The most important writing tip of all.

I just spent four hours composing a blog; a thoughtful piece on basic writing techniques I find helpful.

I forgot the most important tip of all. Number one for anyone who writes on a computer. Save early. Save often.

Don't let four hours worth of work be virtually wiped out by a careless click of a mouse, and end up flipping out like I just did.

I may re-write the blog at a future date - for now I deleted the whole mess. I don't even want to look at the twitching remains. Which is probably all right anyway; usually the second re-write is better.

I have a feeling the whole thing was a pretentious mire of good intentions - at least I'm telling myself it was so I don't re-flip.

Remember. Save. SAVE. SAVE.

GAS otherwise known as "Guitar acquisition Syndrome"

I never thought it would happen to us. The Saint and I are a fairly ordinary couple. Except that we get along well 95 % of the time, and don't have kids. (I won't talk about the weekly gift.)

But no, one day we are discussing the make and model of our middle-aged crises car, and next thing you know The Saint has gotten an electric guitar. An inexpensive Fender Squire, with my encouragement, might I add. When TS and I got together, he played the guitar. He was no Eddie VanHalen, but he was certainly fun to listen too. Cool, I thought. I love having music in the house. I have fond memories of my dad playing while my sister and I sang as kids.

Next thing you know, he wants an acoustic, something cheap to play around with. Dad's Southern Jumbo Gibson (which TS inherited as the only guitar player in the family) was a bit too "Jumbo". "Cool" I said but added, "No, don't get a really cheap one, get the one you want. Don't think about price. Well, okay, don't think about price a lot. But, get something good." So he got a Martin.

So then, I started playing around with the guitar myself, thinking, "Hmm, this is kind of fun. Maybe I could learn how to play." Actually, I really liked a certain guitar. It was pretty, verry pretty....

Next thing you know, I am the owner of a 3/4 sized Art & Lutherie guitar. Although initially I decided I should at least know 6 songs before I got my own guitar, TS convinced me it might be easier for me to learn on a smaller guitar than his Martin. And he trades his Fender Squire in for a Epiphone (a good decision actually). Now fast forward to a few weeks later....I can play one song, and am working on number two, and....

We are a couple with GAS.

I can play one song, and am working on the second. But I have my eye on a couple of sweet acoustic/electrics. Unfortunately the "really pretty" guitar I fell in love with got universally bad reviews from all our guitar gurus. And TS, well, he wants an acoustic electric too, but he wants a different one that I do...GAS, it's a terrible thing.

VGimlet
Art & Lutherie 3/4 size all cedar (currently on loan)
Samick "LaSalle" JZ-2
wanted:Martin 000-28EC; Luna Moth

The Saint
Epiphone SG-400
Martin OOOM (spruce and mahogany)
Peavey T60
wanted:Martin something

Both
1956 Gibson Southern Jumbo
Taylor T5 (Custom blue burst)

People Who Dump Garbage are Scum

Last Friday I was taking a walk around my neighborhood. It's a neighborhood in transition at the moment. On one side of us are a mix of homes, dating anywhere from 1890 to 1990, some (like ours) with acreage, and on the other lurks the alley behind the strip mall. On my walk, I saw that our neighbor has once again become the victim of illegal dumping. Since the mall was built ten years ago, garbage and illegal dumping have become one of the many problems in our neighborhood.

When someone dumps garbage, it is the responsibility of the property owner to clean it up. Because of both easy access, and a lack of sight lines, many people now use our neighbors property as a free garbage transfer station. In addition it seems the strip mall employees sometimes join in the fun. Currently there are about 15 shopping carts and other assorted discards from the mall. Even worse are the items the illegal garbage-dumping scum leave behind at night.

From what I saw during my casual stroll, our neighbors' pond is currently being polluted by a computer monitor, a stove, several bags of mixed garbage and a pile of what look like unwanted toys. Even the King of the Misfit toys won't be coming for them. It's appalling.

And who pays? Who has to clean up? Our neighbor, in his 80's and on a limited income. His son, who comes over to clean up when he can. Even The Saint and I, who also pick up some of the garbage and haul it away as well. It's disgusting.

The mall was contacted a few years ago about removing their part of the mess, and assured us, and the local press, that they would remove it as soon as possible. The carts are still there, rusting away, and the garbage keeps piling up. The cars keep pulling up in the middle of the night, throwing their unwanted crap over the side, and making it someone else's problem.

A nice walk spoiled. A peaceful neighborhood - trashed again by garbage-dumping slime.