It is quite common now days for people to want to know the best way or the best format for learning how to play a musical instrument. Fifteen to twenty years ago the answer was simple, go to a music school or music studio and take lessons from a qualified teacher. Today, times have changed in large part due to the crazy, busy schedules the average person/family maintains and also because of the technology that now exists.

I remember when I was working in a retail music store and at that time the big deal was CDs that were starting to be included in instrument method books. This gave all beginning musicians the opportunity to “teach themselves” how learn their instrument because they now had a CD that could walk them through the book in the comfort of their own home. Soon after that came “teach yourself to play” VHS tapes and then DVDs. Now you could have a teacher on your TV screen teaching you the basics on how to play your instruments. This was very exciting for aspiring musicians because they could watch how it should be done and then try to do it for themselves on their own instruments.

Today with the latest video technologies and the help of the internet people can now take music lessons on-line. Anyone can log on to a specific website and get quick tips on how to play any instrument at pretty much any level. Just like the technologies of the past (Cassette tapes, CDs, VHS, DVDs), the current form of stay at home music lessons offers an easy way for people to learn music. As a supporter of incorporating music and technology I am excited to see how accessible music instruction has become, and as a musician I love how easy it is to gather information about musical techniques and approaches to playing a particular instrument.

Now as a music teacher and owner of a music school should I feel threatened or afraid of the fact that people can go on-line to learn how to play an instrument? Absolutely not! The goal of every music teacher, every music school, and for that matter every musician should be that others find the same joy and passion for music that we ourselves have found. So if that means that someone buys a guitar and goes on-line to figure out how to play it, great! As long as it promotes the great joy of learning to play music than I am all for it. The reality is that the more there are people are seeking music lessons in any form, the better. The truth still remains that there comes a time in every musician’s journey where in order to grow and advance in their craft there is a need for human interaction. Music is always better when it is shared, and because there are so many levels to learning to play music there will come a time when every musician will need personal interaction and instruction. It’s just the way it is.

So my concern is not whether or not the student comes to the Recreational Music Center from day one to learn how to play music, it is simply that every beginning musician is taught the JOY of music making. The Recreational Music Center was started because we saw how often people would start taking music lessons and then quite never to return to playing music. The biggest reason was not because they couldn’t do it, but because of how it was being taught. We believe that you cannot successfully teach music if you aren’t first and foremost teaching your students the joy of the process. Also, equally important, is the fact that music lessons are supposed to be FUN! If anyone is taking music lessons at any level and it is not fun than something needs to change immediately and often times it means that the instructor or method of instruction needs to change.

Here’s the bottom line – the only way to sustain the ups and downs of learning to play a musical instrument is if it is fun. In addition, always remember that the process of music making should result in joy and a deeper appreciation for music in general. If the type of instruction that you have chosen to learn how to play music does not meet this criteria than you need to change. Always remember that music is meant to be enjoyed and learning to play music is supposed to be FUN!

R-MC Students build relationships with people with intellectual disability and learn about analyzing theory.

A group of freshmen at Randolph Macon (R-MC) eagerly await their guest students, a collection of people sometimes considered a completely different section of society. The guest students are riding in a van to RMC and are happy to just be out in the community. They are able to see the sights that a cool, crisp autumn day has to offer: leaves being swept by the wind, the dark clouds casting a gray shade, people hurrying along in thick coats to escape the cold. But, where they are heading will bring more warmth and mirth than a simple winter jacket.

The guest students are adults with intellectual disability. For many, there are few friends, no job, and a limited education – some are isolated within their homes and limited to just family interaction. This opportunity has them excited, and maybe a little bit scared, but no more scared than the students they are about to meet.

The R-MC students are in a service-oriented class with goals of theory-application, and more importantly, building relationships by seeing past labels. Hanover Arc, an organization that provides services for individuals with intellectual disability, works closely with R-MC to enroll guest students for the class. Participants are paired with freshmen and come to Randolph-Macon every other Friday. They get together to talk, do arts and crafts, and take excursions on the campus. This simple itinerary has created significant effects.

“I was apprehensive about approaching or even speaking with a person who was disabled,” said Tricia Wayland, a freshman at Randolph-Macon. “Now I’m completely comfortable talking to them. They are just one of you.”

Many people have even stronger prejudices than apprehension. There is a connotation that people with disabilities are a hassle or difficult to deal with. R-MC students are learning that there is no connection between being disabled and being deficient. Through relationships building, students have learned that a label should not hinder the ability of a person to be functional in society and everyone can contribute to experience.

When entering the class, it is hard to tell who is disabled and who is not. Everyone is sitting together and through creating art, cooking meals, or sharing stories, they enrich each other’s experience of life and build relationships. R-MC students keep journals on their academic readings from this course in order to make connections between theories concerning the human mind and real people.

“We wanted to create a rigorous, passionate love for thinking and encourage students to realize it is not separate from practice,” said Donna Turney, philosopher professor and co-leader of the Minding Class. “It is about engaging in theoretical constructions of the mind from personal experience.”

The next step in the course will be to use that personal growth for change. The R-MC students will become social advocates in the next semester and use their own experiences to evaluate current policies concerning intellectual disability. They will act as lobbyists and try to create initiatives in public policy.

These experiences which create more open minds are having a real impact in student’s lives: follow-up research projects, summer internships and continued connections between all those who are participating in the class. In just its 2^nd offering, the class has created many opportunities and inspired students to follow certain career paths. This personal growth is quite evident in even the current semester, as students look forward as to how this will affect them.

“I’m more open minded about audiences and word choices,” said Chelsey Jones, a hopeful marketing major at R-MC. “Words matter. Even handicapped has a bad connotation. We need to be careful of the significance of our words.”

The people who enjoy it the most are the guest students themselves. It is a unique chance to connect to the community that, for the most part, they are isolated from. The excursions are a favorite, allowing them to go to the campus book store, gym or dining hall on campus.

“Lisa is very excited to see her friends, which she now calls them,” said Cathy Wilson, whose daughter is a guest student. “She wakes up on class days and says ‘I am going to college’.”

Though it is easy to describe the class as helping those with disabilities, this class is changing everyone involved. Lauren Wood, a freshman, described it as: “To succeed in life, you need to build relationships. It shouldn’t matter who those relationships are with.” This class is doing just that.

Written By: Barrett Coleman

Republicans across the nation are excited about our chances in the November 3rd special election for the NY-23 Congressional seat.  The strong credentials of Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava gained her the support from local, state and national Party leaders. Dede has a long record of fiscal responsibility; she supports the rights of individuals; and giving municipalities control vs. big government mandates. Her record and beliefs are in line with the voters of the district and she is the only candidate who can keep this vital seat in the GOP column and help bring balance back to the national debate.

Unfortunately, right wing extremists are intent on pushing their narrow agenda and are working to promote a spoiler candidate.  They are abandoning the GOP to support a ‘Conservative Party’ candidate who will not win this seat.  The Club for Growth, among other single issue social organizations, are backing this third party right-winger.  The Club for Growth has a long standing history of trying to pick off socially inclusive, fiscally responsible Republicans in primary races.  It looks like they are trying to hurt the GOP and split the vote again.

Efforts to distort Dede’s record and promote an extreme agenda will lead to one thing – another win for the Democrats. This district was rated as a ‘likely GOP’ seat but has shifted to ‘lean Democratic’ race thanks to distortions of Dede’s record and initiatives to peel off GOP voters for the third party extremist.  The Club for Growth seems to be happy to help the Democrats take yet another seat away for the GOP.  At a time when we need balance on Capitol Hill and the GOP needs to add strength in numbers and voices, we need Dede Scozzafava to keep this seat for our Party.

Common sense Republicans need to stand up and help Dede. Now is the time for action. Please visit www.dedeforcongress.com and find out how you can help.

Tell us below- has Club for Growth and their ilk finally gone too far?

Une étrange complaisance…

La garde des Sceaux Michèle Alliot-Marie a indiqué vendredi qu’elle avait trouvé Frédéric Mitterrand « très émouvant ». « Il faut surtout essayer de mettre les choses à leur juste place. Sur le fond, Frédéric Mitterrand s’est expliqué hier, je l’ai trouvé très émouvant lorsqu’il a expliqué combien il était atteint et pensait à l’impact que tout ceci peut avoir sur sa famille », a expliqué Michèle Alliot-Marie sur RMC Info-BFM-TV.

Ce matin, sur BFM et RMC, l’un des courageux hommes politiques de gauche passés à droite en un clic sur leur profil carrière sur viadeo, j’ai nommé Eric Besson, Ministre des expulsions arbitraires et de la négation des droits de l’homme, nous a confirmé, que dans la continuité de l’œuvre profondément humaniste d’Hortefeux et selon le souhait de Nicolas 1er, il y a lieu d’expulser des migrants clandestins résidants en France, « sous réserve qu’un certain nombre de conditions soient remplies, que nous puissions être certains que les personnes soient en sécurité quand elles arrivent » et d’ajouter qu’il faut « la possibilité d’une aide à la réinstallation ».

Ainsi rappelle-t-il le souci de la France d’affirmer sa fermeté  vis-à-vis des passeurs (qui courent toujours, soit dit en passant) en « repassant » ceux qui ont tenté de passer… et dont on ignore, DONT ON NIE le passé, l’histoire. Car, après tout, c’est la condition première de toute intégration à la française que de nier ce que l’on est. Ainsi Besson a-t-il sûrement renié ses origines libanaises et ses dix-sept années passées au Maroc avant d’entrer en France. Son comportement d’aujourd’hui interroge en tout cas l’ampleur de son reniement… Allongez-vous, Eric, et parlez-nous du thé à la menthe à Marrakech…

La France, LA FRANCE fortement teintée de xénophobie et de racisme d’Etat, reconduira des migrants clandestins à la frontière. Peu importe qu’ils viennent de pays en guerre où les conditions de sécurité sont plus que dégradées, car tous « ne peuvent pas revendiquer le statut de réfugié politique », à moins qu’ils prouvent que « leur sécurité personnelle est menacée ». Comprenez qu’en tant de guerre, en Afghanistan par exemple, il n’est pas évident pour les salauds assis dans les ministères que tout un chacun soit menacé… Ont-ils oublié ce qu’est la guerre ?… Ont-ils oublié même qu’ils en sont les principaux artisans ?…

Et puis de toute façon, rappellent-ils, les autres pays le font, donc la France peut DOIT le faire. Ah !, l’Europe ! L’excuse imparable. Le motif ultime. Oublié 2008 et la décision de la Cour européenne des Droits de l’Homme opposée à Hortefeux qui, déjà, voulait expulser vers la guerre… Pas grave, on recommence.

Besson, ce type de gauche passé à droite sans sourciller, celui-là même qui disait en 2007 que Sarkozy, en supprimant ou en restreignant fortement les principaux dispositifs de régularisation, se privait ainsi des outils permettant une régularisation « au fil de l’eau » en évitant les régularisations de masse… Celui-là, oui, qui expliquait qu’ainsi Sarkozy fabriquait des sans-papiers tout en prétendant lutter contre l’immigration clandestine.

Celui-là, aujourd’hui, serein dans sa médiocrité et dans ses convictions chiffrées de ministre à la botte, chie sur les droits de l’homme… en toute impunité.

J’en vomis aujourd’hui !

BaRT

7 octobre 2009

12h00 – É Seu Direito – E-Commerce

12h35 – Ciranda Cultural – Rogéria Holtz

13h05 – PR399 – Colombo

– Onde Você Estava? – Constituição de 1988

– Sabe Como? – Passaporte

– O Dono da Rua – Vitor Ferreira do Amaral

13h30 – Brasil Eleitor – Programa nº283

14h00 – Esquenta ao vivo

14h30 – Sessão ao vivo

17h00 – PR399 – Palmas

– Essa Casa Tem História – Casa de Artes de Ibiporã

– O Dono da Rua – Marechais

18h00 – TelejornAL ao vivo

18h30 – Plano Geral – Humanização de Animais

19h30 – É Seu Direito – E-Commerce

20h00 – Reprise Sessão

22h30 – PR399 – Palmas

– Essa Casa Tem História – Casa de Artes de Ibiporã

– O Dono da Rua – Marechais

23h30 – Reprise TelejornAL

– Perfil Parlamentar – Mauro Moraes, Doutor Batista, Elton Welter, Fábio Camargo

Nesta sexta-feira, 2 de outubro, às 13h30, estarei na Região Metropolitana de Campinas acompanhando o governador do Estado de São Paulo, José Serra, na inauguração do Viaduto que viabilizará o trecho Sumaré do Corredor Metropolitano. Essa obra é resultado de um trabalho constante que venho desempenhando desde o governo Geraldo Alckmin e que contemplará melhorias no tráfego a toda população desta região.

Hey, tell us a little information about yourself.  Who are you and where are you from.

The owner Ibrahima Diallo (30) is originally from Guinea West Africa living in Zurich since 1998.  Married since 2001 to Nina Diallo (26), having a little son of 3.

What is life like up in Switzerland, as far as music, fashion, and popular culture.

Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland, people traveling to Zurich to visit clubs, fashion shows, art exhibitions, etc.  Hip-Hop, Electro, House and at the time all mixed, that’s what people looking for….of course fashion is very important  It’s a way to express the way of life and clubbing means comparing outfits with the others…even you are not up to that, it does happen automatically…Once a style or trend is discovered, everybody is following it…As store owners we would describe the Swiss people reserved and not very open to break the style with a new trend.  It takes very long to make trends be understood over here.  Of course people do watch MTV but the most clips are very late in…so compared with our fam in Brooklyn, etc we can say if it is something hot in the states it takes almost a year to call it hot over here….they are not ready to understand it before….

The American market has still a big influence in music and fashion….

Zurich isn’t the biggest place, so we have a few customers like DJ’s, artists, and open-minded people, they appreciate to have something unique, something new, something special, so that’s where we are trying to be focused….

Tell us a little about Diallo The Store and the people involved.

Diallo The Store is a family-run business since 2005, located in the centre of the city…10 minutes from the Zurich main station -15 minutes from the Zurich airport.  We are open Monday – Saturday.  My husband and I do job sharing; everything is in our own strategy, management, etc.  We work with the city and train 4 young boys to get diplomas as assistants.  They work and go to school, which is really fun and gives them a lot of experience.  They are between the ages of 15 and 20 years old…so we are total 6 people….

What kind of brands does Diallo The Store carry?

As a family business we are not able to have the mass but something for the mass.  So we do care about having brands, trends, and styles which you won’t find in Zurich or Switzerland.  For example, we are the official RMC Account: www.rmcjeans.co.uk.  We do just have 1-3 pieces and the next stuff is coming in…so we are not a fix…this is the hole style what should be always a step forward to the Swiss market……we love to work with national or international upcoming brands is easy to make them understand the Swiss market and our philosophy….all we guarantee is originality and quality….so Diallo The Store is about a unique selection of style and at the end of brands.

What are some of your favourite brands out right now?

It’s all about the mix; people love the Kanye West, Pharrell Williams N.E.R.D. style…colourful, crazy, and not to baggy.

What new upcoming events or releases are you currently working on?

We will stay loyal to our strategy, even it takes longer to sell something but if you have sold something the customer will be coming back!

Sharing minds, and being open to projects…we once had a fashion show in a club.  We would love to do that again in the future.  The rest is word-of-mouth propaganda talking with people wearing the stuff on the streets….and keep going on!

What would you say are the most difficult aspects or being in your line of work?

To make people moving for something new and unique!  To make people wear something which is not the norm to the masses!  To make people understand the stuff you got!

The fashion and music worlds are often tied together…What music artists out right now are grabbing your attention?

The most showed love comes from the States and France, because they understand what we got!  The rest are national DJ’s, national artists…like Stress, Afura, etc…club owners, producers – people who are not shy to watch over the boundary!  Check our Facebook friends!

Diallo The Store

Schoffelgasse 6,

8001 Zurich,

Switzerland

Tel: +41-43-268-9374

http://www.diallothestore.com

http://www.myspace.com/diallothestore

One of the first questions people ask when we talk about  ”group music lessons” is “won’t it be too noisy with everyone playing their instruments at the same time?”. Of course this is a very valid question and one deserving of a satisfactory answer. In fact, it’s the exact same question I asked when someone mentioned the idea of teaching guitar lessons in a group format. I had seen group guitar classes with 3 or more students before and it did get pretty loud in that room. So you can imagine my reservations at the idea of teaching group drum set lessons as well as group guitar and group piano lessons – all in the same room and potentially at the same time. IMPOSSIBLE? or maybe not. 

The Recreational Music Center with the help of the Roland Music Corporation have taken the “noise” right out of group music lessons. That includes group lessons for guitars, drum sets, and pianos and here’s how we did it:

1) Roland RCS-848: Conferencing System - The heart and soul of RMC’s music studio is Roland’s amazing headphone conferencing system. This unit connects every instrument station in our studio (guitars, drums, pianos) to a central controller (or mixer). This device allows our teachers to control who hears what and when during the course of their group music lesson. I’ll explain in more detail shortly.

2) Speakerphones – Our amazing conferencing system would be absolutely worthless without our durable speakerphones. “What are speakerphones” – you may ask. Speakerphones are headphones with a microphone attached so that one can both receive a signal through the headphones and send a signal through the microphone. Every guitar, piano, and drum set in our studio comes with a speakerphone. This allows our teachers and students to be able to communicate with both their voices as well as with their instruments during the course of a lesson.

Now let me tie this all together and give you an example of how this works within the context of an average day in the Recreational Music Center studio:

Douglas Welcome (RMC’s guitar/bass and string instructor) has a class with four guitar students. At the beginning of each class he will ask the students to have a seat, pick up their guitars, and put on their speakerphones. While they are getting ready Douglas will set the conferencing control unit so that all four of his students can hear both themselves as well as the teacher. Once he has it set up he will begin the class by giving instructions to the students by speaking into his microphone who, in turn, will hear him in their headphones. At that point their off and running. Throughout the lesson Douglas can use his controller to select which student/instrument he wants to hear whether it be one at a time, all at once, a couple at a time, or mute the students so that everyone only hears him and his guitar. He also has full control over what the students hear whether it be just themselves and the teacher, just the teacher, or everyone altogether.

Now the beauty of this system doesn’t stop there with just one group guitar lesson. The real magic comes when Erik Garriott (RMC’s piano instructor) and David Montoya (RMC’s drum instructor) come to teacher their group lessons at the same time as Douglas is teaching his guitar lesson. In this scenario we have three teachers teaching in the same room on different instruments using the same conferencing system. Without the right equipment we would not be able to successfully pull this off, but with the equipment we have at the Recreational Music Center this not only works but works brilliantly. You see Douglas will continue to teach his class undisturbed as the other classes commence because the conferencing system is set up to allow his class (as well as the piano class and drum class) to function as if they were in their own private room. They won’t hear what is going on in the other classes and conversely the other classes won’t hear what is going on in Douglas’ guitar class.

So for someone on the outside looking in you could say that the Recreational Music Center offers noiseless or “silent” music lessons, but for our students they are getting the most innovative teaching experience available. We have successfully combined the benefits of a one-on-one private music lesson with all of the advantages of group learning and molded them into one amazing learning experience.

The Republican Majority for Choice (RMC) and the Real Republican Majority (RRM) are seeking Fall Interns to help us in our Alexandria, VA, office that is minutes away from Capitol Hill. We’re looking for outstanding college students that are at least one year into their undergraduate career who are passionate, driven, and want to join in the rebuilding of the GOP and learn about what it’s like to be involved in the largest pro-choice Republican organization in the nation. Tasks will include everything from media relations and grassroots affairs to legislative issues, allowing interns to fully experience the world of political non-profit work.

Our ideal intern candidate is currently enrolled in an accredited four year college or university as an undergraduate and has an interest in pursuing a career in politics. Candidates should be through their freshman year of college and be able to submit a writing sample if asked. Microsoft Office skills are a must for this internship. Our office is Metro and VRE accessible, and a stipend/school credit will be offered to qualified candidates. Our interns this summer have worked on projects in new media and state legislation; attended seminars and participated in events; learned and worked in grassroots outreach and candidate research.

To apply, applicants must submit the following to Elizabeth Payne (epayne@gopchoice.org) by September 12th, 2009:

-Resume, including classes you have taken and three references;
-Cover letter explaining why you want to work for RMC (general cover letters may not be accepted);
-Schedule of availability.

For more information on our group, please go to http://www.gopchoice.org.

No phone calls, please.

” Je certifie également avoir observé pendant ces trois heures d’entretien les facultés télépathiques et paranormales de la reptilienne – faire danser un crayon sur la table sans le toucher, maintenir une pomme en l’air à 40cm de sa main – et je suis absolument sûr qu’il n’y avait pas de truc. Il est certainement difficile à certaines personnes qui n’en ont pas eu l’expérience de le comprendre, mais j’étais réellement en contact avec son esprit et je suis certain que tout ce qu’elle a dit dans cette interview est la vérité “.

Ole K.

Voir le Dossier Complet :

Interview d’un EXTRA-TERRESTRE !

Qualche giorno fa Mara ha rilasciato questa breve e spiritosa intervista alla trasmissione radiofonica “Alfonso Signorini Show”.

Per ascoltarla come sempre…STRUCA EL BOTON!!!

A federal Appeals Court has upheld a Massachusetts law that bans protesters from a 35-foot buffer zone around abortion clinic entrances. This ban will prevent anti-choice protesters from intimidating women facing the difficult decision to undergo an abortion and those who are simply seeking family planning services provided by the clinic.

While the anti-choice movement is claiming this is a violation of their First Amendment rights, RMC believes that the heckling of the protesters was a direct infringement on the rights of women and made an already difficult situation dangerous.

The Court’s decision to uphold the law will provide women with a sense of security as they enter a clinic’s doors and will also prevent individuals entering a building with a family planning clinic to avoid unwarranted and insulting verbal abuse. RMC would like to know if you agree with the federal Appeals Court and if you believe this is a violation of First Amendment rights. Leave us your comments!

RMC in the News

Capitol Hill Blue (Washington, DC)

I belong to “Republican Majority for Choice” and we have donated to candidates who have pledged to keep choices open for all Americans.

News

Google News (USA)

Online auction house eBay says it has begun removing several items put up for sale by anti-abortion activists trying to raise funds for the man accused of killing a Kansas abortion provider.

Examiner (Washington, DC)

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the Administration’s new rules on federal funding for stem cell research, which reversed the former administration’s policy of prohibiting such funding in most cases.

Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL)

Physicians in Illinois this week must begin notifying a parent or guardian when a girl 17 or younger seeks an abortion — a rule anti-choicers long have sought, but which critics say could keep minors from seeking safe procedures.

In qualche modo bisogna pur affrontare questa specie di infreddatura che mi sono presa e l’ora solare che fa diventare il cielo blu e stellato già alle sette di sera, io ci provo immedesimandomi in nonna Papera, con la focaccia di mele. Chiamare questo dolce strudel mi sembra eccessivo e anche poco rispettoso nei confronti dei puristi strudeliani perciò l’ho chiamato focaccia, per non offendere nessuno, anche se in realtà si tratta di uno strudel “modificato”. Mi chiedo se il termine “focaccia” derivi da una foca particolarmente cattiva ma, per ora, rimarrò col dubbio.

Dunque, gli ingredienti per la focaccia di mele sono pochi e si amalgamano con facilità:

- prima di tutto, è necessario un gradevole sottofondo musicale che ispiri la fantasia e alimenti il sacro fuoco del pasticcere che si nasconde in ogni goloso. Può andare benissimo la musica trasmessa dalla radio e, a seconda dell’orario in cui il vostro fuoco sacro si accende e dell’animo che volete imprimere alla vostra focaccia, mi permetto di consigliare, la mattina presto, per una focaccia briosa, Radio 2 con Il ruggito del coniglio; più tardi, per una focaccia nazional-popolare, va bene anche RDS o RMC; mentre se il fuoco sacro si accende la sera tardi, e volete una focaccia sensualmente chic, vi consiglio vivamente RMC, Radio Monte Carlo. Per quanto mi riguarda, stavolta, volevo una focaccia sensual-passionale, perciò ho infilato nel lettore prima il cd di Piazzolla poi dei Gotan Project, per far entrare tutti gli altri ingredienti nella predisposizione culinaria giusta, ossia l’anima del tango.

- mele, io preferisco le rosse succose;

- pasta per strudel, se non si ha il tempo di prepararla va bene anche la pasta sfoglia già pronta, non è che una deve fare proprio la purista…

- cannella in stecche o in polvere. Io preferisco quella in bastoncini, che si presenta come piccoli fogli arrotolati (la cannella viene presa dal fusto e dai ramoscelli della pianta) mi dà più soddisfazione perché mentre la sbriciolo nel mortaio mi sento nonna Papera, con la messa in piega perfetta e un po’ antica, comunque può andar bene anche quella in polvere (ma non ha lo stesso aroma..) ;

- pinoli ma, in mancanza, vanno bene anche i gherigli delle noci;

- fantasia a volontà.

Dopo aver adeguatamente sistemato il sottofondo musicale, si prepara l’impasto per la sfoglia o, più comunemente, si srotola la sfoglia acquistata al supermercato e si bucherella con la forchetta. Canticchiando a ritmo di tango (ricordate l’animo da imprimere!) si prende la cannella e la si sistema nel mortaio e, con movimenti da tanghera, si riduce in polvere, serve solo buona volontà ma si può fare. Sempre canticchiando, non sia mai che venga fuori una focaccia senz’anima, si puliscono le mele e si tagliano a cubetti irregolari o a fettine e si sistemano in un recipiente, dove si aggiungerà un pizzico di cannella, qualche cucchiaio di zucchero (a fantasia, dipende dall’animo e dai gusti, a me non piace troppo dolce) i pinoli, il tocco magico, la fantasia, il tango, si amalgama e poi si versa sul lettino di sfoglia. Dopo aver adagiato il composto e la fantasia, si chiude come un fagotto e si inforna, nel forno preriscaldato, a 220° circa, per mezz’ora o fino a quando la focaccia vi sembra bella dorata.

Dopo averla sfornata è meglio lasciarla raffreddare un pochino, per poi gustarla anche tiepida al suono del tango, soli o in compagnia, con un bicchierino di vernaccia. E poi, ascoltate pure Libertango, ha la mia età, praticamente, una ragazzina.