A musician’s journey never ends, and the work is often solitary. Fortunately for bassoonists, Solitary Refinement can be a trusted companion throughout their musical career, replete with exercises adaptable by bassoon students who are still developing their skills, all the way to virtuosi seeking to perfect their craft. Drawing on her extensive career as a professional bassoonist and teacher, Nadina Mackie Jackson has assembled a comprehensive volume of technical exercises for the serious bassoonist. This book covers chromatic scales in many permutations and intervals, diatonic scales and chords, and exercises designed to strengthen fundamental basics, such as fingering, embouchure, double tonguing, vibrato, tuning and tone quality. In elegant, accessible prose, Nadina Mackie Jackson also shares her wisdom on the importance and philosophy of technical practice, with sensible advice on how to build good habits. Beyond the exercises, this book also serves as a guide for bassoonists on how to set personal goals and develop a sustained practice that will nurture their musical growth over a lifetime. Solitary Refinement is designed for the seriously committed bassoonist of any age to maintain, develop and expand their command of the bassoon, and will inspire players to see themselves in a world that combines musical passion and fundamental discipline.

In the frantic pace of everyday demands, finding even a few moments of quality "alone-time" for yourself is nearly impossible. Solitary Refinement shows you not only how to find precious time alone but to use it to catapult you to greater levels of health, happiness, and success. Not only do we crave and need time for ourselves but we must know how to make the most of it - to benefit ourselves as well as others. Whether you are always on the go or lonely in the middle of it all, Solitary Refinement shows you how to find and embrace alone-time using it productively to change your thoughts and your life for the best. In this book you will discover: The ten voices you must ignore How to think like God thinks How being alone with His words will change the way you think, feel, and act The four ways to set your priorities right How to eliminate emotional isolation

In a global competition between continued harvesting of fossil fuels and the slower-paced exploitation of renewable energy, which side will win, and how? In a dangerous world of big business, big government, and greedy scoundrels, up against a decades-long march of peaceful activists for renewable energy, who arises as the resolute savior?

After a group of upstart humans are sentenced to hell, they develop a 100 year master plan to get more humans to hell. Their plan conceived in the late 1800's consists of a series of inventions that will provide Satan with unbelievable reach to humans. Unfortunately, the plan does not receive a warm reception in hell. "Year - 1890 - Satan stood in his office surveying hell through the window. His concern grew as he analyzed his market reports on the number of souls arriving in hell. The results looked worse than ever...his regime was at a critical juncture at this point in history. If this flat growth in soul acquisition continued, good would reign over evil.” In frustration, Satan glanced at his desk, spying the two strategic plans to boost his soul-a-meter. One plan, the safest choice, recommended continuing with the current strategies. The other plan, presented by a new addition to hell, Sal, not only had him quite confused, but the old guard of hell despised it. He contemplated his options and just wasn’t sure what to do...Satan read the title of the plan, “Satan’s One Hundred-Year Master Plan.” He was aghast! One hundred years—wow—“Why should I wait one hundred years?” What happens to the master plan? Can Sal "win" in hell? Can Sal and Barb be together? All these questions will be answered through this unprecedented emotional ride through life in the most terrorizing existence. With the answer to the ultimate question, “what if our world is really not an accident, but rather crafted by the king of evil over 100 years ago?” Imagine the past as our future