Embarrassing Missteps

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Ruphus

Posts: 3782
Joined: Nov. 18 2010

Embarrassing Missteps

Just recalled an awful one.

Back in the early eighties someone took me to a NY appartment of a friend of his.

There was a strat standing, connected to a stereo amp.
In the recorder was a cassete where the owner had taped some really nice tracks.

Normally I highly respect other´s property / won´t touch.
However, after months of abstinence from electrical guitar I couldn´t resist to diddle around a bit with distorted sound, thus seeking a way to put the signal through as monitoring. What I did however was accidentally recording the mess and with that deleting great parts of the cassette.

When this poor guy came home he must have found his wonderful tracks replaced by punk.

I really hope that he could fully restore his notes.
It comes to my mind every once in a while, and I still feel so bad about it, yet after decades. Still wishing to apologize, but will probably never know who he was.

Ruphus

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 22 2012 10:19:53

Florian

Posts: 9282
Joined: Jul. 14 2003
From: Adelaide/Australia

RE: Embarrassing Missteps (in reply to Ruphus)

lol

bout 15 years ago ...?...cant remember exactly how long...I was tipsy, was playing a friends guitar in a restaurant (Aloysius) ...fell off my chair forward on his guitar (wasent even part of a gig, i went to see him and after i wanted to play his guitar)...still dont quite understand how...seems physically impossible to fall forward of a chair while playing...and put a crack in it...i wasent that drunk

he was so amazing about it..i still feel terrible about it and didn't even have any money to give him for it at the time ( or i offered to reimburse him for the repair job and he said dont worry about it, details are blurry, long time ago) he was incredibly gracious and forgiving about it ...still cringe at myself every time i think back to that night..

i would not have blamed him if he cursed the hell out of my name...but the man is too bigger gentleman to have done that

speaking of embarrassing ....imagine how you would feel if you were that poor student that accidentally slammed the car door on Gerardo's fingers

!! embarrassment x 1000

only worst scenario i can think of is your best friend asks you to be his best man at his wedding and on your way to the church you accidentally run his bride to be over with the car and kill her cause you dont wanna be late.....

AWKWARD

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 22 2012 10:30:27

Ruphus

Posts: 3782
Joined: Nov. 18 2010

RE: Embarrassing Missteps (in reply to Ruphus)

That´s only awkwards like us, Flo.
The fellow mates here must have known better how to omit desasters, or reminders thereof.

Ruphus

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 23 2012 10:40:19

mark indigo

Posts: 3625
Joined: Dec. 5 2007

RE: Embarrassing Missteps (in reply to Ruphus)

a while back i decided to stop lurking and start posting on the foro.... big mistake, very embarrassing

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 23 2012 12:21:07

KMMI77

Posts: 1821
Joined: Jul. 26 2009
From: The land down under

RE: Embarrassing Missteps (in reply to Ruphus)

quote:

and with that deleting great parts of the cassette.

Hi Ruphus,

My dear old grandfather was notorious for this kind of thing. He Lived in england but would come and stay with us for 6 months every few years. Back in the days of video recorders, I had a video cassette that i would copy my favorite guitar performances on to. It included some footage of me and friends playing, some of it was music that we really rehearsed and i would love to be able to watch today. There was even a concert i was invited to play in with seven guitarists from the conservatorium of music. We worked out seven guitar parts together and played on a big stage to a massive audience.

Anyway, my grandfather could never get the hang of the tv remote. One day he accidentally pressed record and recorded over it. It still bugs me to this day

He has since passed away. I don't think i ever told him he did it. I knew he didn't mean it.

He was a great grandfather to have. He always loved to joke. Although when i was a kid, he would play hide and seek with me. He would get me to count, then he would go to the betting shop. When he returned an hour or so later, he would hear me calling and looking for him, he would then hide somewhere and let me find him. He only told me about that when i was older and we always laughed.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 24 2012 9:40:01

Ruphus

Posts: 3782
Joined: Nov. 18 2010

RE: Embarrassing Missteps (in reply to Ruphus)

In such a case one could had pushed that little latch on the cassette to prevent recording over ( or take it out of the recorder ), before kids or grands come for visits, but the point is that one just won´t think of such in time.

Your story reminds of a very old casette on which my former brother in law and me played a really nice duett ( him on flute ). It must have stuck as intermediate storage with bunches of other stuff in one of my ex girl friends basements, and it´s a pity. ( Not as important like your tracks, but it was a nice little thingy.)

I like your grandpa anecdote.

And I feel with your loss, of both, grand father and recordings.

Personally I would had liked to experience grand parents, but all there has been was two short visits from my mother´s old lady from abroad when she was already with Alzheimer. ( Asking my mother repeatedly like: "Who is this young man?")
The other three unfortunately had passed away much earlier.

Ruphus

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 24 2012 18:15:45

Ricardo

Posts: 14833
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Embarrassing Missteps (in reply to Ruphus)

the other night I was out on the town, late as usual maybe 11 pm, looking to meet up with a group of flamenco friends to do juerga. I was driving and had my friend in passanger seat sending out texts to friends for me. Messages were like "whats up? Want to party tonight with me and my friends?" That kind of thing. I told him who to send messages too....well after we got where we where going I realized one text got sent to the wrong person. It was the director of a spanish classical ensemble, the guy who hooked me up with gigs with the spanish Ambassador and other things!!!

I sent an appology right away, like "wooops wrong person please disregard" but still, late at night it's damn embarrassing.

Never heard back. I hope the guy has a sense of humour, or doesn't even do the texting thing.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 24 2012 20:02:44

KMMI77

Posts: 1821
Joined: Jul. 26 2009
From: The land down under

RE: Embarrassing Missteps (in reply to Ruphus)

quote:

Personally I would had liked to experience grand parents, but all there has been was two short visits from my mother´s old lady from abroad when she was already with Alzheimer. ( Asking my mother repeatedly like: "Who is this young man?")
The other three unfortunately had passed away much earlier.

Yes i feel grateful that i got to know all my grandparents. Only one fell victim to alzheimer. It's such a strange condition. My girlfriends father recently passed away having suffered with alcohol induced alzheimer/dementia for the last 15 years. He was confined to a home with others with the same condition.

When we went to visit him in hospital he appeared totally unaware of who his daughter was. It didn't make it easy for her during visits.

During one particular visit I was listening to a conversation between another patient and the doctor. The patient was very articulate and well spoken. He was asking the doctor if he knew the whereabouts of his watch. The doctor opened the draw beside his bed and showed him a watch that was in there. The patient said, " no not that one, My other one?" The doctor politely changed the subject and continued on his way. A few minutes later a nurse came into the ward. The patient stopped her and began explaining that his wife would be arriving in the morning and that she would be upset if he had lost the watch.

About an hour later the nurse returned to check on all the patients, and this time he stopped her and began explaining that he had to go because he needed to meet his wife at the train station. He said she was coming up on the train from" London?" As we were in Australia it was only at this point that i realized that he must have been suffering from alzhiemer/dementia also.

Two weeks later Kathryn's father passed away. We went to the nursing home to fetch his few belongings. Looking out into the hallway i recognized the patient from the hospital standing outside looking into the room. He walked to the doorway and asked me if i had seen his wallet. He said he had lost his wallet and that he had train tickets in there, and that his wife was coming up from london in the morning. It was very sad as i knew it was all untrue. He must always feel like he has lost something.

We did manage to have a laugh that night though. Kathryn's dad was an ex boxer and had many trophies. On more than one occasion the nursing home would call saying that her father had been in a fight. Usually the other person came off second best.
As we were collecting his belongings one of the nurses was comforting Kathryn saying kind things like, your father was such a nice man, he never started any trouble.

When he left we had a bit of a laugh recalling those phone calls.

quote:

I realized one text got sent to the wrong person.

At least it wasn't a naughty text meant for your wife

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 25 2012 4:14:22

Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005

RE: Embarrassing Missteps (in reply to Ruphus)

quote:

Embarrassing Missteps

I signed up in the foro.

..
..

NEXT

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 25 2012 8:44:28

Ruphus

Posts: 3782
Joined: Nov. 18 2010

RE: Embarrassing Missteps (in reply to KMMI77)

quote:

ORIGINAL: KMMI77

We did manage to have a laugh that night though. Kathryn's dad was an ex boxer and had many trophies. On more than one occasion the nursing home would call saying that her father had been in a fight. Usually the other person came off second best.

That´s what I call humor.

-

Concerning Alzheimer patients feel of having lost things, it seems there often times is both involved. Erring and actual loss.

My mother was effected by gradually increasing Alzheimer too, for the last ~ 4 years of her life. I don´t think that she sensed loss of items all too often, whereas there was actually quite sizable dwindling going on. ( Servants dragging out stuff and gold coins in heavy bags. Relatives talking her into selling real estates first to then plunder the bank accounts / talking her into changes of testament / authorized individuals picking up great amounts of money from the bank, putting the cash bundles under her pillow to then only collect them silently afterwards, etc.)

Over 80% of my heritage were liftet in such and more ways.

Just days ago the German minister of health care pointed out how Alzheimer effected are being prone to looters, and that there should be taken prophylactic measures.
-

The more independant and of strong personality a person used to be, the more it hurts to see her / him conquered by this desease.

Respected head of the clan, I am sure that she still felt mistreated by clueless and rude nurses who spoke to and treated her like a dummy. Yet, she would take it silently without a blink.

Just as she took it bravely how her god damn son let her alone in that situation.
Indeed, was I intesively talked out of flying over, as she was allegedly ideally cared for / accordingly no need for me to leave the country for nursing her; instead supposedly rather disturbing a perfect arrangement of care. Nonetheless, fact has been that in the end I let her down miserably.
Actually, strongly convinced that she´d still be alive today if I only had pushed through my intention to move over in 2005. ( I remember, while being persuaded of staying in Germany, Bush was to be seen on the kitchen TV in the background, giving the empathically visiting sovereign in New Orleans after the flood.)

A while later my old lady on the phone: "You can hold my head then."
And that´s how it actually came when I found myself at her last bed so late, keeping her back up and holding her head while nurse / or family hypocrites would feed.

Lowlyness I had seen in life compared like bagatelles to untold shocks around my Alzheimer effected old lady.

About 40 foregone years of intensive experience / information about actualities hadn´t yet led to realization of the dark dimensions among your average fellow men. It took massed revealings around my old ladies passsing away to yet gradually fathom the sheer unbelievable.

Originally so certain and proud about a fancied family and clan of integrity, I now so envy folks out there who actually do have such.
What should be plain normal turns out to be a rare gem, as it tends to show just yet when funds come into play.
Teachings of history and science havn´t changed on a circumstance that too much of men still is just mere dressed up chimps.

Ruphus

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 25 2012 12:34:56

Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005

RE: Embarrassing Missteps (in reply to Ruphus)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Ruphus

quote:

ORIGINAL: KMMI77

We did manage to have a laugh that night though. Kathryn's dad was an ex boxer and had many trophies. On more than one occasion the nursing home would call saying that her father had been in a fight. Usually the other person came off second best.

That´s what I call humor.
-

ok yeah.. huh.. you have a brutal sense of humor.. ;P

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 25 2012 12:59:11

Ruphus

Posts: 3782
Joined: Nov. 18 2010

RE: Embarrassing Missteps (in reply to Doitsujin)

I was relating to

quote:

second best

of two opponents; not to fights.
- Just saw the ;OP / guess you knew how I meant that.

Ruphus

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 25 2012 13:04:42

KMMI77

Posts: 1821
Joined: Jul. 26 2009
From: The land down under

RE: Embarrassing Missteps (in reply to Ruphus)

That seems to be something we all have to experience. Learning the results of what was intended as okay, due to not enough thought, or "blocking out" a deeper understanding at the time.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 25 2012 13:07:27

Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005

RE: Embarrassing Missteps (in reply to Ruphus)

quote:

- Just saw the ;OP / guess you knew how I meant that.

yep I understood you. ;)

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 25 2012 13:08:19

Ruphus

Posts: 3782
Joined: Nov. 18 2010

RE: Embarrassing Missteps (in reply to KMMI77)

quote:

ORIGINAL: KMMI77

That seems to be something we all have to experience. Learning the results of what was intended as okay, due to not enough thought, or "blocking out" a deeper understanding at the time.

Could be, at that time even more than usually. But I´ve been what turned out to be a trusting fool all of my life.
For some weird reason I always presume that everyone on principle adores ideals.
And that´s quite baseless BS, as I´m realizing all too slowly.

Over past 3 decades at least ideals appear to have been exiled into a small number of cheezy novells at best, while the last of old fashioned knights are riding down the prairie into sunset.

Best you apparently can get these days is what my best friends says. "Don´t even trust on me, as I can´t tell how I´d be acting in the future".
Seems you ought to live like a paranoid scrooge / actually be lonesome, no matter the social life. - Or alternatively be fleeced, as long as there´s something left to be grabbed.

Ruphus

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 25 2012 17:31:44

Escribano

Posts: 6416
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Embarrassing Missteps (in reply to Ruphus)

I got drunk before going on for a late slot at the George Roby in Tufnell Park in London. I tripped on the handlebars of a bike that was resting against the lip of the stage and fell into the audience. I made matters worse by picking a fight with someone who was not the owner of the bike.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Aug. 25 2012 17:37:14