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Rick, I just read a newsletter for well people re aging. It didn't apply to PD, but it did say to try to do things with your non-dominant hand. My dominant right hand is still my best, can still "type" best with it.. The left hand is much worse and was where I had my first and nastiest tremor. Ray ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rick McGirr" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 6:10 AM Subject: Re: PD/artistic ability/All >I think if I was a major league ball player, I wouldn't be one of the > noble greats who leave the game before they have to. I would play > until I couldn't make a team, just for the love of the game. What do > you mean? No, the $3 million a year has nothing to do with it! > > Actually, Scott, the thing that's getting me down a bit right now is > the fact that I have so many commitments, most having to do with > bringing in a few bucks, that I can't work on my playing the way I > need to. I can still get through a rock or blues gig fine. Most of > that stuff is 'flash and trash', as my college prof used to say. 'But > I like it, like it, yes I do!' I feel like I still have some years > left before I can't fake it anymore. I find that the individual > identity of each finger is what's diminishing, ever so slowly. But I > still have the 'groove', and if you have that, you can rock til you're > blue in the mouth. > > But actually, there's a bigger fear than playing wrong notes in public > (like that's never happened before). I think about being a spectacle > off stage. If I had to hang around numerous venues between sets and > waddle and wobble and wiggle, which I do a little bit now, it would be > hard for people and me to feel comfortable with it. (Hey! This could > be a way to get people to move my gear for me!) This would lead to me > explaining myself and PD quite a bit, which wouldn't be the worst > thing politically, but the bar owner might look a bit perturbed (like > that's never happened before). Once it gets back to the booking > agent, then you have a problem, 'cause word, like rot, would spread > around town fast, and then the phone stops ringing and you're done. > > I have a bunch of piano students, and pretty soon I'm going to have to > tell them why my arm shakes during lessons. I'll have to start > sitting behind them while they play, instead of beside them. > > I short, I may be going down, but I'm going to take as many of them > with me as I can. And afterwards, my son can entertain me. We have > similar, broad tastes, (Hey, get your mind out of the gutter!) and > he's recently done his first few decent-paying gigs with a band. I am > blessed with a wonderful wife and family, so I'm sure I'll be fine, > whatever happens to me professionally. > > I also think of my mom, a painter, who had her abilities taken away by > a stroke a few years back. She's in a home now, and they've been > trying to encourage her to try some sketching with her left > (non-dominant) hand, and she's been doing a bit. Such a struggle for > her. I got it great in comparison. > > Enjoy Fall! > Rick McGirr > Email: [log in to unmask] > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Scott E. Antes" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Monday, October 24, 2005 1:42 PM > Subject: Re: PD/artistic ability/All > > >> Hi Ray and Rick and All. >> >> Out of town over the weekend, and saw this message first. I, too, >> would like >> to know if more of our list members are musical/artistic--or if >> anyone knows >> of PD people who are artistic. Laureen (my wife) doesn't really >> talk about >> not playing piano/organ any more. It's only been few months since >> she >> stopped--and she stopped when she felt (not anyone else)her abilites >> were >> going downhill. >> >> Scott >> >>>===== Original Message From "Parkinson's Information Exchange >>>Network" >> <[log in to unmask]> ===== >>>Scott, interesting idea. >>>Well we have Rick, our hip, humorous musician. Some people thought >>>I played >>>a pretty mean piano, but I knew enough about music to know I didn't >>>know >>>anything. Have small hands and was too lazy to practice too. Years >>>ago my >>>musician teacher of 3 months asked me to "sit in for him" at an >>>almost empty >>>piano bar. I froze with fear. Does it bother your wife like it does >>>me that >>>she can't play any more? PD is such an awful thief. >>> >>>Also could paint copies of great art, but nothing original. I wonder >>>who >>>else on our List has/had artistic abilities. >>>Ray >> >> Scott E. Antes >> Department of Anthropology >> Northern Arizona University >> Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5200 >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: >> mailto:[log in to unmask] >> In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn