Bump below the knee

This post is mainly for documentation purposes.  Drying myself off from my shower I noticed that I had a rather large bump below my left knee.  It doesn’t hurt at all.  I know if I had bumped something that produced a bump that big I’d remember it!  I guess I’ll watch it for a couple of days and see if it changes.  Strange.

More snow . . . but maybe . . .

. . . not too much.  It’s been snowing steadily for the past few hours, but the flakes are small, so it’s not accumulating very quickly.  The snow is supposed to continue and one weather site predicts up to 4 inches of snow.  That’s certainly not a lot.  ■ 

A fellow emailed me . . . . .

. . . . and asked if I could draw a home for him for his new business.  Which I did.  It’s the one labeled "PLAN”.  I very happy he uses it on 2 pages of his website.  ■   And another business used one of my pencil sketches on their menu.  They grabbed it off of a Bullfrog Band poster that I made for the gig.

It’s supposed to snow today (today since it’s after midnight).  Looking at the current weather map it still looks like it’s quite a distance off.  ■  On another note my toes feel like they’re burning.  Weird.  ■

Put post title here

Our daughter and son-in-law have decided to buy another home in their same neighborhood.  This is a quick pencil sketch of it.  Can’t wait to see it for real.  ■  Went into work for a couple of hours late this afternoon.  My boss had already sold 2 guitars by the time I got there and sold 2 more after that.  It was a good sales day.  ■  Holly and I went out for a burger tonight.  Tried 2 restaurants before we settled in at our Village Squire in Crystal Lake.  The burger was good as was the acoustic music.  ■  I think next Friday we’re meeting some friends and going out for fish.  Sounds like fun to me.  ■ 

Every guitar/music teacher’s . . . . .

  "I'm not really into jazz, but I respect it and I want to learn to incorporate some jazz ideas in my lead playing' -Every Failing Jazz Student.

Tab isn't for sight reading. If you have to look at it then it's because you don't know it.

You don't have to understand why C=Am.... I'm just asking that you believe me.

I'm not upset because you're not getting it. I'm upset because you never tried it.

No, you have to play all the notes. There are eight notes on the page. You can't stop after three notes every time. You have to play all of them.

I didn't write out the bassline to 'Shots' by Lil Jon for my health. I wrote it because YOU suggested it. Don't make me report to your parents that you need to work harder on your gangsta rap riffs....as if it was my idea to base your guitar curriculum off Lil Jon synth lines. I just wanna give you something you'll play.....

I'm not expecting you to play with perfect rhythm. I do expect you to play with an 'awareness' of rhythm. That means playing the first note and trying to get to the next note with some minimal urgency. Play it like you care whether or not you get to the end. Don't play one note and look up for approval....

I didn't ask you tell me about your week. I asked if you played your instrument this week. I'm not interested in why you didn't play your instrument, just whether you played it or not. Also, it's not your mom's fault you couldn't play.

If you have to take your jacket off in between switching chords....then you don't have it yet. Try it again.....

Until you play it a couple hours a day....my response to your question will be 'gee, I dunno, try playing it a couple hours a day and see if that helps.'

Most of what we do in our lesson isn't hard... But you'll never realize that if you never try it.

How much could you have practiced if you can't remember what we worked on last week?

Reading the numbers out loud on the tab from start to finish won't help you play it. You need to touch your hands to the fretboard to get started.

You have to try it again....once isn't enough for anyone to get it right. Try again....we have 20 minutes left. And please, don't waste so much time in between tries....

The above were grabbed from a guitar teacher’s facebook postings.  Well said, Eric.

Chicken on the grill . . . . .

Yeah, I had to do a quick drawing of it – chicken on the grill.  But seriously, it was delicious.  Moist, tender, and smoky - mighty fine chicken.  ■  I’ve been investigating moving my www.shrandahl.com website to a different platform.  I need something easier to change – less coding by myself and more professional.  So far it looks like WordPress is the way I’ll go.  Still some more questions to answer, but I’m anxious to get things going on it.  ■  I’ve got to get some type of carpeting to put on the last 3 or 4 stairs that go up/down to the 2nd floor.  Zoe is old and having real problems negotiating the last 3 or 4 steps at the bottom when going down.  ■ Night.  Time for bed.  ■

Winter again . . . . .

Winter has hit again.  This time it was about 5 inches, or so of heavy snow.  I had to shovel some of the driveway so that Holly could get her car in.  She didn’t like it that I shoveled.  Hard on the heart, but I took it a little at a time.  ■  I’m still in the process of rebuilding my pc – software-wise.  Taking some time to find out that programs I used to use aren’t on my pc – then it’s off to find them again.  ■  I’ve been doing some research on what software to use to redo my website.  I want something that’s drag and drop.  I’ve done enough hand coding for the last few years.  It’s time to let the software to do most of the heavy lifting.  ■  The photo above is of our patio with the lights on the trees.  It does look beautiful.  ■  We did pork on the grill this past Sunday night.  I tried a new prep for the pork – one which I’ve been doing for steak for a bit – and it worked like a charm.  Best pork I’ve ever had.  ■  The new band has practiced  3 times now.  I don’t know if it’ll work and we’ll become a band, but we’re giving it a shot.  ■  TFB.  Night.  ■

Abby & Zoe @ The Bank

I had a display at our local Harris Bank this past week.  Saturday I sat in the lobby by my work and talked to a few people.  This is a painting of the lobby by the teller windows with Abby and Zoe waiting to deposit money for biscuits.  ■   Holly’s off for a short week in Florida to visit with her sister.  Ah . . . warm weather.  Wish we had it here.  ■  With this last painting of an Abby & Zoe card I’ve got to start my Abby & Zoe book.  At least book I.  First I’ve got to get all of the paintings in one place – no duplicates – and then build it from there.  ■  Up early tomorrow morning to take Holly to the airport.  ■  TFB.

Almost done

I’m almost done with a drawing for a customer in Pittsburgh.  It just needs a little sitting time – time for me to look at it with fresh eyes.  ■  Meanwhile I’ve started on another drawing.  Hope to have that one finished this week.  ■  Got to go to work shortly.  I won’t post this until later tonight.  That’ll give me a chance to add more.  ■■■   Forgot I had this open.  ■  Still quite a bit to go on the drawing I just started.  If I can remember I’ll post a scan of it tomorrow.  Night.

Display at Harris Bank

Hey, I’ve got my artwork displayed at our local Harris Bank in Cary.  It’ll be there all of this week and possibly next.  ■   And this Wednesday I’ll do a presentation on my pen and ink business to my networking group.  ■  Band:  the new band is practicing.  We’ll have to record ourselves to listen to how we actually sound.  Could be interesting.  ■  As usual, it’s time for bed.  ■  ‘Night.

Cold out and possible new band . . .

It’s cold out!  It’s –2º  - that’s too cold.  Started my car about 10 minutes before I left work and it still wasn’t warm when I got in it.  It looks like it’ll be quite cold for a few more days.  ■

May be starting a new band.  A three piece – guitar (Eric), bass (me), and drums (Charlie our drummer from Bullfrog.  The guitar player is one of our teachers at the music store – and he’s a great guitarist.  Vocals – both Eric and I will try to sing.  We have to see if that works – if either of us can sing.  One thing we’ll try is to tune down either a full step, or half step.  A lot of bands do that.  It helps the vocalist.  We’ll have our first try at it this Friday afternoon and see if it works out.

Strange . . . . .

Strange.  What does it mean to you?  Right now it’s having my mother pass away.  And not being able to see her for the last time.  Death happens to everyone – none of us gets out of here alive.  But I thought I’d see her one last time.  And now I feel very strange.  I miss you mom. 

The Holidays . . . . .

 

The holidays are almost done.  Above are all of the drawings and paintings that had to be done and in my customer’s hands before Christmas.  I still have a couple to go that were ordered too late to make it for Christmas.  ■  Aaron was home for Christmas.  It was so good to see him.  He’s back in San Diego now from his deployment to the middle east.  Libby and Jay made it up here after Christmas.  We had the whole family together.  ■  Now we’re just about to leave for our cribbage group’s holiday party.  Tuesday, new year’s day, we’re hosting our annual Bullfrog Family & Friends brunch.  ■  Got to go.

Lots of drawings to go . . . . .

. . . . this one went on its way today headed to Alabama.  Beautiful home with gorgeous staircase leading to the front door.  ■  I’ve got a lunch with an old friend and auditor today (since today is now Tuesday.)  It’ll be nice to see him.  ■  Short post, I know, but it’s time for bed.

Cards–my Comfy Cottage collection . . .

With more to come.  ■  Watched the Wisconsin-Nebraska football game tonight.  Wisconsin just ran over Nebraska.  ■  Lots of drawings to complete.  ■ TFB.