Ukulele Lady

I wonder if Gus Kahn and Richard Whiting, were thinking of me when they co-wrote a song in 1925 and titled it.... "Ukulele Lady"

I bet your life they weren't! 

But I guarantee you, I am.... a Ukulele Lady!

Here, I'm about to go on stage with my precious Uke with my cool Uke strap I made and meet my Ukulele band, The Ukesters, for a 20 maybe 25 minute set of songs from the 1960's!!  I'm quite proud of my groovy color scheme for the night... especially my crocheted vest somebody's grandmother made that I happened to have found the day before my gig at a vintage clothing shop here in Vancouver.  $15 - perfect!!  Everybody loved it...  everybody asked if my grandmother made it!

On this night, we had a set list that went like this:

Runaway

Walk Don't Run

My Girl / My Guy

Samba PaTi

Oye Como Va

Low Rider

Wipe Out

Tequilla

It was a quite a set... challenging and fun and I was thrilled with my performance.  I memorized most of the repertoire and the parts I forgot, I managed to fool everyone with my effective and awesome tricki wicki wacki woo "X" strum.  I was on a high all night... danced the night away in my hot pink UGG knockoffs.  Hah.. went for comfort instead of the sleek look and uncomfortableness of white vinyl boots.  During the evening, I was offered Tequilla shots and pizza and on all occasions, I said "oh Yes, PLEASE and THANK YOU very much".

So you see... I am a Ukulele Lady!!

If you're a ukulele player, lady or gentleman, then you probably have heard of Ukulele Mike... He hails from Seattle, WA and is one heck of a Ukulele Teacher and promoter of all things uke!  Check out his YouTube tutorial of Ukulele Lady:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLY5arJ61m4&feature=related

Or if you prefer something a little lighter.... we all love Miss Piggy of Kermie! 

LOL, I'm pretty sure Kahn & Whiting were not thinking this either for their song....

                     

Until my groovy Uke strings meet yours.... Happy Strumming

 perhaps even under the moonlight of Honolulu Bay!

Carrie.

The Monster Mash...

Lee always picked the biggest & happiest pumpkins!!

My nephew loved Hallowe'en time... even maybe more than Christmas?!!  I don't think it was ever about the candy... more to do with dressing up as monsters and scaring the wits out of people!

Today, October 16th is a sad day for me...

4 years ago today, he lay in a hospital bed... his body broken and sad.  I said good-bye to my sweet nephew of 24 years. 

Many people have asked me how long I've been playing the ukulele and what made me decide to take it up.  Lee is the reason why.  I was a little bit of a lost soul when he passed away... and for whatever reason, I found myself wandering through the local music store on my lunch hour a few days after and there it was!  A dozen ukuleles behind a locked glass-enclosed display.  It was funny in more ways than one.

I stood there for a second and started laughing... I couldn't understand why such an instrument was under great protection.  And then I heard my nephew laughing with me....  OK Lee, can you see me playing one?

I ran back to the office and Googled "Ukulele Teachers" and that was it... 

Now I'm a little more happy... and I know whenever I play my ukulele, it's for my nephew!  I think he would like that I can play a little Santana.... a little Tin Pan Alley.... and he would like that when I first started to learn I could scare people with it too... but now... well, it's all good now.

Hey Lee... it is still pretty funny... miss you always & forever

Love, Auntie xoxox

Chords for Monster Mash:

http://www.ukulelesongs.com/uke/ukulele_chords/music/tabs/Bobby_Boris_Pickett/Monster_Mash.php

Take Me out to the Ball Game

Play Ball, Mr. October... I'm watching as you travel the road to the World Series and I can't wait to see you get there!!!





Living in Vancouver all my life, there isn't much opportunity to get to any Major League Baseball games as my city doesn't have a team... but my country does - The Toronto Blue Jays.  As a Canadian, you would think I would be a Toronto fan... uhmm, not so much... for these reasons:  Toronto is on the other side of the country and then there's THE big rivarly between the two cities in my sport of sports, Hockey!  I just couldn't be a Toronto fan of any of their teams... hockey, football, basketball or baseball!

  The closest team for me to be a fan of, would be the Seattle Mariners team.  First of all, Seattle is just a couple hours drive south and second, it's where some of family lives.  Some of my favorite childhood memories are of when my mom used to take my siblings and I to Seattle to visit with my grandparents - obviously I love this city...  and I'll always think of Seattle as my second home.

Seattle has these professional sports teams - MLB (Mariners), and NFL (Seahawks).  LOVE them!!

I'm a 100% Seattle Mariners fan and well... they haven't done too well lately so they're not in the running for the 2012 World Series.  The Mariners did a really cool thing this year... they let go of their star player, Ichiro.  LOL, he's the only player I know that gets his first name only on the back of his #51 Jersey that he wore for Seattle.  He's that special!  He's been a Mariner for 12 seasons and he has alot of fans, including me!  With all those years under his belt, and well you know, he's not getting any younger.... I personally think that he wanted out not just so Seattle could focus on training younger players but to also have a shot at having World Series Champion status and Seattle, graciously let him go to a team who could possibly give that to him.  Enter the New York Yankees!!  I'm not a big Yankee fan.... they're one of those teams that you love or hate!  I am a huge Ichiro fan though, so I will cheer for the Yankees this year... because I would love to see Ichiro get that title of World Series Champ!!  In my book, you will always be Mr. October...Go Ichiro!!!

Hello NYY!

I recently took in a San Francisco Giants game with my mom, aunt & uncle and had a great time... and for that reason only, I will cheer for SF to meet NY in the finals.  But you gotta know, I really really want Ichiro to win it this year, 2012!

Here's to buying some peanuts and kracker jacks...

Carrie.

Chords to Take Me Out to the Ball Game:

 http://www.doctoruke.com/takemeouttotheballgame.pdf



Sentimental Journey

Meet Maggie...  she's a gal I met at Ukulele school a few years ago.  Her and I belong to a GREAT group of 13 Uke players called, The Ukesters (whom you'll meet in a later post).  She's a confident, witty, professional person who lights up a room when she enters...  she's got this fabulous demeanor about herself and a hearty wholesome laugh.  Some people are just like that... you can't help but smile at her and want to be her friend!! 

Maggie is taking a wee leave of absence from her life here in Vancouver...

<waahh, waahhh..sniff... sniff> pass the tissue, please....

No, no... all is good... of course, I'll miss her but I think she's following her heart and is off on a sentimental journey that'll take her places and will fill her life full of unforgettable & wonderful experiences... she'll develop new friendships and meet interesting people... she'll listen to and learn awesome music... she'll savor yummie foods... the list as you know could go on and on when you're exploring the world!!  And I couldn't be anything but happy for her!!

 I only wish her the best and I know that, like in the photos above, she'll have her Ukulele with her... either in her backpack as she travels abroad or in her hand strumming & singing some Irish tunes to the patrons in an over-crowded Irish pub... perhaps, she'll even teach a few chords to those she meets on the way and create a little Ukester cheer as she heads towards a once in a lifetime opportunity!!

Cheers my friend... safe travels... and Uke it like you can!!!

Carrie.

Chords for Sentimental Journey:   http://www.doctoruke.com/sentimentaljourney.pdf

You Are The Sunshine of My Life...

You are the apple of my eye....

My daughter, Crystal and her newborn son, Hunter

YESSSS!!!  That makes me a Grandma!!!!

My grandson was born August 14, 2012...  10 days overdue.... a very happy & alert 8 lb bundle of joy, with perfect everythings!  I think the best part of being a parent... is when your baby has a baby!  I remember the day my daughter was born.. 15 days late... instant LOVE!  I thought I couldn't be happier!  I was right - that is... until the day my grandson was born!

Carrie

I hope to play this song one day for my daughter and her son...

Chords & Tab for Sunshine of My Life - compliments of Live Ukulele

http://liveukulele.com/wp-content/uploads/Sunshine-of-my-Life.pdf

Oh Stevie Wonder... you are one fabulous songwriter & perfomer!

Thank you for this beautiful song!

Hotel California... oooh, I mean Transylvania

I just fell in love with a man with a uke... singing to his daughter...

Wouldn't you?

 Well, I knew Tiny Tim was a Uke player... then I found out Neil Armstrong (RIP) was a Ukulele player... now... Dracula!!?  SWEET...

So, the Movie is Hotel Transylvania starring Adam Sandler & Selena Gomez...  I'm going to have to see it!  I'm not much of a movie goer... I think it takes up too much time and $$'s but this one looks kinda cute, so why not take my niece, Jesse (she's 10... she might like it) and go eat popcorn and drink pop for a couple of hours?!!

I'm pretty sure it ain't nothing like Hotel Califonia or hey, maybe it is?!
  Such a lovely place.... such a lovely place...

Chords for Hotel California:  http://www.alligatorboogaloo.com/uke/tabs/060622.html

Carrie

If you haven't seen it yet, watch the whole Hotel Transylvania trailer here.

---

 

 

 

Do Your Thing

While I was out with my friend and co-Ukester, Anne, fulfillng one of her "bucket list fantasies" on my lunch hour Friday, July 27, 2012 we met a great fella, Aziz, who was out doing his thing with his cherished camera on his day off from work... here's the result when strangers meet on a Friday afternoon.... Love, Love it!!

Aziz titled his video, "Xplore Yourself - Downtown Vancouver"...  I would have called it, "What Was I Thinking?"  LOL... no, seriously... all is good when you're outdoors with Anne!

And while it's true...  nobody threw us any money, it WAS a great experience for the first time busker and oh the smiles we'll have when we re-live this moment in our minds and of course if we ever forget, it's forever embedded on YouTube by our new friend.

 Everyone should try "busking"  at least once - so come on everybody, get out there and do your thing!!  And hopefully you'll have an amazing audience and somebody will throw you a little Cheer - but a dollar would be better!!

Carrie

Do Your Thing!
A boom boom boom...  And a bang bang bang...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy6b_cI2_6Y

Five Foot Two

My friend, Rod was my first Ukulele student. 

I received an email that was directed to the mass mailing list of the Vancouver Ukulele Circle that went like this:

"Looking for a beginner ukulele teacher... please respond... thanks, Rod"

I closed the email without responding early May of 2011.

A few weeks had passed by since that day and as I was cleaning up my email inbox, I re-read this email and I thought to myself... "Is he looking for a teacher who is a beginner or is he a beginner student looking for a teacher?"  I had only been playing for over 2 years but felt confident so, I wrote back and told him I could certainly get him on his way until he found a more suitable teacher because, I was not a teacher of Ukulele but I certainly knew my basic chords and strumming.  And because I wasn't experienced in this sort of  thing, I told him I would only charge him the price of a Strabucks coffee.

Well, I guess he liked that and he called me to set up an appointment for the very next day.  Rod as it turned out had just finished a few months of chemo therapy for cancer and was now on the road to recovery.  He had to quit his job and when he did, he bought himself a ukulele.  Renee, Rod's wife is a wonderful woman who stood by her man and let him have his ukulele!  He had enrolled in a one day "Learn to Uke" workshop at Ruby's Ukes School in Vancouver for June which was still a few weeks away  but wanted to learn before he went there.  Kinda like, cleaning your house before the cleaning service gets there.  LOL.  He had this tenor Ukulele that sounded awful and was too big for him.  I tried my best to tune it and make him feel comfortable with it but at the end of our first 2 hour session, we both decided that he would return it for a concert size.  And he did just that... and that my friends was a beginning of great friendship! 

I came back a few days later and we began our "lessons".  Due to his cancer treatments, Rod had some numbness in his left hand.  The chord progression of C-Am-F-G7 was very therapeutic for him.  Nothing like playing and la-la-la-ing to "Stand By Me" for 2 hours!  It was the first song I learnt on the ukulele, it had to be the first song I taught anyone...  His goal was to play & sing "Ukulele Lady" to Renee... sadly this did not happen.

For 3 months, we met regularly for lessons.  We even ventured out on the third Tuesday of July to the Vancouver Ukulele Circle's sing & jam night, which is held pretty close to Rod's home.  He sat there with his uke and sang his heart out and played every chord he could!  I was very proud of him!  As with any uke enthusiast, he even Craiglisted a search for a second uke and he did buy one... a vintage Martin he bought for nearly $1000.  That's pretty awesome!!  His favorite song and mine as well... "Five Foot Two" - he played it with all that he had and I loved playing this song with him!! 

Just 3 months after I met Rod, his body was breaking down and was admitted to various hospitals... his cancer had returned... and yet, he wanted to keep playing... keep learning.  I went there...where ever he was... and we played... and we sang... and only once, we cried.  His spirit and his drive to play was incredible.  He wished he had learnt the uke years before.. it made him happy.

On September 18, 2011... Rod lost his battle with cancer.

I played... I sang.... I cried.

I dedicate this page to Renee...  It has been a year yesterday that she lost her man... I hope she has and will stay strong and vibrant in her life.  And I want to thank her from the bottom of heart for allowing me to share in her husband's last few months of life.  I will forever remember my first student who became my friend and will always think of him when I play a little, "Five Foot Two"!!

  Life is a gift.... Cherish it.

Chords for Five Foot Two:  http://www.alligatorboogaloo.com/uke/tabs/030104.html

I think I did good...

Carrie

 

Let Me Entertain You

It's called a Ukulele.

It's been my joy since November 2008. 

It's now the latter half of the year 2012... and I started this Blog back in 2011?

Oh where has time gone?

I'm baaaack!!

A big part of time has gone by with me keeping very busy learning the Ukulele, and trying to La-La-La (that's code for SING cuz I don't really sing... that well).  But I'm trying and all I want to do... is Entertain You!

When I started this Blog, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it.  Now I'm sitting in the office of the 21st Floor in Downtown Vancouver on my lunch hour.... And I had this urge to get back to writing...  something that wasn't work related because work related topics would be about real estate investments and bank reconciliations... oh pooh, pooh on that - especially during my lunch hour!  I want to talk UKE!

This photo was taken when I was on a cruise.... to... Alaska!!  I know one wouldn't expect to see Ukuleles on cruiseships bound for Alaska but when I was asked to go on this cruise, I couldn't imagine what it would be like to cruise to a "not-so-warm destination".  What... no flip-flops and bring a coat?... on a cruise?  I snuck my Uke into my back-pack cuz apparently I can and boarded this huge honkin ship to destinations of glaciers, polar bears, whales & Sarah Palin.  Hmmm, not sure I'm going to like all that Northern "stuff"! 

 

As it turned out, Alaska was beautiful and I absolutely loved it and like most cruises, this one had it's quiet times at sea as well... so luckily or unluckily for some passengers, I whipped out my Uke and started in on some practising!!!  The weather was perfect for the sweet sounds of my little ukulele...  It felt like I was on a cruise to Hawaii (if it weren't for the long sleeves, boots and snow capped mountains in June).  Oh one day.. I hope to be doing just that... on my way to Hawaii with flip-flops & a nice floppy sun-hat!! 

Oh by the way, I didn't meet Sarah Palin but I did see her picutre hanging on the walls of city hall in Juneau!  Close enough, I guess...

Happily Strumming the hours away!

Carrie