Today's meme: Get to know me!

[poltr1]

I got it from figmo, folkmew, mrlogic, and kyttn....all of whom got it from khaosworks.....

"This is the problem with LJ, we all think we are so close, and we know nothing about each other. I'm going to fix it. I want you to ask me something you think you should know about me. Something that should be obvious, but you have no idea about. Then post this in your LJ and find out what people don't know about you."

Comments

[wolfspirit29.livejournal.com]

Showing how little I know... are you and 'R' dating or married? I'm gathering that's your other-half?

[poltr1]

That's correct. R -- short for Rebecca -- is my wife. We'll be celebrating our 5th anniversary next month.

Happy Anniversary!

[wolfspirit29.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm early but knowing how my memory works... I'll send along good wishes now! LOL

Re: Happy Anniversary!

[poltr1]

Thank you!

BTW, if you want to read more about me, here's my LiveJournal profile page.

LOLOL!

[wolfspirit29.livejournal.com]

Ummmmmm, I knew that was there. Really. Part of my evil plan was to see if you'd direct me there. Ahem. Excuse me while I go scrub out more of them blonde roots. LMAO!

[poltr1]

folkmew asked me the same question I asked her: "How did you first get involved with music?"

When I was much younger, I was diagnosed with having poor eye-hand coordination. My parents thought -- or received the advice -- that having me learn to play a musical instrument would help improve the eye-hand coordination. (Sidenote: When my parents were much younger, Mom played percussion (bells), and Dad played tenor sax.)

And so my parents bought me a small 2-octave Organaire chord organ for Christmas in '69. It came with a songbook that had numbers above the musical notes; the numbers corresponded to numbers on the organ keyboard. (1 was the lowest C on the keyboard; 2 was D, 3 was E, etc.) A couple of years later, they bought a larger organ for me (I don't remember the model, but I remember it was a Thomas organ), and paid for lessons.

When I started fourth grade, my parents wanted me to take up another instrument -- they chose the clarinet. My older sister was already playing trumpet, so they wanted me to take up a different instrument.

In fifth grade, I tried playing a bass clarinet, but went back to regular clarinet after a month or two. In seventh grade, I transitioned from clarinet to alto clarinet to bass clarinet. I continued to play bass clarinet until the end of high school. Since the instrument belonged to the school district, it stayed behind.

I also started getting interested in synthesizers while I was in high school. This topic is an LJ post by itself, so I'll leave the details for a future post.

While I was in college, I put the clarinet away. After I graduated, moved to Ohio, and started getting involved in the filk community, I pulled it out again. I also purchased a flute, a bass clarinet, and an alto sax (all second-hand) so I can learn to play those instruments as well. In jazz ensembles and theatrical pit orchestras, I've seen woodwind players switch between several instruments, and I wanted to be able to do that too.

I've also added more instruments to my "sonic arsenal" over the years, including recorders, tin whistles, and a Native American flute. The next wind instruments I want to pick up are a melodica, a soprano sax, and a tenor sax.

One problem with playing wind instruments is that it's nearly impossible to sing and play at the same time. So I tend to restrict my "performances" to ensemble groups, instabands, and filk jams.