 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2003-12-08 14:04
A stray Siamese cat recently adopted my wife and me, so we took her in rather than have her stay outside and eventually give us lots of little Siamese cats that won't go away.
Last night she got into my office/practice room and knocked over my piece of glass where I had 4 V12s drying. Except now I can only find three of them.
I'm quite upset. If she needed a good reed, she could've asked me instead of swiping it. How should I punish her?
I'm so mad I'm DEFINITELY not going to her recital now matter how much she meows.
________________
Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.
- Pope John Paul II
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Author: msloss
Date: 2003-12-08 14:11
24 hours being forced to listen to the collected works of Kenny G.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2003-12-08 14:25
Do not jump to conclusions. This requires a thorough investigation. She may have actually been protecting your reeds from a group of vagabond arundo donaxis micensis (cane-eating mice) known to be active in your area. They are reputed to be former students of Stanley Drucker. If this turns out to be the case, you are fortunate she arrived before they were able to make off with your entire stash and you should praise her excessively.
On the other hand, if you find out she was guilty, make her stay in the room with you while you practice Humphrey Searle's "Cat Variations" two hours a day for the next week.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Tim P
Date: 2003-12-08 14:33
Off topic but.......
For some reason this brought to the front of my memory a sad but true story. Many years ago when I was in the USMC I had the pleasure to work with an ex-Marine, viet vet. He was working at the Base Horse stables for mimimum wage. He had left the better part of his brain in Viet Nam after a 76 hour gun fight. The constant hammer of artilery fire damaged his hearing , also.
Anyway the story....... He had a bunch of cats at his home which sometimes were naughty. He would hold trails and sentence some to death by hanging.
The USMC gave him an honorable medical discharge for hearing loss.
OH-RUH
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2003-12-08 14:45
Oh, man... buzz kill, Tim P...
Anyway, I think I've decided on locking her in a room with the vaccuum for 10 minutes.w
________________
Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.
- Pope John Paul II
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Author: GBK
Date: 2003-12-08 15:33
Ralph G said:
> where I had 4 V12s drying. Except now I can only find three of them...
She's on the Gonzalez payroll ...GBK
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Author: Bob A
Date: 2003-12-08 18:14
"4V-12's"??
Maybe she was doing you a favour!
Bob A
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Author: Rick Williams
Date: 2003-12-08 20:15
I don't know about punishment, but if it becomes habit, you can break her of it fairly easily. Take a throw away reed and soak it in hot sauce. Then leave it out for her to find. Once or twice should be enough.
Best
RW
Best
Rick
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-12-08 20:20
As they say: dogs have masters and cats have staff.
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-12-08 20:25
Here's a photo of a little kitten I found a home for taking a technology lesson (much to the vexation of it's new parents).
" Dogs have owners --- cats have staff "
Without music, the world would be grey, very grey.
Post Edited (2003-12-08 20:33)
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Author: contragirl
Date: 2003-12-08 20:30
Well... cats play the fiddle. Maybe violin players and clarinet players don't mix. :-D
Did I mention I love kitties? I have a siamese, too. She's cute but a bad kitty.
Squirk gun punishment is a good idea. She does something you don't like *SQUIRT* and she runs away. She does something wrong, she sees you pick up the squirt gun, she stops. hehe
--Contragirl
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-12-08 20:34
Attachment: kitten-fax.jpg (29k)
Sorry - I deleted the photo as it was a little big, and then couldn't figure out how to re-upload it ... I'm technology challenged, obviously.
Here's a smaller version
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Author: wjk
Date: 2003-12-08 22:42
Ever been defeated by trying to think of a punishment for a reed stealing cat?
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Author: paulwl
Date: 2003-12-08 23:05
No excuses, w. I wouldn't dream of telling a conductor or contractor, "The cat stole my reeds." There are plenty of good players out there who don't have cat problems.
:-^
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Author: jim lande
Date: 2003-12-08 23:46
And to think I was complaining when case critters ate the tips off my reeds. Clearly your cat is more ambitious or part dog.
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Author: John O'Janpa
Date: 2003-12-09 00:43
Reminds me of the time I had to tell the conductor that the cat ruined my music.
My cat, in jumping from the floor to the couch, hit the music stand. knocking over the music, and altering his trajectory, so that he then knocked over the almost full cup of coffee that was on the arm of the couch. The coffee landed on the music, making instant sepia toned antiques out of "new" music.
I offered to buy new music, but the conductor asked if the music was still readable. When I told him it was, he let me off the hook.
Now, when new music is passed out, I scan it as soon as I get home, and work with the copies the remainder of the semester. I then have pristine music to turn in at the end of the semester.
John
PS My cat disappears if I play altissimo A or higher.
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Author: WoodwindThespian
Date: 2003-12-09 00:58
WE do not have cats although if you let my sister count who makes cat noises althe time...I kid you not! Then I have no excuses even with the one music stand. It is my sisters who played the harp although I need one of my own plus a neckstrap and an r-13 would be nice so if Santa is making a list pleasse send to...
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Author: LeWhite
Date: 2003-12-09 01:14
You may have stumbled onto something invaluable - maybe your cat took a BAD reed, and maybe has a hidden talent for picking out good ones....?
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Author: Dee
Date: 2003-12-09 02:36
Remember, you do not own a cat, the cat permits you to serve him/her.
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2003-12-09 03:55
Reminds me of (I think) an old "Pickles" cartoon strip where Roscoe the dog is looking up at his owners thinking, "They feed me, they play with me, they take care of me -- they must be some kind of gods." Cut to Muffin the cat, who's thinking, "They feed me, they play with me, they take care of me -- I must be some kind of god."
________________
Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.
- Pope John Paul II
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Author: ksclarinetgirl
Date: 2003-12-09 04:41
I agree w/ contragirl. My cat figured out pretty quickly that when we pick up the squirt bottle, she better stop what she's doing. If that doesn't work, I also agree with Fred-I've been working on my altissimo eefer notes lately
Stephanie :o)
"Vita Brevis, Ars Longa"
Post Edited (2003-12-09 17:38)
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Author: Wes
Date: 2003-12-09 04:56
Well, Jacques my cat tries to lay on my reed making/repair desk on my oboe reeds which is not acceptable. He can't be blamed too much, however, as he is not so smart. He was enrolled at El Camino College in the Rodent Control program but he flunked Mousing 101 two times.
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2003-12-09 17:26
Cut her off the Cat nip?
Play atonal warm ups....
and finally try to play the Altissimo....that does the neighbors in every time!!!
David Dow
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2003-12-09 17:37
I am surprised by how many people have cats that tolerate clarinet playing.
Sir Pouncelot http://www.davidpeacham.freeserve.co.uk/SirPouncelot.jpeg, who has never failed a Mousing exam in his life, can scarcely even tolerate the chalumeau register, and runs away at full speed at the first press of the register key.
I'm sure this is not a reflection on my playing.
-----------
If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2003-12-09 17:42
One problem with my altissimo playing -- it does scare away the cat, but soon the geese start slamming into my windows.
________________
Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.
- Pope John Paul II
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2003-12-09 17:48
Yeah, David,
My 2 new kittens so far have no tolerance for clarinetting. And one of my students says her cat hates clarinet too. Not just altissimo, either...
Mine are very interested in my (VERY poor) flute playing though, and even when I play a tin whistle up high they don't have a problem. Must be the lack of even overtones in the clarinet sound...
Best,
Katrina
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2003-12-09 17:55
My dog Tess seem to have a dislike for the middle treble clef B, just sets her off...however, she will sing along with the Swinnging Shepherd Blues...she is a German shepherd!!!
David Dow
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Author: clarinetmama
Date: 2003-12-09 22:39
The hanging cats story reminds me of a story from a history class regarding a European ruler who would hold trials for rats who ate his paper soldiers and hang them. I think the professor's point was that marrying your cousin, as so many royal families were know to do, seriously messed up the gene pool.
Don't feel too bad about the reed. My (then) 4 month old basset hound Artie chewed on my custom Richard Hawkins mouthpiece a year ago. The dog still lives with us and still chews on things when he is lonely. The mouthpiece is fine, it does however bear the tooth marks of a small dog.
Jean
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Author: Pam H.
Date: 2003-12-10 11:32
Make her ride the vacuum cleaner - when it's on. We keep telling our cat - when you gonna learn to clean up your own messes?
Mine will usually hang out in the next room when I'm playing woodwinds. The piano she will stay in the same room. Sometimes meowing along with.
Sax pad savers are great kitty toys.
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Author: bobmester
Date: 2003-12-10 22:21
All three of my cats tolerate my playing, think the thumb rest is their best friend, and know enough to leave my stuff alone. When I start playing they come and sit in the room to listen. Still don't think they are too bright.....
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Author: lyn
Date: 2003-12-11 01:35
Make her listen to Garrison Keillor's Cat cd........
~L
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Author: KENOLD
Date: 2003-12-11 02:27
Seems to me the cat is punishing you. Perhaps for playing clarinet in her presence? It's her house now. You need to learn and follow HER rules, or she may escalate punishment.
Ken
Learn to perform even the things you don't like, as if you love to do them.
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