The return of the Bard!

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Apr 13, 2018
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Greetings Wise Ones!

Let me introduce myself and tell why and how I came to be here.

In 2008 my wife had a brain tumor removed and I was homebound with her. I spent my weeks and months quietly reading the Wheel of Time series then. Harry Potter was on hiatus and my favorite librarian suggested this series.

I found the chapter summaries a great aid in following the story, so with al'Google, I found Tar Valon.

Reading the books, I find I identify with Mat as both a hick and a jokster. Having taught music most of my life and being a champion storyteller, I appear to many as a gleeman.

I do have a flair for the dramatic and am reading the series (a chapter a day) to my wife. She is quicker a picking up clues than I. I have already read four Rutherfurd novels to her this year!

Since you ask, I am centrally isolated in Missouri. I am functional in Spanish, can barter in French. I attempted Irish and Chinese. RJ seems to have some background in languages, judging from his naming conventions. Our daughter majored in East Asian Languages and speaks Korean, Chinese and Japanese. It keeps me from reading her cell phone or spying on her web pages!

As for favorite authors, JK Rowling, Edward Rutherfurd, Terry Pratchett, Dan Brown, ..... I am enjoying the liberty of being free to read for pleasure, not work. No more Donald J. Grout, or Willi Apel.

Anyway, since I find the chapter summaries helpful, I decided to sign up this time through.
 

Asandra al'Terra

Marquise de Sparkle
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Welcome, Mathias! Glad to have you here :)
 

Nebka Galyn

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Hello and Welcome!!!

We are in a "free week" celebration right now so some of us do not have our usual faces or signatures... We are nearing the end and things will be back to normal soon
 

Cahalan Sothron

Meme and Money Queen
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Welcome! It's always great to meet more WoT fans!

What instruments do you teach, or are you a vocal teacher?
 

Adanys Wynterwulf

Sparkle Spren
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Welcome! It's great to have you here!
And I found TarValon the same way you did! I was always using the chapter summaries. And it took me until I was nearly done with the series to come to the forums :D
 

Eliza Al'Shaw

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:welcome

So glad to have you with us! The library is indeed a helpful place for understanding the books, Chapter and Character summaries had me thanking the light more than a few times during my first read through! Will this be your first re-read after completing the books?
 

Jarl Lewin

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Welcome, Mathias! You will fit in wonderfully here! And as Nebka Sedai pointed out, things are bit unusual here at the moment for Bel Tine. But I've always my nose in the book . . . even on free days :)

As a daily kilt wearer and aspiring piper, I love your avatar! You wouldn't be teaching pipes now would ye? Am trying to give it a go with Bagpipe Solutions.
 
Joined
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:welcome

So glad to have you with us! The library is indeed a helpful place for understanding the books, Chapter and Character summaries had me thanking the light more than a few times during my first read through! Will this be your first re-read after completing the books?
This is my first re-read. I figure at least two years minimum to re-read the series.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Apr 13, 2018
Messages
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Location
Missouri
Welcome, Mathias! You will fit in wonderfully here! And as Nebka Sedai pointed out, things are bit unusual here at the moment for Bel Tine. But I've always my nose in the book . . . even on free days :)

As a daily kilt wearer and aspiring piper, I love your avatar! You wouldn't be teaching pipes now would ye? Am trying to give it a go with Bagpipe Solutions.
Welcome, Mathias! You will fit in wonderfully here! And as Nebka Sedai pointed out, things are bit unusual here at the moment for Bel Tine. But I've always my nose in the book . . . even on free days :)

As a daily kilt wearer and aspiring piper, I love your avatar! You wouldn't be teaching pipes now would ye? Am trying to give it a go with Bagpipe Solutions.
An aspiring piper! Do you already play another instrument? Do you read music? Pipers, unlike fiddlers, expect you to be able to read! I recommend a practice chanter before trying the full set of pipes. In fact, I recommend electronic pipes first -- the blowing is a problem! Once you've memorized a couple dozen tunes, then and only then try the full pipes. Get a piper to make sure they are adjusted first, though. I had an experienced piper who would pull me through those rough spots and I passed any students or playing gigs on to him.
 

Fern Al'Thorn

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:welcome
Glad you decided to join in the Madness.. err.. community that we have here! if you need any help with any thing just ask!
 

Onis O'Leia

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Welcome to Tar Valon!
 

Jarl Lewin

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An aspiring piper! Do you already play another instrument? Do you read music? Pipers, unlike fiddlers, expect you to be able to read! I recommend a practice chanter before trying the full set of pipes. In fact, I recommend electronic pipes first -- the blowing is a problem! Once you've memorized a couple dozen tunes, then and only then try the full pipes. Get a piper to make sure they are adjusted first, though. I had an experienced piper who would pull me through those rough spots and I passed any students or playing gigs on to him.

I mostly play guitar, but also organ and tinwhistle . . . all by ear. I can read music (sort-of-ish) but am not accustomed to it. I have a Dunbar long practice chanter recommended by another pipe instructor. To be honest, my goal is simply pleasure, but even then I don't think it worth it to go it alone except in the most exceptional circumstances! I did recently discover that there is an instructor relatively close to home, so I might give that a go.
 
Joined
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Messages
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Location
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I mostly play guitar, but also organ and tinwhistle . . . all by ear. I can read music (sort-of-ish) but am not accustomed to it. I have a Dunbar long practice chanter recommended by another pipe instructor. To be honest, my goal is simply pleasure, but even then I don't think it worth it to go it alone except in the most exceptional circumstances! I did recently discover that there is an instructor relatively close to home, so I might give that a go.

Dunbar is a good Canadian maker of bagpipes and accessories.. I was rather startled when I started getting into the pipes to find that the music was notated and preserved. Of course, all pipers play by memory -- you have no free hands. Piping competitions can be intense about detail. Weird. I have a set of Gibson Great Highland Pipes and a set of Gibson Firesides. The firesides are smaller and quieter, good for playing with a guitar or fiddler. It will be worthwhile to have an instructor. My best to you on that.
 

Jaryd Kosari

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Welcome to the Tower!
 

Alora Sionn

Mama Wolf
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Welcome! You sound like a nice gent to know, glad you found us and that your wife is doing well! :)
 

Anujun Trahearn

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Welcome to the shining city, Mathias! It's nice to have another musician around, although if you teach music then you are certainly more experienced than I am :) I play guitar; acoustic and electric; and occasionally a tin whistle (and I just got a bamboo flute in Portland!).
 

Liam al'Eire

Poet Laureate
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Welcome and well met!!
So glad you found us, and happy to hear your wife is doing well!:D
All y'all have me beat...I used to play saxophone, but haven't picked one up in years. I plan to get back into that, and possibly learn guitar.:barbershop

If you have any questions, feel free to send me a private message.​
 

Tsubasa Kamui

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Welcome to Tar Valon!!! :pleased-1:
 
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