I am a whistle newbie, and was playing last night. My sister-in-law walked in and said:
“I didn’t know you were learning to play the recorder.”
I wasn’t sure what the proper response should be. Any good ones?
goesto11
I’m not.
OK. maybe you could open up a bit more.
“Hi dearest sis-in-law. Actually this is a tinwhistle. It’s a bit like a recorder, true, but it only has six holes. That makes it one of the easiest instruments to play in the world, and yet it’s immensely expressive. Here, have a go, put your hands like this…”
and while she gets to grips you banter lightly
“Did you know they used a tinwhistle on Lord of the Rings? And in Harry Potter? Hagrid plays it in one scene. And Andrea Corr plays one on stage…”
and then
“Actually I have a spare, you can have it if you like. Here, try this one…”
Two weeks later the phone rings
“Hey Goesto, sis-in-law here. My hubby feels left out when I’m practising the whistle, and he keeps borrowing mine, where can I get a spare”
“Ah,” you say, “There’s a great website called Chiff & Fipple which gives great advice on whistle purchase, uses, types etc. The people there are a bit strange, but once you get used to them they’re kinda fun too, in a low level peeling off a scab type way. They have this thing called WhOA…”
It’s Christmas Eve in the Goesto household, and there are a lot of long, narrow packages under the tree…
Martin,
You have got to win some sort of prize for the most imaginative and extensive elaboration of a two-word answer.
I am in awe of your literary prowess!
Vinny
or you could just be like
“recorder!!! RECORDER?!? IT’S NOT A *$^#@$ RECORDER YOU TWIT!!!”
But you’d probably get something thrown at you…
they’re kinda fun too, in a low level peeling off a scab type way.
Wow, I’ve never received such a nice compliment before, except when I was playing my whistle. (Someone said something with the word, ‘bloody’ in it.)
Tony
On 2002-05-30 12:45, Martin Milner wrote:
…The people there are a bit strange, but once you get used to them they’re kinda fun too, in a low level peeling off a scab type way…
Oh. Oh my. I wasn’t actually drinking anything at the time that I read this, but I’m sure if I had been, whatever the liquid may have been would have been snorted out my nose.
Very chuffed to see a “peeling off a scab” reference here. One of my favorite non-whistling activities.
You might have said that this isn’t a recorder but tinwhistle I made from that lovely new chrome pipe you had sticking out under the sink in the bathroom.
MarkB
Martin, that was brilliant. hee hee hee
Martin, humm . . . peeling a scab . . .Now we see how exciting your life is.
I think as a groups we’re far more interesting, more like popping blisters.
I say show her how to play it until she gets to the point where she really likes it. Then offer to send her a “recorder” of her own. Then send her a recorder.
"Hi sis-in-law, turn on the TV right now, there’s an episode of Star Trek on and Captain Picard is playing a whistle!! Yes, they call it a Rekessian flute, but it’s really a whistle with a tassle on.
My friends at C&F tell me that Patrick Stewart actually learnt to play the whistle, but he didn’t play it in the episode, it’s a dub. Still, pretty neat, huh?"
By the by, boys and girls, I didn’t mean to suggest in any way that we are scabs (or blisters)!
I consider the C&Fers the finest collection of humanity and Crystal People (or whatever your species might be) to be found on the planet (or off)!
- Vinny, so where’s my prize?
June 14th 2156AD
Here are the Headlines:
Galactic President for Life, Goesto11, was today finally laid to rest in the Presidents’ Mausoleum, on the planet Betelgeuse.
During his long healthy and active life, he discovered the cure for Cancer, Old Age, and ingrowing toenails. After convincing the Combined United Nations World Council that Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament and World Peace was really quite a good idea after all, he was voted World President for Life.
In 2086 he put the finishing touches to his design for a Faster than Light Drive, and the Universe was opened up fo exploration. On discovering the first off-Earth intelligent life, he convinced them that peace was better than war through the medium of music, specifically Irish Music played on a tinwhistle. The Pan-Galactic Peace Federation was born during an all night session in the back room of Paddy Clancy’s, Neptune. The next evening, Goesto11 was officially declared Galactic President (for Life).
Interred with his body was a battered Generation D whistle, which was his most prized posession throughout his long life, despite the Gazillions of World Dollars he had made (and then donated to various charities Galaxy wide).
He will be sadly missed by his fellow players and friends at the Chuff & Fipple World Peace Website.
(I think there’s a message here for us all)
Hey Martin,
Enchanting epilogue to the whistle/recorder epic. Again I applaud your stimuating and sterling contributions to the intellectual vitality of this virtual community.
About the award, alas, you will have to wait about 3 more days . . .
the scab’s not ready for picking yet.
Vinny
PS I am, however, saving the best one for you.
[ This Message was edited by: Vinny on 2002-05-31 08:56 ]