Word wonders, Sunroom days ahead, singing songs
By Chuck Wiser, I write the words to share what my eyes see and my heart feels
Grammar Groan to start out this Wrambling. A two-word battle often makes many, including me, stop and think about whether the choice of the correct word was made. Two such words are affect and effect. Adding the suffix “ed” turns those words into verbs signifying that the affect was effective.
I wondered whether there were any words that had the letters “fect” as the base or root of the word. Even before wresorting to Grandma Google the considered word fectless (sp) came to mind.
Sorry Google said, fectless isn’t a word. Feckless is close, as it is “an adjective describing a person who is weak, incompetent, ineffective, or irresponsible, often lacking purpose or initiative. It implies a failure to take responsibility or to behave effectively.” Any of my searches, so far, produce words where the letters “-fect” are used as a suffix as in the common English words that come from fect include infect, perfect, and defect. Lacking any words with the hoped for prefix we’ll have to live with the ones that mean we are perfect, or are liable to infect anyone with our defects.
I don’t surrender easily and will continue my search. I do have time after all as I started writing this at 8:00 AM Wednesday so I could commit words to paper (and in Wramblings), and get them off my mind. I will likely have plenty of time if I keep the same hours as I did last night and this morning. I retired after an enjoyable Tuesday night at GVC but not until 3:30 AM. I then awoke, fully awake, at 7:30 AM this (Wednesday) morning.
That sequence of words, and their consideration, or, even searching for answers to the above, reminds me of a wish that now resides within me and comes to the surface nearly every day, as it has again just now. My wish is that; I wish my body was as young as my mind thinks it is. I don’t wish that my mind is as old as my body is…but there are signs that it is indeed beginning to happen.
On that topic I am reminded of a sign of people aging as is witnessed nearly every day, or early evening. With significant sadness I listen to the scanner and calls for intervention frequently result from a “domestic” altercation between the relationship of octogenarian married couples. My recent personal experiences illustrate how those of others evolve. Somewhat heated discussions (arguments) are triggered by one of a pair swearing that something wasn’t said or done, by the domestic partner. These often lead to physical confrontational actions and reactions, fortunately, not in this household. Memory traits are most often the trigger for this/these. What becomes a very controversial aspect of this is if one party admits to the memory problem and “gives in” on the dispute while the other never accepts that they too, had “forgotten” something and vehemently deny their role. As I often think and express, I am blessed to have lived my way into being old enough for this to even occur.
Wrapping up the Grammar Groan segment, I can’t discuss grammar groupings or groping’s without mentioning my favorite all time word, that being Queue. Pronouncing it is fun and “spelling” it is even more “funner.”
It’s almost two months away, but I want to again mention the Genesee Valley Chorus ( GVC) June 4th concert looming on the horizon, to give readers and fans a chance to mark this in, or on, your calendar. It is going to be a great presentation of music established and presented over the past 50 years. There are likely even a couple of pieces locally developed, one of which was written specifically for GVC.
Springtime has sprung in all of its glory, not just with the blossoming of flowers, but also in the seasonal opening of the Wiser Sunroom. This 12 foot square appendage to our dwelling was added specifically to give us a “window” into our backyard, and the many spring and summer visitors it allows us to observe. I’ve already spent a couple of hours sitting in the Sunroom, aka the Bird Room. By the time the weather turns back too cold for said visits you will have been bored to death Weading my Wramblings about, and from there.
I don’t wrecall if I mentioned it, but would be surprised if I hadn’t. My ring finger “metacarpal bone repair” is healing nicely. I heal fairly quickly and much to the dismay of my wife, and maybe even the surgeon, I am almost back to normal in the use of that hand. I typically heal rapidly and although not necessarily “fast”, but at least “half fast.” Note: If you pronounce that quickly and it sounds like two words that might be offensive to some…don’t blame me.
One problem I have with my proliferation of comments or stories is being able to distinguish, or remember what I have already written about not only in my Wramblings, but on Facebook. When I duplicate sharing of comments or topics I am not always able to distinguish if I did either or both. I don’t want to bore you with my repeat of an already shared writing. I keep a notebook handy near my recliner, and even one in my truck, listing my potential topics. When I compose something using the reminder from the notebook I usually cross a line through it to record what I’ve already discussed. If mentioned on Facebook, I don’t cross it out in my topics. That reminds me…I did make a notation in the truck notebook. I’ll be right back.
Nope! No notes in my notebook, but I did find something even better. When I opened the door of my truck my eyes immediately were drawn to the CD Holder that had appeared at my house recently. I had been listening to the music copied thereupon on the way to and from Olean yesterday. The CD was dropped off by Chris Kier, a local musician and music teacher. I befriended Chris while active in the Olean Barbershop music chorus when we performed in Coudersport several years ago. Chris was, and is, the leader of that group still. In our recent joint concert with the Mosaic Women’s Music choir in Obi, Chris was a musician playing a “horn” in the “brass ensemble” instrumental group named Quintet Six. During an intermission I went over and re-introduced myself to Chris and chatted awhile in remembrance of our past association. Chris introduced me to his son, a member of that ensemble as well.
Chris’s entire family is involved in music and upon inserting and listening to the CD, I can see why they are. A few of the recorded songs were from our previous shared singing experience, and with all due apologies to Chris I sang along as I drove. I found myself, as I am wont to do, singing a harmony part that was not already in the music on the CD. From my earliest love of music coming into the future I don’t typically sing the melody, unless I’m practicing for a more formal song outing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” … or on the horizon.
In most mixed choirs and choruses the musical parts are divided into Bass (the lowest notes), Tenor, Alto, and Soprano. An additional Lower voice part between the Bass and Tenor parts, known as Baritone, is also added. In Barbershop style singing the parts are basically the same except a “Lead singer” voicing is added and the musical part is basically the “melody” or main tune that would come to mind if you were singing any song. The traditional musical scale is the old stand-by; “Do, Re, Me, Fa, So, La, Ti, Do.” In barbershop style the 1st, 3rd, 5th notes are sung by the bass, tenor and lead singers with a 4th voicing of the 7th note (or other) is sung by the Baritone. I have previously sung (not necessarily well) all of those parts being blessed (or cursed) with the ability to sing a range of notes from very low, to very high.
You are safe from me as I am singing one of the songs from Chris’ CD that is very well known to me. “In The Garden” is one of, if not THE, favorite songs of my mother, and also for me. At the ripe old age of 12, that was one of the very first songs that I learned to play on the harmonica.
I will wrap up this Wrambling with a poem, another that was turned into music by the talents of Dave Dunbar, “Why Do We Write, Why Do We Sing.”
If you have any comments, questions or concerns please email me at IM.Wiserdad@gmail.com
