Subject: RE: [Harp-L] SPAH -- Who's Going?

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Chris Michalek writes:
 
"Well as much as I would like to say I'll be there to show y'all how
our  funky little instrument is supposed to be played. :-)  Chances
are very  good that I will not be there.  I have this little thing
called  pneumonia and I haven't been handling it very well to the
point where I've  been told not to play for at least six weeks.

So I'm hanging out in the  heat convalescing as I think about how much
fun it would have been to be the  hurricane at the jazz jam, trading
licks with Howard and his Ocarina,  starting fights with Buzz Krantz,
bringing certain "god-status" harp players  to frustration and tears
when challenged because it's thought that I can't  play blues", seeing
all of my old friends, drinking yugoslavian plum  brandy,  magical
moments during private in-room jam sessions with people  I've never
met, the icy stares from people I've pissed off in the past,   buying
coffee for Filisko (he really likes that), thinking about buy  coffee
for FJM who is a bigger coffee snob than Filisko, freaking out  Brad
Harrison by eat of his plate, driving around aimlessly looking for  a
restaurant that is still open at 4am, having Winslow give me lessons
on  phrasing until the sun comes up, getting my own room while paying
for half  because somebody thinks I snore, having serious conversation
with people like  Ben Nathanson only to get blown away by how much
he's improved in the past  year,  meeting some punk kid that can
overblow better than me, stealing  $5 bottles of water from the maid
cart and not sleeping for a  week!

I'm gonna miss you all!!"
 
.....you sound nostalgic, Chris.  Sorry to hear about the  pneumonia.  Not 
fun when you use your lungs for your  career/avocation.  Obviously your 
intellect is still intact: just rest  up and make sure your physical health catches up 
to the rest of you.  There  will always be another SPAH's waters to roil.
 
Wish I'd known about Joe's fondness for good coffee at Buckeye when he  spent 
a lot of time playing waterboy at the teach-ins.  Since I  make the very best 
coffee, I suppose I could bring along some of the  good stuff.  Can't lug my 
coffeemaker on the plane,though.   Then there's the grinder, the special 
filters, the water.... on second  thought  Starbucks is looking better and better! 
 
  I do rather like that "icy stares" bit, though.  Since I'll  never be as 
good a harp player, maybe I could get some pointers on how to  achieve those at 
least?  <g>
 
Elizabeth