through the
calendar since 2004 has has earned me what money
can't buy: experience. And this experience with the kids has taught me SO
MUCH, year after year. The first lessons with my classes have shown how much
they learned, and I am proud and encouraged. My heart bled at losing some of
the classes that I would have liked to teach this year, since I reduced the
number of hours I will be at school to be home with our
little one two days during the week. THANK YOU to my colleagues at DSW
for supporting our family this year. I took Katie in for a visit on Tuesday,
and the kids and teachers were so nice- I would definitely send K. there.
There is the looming issue of whether I should speak German with the little
girl. It would be great for her to grow up bilingual, but it will be a lot of
work for daddy, and need a lot of patience from mommy.
In other news,
the projects around the house are very slow lately, as well as the former
rust heap cum sexy, half finished sport wagon,
which pines patiently for my attention und his cover in the back yard. It is
in the yard, but is not up on blocks...
B. is due for
major surgery on September 10th, which we are gearing up for. She will be off
her feet for up to three months, and it will be the biggest challenge of the
many we have faced during the wonderful three years since we have been
together. Most of those challenges were a lot more fun, I'll tell you. I'll
keep you posted with the news, albeit in LONG intervals.
28.07.09
A lot has
changed since the last entry of January! It's nice that you stopped in again!
B. and I had a daughter on May 24th, 2009, KATHERINE
ELIZABETH BROWN. It was a real experience getting her out of there, and
the aftermath has been a challenge, too. But how nice it is to have her
company, and to have spent the last weeks at home as a family.
You can see
photos at www.allgoodbrown.smugmug.com.
There is also news on the house in Riverdale- it's coming along. There will
be photos to share shortly. Thanks again for stopping by.
04.01.09
Well, we made
it through another holiday season, more or less intact. The projects around
the house(s) took a back seat to visiting, eating, drinking and being merry,
and a lot of coughing and wheezing. B. and I had a quiet and very enjoyable
Christmas dinner with the folks, in spite of the sad occaision
of my Aunt's funeral, which took place on the morning of the 24th. She
was too young to go. The event looked on the bright side, with many hopes for
her future in heaven, and was a stark contrast to the last winter funeral I
attended, for Mr. Friedmann in Vienna. On that day,
in November, I think, I was so impressed by the profundity and coldness of
the skinny hole they dug for his slim oak casket. I'd never seen anything so lonesomely gruesome as the prospect of that good man
ending his time on earth under the stones and scraggly weeds of the neglected
family plot. Here, by contrast, M.'s polished coffin was luxuriously laid
under a tent to protect her worldly remains from a possible shower, while the
cold ground was decked with artificial turf, almost cozy looking.
But that has
little to do with the snapshot above, which
was taken in an obviously crowded second hand in Altoona, PA. After Christmas
Day, B.'s father arrived from Atlanta with T., ready for a couple of days of
cuddly visits with us at the home place. We enjoyed chatting and eating, and
B's birthday very much. I managed to get a few hours of sash painting in at
the new house, before it was off to the midwifery center in Rockville. That's
right- the next generation is expected on June 1, 2009! Everthing
is coming along just fine...
So, what about
the photo?!? After the appointment, it was off to Bedford to spend New Year's
Eve with the Bedford Gang. My strepto-viral bronchienza reappeared just in time to ruin the evening,
but B. was excellent company to the folks, even if I had to wait for the next
morning for my meager recovery. Bedford is magical. We have never left there
not being thoroughly rejuvenated and inspired. It may be the company, the laughs,
the freedom to do absolutely nothing for a couple of days, the country air,
change of scenery- whatever it is, it works! SO, on
a day excursion to Altoona, PA, home to the "world famous"
Horseshoe Curve and the faded glory of the PRR, we stopped for lunch across
the street form the afore mentioned second hand.
The contents were crammed tighter than a Tokyo train at rush hour. The
hoarders in charge were by all means nice people, but really!! I guess the
picture should save many words trying to describe what we saw there, and
possibly deliver a comment on the nether side of Christmas: endless stacks of
what you see above.
11.30.08
Hello! Today
finds B. & me safe and sound at home again, after a long drive to Atlanta
(ItLANuh) for Thanksgiving weekend. We decided to
drive the whole 650 miles back yesterday, with a very nice visit with cousin
M. in Greenville, S.C. B. &T. showered us with affection and it was
great to get to know my step-inlaws (?!) and Autumn
on Thanksgiving day. It's gray and cool and wet out this morning- a real good
day for curling up and doing nothing in particular. That doesn't seem to be
in the cards, though, as school duties and managing our new real estate
empire are pressing!
Last week we
closed on the foreclosure house we've been working on for the last three
months. B. and I were challenged at every turn but hung on until it
finally worked. Now we shall see if the rest of the plan plays out favorably.
If everything goes according to schedule, we will be residents of Riverdale Park,
MD by March.
We love the new
house, and it is just our style: a dump! But it's a NICE dump, and it won't
take much to get it to be a nice place like our T.P. place. In fact, when I
look back at what we did here, it's a wonder we made it through the tearing-down,
gutting, designing, building and
finishing that we did. The next job should be a piece of cake! (flw). You can count on photo
updates at our new page 6407...
05.10.08
Hello! This
little blog entry finds your host on Sunday morning, getting ready to go to a
rehearsal of our band, Brulee. We have a concert
coming up next Friday, in case you are interested. I can't promise that the
site will be run professionally, (because I'm running it), but there is a web
page for us where you can see one pic and hear a few samples of our work, @ www.brulee.org
In other news,
B. and I attended an REDC foreclosure auction Saturday. After hours of monotonaous haranguing by the auctioneers and the
incredibly distracting antics of their assistants, I raised my bidder card,
and before I knew it, we were on our way back to the contract area. We had
been seeing folks wander out of there all day, some serious, some all smiles.
By the time our paperwork was approved and we were on our way, we had had
about all the emotional ups and downs we could take. The real smiles only
came when the nerves wore off in the next hour or so. Now, if everything goes
right and the below-reserve bid is approved, we will be the proud owners of
the property above!
Those whom
we've talked to think we are crazy to get right back in the game after such a
long ride with our place here in T.P. All I can say is,
it works for us!! Now we KNOW life won't get boring anytime soon!
19.08.08
Wow, it's been
a long time! B. and I have enjoyed our summer well, though it will be nice
when there are fewer projects and work and more time to ... sit around.
We had a nice
trip to Portugal. I was practicing my Portuguese, which at first sounded a
lot like, well, Greek. It took some getting used to, but aftrer
a couple of weeks 'Muscatel' is actually 'moosh-ka-TEoo'.
The language will hopefully come in handy for my plans as the next Bossa Nova heartthrob...
Keep clicking
to find more pics of the projects I worked on this
summer: the house, the '61 vert. Soon I hope to get the next huge project
going, making A BASS. There will plenty of pics of
that, too.
20.04.08
As usual, there
are only a few scattered minutes to scratch out a NEW message for awbmusic! But here it is: the flowers are in bloom, the
trees are green again, and the yard is full of new rhododenderons,
shamrock hollies and hydrangias. B. and I have had
lots of fun in the garden these past weeks. We struggled with what to do with
our vintage well in the backyard. It will do as many other dug wells.. disappear under the lawn. See pics of it in the new house section 5. And please bear
with me as the images and pages of the latest car updates have been thrown to
the Microsoft dags- it'll take a few minutes more then I have right now to sort thinkgs
out.
In a short time
AWB will be an uncle- great news!! Good luck &
congrats to S & D!!
12.02.08
I'M BACK!!! At
least I think I will be...
The last
several updates were foiled by loss by theft, software difficulties, and a
myriad of other things. B. and I are fine in our little house on the hill. We
love it! Things are progressing with work at the school, things around the
house, and car front. We bought a new (to us) Honda Element last weekend. It's
a neat automombile. My '63 Ghia
has been giving me fits, however, and it seems the more stolen moments I
spend with it, the worse the problems become. After completely renewing the
brakes, they are still not 100%, and my ride on Sunday resulted in a pretty
major oil hemorrage from somewhere on the front of
the motor. While it's discouraging, I am inspired to get the '61 on the road
sooner now, and cut my losses with the coupe. We'll see...
Thanks for
stopping by after the long absence!
09.08.07
Hello! Welcome
back from your summer trips, breaks, ans
all! Well, We've been here the last few days, um... I mean months, just woking away on our project. It hasn't been the easiest
phase these last few weeks. B. is between jobs but starts her new appointment
at TNC (The Nature Consevancy) on Monday. I will
also be going back to school in a couple pf weeks.
If my tone
seems upbeat, it's only because I've made up my mind not to let the trials
and hardships (and HOT weather) during work on our project get me down. If I
let every setback depress me, I'd be a goner by now!! After all, life has its
good points- it's not freezing outside! And the music of Duke Ellington's
band is wafting through the hallway and it gives me hope that more relaxed
times are ahead. After all, B. & I have each other!
More later...
20.07.07
Lots more
pictures- not alot of words to go with them- sorry,
more later when we're back on line! Greetings from B
& A!
20.05.07
Lots to write
about, little time. B. and I are leading a transient existence these days. At
least we know where our home is, if not when we will live there. Good news...
the long story of the framing repairs, the crux of the problem we bought in
December, came to a happy conclusion on Friday. At last, Jorge's careful, dilligent and expensive work came to fruition in the form
af a little red inspection sticker which PASSED the
work! Now to proceed with the wiring and plumbing until that's signed off,
then the real finishing can start. I am amazed at the slow pace of
things lately, but it's really a good time to be careful and not make any
mistakes that will annoy us later.
Thanks for the
support and kind wishes of all! Soon we will be making the final arrangements
for the big day on June 30th! On days like the passed
few, with moving, settlement on the Condo, all the worries of the house and
people involved there, poison ivy (!) and other stresses, we will be so
relieved to have it all behind us!!!
10.03.07
A lazy Saturday
starts here at 7:15 AM. But B. and are enjoying being at home and taking it a
little easy today. The low point of the week was Thursday, as a chain of
events led to my forgetting my wallet at home in the morning, then eventually
locking my keys in the truck at Home Depot. The moral of the story is, you really are nobody if you don't have a pocket full of
cash in this country. I eventually made it home and was fortuitously helped
out by those near and dear to me me-
at not too much inconvenience to them, and we all made it safely home that
evening.
On the other
hand, it's odd how important the bank people suddenly treat you when they realise you are looking to invest hundreds of thousands
of dollars, possibly at their institution. I guess that feeling I fleetingly
experienced is one of the driving forces in this town- to be on top and to
have everyone know it. There are so many little mounds with little kings and
queens on them that it makes your head swim. Mine, anyway. Bless the simple
pleasures in life...
I had a very
good day Friday, though, and taught like a sage, sly yet fun-loving teacher
all day. It's a great feeling to like what you do. I miss acoustics research
though, but not much playing bass. A monumental change occurred for this
reason on Sunday, when I took my true friend, Enrico the Italian double bass,
to the airport on his way to NM. There he will be primped and pampered to be
sold to the highest bidder by Robertson's Violin Shop. But this could all
take a long time- months or years, even. Anyway, I feel fine about the end of
this era, ready to move on with life and start making basses rather than
dragging them from gig to gig.
23.02.07
One step
closer. Click on the recent pic above to see the
updated gallery of the house. There's not much to say except that life
revolves around nest-building every moment I'm not on the job as a teacher.
Jorge and his men are doing a great job. That's his van in the driveway. I
hope the cold snap tonight is winter's last gasp. The season is short compared
to where I used to live, but I don't care for it any more now than I used to.
I think I would miss the seasons in Hawaii, though.
The project of
the week is fixing Beth's bathroom, from the metal studs, up through the
cement board to the sealed ceramic tile in the new tub. It has been a lot of
planning, buying, schlepping and sweating but is "fun" and is
saving us at least $1600, and since I have the
week off from school, it fits like "a fist on your eye", as the
Austrians say. (wut?)
HAH!! And I thought I would see the inside of a Karmann
Ghia this week!
02.01.07
Above, you see
my humble but loyal companion, loaded with precious cargo and destined for
new adventures! I want to thank J. and Y. for the use of their house in
Potomac, MD for the last fifteen months. It was great while it lasted! I
think they also got an appreciative and careful tenant for the time they were
away. I became a fan of Maytag washers and Sealy beds while I was there. I am
now in the commuting club once again, this time for the long haul, I guess.
There was a
little "house cooling" party last Friday, and in spite of the small
crowd, we had a good time. There was some good music with L. and I. jamming
with me. I tried to sing my one tune that never fails, but on account of my
laryngitis, it came out sounding more like a Brenda Vaccaro
tampon commercial- so I desisted. I'm now at my new digs here in NW
Washington with my one and only, and things are cozy here in the living room
tonight. It will be a nice time here, I think.
The packing
went quite smoothly. Aside from the fact that I don't really own alot of large furniture (basses excepted!),
I have been taking loads of things to the new place for weeks now. The
Wurlitzer was a challenge but it's found its new place in the music room at
school. The piano movers also got the August Förster
into the studio without breaking anything, though it was a close call getting
it up the driveway. The major setback of the week was the failed tune-up of
my '63 Ghia. I ended up having it towed to Jackson
Ave, but OF COURSE the flatbed could not get it up the driveway. In fact, our
new neigbor made a whirlwind appearance to correct
our ignorance about the whole thing. Anyway, yesterday I was quite at peace
with cutting my losses and selling it without further delay. TODAY, I think I
might know what I did wrong: setting the timing 180° off will tend to get you
nowhere fast. Will I get it running before it gets stolen off the
street?
Here are the
latest pics of thehouse repairs
...
02.01.07
Happy New Year and all that. I never was one to enjoy
New Year's celebrations, as the date always seems so arbitrary, and that most
people seem to use the date as an excuse to be really drunk and irresposible. This year was different, mostly, though the
same old feeling did get the better of me at the actual time. Thanks to the
Bedford gang for making it a nice weekend, and especially to B., who makes
all the difference.
It will be back to school in no time at all, so it's a
good time to take advantage of the time for both business and pleasure.
There's no end of things to do at the moment. I spent the day in the dust of
the former kitchen and at the county dumping center. I can't beleive what I see there. Today there was a bon-a-fide
antique radio, a box of Lionel train tracks and a truckload of perfectly
burnable lumber scraps unloaded next to me. On December 27th I unloaded
plaster next to a huge pile of boxes still in Christmas wrapping, which made
me a little depressed about the tra-la-la of the
toy drive we had at school. It's not right that people should take the time
and care to donate and wrap presents that don't ever make it to needy
families. Well, maybe they weren't donated after all- I'll never know.
I don't seem very popular shoveling my dusty
plaster. The unwitting suburban dumpers next to me always get a load of dust
in the old lungs- sorry, folks! Wear a mask next time! One of the annoyed
people that plulled up next to me was driving a
white van, like Jorge, our contractor. Well, it WAS Jorge. It was a neat
coincidence, and it showed that I wasn't blowing off my part of the
preparation, either. Was the work worth the $1600 discount he promised?
Maybe. But it took three solid days of the nastiest work I've ever done. And
I ran over a nail at the dump. The hole can be patched, but sheesh! More in a
while...
12.12.06
BLOG!! Life is good! For me, there's nothing like
bringing a once-glorious object that has seen better days back to it's former self. There's something wholesome about
reusing things. And I never shied from physical labor (how could I have
chosen the double bass as my instrument otherwise!), so I was happy as a
termite in a floor joist today,the first day at work on Beth's and my new home.
Granted, the kitchen area is in rough shape, especially behind the drywall,
but it will be gorgeous in just a few months. As you can see by the picture
above, the house has terminal
cuteness (thanks, Glen!) even in the state it's in. I spent the
whole day wrecking the kitchen, which was just what I was in the mood to do
today. I couldn't help thinking what a nice little spot we found for
ourselves, even if the driveway is the steepest I've ever seen.
In other news, the Christmas concert at DSW went well on
Sunday, though it was a real marathon for all involved. My kids were
fantastic (as usual!!!) and no blood was shed before the end at 9:45
PM. School is otherwise good, but there are the usual annoyances that
any employee will feel, one way or another. My pet peeve now is the sticks
that the kids play with at recess- my instinct says that no sticks should be
allowed on the playground because someone is bound to lose an eye sooner or
later. Am I paranoid or sensible?
I'm greatful for M. & J's
visit this weekend. I am often reminded during such visits why I was friends
with some people in the first place: they are just great company. Good luck
to you both, wherever you are.
And for any Ghia fans out
there: I've fallen into the routine that many of you share- family life:
home, (almost) wife, etc. My '61 has definitely taken a back seat to
what else is going on around here. Will it ever get finihed?
Definitely!! When? God only knows!!
21.11.06
Welcome back. There just doesn't seem time to turn
around lately. This is not going to change any time soon. I wanted to point
out that there is nothing wrong with the houses pictured above. NOTHING.
Except that they leave me cold. This is however enough to make me dislike
them and crave for something different. When I find my place, it's going to
be the right one, whever it is. It will be a home
for me and the ones in my family and a place we can all feel cozy and safe.
It's coming time to take leave of
Farnsworth Drive and move on to the place I may be staying for a long time to
come. My dear father says he's enjoyed having a place of his own, almost to
the point where he could take a bite of the earth he calls his own. I know
that feeling, though I haven't yet been able to taste my own dirt. I hope
that time is fast approaching. Judging by the amount of work in store, I may
wind up tasting dirt whether I like it or not.
The fast pace of the last weeks are finally giving over
to a more controlled tempo. Thanksgiving is in sight, and it's a welcome one!
It was good to play the bass player again, but it's a lot of work to play a
3-hour opera for $75, I can tell you. I often reflect on how I saw my first
bass teacher, Bill Hawthorne, working like crazy at the things he did to make
a living in old Upper Marlboro. By the time I was eighteen I was old enough
to realize what a lot of work it would be to become a musician. Did that stop
me?? In my "more advanced years" I do suffer at the thought that
the finances and actual work done have such a bad rotten proportion compared
to, well, many other jobs. Is the satisfaction of playing a B flat really in
tune worth it? Jody Gatwood in 1990 presented a
list of the top 200 jobs, rated by job security,
income, stress level, etc. Orchestral musicians were in the last quarter,
while insurance actuaries were right up there at Number 1. Would I have done
it differently? Not really. People, playing in tune is BEAUTIFUL. Even
playing out of tune is better than not playing at all.
So, for all you aspiring musicians out there: know what
you are getting into, go for it and don't do it half-way! That's my advice.
The beauty of music is also that so much of your education applies to other
disciplines, too. So, learn one thing thouroughly
and it will be a key to many things.
Back soon with some interesting pictures!!!
30.10.06
Welcome back! I just got back from old Vienna. Maybe
it's the last time for a while. I have very complex feelings toward the place
that undoubtedly shaped my mind as an adult and also as an artist. On the one
hand it is a city of remarkable beauty, warm-heartedness and substance, on
the other hand ugly and brutal. I suppose I will have a love-hate
relationship with beautiful Vienna as long as I live. I reached sublime
heights and plummeted to the lowest depths possible for man. Well, maybe not
the lowest possible.
Last week was a blur. There was hardly time to get
things taken care of, but it all seems to have worked out in the end. Thanks
to all the lovely people I visited with, your hospitality and conversation.
Now, it's back to life as usual...
12.10.06
Ok, ok, It's time to update! Sorry about the long break.
The last weeks were spent fighting a case of bronchitis and a fever. You
would have thought there was some time during all that lying around to write
a few lines, BUT NO!!! Actually there has been an awful lot of news lately in
my personal life. The short version is that I am very happy! The long version
will have to wait a bit.
In addition to being very happy in my private life, and
partly because of it, there hasn't been much time to devote to the Ghizer. So as much as it tickles
my fancy to get the old car on the road, it will have to wait out its time. I
was hoping to get the paint on before it gets too cold, but on the other hand
there's really no point in rushing now, when it all will be visible
"forever". I will take my time and try to be careful and thorough,
and rise to the challenge of making this out bag a beauty again. There are
only a couple ofrecent pics
of the restoration updated...
Next week it's off to old Austria. I think it's
serious this time- I decided to pack up or dispose of whatever is left and
get rid of the old apartment. It's about time, I guess. I will have a busy
week wrapping things up. And seeing some old friends!
21.08.06
B. & I got back from a trip down south last
Monday. It was a very nice trip to Atlanta, Charleston and Ocracoke to see her and my family. I'll try to post some pics. I had a habit of leaving the camera elsewhere while
seeing the most interesting things- so there are only a few of the shots that
should have been there. I never saw so many stars as on the island of Ocracoke- it was a clear night almost 25 miles in the
ocean.
School's in, starting
Thursday, but it's back to work tomorrow for planning conferences. I don't
think they will help. At least I'm planned, though I have no idea in which
room, if any, my students will have their music lessons.
(Blog pic)
30.07.06
More blog. It was a fantastic weekend with Bro, Sis and
B., heading to scenic Chesapeake City for the annual Goss family reunion.
Since I was away for all those years, this was the first time I had been
around for ages to see the folks. We had a big time. The progeny was crawling
joyfully all over the place- we have some fertile cousins, I tell you. Then
it was on to Baltimore for drinks and a snack and a lovely, air-conditioned
night in EB. Street. (Thanks, Dan!) Breakfast at the Sip & Bite can't be
beat.
Then it was on to see houses- B. & I are getting
into the real estate business together! They really knew how to build stuff
in 1916. Too bad it costs so much to maintain it in 2006! Well, even to buy
it...
The pic above shows the workshop where my generous
parents allow me to do the work on gheezer.
It's a nice shop, considering everything. No air-conditioning, but there's
usually a decent breeze blowing through, and if not I've got the fan going.
The flies find their way from the sheep pen into the garage. These are not "tasting" flies but the biting kind,
which bring out the violent nature in me. I got one with a wet rag the other
day, and strangely, the other flies kind of left me alone after that. There
will be more work this week as the summer passes its prime. Sweaty work, no
doubt! I can't wait to read this again in February!
24.07.06
Welcome to the virtual homeplace. This is a place
we can meet professionally, or more likely, just to spend time together. No
doubt, it's very odd spending time together this way, but I know you are out
there by the occaisional mails I get from all over
the world. Thanks for stopping in!!!
The place in the woods here is quite loud tonight with the katydids in
the trees: the distant roar of the Beltway is nearly drowned out alltogether. The jets on their way to National Airport
can't be masked, though.
There is plenty happening here, but I'm tired of thinking about it all.
I was in large part cut out to be a monk, I think, so don't be misled by my easy smile. That smile
seems to come less often lately, in spite of the joy of B., my favorite of
all! Hang in there...
03.07.06
Another update to pique your appetite for old cars and faint melodies in the
evening. Thank the powers above for Summer Vacation! It was a long time
getting there, and even now some remnants of my professional life come like
unwelcome guests. But they are slowly fading into the distance, their voices
getting quieter, the sounds of summer becoming prominent, masking the dying
murmurs...
You'd think I were ready for a
break!! I'll write more in time.
05.06.06
There's nothing like the sound of Tom Jobim's wonderful music sung by the composer. In the
words on the CD jacket, "JOBIM'S VOCALS ARE NOT THOSE OF A
PROFESSIONAL...". I inherited the CD from S.A.
in Wien a few years ago, so thanks, Soni!
What a great weekend. I think this one topped last
weekend, and that says alot. Memorial Day weekend
found your host cruising out to rural PA with my companion B. for a night of
beer, ribs and music. There is alot more to
mention, but I can't seem to get to it now... Then a lounge clubbing event
next day in B'more with Bro and Sis' and B. Did
they have to seat us ON the 750 W sub-woofers? We could still hear well
enough by breakfast time at the Sip n' Bite, though.
I have to sum up to say that I had nice companionship in
the few days of the past weekend, including B., CGB and old Tony from days
gone by- what a man! And, the rust heap in the garage is finally taking on
the form of a car again- Not just any car, but my dream car! I think maybe I
should get over this automotive fetish. Perhaps I will after the project is finished. Kinda doubtful, though. It would be unwise anyway, since
I'm bound to keeping the thing running after the constituent parts are
reunited, and that will probably take continual attention.
19.05.06
Friday again! Time marches inexoribly onward.
We're lucky to march with it, for a time anyway. The photo shows my problem
child from what used to be herworst side. This project with the Ghia is also marching on, but usually only with time
ripped out of the weekly schedule that gets spread into the weekends. Last
week was busy with the preparation of DSW's Mozart concerts: D-minor Piano
Concerto and Coronation Mass in C. I was very proud to be a part of it all.
Hats off to T. B. and his well-trained choir- BRAVO! Thanks to the folks who
came out to hear it, too. I also was a priviledged
audience member at Maurizo Polini's
recital at Strathmore Hall in Rockville. It was my first visit to the hall,
and for the 'burbs, it's really quite a place. Mr Polini cut a remarkable figure in his tails- wizened and
hunched, and apparently exhausted in the body after his 64 years. But how
remarkable this first impression contrasted with the fire in his fingers
unleashed after working up to the Liszt B-minor Sonata at the end of the
program. I've never seen anything like it. I had a profound feeling that Mr Polini sits at the peak of a
huge mountain he laboriously climbed, day after day in his dedication to the
piano. He now draws strength from the ground beneath him and wields enormous
power with his experience and wisdom. The program was so well-chosen.
A. thought I was intoxicated with the music- I guess I was.
02.05.06
The beach. The two weeks in another land down south were something very
special. It was a tight schedule to get through with school, take care of
errands and get on the plane with my list of "stuff" to take, but
we made it down there. Puerto Escondido is a nice place to visit, especially
if you'd like to do nothing more than sleep and lay on the beach. In the
first hours, B. and I I discovered that laying on the beach being served coldCoronas and Pacificas
was what we should have been doing for the previous months, too. It's a slippery
slope to think about what it takes to be able to go on vacation (i.e. A JOB)
vs. not doing the job in the first place and ust
sitting on the beach. I would much rather have the responsibilities, hassles,
rewards and money of the job, and have the option of spending money when and
how I want to. There were several meek buskers and hippie-types hawking their
wares on the streets (did it remind me of busking in Vienna??) and I'd much
rather get my steady paycheck, thank you very much! But enough about $$!! I
was glad to get back to the green of Maryland, after all that dust and sand.
For better or worse, this is where I belong!
8.04.06
No onehome. Your humble host is off
exploring rebirth mythology in Oaxaca province, Mexico (wha...?).
No, I'm on vacation drinking margaritas, sweating and doing things I don't
know yet. Taking a vacation at the beach seems to be all the rage this
Easter. I wonder if I shouldn't be the dilligent
coolie getting my acoustics carreer going again,
building basses, or at least welding. But I probably would spend half of the
vacation teaching and get to the end of the next two weeks exhausted, if
perhaps richer and better prepared for school again, and wonder why I didn't
get out of town. These are the thoughts that often come punctually at 4 AM.
If I were a creative Wall Street accountant having an audit, my occasional
insomnia would be justified. But as an elementary school music teacher?? Perhaps
an elementary school music teacher WITH A PhD should be having these
thoughts! But here we go again. Which brings us back to
getting away from it all for aTiwhile...
My travel partner, B., is apparently well-oganized.
I invited her to send me a list of suggested items to bring, in case I might
forget something in my absent-minded (professor?) kind of way. The list was
thorough and kindly included "anything you want not on my list". B.
will certainly get more than her share of teasing on this trip. On the other
hand, I will be lucky if I manage even with the list to bring everything on
it. My step-mother would've written at the bottom, "Head". I'm very
greatful for this chance to travel with my
high-school classmate, so here's to fun at the beach!
28.03.06
Greetings from Potomac, Maryland! It is evening and there is a fox in
the neighborhood, squeaking. He (she?) came trotting down the street this
morning, took a right into my driveway and had a good look around the whole
yard before trotting back in the direction he came from. At one point the fox
hunkered down and apparently drew a bead on some unseen quarry- perhaps a
squirrel or bird- but it came to nothing and he soon went about his business,
warily but self-confident.
It has been a remarkable few weeks- with the passing of my dear
93-year-old granddad and lots of other ups and downs. School is a grind,
mostly joyful, though. I finally got down to the Gheezer
for the weekend again, so after after a good 12
hour session of restoration (if you can call my amatuer
welding that) on Saturday, my male hormones are almost in balance once again.
You can see by the pic that the heap is starting to look
like a car again. The daffodils have been blooming like crazy in the yard- no
doubt, spring is at hand!
08.03.06
Cleveland. What associations does this word evoke? For me, the
strongest image was the drunken Robert Mitchum
shouting at Johnny Depp in a plaid suit, "Where the hell did you get
that suit? Cleveland?" ('Dead Man' by Jim Jarmusch,
1995). No longer. The city that suffers constant bashing had plenty to offer
last weekend on my visit to J.S. He finally left Manhattan to take a
job at CIM, and judging by the opera performance I saw on Saturday, it's a
very good school of music. J.'s new condo is also something special, with a
room full of nothing but the view from the 10th floor of Lake Erie and a
Steinway A- a dream for me. We ate an expensive meal in his neigborhood downtown and talked politics until 4. The
following day found us on the shore of the great lake, chatting in the wind and
wondering why so many tens of thousands of fish lay on the beach.
Back at school, it's odd to feel loved and hated, under
fire and dedicated, strength and weakness. Strange times, but times that will
be survived in any case. This is not the first time the lynch mob was after
me and definitely won't be the last, so do your worst, people! On the other
hand, the lecture of last Wednesday was a complete success, reaffirming my
lust to persue academics in acoustics of musical
instruments. So, no matter what should happen at the job, the path will
continue in this direction.
I send R. F. my warmest regards from so far over here!
Thanks for what you did almost two years ago, which warms my heart.
25.02.06
What a week! Saturday finds your host in bed, recovering
from a short but very intense few days at the courthouse, school and at the
musical grindstone. You see, I survived being called for jury duty on a
murder trial (I was excused on account of being held up at gunpoint last
year), THREE conferences at school, 21 of my 26 weekly private music students
(!??!), my regular schedule at school, and a couple of later nights, which
started last week sometime. Writing this, I feel like I achieved something by
just getting through. There were also a couple of walks in the woods, and
lots of "Calm" tea drunk.
The photo above was taken at my pad when my honorable colleagues needed a drink to
cool down following Thursday night's meeting. I am so proud of them! It
wasn't so much we were patting each other on the back for making a solid presentaion for the reform of our elementary school as revelling in the team spirit, and comparing notes on some
parents' comments. Effigy frankfurters were in order! But no, I'm not the type, so we just opened a couple of good
bottles of Prosecco and wound down.
There's much more to write, but most of it goes into my
book at home...
Peace and harmony to you
P.S. If S. Schuster sees this, please get in touch with
me as my mail to you is presently blocked.
19.02.06
I'm still warm with pleasure about the guests that were
Friday before last, in spite of the cold. There are some nice people around
after all. The past weeks found your host finishing up another stint at
school before the winter break last week. The break was fractious and not the
full week I expected to spend welding, since I was gladly stuck in NYC
visiting P. and M. during the record snowfall on February 11. What a city!
The highlights: the Metropolitan Museum, dinner at Frankie
and Johnny's, a Harlem church service, Mozart at Carnegie Hall, and seeing
the Manhattan streets without any cars on them. This made the wait in line
for the bus at the Port Authority almost worth it. Odd how all that snow just
disappeared again. Now it's time to get ready for school again, with all the
new challenges it will bring. I will do my best.
I spent a couple of days trying to get the doors to fit
on the car. It was fun but a real challenge, sort of like wrestling with a
gorilla, and isn't over yet. On thepictures, the additional 8mm gap
doesn't look too large.
Thanks for stopping in.
06.02.06
Another mini-weekend! (Tuesdays are off school!) It
was another productive weekend at the farm. I'm slowly getting a real itch to
drive the VW. I'm putting on pieces of the body nearly every weekend,
stepping inch by inch closer to the fateful moment, after numerous false
starts I guess, to the first test drive.
I remember the day I put strings back onto my
faithful double bass, Bertha. I had a little accident on a train in Austria,
and Bertha fell onto her neck, which wasn't glued in very well, and the neck
popped out. I spent weeks getting the dang thing in again under the guidance
of my violin-maker mentor and friend, Christine. It was a fateful moment as I
tightened the last turns of the E string... POP! Something went seriously
wrong. As it was, poor Bertha suffered a bass bar crack because she hadn't
been glued back together properly. Or maybe because her top had been thinned
by one of the American bass butchers. Anyway, it was a major anti-climax,
meaning she was bound for another stint in the repair shop.
Such may it be: the
gleaming body of the Ghizer lowered onto the majesticly restored chassis, every bolt fitted with only
minor difficulty, and now the turn of the key... POP! and
a fire under the bonnet!!! Such are the nightmares of your humble host...
My students are the best!! They are such
a hassle, and still such a delight. I notice myself whistling a new tune
every day on the way to work. Could it be that I like my job? How lucky is
the man who looks forward to facing the new day of duties?
Poe this weekend. That guy was out there. We all have a little of Poe
in us, and perhaps that's what makes him great.
P.S. There is a war on, people.
29.01.06
Spring is on its way! At least judging by the new-born
lambs down at the farm. It was another weekend in
southern Maryland grinding, welding and breathing poisonous fumes of one kind
of another, and visiting with the folks. If I ever get the dang car back
together and on the road, I will have to think up another excuse to be down
there regularly. After being away all those years in old Vienna, it is such a
pleasure to be just a few miles from my important folks. There was also a
cast-away cast removal machine and a cheap guitar cable to repair, and the
oil in the pickup to change. Great weather this weekend- like May yesterday
and with low clouds and sweet air today.
Thanks goes out to WAMU for filling my Sundays with
great old-fashioned radio. But I am annoyed by the slant of the news. Where
can you get a straight story in this country!?? Between NPR and the
Washington Times laying around this weekend, there
wasn't much to be cheerful about. HA! What is the ruling, "democracy
espousing" regime here in Washington going to do with the latest
election in Palestine? I wish I didn't care. I feel used and extremely
guilty, and I feel like the tendencies happening in D.C. flies in the face of
all those monuments stand for. Why isn't anyone else
apparently terrified?
18.01.06
I got so sick of looking at the rusty mess of the right
A-column that I had to turn the old Ghizerupside up
for a new perspective on things. It helped. This weekend was a considerable
leap forward in the progress of my little project, and I might even venture
to say I felt like it's going to be downhill from here. Naturally this is a illusion, but when the feeling
happens, go with it, right?
Last Wednesday was my birthday, and it was a good one. I had lots of
nice greetings from some old and true friends, for which I am very thankful,
and from the barrel full of monkeys at work. This was followed by a night on
the town in Washington- wow! I mean, it's different from a night on the town
in a real city (oops!) but you can get a decent meal here. We were in good
company, and when the mood was flagging with me the others turned it around.
The Saloun got a big thumbs
down, but J. Paul's saved the evening by supplying decent brew at a
reasonable price and a decent chat over vintage guitars and politics with T.
from Atlanna. Next stop: Havana Club and the Bossa Lounge.
Oh, did anyone remember there's a war on?
30.12.05
Time flies. You see your humble servant, Capt.
Cheese, pictured with one of his biggest fans. School is
happily about to get going again, one day earlier than everyone else. I can't
say I was depressed at being away from it, but it will be good to get back.
In the past weeks, there was alot of visiting and
work on the car, and even some bass-playing in Damascus. There is a long way
to go with the Ghia but I
am concentrating fairly consistently on getting it done bit by bit.
I'm looking forward to the new year. 2005 wasn't bad,
but I think 2006 will be even better. Happy New Year!
27.11.05
Ever wonder what your front axle looked like, taken
apart? Maybe something like this...
The contents of the bucket look alot
different now without the 1"+ cake of grease and grime on it. Yep, those
babies are primed and ready to be put back together, in about six months! I
hope I can remember how to do it by then...
Having been through the ups and downs of this difficult job (so far)
puts things in perspective, perhaps: I changed the front brake rotors and
pads on my fathers '92 Corolla this weekend in about 90 minutes, at a cost of
around $50. I think this is a $250 job at one of the local service stations.
I must say they made some convenient design improvements since 1961.
You can see some more evidence of progress by going to the new'61 Karmann Ghia
page at awbmusic (this page is
getting farther from the point all the time.) Looking at pictures is alot more worthwhile than reading that stuff from last
week...
22.11.05
Life's too much, isn't it? I mean, too much to
comprehend. It's impossible to articulate the fragments into a cohesive
picture. I think they used to be able to do it in days of the good guys and
bad ones- where you either belonged or didn't. Although while reading Mencken
last night I got the impression this paradise lost is not a product of the
times but of the human condition. But the levels of information and
activities surely move faster now.
What brings all this philosphy
on? I broke my month-long news fast for several hours while working on the
car today, which caused me no end of consternation and confusion, and finally
to switch the radio off in disgust. Someone theorizes that the psychology
serves only the Darwinian purpose of creating manipulable
groups that can be convinced to support some common cause, thereby equipping
them with conviction (in the guise of morality or patriotism) and the will to
prevail. Many groups have had the will to prevail but of course there's much
more to surviving than that. I guess the survivors have a lot of extra
capacity for such wordy ruses.
So all the discussion from about who in the world should
manage the internet to W's Iraq non-policy scrambled my receptors for such
manipulation. In truth, I now prefer to manipulate rather than be
manipulated, whether it be for inconsequential
material things under my control (cars and tools) or the budding minds of
humans discovering the mysteries of music. This all let me a bit confused.
To add to it, I heard the most beautiful concert tonight
at the German Embassy in Washington: two Americans performing the songs of
Hugo Wolf. Wolf's grave lays in my home of thirteen
fateful years, Vienna. This and the mixed audience made me all the more
confused in missing that old place. But during the singing- ah, the wonderful
singing!!- I was carried away from the day's shards of conciousness.
Joy, sorrow, playfullness, the bittersweet
recognition of mortality in the bloom of life, all was there in the voice and
eyes of our voluptuous soprano, accompanied by the perfect dynamics of a New
York pianist from Alabama.
What ever it is, we're all in this together.
P.S. The car is coming along...
30.10.05
Spent the weekend down on the farm again. The car is coming along. This
weekend was spent sawing out the old foor pans and
cleaning up where the new ones go on, dismounting the transaxel,
shifter and other items from the central column, and power washing the
removed parts. I'm a bit unclear as to the primary goal- should it look
shiny, like new, or should every reasonable effort be made to preserve its
patina and look "original", with only the critical bits gussied up?
There is still a bit of time to deliberate. The coat of primer on the
formally rusted parts looked so pleasingly fresh and
orderly as to inspire me for the former, and I also don't want to miss any
opportunities to fix anything while the work is in progress. I also think the
car is more desireable for "your average car
driver" (i.e. $$$) if things are as clean as possible. But then, it's my
dream we're talking about here, and I can't help being influenced by the
European style of restoration, to leave as much of the original material as
possible. Of course there isn't much to be done about alot
of it- the floor, carpets and other things simply need to GO! As I wrote,
there's still a bit of time.
13.10.05: So near and yet so far...
Mid-October finds your host on the porch listening to
the rain in the trees and the air traffic to WAS overhead. In the dark.
Alone. Shivering slightly but content.
I'm in new digs since last week, and it's nice:
a whole house to myself. People say it was like winning the lottery, and I
can't help but agree. You see, the house I am caring for is located about 800
feet from my workplace, instead of the 35 miles I was driving.
What do you do with the extra time in the day? This issue was never a problem
for me. Besides teaching at school and privately 40 hours (on four days),
there are the projects like restoring my 1961 newlywed, building instruments
and researching acoustics. What would I rather do? I can't really think of
anything. Perhaps the median age of my students could rise
an average of fifteen years, but I also love my dwarfs. They may be small in
body but there is a revolution happening in most of them as I write.
The whole list of things to do may drastically change at any time, but I
don't expect it to in the near future. Oh, add dancing tango and learning
Italian well to that list, and writing a couple of books: "Music
Pilgrim" and "The Acoustics of the Viennese Double Bass". If
we both live long enough many of these plans may become reality.
To sidestep reality for a few minutes, I went to the local mall to view the
new Wallace and Grommit film. After killing time
before the show in that concrete and gleaming structure the sinking feeling
that it was an entirely abysmal place sunk in. The colorful smoothies were
small consolation in the face of the nylon hairpieces and endless plastic
shoes on display, and even the bookshop with a tiny paperback of Hesse's "Sidhartha"
in English left me feeling empty. The people putting in their time at the
counter seemed like robots so out of touch with life.
The movie was very clever, and I got a good laugh in spite of it all. The
bull terrier's purse was my favorite moment, but
then you'd have to see, wouldn't you?
22.09.05: Nothing better to do...
It all started in a junkyard in Southern
Maryland. No, it all started when I was an 11-year old riding to Florida.
Wait...it all started in the hazy and meandering tastes of a middle-aged
lawyer in Baltimore with a habit for speed and alcohol. But this is all
another story. It suffices to say that as of this week I am living out my
American automotive dream, starting (almost) from the bottom up.
You see, there was this nagging materialistic feeling all those years
in a foreign country that urged me to my own, mobile space. One with some responsibilities,
expenses and inconveniences, but also with the advantage of a certain degree
of freedom. Even when you are stuck in traffic, you still don't have the
alcoholic stink af the next passenger breathing on
you like you might in the old Strassenbahn.
You may be waiting in the rain, but it's under your own roof, somehow.
This yearnig thrown in with my early
developed modelling instinct forced me to buy the
above vehicle. I oohed and ahhed
at the last last harrowing seconds of the E-Bay
auction, and though I was the highest bidder, I won't be certain for quite awhile whether I won or lost on that day. At any rate,
this required fast action, and after contact with the seller, I wracked my
brains to find a way to get it home from New Jersey. Every passing SUV with a
two ton hitch suddenly jeered at me from the highway as I struggled to think
of some friend that would lend me his or her car carrier. But in the end it
was a fat U-Haul with a vengeful automatic transmission.
In Little Portugal, Newark, the car looked just as it did in the
description, with the photos cleverly enticing potential buyers with demure
angles of the Ghia's most charming features. But
anyone who knows the wiles of the post-war Wirtschaftswunder
can also guess at the amount of rust judging by the ommited
shots. The live encounter was also enhanced by a further sense as the vehicle
was used the past few years in the barn, apparently, as a cat toilet.
Santos revived my new baby with a feeding tube (more later...)
09.05: Back to work.
Lacking a pic of my smiling children (packed into the new music room at
school) I decided for a bit of nostalgia- the Viennese summer. I guess the photo of my handlebars bringing up the
rear of the streetcar on Waehringerstrasse let you
know what the weather was like in August.
Just last Friday things started settling down for the year, and I think
it's going to be a good one. I miss a good number of children that have moved
on like Simone, Anna and Sofia (Hi out there!!). The change from being a
university acoustics expert and performing musician to an elementary school
teacher is indeed strange brew. But all in all, I love my job!
There are other things happening but I assume any reader couldn't care
much about my new shelves, the fact that the Austrian taxes are LATE AGAIN or
that I plan to fix a Toyota sedan's door handle tomorrow. Oh, and please spam
S. in Austria that she should come to visit next month, please!
07.08.05: Italy. Italy, Italy, Italy, Italy. Italy!!!
I suppose two weeks are enough to revive that part of oneself that shrivels and wanes when you are away from
Italy. The time was different now as my impressions were reflected and
refracted by my company. That's what sharing time together is about, I
suppose. In some ways I feel true to my culture, being flighty and easily
distracted by one wonder or another, be it ugly or graceful, but also
happy-go-lucky in a good way. But through the mirror I saw some worthy things
I wouldn't want to have missed, for which I'm very thankful. Dancing on the
roof was nice, too!
It was great to see M., G. and to meet some new friends like P., who
plays piano and drives excellently, even long distances with a phone on his
ear, and B. who let me bang the bridge of his Testore
Cello with my magic hammer!
I posted afew pics
of the trip. For now it's back to work for the next weeks in Vienna.
12.07.05: Back in Vienna! My struggles with Bach go
on, but now at least I have a little help...it has to do with circles.
Things here are much as I left them: fun playing at
the Theater, seeing friends that have remained as nice as ever if not even
better, depressing weather, too much to do but
inexorable lust for doing it. My place has remained a true if humble friend,
as well, with the rare occurance of a lovely view
from the window. There are also some joyous new faces on the scene, like Ludo's Jonathan and Prof. Susanne (su-SAN--NE)!
I miss my school children, if only enough to look forward to them in the
still distant school year. Until then, there's plenty of writing to do do on a forthcoming book about the acoustics of the
Viennese double bass, and a two-week adventure
in Italy at the end of July. Prost/Salute!
05.06.05: So much Bach, so little time. 1 1/2 hours
a day is not enough to learn the piano at my age. In spite of being
"digitally challenged" at the keyboard, I do see signs of
improvement as the months go by. Being a music teacher is a fine excuse for
devoting so much time to such inefficient practice, and I love it.
I had a great laugh with some great people, C. and
L., last night. Just as our meal was arriving, who should walk in the
Wisconsin Avenue restaurant but ... Alan Greenspan and his lovely wife. After seeing that he does well with chopsticks, our
conversation wandered to the curious sighting by my friends of a realistic,
three-foot model made entirely out of uncooked pasta labelled,
"The Leaning Tower of Pisa, by Alan Greenspan". This sighting at
the San Fransisco airport in about 1997 made my
friends wonder, and soon we were hard at work thinking of what to ask Mr.
Greenspan as he enjoyed his tempura. Some people might ask him when to sell
their sorghum futures, or why the Fed didn't raise the Prime Rate an extra
1/4 %, but I wanted to ask whether he built the tower with the bottom on an angle,
or whether he built it straight and then
cut it off at an angle. C. came back from the bathroom claiming
that she informed Mr. Greenspan that 'a friend' had a question for him, to which Mr Greenspan replied,
"Well, your 'friend' should come and ask it, then." Now it was up
to me. I hadn't even seen the pasta tower. My inner struggle was telling me,
"you know, life only BEGINS when you do things your better judgment
tells you not to," and then, "but it's much to
irreverent to place a question like that while Mr
Greenspan is trying to enjoy the company of his lovely wife,"
"yeah, but if it really IS his hobby to make pasta architecture models he'll
definitely get a kick out of the question..." Any inner
conversation this long was bound to end in an anti-climax, and in the end, to
my eternal chagrine, I DIDN'T ask the question.
Damn. Now I'll never know if he made it, how he made it, or what kind of
person he is up close. So much for life in the big city.
27.05.05: I'm alive, still. The above photo is one
of the only photos I have representing my recent Easter trip to Rio de
Janeiro, as my camera, along with my innocence some how,
was stolen by three gunmen at the youth hostel. Without dwelling on a bad
scene, it was kind of scary. The worst part of it was losing my friend
Giordano's company for the second week of our vacation; he decided to get out
while the going was good, leaving me to my fate among the favela-dwellers.
But all clouds have a silver lining, and thus my rescue was assured under the
welcoming wings of the Fuks (Fooks) family,
who not only took me into their household in Jardím
Botanico, buteven leant
me the money to buy the holy grail of samba guitars, my 2004 seven-string
classical guitar by Jó Nunes.
In spite of the everyday horrors of violence to people and the environment
there, the warmth of my acquaintances, the vitality of the music and the
tropical landscape assure me that I must return someday.
School has been dominated by the preparation of our
WORLD PREMIERE of the "Prinzessin Kaugummi" on June 7 & 8. My kids are fabulous:
give them the right guidance and the sky's the limit! In other news I
had a great visit with Wolfgang in Washington and John in New York, and had
the priveledge of meeting Carol Vaness
at a voice lesson in Midtown. My very own PCB accelerometer arrived last week
and I'm now all set to measure any bass, guitar or cooking pot that comes
along. There was also a performance of Verdi's Reqium
in Damascus which was all worth it to chat with Michael and his friend Maggie
after the show. Why do they live so far away from where I do? Finally, it's
only a matter of weeks before I make the trip trip
back to old Austria for the gig at Theater Akzent,
to pick up where I left off, if only for a tumultuous two months.
1.2.05: Things have been busy here around
Washington! My ex-band Alhambra was played on WAMU two weeks ago, thanks to
Washington's own pillar of jazz scholarship, Rob Bamberger. I was a
pall-bearer for the first time in my life at my grandmother's funeral last
weekend. I love my school kids, though it takes a lot of nerve to manage them
day after day. And my private students are some of the best children in the
world, I'm convinced. Maybe I'm just prejudiced. Above, you see a shot of the
Brown Brothers during a "public
rehearsal" on New Year's Eve. Oh, yeah, and I finished my Ph.D. in
October. You may call me Dr. Brown now. My colleague Elisabeth and I can now
fix toilets, among other things (Elisabeth: "Look, I fixed the
toilet!" Daughter: "You didn't get your Ph.D. for nothing,
Mom.") Here in Upper Marlboro, the dogs continue to bark and the cat
flees in terror at the first sign of pulling out the piano stool.
27.9.04: Life finds me happily in the "Greater
Metropolitan Washington Area", stuck in traffic. This is the "ganz normale Wahnsinn" of everyday life in D.C. I am
enjoying my new job and the familiar land beneath my wheels. But I will
always take some of old Austria with me: Leb' Wohl, Wien! Hello, D.C.!
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