dmiller

ps -- J-45's that are around 55 years old are selling for 4,500 bucks (these days), and that is even with some damage to them --- and NOT in pristine condition --- as yours appears to be. ;)

Curious -- what is the model number, and what is the serial number?? They should be *branded* into the block of wood inside the guitar where the neck joins the body. It looks like an old J-45 to me -- but I could be wrong.

Surprised they even got a mention at all. Nice to hear they are reduced to a single sentence though.

Back in 76 (or 77), Dean E. was our twig leader in Bloomington, Indiana. He played a lot at the coffee houses at the university there during that year. At first we (I) went to hear him cause he was Dean -- but later went just to hear him pick. He did stuff that wasn't *word oriented* in his sets, along with twi songs as well. I always liked his shows. He was always professional during those performances, and had a great rapport with the audience -- students, believers, and coffee junkies in general. :)

Kathy -- page 23, post 454. :)

Gotta love the twi *mindset*. <_< Is there a space ship coming to take them away?? I hope they get on board.

I'M BETTING TWI WOULD SAY THIS GUY IS POSSESSED. :blink:

So far the attendance list looks like this --- Ex10 Ex70's Ca-dreaming (maybe) Tom Strange (and maybe *she who must be obeyed*) George St.George (and wife a maybe) Tonto T-Bone Doojable I Love Bagpipes Goey dmiller (maybe) Belle (maybe) Sudo (maybe) Suda (better than maybe) and now TempleLady. I'm putting in my request for time off. I may not get it, but dang !!! This looks too good to pass up! ;)

"Hey!! I'm just *hanging out*. No e-mails, please!" <_<

Another !!! b-day! Yer ganging up on us!! Hope it was a good one. Did Cindy! and Steve! take you out for pizza??? ;)

:B) :B) :B)

Hmmm --- I skipped a part. Don (my Jesus Freak chemistry partner) kept inviting me to his fellowship (called the LightHouse), and I kept putting it off, until he told me about a guy there that had an old Gibson mandolin that he brought to fellowship to play along with the rest of the band. That was the “bone tossed to the dog” that finally got me to show up at one of their meetings. And they weren’t half bad at all. Kinda like the modern day “Praise and Worship” outfits you see these days. So I kept on going, and met 4 folks who would really influence the rest of my life. They held meetings (usually) on Friday nights, so everyone could go to other churches on Wednesdays and Sundays to check them out – and then come back to the LightHouse, and let everyone know where HOT services were held., if anyone was interested in going. The LightHouse group was a supplement to whatever church you personally liked to go to – and I liked that. This was in the 1972-1973 era. I met Mary Vand*rw*rp. (to whom I got married to in 1975, and got divorced from in 1985), met Mike and Jane Moody (now both deceased) – and the four of us became fast friends. Then a new person started attending the LightHouse – one Bill M*rt*n, and he let us all know he was with twi, and was there to see who would really like to learn God’s Word. Being the inquisitive, rambunctious, argumentative folks we 4 were – we sat with him for many hours talking about the trinity, Holy Spirit, on and on. By now – I was living in the house with the Navigators, and heard someone talk about OM (Operation Mobilization), and decided to go to Italy for the summer, to “evangelize”, as that country was their main focus for that year. Italy was a real trip. Spent most of that summer in the Naples area passing out tracts, gospels of John, and witnessing in the public square. Die-hard bluegrasser that I am – I took the banjo along with me. The leader of our particular group had a bullhorn that he used to witness to whomever was sitting around on the public benches, so he wouldn’t have to shout to make himself heard. We would always get their attention. He had me uncork my banjo from it’s case, and he put his bullhorn by my Five, while I played Foggy Mtn. Breakdown into it, with the notes blaring out into the town square over our portable loudspeaker. After enough (cough!!) dissonant notes – we had the full attention of every one in the area! It was a lot like going WOW. Going somewhere you were totally unfamiliar with, although with OM – they had a network of “believers” in the area who were willing to give you housing and meals, and support – so we weren’t totally alone in a strange land. We got used to sitting down to 7 course meals, home-made wine, and spirited conversation pretty much every day we were there. Came back to the States, and found out that Mike, Jane, and then Mary had all taken some class called pfal – and now they were saying the same things that Bill did – that we all argued against before I took off for the summer. More later -----------

Dang -- how are ya doing?? Drop in, and say hi (or something!) Here's wishing you have a happy birthday, and hoping things are well on your side of the *big pond*. :) "Cymru Am Byth!"

I'm pleased to help (in my own small way). :)

I wondered who Josh was. I shoulda recognized the ! after his name, and drawn the logical conclusion!! :) Happy Birthday !!!!!!!!!!!! (Ps -- how are you! and Steve! doing -- Cindy! ??? Good to see you here again.) :)

My story is really nothing spectacular or heart wrenching like some that are told here. Mine is an average story of an average guy (me), looking for something a little better in life, when it came to spirituality, and trying to connect a little better with God and Jesus. I guess this is similar to a lot of stories – anonymity, small fish in a big pond, someone no one really notices in the big scheme of things.. I was raised Catholic, went to the local parochial school (grades one though eight), and got out of being an altar boy in the 8th grade. In seventh grade – all the boys were taken from the classroom, to go over to the church, and learn the duties they were expected to perform as eighth grade altar boys. I was rescued from the ordeal by my music teacher Sister Regina Marie, who grabbed me and one other guy (her two prize students), and told the Monsignor that we would play the organ for his masses (held daily before class), and that she would not allow us to be altar boys. She was a tiny person, but a great music teacher on any instrument – strings or keyboard.. Barely over 5’ tall – but she had a way of getting in the face of anyone who went against her wishes. God help the person she decided to confront!! Short of the long of it is – I got to play the big pipe organ at the church there for daily mass, before we went to school for the day. Got out of eighth grade, and got into the public school system. What a shock. I was used to being in one classroom all day long with the same folks day in and day out. Suddenly I had to move from one classroom to another, once I got to high school. I missed the closeness we all had in the grade school, and found myself going back to talk to Sister Regina Marie. Asked her if I could go into the church, and play on the organ after hours. She told me – “Well you know where the key for it is – just remember to turn it off, when you are finished.” In those days – the church was unlocked 24/7 –and anyone could walk in at anytime. This was before I even had a driver’s license. We (my family), lived about 1 mile from the church – and I would hop on my bicycle, and head to the church for a righteous evening of music with an organ with 3 keyboards, all the pedals, big bank of pipes, and a church with acoustics that reverberated like no one’s business!! Many a time – I left the church after midnight or so, and found a note attached to my bicycle, thanking me for what I had played – left by some soul who had been there seeking (who knows what), but thankful that I provided music for their prayers. Needless to say --I was humbled. Got into college, and met a guy who was in a Jesus freak group. He was my partner in chemistry class. He started talking Jesus to me, which I hadn’t really heard from the Catholic church.. Then – the same year –I went with my folks to Southern Illinois, to visit my grandma, and ended up in a Pentecostal meeting house (church) a few blocks away from her house. They did an altar call, and I responded. Grandma was p!$$ed that I went there instead of Mass. After that trip was over, I got back to Indiana, and then got involved with the Jesus Freak group – where I met the lady I would marry, and another couple who had a big impact on my life. 1974 –I was living in a house with the Navigators, and decided to go to Italy with Operation Mobilization., as a missionary. When I returned – 1974, both my intended, and the other couple (Mike and Jane Moody) had taken the class. Took a bit of doing – but they finally got me to take the class too. That’s enough for tonight.

I love Martin guitars -- especially the older ones. To be sure -- there are a bunch of nice one's out there today --- made by private luthier's, but it's hard to beat the Martin sound. :)

And this was quoted because ????? (Just curious).

Hmmmmmm. A husband who says *Yes Dear* all day long, might disagree!!

Kathy -- watch the post numbers in the upper right hand corner. There is (usually) 20 per page. ;) Back to topic -- all I can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! Who'd a thunk a Uke could sound like that!?!

Counterintuitive?????? He shoulda been *counter-intuitive* when they passed the ammo over the counter!! :D :D

<_< <_< <_<

Yes they do!