Seasonistas general thread: yakking, joshing, news and pictures

I don't know if this is permissible to post, but I'm trying to raise funds to get some ukuleles for my first grade classroom. I have 22 students and my goal is to put a uke into every child's hands so they can perform an easy song at the school's holiday show in December. As some of you know, I teach at a school filled with impoverished students in a high crime area of Los Angeles. I've been enjoying playing for a year now, and I find it therapeutic and joyful. It's my hope to provide those same feelings to the children I serve.

If you have a used uke that you are willing to donate directly to me, that would be awesome; DM me and I will give you further information on how to send it to me at my school. I've been fortunate enough to find a kind and very generous soul on UU who donated three new ukes to my classroom this week, so I need an additional 19. Every bit helps.

I'm using DonorsChoose.org to help raise money to buy new ukes, too. The campaign through DonorsChoose will help purchase a dozen ukes. If you are inclined to donate through DonorsChoose, I would be extremely grateful. They are currently matching funds up to $50US for a short time. Here is where you can donate: DonorsChoose.org Ukes for the Holiday Show

As for what I hope to teach the children to play for the holiday show, my goal is to teach a song with just three chords (C, F, and D), and an easy one at that. I'm rewriting the lyrics to the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want" to be child friendly:

You can’t always get what you want.
You can’t always get what you want.
You can’t always get what you want.
But if you try sometimes, you just might find,
You get what you need.

I asked for an Xbox for Christmas
And a PlayStation too.
Under the tree were grandma’s best cookies
And she wrote on the card I love you.

You can’t always get what you want.
You can’t always get what you want.
You can’t always get what you want.
But if you try sometimes, you just might find,
You get what you need.

I wanted a cool Lamborghini
Or maybe a Ferrari that’s red.
I’d settle for a fast motorcycle.
I got a bicycle instead.

You can’t always get what you want.
You can’t always get what you want.
You can’t always get what you want.
But if you try sometimes, you just might find,

You get what you need.

Anyway, if you've read this far, I'm appreciative of your time and thank you for whatever help you can give.
Kind regards,
Ila
 
My mate's latest hobby is drone flying and taking aerial footage. This Is his latest footage of a steam train chugging through Goodrington, Torbay, Devon, he found some fantastic bluesy music to accompany It. He deserves more comments on his channel................

 
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Thanks to you amazing people, my DonorsChoose campaign was successful, and today I received a dozen soprano ukuleles. I am deeply grateful for the kindness you have shown to me and my students. I now have a total of 17 ukes out of the 22 I need for this class. The children are excited beyond imagination, and as soon as I tune all the ukes up, I'm going to enjoy a cacophony of six year olds strumming their hearts out.
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Great to hear that the kids are getting their ukes!

Meanwhile I've just been passing through Newcastle where I've been visiting my mum. In exciting celebrity news, Ray Laidlaw, the drummer from Lindisfarne (I'm sure it was him) was also having lunch in the cafe where me and my mum went today. Obviously I asked him to guest on the drums next time I do a Lindisfarne cover for the Seasons.

At least, I did in my head. I left him alone :).
 
I actually made this video for private consumption, but someone suggested that it might be of interest to anyone who fancies a scary climb up a hill in Southwest France. You will be relieved to know that no ukuleles were involved in the making of this film! Herewith ...





P.S. I wasn't REALLY driving that fast!
 
This is a project put together by Noah Diamond, a Marx Brothers fan and expert. It's about music used in Marx Brothers movies and people in the present day performing the music. I show up at about 22:30.

 
This is a project put together by Noah Diamond, a Marx Brothers fan and expert. It's about music used in Marx Brothers movies and people in the present day performing the music. I show up at about 22:30.


song writeritis? hahahahahahaha. I know a few of our seasonistas friends who have that disease too. :giggle:
I fast forward just to see you, Alan. Wonderful playing and singing from you!
This looks like a lovely film to watch with some snacks after work. Thanks for sharing!
 
Strange videos make their way into my YouTube feed. Today i saw this and it made me laugh.
You gotta stay on past 1 minute to get why the video has that title.
It is quite funny. To me.
If you are feeling down maybe watch this.....
 
In case anyone thinks I spend all my time faffing about on the ukulele, singing silly songs, THIS is what a wild mountain woman has to contend with once a year when she lives halfway up a hill in South West France and wants to stay warm over winter. Today, I have shifted and stacked one cord of wood, being 128 cubic feet. I am feeling inordinately proud and my back aches!

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After two and a half long years, the successor to the House of Eisley has finally been chosen. My wife and I haven't agreed on a name yet -- she calls him Best Boy like the movie credit, and I call him Kaiju like the giant movie monsters. But it took us a couple of weeks to arrive at Eisley's name, so I'm not worried.


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After two and a half long years, the successor to the House of Eisley has finally been chosen. My wife and I haven't agreed on a name yet -- she calls him Best Boy like the movie credit, and I call him Kaiju like the giant movie monsters. But it took us a couple of weeks to arrive at Eisley's name, so I'm not worried.


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Good news that Eisley is going to be replaced, Jim ... although, of course, Eisley could NEVER really be replaced. The new "chap" is very handsome, though. This video just came up in my feed and I thought of you
 
Strange videos make their way into my YouTube feed. Today i saw this and it made me laugh.
You gotta stay on past 1 minute to get why the video has that title.
It is quite funny. To me.
If you are feeling down maybe watch this.....


Nyango Star is awesome.
 
Didn't know he was a sort of celebrity! It really lifted my mood up when I saw that video!

The identity of the drummer behind Nyango Star has been the subject of speculation among the drum / heavy metal community since the player is a total beast. The consensus seems to be that it's a pro drummer, but no one really knows for sure.
 
In April, I did a video in Season 531 of a circa-1980 song from the Boston band Human Sexual Response called "Jackie Onassis". Apparently this song was even more obscure than I thought, because YouTube is STILL checking into the copyright status of the song.
 
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