The Novel Shovel

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 9 Nov 2008 8:44 am

When workers work themselves out of a job, tell them to grab a broom. The same applies to the shovel. Most hands have never held a shovel. I had joked about placing a shovel in unwelcome hands, and the suggestion was quickly declined. If you find yourself badgered as a steel player, look for a shovel.. it works every time. I should have known that shovel handles and steel guitars don't mix well.

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 9 Nov 2008 9:15 am

I would think that anyone entering Hankeyland would be well advised to have experience with a shovel......

Certainly not a Novel concept...

sorry, but you left yourself wide open for this one.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 9 Nov 2008 10:43 am

Steve,

I've heard about the hot sun in Arizona. I've read about the jackasses and the prospectors. My brother was a chauffeur for army officers during World War 2 in Arizona. I prefer the shaded areas of the Northeast for practicing the steel guitar. Reaching a certain level of playing the steel can be more rewarding than all other contacts in the music business. It's the satisfaction of knowing that you've clawed your way to the top, and there is no more to contend with. I was so delighted this morning realizing that I may have reached that point. Hopefully, I'll be able to expand on new challenges in the future.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 9 Nov 2008 10:45 am

Bill, a cursory examination of your many posts would reveal that you have extensive experience with a shovel.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 9 Nov 2008 10:53 am

It's the satisfaction of knowing that you've clawed your way to the top, and there is no more to contend with. I was so delighted this morning realizing that I may have reached that point. Hopefully, I'll be able to expand on new challenges in the future.

Maybe we should alert the ISGC with the news that you have now reached the apex of your musical career. They should be happy, in return, to provide you with the Seat of Honor at next years convention so we can all partake of the audible fruits of your labor.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 9 Nov 2008 12:01 pm

Barry,

"A rose by any other name"... You need to come off that high horse... This is a world of goofy names. The directories have many names that I wouldn't repeat. That helmet appears to be welded from post hole diggers. I like reviewing the replies, while getting some laughter from the contents of the "slightly" exaggerated inferences.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 9 Nov 2008 12:25 pm

It's the satisfaction of knowing that you've clawed your way to the top, and there is no more to contend with. I was so delighted this morning realizing that I may have reached that point.

Bill, your own words put you on that high horse I'm afraid, not me.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 9 Nov 2008 1:33 pm

Another load of CRAP , I see.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 9 Nov 2008 2:32 pm

I'll be leaving shortly to hear one of my favorite bands. I can't wait to hear how Herby, Doug, Joe, and the others performed at The P.S.G.A. Inc. today. I'm through with these water pistol attacks.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 9 Nov 2008 3:17 pm

Bye-bye.

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 9 Nov 2008 3:51 pm

Bill,When I was about twenty years old I moved from Upstate New Yawk to Dallas Texas I was dead broke,I played weekends with a country rock band and got a day job working for the night club manager planting trees in Grand Prairie.There were four of us on the crew and one of the other guys was always giving me crap about being a Yankee and making fun of my accent,I never really said much to him and took all of his verbal abuse,One particularly hot day about 105 degrees we were both digging a large hole for two trees and I said man this is the hottest weather I've ever been in and he said something about being a wimp...so I started really digging in and he was behind me out my sight range and I came back with the shovel and hit him full force on the back of his head and dropped him like the 8th pedal on the C neck,the one that drops the low C to an A note,I thought that I killed him?He was out for about 10 seconds it probably seemed like an hour,I told him that I was sorry...anyway I gave that job up after that

Ken Lang · Post by **Ken Lang** » 9 Nov 2008 8:42 pm

Does a snow shovel count?

Ric Epperle · Post by **Ric Epperle** » 10 Nov 2008 12:44 am

Does a snow shovel count?

In Wyoming it sure does

Charles Curtis · Post by **Charles Curtis** » 10 Nov 2008 6:08 am

Stu, when I was a teenager in the Houston area, I used to "set" pins at a local bowling alley, my folks didn't have any money so I did just about anything legal to make a little money. Anyhow there was a guy who began picking on me. I was afraid of him because of his size and ferocious appearance; one day I got so tired of it, I lit into him and whipped him real good. From then on I've never judged anyone by "looks"; and I've never "eaten crow" since.

James Cann · Post by **James Cann** » 10 Nov 2008 6:24 am

Nil illegitum carborundum, Bill, but . . .

Reaching a certain level of playing the steel, can be more rewarding than all other contacts in the music business.

. . . commmas between subject and predicate carborundunt real hard.

Cheers!

Bo Legg · Post by **Bo Legg** » 10 Nov 2008 7:11 am

Mr. Hankey, you managed to make a joke about Barry’s Avatar and stayed on topic by making a connection with post hole digger and shovel.
My Avatar didn’t escape your wrath and making fun of Avatars seems to be an expression of your feeling regarding people who respond unfavorable to your Posts.
For your body of work you've won a free membership to the club.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 10 Nov 2008 7:20 am

Thanks for the (verbal) beatdown Stu and others, but there's no need for hostility here. Bill has proven many times here on the forum that he is quite capable of fighting his own battles. As for me, I'm just another windmill, right Bill?

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 10 Nov 2008 8:13 am

Ken,

I admire the little grandchild? Snow shovels do count. The winter of 2005 was a tough one for me. I needed a relatively moderate invasive surgery. While trying to decide how and when to go forward, I lost almost 40 lbs. from my 180 normal weight. I became weakened, and my wife was doing the chores. It broke my heart to hear her dragging the refuse container about 200' to the curbing. The neighbors were off and on with assisting, just when we needed them most. She swept the heavier snow accumulations with a broom. Yes, shovels do count! After my surgery, I collected shovels at sales, and last winter I battled through the heaps that the plows push into the walkways. I removed the engine from a push power mower, and it works great to place the trash container on. The lightweight unit pushes easily to the curbside. The most difficult experience happened when two of my brothers and I were hired to pick and shovel a cellar from hardpan. What a job! Another was a stint on the mosquito patrol, digging mile long ditches while trying to avoid a Golden Gloves boxer who worked there. I decided to distance myself from his 6" sucker punch, and so I moved on. I'm so glad that the steel guitar found me. An old acquaintance once quipped saying, "You can always make a buck." Antiques and scrap metals have carried me through. Sp. Ck.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 10 Nov 2008 9:30 am

Barry,

My reasons for persisting in language that relates to the players and instruments, is quite obvious. Your communicative skills are well respected, and it would be foolish to label you a windmill. High spirits and vitality is a plus when carrying out advancements on the pedal steel guitar.

Al Udeen · Post by **Al Udeen** » 10 Nov 2008 9:54 am

A short piece of the wood handle of a shovel can be used to get a dobro sound when used as a bar! Proves the point that all of Bill's statements are relative!

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 10 Nov 2008 10:29 am

James,

I removed the comma in the sentence. Does that improve the rules involving syntax? Thanks..

Ken Byng · Post by **Ken Byng** » 10 Nov 2008 12:55 pm

Take this job and shovel it.

Mr Hankey - it is a good job that you are thick skinned. Even though you mangle the Queen's English, your posts are still entertaining for that fact alone.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 10 Nov 2008 2:30 pm

Ken,

No matter how thick-skinned whomever happens to be, I'm aware that we are all insignificant; (including you), in our attempts to reverse the ravages of time. It seems the things we desire the most, become the hardest to reach with the passing of time. This common strutting about, becomes more apparent and prevalent through written confrontations, that provoke hidden disagreements. Opinionated subjects have slowed the progress of expanding methodologies on the pedal steel. If anything would be capable of wearing through thick skin, that would qualify as a leading cause.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 10 Nov 2008 3:15 pm

Richard Sinkler,

It seems that you are prone to issuing a disgruntled remark or two, when the mood strikes you. When CURTIS G. GREENE wrote about the Emmons/Day setups, you plunged in to explain. I found a few discrepancies in your directives in the topic called "YOU JUST DON'T KNOW". You became very outspoken when you told BILL MAYVILLE, and I quote you, "That is the biggest pile of BS, I have ever heard." If you...

You've returned to dish out a bit of verbal punishment. It's short , but not sweet!

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 10 Nov 2008 5:13 pm

Mr. Hankey,

Just what are those discrepancies?

When I read such BS as Bill Mayville posted about Day players being slower learners, I have to take offense to that. That's pure crap. Would you not take offense if someone mentioned that a guy who builds his own steel (such as you have) sounds like crap or is a slow learner because he doesn't play a commercially available steel?

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The Novel Shovel

The Novel Shovel

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