This was written by a banjo player named Jeff Mossier. It is well worth the read, at least I think so.
Quote:In March of this year I checked my longtime career banjo onto a Delta flight from Seattle to Atlanta following some Alaskan dates that I played with Peter Rowan. I checked it at the gate because the flight was full and there are no closets anymore on most planes, since 9/11, and the overhead bins were full. When I arrived in Atlanta the banjo never came out and the TSA wouldn't allow me to stand at the gate. (I should have raised hell, but I complied and went to baggage claim as they said.. "It will eventually be there.") It never came out. I filed a claim, went to the airport for days, talked with them for days and finally gave up. I almost lost my mind. A hole in my soul feeling. Since I didn't have the original receipt for the banjo (20 year old receipt) they said they could not give me money. I gave up. I wanted the banjo not money. It's irreplaceable, and it's my livelihood. I have no money for attorneys and my life with three kids and a career keep me overloaded. However, I believed though at some point in time that it would show up in a google search somewhere on the internet. I searched and searched for months.This week on Tuesday I was down and depressed about it, so I mustered up enough courage to ask all my friends on FB to repost my story along with a picture of the banjo taken by Jon Weiner. With 4000 friends, and my belief that the internet is powerful because of what it facilitates in human communication, I posted my plea. Within 30 minutes my FB inbox had messages that had various links from people who thought it may be the banjo. Many were not even my friends, they were just random people from all over the planet who were helping me look. One link was from the "Banjo Hangout" which is a worldwide reaching site for all types of banjo players from Jazz, Celtic, old-time, bluegrass, rock and every imaginable type of banjo application. I went to the link and clicked on the pics and it was my banjo! I started shaking and crying literally and am unashamed to admit it. As I was shaking and crying when I saw the pictures, my blackberry was beeping from FB hits, my instant message box was filling up, and friends were calling me saying "did you see that Ft. Payne link?". It was like a tsunami of powerful love and human care took over. I called the phone number on the ad with tears in my eyes and the nicest lady, Elaine Blackwell, answered. She said that her and her husband Joe had just purchased it from Unclaimed Baggage in Scottsboro, Alabama, which is a place where lost or unclaimed airline baggage goes. I knew it was mine, but they became convinced when they saw my name engraved on the capo. So, yesterday I went to Fort Payne to meet them and pick up the banjo. I played my song "On my Way" in their living room and could hardly get through the song because I was stunned to hear my instrument again, the lost voice, a companion to me, a partner who helps me communicate my ideas about life through song, the banjo that had facilitated my song writing and every recording I had ever done, the tone that rings true to what I believe to be a healing and happy sound that words can't even describe. This was the banjo that I was again playing and it seemed like I was in a dream. I couldn't believe it. I found it because our world is changing, the way we communicate is changing and it can be a major force for good. I saw that power first hand! We're the internet! It can facilitate solutions, heal the broken-hearted, give oppressed countries the will to revolt, and it can even find a lost banjo. This thought overwhelmed me as I played for Joe and his wife and we all three sat and cried. We then went to Scottsboro and played for the staff at Unclaimed Baggage and the marketing department filmed it and it was great. They were all so grateful to hear a happy ending for a change. I then went to visit and play for Carl Brown and Jane Mauldin, as Carl has recently been through brain surgery for cancer and is doing great. Music is therapy and life is about people. It's about ALL of us. It's not about our thoughts, politics or religion. It's about our actions and what we choose to do with our life and how we treat each other. I will never again feel robbed of privacy when I think of the internet, or feel that "the man" is watching. We're "THE MAN", me and you, all of us! You find what you're looking for in life, and I have never been more hopeful and convinced than I am right now that things can and will get better if we can work together and let go of fear. The answers are in all of us working together for the common good if we can let go of fear and truly look for ways for all of us to find our lost banjo. We should never give up. The answers are in us and in our intention and in what we choose to do together. Words can't describe my heartfelt gratitude to you each of you for your help, and especially to Joe and Elaine Blackwell for being kind and understanding towards me.
' Wrote:Oh, I wish this community were so helpful.
Why is it some members here cannon pass up an opportunity to bash the community they spend so much time in? I would think someone would find a different community at that point.
I know personally I think the community is very helpful here. Whenever I have a gaming or computer related question and I post it on the forums, I always get people willing to help.
' Wrote:I heard there is a car that runs on water.... WATER MAN!
I know. Water and coal. I have seen it on television.
' Wrote:Well, all I know is that does not seem to be the case for the people I know who play Banjo.
Infact, I generally find Banjo players to be pretty cool folk to hang out with.
Being cool doesnt mean you cant be suicidal.
' Wrote:Not like those uppity mandolin players.
Watch your mouth man, my grandpa played the mandolin.
' Wrote:Why is it some members here cannon pass up an opportunity to bash the community they spend so much time in? I would think someone would find a different community at that point.
I know personally I think the community is very helpful here. Whenever I have a gaming or computer related question and I post it on the forums, I always get people willing to help.
Yes. YOU might get it. What does people, who are not respected here gets? Posts full of sarcasms, misinformation, unrelated crap. When new people come, what do they see after asking, what veterans see as silly questions? Yet another one stereotypical community, willing to grab on each others' throats? We are creating the image. We are responsible for the future of this community.
' Wrote:Yes. YOU might get it. What does people, who are not respected here gets? Posts full of sarcasms, misinformation, unrelated crap. When new people come, what do they see after asking, what veterans see as silly questions? Yet another one stereotypical community, willing to grab on each others' throats? We are creating the image. We are responsible for the future of this community.
Have you ever considered the constant negativity, invading every thread, no matter what with criticism of the community, might play a role in that feeling as well?
' Wrote:Have you ever considered the constant negativity, invading every thread, no matter what with criticism of the community, might play a role in that feeling as well?
Yes. Taste of reality and true thoughts. Not adapted to suit someone's needs or to comply with bandwagons. Being myself is what makes me. I'd rather be hated, but still be myself than people admiring some<strike>one</strike>thing, but me.
I dealt with it long ago in numerious communities. Yet this was the msot diverse, where I found similar people, which makes my stay here pleasant.
People see negativity even in action, that was started with neutral or positive aims. The latest case, f.e was my roleplay regarding IND and evidence. There was person who saw it, and contacted me asking something along the lines "Why have you done it? Was it out of hate?".
Ye. And you blame me for negativity?
I am just one of a thousands. I simply am not a grey mass, or brown noser.
[bandwagon] Deal with it [/bandwagon]
Oh. And the internet indeed gives many benifits if you know how to use them while not wasting time.
Due to this hobby of mine (Discovery), I stopped learning English while still maintaining and even improving my knowledge of it and getting higher grades with zero effort.
Getting the many articles on interesting happenings.
' Wrote:The latest case, f.e was my roleplay regarding IND and evidence. There was person who saw it, and contacted me asking something along the lines "Why have you done it? Was it out of hate?".
Now this is interesting. Can you fill me in on the details?
Cause when I put a bounty on some people who blew up the same guy like 5 times in a row within 30 minutes following even to his guard system, I got a similar pm.
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