2017 – Page 12 – Random Connections

The Statistics of Shape Notes

March 21, 2017March 21, 2017 Tom No Comments

Music

NOTE: I started writing this post a couple of years ago and for whatever reason never finished it. After this past weekend’s William Walker Singing I decided it was time to dig it back out.

After my disasterous attempts at leading a couple of songs at the Sacred Harp singing at First Christian Church last Friday (back in 2015, when I first started this post) I decided that I needed to familiarize myself a bit more with the material. I put together a method for studying, and came up with a simple, mobile solution for having my favorite tunes on hand. In the process, I also stumbled on a community obsessed with record-keeping, more so than just about any obsessive sports fan I’ve ever encountered.

2017 William Walker Memorial Singing

March 20, 2017March 20, 2017 Tom No Comments

Local, Music

I almost missed it. A friend had posted on Facebook that he was attending the William Walker Memorial Shape Note Singing and that it would be this weekend. My original plans for the weekend had been changed, so I thought it would be a good chance to head over there. It had been awhile since I’d been to one of these singings, longer than I had thought, as it turned out.

African Drumming Class

March 19, 2017 Tom 3 Comments

Local, Music

While I’ve been able to find several venues where I can play my banjo, finding a venue for the new drum has been a bit more problematic. We weren’t able to find a drum circle while we were down in Florida, so I looked for options in Greenville. A friend online mentioned the Greenville Unitarian Universalist Church. But, of course they would have one. It wasn’t exactly a circle, but it was interesting.

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Corporate Music

March 19, 2017March 19, 2017 Tom No Comments

Entertainment, Family, Music

If you Google the phrase “Coporate Music” (as I did) you get links to royalty-free music clips with an industrial/business feel. Either that, or you get links to diatribes blasting mass-produced pop music. However, my use of the word “corporate” is more like how we use the phrase “corporate worship“, an act of cooperation in the production of music. Over the next couple of weeks I’m going to have several posts about such corporate acts of music, from organized groups to spontaneous jam sessions.

Spring Break in Florida

March 15, 2017 Tom No Comments

Family, Music, Paddling, Photography, Travel

Spring Break in Florida. Sounds like it should be a wonderful escape. However, when the trip revolves around caring for an elderly parent things can get…complicated. Such was this past week. There were some nice escapes, and we spent lots of time with Laura’s mom.

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Catching Up – A New Lens

March 6, 2017 Tom 3 Comments

Gear, Local, Miscellaneous, Photography

I know February is a short month, but it’s hard to believe I’ve let it slip away and that we’re now in the first full week of March without any kind of update. I could blame it on being too busy, or that I’ve had a cold, or a dozen other excuses, but mostly it’s just not getting around to it. Regardless, here’s an update, mostly focusing on the acquisition of a new camera lens and the outings to give it a test run.

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Help Save SCIWAY.net

February 19, 2017February 19, 2017 Tom 1 Comment

General Technology, Local

Ten years or so ago I was active doing workshops and presentations for SCETV and various technology conferences. One of the resources I cited consistently was SCIWAY.net. The South Carolina Information Highway (SCIWAY, pronounced “sky-way”) has been a fantastic clearinghouse of information about the state. Later I became involved with the site’s South Carolina Picture … Read More “Help Save SCIWAY.net” »

Exploring the Old Santee Canal – Part Four, Paddling the Canal

February 16, 2017February 16, 2017 Tom 1 Comment

Geocaching and Maps, History and Genealogy, Paddling, Photography

Second Saturday had finally arrived. I’d spent Friday exploring Berkeley County, specifically the Old Santee Canal Park. Now I’d be joined by my fellow kayakers from Lowcountry Unfiltered to explore the upper end of the old canal from where it enters Lake Moultrie. It was time to get on the water.

Exploring the Old Santee Canal – Part Three, Moncks Corner to Santee

February 15, 2017 Tom 2 Comments

Geocaching and Maps, History and Genealogy, Photography, Rambling

So far I’d had a great day out exploring. I had an interesting visit at the Old Santee Canal Park, and the next day I’d be paddling part of the canal from Lake Moultrie. Now, however, the afternoon sun was sinking and I had to get to my night’s lodgings. Along that route I found some more cool bits of history.

Exploring the Old Santee Canal – Part Two, Old Santee Canal Park

February 15, 2017 Tom 1 Comment

History and Genealogy, Photography, Rambling

The target of our Second Saturday adventure was the old Santee Canal. In the previous post I presented a bit of the history of the old canal. Now it was time to do some ground-truthing. I was heading down a day early so that I could visit the Old Santee Canal Park and as much of the surrounding area as I could.

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30	31