Mela in Middlesbrough

Subject: Mela in Middlesbrough
From: Northerner
Date: 15 Jul 06 - 05:40 PM

This is where I will be tomorrow.

http://www.neukol.org.uk/events/mela/pages/whatson.htm

Sorry, I can't do the blue clicky thing. Sigh.

Along with my singing and storytelling, I also do a spot of drumming. No, that is not a rock band, but a drumming circle. I play on a djembe. We have a booking tomorrow. My drumming circle is called the Tees Valley World Drummers. I don't think this will give me much direct help with my storytelling but it's fun and relaxing. I also figure that performance in a group gives me extra practice as a performer with less stress than being a soloist. And the drumming takes me to venues I wouldn't have seen otherwise, and likewise I see some interesting performers I wouldn't have seen otherwise.

Let's hear it for drumming! BOOM! BOOM!

Subject: RE: Mela in Middlesbrough
From: Azizi
Date: 15 Jul 06 - 10:12 PM

Djembes! And a drum circle?! Where is Middlesbrough?

Probably not anywhere near Pittsburgh, PA USA. [Sigh]

Anyway, I salute you.

"Let's hear it for drumming! BOOM! BOOM!"

http://www.neukol.org.uk/events/mela/pages/whatson.htm

Subject: RE: Mela in Middlesbrough
From: Northerner
Date: 16 Jul 06 - 03:34 AM

Thank you Azizi, and in particular thank you for doing the blue clicky thing.

Middlesbrough is in the north-east of England at the mouth of the River Tees. We have a brilliant sunny day here, couldn't be better. I'm away to have breakfast then wash my hair and to prettify myself before setting off.

Our drumming circle was started last year by a Togolese gentleman who had immigrated here. It started from an integration project to integrate the immigrants with the existing population. It seems to be very successful!

Subject: RE: Mela in Middlesbrough
From: Azizi
Date: 16 Jul 06 - 07:31 AM

Given the time differences, and the time I'm reading this, you have probably gone to your event-I'm sure it was well received. I've found that drums-particularly when they are well played-have a way of exciting people. I'm curious, do you have dancers, too?

Btw, Pittsburgh-is where three rivers meet. And I'm a storyteller,though not a drummer. I usually engage a djembe drummer to do storytelling 'gigs' with me. One drummer who often works with me is African American. The other drummer who performs these cutural presentations with me is from the Congo [the largest one-I always get them mixed up].

Btw, it took me a while before I joined 'the blue clicky' club at Mudcat. But if you know how to cut & paste, then its actually easy to do.

Here's how I do it:
1. Keep the Mudcat page open and open up a new page so you can get to another website

2. Find the URL {website address} you want. I usually use theGoogle search engine.

3. Go to that website

4. Go to the top of your computer page where the website's address is given-that's at the top of the page below your tool bar [or anyway mine is-I think that's always where the address {also known as the URL] is found.

5. Run your curser over the website address you want [by holding down your computer mouse and moving it over the address]and either cut or copy it [I've found either one works but I usually copy it-using the copy or cut feature that is either done by clicking on an icon in your tool bar or the cut or copy feature in Edit]

6. Go back to the Mudcat page.

7. Click on "create a link [blue clicky]" that is located below the message box. A new page will come up with a box=follow the instructions on that page which will first tell you to:

8. Use the 'paste' feature [either from the icon in your toolbar or from Edit. Paste the address into that box from the website that you cut or copied into that box.

9. Continue following the instructions in that box which will tell you to either create a name for that website address you've just pasted into that box, or hit submit

10. When you hit submit, the hyperlink address will appear. Copy it to the Mudcat page & then paste it in the message box. And you should have your blue clicky!

[though sometimes my blue clickies appear reddish brown on my computer-I'm not sure why]

Best wishes!

Azizi

Subject: RE: Mela in Middlesbrough
From: Bassic
Date: 16 Jul 06 - 08:05 AM

Azizi.......here is an easy way to cut and paste for you.

1. Move the mouse arrow (cursor) over the URL address you want to copy and RIGHT CICK your mouse. That will AUTOMATICALLY highlight the address for you (in blue on my setup) and also open a drop down menu which includes "copy" among the options. Click on copy and its done.

2 Move your mouse arrow to where you want to paste the address that the comp has copied for you, then right click and choose "paste". Thats it, no more steps. Your computer will copy into the space the last thing that you told it to "copy". Quick and simple.

No highlighting by swiping with the mouse cursor or looking in edit lists or on toolbars for "copy", its there in the mouse all the time just a right click away :-). Try and get used to right clicking on things more often, you wont do any harm, it just opens a menu, there are often lots of short cuts to useful functions available. Happy surfing :-).

Subject: RE: Mela in Middlesbrough
From: Azizi
Date: 16 Jul 06 - 10:21 AM

Thanks for that info!

I'll try it that way-and I'll call it the "bassic way".

:o)

Subject: RE: Mela in Middlesbrough
From: Northerner
Date: 16 Jul 06 - 02:51 PM

Thank you all. I'll have to try the blue clicky thing again...

I had a very pleasant day. There were 16 of us drumming and it went very well indeed. I spotted one of my folk club friends there and she watched the performance and enjoyed it I think. She said she could not only see me on the stage but larger than life up on a big screen. We also did a workshop. Performing on the Main Stage at the Mela is basically the best gig that we have had so far as drummers. Although I want to work as a soloist eventually (storytelling) I think that a little ensemble work gives me experience in easy stages.

It was a beautiful sunny day, just about perfect. I also found a useful contact at the Mela. A lady who organises some of the performances. I told her that I would like to run a storytelling workshop there at some stage in the future and she has given me some contact details.