So as I was Saying
Well now that the holiday's are over, it's time for the winter blahs to set in. It is usually so depressing this time of year, as we fight the snow, cold and whatnot. So this year, I decided to do something about it. Winter isn't going to get me down, I'm going to put up a fight.
A month or two ago, I received a flyer in the mail. It was from the parks department, talking about various classes and activities that are offered through out the winter. It was about to find it's way into the fire place, when for some reason, I picked it up, and thumbed through it.
Like many of us, when stuff like that comes through the mail, it usually doesn't get looked at it. But I had been thinking about the onset of winter, and what, if anything, to do about it. So, when this thing came to my house, I started looking through it. It got me thinking. I too, can be a Renaissance man, like Di Vinci, Monet, or Shakespeare. Or maybe I be a sculptor, like those Greek guys who started my college fraternity.
One would think that the possibilities would be endless, but reality had to take over. I'm not real artistic, and since I don't really don't understand how it works, the pottery classes were out ("It's an ashtray or a giraffe. Believe me.") Oil painting might be kind of cool, but it would involved one thing that I fight at all costs. Getting my hands dirty. So just as I was about to give up on the cultural thing, I spotted it. Just popping off the page at me. 'Beginning Guitar'.
Now I have talked about my musical talents before in this space. I played the French Horn in school, though no one is supposed to know about it (now over 40,000 do. Tell your friends, we can add to that number). And to be perfectly honest, I was a terrible in the band. Couldn't march, but that was okay, since I couldn't play the instrument either. But over the years, I have developed a love of music (jazz and blues), and have had some regrets about not taking my musical education a little more seriously. So I look at taking a guitar instruction class like a second chance. So I jumped all over it. Then I picked it up, and called the phone number.
It was seventy buck for seven lessons. After that, there is a second session if I want for another 70 bucks. It starts in early January and continues on into March. Right in the middle of the drudgery and muck. Long enough to get out of the funk.
So I paid the money, went out and bought a acoustic guitar, and am giving it a shot. So far it has been a blast.
I'm honest about it. Certainly I'm not "Haric Clapton' by any means, nor will I be. But it will be fun, and something for me. If I can learn a few chords, and am able to strum a song or two, I'll be happy. Hey, who knows, maybe I can go the front porch and sing "Down in the Valley" like Barney and Andy.
Last week was my first class. There are four student in our group, all over age fifty. The instructor is older yet, and he just loves to pick and sing. Which is fine, except none of us can join him. That's why we are there. About ten minutes in, he says, "Don't worry about the singing, I got it covered. Just follow along."
So you had these four people in a room, trying to pick a guitar, and sing "Row, Row, Row your boat". Truthfully it sounded like cats crying/ I didn't hear the noise at all, as I was having a great time. The instructor would say "be sure to tap your foot to the beat" and start in with singing another song. "Does anyone 'On top of Spaghetti/" For a while, I thought I was hanging with Briscoe Darling himself.
I will say that he is doing a pretty good job teaching us the basic chords, and thus far I have no complaints. After two classes, and a week of practicing every day (which I never did with the French Horn) my fingers are pretty sore, but I really don't mind. Although I may not be able to do much on the guitar yet (I've still working to master 'Happy Birthday' and 'Jingle Bells'), I am making some kind of music, and that's what it is all about. Plus I'm beating the winter blues.
The moral of this whole thing? Don't sit around wanting to so do something, go out and do it. I'm already thinking about next winter, and what I'll do then. Maybe pottery, or I'll finally learn how to play the bagpipes sitting in the trunk of my car.
Come back Thursday for a Person of the Week
We will talk soon
Jeff
A month or two ago, I received a flyer in the mail. It was from the parks department, talking about various classes and activities that are offered through out the winter. It was about to find it's way into the fire place, when for some reason, I picked it up, and thumbed through it.
Like many of us, when stuff like that comes through the mail, it usually doesn't get looked at it. But I had been thinking about the onset of winter, and what, if anything, to do about it. So, when this thing came to my house, I started looking through it. It got me thinking. I too, can be a Renaissance man, like Di Vinci, Monet, or Shakespeare. Or maybe I be a sculptor, like those Greek guys who started my college fraternity.
One would think that the possibilities would be endless, but reality had to take over. I'm not real artistic, and since I don't really don't understand how it works, the pottery classes were out ("It's an ashtray or a giraffe. Believe me.") Oil painting might be kind of cool, but it would involved one thing that I fight at all costs. Getting my hands dirty. So just as I was about to give up on the cultural thing, I spotted it. Just popping off the page at me. 'Beginning Guitar'.
Now I have talked about my musical talents before in this space. I played the French Horn in school, though no one is supposed to know about it (now over 40,000 do. Tell your friends, we can add to that number). And to be perfectly honest, I was a terrible in the band. Couldn't march, but that was okay, since I couldn't play the instrument either. But over the years, I have developed a love of music (jazz and blues), and have had some regrets about not taking my musical education a little more seriously. So I look at taking a guitar instruction class like a second chance. So I jumped all over it. Then I picked it up, and called the phone number.
It was seventy buck for seven lessons. After that, there is a second session if I want for another 70 bucks. It starts in early January and continues on into March. Right in the middle of the drudgery and muck. Long enough to get out of the funk.
So I paid the money, went out and bought a acoustic guitar, and am giving it a shot. So far it has been a blast.
I'm honest about it. Certainly I'm not "Haric Clapton' by any means, nor will I be. But it will be fun, and something for me. If I can learn a few chords, and am able to strum a song or two, I'll be happy. Hey, who knows, maybe I can go the front porch and sing "Down in the Valley" like Barney and Andy.
Last week was my first class. There are four student in our group, all over age fifty. The instructor is older yet, and he just loves to pick and sing. Which is fine, except none of us can join him. That's why we are there. About ten minutes in, he says, "Don't worry about the singing, I got it covered. Just follow along."
So you had these four people in a room, trying to pick a guitar, and sing "Row, Row, Row your boat". Truthfully it sounded like cats crying/ I didn't hear the noise at all, as I was having a great time. The instructor would say "be sure to tap your foot to the beat" and start in with singing another song. "Does anyone 'On top of Spaghetti/" For a while, I thought I was hanging with Briscoe Darling himself.
I will say that he is doing a pretty good job teaching us the basic chords, and thus far I have no complaints. After two classes, and a week of practicing every day (which I never did with the French Horn) my fingers are pretty sore, but I really don't mind. Although I may not be able to do much on the guitar yet (I've still working to master 'Happy Birthday' and 'Jingle Bells'), I am making some kind of music, and that's what it is all about. Plus I'm beating the winter blues.
The moral of this whole thing? Don't sit around wanting to so do something, go out and do it. I'm already thinking about next winter, and what I'll do then. Maybe pottery, or I'll finally learn how to play the bagpipes sitting in the trunk of my car.
Come back Thursday for a Person of the Week
We will talk soon
Jeff
Comments