Comments on: Ten Pieces of Inspiration #6

By: Kate

Kate — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 07:44:04 +0000

Speaking as a former piano teacher, you’re doing extremely well, if that’s you on the “Clocks” video! (It didn’t look like you, but it’s rather hard to get a good look at the performer.) Very nice voicing.

I also have to salute your taste; from this, to “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” to the Goldberg Variations! Those last two were both favorites of mine to play, back when I was still decent on the piano, although unlike Simone Dinnerstein, I never mastered the entire thing well enough to play end-to-end in ninety minutes! Your original post about the pieces you wanted to tackle this year served as my introduction to “Clocks;” somehow I’d missed that one, but it’s terrific and I understand why you chose it.

My husband cuts his own hair, and has for the entire 36+ years we’ve been married, and it looks fine. But I’m another woman who needs a pro to cut hers. When we can’t quite afford it… well, that’s when I go back to wearing it long for a while! :)

By: Mary

Mary — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 23:19:08 +0000

I am female with long hair & I cut it myself, in front of the mirror.

That Boogie Woogie art? My first thought was it looks like a video game! :)

By: Carol

Carol — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 19:01:27 +0000

I think it is a great idea to teach young children chess. My son showed interest in chess at 4 and he still plays at 11. We have a great time as a family and danged if he doesn’t beat me 4 of 5 times…he is a much better strategist than I. I like to think this skill will carry over to other areas in life. As for haircuts, for us it depends on the style. We usually get styled once a year, maybe twice depending on what occasions might come up, and then take the scissors to our hair when we need trims.
I was really glad to read that quote from Michaelangelo. There is talent and there is the work that is required to live up to that talent.
Good post.

By: Janet

Janet — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 17:30:32 +0000

Just as a hint for the future, whenever your son has an earache a very easy and safe remedy is to heat a bath towel (I do it in the microwave but you need to do it for only a couple of minutes and watch it) and then have you or your wife put it folded on your chest and then lay your little boy down on it with his sore ear against the towel. The warmth of the towel will take away all of the pain. I have had two children who used to suffer terribly and my mother gave me this as a solution and I am telling you, it worked fantastic. One or two heats and earache is gone. As to the haircuts for those who wish to have their own hair cut by someone else, seek out an old-time barber (ours is 83) and he still gives $5.00 haircuts. With two boys and a husband this is great. As for my hair, contary to threenorns comments, I cut my own hair all the time and cut it and color it myself and it is almost waist length and I get good comments all the time.

By: threenorns

threenorns — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 15:57:46 +0000

oops – wrong page – i came in through the website and thought it was the same format…. mea culpa

By: threenorns

threenorns — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 15:52:12 +0000

hi! normally, i just enjoy your newsletter but i do have a couple of points to make this time around:

first, about the haircut thing: it’s easy enough to say “do it in front of a mirror with scissors and clippers and save $15″ if you’re a man with short hair and it’s a basic “short back and sides” or (gods forbid) mullet.

however, if you have long hair or are a female, then you do NOT EVER do your own hair. i won’t even cut my daughters’ waist-length hair myself. when i and my two older daughters lived with a guy and his two sons, i would do the guys’ hair no problem and they looked neat, clean, and very tidy. the one time i was foolish enough to trim my daughters’ long hair, it hung around their face and shoulders like wet laundry. no movement, no shape, no life – horribly unflattering.

when it comes to cutting long hair, my own experience is that getting it done by a non-professional (or by a badly-talented professional) is a waste of money because i won’t be happy with the result and i’ll end up going somewhere else to get it corrected.

second, about the website: speaking from experience, it’s a pita to maintain and run a website if your main business depends on a high turnover. can you perhaps negotiate some kind of barter deal with her where you (or someone you designate) set up and maintain a web presence for her in exchange for a discount on lessons?

By: GayleRN

GayleRN — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 12:54:26 +0000

One of my sons told me that for years he was afraid to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night in his own apartment because he was sure I would hear it and immediately phone him to ask if something was wrong.

You might want to read Peter Lynch’s books on investing. He is not a fan of index investing. Examine another point of view.

So your piano teacher could use a website. Easy for you to say. She probably hasn’t the faintest idea how to do that. Are you going to do something about it?

By: Jules

Jules — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 19:36:35 +0000

I often tell my boyfriend that, if he knew how many duds I write for every blog post that goes up, he’d rethink my “talent”.

By: KJ

KJ — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 18:48:22 +0000

You should have Diana make (or find someone who will make Diana) a Google Site. I’m not involved with the company, but I love mine as a promotional tool, an archive of work, and a “presence.” All you need is a Gmail account to get started.

By: lurker carl

lurker carl — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 17:43:05 +0000

You will seldom again experience good and restful sleep after raising your children. Even when they’ve grown up and left the nest, you’ll still listen for them throughout the night. Old habits are hard to break.

By: kjc

kjc — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 16:46:23 +0000

“To find someone even that good – good enough to get six out of ten right – you have to search, have a lot of money to invest, and have some luck, too.”

Why would you have to have a lot of money to invest in order to find someone with a great track record? And why is luck involved? What’s involved is research.

There are funds out there that have lower Beta values (= less risk) than the Vanguard 500 Index fund, and which have WILDLY outperformed it over both the short and LONG (10 year) term. And no, it isn’t that difficult to find them.

I’m not saying index funds are bad. They’re great for the passive investor, but if the market tanks, so does your index fund. IF you are willing to do some basic research, there are excellent alternatives out there which offer very solid returns and do NOT involve excessive levels of risk.