Charlie Kirk (A Tribute)

     Like millions of others, I was hurt, even furious, when I learned of Charlie Kirk's death today, sometime around 2:30 p.m. Oklahoma time. He may have been in the hospital, or being rushed to it, when my daughter came into my office asking me if I was on a call.  She knew I'd want to know about Charlie.  I usually have my noise-cancelling headphones on, so she never knows if I'm engaged in a communication with someone or not. She asked, and I wasn't on a call, so she told me.  The words, I have to admit, caused me to stop, squint, shake my head for a second, and just sort of process what she had said.

    How could Charlie Kirk be injured? Who would hate him enough to do that? Was it really happening? I asked.  It could have been a left-wing nut job, sure, but almost immediately, my head went to someone or something far more sinster; a group of people, a unit or team with a mission; not just to hurt or kill Charlie, but to instill fear into those who, like him, have no problem standing up for what is right - and they speak not just their truth, but Biblical truth; God's truth. It was demonic. No question about it, the person behind this, and it may not be the killer, is possessed.

    The killer took one shot. He/she took the shot from over 200 yards away and hit their target before escaping - that's not some upset youth with an axe to grind over Charlie's right-wing conservative views; this was professional. Charlie wouldn't have hurt that person, not in a million years. One of his last tweets on X was "Jesus defeated death so you could live." That's the way he lived his life; that's why Satan hates him. It won't make any of us stop -- what did they think would happen? That silencing Charlie would kill his thoughts? He lives on in his spirit just as all good people who lead and evangelize do.  His message will be conveyed stronger, louder, and with more gusto than before.

    Talk about a man who stood out among men (and women). He was just 31 years old, almost 32, but had accomplished more in his young life by spreading truth, goodness, debate, fairness, and open communication than most people do in a lifetime. He was a master of the trade, yet he had never attended college to acquire the skills. He was born with the natural means to not only communicate, but to relate, to resonate, and to listen. He was a good listener, which gave him the edge over most. His methods for organizing open-air public gatherings were astounding; not something everyone did. The few who do them will do so differently, of course, but with Charlie on their minds and in their speeches. He'll inspire generations to come.  He was a true patriot - a true American.

    At 18, Kirk started a movement - a movement that some say would have landed him in the White House in a few more years; he'd have a tough time beating J.D. Vance in 2028, but he could have been picked for V.P. Who wouldn't want that ticket? Think of the potential! Jesus knew - and yes, He was there today with Charlie. We don't always know the reasons behind what happens, but God isn't blind. He is all-knowing. Charlie's death didn't take Christ by surprise; He was waiting for him to come through the gates.  We can't know the plan, but we can trust it.

    I never met Charlie Kirk, but I listened to him. I watched him, and I read his words. I listened to others who said how wonderful he was, and how devoted he was to his family, his cause, and the American people. We lost a really good one today, but he's not lost at all -- just waiting for us. They'll catch the bad guy - or woman. They'll catch them -- but if they don't do so, they won't escape justice. No one will. Jesus will return, and when He does, He will bring judgment. Charlie will be avenged, but hopefully, he'll be remembered for who he was and what he gave us. 

Rest in peace, Charlie.  We will pray and ask for healing for your family, your friends, and those who love you.

Photo Credit: West Kentucky Star News 

Amicus Curiae - FINISHED (and Now, the Fluff & Stuff)

     It's always a good feeling when I reach the end of a book, knowing I've done everything I could to make it a good read. I'm not quite there yet, but I'm getting there. I've finished "Amicus Curiae," meaning the book is now written. I've written all 31 chapters, and there's close to 77,000 words. Now, I will go through it, make the necessary changes, corrections, additions, and subtractions; thus, actually finishing the book. Right now, the book is done, but the editing hasn't taken place.

    I do a bit of editing along the way, in that after each chapter, I go back over it looking for mistakes and adding quotations, and other needed punctuation. I go through it rather quickly, knowing I'll go back over it again before sending it up. I go back over it again after it's printed so I can make more corrections. I never get them all, but I do my best. It's not important to me to have a perfect book because not one of my readers is perfect. Nope, not one of them, including myself.

    "Amicus Curiae," which is Latin for "Friend of the Court," is the role that Detective Nick Posh finds himself in. He can't take on other roles or assignments until he's given his testimony, but there are some who don't want him to testify, and others who can't wait until he does. To say it places him in a precarious position is an understatement. At least he's not alone! He has Ralph to help him, and after a while, even Eoghn MacRae shows up to assist.

    MacRae and Nick's family had been in Scotland on holiday. Nick couldn't go, but his time away from his family began to take its toll on him; he was nearly going stir-crazy without them, but he would, of course, find a way to keep them on his mind and in his heart. This is a good book. I like it. I added a few co-workers and even a really ugly, mean, hefty adversary, an insurance adjuster who can't seem to pull herself out of her own butt long enough to help any one of us adjusters. She dies fairly early on in the book, and she's a good, thick, ugly, dead thread throughout the entire manuscript.  I'll send her a copy and highlight the page where I introduce her character.

    Most of the book takes place in the sleepy little town of  El Reno, Oklahoma, so when the book is ready, I'll order 10 copies and give them away to people I've met in the city. They can share them with others, and maybe it will take off -- you just never know. Maybe someday I'll move to El Reno, that is the hope. Laura and I are currently looking for a place with a few acres where she can keep her horses. I just want a good house, two rooms for myself, and a great HVAC system. Of course, the plumbing, electrical, and structural systems of the house must be intact and running well.

    We'll see how the book takes shape after next week. I'll add about 10,000 more words, then correct it once and send it up for print. When it's ready, I'll order one copy to be sent to me, and I'll go through it again to make the final adjustments. It should be available for public purchase around the first of October if my calculations are correct. I'll keep you posted!

Photo Credit: Pinterest.com 

Disappointment in a Box

     Two of my new guitars arrived today, and although one was supposed to come yesterday, I'm OK. I won't go off on any tangent about it being tardy. I think the good people at UPS decided that (through their A.I. system) I was to receive something the next day, so they just waited to send the one in order to put the two together; it makes business sense. I'll not complain about that. What I will complain about, however, is when people who sell guitars misstate or misrepresent their product! That will cause me to complain every single time.

    When the two guitars arrived, I knew one was a parlor-sized guitar and one was considered a 3/4 size guitar.  The parlor-sized classical guitar with nylon strings is smaller than my other parlor guitars, and trust me, it's not even close. Laura likes it, so I gave it to her. I'm probably going to order another one just so I have a nylon-stringed guitar to play that I feel comfortable with. I took the ukulele back for the same reason - it was just too small. I know they are smaller, yes, but it was smaller than I was used to seeing. I did take a trip to Guitar Center today, and I saw several more; I was right, they make them in various sizes.

    So, the Luna Aurora Borealis white 3/4 acoustic was NOT 3/4. I don't care what they say, it's about a 1/2 size or just under 3/4, but it's not big at all. If I were a 9-year-old, I would feel really good about it. It's a lovely instrument, but no, I'm not keeping it. I've put in a refund, and it's been approved. Now, I'm waiting to find out exactly how to do that. I'm one of those people who hate to pay for something like shipping when I feel that the seller didn't tell the truth.

    Anyway, it is what it is. I may not replace it, not yet. I have others. I just really thought a white, pretty guitar would be fun, but it's not needed. It was just something to have, not necessary. The classical, nylon-stringed guitar is needed, and it is necessary.  I will replace that one when the guy gives me my money back on this one - it will be around the same amount, but this time I will demand that they measure it and show me the tape measure proving its height! I'll take full responsibility for not verifying it myself, as it's really my job to do so. 

    Sellers will try whatever they can to sell. I should know that by now. Unless I go to Guitar Center and hold it in my own two hands, I may not buy another one. If I can see a video with a real person holding it, then I will. Norman is a parlor-sized guitar - he's a bit smaller than full size, and lighter. He's just a wonderful little instrument. I don't really need another one, but as I mentioned, I'm looking for a nylon-stringed guitar, so I will have to replace the oversized kids' guitar I gave to Laura. She had no idea she would learn to play so soon!

    It's good to have dogs to eat what's left over on your plate, and a kid to give your left-over non-refundable smaller guitars to. She's 36, but she acts like a kid at times. She can use it when she's streaming - make money and have fun with it. It's an investment - - yeah, that's what it is; an investment.

Photo Credit: Dreamstime.com 

Be Careful Out There! (Scammers Abound)

     As I sometimes do, I was sitting with the dogs this morning, just enjoying my Saturday. I was sipping coffee, thinking about making walnut bread, when I picked up my phone to check on a few quick recipes. As I did, an ad popped up, suggesting a connection to walnut bread, perhaps. It was a GPL-1 ad; selling an over the counter or through the internet supplment that could help a person who was obese to lose between 8-100 pounds; depending on the dose you ordered.

    They had a small, one-box offer for $16.99, accompanied by a virtual promise of losing 8 pounds in about three weeks. That sounded doable, and I wondered about their reviews. I checked them out online, and while it wasn't good, it wasn't bad either. I decided to order one box to see if the stuff really worked. That way, if it did, I could order another box and complete the job more efficiently and with a plan. It didn't work out that way!

    I ordered the one box, and while scrolling through to check out, I had to click a few things to get to the payment section. The only problem is that, somehow, because of the buttons I pushed, I accidentally ordered another four boxes, but hey, they were half off! No, that's not what I wanted, and they had already charged me! They had already charged me, and they had already taken the money out of my account within seconds. I was duped, and I was mad.

    I'd been through this sort of thing before, recently in fact, and the bank won't simply agree not to pay since I used my debit card. I explained to the bank that I had only authorized one box, not five. They basically told me I could stop the payment, but they'd have to capture the card -- on a weekend. I couldn't get my new card until Monday, and I'd rather not wait. You just never know what could happen. I was pissed. 

    I wrote to the customer service department of the company, which is called NEWLLIFE, and I demanded my money back. I wasn't nice about it. I told the customer service rep that I would turn the matter over to the new Trump Administration - and someone would have oversight! I told them I would not allow them to continue to scam people like that. The area I needed to click was both faint in color and tiny in font size. I found it - after I had already paid.

    The service rep was kind enough to say she was refunding me, and she apologized for the inconvenience. It makes me wonder if it was because I was adamant or because I threatened to turn the matter over to a federal agency. Either way, they gave me my $52.47 back, and no, I did not accept her offer of only paying for one. I told her if her company chooses to flim-flam people the way they did, I was certain their product wasn't as nifty as they say it is.

    I must not have had enough coffee! Then again, I am only drinking decaf these days. My brain wasn't up and running like it should be, but whenever I hear the service reps on the phone and they not only have a foreign accent, but one all too familiar with scamming and would-be liars, it makes me shake my head. They had a much better website and setup than most. I was fooled (again), but hopefully, I'll start paying much closer attention and do the research completely before buying online, except for Amazon or Kroger.

    No, I'm not going to check to see if either Kroger or Amazon sells it - I'll stay fat. The rapture is coming soon anyway!

Photo Credit: Facebook.com 

Meet Fionn. (Number 7 and Probably the Last)

     I say the last as if I mean it. I should mean it. A person needs to know their boundaries, and with seven acoustic guitars, I think I've reached the top. That is unless I find something really cool, or really different, or really unique. I don't have a Stella Harmony. I used to have an old Stella, but she was stolen. I haven't replaced her, not even with all the 7 new guitars I've purchased since her departure. No, I'm not looking to do so. I can grieve without replacement.

    I wasn't going to do it, but it couldn't be helped. I find myself going to places like Reverb, eBay, and Musicians' Friend, and I see things that make me want to just say yes. I also said to myself that the extra bonus I received this past month more than makes up for the new purchases, and it does. Besides, I don't pay for services like getting my hair done, manicuring my nails, or having facials or spa days. I don't buy wine, cigarettes, beer, or drugs - not even gummies. I really am rather boring when you think about it.

    So, how did I end up with Fionn? Well, simple story really. I went to Reverb and looked up white acoustic guitars on sale, and there it was. I'm going to say he. Most of my guitars are boys. I have a girl coming tomorrow - her name is Starr. (for Belle Starr)  The word "Fionn" is Celtic, and it means fair one or white. I could have named it "Blanca," I suppose, but I am more inclined to call things by something that I'm closer to; and that would be the Celts.  

    The thing is, Fionn is a Luna Aurora Borealis guitar; probably a newer model, but it was an overstock, and the larger warehouse that once had it in stock sold it on Reverb, and they lowered the price to get it out of their stock to make room for their more expensive units. I love that. I'm all for finding a deal. They range in price from $179 to $1500; this one might be around a $249-$400 model, but it was on sale for $109, with an additional $29 for shipping. You can't beat that. You really can't. It's unused and new, but I estimate it's about four or five years old and has been sitting in the back of a big warehouse somewhere.

    There's nothing really fancy about it, but it's white. I have a black Fender, and to be honest, I have a black and white checkered guitar that I gave to my granddaughter, which I really miss (hopefully she loves it). I thought Fionn would fit in just perfectly with the others. I have to stop buying guitars, and I think I can now. I think I have reached a point where even 5-10 minutes a night for each will keep me playing for a while.  That's my goal - to play each one every night or every other night, so I can show them all that they really do mean a great deal to me.

    Playing guitar, or in my case, learning to play guitar, is so much better than watching silly shows or wasting my time doing something much more costly. If you think about it, my hobby is rather inexpensive, and I don't have to feed any of them. I don't have to pay board; I just have to train them. One at a time, and I'll let them all watch while I play the other one so they get the idea of what I'm trying to do. Sooner or later we'll all work it out -- one free online lesson at a time!

    Fionn (pronounced "Fin") will be here in about a week. I'll get the others first; one coming tomorrow, then one the next day, and one the next after that. If I were looking in from the outside, I might say I have a problem, but then again, I could also say that I had a plan and it's all coming together. When I get my new house, I'll have three on the wall and four on the floor in their stands. I hope to learn as much as I can and play well enough to freehand it. I'm not hoping to learn songs or covers. I just want to play. No one has to hear me. I just like them; I always have.

    Seven is a good number. I'd have seven dogs if I were allowed. With Fionn, I think the buying spree is over, and now Phase II can commence - with a heavy focus on training. My finger tips are getting to that point -- I don't think I'll ever perform with any of my new friends, but I will tell each one of them what they mean to me, and they can help me heal from within. Music does that; it doesn't have to be pretty or precise; it just has to come from the soul.

Photo Credit: Reverb.com

Kroger Delivery! (I am a fan)

     I would say, if I had to guess, that I shop for food more often than most, and I'd say that I really love my grocery store. I don't actually have a grocery store, but I shop online a lot, and I use Kroger delivery. I know my neighbors must think I'm crazy because none of them use Kroger, and my landlord tells me that she's heard them talking about me when they pay their rent or go into the office to ask for maintenance help. I'll explain.

    I live in the same complex I've lived in for more than a decade, but I no longer live in the apartment complex part of it. I live in a little house that is literally in the corner of the two branches of the complex. Think of it as an "L" shape, and that's me in the corner of it. I'm really super happy about this house, but that's not to say that I'm staying in it too long. My neighbors are one of those reasons.

    When we lived on the other side of the "L", Laura and I would and could walk around without issue. We were forever outside with the dogs, and the neighbors that lived on that side of the place. We knew everyone, we watched out for everyone. There have been several friends and neighbors who, over the past 10 years, have passed away; most of them didn't actually move away. When you move into this joint, you die here! (LOL) 😀

    Well, we moved from the 2-bedroom upstairs unit we occupied for over 9 years to this 3-bedroom bungalow home that has more room, bigger rooms, large windows, higher ceilings, a washer and dryer, a backyard, a carport, and so many other amenities.  The neighbors on this side are independent. They don't gather, they don't mingle. They just do their own thing, like 99% of the world probably, but it's not the same. One or two of them antagonize my dogs, and that's a problem.

    Kroger delivery won't deliver upstairs, so I couldn't do it the entire time I lived in the unit that we lived in, but now I can. Because we're downstairs, they deliver! YES! The neighbors in the downstairs units could do it, but I think they think it's more expensive. It is not. ($5.99 for a gallon of milk, $3.79 for a dozen cage-free eggs, $1.00 for a package of Chicken of the Sea tuna - to give you an example)

    I'd say we order 2.5 times a month, and it's always around $130 each time. So, if you do the math, we spend about $300 or $350 a month, which isn't much for two people for a month, and we eat well. We spend more on paper products, dog food, cat food, stuff like that, but those things come from Amazon. Kroger has those things, but we prefer the prices at Amazon. My landlord hears about that, too. You'd think these people would have more to talk about!!

    So, Kroger supports those ready made meals; the ones you see online for 1/2 off everytime you order (it's 1/2 off for the first box, then you're obligated to buy more at full price and it could really add up if you did it) I can see spending the $56-62 a week for 10 meals (5 each for the 2 of us) but I can't see me spending $113-125 a week on the same. NOPE...not when we can get pretty much the same things and do it ourselves for less.

    Kroger has pre-cooked meats (beef and pork) that are microwavable, and they have Bob Evans mashed potatoes or mac and cheese. You can get frozen veggies and nuke those too, and there you have it, a prepared meal! No fuss. We do that two times a week; one pork and one beef.  It saves on time, dishes, effort, and it's rather tasty - and less expensive. If you think it through, you can find what you need.

    I've shopped there long enough that now I pay $69 a year and my deliveries are free. I don't pay $7.98 for the driver to deliver, but I still give a tip. (I tip $10 each time because it's not expected, Kroger pays well enough, I'm told.) The thing is, if I wanted something delivered tomorrow, I could do it. I don't usually have it delivered the next day. I usually go out a few days and plan well enough ahead to have space in my pantry. (I did overload the freezer last time - have to watch that!)

    When I move, I want to be sure Kroger will deliver to wherever it is that we go. I'm thinking a small city, but Laura's thinking a place with land, so if it's country living we have in our future, I hope Kroger delivers there as well. I really don't want to get up, drive to the store, shop, stand in line, load my groceries, drive home, unload my groceries, and repeat. I just want to tip the driver and put the things away!

    Yes, I know, I'm really super lazy - you got me! I'm caught! Yes, I love going to grocery stores and staring at everything, but I hate the crowds, and I hate the people arguing all the time. It's like they wait to be in my space before throwing it down with one another - I avoid all that now. I avoid all that because I don't go into the stores! I do, but only to get one or two things that I wouldn't bother Kroger to bring to me, and I wouldn't want to pay a tip for a few things either. 

    Well, that's it, that's my Kroger endorsement. I could say, and I should say, that I have NEVER been disappointed in what they have picked out as far as produce. A lot of people I speak with say they'd be wary of that, but I'm not. They always find really good produce, and if something needs to be substituted, they tell me. They ask. They don't just do it. I get the final say. I like that too. Such a good deal!! As for the price? You see it when you order - If you don't like it, don't buy it.  It's not any more than Aldi, Walmart, or a similar store - cheaper than Target for the most part. I will use it for years to come.

    Good prices, good food, good service. What's not to love?

    

Photo Credit: Kroger.com 

I Didn't Win the Resonator - But I Bought One.

     If you like guitars, and I do, you'll know that an acoustic guitar is more personal than an electric guitar is. I think so anyway. I have always felt that an acoustic guitar is a private instrument, while an electric guitar is more public. I could be wrong, but that is how I feel about them. I have only owned acoustics. I don't have a reason to own anything else. I'm not performing; I am simply playing, and the size of my audience depends on how many of my dogs and cats hang around in my office. The lizard is captive; she doesn't have a choice or a means of escape.

    Well, I decided to fulfill my desires and acquire every type of guitar I've ever wanted; I could, so I did. I don't buy cigarettes, booze, drugs, or gamble, so I decided to buy the guitars I wanted so that I can say, "This is my guitarsenal" and I can feel their energy and outstanding love as it resonates throughout the office/studio.  I used the word "resonate", and that was intentional. I now have five (5) acoustic guitars, but only one of them is a resonator; I just bought it. Before I bought it, I put in a bid for one online through an eBay auction. I was winning right up to the end, and then someone else outbid me. It's OK, I found a better one! (so I bought it)

    The one I was bidding on was really, really cool, I'm not going to lie. It was a Gretsch parlor-sized, brass-bodied resonator, probably made between 2015 and 2020. It was beautiful, but it was broken. The reason it was so cheap is that the neck was broken. It was broken, however, in a way that I could have fixed it with literally some wood glue and a clamp, but it was, in fact, broken. That lowered the price considerably.  My good friend and I just left Guitar Center in Oklahoma City, where they have one exactly like it for $839.  My top bid was $176; the winner took it for $237.

    Well, what do you do when you want a resonator but the one you were looking at was sold? Simple answer...bid again. No. I decided not to bid, not to wait at all. There was one I liked that was for sale at another site, the Musicians' Friend (Link), and they had a few for sale that were used, refurbished, repaired, or just older and sitting around. They travel and pick things up, and they buy and sell online. They have a great reputation, and the shipping was amazingly priced. When I asked the guy about it, he said they do bulk shipping so they can afford to lower their prices; it was $19.97! (Granted, it will take 4 days to get here, but still - $19.97!  The guitar was only $129.

    I bought an early 2000s model Rogue laminate-bodied maple colored resonator with the traditional F-hole design. It is a square neck; I would have preferred a round, but I'll learn to love it. Resonators are mostly used in bluegrass, country, and/or folk settings because they have an almost banjo sound to them. The strings vibrate off a metal cone or plate, not a hollowed wooden body; it resonates! You know what it sounds like when you hear it, and I really haven't met anyone who doesn't love the sound. 

    I name all of my guitars, and they all have identities; usually, dealing with where I got them or what they remind me of. I have "Cash", a black Fender. He's named for Johnny Cash. I have "Wally" for William Wallace, because I'm a huge Scottish fan, and the man I bought him from is named Jim Wallace.  I have "Norman"; he is a 1974 model parlor-sized Aria that was found in a dumpster in Norman, Oklahoma! If you can believe that! Who throws out guitars? The maintenance man at the apartment complex rescued him and put him up for sale. He was $50! I couldn't drive fast enough to pick him up.  I have "MacRae", he's coming to me this week. He's a 1930-1933 Ercar acoustic with a pretty artistic sound hole. 

    Now, as of a few minutes ago, I have "Belle Starr"; I'll likely call her Starr. She is my resonator - I could have called her Bonnie for Bonnie Parker, she resonated too! Hopefully, the guitar won't be infamous or full of daring misbehavior like those two women, but I have a soft spot for Belle Starr, even if I'm not supposed to have one. She wasn't misunderstood, nothing like that. All of her decisions were her own, but she was an interesting woman if nothing else, and though she was an outlaw, she was revered and respected as far as I can tell.  When asked once why she was bad, she quipped that good women don't make it into the papers. She had a lot of moxy, that's for sure.

    Well, so that's it. I have all the guitars I need until, of course, I decide I need something else. However, I want to play each guitar for 10-15 minutes a day, so five is a good number to have if I'm planning on sharing my time with them. They each sound different from one another, and that's the main reason people have a slew of guitars when they get into it. I wouldn't be the one to tell someone they didn't need a few, only because, like I said earlier, I don't spend excessive amounts of money on any type of vice. What other hobby can you get fully into for less?  If I were into flying planes, I'd be mortgaging my house to get just one! I'm good with my guitar hoarding...or collecting. I'll probably stop at five. (probably)

Photo Credit: Musician's Friend

Tune In! (I'm About to Tell on Myself)

     Many of you know me, and you know that I am a dork. I am not just any ol' dork, no, I am the Queen of Dorksville. I should have a flag, a fight song, and certainly, I should have a mascot and colors. I know I need colors. My favorite color is a darker medium brown, so we'll not use that; it could be mistaken for poo. No, instead, we'll go with Gold and Black, stark and sharp. We'll go with bright, bold, beautiful, and beholden colors! We'll use alliteration whenever possible because it's meaningful, marvelous, and magnificently moving.

    Why am I a dork today? Why is today a day when my dorkness has topped other days? I'll tell you. I recently bought two more, and almost three more guitars. It's how I feel right now, and it's what's taking up the space in my head. I wanted to play well since I was very young, but I never had the money for lessons, and the internet wasn't a thing back then. If you wanted to learn, you either taught yourself or you paid someone to show you. It never happened, but it is happening now, and when things happen -- dorks have a reason to shine.

    When you buy guitars, you need things to go with them, and I'm not talking about straps; I'm talking about extra strings, tuners, clips, picks, and that sort of thing. I went to Amazon and did just that. I bought a tuner and in the little package deal, I got a few randomly chosen colored picks, two pick holders, and a neat little clip to hold the strings down -- yea me! I can't wait to try it out.

    Tuning isn't rocket science, not when you have a digital tuner to do the heavy lifting! All I had to do was clip it to the guitar and pluck a string! When the face or display showed that my low E was in G mode, I turned the little knob on the tuner to set it straight - the arrow had to be straight to show that it was in tune. If the arrow goes to the right of center, the instrument is sharp - and if the arrow hangs to the left, it's too flat. The little needle must be pointing straight up, and it had to give you the letter of the string; what it should say, to be in tune! So simple -- until I used it.

    I'll be the first to say what actually happened, and I was incredibly frustrated when it did. After a lot of personal insight, and self-degrading because NO MATTER WHAT I DID...the strings would not tune to what I knew they should be, I figured it out. I was about to hit the roof. I was screaming at myself..."It's not hard, Jude. This should not be this hard. What are you doing wrong?" Oh, my goodness, the dogs were confused! They just kept staring at me, and the guitar sounded like crap!

    I simply could not get the E to be an E, no matter what I tried. I kept twisting it tighter, and I knew...I knew if I kept doing that....BAM! It snapped. Yes, it did! I broke the low E right off the instrument, and I shook my head in complete and utter disgust with myself. I knew I was doing it right, but I couldn't be because I knew that I was doing it so so so very wrong at the same time. YouTube to the rescue! Please!

    After watching a couple of videos, I was convinced again, furthering my belief that I was doing it correctly. I knew I was! I knew it. So, why was my guitar not behaving? Why was the little tuner not recognizing the sound? I unclipped it, and moved it. I tried to pick a string instead of strumming. It was ONLY AFTER I read the instructions again (with heart this time) that I realized that the digital tuner wasn't just made to tune acoustic guitars. It was made to tune a number of stringed instruments -- and there were separate modes for them.

    I had the tuner set on violin, not guitar. There you have it. My dorkness. I couldn't make the guitar sound like a well-tuned violin. It wasn't the digital tuner - no, it was me. I figured out how to reset the thing, and guess what, all the other strings are now in perfect tune -- with the low E just hanging off to the side for now. I'll take it to Guitar Center tomorrow, and yes, I will admit my folly. I am not too ashamed, I'm just laughing at how stupid it must sound to anyone who has been playing for over a month. You have to go through these trials, I suppose, if you don't take the time to read the instructions thoroughly. 

    So, if you're considering getting a new or used guitar, please invest in a high-quality tuner and read the instructions thoroughly.  I did buy a better tuner after all this, not because I blame the tuner; it was clearly my doing, but the better tuner may have a better clip. I don't like the clip on the cheaper one; it's just me...me being me.  Don't be me. Be you! You're the best you you can be, and I'm the only me I could ever be.

Photo Credit: Thomann Music

Guitars! I Could Be Addicted.

     I only have four guitars, not that I'm hoarding or anything, but just like some people have an addiction with getting a tattoo right after they've gotten their last one, I sort of have that feeling when I buy a guitar. I don't usually act on that urge, but I did this time.  I have always wanted a black Fender acoustic guitar, so I bought one. It arrived in a few days, heavily wrapped and perfectly shipped, and I was so impressed with the seller that I wrote to him and told him how grateful I was. 

    Well, as you can imagine, that conversation led to him asking me how many I had, and if there was something else I wanted or needed. Need? No, I don't need another guitar. I had three, and I can only play one at a time. I told him this, but you know how they are -- he said to me, "If you only knew how many people say that to me." I can relate. I hear some of the same objectives that other insurance adjusters hear, so I can imagine that as a guitar enthusiast and salesperson, he hears just about the same things over and over again as well.

    I told him I used to own a Stella acoustic guitar from the mid-1950s, and I truly loved it. I believe it was stolen, I think it was; since I didn't give the person permission to sell it, that means it's stolen, but it was a family member who did it. It makes it worse in some ways, so I prefer not to use the word "stolen". However, that is exactly what happened to my guitar. The thing is, as I get older, I am starting to understand the depth of the behavior of one of my family members, to the point that I am no longer shocked when I find out what really happened to a number of my sentimental possessions that I have "lost" over the years.

    I told the salesman that the Stella was a beautiful instrument and I loved it. He had a few. He has a few of everything, it seems. He travels around the central part of the US, picking up guitars in various stages of repair, retuning and reworking them, and then he sells them. It's a great gift to have, and I'm thankful for people like him.  He didn't have a Stella in my price range, but he did have something unique. He had something VERY unique. It's so unique that I couldn't find it online whatsoever!

    He has (and now I have purchased) a 1930's Ercar guitar. That's what it looks like. It could also be Encan, but I don't think so. I can't find anything online about them whatsoever. The man had a video of himself playing the guitar, so I know it will be playable and not just a beautiful ornament. This guitar is handmade by a luthier. I would have loved to have his or her name, but alas, it is not to be. You can tell, however, that it is handmade, which is even more rare and wonderful.

    I've got to come up with a great name for the guitar, and I will. I named my black Fender "Cash" after Johnny Cash, as he played a black guitar. I got this one for one very specific reason; it will remind me of the guitar Eoghan MacRae plays in my books. I suppose I have a name!  MacRae!  This is the second guitar I've named for a Scot! I have Wally, or William Wallace; he's a Yamaha from the 2010-2015 era. Besides those three, I have Norman. Norman is named Norman because he was rescued from a trash bin in Norman, OK.  Norman is a 1974 model Aria.

    All of my guitars, when I receive them, go to Guitar Center to be inspected, tuned, and restrung. I was told today that MacRae will not need that; he'll come already play-ready and have been worked over by a master who has literally sold over 110,000 things online with a 97% approval rating; that's really important to me. So, yeah, I think I'm strung up for now...see what I did there? Don't fret! (Ha...I kill me) I'll be in slide heaven soon enough, and when I actually know what I'm doing, I'll smile and let them all sing one at a time. I'm absolutely never alone, and I'm never ever bored. How could I be? I have God...and yeah, I have dogs, cats, lizards, a few kids, and guitars too.

Photo Credit: The Guitar Man.

Bigger Chair - Bigger Difference.

     I sit most of the day - just standing up when I need to go to the bathroom, get something to eat, or walk around the house to get my blood flowing in all my limbs. I do a great deal of sitting; let's put it that way. Over the past year, just since I've moved to the new house (renting), I have gone through three office chairs for the same reason; I want to be comfortable. I bought a new one when I moved here, so I wouldn't have anything old really in the new place. I loved it. It was nicer, new, shiny, and all that. It was ergonomic and trendy, but there was something missing.    

    I realized just about the second I sat in it, that when I actually sat in it, the way I sit, I couldn't sit in it comfortably. Because I'd spent a good deal of money on it, and I didn't want to take it apart and send it back to Amazon (and I didn't keep the box)I decided to keep it, call it my "Jeannie" chair, and let my best friend sit in it when she comes over. I bought myself another chair. I bought myself one I can sit in and cross my legs in while I sit, because that's the way I sit.

    When I went to school, the desks weren't conducive to me sitting the way I sit, but when I went out to the bleachers to watch the boys play, I could sit with my legs crossed. I have always sat that way, and there really is no reason to stop now - except maybe it's the reason I have bad hips, I don't know. Well, anyway, the new chair was good. It was really good, and I kept it for about eight months, I think. I found myself turning in it more than I wanted, and I found myself rolling to the point of having to pull myself back to the desk, too.

    Something I didn't want, was for my headset, which has to be a wired set, (I may get a mic so I don't have to do that) was apt to wrap around one of the arms because it sort of half way stayed in the air and half way pulled itself down. I needed a chair either without arms, or with arms that go up all the way when I need them to, especially on the side of my body where the wired headset is. It was driving me nuts!

    OK, so yesterday I got my new big, beautiful, fat, and fluffy fake leather office chair.  It holds up to 600 pounds, is 36" wide, and when I sit back in it, my feet don't touch the ground. It came in, and my daughter put it together for me. The arms lift, it's heated, it has a lumbar air pillow, and though I didn't get the one with the rolling massage balls, I could have. I probably should have, but I didn't. I told myself that I would certainly use it, and it could distract me from my actual work. I work hard -- I am basically commission-based, so I don't need distractions!

    The new chair has a natural tilt to it, so I sit in it, and my rear end is in a sort of "V" with the leg rest under my thighs being slightly higher than the last chair. It's also ergonomic, and I can feel the difference. I am absolutely relaxed, and don't want to get back up out of my chair - not always a good thing; I will admit that. I literally found myself today, while on the phone, sitting back, chillin' just relaxing, letting the person on the other side of the phone talk and complain. I typically stop them. I usually bring them back to the core of the reason I called, which is for them to pay their damage claim.

    Today, I didn't do that. I listened, and I thought silently, "What would Morgan Freeman do at this point?" I found myself nodding, listening, being polite, and taking longer, deeper breaths before speaking. I was thinking (while they were bitching), "I really love this chair. I'm so glad I bought it." Then, when they had told me for the umpteenth time that "I wasn't there", "I didn't do it", "the locate marks were off," and all of their excuses...I just smiled. They couldn't see me smile, but I had a little picture of Morgan Freeman smiling gently in my head.

    I told them I understood their frustration. I didn't agree with their reasoning, and the facts remain that they are found to be negligent and need to either pay their claim or send it to their insurance carrier, or face litigation. I was giving them a choice; people like choices. I say nicely, and in my best Morgan Freeman faux attitude, "I want to help you, I really do, but I wasn't the one out there digging in the tolerance zone with mechanized equipment without first calling 811 and having the underground facilities marked. That was you, or your crew. You are responsible, and you need to pay."

    The chair made the difference. Before the chair, I didn't let them vent. I was quick to end the complaints, and I could even be considered cold or unforgiving at times. I have two little signs pinned to the bulletin board in front of me. I made them; they are to remind me of the truth and the facts. One says, "It's not your money, be kind."  The other says, "Grace, grace, God's grace" because I am not really all that nice to people who put others in harm's way by breaking gas lines when they could have called 811 for a locate (a free service). 

    The chair is the key here - I hope I can just zen out from this point forward. I may light some incense and turn out the overhead light -- then again, I may just keep smiling, thinking about being comfortable, supported, and relaxed, and let them tell me their excuses -- but probably only for about 30-45 seconds; I can't waste too much time on one claim. I have 40 or 50 to get through each day.  Awwwww....the chair.

Photo Credit: Me