Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

Other interests

Flight959

By Flight959
in The Gibson Lounge

Recommended Posts

milod

milod

Posted
Posted

Can't afford expensive hobbies any more... #$%@#%# Newspaper and magazine jobs ain't what they used to was.

 

But I can state categorically that whoever came up with this statement was correct: "A boat is a hole in the water into which you pour money."

 

Actually although I've had "stuff," I think learning about that "stuff" was the most important, whether it was music, sailing, firearms (I've been accused of putting people asleep discussing ballistics), cooking, reenacting as a living historian, making knives, building and programming machines in the early days of "personal" computers, whatever.

 

Hmmmmm.... In a sense, you might say the same about most sorts of hobbies, although I honestly thing guitar picking is probably in ways the most rewarding although martial arts helps keep one in halfway decent shape. And if one does the latter correctly, it's not any more damaging for your knees as you age a bit than standing on stage.

 

Oh, on guitar playing? I think it's in ways one of the more sensible "hobbies" for all ages.

 

I remember as a kid watching my grandmother making lace from tiny thin thread with a tiny silver "needle" of some sort. Tears were running down her face. "What's the matter, Grandma, why are you crying?" "My fingers hurt when I'm tatting." "Then why do you do it?" "So I can still use my fingers."

 

I also think that guitar playing likely will help keep your head in shape as you age, too. It may provide assistance in thinking about the opposite sex when you're young, but I think as you survive into 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond, I am convinced that making music also helps keep your head thinking, period.

 

m

Link to comment
Share on other sites
milod

milod

Posted
Posted

Bob... <grin>

 

I understand about the "profession and passion." I perhaps misspoke.

 

But I think there are some of us who took one or another path in the woods of life that took us in other directions, yet didn't entirely lose the passion for "X" or "Y" even though it did not become a profession.

 

I missed the music as profession twice for some odd sorts of reasons we won't go into.

 

And writing for money isn't necessarily a passion, but writing about one's passions might be considered to be a passion, too. Long story there too, but...

 

I think too that there are at least two types of musicians who make a living at it: Those entrepreneurial souls such as yourself who have learned to make their own paychecks from their music and those less entrepreneurial in psychological makeup who take a paycheck for it whether in education or something along the lines of a symphony orchestra or some similar gig.

 

One of my dad's best childhood friends from out in the boonies and who walked to the one-room school or rode behind him horseback to that school, ended up a violinist with several fine symphony orchestras.

 

We did dinner once after a performance and I'll never forget how she told me that she envied me my involvement in music: "You play what you do for the love of it, I play what I do to make a living."

 

I'm not saying the two are mutually exclusive, but... yeah, I play what I want and if it's not "commercial," so what? Or from another angle, consider that many of us are perhaps not nearly as entrepreneurial as you are.

 

That's definitely to your advantage, and might bring many of us a degree of envy, and yet... the benefits of making music are incalculable regardless. I've gotta admit I've played in public far more than I've even seriously considered going to hear someone else perform, and I'm quite happy just working for hours to figure new fingerings for this piece or that since I'm so sadly unschooled.

 

I'll add I've always kinda felt sorry in ways for people on the other side of things who made their living at music for some years, then tired of the road life and haven't done anything with music afterward. Or for a few who kept going and disliked the life but couldn't afford financially or psychologically to quit.

 

You're quite "lucky" in that your entrepreneurial, lifestyle and musical mindsets function well together.

 

m

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NeoConMan

NeoConMan

Posted
Posted
arguing politics' date=' which I didn't know until I joined this forum. [/quote']

You're welcome!

 

:-)

 

 

 

firearms (I've been accused of putting people asleep discussing ballistics)

Nah' date=' we can stay up all night!

 

 

 

 

making brady bunch libs cry

If you're ever in Arizona, we can compare notes.

I've been doing this since high school, pounding Carter administration weenies until they leave in tears....

:-)

 

 

 

Shoulda mentioned the desert.

I live out in the desert, I play in the desert.

Shooting, riding my motorcycle places my truck won't go.

Arizona is a beautiful, varied, diverse state with interests for everyone.

(That's not an invite to move here, just for informational purposes only...)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
P.L.E.

P.L.E.

Posted
Posted

The Penguins! They're in the Finals by the way fellows. Down here in Alabama it's a bit tough to find fellow hockey fans, but I suppose some of you may be.

I watch a lot of television.

I'm involved in many musical theatre programs, and tend to tap dance often... (don't give me any crap about that, I get enough as it is)

Academic Comp. team, also.

And I must say I enjoy the Food Network quite a bit. When Mr. Bobby Flay slaps one of those 80/20 meat to fat burgers on the grill, I shat myself.

P.S. Penguins down 3-2, expect a comeback. Sid the Kid and Geno got something up their sleeves. And Fluery won't suck it up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Notes_Norton

Notes_Norton

Posted
Posted
<...>

I understand about the "profession and passion." <...>

You're quite "lucky" in that your entrepreneurial' date=' lifestyle and musical mindsets function well together.

 

m

[/quote']

It's a blessing and a curse - but mostly a blessing.

 

I studied electronics and for a short time became a Cable TV Engineer (while playing music on the weekends). I made a lot of money for about 5 years until they did the best thing they could do for me - laid off all technicians and engineers with 15 years or less.

 

But I never felt good as an engineer. I could do the work, but it wasn't joyous. I was good at it but it wasn't good for me. Being a musician is not what I do, it's what I am. So I never looked for another job outside the music industry.

 

The curse:

 

I don't make nearly as much money as I would have if I stayed in Electronics.

 

I have no sick leave, no paid vacations, no employer sponsored health insurance, no employer sponsored retirement plan.

 

The blessing:

 

But I have joy in my life, 7 days per week. While some people say they have to go to work today, I say I get to go to work today.

 

Actually, playing music for an audience is the most fun I can have with my clothes on. #-o

 

Life is short, and IMHO if not enjoyed it is wasted. Most of us would like to believe there is some kind of "happy hunting ground" waiting for us when we leave this earth, but that is not a proven fact, just a wish and a belief. So this life is the proverbial bird in the hand. So I live it to get the most joy out of it that I can, while living a good life and following the rules just in case there is that "great gig in the sky".

 

Before taking the Engineering job I was on the road in a band. We eventually got to the point where we were warming up for major star concerts at the peak of their career. Money, babes, travel, what more could a young adult male want??? Almost made it big but the negotiations between our lawyers and the record company fell through because the lawyers insisted that we make a share of the profits on the deal. The band broke up and that's when I decided to go into the Electronics business and become a "fine upstanding citizen with a real job and a pension." But the Cable TV company showed me there is no security in a corporate gig, so it was back to music, and I've never been happier.

 

I now play in a duo with my wife. When I met her she was singing in another band, and eventually we joined a 5 piece band together. After some personnel problems, we decided to go duo. I learned how to sequence my own backing tracks, and now we live, work, and play together, and 24/7 isn't enough time to be with each other.

 

Life is grand.

 

Notes

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Flight959

Flight959

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I recreate the middle ages-

 

nsgIII_me2.jpg

 

I make most of the armour' date=' so the cost is materials and man hours. Then it's just travel and event fees, mostly.

 

quote']

 

Hey Chanman,

 

I went to a Castle near me two weeks ago and they had the place full of soldiers doing the whole re enactment thing and I must say it was really awsome!! My wife and kids really enjoyed it too... It wasnt what we expected... The castle had a full attack later in the day but my kids were a little too young for it so we didnt stick around..

 

Here's some pics if your interested...

 

Picture147.jpg

Picture148.jpg

Picture131.jpg

 

Regards

Link to comment
Share on other sites
callen3615

callen3615

Posted
Posted
I play college football so that takes up most of my time.

I coach track and feild in the shotput but I think I will compete this year for the college.

Im a youth leader at church.

I enjoy being out in nature (Wildlife' date=' Stars, Habitats)

I enjoy working out and running.

Classical Music is something im starting to get in to.

[/quote']

Thats pretty impressive what school do you play for?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Steven Tari

Steven Tari

Posted
Posted

Rebuilding my house. Were taking out walls and putting in new hardwood floors. Replaced all the plumbing under the house. Plus replacing all the appliances in the house. Built a new garage and Patio. The attached garage we have emptied we're making into a Game Room. Pool table, Slot Machines and a fully stocked bar. Anyone know where I can get an Arcade, full size Miss Pacman game or Centipede?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
milod

milod

Posted
Posted

hey flight959...

 

Looks like fun. I mostly have done first person as a US Army captain from 1860-77. I think I got into a historically inaccurate Swiss TV movie once that portrayed the US 1830s except here we were in 1862-72 uniforms and equipment at the real site of Ft. Phil Kearny (1867-8) instead. <grin>

 

Ah, well. Your neighborhood castle looks pretty neat, anyway.

 

And... I don't think I'd care much for the matchlocks and such. I do hope they used a relatively modern variety of gunpowder given how some of the old stuff would more frequently go bang when it shouldn't.

 

m

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tuckomf

tuckomf

Posted
Posted

Photography, kayaking, surfing, biking, snowboarding, and cooking.

 

I feel like I should add education - I've enjoyed this year of post-graduation bliss, but I'm going to add Fire & Rescue to my academic repertoire this fall.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...