(no subject)
So I actually finished a short story, and that's exciting. I'm not posting it here. I'm hoping to shop it around, or continue and publish a collection if I get that far.
In other news; piping. It's been a thing I've been meaning to do for a while. After Dad passed, I figured it was pointless letting his bagpipes sit and gather dust so I decided to take up piping. I went to practice with the Atholl Highlanders about three or four times, and just didn't get anywhere. This was partly due to the fact that I was one of six beginners, and I just wasn't getting the attention I needed, but largely due to the fact that I wasn't progressing as fast as I'd like, and I gave up. Also a number of other "reasons," not the least of which was moving, depression, choosing to spend time with Elizabeth, not wanting to have a weekly reminder my Dad died, and I moved to Kansas City. So... yeah, basically I didn't make it a priority.
When I moved here, I fully intended on starting up again. I looked up pipe bands in KC, and found the St. Andrews Pipe Band. I called, because there was a number on the website and I'd rather talk to a person than send email. I'm not sure if I just a bad impression or what, but she told me to send her an email. I did, and she never got back to me. Upon further they're a Grade Three band, and probably not the greatest place to start- at least what I'm going to tell myself.
So last Sunday, we went to the Kansas City Highland Games. Not a bad little games. It reminded me of the Atlanta Celtic Festival. The shopping was almost all stuff I could buy on the internet. I went with a list, and left with none of it.
Point being, I ended up giving up and buying a $20 chanter off ebay. It came the day before Father's Day. I'm not comfortable calling that a coincidence.
After after about half an hour working with it, I can tell you this. Learning pipes off the internet is not entirely an insurmountable task, but don't buy a $20 Chanter off ebay and expect it to be comfortable unless you are twelve, a woman, or just have really small hands.
In other news; piping. It's been a thing I've been meaning to do for a while. After Dad passed, I figured it was pointless letting his bagpipes sit and gather dust so I decided to take up piping. I went to practice with the Atholl Highlanders about three or four times, and just didn't get anywhere. This was partly due to the fact that I was one of six beginners, and I just wasn't getting the attention I needed, but largely due to the fact that I wasn't progressing as fast as I'd like, and I gave up. Also a number of other "reasons," not the least of which was moving, depression, choosing to spend time with Elizabeth, not wanting to have a weekly reminder my Dad died, and I moved to Kansas City. So... yeah, basically I didn't make it a priority.
When I moved here, I fully intended on starting up again. I looked up pipe bands in KC, and found the St. Andrews Pipe Band. I called, because there was a number on the website and I'd rather talk to a person than send email. I'm not sure if I just a bad impression or what, but she told me to send her an email. I did, and she never got back to me. Upon further they're a Grade Three band, and probably not the greatest place to start- at least what I'm going to tell myself.
So last Sunday, we went to the Kansas City Highland Games. Not a bad little games. It reminded me of the Atlanta Celtic Festival. The shopping was almost all stuff I could buy on the internet. I went with a list, and left with none of it.
Point being, I ended up giving up and buying a $20 chanter off ebay. It came the day before Father's Day. I'm not comfortable calling that a coincidence.
After after about half an hour working with it, I can tell you this. Learning pipes off the internet is not entirely an insurmountable task, but don't buy a $20 Chanter off ebay and expect it to be comfortable unless you are twelve, a woman, or just have really small hands.