music, gaming and thankfulness

Well, to catch you up, gentle reader, here's what is going on. James and I have continued to practice on Tuesday nights and "tighten up" our material. We have taken the traditional stuff and arranged it to suit our styles and instrumentation. Most of all, though, we've had fun with it too. :-)

We played at Dyersburg State yesterday for their "company picnic" - staff and their families. We had a great time! Vanessa has been in school on Tuesday nights so hasn't been able to practice with us, but yesterday she brought her percussion instruments and her voice and was a full fledged Bare Basic. :-) She played the wooden spoons on most of the fast songs and used the afuche cabasa on the slower ones and the waltzes. She sang harmony with me as well as singing some lead. I was super proud of her and her talent but also proud to share the stage with her!

Ken Jones, from the college, is an old musician friend of mine too. He used to sit in with the Bare Basics back when we had the full group. He blows a great harp!

This Tuesday night I have an old gospel musician from WAY back coming to sit in on bass and see how it goes. I also invited a dance friend last night to bring his flat top and sit in on straight rhythm. We will see how it goes...

Last night was the third week at the little dance hall in Hornbeak - Boot Scoot. Weather was not the best and I think it kept a lot of people in, but those that did come out had a good time. We ended the show with my latest composition - "I Thought That I'd Forgotten."

Speaking of writing - one of the things I've come to realize, but I don't think I've mentioned it here, is that when I'm spending a lot of time PERFORMING music (and the associated practice) that I don't spend as much time writing. I think I know now why traveling musicians will do their writing when they're "off the road."

And I mentioned gaming in the title. I've been reading the rules for Edge of the Empire and two of my old role-playing friends from high school are wanting to play. I have a third "Car Wars Player" that wants in and am waiting to hear from my third high school gaming friends. Scheduling a time for all of us to get together, even though it's virtual, is proving to be a challenge... But I am determined to make it happen. I have tokens and maps that I've been uploading to roll20.net so we can do this right. :-)

Haven't played X-Wing nor demo'd games in the last two weeks. No one has shown up for the Thursday night gaming at the FLGS. Maybe this week...

One last thing - we were talking in church this morning about being thankful for different things. I've noticed on Facebook a lot of people are sharing one thing a day in the month of November that they are thankful for. I think these are great things, but I don't normally participate. Rest assured that I AM thankful for the blessings in my life and my friends and family. I miss seeing my boys every day and I miss spending quality time with Vanessa, but I am thankful that all three are doing what they want to do and are happy!

Blessings to you, gentle reader! May you also be ever thankful!