Music / Picard

Every year at this time I'm reminded how important music is to education.

I was in my school orchestra in Fort Atkinson.  First Chair cello, not because I was good but because I was better then the other younger classmates.  We were the first class to have an orchestra in Fort Atkinson.  I went on the fame and fortune as 12th chair cello in the Wisconsin Youth Symphony  . . . for a while.

HOWEVER - in my tiny little class we now have 2 Grammy nominations and one Grammy winner when Scott Kluge penned the score for Martin Scorsese's movie Silence.  My other buddy Mike Marquart played briefly with Flock of Seagulls and is now President of Windmark Recording and is married to Winifred Johnson-Marquart who is the president of the Johnson Family Foundation (and worth $4.2 Billion).   Mikes daughter is also a performer and has recorded with Coldplay, Jeezy, J. Cole, YG, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar.  YIKES!   little guy does good. 

Mike was the drummer for Wonderhorse our rock band. We were the only "touring" band that had two timpani (he had a key and we would sneak them out of the band room on weekends :0 

Add to that two other orchestra classmates are conductors. One as the head of the Green Bay Symphony and the other I believe is the head of the Quad City Orchestra AND we have a professor that teaches music in Japan.  All from one tiny orchestra.

Music is so important in school as an escape for the daily rigors of being a kid and just a great way to have balance in your life.  I hope the Columbus Schools continue to have music in their schools.  I have heard other schools dropping music and art from classes because of funding. 

BTW - The Grammy's were fantastic last night!

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PICARD - OMG what a great great show - If you plan on watching Picard (highly recommended) there are 10 episodes on Next Generation you should watch first to just to jog your memory, it;s been 27 years you know.

S2E9
S2E16
S3E16
S3E26
S4E1 and E2
S5E25
S6E15
S7E25 and E26

This will fill in some details that relate to Picard - For instance I had forgotten Data created a daughter and they reacquaint you with The Borg.

DJ was not really familiar with Next Generation or Sir Patrick Stewert and is now obsessed with Next Generation.  we watched 6 of those episodes those weekend.  SO GOOD!

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And if you have never watched Survivor this is the season to see what it's all about.  Season #40  has 20 winners from the past. All have won at least $1 million. Two winners have married each other and have kids and one is the only woman (or man) to ever win twice.  These guys are the best of the best. No fake drama, just pure game play to outwit, outlast and outplay the other winners. 

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I'm having a LOT of people look at images on Fine Art america . . .FROM CHINA!   Over 200 last week. Whats up with that.

Meanwhile look at what is up at Kestrel Ridge. They took down the weird Dogs hunting painting and put up yours truly the Columbus Train Station. 

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And this just had DJ and I in stitches  . . . . although it was late Saturday night.  This handsome dude TRIED to lure woman.  Not successful for some reason.   

Keston Hiura / WIN 7 / knee-gress

So of course the day I brag about my knee feeling FINE it pops up to a 2 (uncomfortable but very little pain).   A holistic friend said cinnamon is a great anti inflammatory so I found some cinnamon capsules and am now burping cinnamon (not a bad thing actually).  I thought it would be easier then taking a teaspoon of powdered cinnamon.  blach!

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We were at Costco yesterday and walked by some blueberry muffins. DJ debated about buying them but  WHY NOT - what can go wrong.

Well . . . . . . the actual muffin and the photo on the box is not  REALLY a match.  I'm returning them today.  Can't eat a puke green muffin.

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Baseball - Remember the Brewers second base dude Keston Hiura?   OMG - literally (no seriously literally) the worst fielding full time second base I have ever seen in Strat-o-matic.  NO REALLY. Unplayable. The pitching staff  REALLY suffers with him on the field. 

By my calculations Hiura allows 70+ extra bases a year compared to a league average 2B.   He is the polar opposite of Arias at SS who is one of the best fielding shortstops in MLB . . but can't hit.

For any SOM players Hiura is a 2B  4e38 (that means 38 errors in 162 games and absolutely zero range.  So he never gets to the ball and when he does he throws it away.

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I seem to be drawn to Scandinavian rock bands.  They are classified as symphonic metal, Within Temptation, Nightwish, Delain, Sirinia, Epica and so forth.  The interesting thing is all of these bands help each other on tour and albums.  I watch videos and keep seeing members of other bands joining in.  

I mention this because I had an "album" by Delain which I really liked.  On Pandora I heard a new old song and purchased that "album" and WOW - I REALLY like this guys. 

I was reading about them and their lead singer (a classical trained vocalist who was influenced by Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Genesis, Led Zeppelin, and Kate Bush) and came across this          

"Bassist Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije suffered an injury, when he was accidentally hit by a streamer cannon, causing his left testicle to rupture. This incident was said to be caused by uncertain stage positioning, as there were six people onstage instead of the usual five.

WOW - that HAD to hurt!     BIG hair band.  Wish I had hair like these guys!  

https://youtu.be/jaATQzLr_20

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And then there is Antonio Brown who has been charged with burglary and battery. What a total dork!  

And of course Aaron and his comments about church and his family is all going anal on him.  

“Religion can be a crutch, it can be something that people have to have to make themselves feel better,” Rodgers continued. “Because it’s set up binary, it’s us and them, saved and unsaved, heaven and hell, it’s enlightened and heathen, it’s holy and righteous … that makes a lot of people feel better about themselves.”

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OK computer geeks - I have a desk top computer that has been running 24/7 with the weather station for 8 years with WIN 7.  I think I turn it off once a month for 10 minutes. It's never had any non man made issue.  NOW it seems WIN 7 is no longer a viable operating system.  How bad is this issue?  I probably need a new desk top at SOME point as my graphic card is OLD and the box can not handle a new card - too small of a box.  Graphic cards seemed to be bigger now. 

HOWEVER - switching to a new computer is FUBR with software that is no longer around and all the other hassles with moving to a new better computer.  So I'm procrastinating.   

If I have good security installed is WIN 7 a security problem?  What's the issue?   8 years with zero issues except an old graphic card . . . . just sayin'    

Carry on. 

Rudy called me! / Backing off a TKR a little /

Seems to have a formatting issue 

BE IT KNOW - I DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH COLUMBUS CHATTER GOING BELLY UP  - not me this time.

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I try to workout 3 times a week  M,W F and maybe blog the other two days but yesterday was the day the SOM rating guide comes out so I was in baseball mode. 

Looking at Yelich - where did his fielding go!  SAD. BUT holy crap was he a total monster vs. right handed pitching last year. I sorted all players with >400 ABs  and he was the best BY FAR!   But then I looked at who was best vs. lefties.  J.D Martinez beat Yelich BY WAY WAY FAR!!!

J.D Martinez  had a batting average over .400, an on base of .494 and a slugging  . . .wait for it . . . .of .887.   He had 19 home runs with 170 at bats vs. lhp in a NON home run park (Boston).

OK - nuff said on that!

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SO - the Packers seemed to lose Sunday . it was an easy loss for sure.  Relaxing actually.  Best loss of the year.  The good thing was that did anybody REALLY think the Packers were Super Bowl material?  I mean come on - they beat Detroit twice AND NEVER LED IN EITHER GAME.

The Packers can be better next year and win less games as they will have a much harder schedule.

Brewers?  Las Vegas has them winning 85 games . . . seems about right.

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My knee?  I'm seriously thinking of NOT having a TKR . . .YET.  Why hurry.  I keep a spreadsheet on pain and in the last 3 months only 3 days where it was near a 5 and with an anti inflammatory it was back to <1 6="" hours.="" p="" within=""> <1 6="" day="" even="" hours="" later.="" nbsp="" next="" or="" p="" the="">ODDLY the same days the knee flared was the same time my PMR flared.  So I have an appointment on the 31st at Prairie Ridge and I hope Andy the PA will talk to me as opposed to trying to sell a TKR RIGHT AWAY.  OH - I will need one at some point I'm sure.

In the last 30 days the pain has topped 1 once (it was a 1.8).  I sort of gauge my knee with stairs.  Last night I was bounding up the stairs 2 at a time and I rarely use a railing going down.  We shall see.

I'm not against a TKR as  . . . .it's something to do in my boring life in winter.  Waiting for the mail is the highlight of the day.

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THIS is a funny show - SADLY it's only a half hour on HBO

https://youtu.be/w8Zr3f-_Ft8



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<1 6="" day="" even="" hours="" later.="" nbsp="" next="" or="" p="" the="">
<1 6="" day="" even="" hours="" later.="" nbsp="" next="" or="" p="" the="">I'll say it once.  A trial without witnesses is a cover-up. Plain and simple. The blue wave will continue with a corrupt Senate.  
<1 6="" day="" even="" hours="" later.="" nbsp="" next="" or="" p="" the="">
<1 6="" day="" even="" hours="" later.="" nbsp="" next="" or="" p="" the="">Some men change their party for the sake of their principles; others their principles for the sake of their party  - Winston Churchill  

I have never ever seen so much hypocrisy in our GOP controlled Senate.   
<1 6="" day="" even="" hours="" later.="" nbsp="" next="" or="" p="" the="">
<1 6="" day="" even="" hours="" later.="" nbsp="" next="" or="" p="" the="">OH - I took a fun poll on what candidate is closest to MY principles.  Bloomberg was #1 (I agree wit that assessment)),  Bernie was #5 and I think Warren was last.  I do like Bernie but I doubt he would get anything done.  I'm a pragmatist.  
<1 6="" day="" even="" hours="" later.="" nbsp="" next="" or="" p="" the="">
<1 6="" day="" even="" hours="" later.="" nbsp="" next="" or="" p="" the="">VOTE BLUE NO MATTER WHO!  
<1 6="" day="" even="" hours="" later.="" nbsp="" next="" or="" p="" the="">
<1 6="" day="" even="" hours="" later.="" nbsp="" next="" or="" p="" the=""> I believe most so called liberals don't care about the economy and more on social issues.  Remember, 2 million more Americans do not have health insurance from last year and everybody else's insurance pays for their health bills.  Remember my buddy who had a $30,000 bill for a hospital stay, he paid nothing as he is 300% below poverty.  Who paid?  you and me.   With Obamacare you and me would not have paid his bill. 
<1 6="" day="" even="" hours="" later.="" nbsp="" next="" or="" p="" the="">
<1 6="" day="" even="" hours="" later.="" nbsp="" next="" or="" p="" the="">The GOP believe healthcare is a privilege, not a right. What is their plan?   
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<1 6="" day="" even="" hours="" later.="" nbsp="" next="" or="" p="" the="">We got LeafFilter on our gutters - WOW they are expensive when a gutter is 30 feet in the air.  But we had leaves and at the time I did not trust my knee 100%  on a ladder 30 feet up.  OH - 15 feet would not have been an issue . . . 30 feet?  hmmmmmmm  that is a long fall. 
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I think Rudy called me yesterday - I think be butt dialed me.  I really wanted to answer it but was afraid of some reverse charge. LOL

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OK - carry on
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