Whats the haps?

[Goblin Shark]

A couple years back, I donated a couple of my basses (really nice ones I've extensively gigged and toured with) to the music department of the school I work at, and they're inspiring the next generation.  The department takes excellent care of them.  Only students who have truly earned the privilege get to play them, and they've been gigged with the pit band for school plays, gigged with jazz ensemble at concerts, etc.  I'm thrilled that they're not sitting around languishing, but are encouraging new musicians to reach higher in their new home.

I remember a few years ago finding my 6-string languishing in a music store.  Since few bassists use 6ers (and I was an avid 5-stringer at the time) and I had brought in my 5 for a setup, the folks at the store encouraged me to try out a new Ibanez 6er they'd gotten in, since no one else would.  I tried it and liked it, but then I asked about this greenish-blue 6er on the shelf.  The folks said, "Eh, one of our guys has been trying to unload that for a while.  He'd probably give it to you for cheap."  So I checked out the bass and noticed that despite its no-name branding, it had some seriously high end components and was superbly built.  And when I started playing it, I knew I had to have it.  I ended up buying it for $420.  I learned that the bass was a handmade custom jobber by a pair of top notch luthiers that probably would have cost over $2K when it was first commissioned in the 1990s.  I didn't really play it much until recently with my new musical project.  It's just so much fun to play and I'm glad it found a home with me. 

Similar story with this one: http://www.guitargurullc.com/images/Swirls/Swirl9.jpg
Back in 2010/2011, I was looking for a backup bass (something $500 or less) to use with my old punk band and I found this LTD Children of Bodom sig model languishing in a store with a $200 price tag.  That bass normally retails for $850.  So I bought it and used the extra money to have a luthier friend of mine swap out the electronics and give it that incredible custom paint job.  I've gigged that thing a lot and it is one of the best sounding basses I've ever owned. 

[Frostillicus]

^ I've been thinking about learning bass, because I am planning on giving my son a drum set in the next year or two (he has a fantastic sense of rhythm), and I think it would be fun to jam together.

Haps: I've started "lifting" (resistance bands + bodyweight) again, after taking about 4-5 weeks off to let my elbow recover. Could only do about 2/3 of the reps/sets that I could normally do. The first few times after a break always suck (when it comes to confidence in your ability), but of course it's better than continuously aggravating an apparent injury...

[Rucks]

The motor mount on my car is cracked.  Or at least I think that's what is wrong with it.  I'm going to have a professional look at it on Monday and then replace it myself if that's what it turns out to be.  I don't feel like ripping my coolant reservoir out and then putting it back in in this cold if I don't have to.

[Electricb7]

I dont have heat in my car :D
Real shit son

[Agent D.]

I dont have heat in my car :D
Real shit son

I don't NEED heat in my car!

#therealest

[Tomara]

I don't have a car!

I'm I the most realest now?

[Arvis]

I AM a car!

[Frostillicus]

I dont have heat in my car :D
Real shit son

Stupid question, but did you check your coolant/antifreeze level? My wife's car stopped blowing hot air recently, and I read that one of the most common causes is coolant issues. I checked, and sure enough, it was almost bottomed out. I filled it up, and then there was plenty of hot air to go with hers.

[Tomara]

I AM a car!

''

So... are you a Transformer or a lesbian?

[Electricb7]

I dont have heat in my car :D
Real shit son

Stupid question, but did you check your coolant/antifreeze level? My wife's car stopped blowing hot air recently, and I read that one of the most common causes is coolant issues. I checked, and sure enough, it was almost bottomed out. I filled it up, and then there was plenty of hot air to go with hers.

Yeah that's the first thing I checked.

[Goblin Shark]

Gridiron football (aka American football) is a big thing in my workplace, community, etc.  Being in Philadelphia Eagles country, Super Bowl mania is at a fever pitch.  I don't recall living in an area where the home team made it and the fanbase was so infectiously fervent, so this is a totally new experience for me.  Because the high school I work at is a football school, I've been really getting into the sport the past several years.  NFL football is the only American pro sport I follow to any extent. 

I've also learned that gridiron is on the rise in Europe and The Netherlands has an American Football league.  Man, I would LOVE to buy a Den Haag Raiders jersey to support the team, league, and evolution of the sport in the country/region of my birth (I was born in Voorburg, just outside of Den Haag).  But, sadly, there seems to be no way I can find where/how I can procure one.  I don't just want a T-shirt.  I want a jersey like the actual players wear. 

Today was a "wear an NFL jersey day" at work because of the Eagles being in the Super Bowl.  I do not own any NFL gear, so I wore this Newcastle Knights rugby jersey that my late father procured during a business trip to Australia.  People asked about it and once I offered my logic that rugby is the father of gridiron, the reaction was a, "Hey, that's cool!"  But, man, I would have loved to be sporting a Den Haag Raiders jersey today.  It would have been a totally unique conversation piece. 

[Rucks]

^ that's awesome/had it really been a month between Haps on here???

[Annubis]

I blame Discord (I really need to try and be more present there...)

[Arvis]

I was worried that the forums would get too quiet once we had the Discord.  That's what happened.  Oh well.  Things change.  I like the Discord.  But I do miss a more active forum.

As for the Super Bowl, Nick Foles is one of my favorite players, so I couldn't be happier with the result and how he played.  When he first stepped in after Wentz's injury, all the pundits said "That's the end of the Eagles' hopes".  But if you look at his history, he had a lot of promise.  His down years all had mitigating circumstances.  So I had tweeted out "Nick Foles will surprise some people", even before he had started a single game.  However, I never imagined in a million years he would have won the dang Super Bowl!!

And played two of the greatest back to back playoff games any QB has ever put together in order to do it.  Amazing.

[Goblin Shark]

I live in Eagles country and everyone's ecstatic.  I recently moved to a new town a little less than a month ago and found out that Corey Clement is from this town.  So he's a true hometown hero.  Considering that Foles and Clements were backups to Wentz and Sproles, can you imagine next season when Wentz and Sproles are back?  Yo, that would make the Eagles unstoppable.  If their second strings could outface Tom Brady and Bill Bellyache...

I'm also thinking that the NFL is on the cusp of change.  The era of the franchise quarterback seems to be coming to a close.  If you look at the 4 semifinal teams, 3 of them had quarterbacks that aren't franchise material at all (Foles, Bortles, Keenum).  Blake Bortles nearly took down Tom Brady. 

And now with the Winter Olympics, March Madness, and World Cup football/soccer coming up, we are incredibly spoiled when it comes to sports this year.  And, naturally, I'm rooting for Team Netherlands in the World Cup.  It's crazy to think that the World Cup is the only time you could walk into an American sports bar and no one is rooting for America. 

But it also saddens me that while men's sports get all the glory, the womens' divisions are doing amazing things and no one cares or knows.  Like the US womens' ice hockey and football/soccer teams are international legends, yet they're nobodies here.  That is a crying shame.  And for March Madness, I plan to do both a mens' and womens' bracket.  Last year, the womens' team from my college (UAlbany) made it into March Madness. 

And with the Winter Olympics, I think a major dark horse will be the Japanese women in ski jumping.  They've been quietly dominating international competition lately.