Monthly Archives: March 2008

Exercise . . . Let’s Be Honest

by carl on March 28, 2008 in Blog. 8 Comments

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During my years abroad I noticed that it was never the peasants doing yoga, tai chi, or exercise in general. The enthusiast always seem to come from the wealthier classes. Indeed, the same is generally true in this country, though we don’t have many peasants any more. I figure the people working the hardest to support themselves and families have little need, inclination, energy or time for ‘personal growth’. I suppose we use formal exercise is a way to make life more meaningful.… Continue reading ‘Exercise . . . Let’s Be Honest’

Diamonds

by Leslie Abbott on March 24, 2008 in Blog. 3 Comments

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You’ve probably seen the commercials that say “Diamonds are forever.” Get a diamond ring or necklace for your lovely lady and she will feel that she will be loved forever. Hmmm…that shiny rock may last forever but the love may be a little iffier. Liz Taylor comes to mind. She had one big rock or an array of big sparkly rocks.. She should stay married until at least the year 4000.

When I was in junior high, my mom let me wear her diamond ring to school. I thought I was something pretty darn special. Carl, my hubby and partner for 29 years, gave me a Zercon ring that he got in a magazine for 75 cents. Yes that was cents. It was fun to wear and is now long gone. All so fleeting. … Continue reading ‘Diamonds’

The search for the perfect tagline

by Luke Abbott on March 20, 2008 in Blog. 6 Comments

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We’re changing the name/logo of our music business/cause. The old logo—which can be seen in the PlayingByEar.com masthead—features the phrase Family Tradition. This was on the cover of one of our very first books, printed way back in 1999 or so. The “Mountain Music for Everyone!” tagline came only a couple years ago, but we fell in love with it since … Continue reading ‘The search for the perfect tagline’

Words of the Wise

by Kyle Abbott on March 15, 2008 in Brief. 0 Comments

Vocalized words are a waste of time. If a speaker’s words are important to him, let that man carve those words on a mountain, where he will at least attract sightseers to bring in some revenue for the state. —A famous, dead, unknown poet.

Zap!!! …goes the finger

by Luke Abbott on March 12, 2008 in Blog and Photo. 2 Comments

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Beware, owners of those plasma-dome thingies: I just discovered how to fry my own flesh with one.

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If you’ve never played with a plasma globe before, the basic idea is that there’s a glass sphere* with a partial vacuum and a central electrode inside. When driven by a high-frequency, high-voltage AC current, ribbons of plasma reach out to the sides of the globe. Bringing a conductive object (such as one’s own hand) near the glass “attracts” the purple ribbons of light toward whatever it is. A slight warmth can be felt emanating from the dome after a short while. In a nutshell… cool!

Now, if you … Continue reading ‘Zap!!! …goes the finger’

Bluegrass ‘n Stuff – Harmony

by Kyle Abbott on March 8, 2008 in Blog. 2 Comments

We’re going to start posting articles from Kyle “Big ‘K’” Abbott’s monthly column here on the blog, starting with last month’s edition. Enjoy… —Luke

Welcome back to the #1-Article-Most-Read-By-Me, Bluegrass ‘n Stuff! This months column is all about harmony, and we’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s get right to it. Oh, first, you might want to get a snack. It makes the reading experience more enjoyable, that’s all. Do you have a drink? Well, grab a beer. Alcohol helps the vision; that’s why you read the speed limit signs so much better after a cold brewski. Ok, let’s get started—hey, where’s your coaster? Quick! Get one before the can makes a stain! *Phew!* That was close! Imagine what your wife/partner/dog/cow might say seeing that circular discoloration! (Notice that “husband” isn’t on the list because you’d have to take the whole table away for him to even begin to notice something wrong.) OK, enough procrastination. We’re all set. This”¦ is”¦ *breath of air*”¦ Bluegrass ‘n Stuff!

If you’ve ever been to a history class, you know that back in the times of Yore—in fact, even before Yore was born—… Continue reading ‘Bluegrass ‘n Stuff – Harmony’