April 30, 2012 by freddy.

And we all know Mayflowers bring Pilgrims! As sit here on a rainy Monday, April 30th thinking about lugging my gear in the rain to get to a jam tonight, I an thinking how nice it is supposed to be tomorrow. Hopefully Wed will be nice too so I don’t have to carry my guitar in the rain at the Brampton Civic Hospital. I do have a handicap form but there are more handicapped than handicap spaces at the hospital parking lot so I usually just have to suck it up and walk. I am looking to start either a performance night or open mic up in Orangeville next month. More on that as it develops.

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March 29, 2012 by freddy.

This is more of a rant than a blog this time but a little over a year ago I upgraded to a touch phone with Rogers - specifically a Samsung Wave. When I got it I was told it was the latest thing and I was getting it a month before it was actually being released. I’m going to try and keep this short but the phone froze up all the time, half the time I couldn’t get on the internet or Facebook, calls got dropped or went directly to call answer, emails would not open or delete without trying more than once or turning the phone off and removing the battery etc., etc. So I went in to the store and complained. The well meaning staff would attempt to diagnose the problem but after 2 hours I would get impatient and leave. They said you really should phone in to the tech dept. So…I did…no help so I asked for a new phone…Oh no you can’t get a new phone yet. You have a 3 year contract. To get a new phone now you have to buy out this phone AND pay for a new phone…somewhere in the range of $600-$1000. I’m sorry…You sold me this phone and it doesn’t work. What are you going to do about it? We could send it out for repair? OK how long will that take? 6-8 weeks. Do I get a loaner while it’s gone? Of course! Here’s another boat anchor. Can you transfer all my contacts and calendar? Well….we can transfer most of the contacts…What about the calendar? Not really…can you write it in a calendar or something? Will any of my info be in the phone when I get it back? Nope - wiped clean….grrr…Will the phone work when I get it back?…I hope so. Hmmmm OK if that’s the only way let’s do it.
8 weeks later….
The second day after I got it back I lost a call and had to turn the phone on and off to get it to delete old email. Back to Rogers. I want a new phone! They don’t make that model any more. I don’t really want this model anyway. What else you got…well we have this one for $499 plus your early upgrade fee of $225….RIGHT! Don’t you stand behind your phones? We didn’t make that phone Samsung did. What’s that got to do with it? Do they stand behind their phones? I don’t know you’ll have to ask them yourself. Grrrrr
Oh look your wife’s phone is due for an upgrade. She doesn’t use the one she has hardly. But you could upgrade her phone and put your chip in it. OK let’s do it. Hmmm she does not have a data package. I do. Yes but it’s not on her phone or we can’t upgrade to a data style phone….So she is only paying $17 for her plan. It needs to be at $45 or better a month to upgrade to the HTC you are looking at. Are you sure you don’t want another Samsung? Would it save me any money…no not really I just like my Samsung…NOOOO….so if I upgrade her account to include a data plan that she will never use we can upgrade my phone to a new HTC EVO 3D? Yes…I think so…Think so? Let me check (over 2 hours now have elapsed). OK…I have to phone in to see if I’m right….Let’s do it…so…now I have a new phone that I have no clue how to use….but I think it will work better than my old phone. Now sir let me set up your email. What password did you use to set it up on your old phone? We tried every one I have used in the past but to no avail. I hope I figure it out soon….I don’t have much hair to pull out any more…..

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March 20, 2012 by freddy.

The winter that never was. We hardly had any snow or cold weather all winter and now in the last week of winter we are having record high temperatures more like May! That makes the loading and unloading of gear at the gigs a lot easier.
Heading into April soon which means…ta da!…my 60th birthday on the 18th of April so more partying to start again. This year my driver’s license, my car tag AND my health card all needed renewing so with that behind me it’s on to planning my get-together of friends and family for the big 6-0. I’m still playing every Wednesday at the Brampton Civic Hospital main lobby from noon til 1pm but the open mics I was running at The Italian Place have ceased since they closed at the end of January. There is a new coffee house with open mics and songwriter cafes etc. here in Brampton called the Green Cup Roastery on the west side of Hwy 10 just north of Queen. Check it out sometime if you get the chance.
One more eatery I would like to mention is the Briskit Gourmet Sandwiches in the industrial area near Steeles and Torbram. Just head east along Wilkinson and on the left, just after the bend they are right there. As they say on TV - You gotta eat here! Super brisket beef and pulled pork sandwiches and many large burger and chicken sandwiches, fries and onion rings plus all are available gluten-free. Come on down! You will likely see me there too! Bon apetite.

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January 3, 2012 by freddy.

Well, it’s been a long time since I posted. I keep forgetting about it, then when I remember I forget my password. I hate getting old. 2011 was not a particularly good year ending with being sick as a dog right through Xmas and New Years and it followed an even worse 2010 so I hoping for better things in the new year. Last year I introduced 2 new web sites - musicandjewelry.com and freddysstuff.greatwebmalls.com. A new restaurant opened in the last half of the year called The Italian Place and I have been able to perform there a few times and will be running a monthly open mic there in the new year. I also have a few more students slated to start today so things have gotten off to a better start so far. I hope you all had a super Xmas and New Years. Onward and upward!

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January 31, 2011 by freddy.

As you can tell I really don’t blog much. It’s a habit I never got into plus I keep forgetting my password….Tomorrow is February and as I look at my calendar I see I’m pretty busy even without a day job! My regular gigs at The Brampton Caledon Center of Learning (Mondays 2pm - 3pm) and the Brampton Civic Hospital (Wednesdays 12pm - 1 pm) continue but I really need more gigs. I’ve started teaching again in two locations - my studio in Brampton and at Park Royal Bible Church in Mississauga. I’m working on trying to make a catalog of all my custom made music jewelry, imported music watches and related items but I’m not the greatest photographer and have many items to catalog. Some of the items are on this web site as well as my Facebook page.

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December 1, 2010 by freddy.

I still play every Wednesday at noon til 1pm in the main lobby of the hospital if anyone happens to be near there at that time. Please come in and say hello. (Timmies is just down the hall and I take my coffee black ) Right now I’m playing all my Christmas tunes to make the patients feel a little more festive.

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November 26, 2010 by freddy.

Our first few flurries in Brampton this morning….but nothing to show for it by noon. It’s hard for me to sing “It’s Beginning to look a lot like Christmas” or “Sleigh Ride” when there is no snow!

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November 25, 2010 by freddy.

Just thought I’d mention that I know make music theme jewelry and you can go to my “For Sale” tab on my web site to see my wares. They make great Christmas presents and stocking stuffers! I also do many Christmas songs and carols despite the fact they are more difficult to play on guitar. Why not throw a party and hire me to perform for your guests up close and personal! I’m reasonable if you feed me lol.

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November 25, 2010 by freddy.

This has not been my best year. I had a stroke in January which laid me up til April where I used a walker and later a cane to get around. Just as I was able to walk my wife got Diplopia (double vision) which triggered migraines so she has been unable to work or drive. Here we are in November and she still is not any better despite trips to the hospital for so called experts to do cat scans and MRIs and still not have a clue what is causing it. To say the least, we will be happy to see 2010 go!

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November 25, 2010 by freddy.

I started this blog a long time ago and promptly lost my password and then got busy and could not remember how to get back to it….I’m a musician not a computer expert. Hopefully I may have figured it out LOL

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