What are we missing?

[ramonesfreak]

Originally Posted by fintstone

Maybe he would have done better to play some place where people are not responsible and wouldn't hesitate to come to work late over a little personal gratification...some place where guys like to make every discussion a personal attack...a place where guys like Dan live.

i really dont want to be a dick and start an argument but are you really upset that someone made a personal attack? you started off your prior post with the following...

"Most people can't stop and listen because they have to get to work to pay income taxes to support all the losers who don't (almost 50% of the nation)."

As someone who has had a terrible time getting back on my feet after losing a job, your comment could have felt very personal to me. I know alot of people in tough times and none of them, including me, are losers.

I dont think the point of the thread was that everyone should stop and watch a guy play violin for hours instead of going to work.

[fintstone]

Generally speaking, when someone posts your name in a negative manner...that can be construed as a personal attack. My observation that almost half of all Americans do not pay federal taxes is a fact, although my calling them losers was my opinion (not a personal attack as it addressed almost half the population...employed or not). It is similar to those who implied that those who didn't stop, listen, and pay the guy were stupid, ignorant, or "clots". Funny you didn't address those folks for their lack of civility.

As far as "hours" listening...miss the last train by 5 seconds and you will have all day...or night to listen, depending on direction.

[ramonesfreak]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

Working in NYC , you pass a bunch of guys like this everyday, to the point where it just becomes background noise. Most people are commuting and just want to get to work or home. Majority that will stop and listen are the tourists. Very rarely have I had the time to stop and listen. But yeah every once in a while I might see/hear someone that catches my ear. One of the most talented guys ive seen was a guy that had a bunch of plastic drywall buckets that he was using as drums.

i was gonna mention the bucket drummer too....its been 10 years since i have seen it but as i sit here a world away from the subway, i remember. totally awsome! I have seen some great groups in penn station that stopped me in my tracks for 15 minutes or so.

i used to live in SOHO where you see those A cappella groups singing oldies and the tourists stop and block the sidewalk. didnt interest me to hear "youve lost that loving feeling" every saturday and sunday

And those peruvian pan flute groups that you see busking at every festival across the country....yuck. I always walk right by those dudes.

But ive seen some horn players jamming away that stopped me and made me say "WOW, i wonder if that is some famous dude?"

[VINMAN]

[QUOTE=ramonesfreak;6561711]
i used to live in SOHO where you see those A cappella groups singing oldies and the tourists stop and block the sidewalk. didnt interest me to hear "youve lost that loving feeling" every saturday and sunday

QUOTE]

I used to go to this bar " "the big kahuna" on Broadway and Houston. there was this old homless blackguy that always used to sing in front of it. He was really good. I have pictures somewhere of me singing "under the boardwalk" with him. ( alcohol does wonders... )

[ramonesfreak]

Originally Posted by fintstone

Generally speaking, when someone posts your name in a negative manner...that can be construed as a personal attack. My observation that almost half of all Americans do not pay federal taxes is a fact, although my calling them losers was my opinion (not a personal attack as it addressed almost half the population...employed or not). It is similar to those who implied that those who didn't stop, listen, and pay the guy were stupid, ignorant, or "clots". Funny you didn't address those folks for their lack of civility.

Your first "loser" comment came way before the "clots" comment. You were the first negative commenter in the thread

and as i read the "clots" comment, it sounded to me that he is being sarcastic and that he feels the whole thing was setup to make busy people look like "clots"...whatever that is.

[onewhippedpuppy]

While it is a sad commentary on how driven we are as a society, most of you are totally full of crap. If you were pushing to get to work on time (as most people are), you wouldn't stop to listen to a musician in the subway, miss your train, and be late to work. As much as I'd like to spend more time stopping to smell the roses, I have bills to pay and kids to feed.

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by fintstone

I find it odd that so many here have jobs where they can be late...and would stop and listen to every interesting person along the way to find out if they were a great musician or just another one of the many that play on the street that really are not too good. Generally speaking, if a musician is good enough to lose your job over and risk not being able To feed or care for your family...they are not playing in the subway for tips. The two seconds that I would hear him when I passed probably would not have alerted me to his skill any more than any of the others that play instruments or sing there. I would rather pay the money and see him in concert than lose my job to hear a tune or two in a noisy subway station. People who commute 5 hours a day and work 9 or 10 generally dont stand around in subway stations hoping for a free concert. They have their connections time down to the minute. Miss your train...and you rent a car to get home... Costing more than seeing a real concert. Maybe he would have done better to play some place where people are not responsible and wouldn't hesitate to come to work late over a little personal gratification...some place where guys like to make every discussion a personal attack...a place where guys like Dan live.

I agree with what you are getting at. That said..... I would slit my wrists before I ended up working at a job that required 10 hour days + 5 hours of commute time.

[Hugo930]

Since I am the OP, would rather be the OG. The post for me was simple and not so much about the musician.
What I take away from it is that I rush everywhere, everyday, sometimes idled for hours sitting on a conference call, then rush rush rush.
I don't have to miss a "free" concert by a world class musician in the Subway but I can miss my kid making a funny joke or a friend telling me in not such a straight way that he's in trouble, or depressed, whatever.
Those of you that are concentrating on 50% unemployment, etc. are truly the people that need this reminder the most.
After all,
Most great amazing memories, for me, come from the smallest things while I spend my life chasing the big things.
Take whatever you want out of this post, it was a good reminder for me.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by fintstone

blah, blah, blabbity blab, losers who aren't as good as me blabbity blah blah

The usual.

Jeeze Fint you could PARF up a Christmas mass.

[wdfifteen]

We have street musicians downtown all the time. They remind me that life isn't all about rushing from here to there for everyone. Artists do amaze me. I'm too profit driven and not able to relax and do something just because it touches the senses. I often wish I could think like an artist. I'm thankful for them even when I can't stop and listen and usually toss them a buck and say thanks on my way by. They are a pleasant addition to my life even when I don't stop.

[fintstone]

The article was insulting and made the stupid assumption that people did not stop and listen because they were somehow inferior... Not because they simply had to be somewhere else and had to make connections. If they had announced the "concert" in advance, people would have left earlier (if possible) or taken a vacation day (if possible) to watch... But they chose not to and got exactly what they expected/wanted. You guy cry like babies when your ox is gored but laugh when it is somone else being insulted. Yes, if you have time to hang around on the subway and listen to any musician playing there... You must be out of work...and unless retired, not looking too hard for employment...since there are few employment opportunities on the subway station. Subway beggars just make it difficult for everyone else who is trying to go to their real job. Anyone that dies not make enough to pay federal taxes (working or not), should probably not be hanging out in the subway either as they need an additional part time job or more education so they can pull their own weight instead of relying on voting themselves more and more of other people's money.

[J P Stein]

clot: Brit informal a stupid person; fool

Sarcasm is lost again. Some clots need green font to recognise it.
Other clots can't come up with an efficient way of switching to green font.

[ramonesfreak]

Originally Posted by fintstone

The article was insulting and made the stupid assumption that people did not stop and listen because they were somehow inferior... Not because they simply had to be somewhere else and had to make connections. If they had announced the "concert" in advance, people would have left earlier (if possible) or taken a vacation day (if possible) to watch... But they chose not to and got exactly what they expected/wanted. You guy cry like babies when your ox is gored but laugh when it is somone else being insulted. Yes, if you have time to hang around on the subway and listen to any musician playing there... You must be out of work...and unless retired, not looking too hard for employment...since there are few employment opportunities on the subway station. Subway beggars just make it difficult for everyone else who is trying to go to their real job. Anyone that dies not make enough to pay federal taxes (working or not), should probably not be hanging out in the subway either as they need an additional part time job or more education so they can pull their own weight instead of relying on voting themselves more and more of other people's money.

i always had time to check things out on the subway and on the streets. i always gave myself enough time to get where i was going and made big bucks while going about my day, i paid attention to things that interested me and ignored those that didnt.

so if you see me or anyone else hanging around the subway then we must be out of work and not trying to get a real job unless we are retired? maybe im a tourist, maybe im a rich dude, maybe im a talent scout from capital records, maybe i am out of work and walking to kinkos to fax my resume or im on my lunch break.

wow man, you life must really suck or you have lived in a bubble and anything that doesnt appear to be the same as your perfectly lived life is bad

unsubscribed..so i dont have to read this moronic low intelligence crap.

[Head416]

Originally Posted by fintstone

The article was insulting and made the stupid assumption that people did not stop and listen because they were somehow inferior... Not because they simply had to be somewhere else and had to make connections. If they had announced the "concert" in advance, people would have left earlier (if possible) or taken a vacation day (if possible) to watch... But they chose not to and got exactly what they expected/wanted. You guy cry like babies when your ox is gored but laugh when it is somone else being insulted. Yes, if you have time to hang around on the subway and listen to any musician playing there... You must be out of work...and unless retired, not looking too hard for employment...since there are few employment opportunities on the subway station. Subway beggars just make it difficult for everyone else who is trying to go to their real job. Anyone that dies not make enough to pay federal taxes (working or not), should probably not be hanging out in the subway either as they need an additional part time job or more education so they can pull their own weight instead of relying on voting themselves more and more of other people's money.

[fintstone]

...maybe I am a rich dude that hangs around in subway stations on cold January mornings in DC to scout talent for Capitol Records? Seems pretty far fetched to me. Even the bums don't come there to beg until later in the day when it warms up... Much less the musicians who realize that their chances are better after work when you are going home.

[Jim Richards]

Fint, you sure do like to argue.

[fintstone]

I guess you are right. It just rubbed me the wrong way as I was rushing to get on the train this morning...

[RKC]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

We have street musicians downtown all the time. They remind me that life isn't all about rushing from here to there for everyone. Artists do amaze me. I'm too profit driven and not able to relax and do something just because it touches the senses. I often wish I could think like an artist. I'm thankful for them even when I can't stop and listen and usually toss them a buck and say thanks on my way by. They are a pleasant addition to my life even when I don't stop.

Living life well is a form of artistry, and anyone who thinks and writes like you do is an artist, even if you don't play a musical instrument.

This was a very nice story for those of us with a little poetry in our souls.....

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by fintstone

I guess you are right. It just rubbed me the wrong way as I was rushing to get on the train this morning...

If you have a long, hectic commute, it's understandable. I walk past a Metro station on my way to work and the only musician that's ever there is a hispanic fella that plays (badly) an electric ukulele kinda thing. Maybe I should give him money on the condition that he stops playing.

[fintstone]

At the Springfield/Franconia station one night, there were a couple of guys doing old Motown with a little portable karaoke machine...and they were pretty amazing. I have also seen a gal playing a lever harp with a sign saying "saving for a pedal harp". Since they start at about $10k...I hope she has another source if income.