Mooooo - Posted - 05/12/2019:  18:21:51

quote:

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Originally posted by warpdrive

Sunday, May 12th, My Ex's basement, Lewis Center Oh



Happy, Mother's Day to all the hangout mothers!





Well, Gang.....Ole Warp made the Appalachian Festival!



I got into Cincinnati about 11 on friday, and i stopped and piked up my hat and then went to my friends Dan and Carol Rosenthal and i stayed with them over the weekend in between my duties at the festival!



I must truthfully say, i did more MC work than banjo picking, but i earned my keep!

i mainly did MC work friday and then Saturday, i jamed all day, then on sunday(today) i played banjo on the gospel show this morning which is what i've been doing the last 5 years on Sundays, and then today i MC'd the cavalcade of stars show in the afternoon, which is just basically some of the booked performers in a show venue, with a good bluegrass band as a back up house band which for the last 7 or 8 years has been Cincinnati's very own, "Comet Bluegrass All Stars" and i must admit, i had a very large time this year, and though it personally has been a sad week, i had a lot of good support and i'm glad i was feeling up to snuff to do it!



The big treat for me this weekend is a story i just have to share with ya'll, and it goes something like this.....well, it goes exactly like this.



Yesterday i was jamming all day, mostly with my new found friends from the last three years, Ray and Beth Vinning, and they are quite a good duo....banjo and bass, and we've really bonded and enjoy jamming together and putting on a show for the crowds that gather.

Ray is the absolute voice doupleganger for the Late Dave Evans, and it brings chills to everybody who hears him, so after we had jammed for about 3 hrs for the crowds, we went back to there camper where he grilled us some food, and we supped for a good hour and a half.



Long about 3 in the after noon i guess? i went back to the tree and stumps where we had been jamming, and set up, and was just sitting and picking by myself for the passers by, this is something i enjoy, because i can play what ever i want, at what ever speed i want, and not worry about weather i 'm too fast, or stepping on another band members break(something i've been accused of before).



I'm sitting and picking, and some people that were watching me earlier in the day had returned and was intently watching me again, and then i noticed this tall lanky girl, in her late teens i suspected, and she was backed up against a tree, directly in front of me, about 15-20 yards away, watching my every move i made on the banjo, i mean to tell you, i was starting to get un-comfortable, and wandered what was wrong with this girl, that she had nothing better to do, than watch me play the banjo, and grinning the whole time.



So i decided to engage the young lass, and i says to her,"your grinning like a mule eating bumble bee's, watching me play this, do you like the banjo? and she says, "yes" and i said to her...."do you play?" and she said...."yes i do" so i says...."do you have your picks? and she says.....Yes i do! ...So i motioned her over and starting taking off my banjo, and handed it to her and gave her my seat!



As the youngster was sitting down, she says to me..."i know who your are", now to say i was taken a back.....is a understatement.....i said "how do you know me? and she replied that she follows me here on the hangout and i asked her who she is and she replied "puddinfangers" and i recalled her liking some of my post, and i was so honored to meet this young lady, and let me tell you......the girl can pick.



This young lady's name is Kendel (sorry if i spelled it wrong) and she has some good licks, especially since she is self taught, i was most impressed with her use of melodic stylings, and she has real nice touch, a good smooth steady roll, and she can attest to how bad of shape my banjo is in, but like me, she just plays around the bad spots.



We must have sit for a good 2 hours, and now and again i would show her some things that i thought would help her, but i tell ya....for three and a half years of picking, she is farther along than i was at 10 years of picking, and that is the truth!



I was happy to hear from her that she is going to Moorehead State in Kentucky in the fall where one of her classes will be bluegrass 101, i think that is taught by Raymond McClain.



This getting to meet such a fine young banjo picker really was the cherry on top of my sundae this weekend, and i hope she will continue to follow and chime in here on the hangout, and i expect all you to encourage this young lady, i expect great things from her in the future.



Ok guys, i am wore to a frazzle, this was a large weekend for ole warp, and i've got serious business ahead this coming week as i start on wednesday with another beat down from Chemo, so i would appreciate any good thoughts you might send my way, and i thank you once more for being here for me.



Y'all have a gooderin

Warp!

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I copied your post so others don't miss it at the bottom of the previous page.

That's pretty cool you met Puddin' Fangers...and cool you had such a great time at the fest. Good luck with the chemo, i hope it doesn't take too much out of you. I hope someone took some videos of your picking, otherwise you will have to do it at home. We're hungry for more man! Take care.

From Greylock to Bean Blossom - Posted - 05/12/2019:  19:18:04

Kevin,
I am glad you had such a weekend. many facets to happiness. I was thinking of coming over there but I thought with the cool weather you might not be out. My bad.
ken

warpdrive - Posted - 05/13/2019:  05:33:48

ken,
No worries, you and me have a destine meeting in the future , it's just a matter of time ole buddy.

Sadly, since i don't have any fur babies to care for anymore, i do have a better opportunity to travel un-emcumbered now, and in between treatments this summer, if i am feeling up to snuff, i may surprise you, and head out your direction. i wouldn't think it would be any further from Lewis Center, over to Bean Blossom, than it is down to Cincy.

Warp!

warpdrive - Posted - 05/14/2019:  11:18:59

Tuesday May 14th.....Just trying not to think about Tomorrow!

So.........
After having a good weekend, getting my skill set back up to snuff,(almost) i thought i would scratch an itch, that you guys know i have been scratching since i started posting vids on this thread(thanks once again to Moo!).

I got a wild hair this morning and thought i would see what it would cost to get my banjo back in shape, and wow, what a dose of reality did i get.

The last person that did my frets i guess three years ago, he really botched it up, used to big a fret wire, and they reach all the way across both sides of my neck into the binding, and strings will hang up and get stuck under and over the ends of the frets, and now three years later, i am also dealing with severe fret pitting, but you guys have heard me complain on my vids about this, and even a youngster like Puddinfangers can attest to how bad of shape my frets are in, even though my banjo has a great sound.

So i take my banjo down to a master repair man here in columbus, who i know has a good rep for doing a good job, and the man told me this.....

He said every fret would need to be replaced, and that whoever your friend was that did this to your banjo, is no friend, he said he has amateur apprentices that he would fire if they ever did, what done to my banjo, that being said, it would cost no less than 700.00 bucks at his rate of 100.00 a hour labor and then the cost of frets and his skill set to properly repair the damage.

It would be at the very least....foolish to spend that kind of money(even if i had it) on a banjo that could be replaced for that(if i found one that played and sounded as good as mine)which my banjo's sound is way better than it frets out.

The man said all the frets would need to be pulled, and the proper size put back in place, and the 5th nut and spikes needed to be pulled for proper workability in replacing the frets.

The man said...."you need a better banjo, the way you play" and i agreed with him and i said...." yeah"..lets explore this and put this in perspective....

"First off...i need my cancer to go back into remission, then i need to get out of my ex girl friend's and her husbands basement, and i need to be living on my own, and while were at it, i need for the judge in my SSI disability case to let my have my disability so i can have enough money to live on my own, in my own place, and then maybe, just maybe, i can get back on my feet, and either get back in a truck and drive and make some money, so i can find a place to live on my own, and then save enough money to either fix this banjo, or trade it for a better one, and if there is something we can add to the list of what i need, why don't we just add a big lottery win to the list of things that i need with that better banjo!

He really didn't have anything to say much after that!

Warp!

budmeister63 - Posted - 05/14/2019:  11:59:18

Good luck with the SSI Disability, and the lottery! I don't know which is harder to get! Glad to hear yer chemo is going good, hopefully it'll be overwith quick.

warpdrive - Posted - 05/16/2019:  06:28:39

Thursday May 16th, Riverside Methodist Hospital....Columbus Ohio

Good Morning to all you "Kev Heads" and Warp Watchers".

Just a bit of a setback for ole warp, after finishing the bulk of my B.R regiment yesterday, and getting out of the infusion center at aprox 2:30 pm, after about an hour, i started have an allergic reaction (skin rash) to my treatment, so, i pack my bags like a pregnant woman, and call my onc and he makes the proper arrangemts, and off to the hospital i go.

I spent the night with steroids, and antihistamines on board, and they are suspending my treatment for today, till my personal onc gets back on monday, and we can choose a different chemo drug, that won't break me out in a itchy rash.

If i do well on a oral steroid through the day, and it will keep this rash at bay, i might be able to go home tonight......we will see, but this is just a part of the mix in the fight against my cancer, nobody said it was going to be easy, and who knows , they may to decide to continue with this regiment and just treat the side effects each time, i don't think that is off the table, but won't know till my regular onc gets back on monday.

Other than that, its a beautiful day outside, but I'm tired with all the bug juice and antihistamines and steroids that they have pumped into me, I'm certain i will just lounge today, with the exception of getting up to go to the bathroom.

Well, thats about all i got this morning, you guys get those banjos out and start picking, they aint going to do you any good sitting in the case!

Y'all have a gooderin
Warp!

FlyinEagle - Posted - 05/16/2019:  06:56:20

Sorry you are having the setback. When is your treatment scheduled to be completed?

Im really rooting for you here. I know you are going to get through it.

FlyinEagle - Posted - 05/16/2019:  07:01:55

Just read your above post. You already know not to spend that money on an rk neck. That's a good pot though. You can maybe get a gold tone neck, which will run you around 200, 250 and then have your man fit it to your pot, which would be a breeze for him.

Mooooo - Posted - 05/16/2019:  09:46:49

Damn Warp...can you do me a favor and get better already? I hope things clear up so you can go home. It probably sucks being stuck in the hospital...no banjo. Stop scratching, and I hope you feel better soon. Stop touching the rash too, or no ice cream!

warpdrive - Posted - 05/16/2019:  09:52:59

Thanks Jeff,
my treatments run every 28 days, through the middle of September.

And yeah, i know not to spend that kind of money on that neck, and your right, the pot is a good one, i'm happy with the sound from my pot, and i am always shopping for after market necks, and i would love to run across a straight grain sugar maple neck, one piece, bolt it up nice and sung, let er rip, potato chip!

warp!

warpdrive - Posted - 05/16/2019:  10:01:12

Thanks Moo,
actually, i'm feeling well, as a matter of fact, on my way home yesterday, the dispensing RN's told me, i should eat 6 small meals to beat back any nausea , so i stopped at a panera bread around the corner, but not before going in a "music go round" guitar store, and beating 20 minutes or so on some guitars.
I was almost temped to make a offer and pull the trigger on a classical guitar that i played great on, and they were asking 119.00 for it, and i might would have gave 75, but it would have been great to have it in here with me, not real loud but pleasant tone, and keeping my chops up. Maybe next time or some time soon.

As far as this rash goes, it just part of if, and i'm not scratching it, but i probably will stay one more day, to see if the oral meds will keep it beat back, its really trail and error.

ok, got a plate full of chef salad in front of me, so i will yak at you guys later.

warp!

warpdrive - Posted - 05/17/2019:  16:34:07

Friday, May 17th, My Ex's and Her Husband's Condo Basement

Hooray....
I finally got out of the hospital today, and went first off to the oncology ,infusion center, and got my shot to keep me from going into "neutropenic" fever, and related chemo, side effects, so we will what we will see, but i must admit, aside from the rash that seems to be manifesting afterwards, i am feeling stronger after this go round than the last, so i'm trying to stay positive on that note!

My mind keeps going back to the Classical style guitar that i played in the music go round, and even though they were asking 119.00 for it, i bet they didn't have more than 50.00 bucks in it, and i keep wondering if i should offer them 75.00 bucks out the door, no case or nothing, just throw it in the back of my trailblazer and take it home, and pack it with me, every time i head out the door......what y'all think?

I seem to a lot of window shopping now a days on the classified banjo's for sale on the hangout, i dream of me getting my SSI disability and getting enough back pay that i could have just one more "boutique" banjo, that would be the final one, and when i get back on my feet, make my second run at doing what i guess i should have never quit doing the first time, and yeah, time is all i got right now, and i'm getting damn tired of thinking about negatives, so i see no harm in dreaming a little bit.

Ok, guys, i just wanted to keep some of y'all in the loop, i've had some very nice pm's and appreciate all the kind thoughts and prayers.

Two treatments down, 4 to go!

Y'all have a gooderin
Warp!

lazyarcher - Posted - 05/18/2019:  06:06:02

Hey Kevin...is that neck you're having trouble with the one on your RK 35?

warpdrive - Posted - 05/18/2019:  08:31:27

Yeah Dave,

It's really botched up good, and truthfully, i'd be better off finding another neck that would bolt up to the pot, but as you know, the heal must be cut right, or she won't bolt up correct.

No certified luthier/ repairman is going to be able to what needs to be done to that fretboard for less than what the cost of another used rk-35 could be bought for!
And that is the honest truth.

warp!

chuckv97 - Posted - 05/18/2019:  09:30:58

Anyone got a good spare neck that they can send to Kevin?

Edited by - chuckv97 on 05/18/2019 09:31:39

warpdrive - Posted - 05/23/2019:  17:38:24

THURSDAY MAY 23ND, 7:30 PM.......BASEMENT, LEWIS CENTER OH!

"YOU GUYS ROCK"!

I am at a loss for words, with all that has happened over the last 3 days, and the great kindness that you, my friends here on the hangout, and the rest of the internet have so generously bestowed upon me.

My friend, Ken Hydinger, better know you hangout members as From Greylock to Beanblossom, started a go fund me page three days ago, with the goal of getting me a better banjo......thanks to that website, and the gracious contributions from many hangout member, most of whom i've never met in person, including, Ken, thanks to all of y'all, in about 5-6 weeks i will take procession of a New, Hatifield, Maple, Banjo!

I am still having great trouble wrapping my head around this act of kindness, that in my life time, has never happened due to the act of strangers on my behalf!

I must acknowledge the founder of this Web site....Eric Slange , for allowing this to take place on his nickel , and in some way, one way or another, i will find a way to pay this forward.

The hangout, with this gesture of kindness, has proven what i hoped was always possible and that is just a bunch of really good people, who love banjos, coming together and when necessary, doing something special, in the name of Banjos and Bluegrass, i just never figured it would happen to me, and for me,not in a million years!

Some of you, and you know who you are, have been here for me already in the past, and as i muddle my way through this, i will reveal your names, as my emotions settle, and i can go back and account properly what is unfolding!

As many of you know, i lost my apartment last fall, and had to leave Cincinnati Oh, and take refuge in Arkansas at my mom's and then to her RV Park, in Mt View Ar, where i guess, the reason for this great act of kindness took it's roots!

I was alone, on a property in a strange town, just me and my beloved dogs, Bernidine and Andy, i had good weather, and a nice porch, and my banjo.....although in much needed repair, i thought maybe, i should play, and that was the start of my sharing my videos, and at this point, i must mention, hangout member "mike" MOO,! and how he offered to post my video,s because i am so not tech savvy!

I look back now at those videos through tear-filled eyes, not knowing back then, how precious those video memories would be to me now, and the loss of my beloved fur-kids who shared my life, each and everyday for the last 10.5 years, and not knowing that i was getting sick probably while we were living our everyday lives.

There were generous acts of kindness by my friend Rod Durst from out in Ks or as the hangout knows him as Ks-5 picker, and there was another generous act from Keith Harper, these came in the month of December, i'm sure it was meant to be in the Christmas sprit, but it went so much further than anyone can realize.

It was in late December, when i got notice that my SSI hearing was to be in mid Feb back in Cincinnati, my attorneys were so wary of my chances, they actually wanted me to stay in Arkansas and re-file my claim down there, and that just wasn't an option, so i soldered on, telling them let the chips fall where they may.....oh how little i knew what lay in store for me, back here in Ohio!

Bernidine, Andy, and myself, packed ourselves up, and left Mt View Ar, on Jan 11th, 2019, making it out just hrs ahead of a snow storm, we just knew leaving was the right thing to do, and that somehow, our life just had to get better, we were due for a break, but we never figured that as bad as we thought we had it then, that it could still break in the wrong direction for us, we just had no idea!

My plan for us, was to while house sitting for my vacationing friends, Dan and Carol Rosehthal, i would find a cheep place for us to get, on our own to rent, and reestablish in Cincinnati, i would find a part-time job, and go back to work, and resume the life that we had left earlier last fall..........."the best layed plans of mice and men"!

My physical with primary care physician in cincinnati, whom i had not seen in 6 months, did not far well, I was expecting it to be routine, it wasn't!
My primary care doc, palpated a enlarged lymphnode under my right armpit, but did not tell me about it, she sent me for a partial CT scan under the guise that it was a
routine lung CT.
The office where the CT was preformed notified my primary care doc within an hour and within a hour and a half, she had notified me ,telling me to get to my oncologist asap! None of this was too alarming, i've been a cancer survivor for the past 15 years, and i've faired well, so why should i expect anything different? Thats what i thought!

My hearing for my SSI disability went like my attorneys thought it would, turns out they did little to no leg work on my case, and they had never won against my Judge, and they flat told me that i should not expect to win either......the decision is still out, all these months later.
Bernidine and Andy and myself did our last few days, living out of a Red Roof Inn and then finally, we did a few days, out of the back of the TrailBlazer, not knowing how sick i was, and how even sicker they were, i was talking to trucking companies, and thinking of throwing them in a truck with me, i mean at least we would have a stable roof over our heads, and i would be making some money, that was my thinking.

I happen to be talking with Bernidine and Andys mom and my friend and one time companion, Penny. We have remained friends and i am friends also with her now husband Earl, there has never been any bad blood among us, and Penny let me have Bernidine and Andy when we broke up years ago.....there is just a great friendship between us, that just can't be put into words.
Penny was with me when my cancer first appeared 15 years ago, and in fact was the reason it was found back then and she knew how badly i needed treatment now, but was thinking i was going to hold off, because i had no place to stay while i did treatments, and she would have been right, i was under the impression that i could put this off until sometime later.......that decision could have killed me!

The rest they say is history, you guys know the rest of the story.....i took severely ill with in days of coming to Penny and Earls on Feb 13th, 2019....... i lost my beloved fur babie Bernidine on Feb 26th and my fur-boy Andy this past May 6th, and i've been hospitalized for about 15 days on and off since i started my treatments two months ago........but i have hope, and i have you people here on the hangout, who i will forever be in your debt, for the great generous thing you have done for me, and this thread is no where near the end........ i once heard a great line, in a movie somewhere, it went something like this...........

"This isn't the end, this isn't the beginning of the end, it is the end of the beginning"
with great sincerity , love and all the affection you can do on the internet,
Y'all have a gooderin
Kevin "warpdrive" Hendrix!

Doug Knecht - Posted - 05/23/2019:  18:47:24

Kevin, I'm keeping you in my prayers!!

dmiller - Posted - 05/23/2019:  19:13:59

The RK 35 is a good banjo - - but a Hatfield will leave the RK in the dust all day long and twice on Sundays.    Here's hoping you enjoy your "soon to be delivered" Hatfield Celebrity.  I had Arthur build me a new neck for my '62 RB 250 (long story about why I needed a new neck for it), so I have what I call a "half a Hatfield".  I had it with me a year or so ago when I was visiting family in Bloomington Indiana.  Ken (Greylock) lives about 3 miles from my Mom's house so I went over to visit.  He and I traded our banjos back and forth in his living room (his Hatfield and my Gibson) and you could hardly tell the difference between the two.  The necks were both butter smooth/ the tone from both was just about the same (Arthur set them both up so that's no surprise)/ and the action on both fingerboards were incredibly fast.  I've been on the "losing end of life" a coupla times myself (but not like you have).  I was glad to help out.  Here's hoping things in your life come together for you better than they have in the past.



Here's a video I made of the last mile and a half of driving to Arthur's house/ shop at the end of Burton Ridge Road.  I had a camera going on the dashboard of my car when I went to pick my '62 RB 250 with it's new neck he built for it 6 years ago.  Hopefully you will be traveling this same road soon.    

Edited by - dmiller on 05/23/2019 19:21:14

KD Banjer - Posted - 05/24/2019:  10:43:59

quote:

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Originally posted by Mooooo

Doin' My Time by Vernon McIntyre's Appalachian Grass featuring Kevin "Warpdrive" Hendrix on Banjo. Enjoy, Kevin picks the heck out of this one. Get well soon, and back to the banjo pickin'

Doin' My TIme

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That's some fantastic pickin', Kevin.

warpdrive - Posted - 06/11/2019:  13:49:29

Moo
i thought i'd post on my thread to answer you post......

Big YES! i can't wait to get my hands on the cadillac of a banjo that Arthur is building me.

I've been working out on the RK Beater everyday and i'm back in road shape for sure and i will be ready to post new material if we can keep this laptop working!
warp!

mike gregory - Posted - 06/11/2019:  14:00:28

quote:

---

Originally posted by KD Banjer

quote:

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Originally posted by Mooooo

Doin' My Time by Vernon McIntyre's Appalachian Grass featuring Kevin "Warpdrive" Hendrix on Banjo. Enjoy, Kevin picks the heck out of this one. Get well soon, and back to the banjo pickin'

Doin' My TIme

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That's some fantastic pickin', Kevin.

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That IS some fine picking.

Wonder how many men the fiddler had to out-wrestle, to win the big gold  Champion Wrestler belt?

Mooooo - Posted - 06/11/2019:  15:55:44

quote:

---

Originally posted by warpdrive

Moo

i thought i'd post on my thread to answer you post......



Big YES! i can't wait to get my hands on the cadillac of a banjo that Arthur is building me.



I've been working out on the RK Beater everyday and i'm back in road shape for sure and i will be ready to post new material if we can keep this laptop working!

warp!

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I'm looking forward to it Kevin. If you can introduce us to your banjo and show us the custom work that was done and please explain why you wanted it that way, I would be very interested in hearing about it on video when you get a chance. What's the ETA? I guess you have about 4 more weeks or so.

warpdrive - Posted - 06/11/2019:  17:42:14

Moo,

i'm guessing from ken's pm and post that 4 weeks or so should wipe it out.



As far a custom work, about the only thing or things that i was really pushing for was the straight grain maple over curly maple and my reasoning is simple, i've owned a few straight grain maple necks in the past, and to my ears, they had a bit more of a cracking sound to them than curly maple, but straight grain maple(also called sugar maple)can be a real pain for luthiers to work with because its a bit harder i'm told.

Secondly, i wanted the banjo to be black, i've seen some black banjos and had a real good one busted up in a shipping incident with UPS back in 1993, and i really am not a "sheeple" i like to stand out when i can, and if i can't do it with my playing, maybe a black banjo will help!



I did ask Arthur to really pay attention to the neck circumference. I told him to think of a girls hands and that is how i wanted the neck. I am really stretching out my melodic boundaries now a days and i throw my thumb up over the neck...way up the neck, a lot! My little fat hands at soon to be 59 years of age really feel it after a few hrs. I did change my mind about a speed neck if the neck was going to not be too big a round then gloss finish would be fine, but i'm ok either way, speed or gloss finish!



Other than that, not much more custom than normal, just what i've mentioned !



I hope this laptop does it Justice when i get to record it. I've been working on a tune for the last couple of days, and i didn't know the name of it, i heard Brian Sutton and others do it, and i knew it was a monroe tune, so i just listened to a hours worth of mandolin and fiddle tunes to find it.....Tallahassee! It just popped into my head a couple of days ago, and i couldn't get it out till i got it down!



But yeah, i 'm really "jonesing" for the new ax!

Warp!

Edited by - warpdrive on 06/11/2019 17:43:05

jlsorbit - Posted - 06/11/2019:  19:14:09

Can't wait to hear ya!

lyndabee - Posted - 06/12/2019:  05:13:46

I don’t say much at all on this thread, but I’ve been following since it started, and thinking about you Kevin/Warp all along and hoping to the stars that the clouds part and things get easier and you get to where you want to be, the way you want to be, and picking to your heart’s content.

The universe has its way of randomly throwing tribulations and trials in people’s paths... for some many, for some none, with no rhyme or reason... Your sharing all that you have here shows the big open heart you have and I’m really happy you’re getting your banjo. And hopefully health and a place to call home to follow soon!

:-)
Lynda

warpdrive - Posted - 06/12/2019:  06:10:04

Thank you all for the good thoughts, i have more "trials and tribulations" yet that are being heaped upon me......i have to leave my current living situation by next friday....but there is hope for me to get into a shelter, non the less, it seems my journey is still meant to have some pitfalls.....and i'm glad to share them....it does help to share them, and this is new for me, i'm basically a private person, and just so everybody knows....i don't do Facebook and other social media, the hangout and my private email are the only venues i share my personal day to day and opinions with, but who better for a banjo picker to share with than other banjo pickers?

Warp!

Mooooo - Posted - 06/12/2019:  10:05:20

I sure hope your living situation takes a turn for the better before next Friday. I've never been to a shelter, but I don't think I would like it much living in one. I am hoping something good pops up at the last minute and you have a nice place to stay either with friends or in your own place. Good luck Kevin.

warpdrive - Posted - 06/12/2019:  12:47:07

Moo,
I appreciate the good thoughts and concerns on everybody's part, but ole warp is still stuff as a pine knott, and i will fight a circular saw if i have too!
.
Yeah the shelters can be over crowded, and i'm lucky its approaching summer, they aren't stacked up like cord wood, but they did tell me i'm limited to one bag, so most of what belongings are "me" will remain in the trailblazer.
Some of the shelters are better than others, i won't know till next friday when i call them and let them know i'm ready and they tell which one i'm going too based on space availability.

My concern isn't for personal safety....as i said, "i'm still something to be reckoned with" but i do worry about the safety of my vehicle in the parking lot, and my belongings when i go to the restroom, and speaking of that.....i am toxic at times and sharing is something that i have to avoid when possible , so these are the biggest concerns, but the people and even the VA look at the homeless situation as "any port in a storm" and the vetting process isn't much, most all of these shelters are operated and ran by volunteers, and are not as young as me, i know because i've preformed at a few of them and have been friends with people who ran them, it is shocking once you see the inside story on homelessness and housing.

At least i have somewhere to go, and i won't have to leave columbus and interrupt my treatments, that is the main goal here, but i must say 3 months looks like a long time, doing time in something that isn't much better than a jail cell, and i have experience with that being a former jailer at a sherifs dept when i was young!

Ok guys, back to the couch for a nap, i just finished todays regiment a few hrs ago and this bug juice doesn't make you feel like you've had a root beer float!

Warp!

warpdrive - Posted - 06/22/2019:  07:25:09

Saturday, June 22nd, 9:24 am, Laurelville, OH, Library .....

Hello, and good morning, all Kev heads and warp watchers....

Well, another page has turned for ole Warpy, and i seem to be catching a break from what was to be a less than anticipated or wanted stay in one of the men's shelters in Columbus Oh!

I was just one day away from the afore mentioned move to a shelter, when my good friends that i have worked with at the Appalachian Festival in Cincinnati,
Ray and Beth Vinning....they stepped up, and offered me, the use of there 27ft Camper on there property 5 miles outside Laurelville Oh.....nesteled in the Hocking hills of Ohio.

Ray and Beth are a great duo, and Ray is a good banjo picker himself, and Beth plays the Bass, and sings....(speaking of singing....go to youtube and watch Ray do Highway 52....he is Dave Evans re-incarnated ). The last three years at old coney we have jamed and preformed together and developed quite a good friendship, and Ray really likes my banjo style, and i guess me too.....which ain't a easy thing to do, let me tell ya!
At the last minute on Thursday night, Ray called me and said..."when you pack your things up to go tomorrow ....do NOT go downtown....you come out here, and let me tell you, the thought of sharing a toilet with 50 other men, in a crowded shelter, i would have rather taken a good "ass Wupin " so i whole heartedly said "YES THANK YOU BROTHER"!

Ray and Beth live 5 miles out side Laurelville , back up in the hocking hills, and let me tell you...."the sun sets between there house and town"
The grand ole opry on saturday night....gets to there house about noon on Tuesdays! Thats how far up in the hills they are!
I am a 30 minute drive to the closest Wal-mart and there is no cell phone service and there internet is sketchy at best, no TV.

Ray is a Taxidermist (stuffs animals. in case i didn't spell correctly!)
The shop and his house are attached, and they live the way i would live if i had my choosing, they have just enough, all the essentials and a beautiful 18 aches of wooded hillside filled with deer, turkey, opossums , and there dog....Foxy....who is always on possum watch!

If they don't give you directions on how to find them....you won't....plain and simple!
To say i am off the gird is an understatement , but i have a nice camper with my own toilet...cool clean, i stocked it yesterday, my refrigerator if full and i have everything i need to stay within a hours drive of my doctors and finish my cancer treatments....that is the goal, and i am doing it with help from these friends, and not to under score, all the previous help from Penny and Earl, they needed there space for family, and that was all there was too it!

I am eternally grateful for all who have stepped up in my time of need, and this includes you people here on the hangout also......Thank YOU!

It is 60 miles from where i was at in Lewis Center at Penny and Earls, so i am about an hour from my doctors, but if there is an emergency....the have local ems that could transport me to place close by....i don't anticipate any problems, i just have to watch myself a bit closer during my hot zone's during and after treatment, and i will be looking for more permeant lodging locally.

On the music side of things....Ray has about 7 banjos, and spends a lot of our time together when he isn't stuffing something, handing me a banjo and asking me to play something and how do i like the sound.....so my fingers are lose and i am in shape.
There are quite a few good musicians Ray told me that live not far off.
Banjo great Tony Ellis is a friend of Rays, and he hopes to introduce me to him, and my old friend from days with the Reno Brothers and long time friend of Kenny Baker .. Billy Rose drops in on Ray now and again, so i probably have some good jam sessions in my future and i know that that new "Hatfield Banjo" is not too far off in the future, so ,ole Warp may not have died and went to banjo heaven just yet...but he is sure getting a good look at what the possibilities might be....LOL!

I went to sleep in the camper last night as if i was back working the road, and was booked at a festival....Ray and Beth were rehearsing for there gig today out on there front deck beside there hot tube...(yeah i know, what are blue grassers doing with a hot tube?)
The sound of banjo and bass picking music...flowing up the hill beside the camper...reminded me of a past life that i hope to regain, once i am on the mend from this disease process i am in right now.
I still battle depression, and anxiety from the events that i been through since i started this journey last Labor day weekend, and i still shed a few tears each week out of missing my beloved babies,,,bernidine and andy, and it gets tough during the nights sometimes.....a couple of times last night, there was some loneliness , but, i managed to sleep some, and awake with a purpose.....to keep living and moving forward.
This is the 9th place i've lived since last September and the first place without my fur kids....but i have hope, and good friends that are helping.
I know i still have some tuff times ahead, that is a given, but i seem to have the survival instincts of a cockroach , and all i can do is what my doctors tell me to do, and keep on keeping on.

Ok guys, i don't know what else i can add.....my path has taken another turn, the destination remains the same, but the path itself has gotten a lot more scenic, and if i can muster the gumption to just enjoy the scenery around me, my next treatment is July 10th, that is a lot of good scenery to view till then......I will keep you posted next time i come to town.....
Till then,

Y'all, have a gooderin!
Warp!

chuckv97 - Posted - 06/22/2019:  07:56:20

Good to hear, Kevin. If you can bottle some of that “survival instincts of a cockroach” , I’d be interested. lol

RB-1 - Posted - 06/22/2019:  22:18:14

Well Kevin, that is some mighty good news! It really made my day, reading you've landed in this good place.

Please keep us informed.

Wishing you a full recovery from all that's trying to keep you down.

Bruno

RB-1 & RB-1

 

warpdrive - Posted - 06/25/2019:  10:33:01

Tuesday, June 25th, Laurelville OH, library , 12:51 PM

Good Afternoon.

Let's see, what has ole warp done since we last visited ?

Oh yeah, i helped Ray, and Beth stack some wood late saturday morning. They already had a 20 ft pile, about 5 and half feet tall, by the time we were done, it was 40ft long 5 and a half feet tall.
Of course i'm not much help anymore, i just grabbed pieces off the splitter and handed them to beth, she did most of the stacking, and really, i should have not been doing it, i was just testing my limitations.....i found out real quick......if i ever go back to work after these goings on's, i won't be in the lumber industry !
We weren't out there but a couple of hrs tops, and i spent the rest of the night licking my wounds, i keep forgetting i'm not the man i used to be, i just couldn't stand the thought of them working, and me in the camper, but they are both 10-12 years younger than me, and they do country work all the time, so in the future, i won't be so froggy to do something because of a guilty conscience !

Sunday and monday weren't much to write home about, same ole same ole, in and out of the camper, listening to what comes on the NPR radio station i have in the camper, every now and then, there internet will boot up, but only last a few minutes at a time. They are out in the sticks far enough that they don't have broadband internet so even they are restricted to how much they can use it in the house for watching youtube.

Yesterday was cloudy till middle of the afternoon and we got thunderstorms and a toad strangling rain.
Beth and Rays twin girls came home yesterday for a couple of days, Vanessa and Heidi. They are nice young girls that are going to college over in Athens OH, and stay mainly at there grandparents, but they came home to work for Ray a couple of days, and earn some money. Ray and his girls are up on a hilltop overlooking rays house and shop as i write.....splitting and stacking wood, these people don't cul anything when it comes to work!

As for me....Today was laundry day.
Laurelville don't have a laundry matt , so i went to Kingston about 10-12 miles away from Laurelville.
This entire area is filled with Amish people, so anytime i get out and about in the countryside, i have to be watchful for horse and buggies, there more abundant than cars out here!

The trip to kingston was nice, it is sunny today and the temp is pushing 80, and by the time i get back to the camper, i will be give out, and done for the day.
Whilst i was at the laundry , i grabbed a big basket of laundry for a elderly lady that had drove in, and her basket had a sharp spot sticking out from were the plastic had ripped, i tore the side of my left hand, right in the meat between my thumb and forefinger for my trouble, bleed so bad i had to go to the car and fashion a band aid using gorilla tape and napkins, just so i could touch and fold my laundry," no good deed go's unpunished ". I am so sick of my skin tearing like paper, been this way for a couple of years now, and i wonder if sometimes i won't tear it so bad i bleed to death, but that is what i get for forgetting i'm sick at times, and not paying attention!

Well, not a lot more to write about gang.
I guess the next time i update you will be on friday when i have to go into Columbus and pick up a couple of prescriptions and check my mail that is on hold at the post office, at least i don't foresee any reason to come into town before then, there isn't anything going on anywhere else in my life that can't wait till Friday.

Y'all have a gooderin,
Warp!

Mooooo - Posted - 06/26/2019:  11:43:56

That's great Kevin, I somehow knew someone would come to the rescue. I hope you all can be great neighbors to each other for as long as it takes for you to get back on your feet and back up on stage (that would be the dream) or back to work. You have some nice friends who are really stepping up. Here's to Beth and Ray. Cherish your friends Kevin, you've got some great ones.

warpdrive - Posted - 06/27/2019:  12:58:22

Thursday, June 27th, 3:31 pm....The Infusion Center....

Well, Here I AM, I'M Sick Again.

Maybe...... i've been spiking temps at night, so last night ray took me on the back of his big farm 4 wheeler up on top of the big wooded 100ft hillside via his cut road that he uses to get up there for his wood cutting.....there is cell service up there, so i called my Onc and she said to come in today for blood work and fluids, and I'm running a temp, but it kind of comes with the territory .

Were considering a antibiotic but worried about that pesky rash the hear lately seem to accompany them. so i'm hooked to a bolus of saline right now, covered with a hot blanket hoping the extra fluid and tylenol, knocks it down, so we don't have to go the strong antibiotic route....we shall see, i don't want to go in the hospital, i didn't pack my bug out bag, but i don't want to get back out to rays and get a lot sicker and have to turn around and come back in.....so i'm in a holding pattern right now, and thought i'd take this opportunity to read responses.

Mike (MOO) good to hear from you, and yes, i've really had some good friends, that i really didn't know cared, step up and give me a helping hand, without making me feel like its a handout......that makes all the difference in the world!

I got a email from John Boulding yesterday, he checks on me now and again, it was just a quick how ya doing, but i know johns heart, we always had a good rep ore even thought we didn't always agree, we respected each others opinion, and that is what life is about isn't it?

Ray and Beths daughters headed back out this morning back to Athens, such nice sweet girls, hard working farm ethics, something i guarantee you don't see on regular 20 year old city street kids, i'll bet my life on that!
We all stayed up till midnight last night, at there kitchen table, the were mainly listening to me tell old road stories, they sat wide eyed as i told them about all the festivals in 25-30 states i used to work, some legend stories, and people that i've had good encounters with, and it made me realize what a life I've lived, and getting to see, and pick and be friends with people that others are just fascinated with, so even though i've never made a lot of money in Bluegrass , i've had experiences that others would have gave tons of money to do, and i did it for free, so i've been blessed, although i don't alway act like.....my short coming! In the future i've got to be more mindful of these things!

Well, my bolus is about near empty, so i'm going to get off here and see what is going to develop, i think i'm feeling better, and probably will head back out to the sticks,
My Onc has in mind what she wants to prescribe me, but not till tomorrow, she wants to see what my blood culture turns up...my counts are good, but i could still have a virus that needs help....thus the reason for my temps right now. Worse case scenario, i will do what i have to, it might not be convenient, but that is the way it sometimes has to be!

Ok gang, i will look in on y'all tomorrow when i go to town to check messages and email....till then
Y'all have a gooderin
Warp!

BanjoLink - Posted - 06/27/2019:  13:42:07

Kevin ....... you have a great attitude .... much better than I would have in your circumstance and you are greatly admired from pretty far away by people who you have no idea who they are except maybe on the Hangout. Just stay strong, do what your Onc tells you, and be yourself (which is plenty good). There are a lot of people pulling for you and praying for you ..... and I'm one of them.

warpdrive - Posted - 06/28/2019:  12:05:40

Friday, June 28th, 2:35 PM, Laurelville OH, library

Good Afternoon,

The temps are starting to really climb now, were pushing 90 if we aint already there, and with all my health concerns, let me tell ya, the heat and sun makes me feel like i'd guess a fish trying to swim through the sandy desert....it aint my friend!

I came to town to check my messages and splurged on a store made cheeseburger, since i aint had one in a few days.....it was good.

The bag of fluids they ran through me yesterday at the infusion center really gave me a boost, i almost feel human today, so i try extra hard to enjoy it since i know it will pass quick enough in the coming days!

John B, thanks for the kind words of encouragement , it's alway nice to know somebody is pulling for you, especially from people you've not developed more than an internet relationship with.
Funny how we think that family is going to be the tie that binds, but for me, the kindness of strangers, they seem to be looking out for me most when i really need it, and just didn't see it, how fortunate i am, and hope one day to be able to pay it forward!
I sat with Ray a while this morning and listen to him practice for his and his wife's gig they have tomorrow at a local winery.
Ray's singing voice is nothing short of spectacular , his voice is better than Dave Evans, more soulful and powerful for my opinion!

Rays has some really great sounding banjo's, his 93 ESS, also a 03 gf85 Goldstar that is really a killer, a really nice sounding Bacon&Day, and a BlackJack, and a morgan monroe that has some upgraded parts, and he has a good sounding Blueridge Guitar, along with his Wife Beth's 47 kay bass! I guess you could say i'm surrounded by a lot of good instruments and friends, and at this time in my life, its pretty much the reason i'm surviving, i never forget that!

Well gang, i guess i need to head back out to the car, give the phone a chance to sound if there is going to be any messages i need to give diligence to right away, if not, i will head back out to the woods.
Till the next time,
Y'all have a gooderin
Warp!

warpdrive - Posted - 07/05/2019:  12:52:39

Friday, July 5th, 3:14 pm, Laurelville OH, Library

Good Afternoon,

Hope everybody had a good and "quiet" fourth of July yesterday, and nobody did anything stupid like blow a thumb off, (myself, i hate 4th of July)!

I'll get my sadness out first, yesterday would have been my hound Andy's birthday, he would have been 11, needless to say, i still miss him and his sister both, and the nights sure are lonesome without them, but hopefully one day when my health is better, there will be more fur kids in my life. Ok, Enough sorrow talk.......

Yesterday was a good day banjo speaking that is. Ole warp got to spend about 2 hours picking and visiting with banjo legend Tony Ellis, and what a nice gentleman he is.
My buddy Ray Vinning who's camper i'm living in has been friends with Tony for a good number of years now, and he wanted us to get together and yesterday when i accompanied Ray into Circleville Ohio on a supply run, he called ahead to Tony, and made arrangements for us to stop and visit!

Tony will be 80 on the 29th of this month, and he is still sharp as a tack, and what a wonderful shop he has off his carport, full of fiddles and banjo's and memorabilia from his career as a bluegrass musician!

He first asked if i played some banjo, and i told him i had been guilty of attempting it a time or two.... the first banjo he handed me was a late 30.s TB 11 that he had got from Earl Scruggs himself. It had a nice tone, not a lot of power, but the neck was nice and slim, and the flange was missing a chunk out of it, but still a nice banjo, with that old holler sound, i think it had a Steve Ryan tone ring in it, and i think my friend Ray has dibbs on that banjo maybe later down the line!

Tony sat and watched me like a hawk, eyeballing my every move on both hands. I commented to him that i really was more interested in the two Stellings i was looking at sitting in open stands behind him, and he turned around and grabbed up a very nice Stelling Golden Cross, in fact, the very golden cross he had played on the David Letterman Show with Earl and Steve Martin, and man what a great sounding banjo it was, perfect in everyday, and was a powerhouse of a banjo.
The action on the Golden Cross was like butter, and the response was so quick, it was effortless to play, and the volume was so loud it made my ears ring so loud i could hardly understand any conversation whilst i played!

After i hammered on the golden cross for a few minutes, he handed me a banjo that i've only heard about, but never even seen or much less played, it was a Stelling Foggy Mountain , a no tone ring model that Stelling only made 32 of and he had John Hartford low tuned strings on it, and it was a delight to sit and get that old John Hartford riverboat sound on, it was low tuned to d and would be my pick for a fun, extra banjo to sit in a room and practice with, the sound was so pleasant to my ears, and sitting and playing melodic fiddle tunes on it was just a blast, i could have done it for hours!

Tony sat and told me stories from his youth of traveling with Monroe and we both swapped Kenny Baker stories seeing as how i have some from Playing with Uncle Josh and Kenny a number of times, and when we got ready to leave, Tony reached in a drawer and pulled me out a set of John Hartford strings he had and gave me a picture he took of Kenny several years back when he was visiting at Tony's house, it was long about the time i would have been playing with him and Uncle Josh.

Tony paid me some nice complements on my picking , he asked me how much wd 40 i put on my hands to play so fast, i told him i think i might be the fastest 59 year old banjo picker on earth, and he agreed with me. When we got ready to leave he said drop by again, when i was in the neighborhood, it was just a great time, and a chance to meet another banjo legend, and i'm grateful to my friend Ray Vinning for the experience, one i'm glad to get at this point in my uncertain life!

Well gang, that's about all i've got right now, i am working on more permanent housing for next week when i have my fourth round of chemo, needless to say, this stay at Ray and Beths has been fun, but it was never meant to be for a long period, so next week, i will be in for more adventures in chemo land, but i did have a positive conversation with a lady from VA who is coming to see me at my treatment next week, i'll give y'all a update next thursday when i am getting my bug juice put in me. Till then........

Y'all have a gooderin
Warp!

jphulme - Posted - 07/05/2019:  15:48:22

What a great day you had and I'm sure it was a great spirits booster too.

From Greylock to Bean Blossom - Posted - 07/05/2019:  20:15:01

Sounds like a great day Warp. I sure would have loved to have been a fly on the wall!. I bet some of the Monroe stories were fun.
ken

Ciao - Posted - 07/06/2019:  21:43:01

Keep on keeping on brother.

Looking forward to hearing you light up your new 'jo.

warpdrive - Posted - 07/07/2019:  11:19:58

Sunday, July 7th 1:37 PM, Laurelville Ohio, Library

Good Afternoon All,

Well, after a "toad strangling rain" early evening till about 11 last night, it's a bit on the humid side today, and if the pattern follows suit, we'll get another shower sometime around 5 or so this afternoon, early evening, that seems to be the pattern!

Ray and Beth had a private party to play last night, and were going to be gone longer than the wanted to keep "foxy" there dog in the house, so they asked me to bring her in the camper with me, if it sat to raining....as it did last night. Foxy has a good 100 ft run outside Ray and Beths back door, and when she is out on it, and Ray and Beth are off gigging, i go out and sit with her and talk, and pet, and so when the buckets of rain started last evening, she came in the camper with me, and of course, i was tickled to have a fur kid with me again, she was a bit cagey, and paced up and down some, but soon settled in, and i listened to some bluegrass on the FM, and she finally layed down and napped till Ray and beth came back in about 11: 30 i guess, needless to say, it was a longer night for me than usual, but i'm no worse for wear today!

I'm a bit cagey myself, not knowing for sure what lies ahead for me next week from a housing point of view.
I have a lady coming to my treatment center, from the VA in Columbus on Thursday. She says she can find me suitable housing, so i'm kind of putting all my eggs in one basket with that, but at some point, these benefits that these people keep telling me I'm supposed to have, you'd think they might start showing up?

I did get a call from my friends Dan and Carol who i house sit for, and are my best friends in the world, and one of Dan's lawyer friends thinks that they have a charitable foundation that will help me out with some funds for rent for a few months, seeing as how i'm at least going to be up here till probably late September to early October, so i do have a lot of eyes on my situation, and hope for some good news on that front soon, till then, i will continue to do what i've been doing, and that is being like a Goose, "waking up in a new world everyday", it sometimes isn't fun, and is never glamorous , but it does keep you on your toe's!

I know everybody is wondering "when is warp going to get that new banjo?" I don't have the particulars on that, and i am sure that my ole buddy Ken, will be on top of that, and when Arthur gets it finished, i'm sure he will contact Ken, and Ken will contact me, and when i'm feeling up to snuff, we'll light out after it!
Last i heard, it was awaiting a drying spell, then a sanding, then assembly, and that was a couple of weeks ago, so i'd bet were a gittin close.

I can tell you, after being here at Rays, and playing his 6 banjos, plus the ones that i played over at Tony Ellis's house, i am really anticipating the arrival of my new ax.

Ray has one of the best, if not the best sounding new banjos, in a standard Earl Scruggs model, that i have ever played. The neck is fast and slim, and it has a lot of natural reverb in it, kind of like the sound of Earls banjo on the Columbia recording of Foggy Mt, Banjo. I capo'd it up in A friday night after he had put a new set of strings on it, and played cripple creek as close to Earls recording on the album as i could.....Ray said it was "spot on" i didn't want to agree out of modesty , but it was what i was going for!
It is nice when one gets moments like that, i hope that there are more like that ahead for me!

Well gang, i don't know what else i have to add to this, i will most likely head back out to the farm, and spend the rest of the afternoon, in the camper, out of the sun.."(if i haven't made it clear, the sun is not a friend to me now, thanks to chemo!") and there is some decent bluegrass on the radio this afternoon, so i'm sure i will give that a listen, OH Yeah, on that note........

Next sunday, from 1-5 on woub.org/listen, Ray and Beth will be hosting the regular sunday program of "D-28+5, so i hope some of y'all will pull them up on the net and give them a listen and the studio phone number is...740-593-4924.

Ok gang,
till next time,
Y'all have a gooderin
Warp!

From Greylock to Bean Blossom - Posted - 07/07/2019:  12:11:53

Well Warp, I looked up Laurelville Ohio and I see population of 527! Salute, as they would say on Hee Haw! And I also see that is about 60 miles from Portsmouth Ohio which is the birth place of one of my all time favorites- Dave Evans. Boy, i loved his singin and his playin. He could take some of those old Flatt and Scruggs songs and make them totally his own. So Warp, as I understand it, Dave Evans was a strong strong individualist and I have to ask you if you have any Dave Evans stories from your playing days or if you see folks the those neck of the woods now that were influenced by him or who still talk about him. And I got to tell you what you know.... that southern Indiana/Ohio sun is strong and warm this time of year.
Ken

warpdrive - Posted - 07/07/2019:  15:19:14

Ken,
your just going to have to take my word on this, but Ray Vinning is Dave Evans re-incarnated, only i think Ray has more power in his voice....i'm serious, i've been working with Ray and Beth....The Picking Pair, for the last three years at the old coney Appalachian Festival, and Ray is amazing, you can hardly stay in the same room with him, when he puts his lungs into it, close your eyes, and you swear Dave Evans is in front of you! I'll find out how you can pull him up on youtube, you'll be amazed too!

Warp!

From Greylock to Bean Blossom - Posted - 07/07/2019:  15:34:28

Kevin!!!

Wow! are you exactly right!! He hit that first note and you could tell there was absolutely no exaggeration in your statement. This is great. I got to get some of their music.Do they have some albums out?

youtube.com/watch?v=x8RgrJ0xiCM

ken

Hey Warp.. No discussion on this one. That is Bluegrass with a capital B!!

Mooooo - Posted - 07/08/2019:  11:15:37

Good luck Warp. Things will work themselves out in your favor eventually.

warpdrive - Posted - 07/10/2019:  07:31:50

Wednesday, July 10th, 9:54 am, Infusion Center, Columbus OH,

Good Morning,

Well, after a early wake up this morning, 4 am or so, i packed up all that is me, and said goodbye to the 27ft camper i've called my home the last 3 weeks or so, and i've made my way to what is now the start of my 4th treatment of chemo.

I said my goodbyes to Ray and Beth Vinning last night, and thanked them for there kindness and hospitality they have shown me the last three weeks, and promised them i would be back once i got settled in what ever lies in store for me in the way of housing.
Today i will find me a budget motel to check into somewhere within a few minutes of the infusion center, so for today i will be cool and comfortable and have my own toilet .....tomorrow could be and probably will be a totally different story, but at this point in my life, everything is a win, win, if i can just wake up, and keep pushing forward, no matter what is pushing back, but at the very least i hope to wake up tomorrow morning, refreshed, and ready to hit day 2 of bug juice, and the side effects!


Hopefully, tomorrow's visit from the VA rep, will find me some stability for the next few months.
My Onc told me this morning there will be no scans until the last treatment is finished in september, i didn't get this cancer over night, and it's not going to go away because i'm a tad impatient, i have to give the juice time to "do the voodoo it do", so i figure i'll be here in Columbus "limbo" till October or so, then based on the outcome of the treatments, well lets say "ole warpy has a plan" and yes, it involves banjo picking, but first things first, i gots to find out what the big C is up too!

Banjo picking wise, i'm in good shape and spirits, in fact, i can't think of anytime in my life that i've ever been happier with my picking, i can play anything that comes into my head, and at a speed and tone that is even astounding to me, and i don't mean that from a "bragadoceous" point of view, i can't explain my abilities right now, and can only attribute the phenomena as some sort of "chemo brain", and in fact, i've written a instrumental that i am going to call it just that..."chemo brain", i will wait till i get my new hatfield before I record and debut on the thread!

Well gang, I've got meds kicking in right now, and am starting to get a bit sleepy, i don't have to tell some of you i know, intravenous Benadryl, i about 3x's stronger than what you get OTC, but it does give you a cheap buzz, so i think i will get this recliner back and nap for a bit, but i will be here for the next 3 to 4 hrs, if anybody wants to responds, i know i don't always chat as much as some would like, but i don't want this to turn into a "pity party" i don't know if i had it to do all over again, if i would make any changes, as bad as this past year has been, i think the most positive thing has been you people here on my thread, and we are pushing 15 pages and approaching 12k reads, so in case i don't always say it enough....

THANKS TO ALL YOU HERE ON THE HANGOUT AND MY THREAD!
I probably would be in a very poor condition were not for your support, the response and PM's and hey how ya doings , they mean a lot to me, and some days, they flat out are the most bright spot in my day. I hope that one day soon in the future, i can do something that will bring a smile to your faces and ears,

Ok, nap time.
I'll look back in on y'all, after while
till then,
Y'all have a gooderin
Warp!

From Greylock to Bean Blossom - Posted - 07/10/2019:  08:21:10

Well Warp,
I am going to give you a reply and I hope it don't make your computator ding and wake you up! But buddy, let me tell you, you bring a smile to us all the time. We understand what you are going thru from your posts, but the vitality of your writing gives no indication of the physical trials you are undergoing. You have energy and you have a lot of positivity. Many of us would just withdraw into a shell of pity and worry. Heck, You are even composing tunes and playing great banjo now!! and this in spite of all the garbage you have gone thru besides the C.
I am glad you got to spend some time with Ray and Beth and but also happy you are back in Columbus and near your treatment. that has to be easier on you. It will be great to hear your new song on your new Hatfield. Man, that is something to look forward to.
Now that I understand your timetable I need to announce to all hangout members that I am putting out 2 kegs of Heineken in Columbus Ohio in October to celebrate the completion of your treatment and recover. Date Time and Place TBA!!
Warp, Have a good one and let that body get healing.
ken
ps. joking about the beer, i am not a drinker. but i will be in spirit on the day you are released from this.

chuckv97 - Posted - 07/10/2019:  08:23:34

Hey Warp, have a good day... hope everything turns out just fine. The music will likely help you heal.

warpdrive - Posted - 07/10/2019:  12:37:18

Hey guys,
Thanks for the replies!

Well, i got out of the infusion center, just a bit before 1 pm Columbus time. I tried finding the best deal for a hotel room online, someplace within a few miles of the infusion center seeing as i have to be back in there tomorrow by 9am.
The online deals were going fast, and in my situation, with my funds being very , very, limited and that's putting it mildly, i am hesitant to put my credit card online, and if they do what they sometimes do, and charge a extra deposit till after you've checked out, they could wipe out my whole bank balance in one night stay........so

I drove up from where i used to stay with Penny and Earl, and i landed in Delaware Oh a place i'm very familiar with, i used to drive Trucks up here, and it off the beaten path, and the lady hear at this motel gave me a break.

Would i have liked to have been under 50 bucks? absolutely, but i got in for 59$ plus tax, and i figured that is going to be within about 10 bucks of any cheap budget hotel, or i could have continued driving around, burning my suv gas, and my body slowly going into post treatment stress and fatigue, with the temps pushing 90 right now.
So, i am in a nice comfortable cool room with all the fixings, they serve breakfast starting at 6am and i can see my suv out my window when i open my black out curtains, there are chain eating establishments with in walking distance, i have me some bottled water on ice, there is a coffee maker with good coffee over by the sink top, tv with nice channel selection, and yes, wi fi.

Don't get the wrong idea guys, i saved up for this venture, and it is only this once, i can't afford more than another night of 68$ rooms, but for tonight, i will get a good nights rest, and head out to day 2 treatments refreshed and ready to fight the good fight!

Ok guys, i will be here for the day, and ya'll can holler anytime you want, i've kicked my boots off, and am ready for another nap....i check back with y'all later

Warp!