I learned to play records on BozotheClown player, and the AM radio, age 3. Hooked on music. BozotheClown had no amplifier, the needle drove the paper diaphragm directly. Only one way to go from there, more hifi. Liked Tchaikovsky Sleeping Beauty more than Teddy Bear Picnic even then.
Was hauled by Mother to swimming lessons for 3 years age 7-9. She felt guilty for keeping me out of pools during the polio epidemic. I was a complete failure, floated only with the center of my chest out of the water.
OTOH I was assigned to play piano age 8 to correct for my lack of use of right hand due to finger end pinched off at age 3. I was too short to touch keyboard until grew 3" in 3rd grade. Schmitt finger exercises were boring, but did the job of training ambidextry. Oddly, I was good at this, soon closing out my teacher's annual recitals. Went on to school band age 11 first with a clarinet which pushed on my overbite, followed by bassoon, which did not. Gave up piano age 16 to concentrate on the bassoon the school loaned me. Competed into the top TexMusEdAssn state band 1968, 5th chair. Then in 1968 turned the bassoon back to the school, never touched one again. Nobody to play bassoon with either, in real life. Cannot play bassoon at a bluegrass festival. Tried guitar in Kansas & later, could not graduate to metal strings. Skin is too soft, will not grow callouses.
Out in prairie near Ft. Riley where the Army assigned me age 30, bought a piano to make up for the lack of radio out there. Learned to play the 3rd movement of Moonlight Sonata every kid learns first movement of in fourth year. Do 3 Scott Joplin rags for exercise. Only took one more lesson; all the teachers are owners of Oriental products untouched by dirty American hands. The student line U models sound like **** as do the Yamaha baby grands. My Sohmer console from Long Island sparkles and the bass commands. I spent my sixties learning Pictures at an Exhibition, all the hymns a small church can call up, all the Reader's Digest Christmas favorites. Now attempting in my 70's, Rhapsody in Blue , La Cathedrale Engloutie Debussy, Jeaux d'Eau Ravel. Who says we can't get batter as we get older. Football is for kids. This year I am learning to play piano & sing solos. Never possible until I learned to mount a cardioid mike between me and the sheet music on the shelf. Had to wire up the church myself, boring holes for the XLR cable and crawling under the alter. I refuse to play with oriental keys I could see over. Something about being drafted to fight Mao protoge Ho Chi MInh, as well as my uncle being drafted during Korean "police action".
When not practicing (most of the time) I play FM radio LP's and CD's through <0.1% HD amp and <0.3% HD speakers. Really find MP3 annoying.
Gave up driving errands when quit work 2008, Ride the bicycle to all stores and my summer camps up and back every week in good weather. Ride just for pleasure some; just last week enjoyed warm Christmas weather on bike at brother's house in Houson. All that exercise knocked weight down 26%, cholesterol down 33%, and A1C down 25% since I told the supervisor "have it your way" and handed in my keys.
Was hauled by Mother to swimming lessons for 3 years age 7-9. She felt guilty for keeping me out of pools during the polio epidemic. I was a complete failure, floated only with the center of my chest out of the water.
OTOH I was assigned to play piano age 8 to correct for my lack of use of right hand due to finger end pinched off at age 3. I was too short to touch keyboard until grew 3" in 3rd grade. Schmitt finger exercises were boring, but did the job of training ambidextry. Oddly, I was good at this, soon closing out my teacher's annual recitals. Went on to school band age 11 first with a clarinet which pushed on my overbite, followed by bassoon, which did not. Gave up piano age 16 to concentrate on the bassoon the school loaned me. Competed into the top TexMusEdAssn state band 1968, 5th chair. Then in 1968 turned the bassoon back to the school, never touched one again. Nobody to play bassoon with either, in real life. Cannot play bassoon at a bluegrass festival. Tried guitar in Kansas & later, could not graduate to metal strings. Skin is too soft, will not grow callouses.
Out in prairie near Ft. Riley where the Army assigned me age 30, bought a piano to make up for the lack of radio out there. Learned to play the 3rd movement of Moonlight Sonata every kid learns first movement of in fourth year. Do 3 Scott Joplin rags for exercise. Only took one more lesson; all the teachers are owners of Oriental products untouched by dirty American hands. The student line U models sound like **** as do the Yamaha baby grands. My Sohmer console from Long Island sparkles and the bass commands. I spent my sixties learning Pictures at an Exhibition, all the hymns a small church can call up, all the Reader's Digest Christmas favorites. Now attempting in my 70's, Rhapsody in Blue , La Cathedrale Engloutie Debussy, Jeaux d'Eau Ravel. Who says we can't get batter as we get older. Football is for kids. This year I am learning to play piano & sing solos. Never possible until I learned to mount a cardioid mike between me and the sheet music on the shelf. Had to wire up the church myself, boring holes for the XLR cable and crawling under the alter. I refuse to play with oriental keys I could see over. Something about being drafted to fight Mao protoge Ho Chi MInh, as well as my uncle being drafted during Korean "police action".
When not practicing (most of the time) I play FM radio LP's and CD's through <0.1% HD amp and <0.3% HD speakers. Really find MP3 annoying.
Gave up driving errands when quit work 2008, Ride the bicycle to all stores and my summer camps up and back every week in good weather. Ride just for pleasure some; just last week enjoyed warm Christmas weather on bike at brother's house in Houson. All that exercise knocked weight down 26%, cholesterol down 33%, and A1C down 25% since I told the supervisor "have it your way" and handed in my keys.
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Competitive shooting has been my longest hobby. I've shot most disciplines over the years, but long range rifle is what I always come back to. I shoot F/Class open category at 1000 yards, currently at Master level (94-96.99%) and working on getting to High Master (97% and up) I shoot HM at 600 yards. To obtain a classification your last 120 rounds in registered matches must be above the threshold. I currently shoot right about 96% scores at long range.
I'm also a hunter, chasing deer in CA, NV, AZ, OR.
Freshwater tropical aquariums are another hobby of mine. All live plants and aquascapes.
I'm also a hunter, chasing deer in CA, NV, AZ, OR.
Freshwater tropical aquariums are another hobby of mine. All live plants and aquascapes.
I found some Canadian Granola that is very good and reasonably priced from Canada.
The grocery stores stopped selling it in the box, but after calling the company, found it at Winco, a grocery chain on the West Coast, and lower states.
Long term hobbies have included design/engineering, photography, sculpture, bicycles, cars, home improvement…
