08.03
At breakfast Matt G. played his solo, with woolly hat drawn down over his face, very honourably & enegetically; for which he received a standing ovation.
House meeting for Levels One & Two at 08.45 to present the work of the day.
08.19 A sense of the 2006-7 project flew by in the shower again this morning. It is connected to a powerful dream I had during my first night at Sherborne House in October 1975. This was a few days prior to the formal beginning of the course. I have never understood this dream, nor forgotten it, nor discussed it. But this morning I feel it might have relevance to the plans for 2006-7.
09.51 Boy, it’s nippy up here in the hills.
The House Meeting offered comments on yesterday evening’s performances. A performance is clearly a high-information event. Blast O’Crap refused to reform for a lunchtime performance, but it has been suggested to them that they reform as Take A Long Sip O’ My Ass and perform anyway, regardless of what they might want to do, or not. What a performer wants to do is irrelevant.
Tom Hell Boy suggested they honour the Gaucho aphorism – they may be ugly, but they sound like shit.
The work for the day: Level Two were asked to present the emerging new Guitar Craft theme to the Level One, to give it away as best as they were able. This requires knowledge of G natural minor. Given that some of the notes circulated in C major more properly belong in G natural minor anyway, perhaps morphic resonance between the courses is already having effect.
The exercise directs attention to the GC aphorism: we only have what we give away. This is an interesting aphorism. If we don’t have it, we can’t give it away. Against this, we don’t get to “own” something for ourselves unless we have managed to give it away.
Hooray! The sun is beginning to shine.
10.18 Patrick S. has called by Director Lodge to present a gift: Don Severinsen’s Closet on vinyl, with a version of In The Court Of The Crimson King as track one. This is one I’m looking forward to hear.
14.02 Several good performances at lunchtime, including a reformed Blast O’ Crap. A well-wisher sung along: Here comes my ass, Here comes my ass. The Hell Boys followed, but refused to allow their support act to steal the stage.
The women on the course have just begun a women’s meeting in the neighbouring cabin.
The personal meetings this morning were mostly very good, and real, and practical. Matt G., the 19 year old whose father was on 1987 courses, presented his dad’s 3-track CD with a $20 bill inside; & his own CD with $40 inside. This is honourable.
15.12 Computer frenzy: I have been editing & viewing files from 1989 & 1990 that might have value for the course. They are to be printed & displayed in the dining room.
16.33 Files from 1989 are now on the dining room walls with more to follow.
Curt & I were vibrating at teatime regarding 2006-7. Curt also tells me that Guitar Craft has the next registrar for North America, subject to Murray (the current official registrar) being consulted. The about-to-be-becoming registrar is Ralph Verde. Also, a vibrating with Tony Geballe & Paul Richards.
21.09 The new theme was honourably presented, as were the small pieces of work undertaken with quality & shown sequentially around the circle. Five minutes after this meeting, Frank spoke on the upcoming AAD 42-day course; his sense of a Location Based Performance Team; the Seattle Circle House & his view of how these might develop. Were I a young single man, Frank’s comments would have had me packing my bags and heading towards Seattle.
Fourteen articles written for Guitar Player magazine in 1989-90 are now printed up and spread around the walls of the dining room. The amount of work that was done in the first 6 years of Guitar Craft, prior to the outbreak of Endless Grief, is astonishing.
A remarkable silence visited at dinnertime. Several performances were presented during early dinner, some more therapeutic than purely musical & bravely done. An expanded Blast O’ Crap with The Hell Boys & Hell Girls, alternatively The Hell Boys & Hell Girls vs. Blast O’Crap, rendered Cha Cha Cha From Hell; then moved to Blast O’ Crap Day To You for Patrick S.’s birthday.
Silence returned & descended around 19.52 and held for 20 minutes. Activity returned, then about 10 minutes after that it was as if someone tinkled their cup to signify an announcement, but instead - in came silence once again & held for about 30 minutes, until 20.52. The final meeting is now called for 21.30.
I hurtled up the hill after dinner, trumpeting furiously. Blast O’ Crap had worked its wonders powerfully well.
23.31 Very good Final Meeting with a series of good comments, particularly those invited from the Mentoring Buddies, Frank & Deborah. Of my own declared three aims, two were achieved. The third, to respond to the needs of the course and those upon it, is beyond me. But a huge amount of help has currently been made available to GC.
The printed notices displayed on the course have been given away. The aphorisms I handed to Deborah; the House Rules to Curt; Three Approaches to Refusal to the student whose comment gave rise to it.
The course was declared completed at 23.25 and 30 seconds subject to final cleaning up. Cleaning the cabins is a responsibility that has been given to the students.
It began to rain during the Final Meeting and is now raining heavily. Had this begun before this last evening, the course would have been much more difficult in practical ways, tramping wet & muddy shoes through the buildings of the facility.
Now, a little packing. My car leaves for Santa Barbara & Hotel Quite Acceptable at 09.50.
"There are no mistakes, save one: the failure to learn from a mistake."
