Not exactly new, but back after a looong time...

Ahh, it's good to be back.

After a few rough musical years (quit trying to be a professional musician, got a Master's in teaching, taught in Montana for a year, China for a year, and found a home in North Bend, WA), I'm getting back into it. I'm gonna start gigging again, fighting for the music I love (Stax, old soul and blues).

Reading TDPRI is one of the primary reasons I am getting back out there (when I'm not loving my teaching job during the day). Seeing that there's a community of cool, inventive, inquisitive, and music-loving people out there of all stripes reminds me why I play music in the first place: for people like you.

Thanks for giving me a musical home!

Welcome back!

Welcome back!

+ 1

You must have stories to tell of your time in China - fess up! :grin:



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It's great to see old timers on here! Bring some stories about your China experience, when you can.

Thanks for the welcomes, peoples!

Yeah, I do have a few stories, like the time I had to play guitar in front of 5,000 screaming high school children who thought I was some sort of guitar god. Not only had I taught many of them English, not only was I one of only 5 "white" people (including my wife) in the "town" of 6,000,000, but I could play an old Marvin Gaye tune (can't quite remember which)! And sing! Now, I'm no good in real life, but over there, I was AMERICAN GUITAR AND SINGING GOD.

Oh, and I voluntarily ate dog. The bones were splintery.

Welcome dablues...great story...well..you're on a roll now.....more stories please...

Welcome back, love your music choices!

Welcome!

Welcome back, but PLEASE no more mention of eating dog. Seriously.

Well, I didn't WANT to eat the dog, but it would have rude not to. Let's see, another story: the best noodle shop in the area was run by these Muslim dudes from Western China, and they shaved noodles off of big blocks of dough, flipping noodles into a giant boiling pot from about ten feet away. They didn't speak Mandarin, I didn't speak Mandarin, but somehow we became friends and I always got the best meat and veggies. Lunch would cost about a buck. THAT, I miss.

Also, many people would want to pet the hair on my arms and legs (I'm a hairy French-Canadian, after all), because the Han Chinese are not as hairy as I am. It was super funny. They always wanted to take a picture with the hairy foreigner.

Love the Muslim noodle shops. There was one just opposite our house and two people could get breakfast cooked while you watched the guy hand stretch the noodles, all for about $2.00 Aud.

Welcome back.