What are you not doing, that maybe you should be?

[Matthew]

Posted by Mike (here)
Hey Mark thanks for the kind words! Appreciate it.

What I envy about you is that you have a great voice to go along with your talent. My voice sucks. At least for rapping lol.


Matthew, thanks for the encouragement. I did write something recently, about this kid's fb posts (an old acquaintance) and for the most part the reaction was lukewarm. I'm so neurotic and touchy about stuff i create that the reactions really affect me. It's a terrible, crippling flaw of mine. But i am getting better. At least i showed some people! In the past i wouldn't have been able to do even that

❤️ I'm honoured to be shared with this. I want to credit you, humbly - my opinion your conversation style of writing (that I've seen) is second to none.. relaxed, personal and has a spark of life that jumps out of the page; is your turbulence you describe the cost of that? I'm jealous and I want your flaws so I can have your power. But I'll stop picking on you, because I bet you will find the complement difficult and I'm sorry about that. If it helps I'm an idiot

[I am B]

Posted by Patient (here)
I took some time and watched a bunch of drum videos to try to figure out what drum kit to get. If I had an unlimited budget, this would be easy - DW maple, 7 piece.

Probably gonna go with a mid-range Pearl kit. That way I can get all of the cymbals I want as well.

Now a new challenge - due to the lockdown, the store is not open to allow people inside. I have to make my order over the phone and pick it up at the curb. Now any musician of practically any instrument will tell you how difficult it is to buy something online. Maybe a brand new synth if you were familiar with the exact model you wanted would be ok?

But anything on the acoustic side - yikes...I will find my way through this.

Thats a struggle

If you are thinking on getting some nice cymbals too, I recommend the Paiste 201 3 piece set. Super good when it comes to quality-price. And they sound way more balanced than any other low budget set I've tried so far. ^^

[ExomatrixTV]

Music & art ... to me, both are food for the Soul ... when making/producing it being "100% in the now" flow of creativity (aka "muse") something magical happens ...

I played many times Djembé on the streets & plaza's of Amsterdam mid 1990s sharing joy with strangers from all over the world having their own instruments ... the spontaneous interactions were priceless to me ... every time was different and was surprised how we can find back & forth harmony playing in "sync" without any preparations ... no spoken language just let the instruments do the talking and FINE-TUNE in the moment with other gifted people is a reward in itself. Plus it heals my Soul feeling alive again.

cheers,
John

ps. I already played professional percussion when I was 11 years old in 1977

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=lIbRuIm9MxI

I listed to videos/cd's like this 100s of times, and tried to play along with it ... not always easy to do by the way:

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=sqdrP1rVscs

[Open Minded Dude]

Posted by Patient (here)
Probably gonna go with a mid-range Pearl kit. That way I can get all of the cymbals I want as well.

Pearl (Export) was my first drum kit I bought 1983 when I started drumming , bought it from a normal music instrument trader of course, what a great moment when I saw it first in their garage and then they brought it home to me the next day. Things you never forget. I still have it stored away today in my cellar becuase my first drum teacher back then in the 80ies told me 'you never sell your first drum kit'. So I stuck with it. Only sold the second one (I only had two).

[Patient]

Posted by I am B (here)

Posted by Patient (here)
I took some time and watched a bunch of drum videos to try to figure out what drum kit to get. If I had an unlimited budget, this would be easy - DW maple, 7 piece.

Probably gonna go with a mid-range Pearl kit. That way I can get all of the cymbals I want as well.

Now a new challenge - due to the lockdown, the store is not open to allow people inside. I have to make my order over the phone and pick it up at the curb. Now any musician of practically any instrument will tell you how difficult it is to buy something online. Maybe a brand new synth if you were familiar with the exact model you wanted would be ok?

But anything on the acoustic side - yikes...I will find my way through this.

Thats a struggle

If you are thinking on getting some nice cymbals too, I recommend the Paiste 201 3 piece set. Super good when it comes to quality-price. And they sound way more balanced than any other low budget set I've tried so far. ^^

Thanks for that - I don't know what I am going to end up with at this point. I want a good snare and hi-hat to start. Some decent cymbols for some good textures. There is always another cymbal to add!!

¤=[Post Update]=¤

Posted by ExomatrixTV (here)
Music & art ... to me, both are food for the Soul ... when making/producing it being "100% in the now" flow of creativity (aka "muse") something magical happens ...

I played many times Djembé on the streets & plaza's of Amsterdam mid 1990s sharing joy with strangers from all over the world having their own instruments ... the spontaneous interactions were priceless to me ... every time was different and was surprised how we can find back & forth harmony playing in "sync" without any preparations ... no spoken language just let the instruments do the talking and FINE-TUNE on the moment with other gifted people is a reward in itself. Plus it heals my Soul feeling alive again.

cheers,
John

ps. I already played professional percussion when I was 11 years old in 1977

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=lIbRuIm9MxI

I listed to videos/cd's like this 100s of times, and tried to play along with it ... not always easy to do by the way:

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=sqdrP1rVscs

I had a couple congo drums that were lifted as well! I should pick up a djembe drum as I always liked the sound of those!

¤=[Post Update]=¤

Posted by Open Minded Dude (here)

Posted by Patient (here)
Probably gonna go with a mid-range Pearl kit. That way I can get all of the cymbals I want as well.

Pearl (Export) was my first drum kit I bought 1983 when I started drumming , bought it from a normal music instrument trader of course, what a great moment when I saw it first in their garage and then they brought it home to me the next day. Things you never forget. I still have it stored away today in my cellar becuase my first drum teacher back then in the 80ies told me 'you never sell your first drum kit'. So I stuck with it. Only sold the second one (I only had two).

Pearl has some nice mid range drums out now. I was thinking of going with and mid (maybe a bit higher) maple pearl kit. There are so many choices - and again, over the phone and the internet!!! Not fair, but I am making it happen.

I will post a pic once I finally decide on what I am getting and have it here set up.

[RunningDeer]

What am I doing?

• Walks on the country road
• Tai Chi cane form
• Tai Chi
• Chi Kung
• Simple yoga
• Read
• Listen to music
• Just sit and breath
• Feed the birds
• Listen to nature
• Remember to invite the wind to blow through me (chi, prana)
• Creative meditation i.e. visual exercises
• Feel the chi/prana around, through, and within, flow and regenerate
• Experience the me that's greater than the physical
• Pay attention to the synchronicities, and pass along a thank you bunches
• Express thanks & gratitude for the peace, joy, and love

What am I not doing? How can I do it better?

• Cut back on multi-tasking
• Balance out the above activities and/or be okay if it doesn’t happen as desired that day.

♡

[Hym]

A note to an awesome soul.....
Paula,

When I was living on praanuh, drinking just enough good water as I felt I wanted, I would have these moments of full body joy.
I had spontaneous moments of laughter. It all was very natural.
Just sharing here to confirm the things everyone experiences getting back to the essence when making those choices. A strong affirmation here on your journey.

It is a very natural state of being, since I had not planned any of the weeks, 5 or 6 total, that I would go without food or remain absorbed in that deep healing. In fact, it would have seemed very unnatural to have stopped and gone outside of the connection to nature, when closeness and interaction with nature is the basis of nurturing our entire being.

This journey only ended when I had to go back to work. I needed more food fuel, though I had done well with sitali praanuhyaam/breathing thru only a small space between the lips where we feel the cool, concentrated energy....not just a survival method when there is very little food available and a great way to cool the body off in the heat, but a habitual energetic that should be in everyone's life.

Though I was practicing a combination of two t'ai chi forms beforehand until I had this switch when I felt the energy all of the time, it would be inaccurate to say that I was practicing any form of t'ai chi, because there wasn't a waking moment that I didn't feel the energy. I also began to see the praanic energy when I meditated early in the morning after doing ishnaan and began to see a deep blue while going in and out of the water, and for a short while thereafter.

So powerful is the healing method done with cold water that I accidentally woke up a brother in law of mine one early morning while going in and out of the water, him upstairs sleeping.

I would take a cold shower from a faucet outdoors, actually...a cool shower at that time in SoCal, while chanting a prayer....but whispering it. This one morning, at around 3:45 a.m., while doing just this energetic form of waking up on a deeper level, I saw the upstairs light go on in his room. Dang. I thought I was being really quiet.

That morning I saw him and apologized for waking him up and shared that I was doing my best to be quiet. His answer was "You were quiet. It was that blue light that woke me up."

Another time I was up in Sequoia for a friends wedding. Very early in the morning, just after 4 a.m. I went from our tent down to the stream nearby. I was extra careful, being in public, to be as soundless as possible. I thought since the path to the stream was very soft, all I would be aware of was my breath. That, again, was not the case.

I went in and out of the water, but it was too cold to stay in for any length of time beyond saying those prayers...in a whisper of course, and not a very powerful one as I often do. As I came back from ishnaan, and now some misogi as I added in some Shinto prayers from O'Sensei Ueshiba, "Sheentaaee O Sheeray"/"Seen and the Unseen are One".......

On my way back to the tent, I heard a voice from inside another tent. "Oh, that Blue Light. Come and see me in the morning after breakfast." Well, whoever that was I know that he could see...deeper...to the inside that shows outside. It was only me and him up at that time.

The stories he told me about visiting pyramids worldwide, the real history of the Maya, and how the prayers I was doing sounded very close to theirs, the Maya's description of the roof of the mouth as the connections to the heavens inside,.....were a deeper sharing that I appreciated.


I hesitate to suggest things that you are likely already doing, but if you haven't there is another level that uses the method of ishnaan, at times in Shinto called misogi. In and out of the cool to cold water, warming up a bit in between each of the 3 or more inserts per area, extremities first...arms and legs, then the back....then the front of the torso....then the head last....always the head last.

When the energy rushes to the skin to warm it up, it travels from capillaries to the entire blood stream, loaded with oxygen waiting to energize the inner organs.

Beyond the inspiring practices and teaching of Wim Hoff, it has been known in all native cultures, forever as a primal and daily practice for continued health. In western cultures, once the science arrived to measure the effects, it has been known to cure many illnesses, some seemingly incurable.

Hymn

[RunningDeer]

Thank you for your kind words, Hymn, and for sharing your experiences and helpful tips.

Posted by Hym (here)
A note to an awesome soul.....
Paula,

When I was living on praanuh, drinking just enough good water as I felt I wanted, I would have these moments of full body joy.
I had spontaneous moments of laughter. It all was very natural.
Just sharing here to confirm the things everyone experiences getting back to the essence when making those choices. A strong affirmation here on your journey.

It is a very natural state of being, since I had not planned any of the weeks, 5 or 6 total, that I would go without food or remain absorbed in that deep healing. In fact, it would have seemed very unnatural to have stopped and gone outside of the connection to nature, when closeness and interaction with nature is the basis of nurturing our entire being.

This journey only ended when I had to go back to work. I needed more food fuel, though I had done well with sitali praanuhyaam/breathing thru only a small space between the lips where we feel the cool, concentrated energy....not just a survival method when there is very little food available and a great way to cool the body off in the heat, but a habitual energetic that should be in everyone's life.
{snip}
Hymn

[sunwings]

Living in the present moment. The last 400 days have really shaken us up!

[rgray222]

Have been doing a fair amount of wood work. Made my son some night tables for his new home.



My daughter got married last year so I made them a dining room table out reclaimed barn wood as a house warming gift.

[Patient]

Posted by rgray222 (here)
Have been doing a fair amount of wood work. Made my son some night tables for his new home.



My daughter got married last year so I made them a dining room table out reclaimed barn wood as a house warming gift.

Very nice!

[RunningDeer]

Posted by rgray222 (here)
Have been doing a fair amount of wood work. Made my son some night tables for his new home.

Lots of talent, rgray222. And an inviting home and land.

♡

[Eva2]

Posted by RunningDeer (here)

Posted by rgray222 (here)
Have been doing a fair amount of wood work. Made my son some night tables for his new home.

Lots of talent, rgray222. And an inviting home and land.

♡

Wow, spectacular work and a beautiful home!

[Matthew]

Posted by ExomatrixTV (here)
...
I played many times Djembé on the streets & plaza's of Amsterdam mid 1990s sharing joy with strangers from all over the world having their own instruments ... the spontaneous interactions were priceless to me ...
...played professional percussion when I was 11 years old...

My first instrument is Djembe!!1 No professional accolades here (kudos to you btw) and I started late (in my 20's - 1990's) - drum circles then playing in small-time acoustic bands for fifteen years. It was a gateway to other instruments, which was a total surprise. I pretty much woke up one morning and accidentally started playing keyboards. After keyboards it lead to anything I could get my hands on.

I'm no master on Djembe, but I'm ok and what I have gave me legs so to speak; many bands, much comradery, new experiences coming out my ears, ..kind of a licence or a doorway to a special hidden kind of world. But I feel it's an inherently human trait, to be musical. Like, musical aptitude doesn't feel personal - a general human ability.

People say "I don't have rhythm" or "I;m not musical" but I suspect it's just words of deflection, to evade criticism from the judgemental (only from my own limited understanding of myself, projecting outwards), because we humans are musical to even be able to form a sentence. Cadence, and pitch variation in a spoken sentence; it's not in any musical key but look twice at spoken word, cadence and pitch are key pieces of information we wield without thinking. I'm convinced, that you dear reader, are an inherently musical creature.

I did Ivory Coast rhythms - I think I still remember Pineapple and Cuckoo. I regularly, easily, got at least five notes out the drum so the shift to keyboard, with twelve, isn't such a huge leap. The physical memory of the hand drum timings; flanges, off-beats, poly-rhythms ... it carries to other instruments which invisibly reduces the learning curve (I'm thinking). But I'm not talking about me being able to play classical piano here, which I couldn't just 'shift' to :-D .. I'm talking inde bounce and keys that go ahhhhhhhhh and that amazing, glorious Hammond B percussion (little bit of me using it)

I didn't like piano lessons as a kid, so they didn't last long. But as soon as I discovered music on my own terms, as an adult, in the privacy and safety on my own terms, it went from a chore to becoming like Gods free and awesome gift to us. I'm a very young musician, I just LOVE mucking about with instruments

[Patient]

Posted by Matthew (here)

Posted by ExomatrixTV (here)
...
I played many times Djembé on the streets & plaza's of Amsterdam mid 1990s sharing joy with strangers from all over the world having their own instruments ... the spontaneous interactions were priceless to me ...
...played professional percussion when I was 11 years old...

My first instrument is Djembe!!1 No professional accolades here (kudos to you btw) and I started late (in my 20's - 1990's) - drum circles then playing in small-time acoustic bands for fifteen years. It was a gateway to other instruments, which was a total surprise. I pretty much woke up one morning and accidentally started playing keyboards. After keyboards it lead to anything I could get my hands on.

I'm no master on Djembe, but I'm ok and what I have gave me legs so to speak; many bands, much comradery, new experiences coming out my ears, ..kind of a licence or a doorway to a special hidden kind of world. But I feel it's an inherently human trait, to be musical. Like, musical aptitude doesn't feel personal - a general human ability.

People say "I don't have rhythm" or "I;m not musical" but I suspect it's just words of deflection, to evade criticism from the judgemental (only from my own limited understanding of myself, projecting outwards), because we humans are musical to even be able to form a sentence. Cadence, and pitch variation in a spoken sentence; it's not in any musical key but look twice at spoken word, cadence and pitch are key pieces of information we wield without thinking. I'm convinced, that you dear reader, are an inherently musical creature.

I did Ivory Coast rhythms - I think I still remember Pineapple and Cuckoo. I regularly, easily, got at least five notes out the drum so the shift to keyboard, with twelve, isn't such a huge leap. The physical memory of the hand drum timings; flanges, off-beats, poly-rhythms ... it carries to other instruments which invisibly reduces the learning curve (I'm thinking). But I'm not talking about me being able to play classical piano here, which I couldn't just 'shift' to :-D .. I'm talking inde bounce and keys that go ahhhhhhhhh and that amazing, glorious Hammond B percussion (little bit of me using it)

I didn't like piano lessons as a kid, so they didn't last long. But as soon as I discovered music on my own terms, as an adult, in the privacy and safety on my own terms, it went from a chore to becoming like Gods free and awesome gift to us. I'm a very young musician, I just LOVE mucking about with instruments

Yes! To play an instrument - the key word is "play". Having fun with it - letting yourself enjoy whatever happens with it.

The quiet evening and sitting at a piano and letting go...whether I hit a couple chords or just a few resonating notes. Or banging away on an acoustic guitar! I have played guitar for years off and on. I have never learned a song from start to finish - I just enjoy the moment!