Sadly, you may have missed this

 

Ten days ago on  Thursday Market day a new initiative was launched along with information South Lakeland District Council van, tables issuing badges and a quick rat-a-tat of strong music from Blast Furness. As far as I can tell, this has not been reported in the press despite a press photographer taking a lot of happy faces. So here goes the news is too good to miss:

The following people, all 18 members of our Town Council, have volunteered to pick up rubbish in our town. You can imagine with this number of  people picking up paper the town will be spotless.

Please, when you see them in action, give them a big "Thank you" for their public service.

Action Man

At last we have someone who leads on the action front.

Frank Field recommends landlords to brick up doorways or knock down walls to deal with the unjust Bedroom Tax. I'm blocking up doorways, and have already done it

I've been waiting for a politician who shows a practical lead we can follow if we wish. It's great that it follows a historic tradition of fighting government decrees: blocking up windows when your tax was related to the number of windows you had.

Rather than campaigning for change we can thwart an unjust government by immediately doing something: and my, it feels good.

Now will the government do something sensible and encourage some affordable small houses/flats built fast with appropriate legislation:

Ten bars of Kendal Mint Cake to every property owner for every small unit they create to help local people. Better still a barrel of Ulverston Brewery Beer rather than the 'foreign' Mint Cake.

Robinsons Brewery would be an ideal start : the prize beer would make it a bitter sweet reward. They could offer it to us on a Saturday Market Day to make up for their previous insults to local traders (supermarket indeed)

More money for the Lantern Procession

It's very gratifying that Piggy is earning more money each week he weathers the cold.

 Last week it was one pound, this week it was £1:40. I'm using this as a measure of how good my clarinet playing is.
As for me, unlike the hardened busker, I can only play if I'm fired up inside to wanting to play. The weather and my lack of experience has made the experience painful. It's a hard learning curve. Three things that have changed: my ability to make attractive sounds and secondly my ability to play fun tunes. The first requirement is being met as I've now bought a clarinet that I can play to create what I consider to be good sounds though this diminishes as my hands get colder and colder so that can't feel whether your fingertips are covering up the holes properly. The more I play the easier it becomes. Lastly I now have found a place I consider to be home.

Now I have the motivation to practise more and more and with my new clarinet it enables me to play in keys I couldn't manage before. So over to you- if you like what you hear (and only for this reason) feed up Piggy for the Lantern Procession. I have little interest in the sympathy vote and don't need the money.

 So I'm off to a good practising cession now!

Chernobyl children

Hosting Chernobyl Children in Ulverston -the national organisation - www.focc.org.uk Come to a meeting for those living locally in possibly the Coro to meet with those in Silverdale that have already run the scheme over the past twelve years. To contact Sharon use : focculverston@gmail.com

So what do you know about Belarus

This maybe:

Or by horrible contrast :this - I suggest you switch off the sound - it has no information

So why is this relevant:
Hosting Chernobyl Children in Ulverston
More information tomorrow

This little piggy went to Market

Stood in an empty doorway and came back with one pound towards the Lantern Procession. The clarinet had a good time and the player had a little jig around: my these Froggies know how to play a good dancing tune!

See you tomorrow

Playing with passion.

I'm all set to have a great time in "piggy alley" 11 am Thursday 21st. Be prepared to be amazed at the weekly improvement.

Inspiration: Jack and Rostropovich lived theirs, with passion and continue to inspire : hence this guy in piggy alley.

The latter appeared to ask musicians to play with passion rather than technique - he had both. I have the first!

Watch the first 5 minutes. The power of people with the gift of music and the willingness to let it blast out with passion.

What everyone needs

Have some of us become hooked on gadgets!

For those with more money than sense:

Lakeland Plastics is full of them.

Orange Peeler for £6 - for people who have lost their thumb.

And on the same page these amazing contraptions for £15 and £25 - you obviously need one of each.

This little piggy will be going to market

A great day was clearly had by those who enjoyed me playing the clarinet today in the Ulverston Market.
This really looks and feels as though I have found a home for my playing: the alleyway opposite New Market Street. Though I went there today at 11.00  feeling very nervous because I aim to please: I had a great reception which encourages me greatly for the future.

Some people chose a pub, some a concert hall but for me an alleyway feels just 'right'.

The spot in this alleyway has many advantages:

1. It is under cover so suits a rainy day.
2. When the sun comes out it is in full sun for several hours in the morning when the rest of the market in the winter can be in shade.
3. It has great acoustics so I can hear clearly myself playing. This means I can monitor myself well which is very important to me.
4. I have a great vision of all the people passing and now that I have learnt to wave while playing the clarinet (a skill that needs developing) I have a way of 'smiling back' to those that show their appreciation.
5. As far as I can tell, I can minimise the number of people I annoy with my playing.

The reference to a piggy is that I am looking for a suitable piggy bank to collect funds that you may want to give to Ulverston Charities. The one I favour for this year is the Lantern Procession - I've already raised six pounds for them this year.

If an alternative source of music is available, I shall always defer to them and find a different spot in the town to play. It's good to have a wide variety of music on offer.

I plan to play at the market once a week between 11am and 1 pm on one of the market days and will extend this when I believe I have suitable music to offer and see that this is welcomed.

Now that I have found a home in which to feel relaxed under most weather conditioned, I believe my music will develop by leaps and bounds - anyone which to join me - you will be made most welcome. I can assure you of aninstant fan club - the under fives of the town - my what beaming smiles you'll get!

Amazing - new (important to me) skill

It has up till now been a great source of frustration : not being able to communicate with people whilst playing the clarinet.

Now I find that I can.

Up till now, I had resigned myself to the concept that I was trapped whilst playing my clarinet : my mouth and both hands were otherwise occupied. Singers accompanying themselves on a guitar must feel the same.

You try to signal by raising the eyebrows, smiling with your eyes. What else can you do? Waggle your ears - takes enormous skill and practise, I imagine? Stamp your foot, lift a leg and wave it around - not a commonly accepted form of greeting.

Yet this morning oh the Market, I cracked it. Without realising  it, I was waving; wow. It must have been that I was getting such a lot of positive feedback from my playing , particularly from excited young children. Yes, amazingly I found myself waving. The fingers of my right hand had broken away to wave vigorously : they found they weren't- for a few moments - needed. Only the thumb of that hand to hold the clarinet up.

So in the future I hope to develop this highly valued trick. True it puts about eight notes out of reach but with skill I can adjust the notes I choose to play leaving me free to . . .  wave  . . . and play. Watch out in future - if you don't get a wave it could be that :

1. I hate your guts and choose to ignore you.
2. Haven't spotted you.
3. Can't manage a wave - needing more practice at demanding trick.