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Sarah Manya's avatar

Love this piece, Roddy! And the ending: “we will get through these times and blossom into a different kind of flower.” I’m going to hold that phrase close.

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Peter Stahl's avatar

Beautiful journey -socks on the scales thankyou for the lift :)

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Mary ONeil's avatar

There are no words. Oh wait- there are... and you're really good with them. xo

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Chris Cardone's avatar

Amazing post, Roddy! As a longtime fan, I will say your journey in learning your chosen instrument(s) has paid off in dividends.

When I hear your parts on songs like ‘Chinese Arithmetic’, ‘As The Worm Turns’, and ‘Midlife Crisis’, to name a few, they’re still as arresting as when I first heard them years ago.

Learning and perfecting any craft can often be torturous. But when we look back on where it’s taken us in our lives, even the influence of mentors we were happy to be done with counts as part the process.

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Roderick's avatar

Why give up something that knows you so well and always gives back at least as much as you put in and can take you to places you can never get to on your own? Not sure I buy the Jonestown explanation. From what you write ( so well) there was trouble in the bedroom before then!

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Can of Leaves's avatar

This took me on a trip I did not know I needed this morning. All my siblings and I went on vaguely similar music-lesson sojourns. Piano. Violin. The only one that stuck was voice lessons, for which I took a long RTD ride of my own to a studio on Sunset. What was it with our parents and the obsession with music lessons?

Also: I knew Walter's sister. We sang in Madrigals together.

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