music education and why wear grass skirts according to G

So I just got myself a uke, inspired to learn how to play it after watching the awesomeness of what the legendary Israel Kamakawiwo Ole could do with this 4 string instrument in his hands.



I learnt some basic chords (off youtube again) and starting showing off my new skills to Gary.

G: Too fast. Slower. No, slower.
Me: So slow already.
G: You know why you have to play slow right?
Me: ....
G: The ukulele is from Hawaii and you know, Polynesians they sit at the beach and they play it really slow.
Me: ok
G: You know why?
Me: Because they are chill. Because they are at the beach!
G: No, not really.
Me: Then why?
G: They have to make the song LAST LONG. All day long, there is not much to do. So they make the song last as long as possible.
Me: ....
G: They also wear grass skirts. You know why?
Me:?
G: Grass skirts mean no laundry. They don't even have to do laundry!

No one (not even youtube) does a better job explaining such things.

one can miss mountains

From the May 12 issue of the New Yorker

ONE CAN MISS MOUNTAINS

and pine. One

can dismiss
a whisper's

revelations
and go on as

before as if
everything were

perfectly fine.
One does. One

loses wonder
among stores

of things.
One can even miss

the basso boom
of the oceans's

rumpus room
and its rhythm

A man can leave
this earth

and taken nothing
---not even

longing---along with him.


By Todd Boss