My friends and my hobbies
First off - this may be of interest to all of you interested in literature, the renaissance, or archeology. (http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=54572)
I am fortunate in that every single one of my friends (and especially those who read this blog) are interested in one or more of those categories. I must say, I have brilliant friends. Brilliant both in the British and American uses of the term. They're both fantastic and seriously intellectual people. We're all geeks and nerds and interested in the cool and unusual and historical and technological...
People who go to law school tend to report that they are surrounded by the most impressive and accomplished group they've ever seen. Ditto for the Foreign Service A100 class. Well so far neither those in law school nor those I've met on the path to the FS have been more awe inspiring and interesting than my "regular" group of friends. In that, I am so very blessed.
I guess when you do all the "unusual" things that I/We do, you're bound to become friends with others who are intellectually curious and fascinated with many things.
I'm settling back into life NOT in law school. I'm teaching or training with rapiers once or twice a week - trying to remember what I used to know and working back up to the skill I used to have. Interestingly, S found a summer day camp near where we'll be in DC with a course for kids on "Historical Fencing." I'm going to contact the person in charge and see exactly what it is he's teaching. I'm also curious as to WHO is teaching it, since I know the vast majority of those teaching historical rapier. I will admit, though... it'll be a blast to have Scott make Z his own 3/4 size custom rapier.
I'm also getting myself back into lutherie. I'm repairing S's harp and working on a historical "gothic" style harp. When those are done, I plan to retrofit another harp I have at mom's place, maybe build new necks and pillars for three other harp bodies I've had laying around for a while, and then... the guitar.
I plan to design and build a 4 course renaissance guitar based on the extant 1581 Belchior Dias guitar found in the Royal College of Music (London). Here is a nicely executed copy by Stephen Barber:
The one I build will be a bit less ornate than his, simply because it'll be my first shot at an instrument with bent sides, and I'mma make it as clean and simple as I can. I can do it all with hand tools, but I would like to be able to take at least a few of my power tools with me to whatever post I'm assigned. Also, I've been told that we can't ship raw lumber, and - not knowing where I'll wind up - I'm kinda worried that I won't have access to spruce and other woods that I need (and already own here), so that makes me a bit on edge. But I'll work it out when I know more.
For some reason, even after 25+ harps and lyres, I feel like I won't be a "real" luthier until I've built guitars and lutes.
I am fortunate in that every single one of my friends (and especially those who read this blog) are interested in one or more of those categories. I must say, I have brilliant friends. Brilliant both in the British and American uses of the term. They're both fantastic and seriously intellectual people. We're all geeks and nerds and interested in the cool and unusual and historical and technological...
People who go to law school tend to report that they are surrounded by the most impressive and accomplished group they've ever seen. Ditto for the Foreign Service A100 class. Well so far neither those in law school nor those I've met on the path to the FS have been more awe inspiring and interesting than my "regular" group of friends. In that, I am so very blessed.
I guess when you do all the "unusual" things that I/We do, you're bound to become friends with others who are intellectually curious and fascinated with many things.
I'm settling back into life NOT in law school. I'm teaching or training with rapiers once or twice a week - trying to remember what I used to know and working back up to the skill I used to have. Interestingly, S found a summer day camp near where we'll be in DC with a course for kids on "Historical Fencing." I'm going to contact the person in charge and see exactly what it is he's teaching. I'm also curious as to WHO is teaching it, since I know the vast majority of those teaching historical rapier. I will admit, though... it'll be a blast to have Scott make Z his own 3/4 size custom rapier.
I'm also getting myself back into lutherie. I'm repairing S's harp and working on a historical "gothic" style harp. When those are done, I plan to retrofit another harp I have at mom's place, maybe build new necks and pillars for three other harp bodies I've had laying around for a while, and then... the guitar.
I plan to design and build a 4 course renaissance guitar based on the extant 1581 Belchior Dias guitar found in the Royal College of Music (London). Here is a nicely executed copy by Stephen Barber:
The one I build will be a bit less ornate than his, simply because it'll be my first shot at an instrument with bent sides, and I'mma make it as clean and simple as I can. I can do it all with hand tools, but I would like to be able to take at least a few of my power tools with me to whatever post I'm assigned. Also, I've been told that we can't ship raw lumber, and - not knowing where I'll wind up - I'm kinda worried that I won't have access to spruce and other woods that I need (and already own here), so that makes me a bit on edge. But I'll work it out when I know more.
For some reason, even after 25+ harps and lyres, I feel like I won't be a "real" luthier until I've built guitars and lutes.