Thank you, Ryan, much appreciated! 
I just had a look at your learning log… and am still recovering! 
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Ok, so I just had to have a look at your learning log too Ryan @theryanbamford had me curious… Wow! 
Amazing! Your progress is incredible and so well documented!
You deserve that certificate! 
I’m off to do some focused practice now 
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Oops, just got distracted learning a new song
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Did you check your play list when you woke up to see what songs were on the soundtrack to your dreams???
If the updated topic title hadn’t jumped out at me, I would have likely missed this one. For some reason I read it as that loving feeling and thought that can’t be right The good thing is that when @sairfingers comes across the topic in a month or two time he wont miss all this months offerings from you.
Another fine offering and I’m sure you’ll do well tonight at the OM. Enjoy.
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@brianlarsen @Avalon426 Thank you! And thanks for the certificate, I printed it out and will likely include it on my LinkedIn moving forward.
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Nice! Can’t wait to hear it 
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Thank you Jasmine @Avalon426
I really appreciate that , it’s nice that someone else has an eye for that… 
Look Brian, 'it’s not that difficult 
Oke ,back to ,
…
I/we just read this…hurt myself a little laughing …my back was busy recovering from yesterday’s bumpy ride for 2 and a half hours…
Edit: no no, from a super long nice forest/heathland and water puddles area walk , not "that action "thing 
Greetings
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The playlist was one my brother in Dublin shared with me. We have similar taste in music, which means it’s ‘fertile’ foraging ground
Hehe, the whole Copenhagen experience has dragged me more into the mainstream, James 
but you’re right, I’m not quite there yet
The OM was fun, and again, I came across another song thought I should cover.
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Thanks James. I’m just catching up on some of the stuff I’ve not read recently, (haven’t looked at last Saturdays OM yet) and am of course giving priority to the “old guard”. 
Some super stuff there Brian and interesting that you’ve chosen the straightforward acoustic style. So much simpler isn’t it.
I enjoyed both your songs (although of course I don’t know either of the originals).
I love the style of your performances whether serious or tongue in cheek/humorous. You have an ability to draw the listener into your song.
Well done mate.
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Great story telling as always Brian! Really loved your Morecambe Bay song - very different to Dom’s version but on par in the way it hits the listener. I remember that day - similar disbelief that these things are let to happen than waking up to a burning high-rise in London (Grenfell).
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Aw, thanks Gordon. Good to have you back, and I’m honoured to be up in the ‘priority’ zone
I still prefer to play the electric, but have been putting in a bit more time with my brother’s acoustic, mainly for the local open mics, where everyone plays acoustic. I don’t mind being ‘different’ but I think they might be expecting something I don’t provide when I don’t even bring a pedal
Thank you too, Molly
No shortage of ‘disasters’ to write about, but I do like it when a topic lands in your lap and you find yourself doing something unexpected.
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Look at the top post, @sairfingers
Look at the new video entry
How he sneaked Dick & Jane in
Though into the wrong category
They should have gone to original (not covers)
Oh Brian, you’re so entertaining 
Didn"t Dick & Jane turn to a life of crime after losing all their money?
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Thanks once again @Socio for pointing me in this direction.
@brianlarsen. An interesting concept, Brian, to write a song about teaching asylum seekers to read based on books about two white middle class American children. 
A clever lyric but I think you’ve used the melody before in one of your previous originals. Yes, James is correct, you’ve put this in the wrong category.
But AVoYP, LL, Original not cover, who knows where you’ll strike next. Never mind, with James to act as a pathfinder I’ll find your songs!
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You’re becoming my (Gordon’s?) personal secretary, James. And a very efficient one at that 
I did briefly ponder whether to put this in my LL, originals or monthly thread, and plumbed for here, as it 1) is a song and 2) is more about communication/commentary than dulcet tunes, and not worthy of an additional ‘clogging’ post
I last bumped into Dick and Jane in my American primary school over half a century ago, and I have no idea what became of them. It wouldn’t surprise me if they had turned into cokeheads…
Hehe, I found it more unsettling teaching an all-male group of Gazan adults Heads, Shoulders, Knees & Toes, as if they were preschool toddlers. I was surprised with their enthusiasm
Ouch! But not so…
I did spend most of my time on the concept/lyrics and admittedly not much on chord progression/melody. However, for slight variation, I nicked Bowie’s intro to Space Oddity, FMaj7- e, for the first two verses, and don’t think I’ve used the progression for the last two before either.
But you are correct. (Double ouch!) I’m aware most of my songs are very much ‘samey’ in musicality, if not in content 
That’s something I accept, and hopefully with time, I will progress. Adding a Trio+ backing track (which is invariably on the country or folk setting) only emphasises this.
I still occasionally think about taking Justin’s strumming course, just to see how comfortable I’d be moving away from Old Faithful , but I recall him saying in one of his lessons: Some people stick to that pattern their whole lives, and that’s fine. I think I took that on board more than I should have…
Always appreciate the listen and feedback
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Apologies Brian. I’ve revisited Dick and Jane and can see you used some interesting chords. You’re right, it’s the strum pattern and beat that makes the melody sound like some of your others.
I don’t think you need to invest in Justin’s strumming course, just mix the pattern up a bit and turn the Trio onto R&B! 
Anyway I wasn’t meaning to be critical, it’s a very inventive song.
As for the language course, please teach your students some useful, practical phrases.
Despite having traveled to a fair number of European countries I’ve yet to find that telling the guy behind the counter at a railway station that “the pen of my uncle is blue” gets me very far.
Beyond the call of duty…
Not taken as critical in the negative sense at all.
I like constructive feedback and your comment along the lines of ‘that sounds familiar’ remains valid, even if for different reasons.
Regarding the teaching, having had to learn English as a foreign language as well as a couple of European ones from scratch, I’m comfortable enough with what/how to teach.
I do wonder who put together some of our resources though.
Here are a couple of interesting ones we’ll be using this afternoon.
(Pens are still in vogue… )
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My wife did modern languages at university and as part of her degree did a year abroad teaching English in a French school.
It was audio tapes back then of course and she put one on which was about shopping……”and this is the diy store where you will get a screw”. 
Fortunately the students didn’t get it but it caused much stifled laughter from the other staff.
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From your language lessons discussion you just made me recall that old TV programme Mind Your Language.
You’re sailing into dodgy waters there, James!
Even the guy who commissioned this twaddle regretted it ever aired…
… and back to music now
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