dmiller

Hey there NYU. These are as about as correct of an answer as you could ask for. :) Personally (and no disrespect to you Skyrider), I also believe the *programming* began at pfal, and even earlier. Promises of the *special knowledge*, promises of *guaranteed* answers to prayer, promises of affluence, promises of this, that, and many other things --- got folks to their first TWIG, and then it REALLY began. (Twig leader: Welcome and God bless you in the name of Jesus Christ!! Welcome to twig!! How Ya doing??) (Twig response --- GREAT!!) Then came the songs, the manifestations, the teaching, closing prayer, etc. I think that right there is where the *programing* began, although I'll agree with you that at later stages, the advanced class was just as instrumental as the first twig a person might have gone to. The *EXCLUSIVENESS* and *SUPERIORITY* of twi was lauded early on in anyone's (and everyone's) involvement right from the git go. As you know -- the more you stuck around, the more you were encouraged to go further. Many newbies (myself included) got hooked right then and there. I'm convinced that the desire to aspire to the advanced class, started right then and there. Could be wrong, but that's my imo about it all, cause that's how it was for me. *Learning is an exciting adventure*. Uh-huh. Yea. It is. But NOT on twi's terms.

Ahhhhhhhhhh!! The Big Bambu'!!!!!!! Click the pic for a blast from the GSC past!

There really is no finer music than Bluegrass. Yup --- I'm prejudiced, involved, and completely guilty of any other charge you may want to lay at my feet. but; I have to ask --- >> "WHERE are you going to find adults interacting with youth, like you do at a festival?? What other musical genre do you find the older folk sharing, caring, and actually teaching the younger kids how to do things like they were done in the *old days?? Well -- not being familiar with ALL musical genres, Im guessing it could happen. But given that --- how many eight year old kids do you hear trying to emulate a Clapton lick, out on the front porch with their Dad, learning Layla?? It isn't a happening thing.. But banjo, mandolin, fiddle, guitar and mountain tunes are. Mainstream America has been sold a bill of goods -- when it comes to entertainment We (as a country) are being told what to accept, and what NOT to accept). Some of us -- will accept the label of *hillbilly*, *backwards*, *you-name-the-label*), because It really doesn't matter. Labels are nothing. Teaching the next generation counts more than labels. As always ---- just my imo. :)

PS -- I meant to add It's good to hear your getting the medical care you need. About d*** time!

There ya have it , straight from the (uhhh) horse's mouth. :unsure: She and I have always had a good exchange with each other. :) Prayers sent back and forth when in need, that sort of thing. This site (GSC) really can bring out the best in folks, if a lighthearted attitude is taken. Get too serious -- and minor posts can come across as attacks. So with that said -- Hey there BB --- >> Just re-measured the fiddle bows. I need 26 1/4 inches (in length) of hair for the three of them. 1/4 inch wide, on all of them as well. So --- if you've got 31 inches *to spare* --- You could give me everything I need for these bows, an still be *stylish* in Phoenix! Whatcha say? Eh?? David

I never had a *Childhood* dream. I learned banjo at age 19, and that (maybe) took the place of the childhood dreams (had I ever had one). There wasn't anything more important in life (then), than picking banjo like the folks I heard on records, or in concert, or at the fields at festival jam session that I might have been lucky enough to be a part of. Yea --- I know --- low aspirations, but they were high ones for me at the time! Hmmm. Now that I think about it, I haven't raised my sights much higher (in the past 30 some years). A friend of mine on another site has the signature line of: Your Wealth Is Not Measured By What You Have; But Rather By That Which you Have, That You Refuse To Take Money For. I agree.

Bingo! Sadly (or maybe not), you've hit the nail on the head.

Ya know -- I never did doubt GOD'S ABILITY TO DO, despite the vehicle (twi) that originally taught that to me.

Johnny just moved here to Minney-soda from England. He holds the (Guinness) world record as the fastest banjo picker on the planet. You can hear him here, playing every instrument --- Johnny Butten (edited to say ---) Woops --- My apologies. This should have been in the open forum. My bad. Paw? Any Mods? Move it to the correct forum please. Thanks. :)

Jonny -- just be kind, eh?? You'll be around for a long time. ;)

Ya had to be there. It was in 1986 or 87 (I forget exactly now), but it was in the dead of winter. I was getting divorced, and estranged from the house I used to live in. I was living in a Way house across town, and Chr!s Gr@nlich was in charge of the area, back then in the same house. I was coming home from work (11 pm or so) during a MAJOR snow storm. My pos wow-mobile got stuck at an intersection of two roads because of the heavy snow, on the way home. Dangerous. Even at that time of night, it was a *busy* intersection. Out of nowhere --- 3 fellas ran out of the storm, one yelled at me to get in the car, and drive. (I had been out of the car, trying to push it out of the snow I was mired in). I got back in, took the steering wheel, and they pushed me out. The driver side window was open, and I turned to wave thanks. But there wasn't a one of them there. Neither had I seen the car (if they had one) behind me when I was stuck. The minute I was unstuck, they disappeared. My sanity, veracity, whatever might be called in question, but have at it. I was there. You weren't. There was one other time, I did something very foolish, and I needed financial help to get me out of it. Totally broken -- I asked God to help, cause I sure couldn't do it on my own. I looked out the window of my dining room, and literally saw the name (of a friend of mine) floating over my back yard in really big letters. Needless to say, I gave him a call, and I got bailed out of the situation. Some doubt. Others question. I prefer to believe. :)

I don't have a problem (anymore) using phrases from twi. They're valid (and applicable) to many (if not all) situations faced in life by those of us who used to be in the cult. I look at the phrases from twi the same way I look at their doctrine. It was lifted from someone else, and though they used it to our detriment and their benefit, it doesn't negate the validity of the statement, eh? Just my imo. :)

"Have You Ever Met An Angel?" Yes. Once that I know of. There were three there. I'll let it go at that. :)

This additional post to add --- Tony Rice (the guitar picker and vocalist) can no longer sing due to throat cancer. He can't even talk (without croaking), these days, but he can still pick.

This One Says A lot!! Jerry Douglas on dobro Tony Rice on vocals and guitar Doyle Lawson on mandolin JD Crowe on banjo Bobby Hicks on fiddle, and the unknown bass player!

Hey there Mstar --- Lol!! That was on another site I go to, and I thought folks here might get a kick out of it! ;)

If you can, it'll change color. Frustrating doesn't even BEGIN to describe this! Click The Ball

Amen.

Don't feel too bad about the flowers. Living here on the North shore of Lake Superior, my Iris have yet to bloom, and the rose bush just flowered a week or two ago. Wish the dandelions would do the same. :(

Unitarian Universalist Church, and this crap happens! :( Shooting

That's no excuse!!! Ya need to make time for your *real* family*. :P Cool beans! You just do what ya gotta do. The world will survive. ;)

Glad to hear you have an over the counter sedative, WD. :)

Rood's a trip, eh?? ;)

Add me to that list also. I never ever did see a man as being better than a woman, merely because of his being a man. On that note -- there was a bank in Minnesota that fired women when they got pregnant. The pregnant women fought back, and got the issue taken to court. The court decided that anyone who stood 8 inches from a wall, and their belly hit the wall, should be discharged, until they could stand there, and not touch the wall. The bank lost 2 pregnant women, and 3 vice presidents!! Needless to say --- the women returned to work!