Donna

Lawdy Mama, what're you saying , Mon C? What is J Hubbard saying? Well my memory mustbe wrong of this fill. But if it's 32nd notes, wouldn't it work to: double stroke (*once) small tom " " large tom one hit on the kick and end up @ the snare? No crossovers on toms that way, anyway.

Matt, I agree w/ John. Is it the fill right before "And as we wind on down the road"? If so, it's "foreigner rolls" (that I hear, anyway). M. Derossier of Heart did 'em a lot. It's a roll done that ENDS with the kick or bass drum. Here's a key: S (snare) t (left or small tom) T (right or large tom) B (bass) The roll is four 'hits': S t T B - it might screw you up to think of it as a trplet...if you're thinking "triplet" then adding that forth hit (the bass) might sound like an afterthought rather than coherent fill. The amt of rolls in that measure is 4, followed by the two snare hits (or flams). Begin the rolls on the bolded parts below; the last two bolded parts - 4 & are for the snare hits: 1 E & Ah 2 E & AH 3 E & AH 4 E & AH ................................... DOH - I see. OK, if you wanto end the rolls on the snare then a much easier (potentially) way would be, instead of the triplet on toms (or w/ snare or whatever), do only two hits, but the third hit do the kick drum. Hmmmm. Well, at least you'd have a BIT more time to get back on the snare for that forth hit. I'm trying to imagine this roll ending on the snare...I think I'd have to go back to school awhile, as it were.

I have done my civic duty! (espresso and dark - at least 70% - chocolate emoticon) ((OMG!!!!!!!! WHERE is my emoticon cocktail queen??!!!) PS: The Time Goddess is ANNNGGREEEE!!

- the edit by john was originally posted roughly April 8, 2008 Donna contacted me and asked me to add this blog entry. I can't add a new one and the best I can do is edit Donna's last blog entry (John) so... SUBJECT: Safe place BODY: The children and I are in a safe place. We are OK physically - and doing as well as can be expected. One evening last week, I phoned the police to come to my home. Shortly after, we came to safety. I hope for a new day to dawn for us. There are people who support us. Donna PS: the axe is safe, too _________________________________________________________ -The entry "Graduates!" originally posted January 18, 2009 Wow! Dylan has graduated from high school - today! I'd enrolled him in Kayla's school district soon after he fled our home, latter part of September. This is an alternative school (thank goodness they have them for situations like ours). We were told by D. Kildruff upon intake that per D's transcripts, because D's old school had such strict standards, not only was the child not behind, but that he could graduate early. Whoa, we said. Well, so today's it; the boy handed in 60 pages of poetry (nice cover I thought), plus a memoir of his summmer illness (64 pages) thus gaining a whole buncha extra credit. I have just read 55 of those memoir pages. Little D. is here (at Kayla's) and we must go soon and pick up the 4 girls from school. Kayla also graduated today! Her story I do not know in detail, but she's persevered to get those credits done - she's in regular school. Or was, rather. It is amazing that she is done early! That either of them are - that any of them are. It was a wonderful meeting at D's school today, w/ his stalwart social workers (cause of the bipolar) S. and Sh. I was so happy on the way to the meeting because so much lovliness has come to pass and I knew we'd all be rejoicing exceedingly for Dylan. We did and they were all hugging on little Damien, and M. Eversol the advisor took poloroids of big D. in cap and gown, and D. Kildruff showed me the paperwork to sign off for D. having aceived his credit - and M. Eversol said, "a pleasure working w/ Dylan!" Which is really cool because he "are" a handful (tho a pleasure as well) The child is well enough to work now, too. Soon he goes into full time. And he is moving again...back much closer to our part of the Twin Cities. Kayla's moving, too. They each have graduation ceremonies in June... And parties, we must have those! Thank you for your prayers...or well-wishes, I really think all are the same and have acheived some beauty and relief. (Emoticon sisterly kiss) And now I need the Otis Redding Prescription: Cigarettes and Coffee (a very wonderful song!) -in haste, from Kayla's, Jan 18, 2008

Hey typo~ Yes, this is how it was esp in jr. high. Awareness of the different 'selves' depending on situation and people one is with. It's funny, in light of present trouble which includes tangible aspects like money, and which therefore more money would help fix, the main thing I want is to be myself no matter what the circumstance and whom the company. It can be done! I think you have a good desire there, to want this for yourself. Donna

Dude!!! Me wiff ya on all of that~

DAILY There is a man's man of a padre around here restoring a church. This isn't tax money or something which has beautified the churches but common folk sacrificing. The love chile's of the 60's and 70's tore down altars, threw out the gold, tho this one was spared her altar. Such people hate art, color, and the feminine of a really good church which is warm w/ candlelight, rich tapestry, everything finest in nature: gold, marble, stone, stained glass. If thugs came into your home, flinging the 8-track, PC, amp and mics out the window, offering the acoustic J harp and tin-can phone in return, what would you do? And then if they sold your stuff or just smashed it? So the good padre is bringing in the marble and so on. Limping around the sanctuary recovering from his motorcycle accident. And a scholar to boot, no fluffy discourse. He is soon going to offer daily Latin Mass: no sermon, no music, blessed silence. No b.s. "Indult" can-I-have-some-permission-to-breathe. I'm so very happy, that I practiced guitar twice today PRACTICE Longed to read music in the morn. Thumbed thru the Music Theory Book, there are always examples (chose Bach). String quartet exerpt and something else. Then I thought of triads backwards while playing them. Soon it'll be easier to think that way. Picked out To Be Over by Yes. So calming to learn something right there from memory. The melody is on high E string, sometimes at about the 17th fret. It's on the Relayer album. PS: Computer access in my near future will be limited.

Hi All~ Some good news, which looks like it's holding. * Dylan's def. gaining his strength. For quite a few days now, when he walks, it is HIS walk. Not him obviously struggling or weak. * The kidney function/lab has finally come down into normal levels, for 2 labs in a row (roughly weekly labs). * He is off antibiotics for a week (but we watch him and report if he gets sick). * Dylan has gained 6 lbs in one two-week period He'd lost over 30. Appetite is NORMAL, and even inching toward 'the teen' appetite again of constant eating. * He continues on Atenolol for blood pressure, so that's about 140 meds he's off of! * The chest X-ray of this week is the best news: a few of us here had come down w/ some upper respitory including Dylan. There was one doc who ended up seeing Dylan the most while in hospital, this is the doc for follow up, and Dr. F. said the chest X-ray looks "MUCH better". Dr. F. is very good. Dylan is well enough to start school. Breathing & stairs, and memory are some holdovers + he's not going to be doing strenous things for some time. But wow, his progress is much better and faster than expected. Gratefully yours!

It was important for me to introduce Dylan to that clip from The Concert For New York. Being 17 he's found many indie bands I'd never heard of - but has also discovered on his own some Velvet Underground, Bowie, punk, etc; Some real quiet things as well. He still likes various classical pieces. I wanted him to see the real deal. Dylan took it in rightly . Shocked and pleased at The Who. But you knew he discerned more than old guys still have it - this was greatness! He was truly amazed by Townsend ("that's the windmill", was one explanation comment to him). I loved Daltry's mic taped up ('they do that cause he swings the mic around so much the cord could fall off - no wireless here." Even something like that gets the youngers' attention - Daltry couldn't do his theatrics/personality with the stupid cordless mic. It put a whole new meaning on the dif between "Trads" and the new). It's cool to have a child - ya get so in sinc w/ em you can see their brains connecting everything all at once, cause you know them so well. And they know that you can see them connecting! As it's happening. 'Tis grand. "How can guys DO that without being on serious drugs!?" he exclaimed. "It's just them - they're sober." Somebody's got to be sober in there by now! "OK - I saw the Goo Goo Dolls song - and they had so much energy...the guy running with his guitar. He was running with his guitar! But it wasn't like this...this is about more than music." "...Once it connected w/ me or whatever, when I's real young, I knew music was about more than itself...Dylan, that's who they really are. You should see the clips, when The Who were in their 20's - Townsend smashing his guitars [i didn't even go into Keith Moon!]. OK, that's when no one was sober. But this really is how they are." "The music, I didn't know where it was going! Where it was going to go." I nodded. "Yep - that's the thing, people say bad stuff about the 70's, but the 70's, that was album rock time. They'd play a whole album on radio. And these bands, The Who, Styx, Yes, ELP, others, there were many songs which went somewhere, they were classical in that sense." So that's the dirty little secret about the 70's: intelligent music did abound! Even dirtier, us listeners whether musically literate or not, GOT IT. People aren't stupid, they can follow complexities, they can love music like that. All the layers and movements and motiffs. I could see Dylan quite affected that that audience knew the movements within these long songs. Gratitude for my "pop" formation has been renewed. For all the J5 (which was truly great...just the percussion and piano on 'ABC') there was Rundgren's Utopia - LIVE!!!!!!! We heard that stuff from our older sibs. Being 10 or 11 and stumbling onto Heart of the Sunrise by Yes... You know what I'm talking about. Even the creepiest ('DOA' - pretty bad for a 10 yr old kid) was always offset by something truly uplifting. Now the anthems of British The Who - those NY fire and police & the whole of the Americans who got it including a couple little fellows - we're blood brothers with that. The world is not so big and the ocean between us not so far. I mean, Where is it? With Bowie (New York resident) opening with Paul Simon's America? We recently saw a film that had a piece I'd forgotten about...omigosh hearing it again affected me. What is this, what is this?! he asked. "That's got to be the band King Crimson...the song Court of the Crimson King." You could see the boy making a note of that in his head.

Freaking out again over The Who. Saw a clip of them, Concert For New York recorded 5 weeks after 9-11. All I could think was this is greatness . Each individual certainly, but the band together: greatness. And the collective unconscious thing, too. How does Townsend get this stuff across? I recall being young and instantly understanding the powerlessness in Won't Get Fooled Again. You can bang up yer verve, can rule the rock world even as he has, but the new boss same as the old boss is ruling you - or too much of you. All these humilities (injustices really) remind me that none of us are God. We can't change the world, we often cannot change ourselves. NY Fire and Police Audience It was impossible not to get carried on trains of thought as the cameras panned from NY Fire Dept/Police audience, to The Who. These guys (many are my time period) GOT The Who, Townsend's lyrics. On the way home fom hospital after Dylan was born, the first parent I saw on the street, I felt instant connection...and then connected w/ every parent in the world. It was that fast and complete. The same sort of thing, I reckon, was happening at that concert. It reminded me of Thomas More...Townsend's pen, the NYF & PD, whipped and beaten, all of them. All men - my God, it was painful yet beautiful. Sacred. And the battles to be fought from here on out for them all. Like the Man of Sorrows, every last one of them. And of course the great joy - the GREAT joy between band and audience, such victory and hope. Exquisitely alive, like a love letter from Angels - via The Who! That should not bother anyone - matter (that is, people and circumstances) is continually used to aid others. And The Who got what they got from the gig, and the people, whatever that was. Zak Starkey Zak Starkey is literally one beautiful cat of a drummer. Truly beautiful and graced. I would guess athletes are looked at in this way...spectators enjoying the skill, strength and beauty of the athlete. Being inspired and uplifted maybe. I've always regarded musicians in the same light - dif being mainly using ears & mind to discern. Every once in awhile tho someone is arresting. Just watching even the fingers of Z. Starkey, rolling the sticks along the high hat - that's like a gorgeous sunset, stunning. Seeing The Who made me miss more than ever, being in a band. Being able to play isn't enough.

Been re-visiting Lesson One: "complete mastery of major scales as applied to your instrument." This author (Dick Grove) really means it. (Squeal!!!!) Understanding has come esp on triads. (Triads and chords are picked not strummed). When 1st dabbling w/ them the exercises came out pretty good, and I wrote or added stuff in songs from this practice. Maybe it was time off - am finding the new level of comprehension delightful. I'm not just playing exercises but thinking them, why they are, and in relation to one another. It's also like the work has been cooking w/ me doing nothing. Maybe next week won't be so good That's the beauty of growing old, knowing the desired outcome and a reasonable way to attempt it. Enjoying the trip, more accepting of the downs. The chromatic major 7 chords are an easy pattern. The hardest is this one: C E G / Ab F Db (same measure). What it is, is ascending C triad (or maj. 7 chord) then a Db triad/chord played backwards. Next measure: D F# A / Bb G Eb (D triad ascend, backward Eb triad descend). And so on. Played in 6/8 for triads. I haven't been "reading" this one, but trying to think the triad backwards while playing. Tom Prin, old jazz prof. used to counsel us when you're riding the bus or waiting in line, think about the cycle of 5ths, the double accidentals ](ie Fb = E or G## [G double sharp]= Bbb [b double flat] and they both = A). He really wasn't trying to drive us crazy, but get us in the habit of thinking hard and stretching the brain about the relationship of the notes to one another. With Dr. C. it was getting like physics - or what I imagine physics to be Anyway - since one goes thru the whole scale thus chromatically each triad or maj 7 chord is learned frontwards and backwards. What follows is a post on Lesson One, a few months back. It is rewarding to have kept w/ it. Great discipline too, the rhythym patterns, accents and attention to tempo/fluidity. And PS: Had a better workout today - because I actually followed instructions on weight machine (not unlike following Dick Grove!) Doh! Read yer manual! ..................................... Mar 1 2007 Obstinately working on scales - via a Dick Grove book. Lesson One is "complete mastery of major scales as applied to your instrument." There are 6 "routines" (w/ choice of 2 starting points) in Lesson One: like starting at C, playing an octave of the scale, going thru the cycle of 5ths. You do these to "rythym cards A & B" - 4 measures toto - which include accents, tie, triplet (and one stacatto note). One routine of cycle of 4ths, and then the other 4 routines are chromatic or chromatic/cycle of 5ths. So yeah, next the guy has major triads; then chromatic triads (ascend in C, descend in Db major [same measure] onto ascend in D, descend in Eb major, etc;); then major 7ths, then maj 7th chromatic. All done in the 6 routines, to "rhythym cards A & B". So...I figure lesson one will be my pal for roughly two + seasons, if I still care by then! I hope I stick with it, though. What a foundation that would be!

Things have prevented me...belated this is. ........................................................................................................ Benedict XVI issued the Moto Proprio regarding the Latin Mass (1962 Missal, but in many aspects, Missal of St. Pius V, from the 1500's). This Mass, unlawfully and in practice, was suppressed for the past 40 years worldwide. Long tale. It tears the heart of those of good will, that for so long what is good, was called evil. No small thing that it has been publicly, office-ially declared a) that the Latin Mass was never abrogated that what is good, IS GOOD, was good the whole 40 years. For this no man shall take my joy from me! ..................................................................................................... Aug 29th~ I am so happy - for the freeing of the Mass!

(((Rudi)))

Wow, thanks Steve.

THE CONTEST & THOUGHTS -------------------------------- We're Idols now in our little locale. I was uncertain what to wear, only because my whole day was spent at the doc (Dylan follow up), school registration, and all these Mom duties, man I didn't have any time to think - and no time to play one note except on the grass, tuning up, while the first contestants were on. Forget warm up singing! I ended up wearing my Songstuff shirt. What else would tune me into the solidarity, much needed, on such a harried day? A & L won the group category, (and sang acapella!! ya gotta be proud doubly there). Gen was also in the finals. Very cool! I got it for over 21 - and was not expecting to (no competetion the week I tryed out, but there was prior to). We received clock radios...I think. Haven't looked at it yet. All the finalists did, so now our house has 4 of these! Afterward they showed a movie outdoors. It's nice being in the dark and warm eve w/ the little ones laying their head on thee lap. But the best part is that I played 'The Barre Chord Song' out for the first time! And that was a whopper (wrote about that tune awhile back in this blog). Originally I's gonna do a ballad thinking of cross over of audience. But then decided to be myself, how I'm feeling now, and let loose w/ an edgier thing. The last 12 bars or so is soloing with voice. It's not scat...but I like to do this, always! since first hearing Three Dog Night do it. **Don't ever give up on what is yours. The Yes, ELP, Rush, etc; band I was in as a teen (kind of an adjunct member...the drummer much better than I, the singer too), wasn't fit to sing lead much, forget soloing. But I knew this was mine, and just kept it, even if I couldn't keep at it.** So 3DN and Joan Armatrading, thank you for showing how it's done Oh, and most importantly, now: +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DYLAN -------- Dylan was going to video it, but the lad really needed to lay low this eve. We're still trying to figure out about school, how much can he do. They are very understanding and accomodating. He's so pale and thin. He walks so slowly. But after the contest when I dropped off the gear, there he was on the doorstep with his hair covering his entire face, and glasses on over that. I said, "Hey, Cousin It!" Is there a way to fade out video, like songs? Maybe we could record here at home and post it on a You Tube. The sound was horrendous for the show...the princess royalty (one of the judges) held the mic and I blew it out every time I hit certain chorus notes. The audience was open to more traditional way of song. People sang acapella but most sang to a CD. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ NEXT ------ Where the heck was I, before Dylan got sooo sick, I mean the 1st hospitalization in June? Wasn't it preparing to audition at the Black Sheep for a 45 minute set? Yeah, that was it... Now I feel like I can get back to that. And maybe right away. Think I'm ready to just go out, play and get lost in it, make mistakes.

Right leg.

Good checks guys. Hari, where's the saddle screw? The song I'm using F. bass for does hit the ocatve (E), we're off by a mile, and that's post tuning w/ a bass tuner.

I second Rudi on that, Hari. OK, I'll check that 12th fret, but it's already outta tune Because I'm not a bassist, I do go that high!

Rudi, very interesting the bass you bought and comments on it. I'd seen the same mere days ago (in catalog) and have been foaming-at-the-mouff er, I mean, wondering about it. The Frankenbass will not stay in tune up the neck. That has been my biggest beef about any guitar (but my Seagull which I love more than ever!) Thinking like a bassist... I try to remember way back when I was one. Does it help to listen to bass players you like? To hum bass lines during the course of your day? (PS: Hari, my respects to you in your art of repair!)

What I sent round tonight: Dear All, Dylan was discharged from the hospital today! It's hard to add anything to that; except maybe to say that he'll be having follow up as regards both the kidneys (weekly) and pulmonary function (within a month). He couldn't have come this far without you. Gratefully with love, Donna ............................................................................................................................................................. Hey, I sang in a v-e-r-y small talent show tonight. Verse & chorus of one of my tunes. So I'm in the finals - which'll be good, because that means I'll be playing guitar. They let entrants have musical accompaniment only for the final show. 3 of my girls got invited back as well. In fact, all 6 of the youngers tryed out. This has been over a several week period - it's set up as an Idol (yawn), but it's do-able, so it's a good thing. I'm proud of Melanie, who's eight, in a special way. Lotta competition in her age category (I had NONE cause I'm in the over 21 bracket.) The child was up against 12 yr olds (at least one had been in numerous stage productions). M. had never before sang solo let alone acapella! She did great, never went out of key (!!) nor out of tune + she has a good voice. She wasn't invited back and that's what's looming largest for her. But hers was the real victory. I almost forgot to tell the children that I'd be announced as last name Dahl. I didn't want them to be confused. Way more run down now, than at the first Open Mic. Figures! How else could it be after the month + Dylan has had? I was glad the requirement was not to sing a whole song - happy to make it thru a verse and chorus

It's yours, Rudi, gladly! John, those are great points. Thank you - I'm sure they will help! Time to set aside to find out (per John's list) what I can do...

Yes - inside the head, it'd be heard correctly, Rudi! But that's what I'm about, in toto: to get what I hear in the head to be the reality heard outside the head. To answer the Q. Depends on the song I'm singing, whether I love, hate, have mixed feelings about my voice. Lazz, appreciate your reply + relate to everyone else's posts - have experienced or felt those same things at various times.

Any tips or exercizes, people? When I'm in choir it's a much easier time losing 'pop' usages (maybe in reality just my lazy habits, why blame pop?) like sliding up to notes - but the v-v-i-i-b-r-a-t-t-oh-oh- is there at each and every phrase ending. Listening to myself singing my own (pop) stuff, I'm beginning to hate how I sound. And that's while I'm actually singing, not listening to playback. Could be wrong, but when it's that evident to my ears while in the act of doing it, spells major problem. Or maybe awareness is becoming healthier? I don't know what to do to combat the vibrato at phrase end.

Well I'm guilty, I reckon. Can't quite recall, but I'm sure Dr.'s Biales or Callahan spelled all original terminology out plainly in theory One (and One and a half - no one, not even the savants could get better than a course "C" grade - Dr. Callahan was on the moon!) But maybe I dropped out before that happened. OK: that was legit classes, where we studied modes and counterpoint and parallel fifths (anathema sit!!) ; the Mass we studied ALL YEAR, long before I was Catholic, and I's downright bewildered as to why we had to learn the Introit, Kyrie and so forth - and Dr. B was a Jew! But BOY he loved the Mass, and sat in with the orchestra at St. A's whenever he could) In Jazz College, which was popular theory...maybe Art Maud (the Limey and classical guy) did tell us what verse/etc; really meant. But forever I've been on the pop usage. Philisophically, logically, how can I argue against proper terminology? Would I use it, tho...Lazz, you could probably influence me to more than anyone.

~Written July 22~ The weather blew up the other day, the humidity/heat'd been stiffling. It rocked and rolled, great downpour, tremendous thunder, M & M plus little son D and I out in the street, then in the gutters where the water was ankledeep running so fast and warm. We stayed out in it til the temp dropped and we got cold...the kitchen garden completely flooded over. Then we got dried and warmed...and 3 hours later it was hot and humid again and the sidewalks were drying nicely. A wild time, it felt like a batism. +++++++++++++++++++++++++ The cousins are coming out in droves to help. I am so lucky that my Aunties on both sides had all these great daughters! The daughters outnumber the sons quite a bit, but also in presence of person they're really something. And of course, beautiful and interesting so it's all good, you see. Lindsey (the fox in her late 50's) comes over w/ meals and groceries (from her and Anne), and Ginger (anesthetist) been visiting Dylan, and Harriet's people are in touch (plus we go to see them soon and boy do I need that); and Mary K's bringing her little dog over next week and watching the little ones so I can leave for awhile & try to remember I still am a person; and Sue's on my little list to call. Plus friends, and we'll just rotate! It's so nice to TALK to them! My little family...and they're all so tiny, well, most of them. But we're Nothern European, not Hmong! Except Grandma (the one who just passed in Dec) was so tall - til she shrunk from old age. Cousin John's blue-black African lady STILL reminds me of Grandma, I mean physically. Grandma really liked her, too. The meal Lindsey brought was a hotdish Grandma used to make. I suppose one of these years I should just sit down and pen a book about them all. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Dylan's sick. I am sad. So sad for him. Kidneys reacting to amt of meds...it should be fine I mutter like a zombie and on paper it SHOULD be fine. Should...it's hard, this should we keep hearing. Miserere, Domine! (Dylan hates it when I spontaneously break out in Latin: Mom, that's a sign of possession! Oh, save it, son, CONTEXT, CONTEXT! Everyone has a Mother tongue - I just happened to have adopted one) How much sad can there be? Tired doesn't help, I am aware of this. It's just...we're on some kind of train or ride here, Dylan most of all...trying to remember when a problem looms so large, or like the animal struggling to free itself from a trap, it is true that stopping the struggle, look about one, solution can then come. I just want that ugly cartoon guy to sweep us off the railroad tracks...a simple, instant, total rescue.