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Originally posted by Old Scratch

Well, your foreign-tourist numbers are down, I understand ....

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I am sad our Canadian friends will not be coming down this Summer. I live in S. Maine pretty near to Old Orchard Beach, and we normally see a Lot of Canadians. Not this year.  (

Doesn't involve me directly, and I'm not sure these folks are actually busking - they may just be part of a street festival, but I just came across this cute video. When you record and release something you never know where it might end up. youtu.be/2yYCH-wryoA?feature=shared
I think its funny that passersby seem to speed up and give a wide berth to this little corner of Bedlam.

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Originally posted by heavymetalalfa

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Originally posted by Old Scratch

Well, your foreign-tourist numbers are down, I understand ....

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I am sad our Canadian friends will not be coming down this Summer. I live in S. Maine pretty near to Old Orchard Beach, and we normally see a Lot of Canadians. Not this year.  (

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A sorry situation all 'round - but I don't see it ending soon.  I feel bad for those 'friends of Canada' caught in the cross-fire .....

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Originally posted by TuneWeaver

 

Whenever I go out and play my fiddle on the street (busking), I go with the attitude of " I wonder what will happen on the street today."

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I'm wondering what is happening in the life of Lee today.  Report in my friend.  Tell me you are well!

You are a sweet man, Tony.

I have regular enough email exchanges with Lee, last one from him was end of May. He's likely occupied enjoying some retirement, as it were. I suspect he'll have some great tales to share based on what he's told me, but I'll leave to him when he's on-lining.

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Originally posted by ChickenMan

You are a sweet man, Tony.

I have regular enough email exchanges with Lee, last one from him was end of May. He's likely occupied enjoying some retirement, as it were. I suspect he'll have some great tales to share based on what he's told me, but I'll leave to him when he's on-lining.

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LOL.... I'll take that as a compliment and say thank you, Billy.  One day we'll get to play tunes and swap stories, and then we'll see...  

There is no reason to think otherwise about Lee.  But I needed to poke at him a little to make sure.  He is a tough bird - and kinda special (but don't tell him I said so)

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Originally posted by ChickenMan

 I suspect he'll have some great tales to share based on what he's told me, but I'll leave to him when he's on-lining.

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Reminds me of the last verse in on of my favorite Robert Johnson songs, "From Four Until Late":  When I leave this town, I'll bid you fare - farewell / When I leave this town, I'll bid you fare - farewell. And when I return again, I'll have a great long story to tell.

I look forward to the telling. 

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Originally posted by tonyelder

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Originally posted by ChickenMan

 I suspect he'll have some great tales to share based on what he's told me, but I'll leave to him when he's on-lining.

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Reminds me of the last verse in on of my favorite Robert Johnson songs, "From Four Until Late":  When I leave this town, I'll bid you fare - farewell / When I leave this town, I'll bid you fare - farewell. And when I return again, I'll have a great long story to tell.

I look forward to the telling. 

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I'm pretty sure I know what the stories will be about now...  been there, done that...   Proud for him.

Guys, I’m alive and doing well. We are in Anchorage and I just got to buy a beer for none other than”alaskafiddler” George! He was busking and took a break to hang out with me…One, Nice Guy ! I’ll elaborate when we return from vacation.

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Originally posted by TuneWeaver

Guys, I’m alive and doing well. We are in Anchorage and I just got to buy a beer for none other than”alaskafiddler” George! He was busking and took a break to hang out with me…One, Nice Guy ! I’ll elaborate when we return from vacation.

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Yay! When you told me you were going there that was the first thing I thought of. And fate has him busking while you were there. Of course you'd engage with a busking fiddler and of course it would be George. This makes me so happy. We'll need to take before Clifftop, drop me a line when you get a chance.

So cool that you hung out with “alaskafiddler” in Alaska!!
(That sounds like the right place to be…it’s going to hit the high 90s here today, ugh.)

( So what did you guys play? :-D

have a good vacation!

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Originally posted by NCnotes

So cool that you hung out with “alaskafiddler” in Alaska!!
(That sounds like the right place to be…it’s going to hit the high 90s here today, ugh.)

( So what did you guys play? :-D

have a good vacation 

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It wasn't quite like that. We'd been keeping in touch during our trip and hoping we could cross paths.  It just all fell into place. I didn't busk with him.

Gotcha! 

I've mentioned many times that putting the fiddle away is a good time to get at tip.. These days, I make it a point to count my tips Before I leave the venue.. Three out of the past five days has brought last minute tips even after my fiddle is in the case and while I'm just sittin' and countin'.....
Also, my rule of Don't leave the venue early.. busk till the last minute.. Yesterday I was tempted to leave 5 minutes early but chose not to... In that five minutes I not only received a nice tip but got to chat with a friend of a friend and found out some important information... I'm more steadfast in following my own rules..!!

Is it HOT to be out there?

I haven’t sat outside all week…start sweating in minutes…only early morning and after 8pm are ok to hang around outside…!

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Originally posted by TuneWeaver

I've mentioned many times that putting the fiddle away is a good time to get at tip.. These days, I make it a point to count my tips Before I leave the venue.. Three out of the past five days has brought last minute tips even after my fiddle is in the case and while I'm just sittin' and countin'.....
Also, my rule of Don't leave the venue early.. busk till the last minute.. Yesterday I was tempted to leave 5 minutes early but chose not to... In that five minutes I not only received a nice tip but got to chat with a friend of a friend and found out some important information... I'm more steadfast in following my own rules..!!

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When it comes to busking - which I haven't done in a while now, tbh - I had to learn not to be too steadfast in 'following my own rules'; I could end up creating stress for myself, which kinda defeats the purpose.  So, if I was 'tempted to leave 5 minutes early', well sir, I would just up and leave five minutes early, and not worry about what I might be missing.  And if there was any kind of unpleasantness, or just bad vibe, I 'gave myself permission' to pack up and go, without doing the math.  And I found that that kind of freedom feels good.  Of course, that was when I wasn't too desperate for the cash.

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Originally posted by Old Scratch

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Originally posted by TuneWeaver

I've mentioned many times that putting the fiddle away is a good time to get at tip.. These days, I make it a point to count my tips Before I leave the venue.. Three out of the past five days has brought last minute tips even after my fiddle is in the case and while I'm just sittin' and countin'.....
Also, my rule of Don't leave the venue early.. busk till the last minute.. Yesterday I was tempted to leave 5 minutes early but chose not to... In that five minutes I not only received a nice tip but got to chat with a friend of a friend and found out some important information... I'm more steadfast in following my own rules..!!

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When it comes to busking - which I haven't done in a while now, tbh - I had to learn not to be too steadfast in 'following my own rules'; I could end up creating stress for myself, which kinda defeats the purpose.  So, if I was 'tempted to leave 5 minutes early', well sir, I would just up and leave five minutes early, and not worry about what I might be missing.  And if there was any kind of unpleasantness, or just bad vibe, I 'gave myself permission' to pack up and go, without doing the math.  And I found that that kind of freedom feels good.  Of course, that was when I wasn't too desperate for the cash.

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Old Scratch you bring up good points.. I can't say I've NEVER left early.. Sometimes the writing is on the wall!! I usually have a pretty good gut feeling about it all.. Today, the 4th of July..  I knew that there would be few people downtown but still thought I'd get out of the house and make a few bucks... Well, after 60 minutes of a suspected two hour busking stint, I still hadn't received even ONE tip... time to pack it up..but I still got an hour of practicing the two tunes I plan on teaching at Clifftop..! Happy 4th, Everyone!!!

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Originally posted by NCnotes

Is it HOT to be out there?

I haven’t sat outside all week…start sweating in minutes…only early morning and after 8pm are ok to hang around outside…!

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Ha! It's still in the 80s at 8pm here in Iowa. Close to it already at 7am today. Air is out in the Jeep so I'm not going anywhere today. 

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Originally posted by ChickenMan

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Originally posted by NCnotes

Is it HOT to be out there?

I haven’t sat outside all week…start sweating in minutes…only early morning and after 8pm are ok to hang around outside…!

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Ha! It's still in the 80s at 8pm here in Iowa. Close to it already at 7am today. Air is out in the Jeep so I'm not going anywhere today. 

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HEY!!! Let's get that Jeep fixed!! Clifftop is right around the corner...

I'll be arriving in a new vehicle, 2023 GMC Acadia AT4. Pick it up on Monday. Funnily enough, turns out to be the same vehicle my folks drive, though theirs isn't the AT4, which has the towing and off road package. I'll be sending you an email soon

Well, as luck would have it..(really not luck, Providence) I was busking and a young woman started chatting and turns out that she not only can play a fiddle (played Angeline for me) but she is going to Clifftop this year for her first time... I filled her in and offered the advice of an old Sage (er...old man)... She is SO excited to be going.. hope nothing keeps that from happening..

That's fun. I hope to meet her

Well, once again.....Was busking outside a theater ticket office.. Out comes this young woman who works there regularly.. She gives a tip.. we chat.. she plays Twinkle-Twinkle on my fiddle and she has agreed to get some old time sheet music and work on it.... No, I only made $17 dollars in 90 minutes but NO money can replace the opportunities to share OT music with people who don't get to see/hear it often...NO money.
THen, I haven't discussed this in the past.. there are the, almost daily, findings of Pennies!! It has become surreal.. I consider finding pennies to be a sign of good fortune!!! Maybe some day I'll elaborate..or not..

Find a penny, pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck.

Or at least that's what I've heard so it must be true.

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Originally posted by ChickenMan

Find a penny, pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck.

Or at least that's what I've heard so it must be true.

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Yes, I say that whenever I pick up a penny... Why, once, I did NOT need luck on a particular day soze I just left the penny on the sidewalk to give someone ELSE good luck... I'm SOOOO generous