The pinnacle…

[kcp]

You are going to have to forgive me, I need to get this one out of my system .
Since I was 10 years old I wanted very badly to play saxophone, there was no music program at my school and my parents were not rich, so no matter how much I bugged my parents, they never bought me a sax. I finally bought my first saxophone when I was 16. - Fine, ok, I don’t regret this as it taught me a lesson about earning and hard working.

By the time I got my first sax, my parent got divorced and I lived with my mother who thought and repeated to me constantly that the saxophone was a waste of time and money - Fine, ok, I can live with differences of opinion and I don’t care since it turns-out that that first saxophone was the best investment I have ever made; Having a hard time to find a decent job to afford to go to college, I played on the streets to make ends meet. That also was something that my mother never approved of - Fine, ok, I can live with that too.

Today my parents are retired. I live with my boyfriend and together we own several saxophones and various other musical instruments for which we have worked very hard to earn (and which my mother still qualifies as a waste of time and money) - Fine, ok, I can live with that cause now I’m 30 and I don’t give a @”%&*# anymore.

Tonight she called me to ask me to go to the music stores downtown to get good deals for her on a used violin, a cello and a stringed bass… :? Err... ok, sure, I can do that. But what for I asked? Well, you see since my mother retired a couple of years ago, she and her hubby have bought a new house, which they now plan to decorate (as in hang on the wall :shock: ) with various musical instruments…….. BTW I’m looking to buy a baritone sax ma! *hint* *hint*?? I won’t hang it on the wall that’s for sure. Gee, can you believe that?

[GT]

As you can tell from the amount of posts that I have, I do more reading than typing. But, I can appreciate what you're saying here. Just remember that the mindset of a musician is generally a unique perspective. We're kind of a different bunch. We do what we can to keep the music alive. The mindset of a non-musician, however, considers what we do and the sacrifices that we make to be utter folly (i.e. a waste of time and money). But that's o.k. They'll never get it! You have a healthy attitude about it in that it doesn't bother you anymore. Love her while you've got her.

And keep dropping hints about that bari :wink:

Regards,
George

[Riff]

Hmmm., going to a music store to buy wall decor? ...no deals to be found there I'm afraid.
On the other hand, if they're willing to spend that kind of money here's my suggestion.
Buy used instruments dirt cheap on ebay. (they don't have to be playable and your mom can spray paint them any color to match her decor)
The money she saves over shopping at a music store can serve as your "finders fee", which you will then apply toward the purchase of your baritone sax.

(new student violin at music store = approx. $300)
(old junker on ebay = approx. $50, can of spray paint = $5)
(finder's fee = $245)

:twisted:

[John Robinson]

Keep the faith, Kim. I live with that negativity everyday - my wife thinks I'm an idiot - I just bought a new tenor. Mouthpiec-itis is a disease she will never understand - but like you I've learned that I really don't care.

[Tenorsaxer]

Wow. I guess I have always been blessed with a great support system. My mother is supporting me in my efforts to become a pro sax player. Sometimes i guess I take it for granted. Keep Playin Kim, dont stop.

[kcp]

Riff: I admit that your idea is tempting, but you know I wouldn't have the heart to do that to my mother.

... Keep Playin Kim, dont stop.
Don't worry 8)

[Andres]

I live with that negativity everyday - my wife thinks I'm an idiot

You and me both, John. It's funny how sax (and music related) items are reviled as expensive timewasters, yet whatever hobby the spouse is into at the time get enough money thrown at it to finance a small, private island (complete with natives). :dazed:

On the other hand, I do believe that women dole out the "idiot" label to any and all men that they are curently "involved" with...for a wide variety of infractions. :roll:

Mouthpiece-itis is a disease she will never understand - but like you I've learned that I really don't care.

Cripes...get out of my head! :lol:

[LBAjazz]

God I love my wife. Never any grief, even after 23 years.

[johnsax]

Kim,

You might find this interesting. It seems you're not the only who feels this way about musical instruments! It's from a website devoted to the french horn:

http://www.btinternet.com/~l.a.jackson/help/problems/advice4.htm

John

[Owner_of_Artemis_R_Sax]

I'm lucky as in Artemis was my dad's old horn, so I never had to buy a saxophone. But I can relate to you, Kim, in that I when I was younger, all I wanted was a pet bird, and I was told that I would have to raise the money to buy him. Fifteen dollars is a lot of money for a kid, but I worked hard making and selling cookies until I had enough. It always makes the purchase itself more special when you've earned your own money....but I would have been very upset had my mother then went out and say, bought my brother a guinea pig or something. Sometime's it's just not fair....grah.

[ashkelon]

And then there's this socially ambitious woman up the street from me with the very, very, lovely sterling Haynes flute on the wall. Been on the wall for 15 or so years now. I played it (took off the wall in a drunken fit :wink: ) when she first hung it up there and it was sweeeet.

Bought in AZ pawnshop (if I believe her) for 20 bucks. I made her several offers over the years, until I realized she was enjoying it way too much.

Last time I was there, I saw that she'd drilled and screwed it to the wall, so I took the time to show her a couple websites and watch her get a little sick over screwing herself out of a chance at a few more designer sweat suits :twisted:

It still makes me itch when I think about it. Sort of like the MKVI lamp over on Bear's site. <UUUUGGGGHH>

[Amy]

Tonight she called me to ask me to go to the music stores downtown to get good deals for her on a used violin, a cello and a stringed bass...........as in hang on the wall

They're gonna hang a stringed bass on the wall? :shock: Aren't stringed basses those HUGE things about six feet tall? :lol: