Strings Attached

A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin; what else does a man need to be happy.

Albert Einstein
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Hello Rose
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What a strange musical instrument the violin is. It's an oddly shaped box that doesn't really fit the human who plays it. He has to hold one end under his chin, while the fingers of his left hand have to curl around under the other end and press themselves down on the strings while he's holding it up. The other hand holds a bow which he then saws back and forth across the strings to make them vibrate. A violin, to look at it, makes no sense at all.

It's a torturing, unforgiving instrument if it isn't played right. And yet untallied thousands have been learning and playing it for hundreds of years. Why? Because the sounds that come out of it can be as beautiful as any sound in the universe, the infinite degrees of expression come directly from the heart, it's resonance can fill a concert hall and in harmony with other instruments can produce a lush and shimmering sound of unearthly bliss.

Old King Cole was a merry old soul
And a merry old soul was he;
He called for his pipe, and he called for his bowl
And he called for his fiddlers three.
(Traditional)

I spent many good years trying to learn how to play the violin and finally had to concede the job to others as I really had no talent for it. My violin playing annoyed my neighbors and set the local dogs to howling. Even my cat, who was usually an objective, patient sort, when she saw the violin come out would jump down from wherever she was and run off to hide in some secret place and not reappear until well after the noise had ceased. (Years later I discovered, quite by accident, that I had a talent for playing the clarinet. But that's a different story.)

Another thing about the violin is it's versatility. It is the largest crowd to be found on the concert stage, of course. But it also plays it's parts very well in popular music, jazz, and folk music. Unlike the bass violin, the tuba, the piano and the pipe organ, the violin is easy to transport (although these days a master violinist with a million dollar Stradivarius will definitely approach the check-in area of a TSA with a great deal of concern). But most of the time, in most places, the fiddle is a great companion.

I'll tune me fiddle and I'll rosin me bow
And I'll have music wherever I go.
(Irish folk song)

I'm sorry I never learned to play the violin, for as Pope Paul VI recalled, "The older the fiddler, the sweeter the tune."

Dana Bate - The Vagabond
Never Give Up
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This invitation is still open for anyone and everyone to post an entry of their own on my journal, Vagabond Journeys http://vagabondjourneys.blogspot.com/.

A new year is upon us and since it is a time for celebrations, remembrances, resolutions and plans for the future I think people have things to say.

Not to take away from the postings on your own journals, but to add to the joy of my own is why I invite you to write for me.

I want to read what your thoughts are about this magical time of the year. This invitation is open to everyone: Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Pagans, Agnostics, Atheists and the Uncertain or the Confused. Tell me your thoughts on any subject you wish.

There are no limits in regard to length. The only limitation is that, for reasons so far unexplained to me, my blog does not take photographs, animations, videos or pictures of any kind. I deal in words.

Please accept my invitation. Send your entry to my email address dbdacoba@aol.com I will copy and paste it into my journal and it will be displayed promptly. You may sign your name or not as you wish, and you may leave a link to your blog or your email or not, as you wish. I will do NO editing or censoring. Eloquence is not necessary, mind or heart or both is all.

I have 12 Guest Authors so far. Check them out.
All are welcome. Admission is free.

DB - The Vagabond
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Play Your Song

The older the fiddler, the sweeter the tune.

Pope Paul VI
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Age doesn't give us wisdom. Wisdom is always there. What age does is enable us to catch up with it. I have a quote somewhere which says don't complain about being old, it's a privilege denied to many.

Many years ago I lived in northern New Hampshire. There are a lot of mountains there. On one bright, sunny summer day I was climbing Middle Moat Mountain. I was about 35. I had my shirt off, tucked into my back pack which was over my shoulders. I was feeling great. like primary man.

On Middle Moat the timber line is very near the base, so the climb is basically on rocks and surrounded by open space. As I climbed I noticed two people way up ahead of me coming down. They saw me, I saw them. As they got closer I could see they were teenage girls. As we passed each other one girs was talking to the other one about a boy she knew and I heard her say "I still see him but he's old now. He's almost 20." I felt like turning around and saying "Come here girls. Let me teach you something about age." But I walked on.

A few months later I was directing a production of "The Fantasticks" for the local high school. In the play the boy has a line about the girl which says "She makes me young again." The high school kid playing the part kept getting it wrong and saying "She makes me feel young again." which is cute, but it's not the line. "She makes me young again" coming from a youngster is much funnier.

Finally, after correcting him many times, I had them all sit down and I told them the story of my trip up the mountain. Then I asked the kid how old he was and he said he was 18. "Oh, my God" I said. "You're almost 20? You're old. You've hit your peak. It's all down hill from now on, buddy. You're living on overtime. You're already rusting out. I suggest you get to the drug store and buy a cane, you're going to need it. Look at yourself in the mirror tonight and see the wrikles and the gray hair starting to form. You're old and done for."

They all laughed, of course. Then I asked him "And what does she do for you?" "She makes me young again" he replied. He never got the line wrong after that.

What do older people do? The same things as younger people do. They may do it with less energy but with more experience and, hopefully, with some wisdom. Life can get sweeter when our fiddle is in tune and we finally know the song.

DB - The Vagabond
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PUZZLE - WEEKEND EDITION

Labor over this.
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KBH KF BOZOZSOB KQO NWCY FT GOIKOZSOB
EQOC UWTO EPG GUFE PCY FQ, GF ZOUUFE.
KBH KF BOZOZSOB KQO NWCY FT GOIKOZSOB
EQOC XBPGG EPG XBOOC PCY XBPWC EPG HOUUFE.
KBH KF BOZOZSOB KQO NWCY FT GOIKOZSOB
EQOC HFD EOBO P KOCYOB PCY VPUUFE TOUUFE.
KBH KF BOZOZSOB, PCY WT HFD BOZOZSOB
KQOC TFUUFE.

KEZ RFCOG

Good luck.
DB
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