Howdie guys and girlies.

Yes, its been a seemingly long time to finally get hooked up to the internet once again.

We had to get a direct satelite connection and ran into a few reception problems due to a mountain in the direct line of site of the satelite but finally got things worked out, (plus I bribed the satelite guy to use a relay signal for free!!)
.

My M&H "BB" is now in climate controlled storage and I am back on the Roland digital for a while.

Anyway, its really good to be back playing piano...finally!, as I have'nt been able to play in over three weeks!....(which brings me to my original point).

Last weekend while staying at my mother in laws in phoenix, I had noticed that there was a big-gaping hole in the drywall in her spare bedroom.

Apparently, a chair had recently tipped over and caused the damage.

She was going to call a handyman to repair the big hole, but instead, I offered to fix it.

I started with a gaping, paper torn hole in the wall which looked terrible.

After securing a solid foundation behind the drywall, I added a base coat of drywall mud; let it dry, applied a second coat the next day and finally polished it up by sanding it smooth.


After painting the finished product, I must admit how satified I was with the finished results.

I could'nt help but notice the similar correlation between the satisfaction of completing a successful repair from start to finish with that of starting out on a new piece of music for the very first time on the piano.

Usually when I attempt something for the very first time, it is an absolute mess. Even my pets complain!; but after a while of practicing and laying down a descent foundation, things started to slowly take shape.

I guess everyone is not born an accomplished piano player (or even drywall hole repairman), but it seems that when you apply the basics, throw in a bit of practice, try to clean it up a little, and then finally finish it up, the end result can be quite rewarding.

I guess what I am really trying to say is that I originally thought that I loved piano music for the beautiful sounds it can produce. While this is true, I never really considered how much satisfaction, or sense of accomplishment it can bring as well.

After not having a piano for almost a month, It's good to be playing again and back on the forum as well.

So,did I miss anything?, anything juicy? any fights?. Come on, some one fill me in!

Welcome back, hunky! How'd the llamas take the move?

I really liked your analogy between learning a piece and the satisfaction of doing a job well.

I get that same sense of satisfaction, especially if it's a piece that originally makes me gulp and wonder if I'm up to it.

Let's see... any scandals or fights? I don't think so. The forum tends to be a tad more boring when you're not around, but that's probably just a coincidence.

There's one thread on the main forum (Estonias at Costco?) where Norbert issued a $1000 challenge that honkytonk appears to have met, but no money has changed hands. I'm watching that one to see how it unfolds.

Oh, and there was the thread about the Bosendorfer being dropped by the movers, complete with photos. (Warning: don't look at it if the sight of an enormously expensive piano seemingly in ruins is disturbing to you.)

Oh, and you should check out the Einaudi thread; kawaigirl posted her recording of Divenire, which I am predicting you will like as much as Nefeli. Though I gotta warn you it's quite a bit harder.

Welcome back Mr S-H!!

I saw the thread title and kenw it was you before I saw the author - it just had that S-H feel to it.

An interesting analogy, and very true - there is a certain sense of satisfaction to finally finish a new piece just as there is when completing tasks around the house or at work, you can look back and think, well, yes, I am actually making (often snail pace, but still)progress!

Thanks Monica, I knew you would give me the scoop.

The baby Llama's are actually more at home in this current high elevation (8k feet) but I am absolutely freezing. Last night was in the low teens and I am used to the 100's!.

Oh well, we have an enourmous amount on our plate right now with getting our cabin finished for the summer but it will all be worth it.... I hope!.

Here is a pic of where we are now. This pic was taken the end of last summer and now we need to pick up where we left it.

Hunky.. good to see your name popping back up on PW!!

I was in your territory a few weeks ago and was thinkin' of you when our plane landed in PHX. As the plane was circling around I leaned over to look out the window and mentioned aloud to Steve Tunes that Mr Super-Hunky lived in PHX; to which he replied, Mr WHO[/b]??!!

Anyway, it was pretty funny so I thought I'd just mention it to you!!

That's a beautiful home there S-H. I'm glad you're getting settled into the new location. I liked your analogy. There is a great deal of satisfaction to be derived from doing one's own home repair or home improvement. I have felt that swelling of pride a number of times myself. I hadn't thought of the similarity between that and taking on a new piece of music, but I think it's a valid comparison.

Best of luck to you and all the llamas.

OMG. That's high!

The house is gorgeous and so are the surroundings!


Terrytunes,
I'm ROFLMAO!! Too funny, I can hear it in my mind.

Cabin? You call THAT a cabin? LOL!!!

It looks like my house could fit in there 3 or 4 times. NOw...what was the reason for no BB there? Certainly not cuz you'd be lacking room!!!

Beautiful. And yes, I noticed the flowers. ;-)

LL

Hey Hunk!

Good to see you back!

I'll bet you are really happy to have that keyboard under your fingers again. Man, I hate it that you don't have your M&H BB around the house, but I'm sure you hate it worse than I do.

I hope you plan on posting enough for me to find something to start a fight about with you and lose a couple more of my beloved stars.

Do you have something to enter in the upcoming recital? I believe it's the 15th of next month. I'm working like crazy on a piece by the Russian composer Alexander Scriabin. It doesn't look difficult, but it's giving me fits trying to memorize. I don't know if I'll have it ready for the recital or not. If I don't, I'll just grab one of your old ones and enter it as my own. :p

Best to you and yours,

Lisztener

Hi Hunkster,

It's great to have you back on PianoWorld!

When you said the low teens at night I thought "whats so bad about that? But then I realised you meant fahrenheit not celcius.

Hi S-H, welcome back!

Welcome Back Mr. S-H!

I also enjoyed the analogy. I often say that playing is like painting. As an artist as well, I find a blank canvas like a new piece. You never know where it's going to take you. The end result is always interesting and certainly music for the soul.
So, Ms. Monica, Boring? Mr. S-H, the posts have been a bit dull but now that you are back, someting new and exciting will always be around the corner.
Welcome Back!
Oh, the house is a bit smaller than I expected! You always do things in a GRAND way and I just expected your temporary residence would be nothing less than GRAND as well!

Best Regards,
Nick

Glad someone else said this cuz I thought that exact same thing!! Coming from Kentucky a cabin would be something a little different that what's in that picture!!

Welcome back!

Wow! bee..utiful! I'll bet even the garage is nice!

Yes, glad you're back. Someone to take the attention away from my incendiary posts!

I noticed the same thing when fixing washing machines (which I do in my spare time) - a sense of super hunkified manliness with all the tools and grime. Although I'm more sensitive to finger cuts these days. It can mess up playing for weeks. I'm still waiting on a cut to fully heal. Drywall has got to be safer.

Welcome back S-H !!

I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical when I read the title of this thread.

“How the heck can S-H parallel something I dread to something I love?”, I thought to myself.

But you pulled it off!

I should have never doubted, my apologies.

Yes, creating a beautiful piano piece can be very similar to just about anything that you start with nothing, put a lot of "yourself" into, and finally end up with something very nice whether it be a piano score, a beautiful painting or even just a job well done on a drywall repair.

My passion is to "create", not just purchase!. I would much rather spend three hours doing a drywall repair myself as opposed to just writing a check for $35.00!.

Of course this makes no financial sense, but thats not the point. The point is now I can add "drywall repair" to my home improvement *repetoire* just like I can add Christofori's dream, Nefeli, and Le Onde to my piano repetoire.

If you are wondering why I am *showing off* our summer cabin, please understand that I did not buy it, Mrs Hunky and I made it!!.

I love to do things myself and our homes are no exception.

It takes us forever (the cabin has been under construction for three years now and is still not done!), but the end result is so satisfying.

If you think about it, we all must love to create in our own special ways and of course, playing piano is one of them.

P.S, Liztener, sure I would love to start another argument with you but I can't think of anything at the moment. I'm sure, in time, one of us will be able to think of something however!.

BTW, you still have plenty of time to learn or polish a piece for the May 15th recital. I have nothing to submit right now unless I just submit Le Onde which I did in the ABF exhibition last month.

I'm not opposed to learning something new but I don't have much time to practice especially that my fingers are covered in tile sealer right now!!

Maybe tonight I'll find something, ....most likely I'll just steal another piece from Kawaigirl or Monica!, I seem to do that a lot but then again, is'nt that the highest form of flatery?.

Welcome back mr super(builder)hunky...nice job on the "cabin" do you have anymore pics?? during major construction milestones??

lovely scene, man! Thanks. A piano playing in the background only adds to the mood...

Myself, well, I'd -much- rather practice piano than do drywall repair...

There's a small square hole in the bathroom where we had to do some emergency wiring that hasn't been fixed.

Thing about drywall is that, well, after that you usually gotta paint... And can you match the existing paint? Will you need to paint allll the way down the hall and into all the other rooms ??


I'll just sit here and practice my piano


Man. That is SOME house ya got there !!

...Steve

You are right, Mr. S-H. Accomplishment is one of the most satisfying feelings we have. That's a sentiment I am trying--with varying degrees of success--to impart to my own kids. Maybe it's just something you realize when you're older.

Congratulations on the move. I'm sure you're ready to be settled.

Nancy

Welcome back S-H!!

Your new home looks absolutely gorgeous. You'll need to post some more pics once it's all finished.

MSH, where's the cabin? (not a stalker, just a native arizonan. )

Parks AZ, just west of Flagstaff.

Looks beautiful!

Mr. Hunky, was this your first dryway repair?

Actually, to be honest, no. When you build your own home, you must become proficient at many trades.

While there are good and lousy contractors in just about any trade, no-one has as much inscentive to do a perfect job as I do on my own home.

Today is plumbing day. We are cutting off all the rough plumbing caps and soldering on all the copper fittings for the water heater, toilets etc.

I seem to be derailing my own thread here with all this home building talk but my original point still holds true that no mater what the task, a little time and effort can really result in a very satisfying outcome; a piano score being no exception!

What a prosaic analogy, I think it's more like sculpting, bringing form out of formlessness, beauty and meaning out of nothingness.

Yeah - taping technique is critical...

-sigh-

Rock on man!

Being somewhat mechanical myself, I must say about your creation......WOW!!!!! Did you buy a kit with prenotched logs, or did you do the notching yourself? Great job, and a true labor of love!!!

Welcome back. That is some cabin. Wow. Talk about an understatement. When will the M&H be moved in?? You have got to change your post address from Warm & Sunny Scottsdale,to cold, but gorgeous Parks. Gaby Tu