Where has the summer gone?

By Jeff:

A couple of months ago, I was going into school to clean out the classroom. I had had the busiest of my 3 years at my school, being a coach, a moderator, and of course a teacher. Thankfully I didn’t have to move too many things, or take much down. I even arranged the desks in a configuration i’d like to try for the new school year.

But after that last day, I had a field trip to Boston with the Saturday Program students the next Monday. That was fun and busy, but exhausting.

Then a week later, it was off to UNH for 2 weeks of training. Training for a course it doesn’t look like i’ll be teaching this year. It really is a shame, though. This past year I taught a Saturday program at Fairfield University for high school freshmen. It was like a TAG program (Talented and Gifted). The students were very smart, with-it, and fast. The course was a lot of fun to teach, and the kids loved it. Attendance was exemplary for a saturday program that draws from the inner city.

But it looks like we are unable to continue the program this year because G.E., who was the source of our funds, decided to cut our grant – despite basically giving a 4 year commitment.

So these poor kids who had such a good time with the first year, cannot continue.

Despite this, if the program DOES continue at some point in the future, i’ll be ready to teach it.

So after that, I had a couple of weeks off which included a trip to the ever famous and heavily reported Jim Fusco’s wedding. And it lived up to expectations.

Then a nice week-long vacation at an all-inclusive resort (see my post last week for a couple of thoughts about that).

But I am realizing that, holy crap where has the summer gone? I go back to school in 2 weeks. It really goes by way to quickly.

It almost (emphasis on almost) makes me want to work all year so I don’t have an extended break to look forward too. I think I’d appreciate vacations a little more.

I didn’t get a chance to record a whole bunch of videos and I have not gotten any writing done. All my time spent playing guitar has been for the purpose of learning and recording songs for this site.

Unfortunately for me, while I feel relaxed and energized, I still feel like I’ve got nothing done. It’s a terrible feeling.

And my immediate future is going to be busy as well. This semester I’ve been asked to teach 4 classes instead of the usual 3 (for a nice pay boost), and at some point during this semester my life is going to change forever.

Yeah it’ll be a very exciting next few months.

But in conclusion, I really dislike the fact that time feels relative. The upcoming year, while it will be exciting, will move at a much slower pace, as opposed to the breakneck speed of summer I have experienced.

But at least you’ve got us for entertainment all 52 weeks of the year!

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“Amnesia” (Toad the Wet Sprocket Cover)

By Jeff:

Welcome to your late edition of Thumpin’ Thursday!  A day that is so awesome that it can only come once per week, otherwise the unexplained will occur.

No, I don’t understand it either, but I forget what I was going for there…

I must have Amnesia.

Wait!  I do!  It’s the song from Toad the Wet Sprocket’s final album “Coil” called “Amnesia!”

Excuse me while I walk to the door that you’ve inevitably sent me too…

Ok i’m back.  The song and band were one of my favorite “I seem to be the only one who has heard of this album” records from my childhood.  I’m glad that with my higher understanding of guitar and music, that I can finally play some of the songs from this album because they are among my favorites.

This song is well suited for guitar and really comes out nicely on the sessions format.  This is another take 1 as well, which is always a good thing.

I’m so excited that in about 36 hours, I will be at Jim’s wedding, which I know him and Becky are very excited and nervous about (well, at least I think so on the latter).  It should be a blast and I look forward to it.  I also can’t wait to hear what brother Mike will divulge about the Notorious J.I.M.

Ok that’s it for this evening.

Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, Jeff’s acoustic cover song music videos are no longer on YouTube, but we decided to keep his cover song blog posts up.  We figured these music blog entries would be good for posterity’s sake and because Jeff always gave such insightful posts each Session.  We hope to see Jeff’s impressive catalog of acoustic rock songs here on the Laptop Sessions cover songs and origianal music blog again in the future.  But, for now, please make sure to check-out hundreds of other acoustic cover songs from all of your favorite bands here on the Laptop Sessions music blog!

More Laptop Sessions covers

“Where the Streets Have No Name” (U2 Cover)

By Jeff Copperthite:

I would like to wish all of you a Happy Mother’s Day out there, and I would like to thank you for taking time out of your day to visit www.guitarbucketlist.com. I am proud to introduce another specialty week, and it is “Album Starter Week”. All this week (except Wednesday of course) we will be playing songs that are album openers. A good album knows how to draw a listener in, so you know bands always want the first song to be a real good one.

We will kick off album starter week with another song by U2. One of their most famous albums is “The Joshua Tree” and the song “Where the Streets Have No Name” is the perfect opener. It has a long fade-in with a nifty lead guitar by Edge. It does exactly what it is supposed to do.

I really enjoyed playing this session and I really feel this is a great solid cover. Again, I comment about Bono’s vocal range and how I have to strain my voice a bit to hit some of the notes Bono can hit regularly. Still, it is a “live” cover and I think with all things considered, I sing my heart out on this one.

I chose to close the song with the chords rather than the lead guitar because I thought that it sounded “empty” without the bass backing that the album version has. It works quite well though so I have no complaints.

I also did this song in one take, and it is the 4th Laptop Session in a row that I have completed in a single take.

Well anyway, Happy Mother’s Day to everyone out there. Make sure you check back EVERY DAY to see the songs we have selected for Album Starter Week.

Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, Jeff’s acoustic cover song music videos are no longer on YouTube, but we decided to keep his cover song blog posts up.  We figured these music blog entries would be good for posterity’s sake and because Jeff always gave such insightful posts each Session.  We hope to see Jeff’s impressive catalog of acoustic rock songs here on the Laptop Sessions cover songs and origianal music blog again in the future.  But, for now, please make sure to check-out hundreds of other acoustic cover songs from all of your favorite bands here on the Laptop Sessions music blog!

More Laptop Sessions covers

“Improbable Fantasy” (New Music by Indie Music Artist Jeff Copperthite!)

By Jeff Copperthite:

Welcome to another Laptop Sessions’ original Wednesday, where the we at Fusco-Moore Productions present one of many songs that we have written, and play it for you!

This marks the first time I have played one of my original songs here on the Laptop Sessions, and it is a great pick if I may toot my own horn.

The song is called “Improbable Fantasy”, and it is from Quilt’s 2003 album “Expressions” (available at www.fusco-moore.com’s store). It is a bit on the longer side (in this video I did shorten the middle section a bit from it’s original version), but has a catchy progression, and it tells a true story.

In 3 weeks I will be back for another original wednesday (with regularly scheduled covers in between), and you will most likely hear a song from my new album which comes out February 24th. I’m very excited, and I hope you will be when you hear it as well!

Until then, keep checking https://guitarbucketlist.com/ for more from Chris, Jim, and myself!

Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, Jeff’s acoustic cover song music videos are no longer on YouTube, but we decided to keep his cover song blog posts up.  We figured these music blog entries would be good for posterity’s sake and because Jeff always gave such insightful posts each Session.  We hope to see Jeff’s impressive catalog of acoustic rock songs here on the Laptop Sessions cover songs and original music blog again in the future.  But, for now, please make sure to check-out hundreds of other acoustic cover songs from all of your favorite bands here on the Laptop Sessions music blog!

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