February Diary [we want to hear more]

Wednesday 11th February

I have been called a "dinosaur" because of my reluctance to use lots of modern technology.
I don't know anyone else without a mobile phone. I've been given them but I find them too small, fiddly and hard to understand.
I only use cash, I've got some cards somewhere but I can't find them, never know which way up they go and I've forgotten my PIN number anyway. Anything that works with a remote control will confuse me :o

I'm amazed that I can produce music online but I'm using the absolute minimum of what programs are capable of doing..... and I do that with 'muscle memory' after many repetitions of the same actions.

I'm not trying to appear weird, I have tried to learn this stuff but the left side of my brain is stupid - or is that the right side.... I never remember which :)

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Good for you Shamika! We don't have to be all the same, even if "they" want us to be. Everyone should be able to decide how to work with or without all the modern technology.

I use a lot of modern stuff such as mobile phone (Android only because I am not a victim of advertising), PC, multi effects for my guitar, whatever, but on many other things I am "old school".

For instance, all the tools I buy for my small workshop are analogue used tools that people sell off cheaply because everybody wants digital. I am happy with analogue.

Also, I don't change my TV/PC/Stereo/Sofa every 3 -5 years because there is a new model. I repair everything that I can.

Thinking about it, I am using a lot of very old things, many which have been in my possession since new:

Dishwasher: 18 years old
Bread cutter: 100 years old. Bought it last year, restored it and use it for cutting bread.
Stereo system: 30 years old Panasonic (has Minidisc player which was cutting edge then, now obsolete. Sony don't produce blanks anymore :O )
Record player: 50 year old Dual - good old German engineering
Lathe: 37 years old - Chinese made, but uses only a single piece of plastic. All steel, good quality for what it is.
Bench buffer: probably 100 years old, still polishing my bike bits
Car: 20 years old
BSA Motorcycle: 57 years old good old British steel. Marking territory continuously ever since like an oily dog.
Stratocaster guitar: 40 years old. Bought from new, won't ever sell it.
Acoustic FG 110 Yamaha guitar:~56 years old . Unfortunately not really playable anymore, and repairing is not possible. I just like looking at it.
Red Sofa: 26 years old. I have a love affair with it. So comfy.
Wristwatch: 52 years old
Grand grandfathers pocket watch, all beaten up but still working: ~140 years old.
Leather belt: 36 years, I still wear it almost every day or my pants will drop.
Sancho leather boots: 30 year old, still riding my bike with them.
Mrs. Gee: 60 years old, still in good shape. I think I'll keep her for now :D :D

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TeeGee attached the following image:

You must have an amazing memory, or a big file to record all these things. It's quite impressive. I just wonder in Mrs. Gee ever reads your posts here ? I imagine she 'rolls her eyes' quite often lf she does!

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No she does not read posts here as far as I know. But I assure you, she rolls her eyes at most everything I do. All day. Every day. For the last 34 years more or less :D

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Monday 16th February.

I don't have much to say but I thought the Diary looked a bit neglected.
My plantar (foot) problem is very slowly getting better, it started last November and since then I've not walked further than around the supermarket. I have always loved walking so this is a blow for me and the reason for my feeling down. Yesterday I added some upbeat positive lyrics to a template and I felt guilty that I wasn't taking my own advice.
I'm struggling with singing lately, can't reach high or low notes so to quote Stealers Wheel, I'm stuck in the middle, trying to find templates that are suitable for my current range. It's funny with vocals, they get better with practice but if you practice too much they will crack.
Putting the house back up for sale this week and hoping that the market starts moving again. My dream of living by the coast is feeling less likely these days.
Nice to see so many Newby wikiloopers enjoying what they're finding on this site. :W<3

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Dear Shamika,

I hope you can resume your walks soon: the rhythm of walking is conducive to meditation and music!

As for singing, I wouldn't presume to make any disparaging comments, being a complete novice in that area! However, I think some artists manage to express a great deal simply by speaking over music (spoken words), like Florence Shaw of Dry Cleaning. I think your lyrics—which are anything but soothing—lend themselves wonderfully to this!

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Thank you Didier, some good points there. I'm trying to build up the walks. I am a very rhythmic walker, if I hear music in shops I have to walk in time to it. :D
I hope some of my lyrics are soothing but I do seem to be getting a bit dark or cryptic lately. Today I thought I'd try your 'spoken word' idea on one of Hartmut's Classical templates but I couldn't help myself singing, I just like to find tunes for everything. :W

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Tuesday 17th Feb.

Since I've been at wikiloops I have noticed how many musicians have found 'partners' to work with regularly. I think that's a lovely consequence. We don't always see what happens in the private bands but certainly we see the same sucessful pairings most days on the front page. I don't have a regular partner as such but there are a handful of musicians that I always look out for and want to work with because their style appeals to me or I think they might appreciate what I can offer. And because the Loops is Worldwide you find that you build up relationships with people you may never meet or even someone who speaks a different language. Music has no boundaries :W

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Yes, Shamika you are absolutely right! The Herring King band project was made entirely with a few Loopers who I never met in person, only online and on video conference. However, through the Wikiloops meetings over the years I had the pleasure to meet a few Wikiloops legends in person. And some of these have become close friends, too. I am very grateful for this <3

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Mr and Mrs Duck were quite stupid when they decided to sit in a tiny pool in the garden of my old house. They even sat on top of the protective wire. I would have loved to know what they were thinking :)

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Shamika attached the following image:

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Edited by Shamika on 17 février 2026 à 18:02

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Lol what the Duck Shamika, your bird are indeed a bit funny

Here in western Germany we have a bit of a snow situation, it wasn't too much fun driving a 300 HP Rear wheel drive car on that stuff. But I made it in one piece :P

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TeeGee attached the following image:

The 2 o'clock coffee, it's a new thing I am trying. Helps bridge the time between lunch and the 4 o'clock cigarette and subsequent coffee. Today I am indulging in a leftover Nussecke, a very popular German pastrie B)

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TeeGee attached the following image:

The 2 o'clock coffee, it's a new thing I am trying. Helps bridge the time between lunch and the 4 o'clock cigarette and subsequent coffee. Today I am indulging in a leftover Nussecke, a very popular German pastrie B)

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TeeGee attached the following image:

While preparing for my vacation next month, I stumbled upon an unexpected surprise. :D I read the address on the Instagram account and that it's an almost daily routine on the sidewalk, but they move inside when it rains. Instruments are provided, and anyone who wants to join in is welcome. It turns out it's less than 50 km from where I'm staying, but I'll see if I can squeeze an afternoon in. ;)[youtube]cMnKdok5G6M[/youtube]

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Yesterday I had to drive our small Yaris Hybrid and realised that our front tyres are really scaring me in that kind of weather. They're as old as the car I think, or got changed before we bought it used, so I should change those... :o

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[x]send pix Gijs, or even better, a video :)

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Make sure you got good tyres at the REAR, this is most important. And yes, when tyres get old, even if they have enough thread left, they become very slippery when it's wet. I would suggest to change tyres if older than 8 years

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Yeah, thanks - at the rear we have some newer ones which are pretty good, but yesterday I realised both on the gas and on the break that with ours, the front ones need to be replaced soon...

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I'll try to remember, but I always seem to return thinking: "Maybe I had to take some pictures, if only a few." But I hope that Chongqings steampunk 3D neighborhood as extremely pictoresque as it is will remind me in time. :)

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Fivestringer attached the following image:

Friday 20th February

I noticed some snowdrops peeping through the grass today. Flowers are so clever they know when to come up and these ones were completely mown down with new turf over them but still they made it :) The grass will need mowing soon but I hate to chop the heads off the daisies, buttercups, dandelions and crocuses that all show their faces in the Spring.

I just came on to upload a vocal on Frenzie and Jonny's mix, I enjoyed writing the lyrics about amateur songwriters/producers who think they can't compete with the pros.... but of course here at wikiloops we know that's not true, we are just as good, if not better :) :W

It was a nice surprise to see a new 'diarist' enter the thread yesterday, I wish there were more - I know you're reading so why not write something us regulars can read... we're very nosy :D

PS Leicester (Football) have signed yet another new manager, 1st game tomorrow, a win would be nice but it would take a miracle to avoid another relagation, we're sinking fast :(:o

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