Author Topic: ...Izee's Thread  (Read 436524 times)

Offline Izee

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Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Reply #1350 on: September 05, 2023, 06:13:58 AM »
Another one of my MOST FAVORITE movements of a String Quartet.  It is the third movement of Haydn's 'Emperor Quartet'.  Everyone will recognize the theme, Germany adopted the Theme as their National Anthem, 'Deutschland, Deutschland, Uber Alise', and it was sung a lot during WWII.  If one can put aside any linkage of this to WWII, it is one of the most beautiful and subline works IMHO.  The work is divided into 'Variations', and what is truly wonderful about it is that each player gets to play the theme during a variation.  This is a work that I recall the first time I played it.  There was an elderly German Jewish Man who was an MD who lived in the city where I lived, and when my technique developed to where I could play difficult music, he invited me to join his personal social quartet.  We rarely performed in public, but we got together every Tuesday evening at his house, and his wife would prepare a dinner for all four of us.  We would eat, and I was introduced to many German dishes that I had only heard about, and then we would play music for three hours.  We would take a few breaks to rest and drink some wine...and eat any leftovers...He did speak about this work the first time we played it.  I was sitting, my head a bit unfocused when we finished, I didn't know that Haydn had written the theme decades before Nazi Germany, and playing the theme was a very emotional experience for me.  Again, it was one of those works that just captured me, and performing it took a LOT of focus and attention to what was going on.  You can hear just how soft and introspective it is, and watching the performers, you can see how much attention they focus on each other.  In playing quartets, you HAVE to listen to the others, and fit the volume of your playing with everyone else.  If you are playing a supporting part too loud, you destroy the performance because the theme is covered up.  The MD mentioned that he had to shut his mind down to be able to play this work, he had been in Germany before WWII started, and his family moved before the genocide of the Jewish people had started, and sometimes he would just sit out this movement of the work, but play the others.

Here it is, please enjoy.   :)

https://youtu.be/mBmCcSz6HWw?si=7rbU_uUdkoO5Hr6f

Offline Izee

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Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Reply #1351 on: September 13, 2023, 04:25:20 AM »
Playing the cello...the Left Hand... :o

I have discussed bowing the cello with the right hand, now I will comment on the left hand.  That poor appendage has a VERY DIFFICULT JOB!!!   :P :P :P :P :P

There you are, sitting there, with your legs spread apart and a big hunk of lumber between your thighs, and you look down at about a yard of dark wood that has no frets or ANYTHING on it to mark anything, and the note you need to play is SOMEWHERE on it.  So, your left hand has to know where the notes are...and it has to get RIGHT ON THE 'fingerboard' in the RIGHT PLACE!!!  If you are even a fraction of an inch off the right place, the note is out of tune.  Plus, the distance between the notes change as you move your hand down the neck of the cello to play higher pitched notes.  The distance between whole note steps can be about an inch and a half in first position, so there is space between the fingers.  But get into the higher positions, and the distance gets less and less, to where your fingers are right beside each other playing whole note steps further down the fingerboard, and you have to pivot your fingers and just lay down the tips in the higher positions.  And, again, there are no markers so finding a note in the higher positions is quite a task.  There was a famous asshole Conductor who, when he was auditioning violinists, would tell the person to play an E natural in 7th position, and if the person didn't just drop his finger in the right place on the first try...well...Adios... ::)

So, there you are with your hand on the neck.  The thumb is behind the neck, and the fingers are sitting above the strings, and you drop your fingers to hit the notes.  So, that is why string players sound so bad at first, their fingers have to find a note and learn the distance between the notes, and that takes a LOT of practice for the muscle memory to kick in.  PLUS, sometimes a note is marked to be sharp or flat, so you have to drop the finger above or below where the 'Natural' note is.  Or, because of the Key Signature, you just have to know which notes are sharp or flat because they aren't marked. 

Then, you have to condition your fingers and wrist...they get tired at first when you take up the cello, and can cramp.  Also, you MUST develop thick calluses on the tips of your fingers, soft mushy fingers can't hold the note steady.  You also, when you get advanced, develop a large callus on the outside edge of your thumb, because you  lay your thumb across the strings in the upper positions to hold the hand steady, and to act as a 'nut' if you have to play a lot of notes.  My calluses were so thick that I could pick up VERY HOT objects with my fingertips and not get burned or feel any pain.  Also, it was HELL getting my daughters hamster off my left first finger when it bit me...it's long teeth got caught in my callus.  I actually had to just tear the callus to pull the little rodent off of me!   >:(

Then, there is...VIBRATO!!!   :o :o :o :o :o  That is where the note gets very rich because the finger is rocking on the note, slightly varying the pitch.  It looks like the cellist is wiggling her fingers, but that is NOT what is happening.  Actually, the finger in planted on the note, and the HAND is moving up and down, parallel to the fingerboard.  That takes a LOT of practice...to learn vibrato.  Also, there are various sounds you can produce with vibrato.  Holding the finger down and moving the hand slowly produces a very deep and dark sound, lightening the pressure and moving the hand quickly makes a more frivolous sound.  And, you have to hold your hand and wrist steady, if the wrist gets loose the sounds get very interesting.  As a beginning student, I actually strapped a ruler to the back of my hand and my forearm, so my hand wouldn't start something on it's own.  That did work, the hand and wrist learned to stay together when playing the cello.

Then there is the pressure on the fingers.  I was always inclined to stamp my fingers down hard, to settle the note.  That works when playing slow, but you have to just lightly touch the string when playing fast.  Like when you sprint, you don't stamp your feet, that slows you down. 

The BIGGEST challenge is deciding how to 'finger' a passage...that is...which finger do you use to play a note?  You have four of them, and ANY finger can play a note.  In difficult passages, I would actually write a number above a note to remind me which finger to use.  Usually, I would just write the number '1' to show that I needed to play the note with my first finger, but often I would write the numbers 1 through 4 to mark a complex passage so each finger knew what to do.  I picked that up from the Private Teacher I had when I re-started the cello when I hadn't played for years due to my work requirements.  He was an Englishman who had a terminal case of OCD, and he would always mark EACH NOTE with the finger he wanted, and whether he wanted to do an up-bow or a down-bow.  When we were stand partners in an orchestra or a musical, I would spend a few hours carefully erasing ALL of the fingerings and bowings he marked in the part before returning the part to the Librarian.  Once, I didn't do that, and I got a HUGE scolding from the Librarian AND the Conductor, and went to the office during a lunch hour with a truly humongous eraser and fixed the problem.   ::)

So, there you are, with a cello between your legs, and each hand is doing a totally DIFFERENT THING, and they have to do it TOGETHER!!! 

And 'Lefty' has to find the notes on the blank fingerboard...

Offline Izee

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Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Reply #1352 on: September 14, 2023, 05:20:27 AM »
...Flirting with the Soloist... :o 8) ;D

I was the Principal Cellist in a Semi-Professional Orchestra when I was younger, and we were going to perform a Violin Concerto.  I forget which one, I think it was the Brahms, anyway, there was a very amusing exchange between me and the soloist during the performance.

There was a soft interlude in the First Movement that occurred after the Soloist had performed a really challenging and dramatic passage.  He had a brief rest as the Orchestra calmed the situation down, and then the Principal Cellist, me, introduced a short new theme.  It was just nine notes, they were 8th notes so they were quick, but very soft.  The Soloist would repeat them, and the Cellist would play them again in a different register, and the Soloist would follow.  This would occur six times, getting louder and more vibrant each time, and then the Soloist would take off and the Cellist would get back into the section.

I was very enamored of the Soloist, he was a very Handsome and Formidable Russian, and he played like a God!  During the rehearsal, I was just focusing on getting the notes of my solo with him correct, and wasn't focused on expressing the music.  Again, as I have said, ANYONE can play the notes of a musical score, but only an ARTIST can EXPRESS what the music is about.  So, we got to the Performance.

When I perform, I make up a story in my mind at what the music is trying to say.  I then try to shape my notes to get across real emotions, and not just musical notes.  I can make my cellos sound angry, scared, demanding, or, well...intimate.   8)  During the Performance I was actually imagining a battle, an ancient battle where the men used swords and such.  I was all worked up as the Soloist 'fought' during the fast and dramatic passage, and then we got to the calm passage.  I then imagined that I was a Nurse who was 'caring' for a wounded Warrior, and was having an 'intimate' moment, and saying at the end, "OK, now get back out!"

The Soloist was just looking out at the audience as I played the first part, and then he softly replied.  I repeated, and he actually turned towards me, and leaned down a bit and aimed the F-Holes of his violin at me, and spoke.  We then did the repeats, getting louder and more animated, and then he turned away and got back into a dramatic section.  I was actually 'glowing' a bit as we finished, and felt a little weak, but I got back into leading my section.

At the Reception after the Concert, some musicians and members of the Audience came up to me and said that they really enjoyed the part where the Soloist and I well, 'did it', and I did blush a bit.  That is actually what was running through my mind as we played that part.   ::)

Offline Izee

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Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Reply #1353 on: September 18, 2023, 02:41:24 PM »
...USAF to me as I walk in the Park...

..."Hey, uh, if you happen to see an F-35, please give us a call"...as I get handed a card.   :o

Our Military...is it just me, or does it appear that it is getting sloppy?  A pilot has to punch out of his F-35, and I hear that those planes cost a few bucks, and they can't find it and say that it may have gone into 'Zombie Flight'.  So the plane could be pretty far away.  Don't they have some kind of devices on their aircraft so that they can track them?  And, if it went down, wouldn't it leave some kind of evidence?  Well, not much that I can really say, just being a civilian.  But, I will keep my eyes alert when I take my walks.

Maybe it will have a 'soft landing' in a Park, and the children will have a new 'Jungle Gym' to play on.   ;D

Offline Izee

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Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Reply #1354 on: September 19, 2023, 07:04:31 PM »
...California... ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::)

S.F., Oakland, and the Bay Area are losing population because of gang activity and the decrease in the quality of living.  One problem, is graffiti.  Businesses and Govt Buildings are being covered with graffiti, and it looks horrible and very scary.  There was a news clip on TV where the problem was being discussed.  And, only in CA, they state that 'real artists' do graffiti, and it should be protected.  So, businesses are having some problems.  So, Joe who owns the corner convenience store, wants to remove the horrible graffiti on the side of HIS BUILDING...and he has to get PERMISSION from the Gov't, because the sloppy paint job may have 'artistic value'.  :o

Can you imagine such a thing in a sane society?  First of all, if an 'Artist' wants to paint something on a building that he doesn't own, well, why shouldn't he be required to GET THE OWNER'S PERMISSION FIRST???  And, of course, local statutes must be honored.  Maybe a community doesn't want stuff painted on a building that does not fit the plan for the community.  They certainly have a right to have their community be as they wish.  Why the HELL should 'street artists' be allowed to deface a building with crap that they call 'Art'???

But, this is just a step to what the Liberal Democrats want...which is anarchy.  They argue that the feelings of street artists are 'hurt' if their masterpiece is painted over.  Well, shit o dear, let the street artist vandal GET PERMISSION...or do their 'masterworks' in a place that is set up for that?  But, the Liberals would rather see Owners Property defaced and it's value drop, and for people to stay away so the businesses...that serve people and provide jobs...lose money and have to close up.  Some very long time businesses in the Bay Area are closing up because they just can't afford the costs that vandalism creates.   

Offline Izee

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Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Reply #1355 on: September 20, 2023, 03:14:02 AM »
...On a MUCH happier note... :D

Georges Enescuo  (sp...Sigh...) was quite a Composer.  I have played this a few times, and it is a BLAST, although it is very tiring.  I have said that it is possible to 'doze off' a bit when you are in a Section of the Orchestra, you just gotta make sure that you fit in.  In this work, you CANNOT doze off,  It is a very complex work, and the mood of the work changes from measure to measure.  It also speeds up about 2/3 of the way through, so you have to watch the Conductor, and listen to the people around you to make sure that you fit in.

This is a very complex composition, it isn't just a melody with accompaniment, it has little melodies and frills all over it. 

The quality of the recording isn't the best I have heard, need to wear headphones to get it all.  It is also very fun watching the Conductor, Celibidache.  He conducts in a unique way, and is very expressive.  He doesn't just wave the baton...at times he isn't even swinging it or moving his arms in tempol...but he IS conducting the Orchestra.  He is getting the Orchestra to EXPRESS the music, not just play the notes.  IMHO, THAT is what a Conductor needs to do, to get the musicians to EXPRESS the music, and not just stand there and wave the baton like a metronome.  His facial expressions are very amusing, and he does look like he is having fun. 

https://youtu.be/m8Y5x1N_aIg?si=Aqne_e_uBYmiLplE

Offline Izee

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Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Reply #1356 on: October 01, 2023, 06:52:26 PM »
...Here is Thomas Tallis again, Vaughn Williams, IMHO, REALLY composed a Masterwork.  The staging of the String Orchestra is different than you usually see.  It demonstrates that there really are TWO string Orchestras, and a string Quartet performing it.  The Conductor did a truly WONDERFUL job, in getting group to vary the volume of the work and showing the complexity.  Once, I was in the small orchestra, and playing the solo cello, and the Conductor had us set up in the BALCONY!!!  So, his back would be towards the audience when he conducted the large group, and then he would turn around and direct us!!!  The audience was a bit surprised to see us sitting in the Balcony.  A child actually came up to us, and asked, "Why aren't you down there?" and pointed at the Stage.  I pretended to get scared and worried, and told the group, "Oh Hell, I MESSED UP!!! We are supposed to be with the rest!!!"  We started to get up as the audience laughed...and then we sat down and I told the girl..."Oh, you will see why, it is kind of fun."  The child giggled at the end.

Once, the Conductor put a full Brass Section in the Balcony when we played the 'NEW WORLD SYMPHONY'.  They stayed silent until the last movement, and then stood when he turned around and conducted them as they played that Famous Theme with the rest of the Orchestra.  The people in the main seats were very startled to hear music coming from BEHIND THEM!!!  I liked it...but...I ALWAYS love drama!!!

https://youtu.be/e6pEIHtffqQ?si=LTgHbjAMswlkgUBG

Offline Izee

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Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Reply #1357 on: October 03, 2023, 12:59:10 AM »
...Covering for an Adulterer... 8)

Back when I was practicing Law, I was at that horrible firm that wasted my education and talents.  They had me cover depositions taken by Insurance companies, and I was paid $55 per hour.  My usual rate for Business Clients was $250 per hour, and I was WORTH IT!!!  This Over-Educated Panther Huntress caused a lot of problems for the opposition in cases.  But, sitting in on the depositions was boring as Hell, and all I was , was a note taking clerk.  I would just report to the Insurance Company what went on.  But, when I had a business client, my training did amazing things...plus my natural 'Pantheress' Instincts could be very creative and sneaky.

Once, I got a call from a business client, and he said that he had request for me.  I said, "Sure, what is it?"  Well, he told me to bill him for a three hour in person conference with me, in my Office, for a day that was three weeks in the past.  I said, "I don't recall that meeting".  He just said, "Don't worry, just bill me for that meeting, and use your high rates", and hung up.  I sat for a moment and wondered why he wanted me to charge him for three hours that occurred between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm.  Then, I giggled, as my 'real mind' figured what had probably happened.  So, I made out the bill, and did place my highest billing rate on it, for a Complex Tax Consultation and Analysis, and sent it out.

A few weeks later, my client's Wife called, and asked about the meeting.  I said that I couldn't discuss the details very much, but since she was his wife, I made up a story about how the consultation fit in with his Businesses.  She grumbled, saying that she thought that he was stepping out on her, and I did get irate, and asked, "Are you accusing me of having an Affair with your Husband?"  She quickly backed off, saying that she knew that I was married, and certainly wouldn't have sex with a client, and just wanted to confirm what he had told her where he had been on that day, and I said, "Yes, you bet that I wouldn't do that."  She said, Ok, and hung up.  I did start laughing ...

I never brought up the issue with my client, he did pay my bill, and we had our usual attorney/client relationship.

So...I had covered up for an adulterer... 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

Offline Yvonne

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Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Reply #1358 on: October 03, 2023, 02:05:00 AM »
...Covering for an Adulterer... 8)

Back when I was practicing Law, I was at that horrible firm that wasted my education and talents.  They had me cover depositions taken by Insurance companies, and I was paid $55 per hour.  My usual rate for Business Clients was $250 per hour, and I was WORTH IT!!!  This Over-Educated Panther Huntress caused a lot of problems for the opposition in cases.  But, sitting in on the depositions was boring as Hell, and all I was , was a note taking clerk.  I would just report to the Insurance Company what went on.  But, when I had a business client, my training did amazing things...plus my natural 'Pantheress' Instincts could be very creative and sneaky.

Once, I got a call from a business client, and he said that he had request for me.  I said, "Sure, what is it?"  Well, he told me to bill him for a three hour in person conference with me, in my Office, for a day that was three weeks in the past.  I said, "I don't recall that meeting".  He just said, "Don't worry, just bill me for that meeting, and use your high rates", and hung up.  I sat for a moment and wondered why he wanted me to charge him for three hours that occurred between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm.  Then, I giggled, as my 'real mind' figured what had probably happened.  So, I made out the bill, and did place my highest billing rate on it, for a Complex Tax Consultation and Analysis, and sent it out.

A few weeks later, my client's Wife called, and asked about the meeting.  I said that I couldn't discuss the details very much, but since she was his wife, I made up a story about how the consultation fit in with his Businesses.  She grumbled, saying that she thought that he was stepping out on her, and I did get irate, and asked, "Are you accusing me of having an Affair with your Husband?"  She quickly backed off, saying that she knew that I was married, and certainly wouldn't have sex with a client, and just wanted to confirm what he had told her where he had been on that day, and I said, "Yes, you bet that I wouldn't do that."  She said, Ok, and hung up.  I did start laughing ...

I never brought up the issue with my client, he did pay my bill, and we had our usual attorney/client relationship.

So...I had covered up for an adulterer... 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
That's one way to make a guy pay for letting his little head do the thinking for his big head.  ;D

Offline Izee

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Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Reply #1359 on: October 07, 2023, 07:49:16 PM »
...Promoting Classical Music Concerts... :o 8) ;)

When I got back into the cello in my late 20's, I took private lessons at the local University of California Music Department.  The Professor of Cello let the Head of the Music Department know that he had landed an Adult Student who had some free time.  So, I got invited to join the Music Society that Al, the Head of the Music Department ran.  It was a Non-Profit Organization, and would put on high level music performances with Professional Musicians.  I got heavily involved, and raised money for the Organization, and helped plan concerts.  I also promoted the Concerts, and as Treasurer paid all of the musicians involved.  I would read the music journals that reported on performances by traveling musicians, and bring some to the attention of Al and suggest that we book them.

One of the most memorable was the Slovak Symphonetta.  (sp)  They were from the European Country of Slovakia, which had been part of the USSR. They were too expensive for our Organization to fund, so Al talked me and my Shrink into sponsoring a concert with them.  I was scared stiff, that would cost a lot of money, and if tickets didn't sell, well we would be out of a lot of personal money.  So, I did extra advertising on the Event, and in a brief spark of sheer genius, wondered if there were any Slovakians in the area.  I did find that there was a local Club of Slovakians in a Church, and spoke to their President, and told him about the concert, and said that we would have a reception afterwards, and that anyone from his Organization would be welcome to help plan. the concert and reception  Well, he and a few other Slovakians were DELIGHTED...and we planned a VERY extensive and EXPENSIVE reception.  I had an expensive keg of Slovakian Beer brought in, and all sorts of other drinks.  The Slovak Community brought an incredible assortment of wonderful food, so we had a real FEAST available after the concert.  I had bought a bunch of little Slovakian Flags, and had them all over the reception hall.  The musicians asked if they could take them with them at the end of the reception, I said 'yes', but kept one for my Office.  They ate and drank with great gusto, and mixed with the locals very well, and would point out their hometowns on a large map of Slovakia that I had put on the wall.

The musicians were WONDERFUL, they were VERY skilled, and played all of the music very well.  I was also very pleasantly surprised that there was a large turnout, especially from the local Slovakians.  They had contacted fellow Slovakians in CA, and people from all over came to the concert.  The appearance of the musicians was interesting.  Their Principal Violinist, the Concertmaster, looked like an ugly Actor who played an Eastern European Thug who laughed as he tortured people, but he played like a God.  I mixed with all of the musicians as we set up the for the Concert, and fetched things that they needed.

After the Dress Rehearsal was over, the Concertmaster invited me to have a 'snack' in his room and talk about the music.  Well...I smiled...and declined of course.  He found someone else.  Some friends had watched, and asked if he had made a pass at me.  I, very casually, said, "Well, of course he did.  Those traveling musicians do need company at times."  My friends laughed...I chuckled, too.

I mean, if a traveling Eastern European Musician would NOT make a pass at me at that time when I was young and very cute, I'd better have my estrogen levels checked, or something... 8) 8) 8)

One of the very nice side effects was that the local Slovakian Community became more active.  They invited me, a mixed breed, to Dinners and events they put on, and were wonderful people.  They did say that the Concert brought them together, and that they met more fellow Slovakians that they didn't know about, and were much more active now.

Offline Izee

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Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Reply #1360 on: October 09, 2023, 07:33:28 AM »
...Opera... ::)

I have posted that I do not particularly care for Opera, but...I do like this one.  See what you think, it isn't very long.

https://youtu.be/s9-nd_CXhu0?si=muey6yESgf0vgk8n

At Conservatory, we did a fun concert, and I picked one of PDQ Bach's works for my friends and I to perform as one of the groups, but I can't find it on Youtube.  It was scored for Harpsicord, Cello, and two Sopranos.  I dressed up 'Overly Ornate' and slinked onto the stage, in Ultra High Heels, and sat my butt down in the chair, and stuck my endpin into a small hole on the stage.  The Sopranos also were Exotic/Erotic, the male Harpsichordist was a dull creature, dressed in black, and he just set up.  I started the work, with a slow dirge...it was a tragic song...and I kept a 'sad face' on my, well, sad face.  The Sopranos then started in, and alternated singing very tragic lyrics , with sad faces, with my tragic dirge, and the Harpsichordist, well, made the damn Harpsichord do what that piece of furniture can do. (I think that he also had a sad face, but my back was to him.)

 Later performers in the concert were, well, as tragic... ::)

I got summoned to the Dean's Office, and got a scolding, and was told that the Conservatory was training serious musicians, not 'Entertainers', and to get the Drama Dept to let me do further such productions.

*Looks furtively around, shading my eyes*...I didn't follow his Order...i have trouble following orders...we had more Productions.   ::)

But, he was a good sport, he actually wrote me a strong letter of recommendation for me to become the Assistant Manager of a professional Orchestra.  I did get an offer, but I also got an offer from an Accounting Firm.  I decided that it would be best to take the Accounting job, it paid a LOT MORE, but, thinking back, being involved in the Music Business would have been an experience.  *Giggles*  I probably would have left with a lot of money and a Hunk of a Husband, or been serving soup to people in a line so that I would get to sleep in the same bed at the group home in the Salvation Army.

Offline Izee

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Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Reply #1361 on: October 10, 2023, 12:21:59 AM »
mmmmmmm....BACON!!!!.....MMMMMMM   ;D

I am up late, and got hungry.  I ate hours ago, and am going to stay up for a while, so I need to eat something.  I am watching the version of "Dune' that is on TNT.  I like it, and I got hungry.  I thought of making myself a full breakfast with some eggs , toast, and shredded potatoes to go with the bacon, but thought...HECK with the other stuff, I really just want the BACON!!!   ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

So. I put EIGHT pre-cooked slices of bacon into the microwave, and am eating them now.  They taste REALLY GOOD!!!  If I stay up for another couple hours, well, I will add a couple eggs to the next eight slices of bacon.  I read an interesting article about Vegetarians a few years ago.  The people who became Vegetarians when they were adults were asked what food they missed the most, and most said "Bacon".   :o

Funny how those little strips of very fatty pork belly taste SO GOOD!  I know that a lot of it is how it is prepared, but bacon REALLY tastes good!!!

So, I gotta remain a lapsed Catholic...other Religions don't allow you to eat bacon... :P

Offline Izee

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Re: ...Izee's Thread
« Reply #1362 on: October 17, 2023, 05:47:04 PM »
...Earthquakes...

I had what turned out to be an amusing event when I was working for the large Construction Company.  We built roads all over CA and NV, and our Home Office was on the top floor of a 10 Story Building we owned.  I was the Chief Beancounter, and had all sorts of Titles after my name, we had 15 different Companies we owned, and half were Union, half were Non-Union.  The Big Boss was the President of all of the Union Companies, and I was the President of the Non Union Companies, and was the Treasurer of the Holding Company.  I was in his Office, and we were on the phone with our Insurance Broker, we were discussing a Bond we needed for a large job.  We were talking, and then an EARTHQUAKE started under us, and the building began shaking.  I was ready to jump under the desk, and the Boss calmly said to the Agent, "Harry, do we have earthquake insurance on our building?"  The Agent said, "Yes, why do you ask?"  The Boss replied, "Because we are having one right now."

Thankfully, the quake stopped without causing any damage, and I just laughed for 5 minutes, I couldn't stop.

I did show some real cowardice one afternoon.  I was the President of our Trucking Company, and had NO IDEA of what the company did.  I did know how to drive a stick shift car, but if I was placed in the cab of a large truck I wouldn't know how to start it.   ::)  I was in my office, and the Receptionist said that there were SIX Truck Drivers that wanted to talk to me about problems they were having with the Manager, who REALLY ran the Trucking Company.  I told her to tell them that I was not available, and I quickly walked down the back stairs and emerged in the alley between the buildings, and beat feet for the nearest Denny's, and got into a booth in the back.  I stayed there for an hour, and came back when I was told that the men had left.

Offline Izee

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« Reply #1363 on: October 31, 2023, 01:53:04 AM »
The Washington Monument... ;D...I hope that I got the name right...it is that Tall spire of white rock in DC.

Anyway, my family drove from CA to the East Coast, back when cars did NOT have AC...so I was a VERY happy pre-teen during the trip.  (NOT!!!!!!!!!!)

We were touring DC, and my parents said that we just HAD to go up to the top of the Monument.  Well, in my RIGHTOUS frustration, I looked at the line we were in.  It was VERY long.  So, I walked to the front, and looked in, and saw the elevator, it could hold about 10 people.  I walked back, and told my parents that it would be about an hour long wait.  They just nodded, and we stayed in line.  I played jacks for a while...I always had a set with me...and then got up and said that I was going to WALK to the top.  My parents just nodded, so I gather up my jacks and put them in their pouch...and...

...WALKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was in very good physical condition, and just needed a couple rest stops, and I got to the top.  I walked and looked out all of the windows, and then WALKED back down.  There was a long line to get back to the ground at the elevator.  I rejoined my Parents, they were about 20 minutes from the door, and said that it was neat up there.  So, I stayed with them, and rode the elevator to the top.  We all looked around, and then looked at the long line for the elevator.  I spoke up, saying, "Hey, the steps aren't all that bad, and you are stepping down ALL of the time." 

My Parents bought my story, and we all walked down...

...Mom had to stop a DOZEN times to rest her feet, and I just stayed on the next landing below... ::)  Dad was NOT happy with me...

I was VERY quiet the rest of the trip, and my parents didn't believe ANYTHING I said... :o

Offline Izee

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« Reply #1364 on: November 05, 2023, 07:44:55 PM »
I ranted a while ago about how it seemed that the Gov'ts in SF and Oakland are encouraging anarchy by their 'catch and release' policies and reclassifying Felonies as Misdemeanors or mere Infractions.  So people and businesses are fleeing the Bay Area, leaving what used to be valuable properties behind.  Well, guess what is happening?

Those vacant buildings are being purchased for very cheap prices, and then being turned into nice housing and locked up boutiques.  I spoke a while ago about going to a women's clothing store I liked, and it was marked 'Open', but the door was locked.  A clerk walked to the door, and looked me over, and then pressed a button and I was let in.  The door was locked behind me.  So, the News and other Programming Facilities speak about 'Gentryfying' the ghettos.  Hells Bells, those places were NOT in a 'ghetto'...until the businesses left because of the crime and shoplifting.  And, the 'Enlightened Rulers' say that a Shopkeeper can't use a weapon to protect his store.  So, of course the THUGS are just going to walk in, and walk out with ALL that they can carry.

I studied Law, and it is legal, according to English Common Law, to use Deadly Force to protect a business.  And, OF COURSE IT SHOULD BE!!!  I value human life, but a person who tries to pillage a business is asking for it, if they resist.  I am not saying that we should shoot children who pocket a candy bar, but when a man is facing a mob intent on stealing everything that isn't nailed down, well...that is another thing!  People back off when someone is holding a gun!

So, it kinda looks like there was a plot to temporarily devalue property values for a while, by letting thugs run wild under the guise of 'Compassion'...and now that the devalued properties are being bought up...the thugs are being locked up and the Mayors are calling for 'Law and Order'.

So, as they say...

...I shoulda gotten in while the gettin was GOOD!!!

BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Now that the businesses are being re-opened, the Police are being told to enforce the Law.  The Mayors of SF and Oakland are calling to crack down on crime!!!  It is because the Rich People came in and bought all of the properties, and are telling the DAMN Politicians to enforce the Laws.