This is just a thankyou to all of you posters out there that have been a part of this little trip I have been taking for the last couple of weeks.
I stopped making music about 30 years ago due in part to what my dearly departed mother called "Toms vacation in VietNam". Up until that time I was a performing folksinger and music was my life. That all changed in 68 and 69 when I participated in that outrage we call the Vietnam war. I found it impossible to contain my rage at our actions there and after a couple of years of protesting and ducking it out with the LA tack squad I started a life of running from that nightmare. The sea is where I ended up. A small sailboat with no one but my cat and the entire pacific ocean. Well that seemed to work for me in that mother nature requires rather a strong commitment from those who would wounder in her majisty. And I was alowed little time to dwell on my rage or anything else. But in the end it was only a partial remady and not the real answer. A couple of weeks ago I herd song by Dick Gaughan called Revolution. Well....what a wake up call. Passion,rage you name it was there. I found his web site,on it I found a news group and in that news group I found this site. I went scurring through all my boxes of junk I have toted around with me all these years and found my dear old Guild,(still tuned in a drop D) and a gagle of whistles. Yesterday I received a treasure box from Elderly instraments and last night I sat down with a 3 dollar Sweetone in C and every tune that popped into my head popped out of that whistle.(except Clouds or Both Sides Now, what ever the name of that tune is. Couldnt figur it out) I finaly had to quit playing because my cheeks were so sore from smiling. I havent smiled in a long time. I dont know what is next on the agenda though I think I see flute in the back of my mind.
You have all been a part of this happy hapinstance and I just wanted to thank you.
So THANK YOU
Music is truly the gift that heals. It expresses our emotions so appropriately and turns them into a prayer.
I’m so glad you’ve rediscovered your music and your whistles, and that you’ve found your way to this site.
Redwolf
I wish you continued well being and a happier life. I missed that war by a year or so. I didn’t know enough to think to avoid it, so I would have gone. Looking back, I realize what a disaster that would have been for my life. I’ve come to understand that war is not an adventure. Best wishes,
Tony
Tom, your letter really touched me. I lost two cousins in Viet Nam. One died over there and another died here a week after he got back, but they were both casualties of that war. I’m reminded of what the director of “Coming Home” said when he was accepting his Oscar. He dedicated it to all the young men who lost their lives over there, and to those who still didn’t know whether or not they had lost their lives over there. I pray your healing continues, my friend.
How incredible that we can touch peoples lives for the positive without even knowing it. I wish Blackbeer only what is good in life from now on…he’s certainly paid his dues.
Agreed. God Bless you sir. It’s good to hear that the emotion of music has replenished yet another soul. I’ll drink a Guinness just for you after work. Cheers Blackbeer!
Blackbeer
Welcome back but I find it hard to believe you were not getting some sort of a smile sitting behind the tiller (or wheel) of your boat. I know that when sailing and I hand it off there is usually a big smile that goes along with it.
I was at the same “vacation” spot in 71-72. Lot of people lost themselves in that war. Be it mind or body, they were lost.
Those lessons learned unfortunately do not get passed down to the following generations current event demonstrate this clearly.
As those who attacked the country on 9/11 are finding out that they have woken the sleeping giant they will also find out that the they have awoken those who feel human rights and dignity far outweigh politics and greed. It just the cost in human lives between the two that scares me.
Phil
[ This Message was edited by: Wizzer on 2002-12-05 15:46 ]
Dear, dear Tom,
I wish I’d known my now-ex-husband before the Navy offered him that same vacation–three times. He seems to have lost something over there too.
I think you’ve scored a greater recovery than he’s managed so far and I can’t tell you how glad I am. Would that all you vets were able to find simple joy again.
Keep playing! And not just music!
M
Amen Wizzer. And yes I smiled at my tiller, or when we balanced up and my baby sailed her self for mile after endless mile. I miss the sea as does anyone who has fallen under its spell. And Redwolf that song was sent to me by my brother who probably lives down the block from you.
I am sorry for your loss Blackhawk and your words have touched me also. I am now just tingaling all over. What a fine place this is.
I am going to try my whistles in the bathroom. If I can stop shaking from all your responses. 
Welcome aboard, mate. Whistling and sailing does it for me too.
Regards,
Philo
Dear Margurite; For some of us it is impossible to share our lives with anyone. There are times when our actions are intolerable even to our selves. I share my life with a dog Hank and a horse Molly. They tolerate my behavior(God I wish I could spell) where humans would not. We are not resanable persons. I was reminded of a poem by e.e. cummings when I read the guidlines for postings. I can`t remember the name of the poem but I will find it and let you know the name. In the mean time send out thoughts of love to your ex. That is the greatest gift we can give.
Blackbeer, thanks to you for sharing it with us. Thanks for joining this crew, thanks for joining this orchestra.
Read “The Long Way” one book of a great french sailor, Bernard Moitessier. He comes to mind because he was born in Vietnam as I was, but it’s about being alone on the seas. Check out http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/071364317X/qid=1039127998/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1_1/026-3298377-0470045
(sorry for the long link, and the scrolling, folks)
Sea and music are the same; they just reach us a different way.
Blackbeer, PhilO, and whoever sails please do show a pix of your boats.
[ This Message was edited by: Zubivka on 2002-12-05 17:43 ]
Hi, Blackbeer,
Glad you made it this far. I was touched by your story…thanks for your contribution, and good luck for the future.
Best wishes, Adrian
Welcome to the Board, Blackbeer. There’s healing in the music - I know from personal experience. I too have horrible memories of that war and its effect on close friends and family members. I was working in Wash. D.C. during the May Day protests in 1971 and sort of wish now I’d been on the other side of the lines of policemen. I’ll bet there are folks in your area who’d love to have you play some music with them. And come into the chat room any evening - there’s usually a friendly and boisterous crowd there who’d welcome you.
Susan
[ This Message was edited by: susnfx on 2002-12-05 18:56 ]
On 2002-12-05 16:50, Blackbeer wrote:
[snip] I share my life with a dog Hank and a horse Molly. They tolerate my behavior(God I wish I could spell) where humans would not. [snip]In the mean time send out thoughts of love to your ex. That is the greatest gift we can give.
Aren’t animals wonderful? They (and sometimes our kids) put up with us because they just don’t yet realize we’re “not quite right” and love us anyway.
Thoughts of love? sigh I’m working on “forgiveness” and then, perhaps, love will again be possible. As I’m working on that, he and his second wife are my next-door neighbors (but off through the woods about 100 yards) so I sometimes have opportunity to practice civility as well. 
M
Mother of pearl M. You are a strong person. My hat is off to ya.
On 2002-12-05 19:34, Blackbeer wrote:
Mother of pearl M. You are a strong person. My hat is off to ya.
Ah, well, that which cannot be cured must be endured. I’m flattered you think that my “d*mned piggheadedness” has matured into “strength.”
I’m sure we’re all going to enjoy having you on the forum. 
And if you DO get one of Sandy’s whistles (as you mention in another thread), I’m sure you’ll find it even harder to stop grinning. I’ve got three (two Ds and a C) and I enjoy them a lot.
M
Well M it takes strength to be pigheaded in a compromizing world. And thanks for the welcome. I realy ment this to be just a simple thanks for all your inspiration in the last couple of weeks and I am overwhelmed with all the responses. I even had to go out and kiss my horse to help stem the tide of emotion I was feeling.
I wanted to mention to Zubivka that of course I have read The Long Way many times. Moitessie is required reading for any one who ventures out to sea alone. What makes him special to me is the courage he had to bare his soul. He was on a spiritual quest that few undertake now a days. He was my inspiration and I will dig him out again.
So…I know this has little to do with whistles and whistling and I am a little embaresed now for starting this. I realy just want to learn more tunes and try to make good music again. Thanks to you all. Tonight I rap my self in an incredably worm blanket.
Blackbeer, I can try to write out the music to Both Sides Now – Joni sings a lot of songs in odd keys (actually, mostly E), and I have E and B whistles to play along with her.
Someone very close to me spent a lot of time in Vietnam, much of it behind enemy lines eating bugs and whatever other critters he could get hold of. Whatever I think of the war, I respect, admire, and sympathize with the people who were sent over there.
Thanks Chas. Yes Joni plays in some pretty wierd keys but I found the tune in my whistle this afternoon. It will take a few more hours of squeeking to make it talerable but it is in there. My biggest problem now is the only whistle album I have is an old recording I made of Mary Bergan. And when I listen to it I cant even look at my whisles for about 3 days. My God. How does she do that. I need to find simpler stuff, less ornamentation, slower. I am downloading tons of stuff from this web site and reading all the posts I can. I am finding it hard sometimes to get through the ornamentation on songs I havent herd before just to pick up the melody. Now dont get me wrong Im not down on ornamentation I just cant do it yet.(except by mistake) I have always learned tunes through my ears not my eyes so the written word is not much help to me. I never liked the mathmatics of music. I don`t like to count. Music is passion and to me somewhat out of controll. Thats why I love it. Ofcourse I live alone and play by myself so being out of control is easy for me. I do hope to find someone to play with around here and then I will face disaplin and tempo and intune and all those nightmarish thoughts. Thanks again for your help.
T