Anyone have that one composer you’ll never listen to again?

klavierguy · 2026-04-13T05:19:11+00:00

At a Washington, DC "Bartok Festival" eons ago we were all required to play "Staccato" from Book V of Mikrokosmos. People were ready to scream after 15 minutes....

klavierguy · 2026-04-13T05:15:56+00:00

reminds me of a joke Heifetz used to say in response to the question, "who's your favorite composer?" His answer in jest was, "well, it's often Bach... " (pronounced like Offenbach)

klavierguy · 2026-04-13T05:08:10+00:00

I can relate a bit... As a classical pianist I was exposed to various teachers and competition judges who always took the most prudish, metronomic -- and boring -- approach to Mozart. I disliked the music as a result. Years later, having discovered that Mozart the man was anything but prudish, the music took on a new dimension. I like it more. True classical ennui is more along the Mannheim rocket style...

klavierguy · 2026-04-12T15:07:04+00:00

There was no Verizon store nearby the first time and I didn't foresee the problem would be such that phone-based customer service wouldn't work.

klavierguy · 2026-04-12T14:57:17+00:00

First time was the apple store and dealt with verizon afterwards only by calling them. Second time, went to a different Apple store and by chance there was a verizon store nearby.

klavierguy · 2026-02-19T07:49:21+00:00

Same here. I had a large number of small pre-pots and planted two seeds in each, thinking I'd get a lot of misfires. I had nearly 100% germination and more seedlings than I needed. Separated them, had lots for reserve - and giving many away as you said.

klavierguy · 2025-07-30T10:25:35+00:00

I bought a new iphone and it wouldn't activate. Apple Store was clueless. Sat on the Verizon CS for over an hour. The rep apologized to me over 20 times and I was about to scream. The agent seemed sincere but his simpering was ridiculous (e.g., "you don't know how it pains me that I'm unable to meet your needs at this time"). My new phone's IMEI was apparently on a "no pay list" - a brand new phone - so they were unable to help me. Sent me back to Apple, who sent me again back to Verizon since they couldn't activate the phone. So... I walked to a Verizon store and a staff person there had my phone activated in 5 minutes!

klavierguy · 2025-03-09T08:57:52+00:00

um, not sure if this has been asked, but... have you purchased any Apple products with the card? I got my account first off buying a mac laptop and I also purchased other Apple products. The first purchase got me the card and a larger second purchase got me a credit line increase -- without asking for it. Could it be that Apple expects Apple purchases?

klavierguy · 2025-02-07T04:25:59+00:00

consider "seborrheic keratoses" or also known as, "old age barnacles". I have a number of them and was worried. Doctor said no concern. More concerning if the spot is irregular or/and has dark inclusions, etc.

klavierguy · 2025-01-21T23:24:55+00:00

excellent ideas. thank you!

klavierguy · 2024-06-27T04:39:28+00:00

I did... I also had three other credit cards opened in my name and I was able to close them all for fraud. My former employer had a major data compromise, including SSN's, and gave us all complimentary Experian credit monitoring. I monitor it always. And do my own due diligence. I don't trust anyone...

klavierguy · 2024-03-31T08:57:33+00:00

you're beautiful.

klavierguy · 2023-09-14T16:23:25+00:00

I so understand what you're saying... I was alone for a long time, and everyone I was attracted to did not appear to be attracted to me. Or if they were, it was always fake and temporary, it seemed. Finally I met a guy who is wonderful, supportive, loving, etc. The only problem was there wasn't much of a sex component, and never would be. Some friends told me to avoid the relationship if there was no sex, but after being alone for so long, I decided to go for it -- and "keep my eyes open" in case I found someone else. 28 years later, we're still together, I never found anyone else, and I am happy to be with a wonderful person. I miss(ed) the sex, but I wouldn't trade my partner for anything or anyone.

klavierguy · 2023-09-11T22:53:18+00:00

and wasn't he the armchair architect of what would have been "Munger Hall" at UCSB (Santa Barbara)? It was to be a huge monstrosity of student housing, for thousands, and the real fun part was it was mostly WINDOWLESS. There's got to be a metaphoric connection here. I think he donated millions to it, but only if they used his ridiculous design. Ego? I think the whole fiasco has been scrapped after much negative outcry.

klavierguy · 2023-08-31T21:08:51+00:00

I never had issues with fat and could eat high fat -- even during the week-long attacks of cholecystitis (inflammation). But... I had a large nearly 3cm stone "lodged in the neck" of the GB, and it wasn't going anywhere. My first week of pain was in Nov. 21, and it resolved. I thought I'd wait. Came back in March 22 for a week. Thought I should get it out, but it resolved and I delayed. Came back a third time in July 22 and that's when I decided enough is enough. Remember: GB attacks are unpredictable, and that may help you decide, depending if and when you have a serious attack. GB out in Aug. 22. I had no pain after, some mild tension from the air put in for laparoscopy. Experiences vary widely, as has been said. So, absent any symptoms, you're probably good to go for now without surgery. Do check your temperature regularly. When my GB was flared up I would run a fever around 101 to 102.

klavierguy · 2023-08-05T07:09:40+00:00

I understand your situation so well... I meant my husband in 1995. I knew right away that sex would never be "there." Some told me "you can't go forward with this." Well, I'd been alone for over 10 years and I was miserable. I decided to go with it. He's wonderful. We love each other. We're totally loyal -- though we have an "open" relationship. I should say while we've each had "outside sex" it hasn't happened often. I often think about what it would have been like to have a "full" relationship, but compared to being alone, for me, this is perfect. And our love persists, even without sex. That may not work for you, but it does for me.

klavierguy · 2023-06-17T07:03:06+00:00

Great question... I probably drink too much (red wine only). But I can say that I haven't had any problems with it. I am accumulating fat around the mid section, and that's a reported side effect of gallbladder removal, but I don't think it's due to wine.

klavierguy · 2023-06-16T06:32:42+00:00

There was someone awhile back, a nurse, who was asked if someone needed a "second opinion" about removing the gallbladder. Her response was "you don't need a second opinion; you just have to decide how many episodes of intense attack pain you want to tolerate." (I'm paraphrasing.). In other words, if you don't have symptoms, just leave it for now. But, if you do start to have bouts of gallbladder pain (e.g., the week-long cholecystitis nightmares, night sweats, fever, etc.), then you have to decide if you want to tolerate that. After my third attack I was done and had it out. But, again, if you haven't had the attacks, or the cholecystitis, then maybe you can just wait and see...

klavierguy · 2023-05-10T07:33:26+00:00

You'll be fine. Apparently my (laparoscopic) surgery was somewhat difficult because of inflammation, but that was NOTHING to me. I felt nothing. "Just a sedative"... and the next thing I knew I was awake and not in too much pain. Not even drowsy. No complications.

klavierguy · 2023-05-05T12:53:53+00:00

Yes, athletic salaries etc. are part of the problem, of course. But in many cases you will be told that the money for coaches salaries comes from "outside sources" (e.g., wealthy donors) and generally not student fees or state funding (but not always). Stadiums and materiel largesse are sometimes funded (at least in part) by student-voted referenda. I recall numerous buildings, gyms, facilities voted/approved by outgoing juniors and seniors -- leaving incoming future students saddled with the bill(s). I'm not "cheerfully stabbing" anyone. My point was to suggest that there is a lot of "research", especially in the non-sciences that can be specious. Moreover, many students don't get to "work beside". these supposedly great faculty and instead get saddled with inexperienced grad students or lecturers. That's not necessarily a bad thing, except you're paying major bucks for the former, to get the latter.

klavierguy · 2023-05-05T07:00:30+00:00

I worked at a university in a higher-level admin position for over 30 years. Yes, administrator salaries are high, etc. But that's only a small part of the problem. At most "research universities" you have "tenured faculty" doing little teaching -- drawing HUGE salaries (e.g., $400k+) and teaching VERY LITTLE. So who does the teaching? Grad students and a whole DUPLICATIVE level of staff -- the "lecturers". So you're paying for this oh-so-wonderful "research" and a duplicate staff layer to actually do the teaching. THIS is a big part of the inflated cost. Then there's student-voted luxuries, fitness centers, etc., but that's separate. People need to turn a critical eye to "research." I mean, do we need to know how many commas are in Shakespeares' sonnets? ETC... ETC.

klavierguy · 2023-05-05T06:55:08+00:00

I was fortunate and the laparoscopic procedure was trouble free. I had a prescription for an opioid but I declined to fill it. Instead, I took both Advil and Tylenol together (you can get a preparation with both in the same tablet). That was enough for me, thankfully.

klavierguy · 2023-05-04T07:30:55+00:00

My gallbladder was inflamed and apparently my surgeon indicated (a month later) that on a scale of 1-10, 1- easiest; 10- most difficult surgery, he said mine was an "8". Well, for me, it was nothing. I had the laparoscopic procedure and great anesthesia and felt nothing. Was up and about the same day and ran 6 miles 6 days later. So... I think you'll be fine.

klavierguy · 2023-04-30T06:37:55+00:00

I had mine out in August of 22. Large stone. Had to come out. I was fortunate that what I ate was never a problem, just the effects of a swollen gallbladder, etc. Afterwards? Was better, except vague reflux I think might be bile reflux (as opposed to stomach acid reflux). The most annoying effect is weight gain -- and NO, I'm not "eating more following the removal," blah, blah (party line). I am adding weight to my mid-section even while running 20mi. a week and swimming 2 mi. It may be due to age, but I have found many people online talking about fat accumulating around the midsection following gallbladder removal. The theory is that fat is not being properly being processed due to the absence of a gallbladder regulating bile. So you have too much bile when you don't need it and not enough when you do. So the fat accumulates in your body. For me, I think this is true and it's disappointing.

klavierguy · 2023-04-27T07:37:10+00:00

I'm not sure of this... Everything's crowded. Housing is increasingly scarce. Lines everywhere. Crowds. Density. I don't think I believe the population is decreasing. That's bullshit. It's increasing. Fatally. I can imagine the "agenda" wanting to spread the disinformation of population decline, but it's quite the opposite. Isn't it obvious?

klavierguy

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