General Music Chat

Well, I'm really hurting right now, hurt my back yesterday but should be OK in a day or two. So this should be a short post, typing is very uncomfortable sitting in a vehicle...

Anyway, Randy got in touch a few days ago, wanted me to help with some work on his back porch, and said to bring a guitar, we might play a little. Ended up jamming for almost 7 hours, then the next day he told me he got a call for a Christmas party and expects at least one for New Year. so we have to start getting ready.

We talked it over for a good 2 hours, to make sure we both are ready to get serious, he was working on drum tracks yesterday and soon as my back gets better we'll be back in the practice room.

I hope it works out this time, a couple of months ago we tried and his wrist started acting up so he had to cool it for a while, that seems to be getting better so it looks like we'll be out there playing soon, and we're hoping to get something booked before the Christmas gig to work the kinks out.

Oh, I've also been out taking more pictures, that's how I hurt my back. Bent over to get a shot of a bee on a flower and PING...been in pain ever since, and I was riding around on my bicycle so I had to ride it about a half mile back home. That sucked... Glad it didn't happen an hour earlier when I was 3 miles away...

None of the brand new shots, I'm still doing the editing, but some I have never posted and some older ones are on Flickr now, I just got it set up and started uploading.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paleopete

The Photobucket page is still up, and has a few new shots, but I think most will be going on Flickr now. Anyway, thought some of you might like to see a few more of my better shots. I have quite a few coming up of various insects doing their pollination number, and a couple of excellent shots of Carpenter Bees, which I thought were bumblebees until recently, and a couple of butterflies and a Praying Mantis sitting on my hand.

http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff58/paleopete/ is the link.

Hopefully before long I'll be able to add some onstage shots too. Can't wait!

I love your pics, Billy. Esp the nature shots!

Good to hear from you Billy. Heal well and play hard my friend.
When spring rolls around again you and I should take my canoe out on Caddo Lake.
Bet we could get some dandy Gator shots.

Thanks, but I don't think I want to go look for gators in a boat. I've already been close enough in a boat as many times as I care to, thank you very much.

Thanks phil, I probably spend way too much tim eon it but I like it when I see a nice shot.

Back is getting better, I actually worked today and really hope I didn't overdo it. It wasn't debilitating, I've been through that and don't want any more. But I was moving around yesterday, did ok today. Took it easy though, and made it with no problems. And got some of that expensive gas, so I won't be afoot quite yet...

Stunning pics Pete. Sorry I missed this first time around. Are you blessed? They seem to just sit still for you knowing you mean them no harm at all.

I fidget a lot so I'd be useless at this.
Kudos.

I'm far from blessed, many of those were not sitting still at all, most are lucky shots. The ducks and great blue heron were all moving, (although slowly at times), many of the others were moving too like the woodpeckers. The male cardinal was preening, I just waited for him to sit still for a few seconds and crossed my fingers. I watch close and try to get it while they are still, and usually manage to get a shutter speed that will stop the movement.

The majority of the bird shots were taken with a digital camera through a spotting telescope, called digi scoping. Those are the herons, cardinals and ducks, and a couple of others. It's frustrating, I get loads of bad shots, blurry shots, too much or not enough light, but the occasional good one makes it worthwhile.

I also have to use the 2 second timer a lot to avoid camera motion, the scope magnifies motion the same as it does the image, and it shakes when I press the shutter button. The timer is the only way to get a good still shot. So a lot of luck is involved too.

Glad you guys like them, I'm uploading more right now.

WOW! PP strikes again with stunning pics! AWESOME!!! The only subjects I like to shoot pics of more than nature are my girls!

Great work!

Sorry about your back brother!

I've heard that cheap tequilla and expensive prostitutes cures back pain!

Or was it expensive tequilla and cheap prostitutes?

Damn!

LOL!

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That's ok Craig, right now I can't afford either one...hell, I can't even afford to pay attention!

But that will be changing soon, just started working with a fellow musician at his machine shop, and on his back porch, going to be finishing the concrete today. No I'm not looking forward to it...

And, we just got booked and confirmed for a new year's gig, they had us for Christmas then wanted to swap so we're getting rehearsals set up so we can be ready. Expecting to get another Christmas gig too, and maybe at least one before to warm up and work the links out.

Looks like once again I've gone from nothing to 18 hour days...

And thanks for the compliments guys, I'm glad you like the pictures. More coming up.

Gotta go I'm late for work...

Glad to hear your working and playing again Billy.

No matter how you got them Pete. They are pure class and well worth looking through. Do you create albums from them or slide shows by any chance?

My wife loves wildlife. Guess that's why she married me huh?

George - me too!

Chip - No albums or slide shows as of yet, but before long I want to reorganize the shots on Flickr and maybe do a couple of sets, or albums maybe, and put them together better. Birds in one album or set, insects somewhere else, etc. Right now it's just whatever shots I think might be good enough to upload and it's a mish mash. No telling what will pop up next...

Great Pictures Bill

On a side note I just recently bought a CORT guitar/acoustic/electric

I had started looking for a nice acoustic and was actually going to buy a Martin that I found. This thing was pretty expensive but really felt at home in my hands. I was sticking some money back to buy it. The a couple of weeks ago, this guy that is the wife of a gal that works at one of my banks, stops by my office. He buys and sells guitars on the internet. He stops by all the time and shows me the guitar she has, but ussually he doesnt have anything Im interested in. Anyway he has apile of cases in his car. I open them one by one and play them. The very last one is a CORT. I started not to play it but I remember you were in love with yours. I got it out and it played like butter, you know that feeling that certain guitars give you like they were just born in your hands. I had played the night before and pulled my washburn out of my truck and played it side by side and the CORT just destroyed it in every way it could. So I bought it from him and it was only about a fourth of what that Martin was. So thanks for giving CORTs the props you do caus ei wouldnt have even tryed this guitar if it wasnt fo ryou and its a great addition to my stable of guitars.

Good Luck with the gigs dude. I know you are itching to play. My band is taking offf for a few monthes and Im concentrating on recording some originals Ive written lately. They are acoustic/coutry sounding things so its a different deal for me all together, but tonight and tommorow night Im taking the CORT in with me ot record with.

C-Ya

Oh yeah if I dont play New Years me and my new GF may come down to New Orleans for New YEars, I might be able to stop off on the way or something, your arouhnd Monroe if I remember right.

JW - Sounds like you found another good one. Some of Cort's guitars aren't worth looking at twice, some are excellent. I've seen some of their acoustics that were pretty nice.

If you come this way, definitely let me know, I'm about 30 minutes north of Monroe, and we're supposed to have a new years eve party booked and confirmed, we're trying to get into the practice room soon to brush up for it. I'll probably have my niece there taking pics. Let me know if you don't still have my phone number, I'll call you, I still do have yours.

Pete you said Monroe. I have a friend there.

JW - Sounds like you found another good one. Some of Cort's guitars aren't worth looking at twice, some are excellent. I've seen some of their acoustics that were pretty nice.

If you come this way, definitely let me know, I'm about 30 minutes north of Monroe, and we're supposed to have a new years eve party booked and confirmed, we're trying to get into the practice room soon to brush up for it. I'll probably have my niece there taking pics. Let me know if you don't still have my phone number, I'll call you, I still do have yours.