Spiritual Portal

 I'm from Whitehall,Mi. My passion for Christ I owe to my wife  who took me to a really cool church back when we were still dating. The thing that I found most intriguing about it is that it's a home for "throwaway souls" such as myself. As I read the Bible , I am finding that people have gone throught the same problems generation after generation and we are incapable of surviving them without some form of Divine intervention. Althought I still have so much to learn about how to play the crummy hand I have dealt myself, I do know that self pity is such a cop out. I have been blessed with so much in life, that when I can share some of my talents with with others in need, they seem to feel that I am giving so much, but to me it is such an easy thing to do.
  I have been interested in many forms music since the mid 70's, but it took a chance encounter  about 5 years ago with a cat by the name of Steve Hydonus who began to teach me the fine art of playing a guitar. Like I tell  Steve whenever we talk, "my playing hasn't gotten any worse, and someday I'll be as good as I  have always wanted to be."
  Bless you Steve and all others who have traveled down the same path as me. fissco1234

To Fissco

Hey what you doin' that made you such a supportive guy towards that music that flowed out of me and those occasional wierd seances of crazy humor you bring to my life. So glad that music has brought some of the same joy that it has brought to my life. May we have many more days of wonderful insanity before we rest forever on the pillow of good byes from this wonderful drama that some people give to our lives!

Steve

hello and welcome Fiasco ! :)

I mean fissco1234, but I do think Fiasco is a cool nickname, do you mind ? compliments of Steve  ;D

Interesting your comment about finding a cool church, not many of those that I know of. Divine intervention works in such amazing ways I find, all part of the Divine Plan.

Can't think of a better music teacher than our own cool cat, Steve ! ;)

I hope you jump right into some of the conversations and enjoy your visits.

blessings to you on your journey

peace & love,
Into Blue  

Into Blue, it is a pleasure to meet you! What makes my church a "cool church", at least by my definition, is first, the messages are presented so even I can understand them, and apply them to my daily life.Second, music is a very big part of the service. I'm not talking pipe organs or harps, but guitars, keys,drums,etc. The volume and tempo  of the music,has a tendancy to scare away the typical organ and hymnal crowd , only to be replaced with folks with long hair, tattoos,recovering addicts and those with less than stellar backgrounds. This is where I fit in. Judgement is left at home.The pastors have less than perfect pasts which they have openly shared with us.The God we worship is a forgiving God! Besides,the only time they tuck their shirts in is when someone dies or gets married, kind of a visual cue that something is up! Getting back to the music, although I'm still working on my bass guitar playing, with  a couple lessons from Steve, I was able to land a steady gig mixing the sound and recording the sunday services. Being blessed with a skill that share with others has really opened my eyes. All I have to do is occasionally get up on a sunday morning about the time I sometimes would be going to bed after spending a evening listening to Steve's music! HA! HA!
 Again, thanks for showing interest, thank you Steve for contacting me an turning me on to this forum. Bless you Into Blue! fissco

Fiasco

Happy that you are able to express yourself to God in your music. i think that i never went down that road because i always got the feeling that i was an outcast with my 'expanded' version of religion. It was like there just wasn't room for anything else but the Bible. i just would ask this question: What happened to all the other parts of the world when there was no Jesus there? What about all the other religions? Are we to believe that God just said: 'Well you know Isreal was the only important place for me to be on the earth'. What about everything that happened for thousands of years in different parts of the world: 'Sorry folks you missed out'.... i find this philosophy leaning on arrogance. i really do not think this is what Jesus had in mind but most of his followers seem to think along these lines. i think if Jesus met up with Buddha or Krishna today he would not try to convert them. i think they would see eye to eye about their teachings.

Steve

Welcome, fissco! With a sense of humour like that, you are most welcome here, in my view.

I'm glad to hear there's another musician who's entered here. (Guitarist of seven years experience, not had the privilege of learning under Steve due to geographical distance, but at least I'm learning from him in cyberspace, in more ways than that.)

Best wishes,

L T L 

Steve, as usual,you present me with something else to consider. You have this ability get inside my narrow mind and look for ways to expand it! Whenever I would come down to your old store for my "weekly dose of Steve", you always sent me home with more questions than answers! I really miss our chats, your music, but most of all your views. Thanks again for calling me and turning me on to a forum where I am able to learn everyday, and perhaps someday teach. Oh, your spelling is correct! Fiasco seems to fit! Best wishes.

To Fiasco: You make it sound like it was Quaalude time. You know i got a dose of your humor (it helped me deal with tangeled chords and equipment malfunctions) that left me wonderin' if i was comin' or goin'; i guess i finally realized i left. Probably too left for most of those folks. With pictures of Amma and Yogananda in the window.....well i think it was that big picture of Alfred Newman that uncannily resembled George Bush that sealed my grave.

Timothy Quaalude Leary

The general bohemian atmosphere of your church lends its self to a horror plot that I am coming up with. The motley crew that i have in mind could even be played by you and a couple guys with the tatooes. I have in mind a funeral durge with a solo on your bass guitar for the theme song. Perhaps you could even mix the sound. I need the sound of nails scraping over different objects. Can Steve play the Wallaphone? It is the latest edition to musical instruments at Wall Mart. It will be played at strange intervals to your bass parts to give an overhall feeling of dispair only awakened by shock; Which you could administer through the circuitry in the sound system and electrical system (if you have enough pazzazz to carry it off) What do you think Pepto Bismo?

 I rate this is one of my best horror creations yet. By the way; if the shoe fits the judgement will be left at home. But wouldn't it be so sweet to have it come out a little when the 'shirts are tucked in' at one of those wonderful special occasions? Don't worry Steve and Bizmo we can put a spiritual message in it all. The movie will be called; The Last Days of Sodom and Gomorrah. I have in mind shifting empahsis between meditation and spiritual revival. The similarities may bring harmony in religion. What better way then a horror flim to portray the baffling enigmas of modern day culture in the United States? Besides,we need to keep some perspective here; There can be nothing as strange as being yourself.

Alfred Hitchcock

 ;D It seems that Alfred's ideas didn't meet with an immediate reaction. i suppose anything that he says might require a certain amount of caution in response. But i would never underestimate Fissco. He is the type of guy that you might think is gone permanently than on an unexpected occasion he returns like a forgotten afterthought.

Steve

 Steve, What key are we in? Fiassco

Alfred put us in one of those low modal tunings. i think it is D dorian or aolian. You'll have to get out one of those mode books to follow us. Otheriwize you'll be groaning with the root note without knowing where to go. i have a book though. As if you did not know. It explains all the modal scales associated with those droans you here, but could not figure them out because they don't fit into the Major and Minor diatonic scales.  i'll have to send you one. It has a price of 12.95 on the back cover. Please flag me down if we venture too far out as we try to play together here.

Steve