I like big bells and I cannot lie

[primeideal]

Several years ago, I was introduced to "change ringing" through the a math context. There's some next-level "the Russians used a pencil" stuff here--English tower bells are too heavy to ring repetitively and melodically, so they discovered some of the concepts behind "permutation groups," the Dutch used a carillon ;)

However, I only lived in that area for a few more months before moving to another part of the country that didn't have a tower, so I paused. A couple years ago, I moved again, and there was a new tower, but I'd forgotten pretty much all I knew. It was kind of a long commute to practice, and I was basically just using some of their practice time to re-learn the very basics of manipulating the rope, couldn't play in a group yet. And they were like "every few months we have intensive beginner practice, join us then and we can get you up to speed." So I planned on that. And then...the pandemic happened...

Which actually turned out to be a surprisingly good thing for learning the patterns, because the mental memorization ability is almost completely decoupled from the physical rope manipulation. So a few months in some British people programmed a virtual platform for this, because of course. And I've been able to practice with my "neighbors" without a commute, and advancing far in the mental part, and we even have been able to meet in person for handbells!

But I haven't gone back to the tower practices because it's too long a commute for little practice when we're still sort of pandemic-limited. Except finally we got the long-delayed newbie practice, and I got to work on the ropes. Which is kind of scary because this group can be a bit intimidating with their experience and also the fact that these enormous bells are kind of dangerous, so I had to work through a lot of anxiety. But I did it! And then the next morning, I felt some arm soreness that was like...I have more side effects from bells than I did from the vaccines :D Good to be back in the habit.

Comments

[isis]

That sounds very cool!

[primeideal]

It sure is :D

[princessofgeeks]

Amazing!

Do you know "The Nine Tailors" by Sayers? It's the only book I ever read about bell ringing.

[primeideal]

I do! And it does a very good job of describing all the amusing jargon :D I didn't really get into it as a mystery, but maybe that's just not my genre/prose style.

[landofnowhere]

Hello, fellow change ringer here! Found you through ursula, intrigued by the math reference in your username, enjoyed the bookblogging. I also have moved in and out of areas with bells, most recently I was a Boston area ringer from 2016-2019, and but now I live 2 hours away from the nearest tower, so I mostly ring virtually these days, though I would like to do more travel to towers.

[primeideal]

Awesome, maybe we'll cross paths someday! (There's a good chance I'll be going to the event in Raleigh this fall.)

[landofnowhere]

Cool! I'm not planning on attending the Raleigh event, but North American ringing is a small world, so it's likely we'll run into each other some day!