Rain
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Alone on a Mountaintop
My lovely lady is off to California with her best friend for a couple of days. She just left and suddenly, I realize that I basically don't have anyone close to what you'd call a dear friend anywhere in this country. Actually, the only number I have on my phone is my wife's.  I can't remember the last time I've experienced loneliness on such a scale, even being a loner at heart. There was always ONE friend - whether it was my girlfriend or a substitute for a girlfriend or my best friend a few streets away. It's an odd and fascinating experience. The fact that you don't really go anywhere without a car in Las Vegas further contributes to that feeling of being somewhat stranded. The closest store is a 30 minute walk from here. Not exactly the middle of the desert, but not exactly near either. It's funny because a few days ago, I remembered a book by Jack Kerouac where he wrote about his life alone on a mountain as a fire lookout. I was thinking how most of us would have a tough time with that, especially in this day and age where you're used to constantly being in touch with people at least on a virtual level. But complete loneliness? I doubt that many people born in the last 15 years will ever experience it. Yet I am not sure I mind being alone so much as I actually miss the person I'm used to spending all my time with, so much that we're like two fingers of the same hand. That being said, I do have the latest Logic update to keep me entertained, as well as a houseful of cats. :P
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bapu
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/24 14:49:54
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Man if my Lovely Lady went away for a few days I'd take about 25 naps.
Not sure what I would do after that first day.
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paulo
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/24 16:00:00
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Sounds great to me...... turn up the music, have a few beers and then watch whatever you like on TV. She'll be back soon enough.
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Rain
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/24 16:06:18
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paulo
Sounds great to me...... turn up the music, have a few beers and then watch whatever you like on TV. She'll be back soon enough.
Maybe if her being here prevented me from doing any of this, but that's definitely not the case. So it's a case of me sitting outside with a couple of cats, a good book and a cup of tea. :)
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Makzimia
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/24 16:08:50
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First world problem? :). I do know the feeling though, many times over a long time. She'll be back, chin up. Meantime, more time to play with the cats?, and Logic Pro X 10.1 LOL.
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Rimshot
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/24 16:21:47
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May family does not leave me alone often and I always miss them. But.....I work on music, read, watch movies, make a bachelor style dinner, etc. I am comfortable being alone for a short time anyway.
Enjoy yourself. You are still young and healthy and full of love for your lady. That's good stuff in my book.
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Rain
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/24 17:10:38
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Thanks guys! Actually, that's pretty much what I am doing.  The first year we were together, she lived in Montreal and I in Quebec, so we'd sometimes go on for weeks w/o seeing each other. After I moved in with her, the longest stretch was that one month she had to spend in Orlando in early 2011 for rehearsals. Made us both miserable and physically ill, and we swore we'd never go through that again. We actually spent the best of the following two years on tour, living in the same room together and basically almost never argued. We rarely spend more than a few hours apart. So that part is odd. Anyway, I'm enjoying the warm, sunny day and I have Dickens, Earl Grey and a few cats to keep me company. I think I may even have myself a little Vincent Price movie fest tonight. :P
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ampfixer
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/24 20:48:36
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☄ Helpfulby Rain 2015/01/24 20:53:45
Best you enjoy the opportunity to sit outside while it's not too hot. Enjoy the little break and think about the fun when she returns.
Regards, John I want to make it clear that I am an Eedjit. I have no direct, or indirect, knowledge of business, the music industry, forum threads or the meaning of life. I know about amps. WIN 10 Pro X64, I7-3770k 16 gigs, ASUS Z77 pro, AMD 7950 3 gig, Steinberg UR44, A-Pro 500, Sonar Platinum, KRK Rokit 6
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sharke
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/25 00:10:17
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I've been through periods of self-inflicted and unintentional solitude and I quite like it. I like being with people too. Either or! I once went a year hardly seeing anyone. I'd moved to a shady area of town that was a pain to get to, and found that my friends weren't inclined to visit. I just thought screw it, I'll have some time alone. No social life, no girlfriend, in fact I think for most of that time I even didn't have a TV, and it was years before I had internet access. So I read lots and played a lot of guitar, and I kind of enjoyed it. Read a lot of books about mountain climbing, I remember that much. My head was up in those mountains most of the time.
Right now I don't have many friends at all (except online, Facebook etc). I've had friends and acquaintances come and go during the time I've lived in New York and have never been part of any "crew." Not drinking and hating pubs and clubs has a lot to do with it, plus New York nightlife can be a little to cliquey for my tastes. Have had many employees over the years and been on friendly terms with them, but would not socialize with them because I feel that would not end well. Have a girlfriend and we get along like a house on fire, that's more than enough for me. When she's not here I just make the most of the situation and get on with whatever I've been meaning to catch up with when I had a lot of spare time. Being able to adapt to whatever situation you're in is a very useful trait.
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Rain
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/25 00:20:15
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sharke
I've been through periods of self-inflicted and unintentional solitude and I quite like it. I like being with people too. Either or! I once went a year hardly seeing anyone. I'd moved to a shady area of town that was a pain to get to, and found that my friends weren't inclined to visit. I just thought screw it, I'll have some time alone. No social life, no girlfriend, in fact I think for most of that time I even didn't have a TV, and it was years before I had internet access. So I read lots and played a lot of guitar, and I kind of enjoyed it. Read a lot of books about mountain climbing, I remember that much. My head was up in those mountains most of the time.
Right now I don't have many friends at all (except online, Facebook etc). I've had friends and acquaintances come and go during the time I've lived in New York and have never been part of any "crew." Not drinking and hating pubs and clubs has a lot to do with it, plus New York nightlife can be a little to cliquey for my tastes. Have had many employees over the years and been on friendly terms with them, but would not socialize with them because I feel that would not end well. Have a girlfriend and we get along like a house on fire, that's more than enough for me. When she's not here I just make the most of the situation and get on with whatever I've been meaning to catch up with when I had a lot of spare time. Being able to adapt to whatever situation you're in is a very useful trait.
Yup, I get that. The year before I met her I spent mostly on my own. I'd go on for months w/o seeing friends or talking to anyone except at work. That was before Facebook, and I didn't spend much time here on these forums. I didn't really have much of an online life either. No iPhone, no texting. But I guess the difference was that there were people a phone call away, or a 5 minute walk from where I lived, should I decide that I felt like spending time w/ folks... And I was surrounded w/ people 40 hours at work - even though most of them annoyed me, so usually, solitude was most welcome. lol The people I know here are mostly my wife's old friends and co-workers. My best friend is back home in Quebec and I don't wish to replace him. He's still my best pal, I just never see him. I think I just hadn't realize before this morning how lonely I was in this big old country w/o my wife.
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craigb
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/25 07:43:44
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The man surrounded by about 4 dozen cats feels alone...  
Time for all of you to head over to Beyond My DAW!
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bitflipper
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/25 11:24:24
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☄ Helpfulby Rain 2015/01/25 12:30:50
Rain
I can't remember the last time I've experienced loneliness on such a scale, even being a loner at heart.
Oh boy, I can relate to that. Whenever my wife was out of town I reveled in the freedom to do as I pleased. I'd stay up all night jamming or recording, pausing only to run out for some fast food. That joy would only last for a few days before I began to miss her terribly. When she'd return I would happily embrace the forced structure of the expectations of another person. Someone who demanded shoes be removed at the door, that the kitchen sink be empty of dishes. Somebody who cared about scheduled meals and flowers on the dining table. Absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder, as Shakespeare wrote. Be so glad it's temporary.
 All else is in doubt, so this is the truth I cling to. My Stuff
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ampfixer
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/25 12:12:05
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Well said Bit, you got me all misty there.
Regards, John I want to make it clear that I am an Eedjit. I have no direct, or indirect, knowledge of business, the music industry, forum threads or the meaning of life. I know about amps. WIN 10 Pro X64, I7-3770k 16 gigs, ASUS Z77 pro, AMD 7950 3 gig, Steinberg UR44, A-Pro 500, Sonar Platinum, KRK Rokit 6
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jbow
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/27 17:15:30
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☄ Helpfulby Rain 2015/01/27 18:22:32
Maybe you'll run into Neal Cassady with Jack up on the mountain... I could think of several fun things to do outside of Las Vegas, in the desert... on the mountain... in the canyon.
J
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Rain
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/27 18:31:59
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Well, if not for a Star Trek Voyager marathon on Hulu last night, it's been a case of same as usual but with a whole lot of missing her all the while.
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backwoods
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/27 21:58:22
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Another terrific Vegas story from rain...
I thought Vegas was Cranking. What happened?
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Rain
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/28 00:42:30
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Glyn Barnes
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/28 05:10:39
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☄ Helpfulby Rain 2015/01/28 12:53:08
In the 25 odd years I have kown my wife I have always worked away for long periods. In the early days even a phone call was difficult and we mostly communicated by airmail letters that took a week or more to arrive. These days instant communication is cheap and easy, even if I am in a remote location.
I wonder what it will be like when I retire and I am home all the time?
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Guitarhacker
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/28 08:18:06
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☄ Helpfulby Rain 2015/01/28 12:53:14
I read several of the posts above.... touching.
Yes, here as well, I tend to live in the structured world my wife enjoys. She's always needed structure and order in her life more so than I do. We don't often have time apart, and since we enjoy each other's company, it's not a problem. When she does decide to go visit our daughter in Virginia for a "girls weekend out" and I'm left to my own devices, I tend to spend that time writing music and working in the studio or off at the range shooting my collection of bang stick weaponry. Both are things I can do all the time anyway, however, I do tend to try to maintain a balance in those pursuits. With her out of town, what is balance?
Like you, Rain, I too have almost no really close friends. I actually like it that way. If I didn't like it that way, I would have more close friends..... I like being with myself just fine. Someone mentioned the fire watch job in the middle of the woods setting in a fire tower..... that might be a bit much for a long time job, but the woods are a favorite place of mine and I might actually enjoy that job if I wasn't married, and if they had internet out there..... and my guitar and guns.
Enjoy the time, embrace the solitude, and write some music.
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Mesh
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/28 09:42:51
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☄ Helpfulby Rain 2015/01/28 12:53:22
I'd miss my family dearly if they were gone for even 1/2 a day.........even if it's just one of us gone, it's like an empty void. So, I know it must be difficult for you as your wife is your only (best) friend. It's a good time to contemplate and reflect on things you normally wouldn't have done. My dad used to say "man must learn to live with himself, before he lives with others", and this is very true. On a different note......although Shakespeare said "absence makes the heart grow fonder", I tell my wife "familiarity breeds contempt". LOL
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Rain
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/28 13:14:44
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Guitarhacker
I tend to spend that time writing music and working in the studio or off at the range shooting my collection of bang stick weaponry.
On a sidenote - now that we've been granted the green card, we'll finally be able to take lessons and learn to shoot and buy guns, which we'e been wanting to do ever since a friend of ours had us shooting fake zombies w/ paint ball guns on July 4th a couple of years a go. That and working on our music project and starting the business. I guess that's one of the reasons why I don't usually try to make friends too much more, since even that stuff I do with her.
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Starise
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/28 14:23:44
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I hope she's back by now Rain.
My wife has a meeting tonight and I'm going home to an empty house whoo hooo!!!
I'm going to run around in my underwear and eat all of the food she hates like "feeeshe"..but after awhile I'll miss her.
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Beagle
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Re: Alone on a Mountaintop
2015/01/28 14:35:33
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Starise
I hope she's back by now Rain.
My wife has a meeting tonight and I'm going home to an empty house whoo hooo!!!
I'm going to run around in my underwear and eat all of the food she hates like "feeeshe"..but after awhile I'll miss her.
we really didn't need that visual....just sayin... 
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