Ac-cen-tu-ate The Positive

A buddy wanted me to fix his guitar so he brings me a bone nut. The crappy laminate guitar is worth about $30 and the nut costs about $25 so I'm puzzled by his math. Now I have to shape the thing with none of the proper tools. I used the file that I normally clean out my wood stove with.



 Months after buying all this ancient sheet music (one song from 1908) I finally had a chance to lay it all out. Again, my goal of being able to play some of this music and write an essay about the experience is still valid but I'll need an extended vacation in Ceylon with a piano before that is realized. But I went back to the old age home and happily played "After The Ball" on the Yamaha Baby Grand. Most of this music I own was introduced by Bing Crosby or Al Jolson...a bit before my time, but I'm game to learn. I really don't know if I'll laugh or cry when I'm in a wheelchair and a fresh faced kid walks into my long term care facility and I ask, "Do you know any Billy Joel or Lionel Richie?" and he will return a gaze of total non-recognition.
"Lionel Richie? Hmmm. Can you name a song?"
"Hello."
"Hi, can you name a song."
"Yeah, Hello, it's one of his songs."
(irritated at the foggy headed old man) "But what's the name of the song?
"That's...oh forget it. How about..."Easy". It's in Ab Major."
"Sorry. I don't know any oldies."
"It's from 1984, son. That's not too long ago."
"Sir, that's 60 years before I was born."
Wrinkled old Oggy weeps for his lost youth.

A number of these published sheets were to benefit the 1942 war bond effort, which makes me wonder how we are paying for the current wars in the Middle East oil fields.