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  #1  
Old 06-11-2018, 09:13 AM
MikeBmusic MikeBmusic is offline
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Default This was refreshing!

How often do you see young people these days with their heads buried in their cell phones? All the time, right? Schools have to have 'no cell phone use during class' rules, states have to adopt 'no texting while driving' laws to keep young drivers from killing themselves and others.

So.... last week in Sydney, Nova Scotia, my wife and I went out to dinner at a pub that has music a few nights a week, but as it was a Tuesday, there was no music scheduled.
We got in to find a large 'private party' set up in one end of the place near the small stage, and a band - female fiddler and male keyboardist - setting up.
This was a group of about 50 middle school band members on a school trip from a large town about 2 hours away. They were being the usual kids while the band got ready (but actually applauded when the fiddler was adjusting her sound and tuning up!), and their food was getting served as the band started, playing mostly Celtic jigs and reels.
By the time they'd finished their meals they were getting into the music, and a couple of the girls got up and danced near the stage. A boy from the band was invited up to play fiddle for a few songs, which had the whole group cheering. The band's final song was '500 Miles' which is a very traditional song to use in Canada to get people to sing along, and this was no exception, the kids were loud and having fun. The band played for almost 2-1/2 hours without a break. I went up and talked to them as they were packing up their gear - two local players who just occasionally played together and had been hired to play this private party.
I talked to one of the teachers and asked if they had a 'no cell phone use' rule in place for this night, and she told me that they didn't (and pointed out that a couple of kids did have their phones out some times). I told her that in the USA, every kid would have been on his phone most of the night. What a nice difference!
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  #2  
Old 06-11-2018, 11:52 PM
Glennwillow Glennwillow is offline
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Hi Mike,

It sounds like a wonderful evening to have witnessed. And thanks for a great story!

- Glenn
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Old 06-12-2018, 05:11 AM
bluesfreek bluesfreek is offline
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That sounds like a lovely experience! Half my family on my mother's side are from rural Cape Breton island. I have not been there since childhood. When I was there in 1972 there was barely electricity let alone cel-phone service. I would like to go back some day.

I bet if you were in Toronto though the kids would be staring at their smartphones...
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Old 06-12-2018, 07:04 AM
MikeBmusic MikeBmusic is offline
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Originally Posted by bluesfreek View Post
That sounds like a lovely experience! Half my family on my mother's side are from rural Cape Breton island. I have not been there since childhood. When I was there in 1972 there was barely electricity let alone cel-phone service. I would like to go back some day.

I bet if you were in Toronto though the kids would be staring at their smartphones...
You may have brought up the salient point - kids in rural Nova Scotia may be 10 years behind their peers from more developed city areas.

Still plenty of places on CBI with no cell service - I was stuck halfway out on Skyline Trail for half an hour one morning with a mother moose with newborn calf right on the trail, and no way to get past them. Wanted to call my wife to say I'd be late getting back to our cabin, but not a bar of signal to be had!
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2020 Taylor 324ceBE
2017 Taylor 114ce-N
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72 Fender Telecaster
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Epiphone LP Jr
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  #5  
Old 06-12-2018, 08:01 AM
imwjl imwjl is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeBmusic View Post
How often do you see young people these days with their heads buried in their cell phones? All the time, right? Schools have to have 'no cell phone use during class' rules, states have to adopt 'no texting while driving' laws to keep young drivers from killing themselves and others.

So.... last week in Sydney, Nova Scotia, my wife and I went out to dinner at a pub that has music a few nights a week, but as it was a Tuesday, there was no music scheduled.
We got in to find a large 'private party' set up in one end of the place near the small stage, and a band - female fiddler and male keyboardist - setting up.
This was a group of about 50 middle school band members on a school trip from a large town about 2 hours away. They were being the usual kids while the band got ready (but actually applauded when the fiddler was adjusting her sound and tuning up!), and their food was getting served as the band started, playing mostly Celtic jigs and reels.
By the time they'd finished their meals they were getting into the music, and a couple of the girls got up and danced near the stage. A boy from the band was invited up to play fiddle for a few songs, which had the whole group cheering. The band's final song was '500 Miles' which is a very traditional song to use in Canada to get people to sing along, and this was no exception, the kids were loud and having fun. The band played for almost 2-1/2 hours without a break. I went up and talked to them as they were packing up their gear - two local players who just occasionally played together and had been hired to play this private party.
I talked to one of the teachers and asked if they had a 'no cell phone use' rule in place for this night, and she told me that they didn't (and pointed out that a couple of kids did have their phones out some times). I told her that in the USA, every kid would have been on his phone most of the night. What a nice difference!
B.S. regarding US kids. Most kids are respectful when it's appropriate. At least most kids where I'm at, and when I visit friends and family in other areas. I'm quite neck deep in situations that show it. I have 3 teens. I'm a leader in an institution with 600 kids in education programs. My wife teaches troubled kids in a big city high school.

In the past week I was at some public events and a show in a large high school auditorium and saw far more adults being disrespectful than kids. It was much the same for my observations in the past year.

Your statement is a lot like saying everyone here is fat. We're not all fat and when I'm in public spaces being fat often looks like more of a problem than impolite or disrespectful phone use.
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Last edited by Basalt Beach; 06-12-2018 at 12:44 PM. Reason: returned to original submission
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  #6  
Old 06-12-2018, 09:02 AM
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cotten cotten is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeBmusic View Post
...I told her that in the USA, every kid would have been on his phone most of the night. What a nice difference!
I'm glad you had such a great experience, Mike. Sounds like fun! Here where I live, it's not the middle schoolers who are constantly on their phones, but the college students. We have a lot of them here. Twice, while stopped at a red light well behind the crosswalk, I have had college students walk into my car while staring at their phones. Haven't had that yet from a middle schooler.

cotten
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Old 06-13-2018, 07:10 AM
MikeBmusic MikeBmusic is offline
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Originally Posted by imwjl View Post
B.S. regarding US kids. Most kids are respectful when it's appropriate......
Not sure where you're from ('my mom's basement' could be anywhere), but in this area (Greater Boston) it is a fact. Even grade school kids are often on phones constantly (playing games)


Quote:
Originally Posted by cotten View Post
I'm glad you had such a great experience, Mike. Sounds like fun! Here where I live, it's not the middle schoolers who are constantly on their phones, but the college students. We have a lot of them here. Twice, while stopped at a red light well behind the crosswalk, I have had college students walk into my car while staring at their phones. Haven't had that yet from a middle schooler.
cotten
Oh, for sure college age is bad or worse.
Did Georgia have to implement a law for teens not allowing cell phone usage while driving? Massachusetts did. The habit is bred early and by the time they're 16-1/2, they can't put the phone down.
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My music: https://mikebirchmusic.bandcamp.com

2020 Taylor 324ceBE
2017 Taylor 114ce-N
2012 Taylor 310ce
2011 Fender CD140SCE
Ibanez 12 string a/e
73(?) Epiphone 6830E 6 string

72 Fender Telecaster
Epiphone Dot Studio
Epiphone LP Jr
Chinese Strat clone

Kala baritone ukulele
Seagull 'Merlin'
Washburn Mandolin
Luna 'tatoo' a/e ukulele
antique banjolin
Squire J bass
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