I am a whistle neophyte. I just recently discovered I could actually make a somewhat musical sound with one. I didn’t know I could play an instrument without strings (some might say I am still not playing the whistle).
Should I be concerned with the rapid and fervent fascination I have with these little cylindrical objects? Not only did I develop WhOA almost immediately, I am now “seeing” whistles. I caught a glimpse of half of an old aluminum tent pole in the corner of the barn last night, and I had to do a double take. I could have sworn it was a low d whistle. This has happened more than once. Should I be concerned?
Muuuaaahahahahah!
Gotcha.
Be scared, very scared.
Welcome to the utter madness of Chiff and Fipple, Turas Mor.
You have been assimilated.
Welcome aboard!
i couldn’t play any whistle for 3 days and was actually lurking for a concertina 
now that was madness. i should be able to play that thing with a belgian passport but every time i pushed, i felt like i had to blow out, every time i pulled, 't was like i had to breath in . i don’t think these concertina players breath at all unless they have diatonic lungs 
but i’m on the ball again, just played half an hour on the low D 
welcome to the board turas 
My condolences.
Well, welcome to the fold anyhow.
The purported problem is what, exactly?
Welcome…
Philo 
I’m with PhilO, this would be a bad thing how?!
Welcome!
Be very scared…be v-e-r-y scared… 
All hope is lost. Give it up – you can’t get away from the whistle. Don’t even try.
On the other hand, you could do a lot worse. As addictions/obsessions go, this one is a heck of a lot of fun!
Steven
Hide the check book, cut up the cards and remove yourself from all accounts to which you currently have access. Most of the instruments are fairly cheap, i mean inexpensive, but even with a few gifts here and there it has added up to a few hundred dollars so far.
I like brass, shiney, hypnotic brass. Wha…, yes Serpent, oh, is that Mr. Burke calling me?..
Naah. When you grab a drill and hacksaw and start working over that tent pole, THEN you need to be concerned.
I keep eyeing my vacuum cleaner and wondering how a low whistle made of that piping would sound.
Never look Michael Burke in the eye. Avoid him at all costs.
BTW, you do know that the penny whistle is the gateway drug to much harder and more expensive drugs such as uilleann bagpipes and flutes, right?
Its even worse than it sounds on first telling, folks.
Our neophyte whistler is actually a potential whistle MAKER!
I don’t know if you’d call my lungs diatonic, more like semi-chromatic. They toggle as they should, except when I’m playing reels.
[quote=“fancypiper”]
BTW, you do know that the penny whistle is the gateway drug to much harder and more expensive drugs such as uilleann bagpipes and flutes, right?
Now that is scary. How did you know? I was actually looking at practice chanters on ebay. But… no, no, no!!! What would my neighbors think? Besides, I don’t think I could operate both of my elbows independently.
Thanks for all your comments. Though I don’t see surprise from any of you on my recently acquired obsession, and some seem unrepentantly gleeful at my condition, I sense a form of shared compassion.
At least I’m not alone.
Well, as they say, misery loves company, and if anybody can make company miserable, it’s a frustrated whistler. 
Once we are deluded into thinking we can make and play anything, there is no end to the madness. I recently made a five-foot didgeridoo because…because…I had to. It works and plays a perfect rumbling B-flat.
Also Mr. Burke is sending me some stuff in the mail, and I want a concertina, and some uilleann pipes.