Nobody knows what a whistle is.

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 12:23 pm

Yesterday I went to (gasp) Walmart and bought 2 wooden dowels, 3 packs of sticky tack, and a bottle of mineral oil, and the woman who checked me out just looked at me for a little while then when I was handing her the money she said 'What are wooden dowels for?' and I said 'For oiling a wooden pennywhistle.' and of course, 'What's that?' and I just said 'a simpler version of a flute', and when somebody else came behind me in line, I went on, but before I left she said 'I've never heard of that'.

And the other night when I was at the hospital, the nurse asked me when my arms hurt most and I told her when I use the computer or play tinwhistle, and she said 'what's that?'

And three days ago, my aunt said 'that's a recorder just like we used to play in school!'

I don't like people.

Thomas-Hastay · Post by **Thomas-Hastay** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 12:31 pm

I know the feeling Cranberry, I walked into my local instrument store that has been in business for 45 years and they didn't know what a tin whistle was either! That's Revolting!

burnsbyrne · Post by **burnsbyrne** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 12:40 pm

When I go to a doctor and I think my playing tinwhistle is going to come up I just bring one with me. But ya gotta think ahead.

Mike

rossmpfc13 · Post by **rossmpfc13** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 12:57 pm

i'll bet that if you beat people with it, they'd remember it.

in the wrong way, but they'd know what it is at least.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 1:09 pm

Odd. When I mention Irish flute, a number of people have responded, "You mean, like *makes whistleplaying pantomome*?"

The really frustrating thing is getting the same question more than twice from the same people. :roll:

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 1:13 pm

Nanohedron wrote:Odd. When I mention Irish flute, a number of people have responded, "You mean, like *makes whistleplaying pantomome*?"

The really frustrating thing is getting the same question more than twice from the same people. :roll:

Don't take it too hard. I played clarinet, which is certainly a well-known instrument, and just about all of my relatives called it a flute. A good portion of the non-musical populace tend to ascribe the name flute to any perforated wind instrument.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 1:26 pm

Walden, what planet am I living on? At sessions I've had people come up and ask if I was playing a clarinet! Seriously! "Well, I thought because it was black, and all..."

Once a young lady, a Boehm player, asked what I was playing, and in fun I told her that I killed an oboe to make it. She got the joke, and now wants to play trad flute. Yay!

TelegramSam · Post by **TelegramSam** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 2:02 pm

What happened to not using the computer?

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 3:52 pm

Hehe! Cranberry, it just comes with ther territory. Try explaining the Uilleann Pipes. Everyone I work with and in my family know I have been waiting for a set for about 2 & a half years. Most of them still think I'm setting GHBs even though I have shown them all pictures.

I even keep a picture of the model for my set taped to my monitor here at work to help explain... Well, that's how it goes. You've gotta laugh about it.

Cheers,
Paul

mamakash · Post by **mamakash** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 4:05 pm

Canberry, think of it as a litmus test. The world is divided into people who play tinwhistle or enjoy irtrad and into the people who have no idea what that cute little black toy is. shudder . . . Now, you want to be hanging out with the first group right? The fact that people don't know what a tinwhistle is simply makes them easier to spot. And think of the joy of meeting another tin whistler when they spot your whistle and begin to shriek in excitment because they're meeting *you*.
There is a little bit of joy in the fact that whistles are not commonplace.

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 5:17 pm

What happened to not using the computer?

addiction:

compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, alcohol(1)) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal; broadly : persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful

1: or internet

raindog1970 · Post by **raindog1970** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 5:21 pm

When I go to my local hardware store to pick up more copper pipe and fittings, I'm automatically a plumber.
And when I go to Wal-Mart to pick up the occasional can of fiberglass resin, I'm automatically an auto body repair man.
And when I go to Sears for new Dremel bits, emery cloth or sanding drums, I'm often asked what I'm working on... and I've learned from experience that I'd better have a whistle with me if I tell anyone the truth.

lilymaid · Post by **lilymaid** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 6:35 pm

Everybody calls mine my “flute whuch-i-ma-jig.” I don’t mind. I think it’s funny. Then again, I think a good many things are funny that no one else finds amusing at all, so it's probably just me.

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 4:44 am

Sometimes my whistle is mistaken for a duct flute, flageolet or an end blown fipple flute.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 4:50 am

Martin Milner wrote:Sometimes my whistle is mistaken for a duct flute, flageolet or an end blown fipple flute.

Sad, eh?