More Spam Comments

11. November 2010 · Comments Off on More Spam Comments · Categories: Spam'nScam™

I get thousands of spam comments. I don’t often even look at them, but on occasion I check ’em out merely to avoid doing something productive. Here is a selection of some of the funnier ones.

  • Great go through, I just passed this onto a colleague who was performing a small investigation on that. And he really purchased me lunch simply because I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch!
  • Searching for this for some time now – i guess luck is more advanced than search engines 🙂
  • spongebob is really funny but she sort of overacts sometimes.,.-
  • Outstanding piece of writing bro. This particular is just a tremendously nicely structured piece of writing, just the wise information I was looking just for. I praise you
  • I would have voted for horse chestnut tree if you had it there
  • Good stuff. this is why i love reading blogs other than my full time career as a dentist.
  • I need to back down from giving the feeling of being baffled.
  • Oh joyous day yes. This is the perfect reason I was born. To find you, my long lost blogger soul-mate.
  • They have to understand why you have said what you have said, whether it is something right or something wrong that they have done. On the third day, my older boy stopped talking to me. He told me he didnt like me because I barked to them on almost everything.
  • I’m onto day two. again. Yesterday was good at first, but then partner and I had a disagreement during the night, I’m so depressed now, I know I don’t want any weed, I really don’t, but wish that I could get out of my head, I can’t shut it up, it hurts.

Veteran’s Day

11. November 2010 · Comments Off on Veteran’s Day · Categories: Videos

I’m quiet here about where I stand politically. I will remain that way. I don’t write a thing about how I feel about my country either. But today I think it is fitting to remember that many have given their lives for us to live in this country. I am thankful, even while I hate war.

Here are just a few videos I thought to share:

Information on the above:

Last Letter Home is based on the words of Pfc. Jesse A. Givens. While on duty in Iraq, Givens wrote a letter to his wife and two children to be opened only in the event of his death. He died in battle on May 1, 2003 at age 34. Givens’ widow gave American composer Lee Hoiby permission to set his words to music, creating a haunting memorial to all soldiers and their families. Last Letter Home is a deeply moving piece of music that holds particular poignancy when sung by a group of U.S. Army soldiers.

Last Letter Home
Music by Lee Hoiby
Text by Jesse Givens

I searched all my life for a dream and I found it in you. I would like to think that I made a positive difference in your lives. I will never be able to make up for the bad. I am so sorry. The happiest moments in my life all deal with my little family. I will always have with me the small moments we all shared. The moments when you quit taking life so serious and smiled. The sounds of a beautiful boy’s laughter or the simple nudge of a baby unborn. You will never know how complete you have made me. You opened my eyes to a world I never dreamed existed.

Dakota, you are more son than I could ever ask for. You have a big beautiful heart. I will always be there in our park when you dream, so we can still play. I hope someday you will have a son like mine. I love you Toad. I will always be there with you. I’ll be in the sun, shadows, dreams, and joys of your life.

Bean, I never got to see you but I know in my heart you are beautiful.

I have never been so blessed as I was on the day I met Melissa Dawn Benfield. You are my Angel, soulmate, wife, lover, and best friend. I am so sorry. I did not want to have to write this letter. There is so much more I need to say, so much more I need to share. A lifetime’s worth. I married you for a million lifetimes. That’s how long I will be with you.

Do me one favor. After you tuck the children in, give them hugs and kisses from me. Go outside and look at the stars, and count them. Don’t forget to smile.

John Adams: The Wound Dresser (Walt Whitman)
(Full poem: The Dresser:

And the final portion of the War Requiem by Benjamin Britten:

FBQD

11. November 2010 · Comments Off on FBQD · Categories: FBQD

So the oboe player next door was cool for the first couple of days … but come on man. How long can you practice?

It’s All Downhill From There

11. November 2010 · 4 comments · Categories: Other People's Words

In part, success boils down to a magic number: 10,000 hours of practice. What does Lee think of that?

“I haven’t counted – I’m afraid to count,” Lee said. “What if it’s not 10,000 yet? I think it’s very accurate in another sense. People become famous when they’re young, but they don’t peak until their 20s. I don’t think that just comes from 10,000 hours of practice but from experiences. When you’re young, you have instincts, and those instincts guide you the right way. After a period of time those instincts don’t suffice. You need something to pull on. You need your experiences. You need your emotions. You need a deeper understanding of what you’re doing and what you want to do and what’s going on around you.”

I read it here.

Yikes! I’ve been going downhill since my 20s? That would mean over 30 years of downhill.

Oh. But I was no prodigy. So do I peak later then? I’m still waiting ….

Classical Goes To The Movies

11. November 2010 · Comments Off on Classical Goes To The Movies · Categories: Symphony

Opera has done it, and now LA Phil is doing it:

In a bold venture that the Los Angeles Philharmonic hopes will boost its “national brand” recognition and help raise the profile of classical music from Manhattan to Orange County, the orchestra next year will transmit live performances of three of its concerts to more than 450 high-definition-equipped movie theaters throughout the United States and Canada.

Under the new project, announced Monday, the Philharmonic will partner under an exclusive one-year contract with Denver-based NCM Fathom, the entertainment division of National CineMedia, and Cineplex Entertainment, which distribute scores of concerts, sporting contests and other entertainment events to movie theaters and other venues. Among their offerings is “Met Live in HD,” the Metropolitan Opera of New York’s season of big-screen simulcasts, which have drawn more than 2.4 million people since 2006.

I’m not as excited about this as I was about operas going to the movies. But still, maybe I’ll check it out!

A Yahoo Question for You

11. November 2010 · 7 comments · Categories: Yahoo! Answers

How do i clan my oboe?
Ok so my oboe has dried spit in it and my swab dosen’t get it out. Is there anything I can use that will be safe to clean it? I’m afriad of putting it into water because the pads will get wet

I’m sure the writer mean “clean” … typos happen.

Go ahead, help her out, won’t you?

TQOD

11. November 2010 · Comments Off on TQOD · Categories: TQOD

Why is [name here] playing an Oboe in my living room? Not that I’m complaining. We conquered the trashy dance party next door!