Nothingberder

 Today was the day Mr. End-Stage Syphilis himself, Donnie Dumpo, was fussing and crying that he'd be arrested. It's turned out to be a big nothingbuger, or as Donnie would say it, a nothingberder. 

Last night after taking some stuff apart to list, I made a lovely bowl of beef soup with fresh shiitake mushrooms and after that I really didn't do anything. I practiced a bit but I was really falling asleep so I went to bed and woke up today around 5. 

Nothing about Dumpo in the news. Instead it's about Xi visiting Putin and Fumio Kishida visiting Ukraine. China's *appearing* to cozy up to moscovia but in reality I'm pretty sure they're just doing so to "keep their enemies closer" and look out for an opportunity to get Mongolia and Siberia back. Fellow Asian countries. They'd not want anything to do with those pale-ass orcs than anyone else does. And, sadly, they don't give a shit about what the orcs are doing to the Ukrainians but then why should they? Not their kuleana as we'd say back home. 

I can seriously see China, if they give muscovia "military aid", their sending them clapped-out old shit that doesn't work worth a damn. Get rid of cold crap at premium prices and when more ocs die, say "Sorry! (not sorry)" 

Last night I got the ol' shinobue out, and looked around and found I'd been smart and not gotten rid of the book by Marco Lienhard on how to play it. For a little plastic Aulos (Japanese brand) flute it's a neat little thing. It doesn't *look* great because as it comes new, it's very plasticky looking with a shiny finish and these horrid plastic "bindings". 

I've gone about halfway in making it look a bit better by satin-finishing it and trimmed away the plastic "bindings" and replaced the center one with black hemp cord. I actually need to re-do that one because I have plastic tape underneath, and do the ones on the ends and then treat the bindings with Tru-Oil which will make them very durable. 

I'm glad I've kept the little screamer because both Marco Lienhard and Markus Guhe play both shakuhachi and fue/shinobue, and if the shakuhachi is easy to carry around, the shinobue is even more so. The book by Lienhard has a lot of neat beginner songs in it also.