I hope, anyway. Somehow this was the craziest season in recent memory, with all the legal stuff and a host of personal challenges, traveling, playing, teaching, etc. so the blog suffered a bit. And now my semi-annual oath to write a little more, maybe even something interesting once in awhile. To that end, here’s a new project that I hope will be the ultimate closure to that crazy violin saga…..
Happy Anniversary?
Exactly a year ago at this time I’d been asleep for about two hours and was awakened by a phone call from the Milwaukee Police Department, who had somehow found my violin case by the side of the road 
in the snow. It was empty. An hour after that, I stared out the window and watched various local media go up and down the street ringing doorbells trying to figure out which house was mine. Things got weirder from there. And weirder.
A Short Remembrance
When I was 9 or 10 I was still taking Suzuki lessons and attending the group sessions every Monday night at San Diego State University, which had one of the first (and most successful) Suzuki programs ever established in the United States. Spoiler- this isn’t an essay about that crazy guy who hates Suzuki people. Anyway, there was this little girl in our class named Mika. She always came with her mom, an impeccably polite and delicate Japanese woman married to a university professor. I still remember Mika because she played really well at about the age of 6 or so, like prodigy material. One week she didn’t show up.
Moving Right Along
I think that’s the longest I’ve ever gone without posting, but to be honest with all the violin stuff winding down and everything else going on, I really didn’t feel like writing much. So just in time for the holiday season…… Guess I’ll start out with some random stuff, like a new addition to the orchestral fines page: – Shooting the concertmaster with a Taser and stealing a violin you can’t do anything with: [box]7 years in prison, followed by 5 years of extended supervision, plus restitution determined by the court. [/box] And in … Continue Reading
Universal Kerrigan, and FAQ
Sorry to be absent for so long, but it’s been a crazy few months since the last post. As the legal process grinds on, I’m happy to report that the case is moving along, with one guilty plea and another expected later in July; both are facing 15 years. In the meantime, I thought it might be helpful to respond here to some of the most frequent questions that keep coming up. You must be thrilled that everything ended up so great and you can get on with your life. What’s taking so … Continue Reading
Thanks, and a Statement from the Owner
Many of you have sent me personal messages, email, cards, flowers, and so many other good wishes. I want to express my gratitude for that; the avalanche of goodwill has been really heartening during a difficult time.
The owner of the Lipinski violin has requested I post the following statement here. It is below, unedited in its entirety.