OK, you probably have several questions, as do I…
Why me? Why a blog? Why now?
Believe me, ego and notoriety aside, I have no pretensions that anyone out there gives a whit about my personal life or musings on such (even my mom tends to fall asleep halfway through my emails). Seriously, aren’t Blogs pretentious by definition?!
And the last thing I need is another task…I’m beyond behind and overloaded (trust me).
But watching my wife Jaci do it (well, she actually ghostwrites for Auggie), it hit me that the blog medium and discipline might be just what I need as a way to keep not only Harpguitars.net readers current, but myself more organized. OK, not organized, but at least perhaps a means to keep too many things from slipping through the cracks.
Example: I still have a couple hundred Excel lines of entries to add to the site, and they just keep growing. These may be a simple photo, a short listing, a new instrument, player or luthier, or they may entail a bit more research and write-up, or even a full article. You’ll notice I haven’t even gotten around to updating the Knutsen Archives in a couple years, and there’s lots of new info and specimens piled up in my files.
Most of these new finds are worth archiving, and some are pretty important. Then there are all the things that never make it onto the site, as there’s no logical place for them – yet they’re still interesting. I (along with many of you) have been posting various finds and news on the relevant Forum threads – as we should continue to do – but there’s so much happening in the harp guitar world, and always coming across my desk, that I think this will be simpler for me, while being more interesting for you.
So, rather than keep piling up the information and finds and news (much of which I will eventually have to incorporate into the site, regardless), I’m going to try and highlight them literally as they happen. I think this will better ensure that I don’t lose track of the zillion tidbits that enter my harp guitar orbit…when needed, I can just go back through my own blog archives for reference! As I’ll also be formatting and writing things up in some minimal, presentable way for the blog, this small-amount-each-day may be easier to handle than the insurmountable harp guitar data mountain that continues to grow.
But I’m rather hoping that it will also be more fun for you, the reader. It’s always enjoyable stumbling across new finds out there, and when emails come in out of the blue from all manner of strangers, with all manner of surprise discoveries, I’m like a kid in a candy store – often on a daily basis. If you’re into harp guitars and their history (and present and future), I think you’ll get the same kick that I do out of the “real-time” news and discoveries. I have a busy and stressful but ridiculously fun and blessed life as “the harp guitar pope” – if I can give you some vicarious sense of that, I’d be honored.
SO – we’re off. I’ll prepare a few entries from the last week’s events to get the lay of Blogland, and then soon start on daily up-to-the-minute entries. It might be something new in my Inbox, something new one of you alerts me to, something I worked on that evening (perhaps a new tune, or CD project, or research or something ), or saw while out and about (harp-guitar related, at least in some way). Feel free to send in your own news and finds as well. When I have nothing specific for the day, I’ll fill in with the backlog – I’ll work backwards on that to continue to chip away at it, while working forwards on the “real time” stuff.
Sound like a plan?
Just kill me now.
Your host,
Gregg Miner
Ditto to all of the above!
Dyers forever-at least another century!
Gregg, buddy, dude!!
We all know you just need to blab and blather about your obsessions a lot….I mean really a lot! And we also all know how blessed we are to have you out there doing it, and doing it about something we share your obsession for (at least in some small way)….harp guitars!! It’s hard to imagine a harp guitar universe with out our own Gregg out there going nova on us.
May your cybernetic soliloquies light us all up in the ever-expanding harp guitar big bang!
(actually, I’m just here ’cause all the other cool people are here……)
love ya”,
Fred
Hey Gregg, congrats on the new blog! You’re always on the edge. Looks good on you.
Best
Carter Lancaster
Woo Hoo Gregg!
Great idea!
I do have some sad news to report. Because SB wasn’t there, and Joe didn’t take any instruments, I didn’t see any Harp Guitars at Winfield this year. 🙁 Now, Dennis may have had his there, but I never SAW it. May need to consider sanctioning an International Harp Guitar contest at the Walnut Valley Festival.
Keep on Blogggging, Gregg.
C ya.
Hi Gregg–
What a great idea! Can’t wait to read more! Hope it goes smoothly.
Jean
Hi Gregg…..:-)
This is a great idea to help promote the world of harp guitar and all it encompasses!
Consider this blogg site officially bookmarked!
Best of luck and many thanks,
Patty
This is excellent! I can’t wait to watch the tickers come in on my feed of things I enjoy to read about. Congratulations on a fine blog and the best of luck running it!
– Thomas Nielsen
Hey Gregg,
congrats on your Blogg, it is now feeding my RSS-reader.
can’t wait to get up-to-date and good luck with the new daily routine!
best,
Melle Weijters (aka Mel Gibson)
Gregg~
I’m excited for your new blog and I’m glad you’re doing it. I will be one of your faithful readers!!
Bonjour Gregg, that’s excellent news! I am anxious to read about you and your 365 harp guitar days. Bravo!!!
PS: I like your new look on the presentation photo.
Amitié
Philippe
Hi Gregg,
Congratulations!
I’m still a “newbie” Harp Guitar fan, (but, since I still don’t own one, I guess I’m a “wannabe”)!
I will hopefully change this current status!
Take care,
Werner
Good luck, Greg. Perhaps you could float the idea of getting harp guitars involved with “Prairie Home Companion,” given their unusul structure, musical potential and Norwegian heritage. I can just imagine someone in Lake Wobegon finding one in an attic and trying to play it in church or in the Sidetrack Tap… Perhaps others will have ideas for presenting such a proposal to the producer.
Hey pal ~
I’ll make a point of checking in on a regular basis. Glad to see you’re up and running!
Ciao,
sb
Congrats Gregg. Love the title ! -(kinda strange it has a plethora of “g-s” just like your name ?)
Sounds Like a good plan to deal with the “real-time” stuff.
I agree there is lots going on in the HG world these days- and I am sure with your full plate you aren’t otherwise able to share a lot of it as quickly as you would like.
Personally, I can’t wait to hear updates on the Holloway “specimens” being released into the wild
and Bennett’s new True Fire projects…
Also wouldn’t hurt to get some notation going on some of our other favorite players as well
(how do you spell Wahlberg ?)…
Best,
Gregg: This is exciting even though Deirdra and I may be the only ones who read your blog. We are looking forward to hearing all your thoughts real time.
John
Gregg…blogs are the best…I think people will enjoy it. It is a great place to put out your random thoughts and adventures. All the Best to your new BLOG from a 3 year blogging veteran.
Deirdra