Once again It's time for me to say a few words of appreciation and thanx to BP and all you Knuckleheads for being such a fine global family for me and for being here and for keeping the EBMM Forum home fires burning all along.
It's been 10 months since I hit the floor one day with a CVAand after 8 months in hospital of which 6 were on rehab 2nd floor, and except for a major part of my survival is owed to my Sweetheart, the rest of the credit goes to all of you ... It's really quite inspiring to wake up wondering who and how many new MusicManiacs have found their way to a new MusicMan guitar or bass and beyond that ... found their way here and joined the Global Gang of THe Loyal Order of Knuckleheads It's quite exciting to read the posts and see the pics of new instrumentscatch the vibe of all the chatter and clatter of Knuckleheads puffing themselves up about their fave NFL team or other such life-critical issues, not to mention reading BP's reflections on the beginnings of the EBMM legend.
I mean, credit where it's due, you gang are a major part of what keeps me going ... of course it's frustrating not being able to wiggle a finger on my left hand or carry a beloved SR5 across the room, but I'm reminded of how I got my second chance to play a fine bass and the guy who helped me get seriously started playing many years ago ... IN a previous life, I was a "necktie guy" and a roadman for a glamorous, and uptight multinational automotive corporation ... I spent over 70 % of my life on the road and one night I landed in a bar listening to a country band and envying the bass player who I thought was the luckiest guy in the room ... all the while, people saw my fancy duds and car and figured that I was the luckiest guy ... lucky me,in my spare time, my close friends were all artists and musicians, one jam night I got yapping with one guy about my dream to play bass and he said "hey man, if you really mean that, the way to get started is to go to L&M and rent some gear and we'll help you get going, he was a fine guitarist and somehow known around these parts as "Saint NODISCO", before he passed away suddenly a few years back RIP "IAM"... what a friend he became, he showed me a C major scale and a few technique points before introducing me to a local pro bass player who became my first bass teacher and also a good friend. What I didn't know was how difficult it would be and how long I would need to learn to play well enough that I liked my own sounds. Which is something like recovering from a stroke ... Which brings me to "NOW". yesterday, I met a lady who interviewed me for a stroke recovery program called "Peer mentoring". It's about matching folks like me with folks who have been recovering from a stroke for a few years so that someone like me can get some encouragement and idea about what lies ahead. During our meeting, I was expressing my frustration about not being able to play music for the last 10 months and about not being able to walk normally or move my left arm... to which she immediately shot back "YET" and then reminded me that it's been 10 months for me and that, in terms of stroke recovery, something like beginning to play bass, "THese are the early days, then, she noted that she had her stroke 7 years ago and was still having major recovery moments in her 6th year after ... so, the point is like Big Poppa has been saying to me, the same for stroke recovery or for waiting for a new MusicMan bass or for learning to play well ... the words are "Be Patient".
so, here I am now and the point is, while I GAS for that BONGO5 HSP '07 LE that Psychicpet hooked me on recently, I have to thank all of you for your support and encouragement and for being here and helping to feed my GAS buildup until the day comes that I can ask my songriter buddy "Muzz" to give me a lift out to Langley to fetch a new BONGO5, while he checks out a fine EBMM Albert Lee
So, BIG Thanx YouZ'All for all the fun and tales and pics and for keeping these homefires burning and one of these days, I'm hoping that Peter will get to post a pic of me in all my glory with my old 45 litre Cowboy Hat and a brand spankers new BONGO5.
all the bass,
/PL
It's been 10 months since I hit the floor one day with a CVA
and after 8 months in hospital of which 6 were on rehab 2nd floor, and except for a major part of my survival is owed to my Sweetheart, the rest of the credit goes to all of you ... It's really quite inspiring to wake up wondering who and how many new MusicManiacs have found their way to a new MusicMan guitar or bass and beyond that ... found their way here and joined the Global Gang of THe Loyal Order of Knuckleheads It's quite exciting to read the posts and see the pics of new instrumentscatch the vibe of all the chatter and clatter of Knuckleheads puffing themselves up about their fave NFL team or other such life-critical issues, not to mention reading BP's reflections on the beginnings of the EBMM legend.I mean, credit where it's due, you gang are a major part of what keeps me going
... of course it's frustrating not being able to wiggle a finger on my left hand or carry a beloved SR5 across the room, but I'm reminded of how I got my second chance to play a fine bass and the guy who helped me get seriously started playing many years ago ... IN a previous life, I was a "necktie guy" and a roadman for a glamorous, and uptight multinational automotive corporation ... I spent over 70 % of my life on the road and one night I landed in a bar listening to a country band and envying the bass player who I thought was the luckiest guy in the room ... all the while, people saw my fancy duds and car and figured that I was the luckiest guy ... lucky me,in my spare time, my close friends were all artists and musicians, one jam night I got yapping with one guy about my dream to play bass and he said "hey man, if you really mean that, the way to get started is to go to L&M and rent some gear and we'll help you get going, he was a fine guitarist and somehow known around these parts as "Saint NODISCO", before he passed away suddenly a few years back RIP "IAM"... what a friend he became, he showed me a C major scale and a few technique points before introducing me to a local pro bass player who became my first bass teacher and also a good friend. What I didn't know was how difficult it would be and how long I would need to learn to play well enough that I liked my own sounds. Which is something like recovering from a stroke ... Which brings me to "NOW". yesterday, I met a lady who interviewed me for a stroke recovery program called "Peer mentoring". It's about matching folks like me with folks who have been recovering from a stroke for a few years so that someone like me can get some encouragement and idea about what lies ahead. During our meeting, I was expressing my frustration about not being able to play music for the last 10 months and about not being able to walk normally or move my left arm... to which she immediately shot back "YET" and then reminded me that it's been 10 months for me and that, in terms of stroke recovery, something like beginning to play bass, "THese are the early days, then, she noted that she had her stroke 7 years ago and was still having major recovery moments in her 6th year after ... so, the point is like Big Poppa has been saying to me, the same for stroke recovery or for waiting for a new MusicMan bass or for learning to play well ... the words are "Be Patient".so, here I am now and the point is, while I GAS for that BONGO5 HSP '07 LE that Psychicpet hooked me on recently, I have to thank all of you for your support and encouragement and for being here and helping to feed my GAS buildup until the day comes that I can ask my songriter buddy "Muzz" to give me a lift out to Langley to fetch a new BONGO5, while he checks out a fine EBMM Albert Lee
So, BIG Thanx YouZ'All for all the fun and tales and pics and for keeping these homefires burning and one of these days, I'm hoping that Peter will get to post a pic of me in all my glory with my old 45 litre Cowboy Hat and a brand spankers new BONGO5.
all the bass,
/PL
