2013 - Hopes and dreams

[ONeill]

Ah those were the two boys alright.  Both gone?  That's a good un about Hall Green.  There were no pubs of note when I was there.  There was one on the way out of the city on the right hand side.  Pool table but not that welcoming.  Stayed on a floor in Acocks Green for my first week. I can vaguely recall some Irish Club in that area I'd have watched the odd game in but it was dead. Is the travel agency at the top of Studland still there?

The Irish scene was thriving then. Some great bands and musicians.  Is the Irish Centre still there? It was dying on its feet when I left. 

I was back once a few years ago and it was all changed in the city centre.  Seemed to be thriving. 

[ziggy90]

Ah those were the two boys alright.  Both gone?  That's a good un about Hall Green.  There were no pubs of note when I was there.  There was one on the way out of the city on the right hand side.  Pool table but not that welcoming.  Stayed on a floor in Acocks Green for my first week. I can vaguely recall some Irish Club in that area I'd have watched the odd game in but it was dead. Is the travel agency at the top of Studland still there?

The Irish scene was thriving then. Some great bands and musicians.  Is the Irish Centre still there? It was dying on its feet when I left. 

I was back once a few years ago and it was all changed in the city centre.  Seemed to be thriving.

I can't for the life of me think of any pub on the right hand side of Stratford Rd on the way out of town once you passed through Sparkbrook. There were plenty on the left including the Mermaid, Antelope, Bear and College, each of those would have been proper "Irish" pubs although if you were a stranger I could well understand your unwelcoming remark.

The Irish Centre is indeed still there albeit under private ownership (Galway family). It underwent a complete overhaul (management, staff and premises) and from all accounts seems to be doing very well again. It's now a popular setting for big Amateur boxing tournaments as well as being as it always was a great venue for live music.

The city centre has changed beyond recognition in the last twenty years, and with the new Bull Ring, Broad St, Arcadian and Canalside Entertainment districts does seem to be holding it's own (in spite of the worst recession in my lifetime).

Anyway, if you ever decide to visit give me a shout and I'll give you a tour of Somaliland your old haunts.

PS I might even include St Andrew's in those highlights  .

[Hardy]

Just following up on the piano learning - in case anyone else finds it useful, I've ended up using http://www.instantpianogenius.com mostly, at least for the basics. I assume I'll graduate to other stuff as I progress (if I progress), but this is brilliant for quickly learning your way around the keyboard, the chords and the relationships between them. I couldn't believe how easy it was to learn and memorise them with this method.

I'm working on the "finger memory" now, just trying to get the chord shapes and transitions to come naturally at this stage. Again, I'm finding it easier than I expected and I'm really surprised at how quickly the finger memory develops.

The goal is to be able to play Blueberry Hill spot on - not just by learning that tune, but by working from first principles. If I can do that within a year I'll be delighted.

Anyway, the point of the post is encouragement for anyone thinking of starting. So far it's much easier than I feared and great fun.