Agreed - people here are pretty easy to get along with, especially compared with those on other forums I'm familiar with.

I realized at a young age that holding grudges takes more effort than it's worth. I can't be bothered trying to remember who I'm not supposed to be talking to or who I'm supposed to get back at.

Yup this is a nice forum.

Lee, I saw that this thread has 55,008 reads! You are famous! 

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Originally posted by NCnotes

Yup this is a nice forum.

Lee, I saw that this thread has 55,008 reads! You are famous! 

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Nah, about 1/2 of those reads are me checking in to see if there are  'likes'..

But, I do get personal messages from time to time telling me how much people like the stories.. I always suggest that they get out and have their own stories.

Let the busking fun begin. Cold today but went busking anyway.. A local 'activist' who nobody takes seriously stopped by with a petition. Seems he is running for the office of Mayor...that should be fun. I signed..He then spent 20 minutes chatting up a college age young woman but after she left he whispered to me "All that talking and I couldn't get her to sign the petition"..He left.. She came back and whispered, "Who WAS that guy?"...Then she started talking and turns out she was a lot like him.. (both nice people BTW)...Like I always say, another busking day another interesting (to me) story...

I forgot to mention about yesterday.. The art gallery shop lady came running up, all excited.. "Lee! You'll never guess what!..John Mellencamp asked me to give him some T-shirt design suggestions, so I made This (and she showed me a tee shirt with several promotional writings)... " I asked her which one he chose and she said, "ALL OF THEM..!! THIS sample is what his tee shirt will look like!"... I said, " what do you get for doing this for him?" She replied, "Well, I get a free Tee Shirt, of course!!"...(not making this up)

Just a couple of comments about busking today.. This one homeless guy told me the other day that all winter long he slept on the ground ..Every Night... Then today he stopped by and said, "I Always make a lot of money (Panhandling)...> Somehow if that was true he'd not have had to sleep on the ground all winter, but I didn't say anything..He MAY be fooling himself..
Later, a homeless guy came by dragging a suitcase that had its wheels worn off . When he got to me he stopped, dug into his suitcase and dragged out a Teddy Bear.. I wasn't expecting that.. He put the bear on Harry's shoulder and took a photo...(How is it that many homeless people have Phones????).. Anyway, the teddy bear fell of and another passerby offered to hold it for the photo.. The bear's owner got offended and protective and I was SURE that there was going to be a fight, (Lord, why ME!)..That got resolved and the photo was taken....
Also, my busking buddy Larry, texted to say that today he received an $80 tip today.. Apparently some lady dropped into his basket 8- $10 bill. Good for him.. Not quite an 'hundred', but pretty darn close..

The homeless can get a free phone from the local welfare office! Why? I don't know!

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Originally posted by old cowboy

The homeless can get a free phone from the local welfare office! Why? I don't know!

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That may be the case..  As for the other guy who says he makes a lot of money.... I've known him for several years now and he gets $5 and buys $5 worth of booze.. gets drunk and is a happy camper.. Sadly I suspect that his liver will give out soon.  Alcohol is a cruel master..

Maybe only another busker will understand this... It is Monday and the streets are virtually empty of people on the sidewalks and it is raining off and on. I went busking anyway because ..well, that is what I do! So, I'm sitting under a theater marquee to stay dry and used my time wisely practicing the Air on the G String and various C tunes... BTW I paid $2 for parking.. After a half hour I received a $1 tip.. ok, just need one more like that to cover parking.. After a total of 90 minutes I still only had that one tip..tIme to go home. I wasn't disappointed, believe it or not..That is how busking is. More people doesn't necessarily many more tips.. Why, with virtually nobody on the sidewalk, any one of the few travelers could easily just drop in a $20....So, I wrapped up Harry Hare and stood up to leave....just as a young woman got out of a car, scurried over and gave me....a $20 bill...I love busking..

A NON busking story.. I'm trying to get up my hiking endurance since my knee replacement.. I live one mile from my busking grounds so to walk there and back is a good two miles.. I went.. Just me an NO fiddle.. I'm out for exercise. When I got to my usual busking block I had to laugh at myself because when I saw a group of people approaching me, I instinctively tried to reach for a fiddle to play some tunes.. Problem was, I didn't have a fiddle with me.. Again I had to laugh... conditioning, conditioning...Seems I'm a man of habit..!

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Originally posted by tonyelder

Thought I would share a very sweet moment with a "young lady" yesterday. We were playing at the Farmer's Market and a little girl started dancing and twirling around - having a ball. Her mother was encouraging (thankfully). While she was dancing around she saw another person put a dollar in the instrument case. She took her cue, and found a leaf and dutifully placed it in the case - then smiled real big and returned to her dancing. I bet my smile was bigger than her's.

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The Farmers Market is in season. We made the first event but missed the last 2. But we were back at the market this morning. 

The little girl mentioned in the above post was at the first event and she was back again today. Her mom said she always looks forward to finding us at the market. And true to form... she just dances away.  Such a joy to see her. And today she gave me a cream filled oatmeal cookie - and gave both me and Doug  flowers she picked from a shrub.  

I really enjoy playing at the Farmer's Market.  We will draw a few crowds when we play. The folks are always generous - both with their money and compliments.

And today, we may have landed a real "gig". We had a couple that is interested in having us play at their farm for an upcoming event. We'll see.

I did a farmer's market last Wed. Perfect weather. Not a big crowd. Just right for the first one of the year. I heard, "Oh you must come back for the weekend market! Five times the people and venders!" What they didn't say was, five times the parking lot hastle. I'm just a sideman for someone else. The foot traffic I don't mind, but weekend city car traffic is, well, I don't need.

Not too sure how to approach this topic today... The price of food has skyrocketed, wages are UP (good thing), rental units are out of sight and unaffordable....and I suspect that a lot of people are insecure about their futures. Busking.. A one dollar tip is still a one dollar tip.. Inflation has cut into the value of a dollar.. Right after Covid it seemed that more and more people gave multiple dollar tips ...that seems to have diminished a little
Anyway.. buskers do what buskers do but there does seem to be a 'different crowd response' the past year. Comments?

The people I meet on the sidewalk while busking always amaze me. Yesterday there were 6 street people hustling around, some with signs, some pushing their belongings, some just sitting and some talking to invisible people.. They huddle for a while to commiserate and then they spread out..but not too far. Today a lady who was clearly delusional, angry and talking loudly to invisible people trying to work out something..came by.....A homeless person offered her a sandwich which she was suspicious of but finally ate it. Later she was on a corner swinging her fists at a passerby who probably had no idea that this lady was not rational.......The homeless guy who I let into my home to shower, eat and get dry after walking in heavy rain passes by me often and no longer offers recognition that I exist.. He walks two blocks one way and walks two block back...for great lengths of time..
Now for the fun part.. Today I set up in a nice shady, breezy area about 100 feet from an outdoor eating area.. I think I made $20.. So, I put my fiddle away and began to count tips so I could record them .. Just then a waitress from that restaurant hurried over, introduced herself ( in Spanish) and we had a little Spanish chat. I thanked her for letting me practice!!! She gave a tip.. JUST as she walked away a man stopped and handed me a $20..!! I politely refused it but he insisted because he "Has a job" (??? ) hope he didn't think I was homeless and down and out.. THen he said let me give you all of the ones in my wallet..So.. I made $50 in tips, most of it when I wasn't even playing music.. I've written about this before..People often come to tip when they see I'm leaving and No, it isn't because they are glad I'm leaving..
So.. this week I was humbled by the street/homeless people and by the passersby..."Another day, another story." I love busking.

Speaking of busking, (aren't we always").. people often ask me how I got the idea for Harry Hare.. Well here is the exact video I watched and got inspired to make a free standing, fiddle playing puppet.. I've actually contacted the creator of Eduardo and received encouragement from her.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSJC1bAxAuo&list=RDYSJC1bAxAuo&start_radio=1

Now, 8 years on, I'm watching this video and getting more ideas about how to get Harry more animated.. Wait and see..

Lots of homeless/troubled people on the sidewalks today. THere is one particular man who I see often who never smiles, has a tough look about him and carries a long hunting knife on his belt. I never have tried to engage him in conversation......Today, as tough as he looks, when he passed Harry Hare, he gave a little 'baby' wave to Harry.. and then continued down the sidewalk. So many people feel the need to hide behind a tough exterior. I hide behind a Hare......

With busking comes problems.. When busking it is Always MY turn and I like that.. When busking I can get as creative as I want with a common tune and over time can come up with many variations..Now, the Problem. When I'm playing in a jam with friends I often find myself having difficulty playing a tune version that doesn't go here and there and throws other fiddlers off.. I don't want to be the jam member who is always playing 'jam-buster' versions of tunes and I Certainly don't want to NOT be in those jams... So, while busking has improved my overall playing versatility, it has Not made me jam friendly.. There is a balancing act going on.!!
Anybody else have to 'tone it down' when jamming?

Is this crazy or what? Today, my favorite homeless person who is always drunk by noon came by to tell me that He really likes me and Harry.. he then proceeded to tell me that except for the rarest of occasions in the winter he sleeps out on the ground. I asked about the exceptions and he said he'll get a motel room if it stays too bad.. Apparently he get a disability check for $700 a month and pretty much spends it on 'whatever'.. He always has an "anything helps'' and he is the guy who says he makes more money than I do.. I believe him. The down side is that he probably has cirrhosis of the liver and won't enjoy retirement.. His life, his choices.. Still like the guy....
My blind friend walked by and both said it was nice to 'see' you...
The craziest of crazy people stopped by and I was hesitant to engage them in conversation ...They wanted to borrow my fiddle to show me how they can play it.. I kept quiet until they left.

One guy who walks the streets constantly and appears to be homeless came by and I called out to him and said that since we are both out here so often we might as well exchange names... Andrew.... I'll see if over time I can develop somewhat of a relationship with him..
The are  art gallery gal came out all excited to say that she is pretty sure she will soon sell an amazing painting for 'umpteen' dollars (she told me the actual amount but I hesitate to post the number, but umpteen is a good approximation).....
The Ukrainian immigrant from Kharkiv who is now legally in Btown walked by  and said, ''Hi, you are you doing?" That is about her English speaking level and I have Zero Ukrainian speaking ability... We act like we've had a great conversation with just a few words well spoken...
Finally I stopped to get a beer that was paid for with a gift card I got as a busking tip.. As luck would have it, a fellow busker who I've known for over 20 years joined me and we proceeded to tell  busking stories..
I can't imagine what I'd have been doing with my time had I now been busking for the past 7-8 years..! Not to mention that I got the better part of two hours of fiddle playing in... 

The typos and grammar errors in the previous post made me laugh.. I've GOT to double check my posts!!!

I've not been by the FHO much
You had a busy spring!

I'm on vacation and trying to NOT fiddle for ten days to give my hands a rest before Clifftop.. However, in Port Townsend, Washington, we ran across three you young people busking. They had a spare fiddle so I said I'd give them a dollar if I could play a tune.. I did that twice..played two tunes.. In a conversation with one of the youngsters...mid twenties, I'd guess, they were surprised when I told them how much money I made busking in a typical year.. It takes dedication..
Now for these nice young people... They had that vagabond look about them, unkept, dirt under their fingernails, hair dirty and shabby and not the best of cloths and of course they had a dog... I've seen groups of young people in other similar musical places including Clifftop.. I'm not putting them down, I enjoyed their company and spending ten minutes with them has been one of the highlights of my vacation so far!!, but I'd say if you want to make money busking at least wash up...put your best foot forward..even a little..
As for these kids I suspect they are 'on the road' and trying to make it on their own..Who knows..

there seem to be various 'camp's '  of buskers and the "down and out..looking to busk to get a meal''... is one of them.. I try to NOT fit into that camp.. "down and out'' can be legitimate, if indeed one is down and out,  but unfortunately some people assume that all buskers must be down and out.. I've gone through this in the past......
Have YOU seen any young people living this lifestyle?

I've seen and known many young folks living that lifestyle. In another life, I was practically one of them. I busked for food money when I was trying to live in Portland Oregon back, oh jeez, it's been 30 plus years now. The difference is that I don't particularly like being unclean, especially my hands, so I was not one of the unwashed. I also know that living that lifestyle is as much work as an actual job. Those youngsters think they are "free" but that type of freedom comes at a cost that they aren't aware of yet.

I made it a point not to say anything to anybody about how much or how little I made busking - if you let it out that you're making a lot, next day you show up and find some Johnny-come-lately occupying your best spot; also, from non-musicians, you get the indignant, "This guy makes more money than I do!" (and you might hear that any time you let too much cash gather in your hat) - if you let it out that you're not making much OTOH, then you're a loser in the game of life.

As for the unwashed - I kinda doubt it's a 'lifestyle choice': you either had a mother who wouldn't let you leave the house without a clean face and hands or you didn't.

The young culture of shunning hygiene and materialism. I get it. But guitars and fiddles are material things. Then you need a house so your fiddle doesn't get wet. Then you cut your hand or foot, and it'll get infected if you don't keep it clean. So there you go, down the path of materialism and hygiene. Forced into it by practicality and the desire to live a healthy life.

Many of the kids who take up the dirty, vagabond lifestyle come from good homes and some of them actually have Money.. Seems to me that they are just in their rebel years..Yes, as suggested, some of them will find out that working is actually an easier lifestyle.......
As for me, a retired massage therapist... I could take on ONE client and make $90 in one hour.. but why do I busk for $10/hour average? There is more to life than money...