Irv said
I can see the movie trailer now...

There was a time,

many years ago,

when giant violins roamed the earth.  

All it would take is one video from Pierre and the giant transpecies violin would be born. I wanted to play since I was 11 but the town's violin teacher said I would outgrow the full size before I was 15 and that killed any chance of my dad putting out that kind of money back in the 70's. I became really good in the sax family but it was like a bad marriage, I liked it but never loved it, but when my instrument collection was destroyed, I was lost. I do mean lost, my identity was destroyed, my best friends gone, I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

Couple months ago I was watching Silenzium videos and here comes the Fiddlerman, I couldn't stop watching. I saw him back in the 80's when he still looked like Mad Max holding a violin. Just like a young Mel Gibson I swear. He's just so full of hope, then after a series of Max Ablitzer videos and my kid dragging me to see the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, ( yeah, another band geek, my heart and soul, and just like me), I have become obsessed with learning the violin. 

I think there a lot of people out there, like Chris, that would learn if they had an instrument that fit their hands. He told me earlier that he was looking at a Cecilio Viola, and I printed off everything you guys said about the upgrade, so who knows. 

Amateur said
There seems to be E strings made for the viola. I think they're intended for 5 string variants. I know there's a D'addario Helicore E for viola.

I'm tall and have rather large hands myself. I've toyed with the idea of a viola. I don't struggle so much with the size but I've pondered having the extra stretch.  

I know what you mean. The idea came from a friend of mine that can't get his hand between the scroll and the body of a violin. I think he ordered a cecillio viola but he works on a riverboat and I haven't seen him for awhile.

I get this violin figured out, I may end up with a giant violin just to mess with people.

Fiddlerman said
Good for you concerning your son Mark.
I had a much more sheltered life than you and most people.
Also sad about the average person's health today. It's sad but true. Could be due to the bad quality food and poor education on nutrition.  

Instant gratification is a mental illness. I want a cheeseburger now, go to McD's and have their instant meat to fill my instant need. Lay around playing video games of a guy running through a jungle instead of just running through the jungle.

Kids will watch videos of other kids playing instead of going out and playing. Not the world I grew up in.

@Gordon Shumway Absolutely. I preached the same things for decades while making correct yet unacceptable statements. After seeing the "truth" steted and recanted so many times over the decades, it was obvious that doctors and scientists had barely scratched the surface and were putting out false information under pressure. People want to feel informed as opposed to being left in the dark even if the information given is incorrect.

The body has to have sugar, it has to have fat, but not in excess. I remember when eggs were the best thing in the world, then condemned, and I think they are making a move back to the best now. At 13 grams of protein per large egg, a perfect mix of cholesterol (another scientific evil but necessary for a healthy body) it should be in the category of super foods with cabbage. We have been misled by the experts for so long we don't trust ourselves anymore.

You know when you sit down to eat the first several bites are so delicious, then you don't notice the flavor as being so fantastic any longer. that is the body's way of telling you it is time to stop eating. If you eat until you feel full, you have already eaten to much.

The high fat diets are a bit of a joke. Muscle ways more than fat in a smaller volume. The old body building ideology was, fat turns to fat. The body is designed to survive at any cost. Fat has no nutritional value and when a person eats a high fat diet, the body catobolizes muscle tissue while storing the fat in order to keep you alive and warm. We are designed as animals in nature no matter what our opinions of ourselves may be.

I do hate to hear of your heart attack and I am so glad you made it through brother. 

Andrew Fryer said
Thanks, Mark. It was only a small heart-attack - no permanent muscle damage, although I did need 6 stents.  

You are a very lucky man Andrew. 

Fiddlerman said
I've read a lot of those studies too Andrew. Also sorry to hear about your heart attack.
Presently I'm doing intermittent fasting and feeling really good about it. Starting to see some stomach muscles if I look really closely.   

You know how you feel really hungry and weak around the third day and most of us quit on the third day? Keep going, everything changes after the third day. Not as hungry, body gets into burning some energy up, you may have some hallucinations start kicking in around the 7th day, that's okay, it passes, just stay hydrated and that will keep the headaches at bay. After the first week you will start to see sounds. 

It was a religious trip for me, never tried it just to drop weight but the longer I went the more weight I would drop, just have to be positive, and seriously, after the third day passes, the hunger goes away.

I like doing food grade hydrogen peroxide cycles ever so often. Cancer is an issue in my family and the peroxide treatment has the testimony of many people. It also acts as a cleanse. Around the 7th day you feel kinda sickish but you cycle up and down for about 30 days. 15 up and 15 down. Some people go longer but 30 is plenty for me.

@Gordon Shumway That's a bit trippy, when I get stoned, I get the munchies, and gain about 14 pounds. 

Sometime in my 30's my digestive system went through a series of changes where it started rejecting milk, pork, beef, tomatoes, etc. If it wasn't for my love of chicken I don't know what would have happened. I still eat those foods on occasion but I pay for it.

Just for future reference and a reminder to the kids, Don't brag about your six pack to a man that carries a keg.

My friend has a keg and apparently he sits the mugs on top of it. Why isn't there a sports bra for men?

@Gordon Shumway Do you ever get to where your food has no taste? Happens to me. No flavor at all.