When things look bleak and you don't know what to do, you go back to the beginning.
I've been feeling a strong longing to play more guitar. I think about it while I'm at work. I think about it when I wake up. I have dreams that I'm performing again. Then, when I have opportunity, I pick up my Strat and...blah...
I started thinking that the problem is that, in my mind's ear I hear myself playing like I did when I played hours every day. I'd go to all-night jam sessions and when I left I'd feel great. Now, I play for 15 minutes and my hands hurt and are tired. I can't seem to get the sounds out of my head into my hands. I drop the guitar in frustration and the cycle starts again.
So, I go back to the beginning. In 1988 I graduated from what was then "The Professional Guitar School (A Division of The Guitar Center)." It was not the retail giant, but a small music school in Minneapolis that eventually became "Music Tech" and now I see that the originators are McNally Smith College of Music. Awesome. Anyway, in 1988 there were about 20 of us in the second graduating class. We spent a year playing major scales, learning music theory, how to read music, the difference between harmonic minor and jazz harmonic minor scales. I played every day, and played a lot.
So, as I was thinking about that time in life, it just so happened that I stumbled across the green photo-copied text "Fingerboard/Theory and Improvisation" written by Jeff Wressell. I opened it up and started running my major scales through the circle of 4ths using a metronome. Wow. I used to be able to do these at a pretty high tempo, and my fingers don't quite do what I'm asking them to do as cleanly as they used to. But like I did in the beginning, I practice them daily now. I write down the tempo I start at and the tempo I end at to measure my progress. I'm improving again...
It's not exactly a weekend performing at Carnegie Hall, but it's greatly therapeutic and I'm having fun. Thanks Jeff Wressell - your influence spans 20 years and your legacy lives on.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
2 Weeks of Working Out
After 2 weeks, I've missed about 2 workouts. Contrary to what everyone tells me, it is not becoming more fun, nor is it becoming more enjoyable. Still, I press on in hope that at some point I will stop feeling crappy and start enjoying this.
One difficult thing is that I have sustained a shoulder injury while doing some construction work. There is a pain deep inside my shoulder, and it doesn't hurt all the time. I layed off a little bit this week, and it was feeling pretty good so I worked it out again on Friday. Bad idea, as the pain returned.
Next week I'm going to continue to work out, but I'll be eliminating any exercises that would put strain on my right shoulder. I'll probably ride my stationary bike (yep, I have one of those collecting dust, too) and give this a few weeks before I hit it again. I would like to avoid any surgeries if possible.
One difficult thing is that I have sustained a shoulder injury while doing some construction work. There is a pain deep inside my shoulder, and it doesn't hurt all the time. I layed off a little bit this week, and it was feeling pretty good so I worked it out again on Friday. Bad idea, as the pain returned.
Next week I'm going to continue to work out, but I'll be eliminating any exercises that would put strain on my right shoulder. I'll probably ride my stationary bike (yep, I have one of those collecting dust, too) and give this a few weeks before I hit it again. I would like to avoid any surgeries if possible.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Workout report - week 1
Well, I made it through my first week. I'm glad to have been able to stick with it for a week, which is longer than I normally continue working out. I started using a pretty simple plan that I found on this site.
The essence of the plan is that, if you stick to what you're doing and cut out the extra nonsense that often goes along with working out in a gym, you can get a decent full-body workout in 20 minutes. I'm starting out on the plan for beginners, so it's not that difficult to maintain. I'm doing 8 exercises, 1 set of 12 reps each. Each exercise focuses on a large muscle group, and the point of the beginning workout is to concentrate on form and build some conditioning into your schedule.
I'm also not going to a gym, but rather using an Impex Competitor home gym that I picked up in brand-new condition at a garage sale for $80. I'd say that one could find these just about anywhere for about the same amount of money. After all, it's sat in my basement for two years collecting boxes and clothes and I'm just now getting around to using it - so you know that's the most common fate for home gyms and other workout equipment. I like the home gym in that it's easy to use and I don't have to leave my house to work out. Once I add 15 minutes of drive time on either end of my workout, it's no longer a 20-minute workout but rather an hour.
I'm not sure I feel any different today than I did last week, other than satisfied that I've held the schedule and done what I decided to do. Now to continue to next week!
The essence of the plan is that, if you stick to what you're doing and cut out the extra nonsense that often goes along with working out in a gym, you can get a decent full-body workout in 20 minutes. I'm starting out on the plan for beginners, so it's not that difficult to maintain. I'm doing 8 exercises, 1 set of 12 reps each. Each exercise focuses on a large muscle group, and the point of the beginning workout is to concentrate on form and build some conditioning into your schedule.
I'm also not going to a gym, but rather using an Impex Competitor home gym that I picked up in brand-new condition at a garage sale for $80. I'd say that one could find these just about anywhere for about the same amount of money. After all, it's sat in my basement for two years collecting boxes and clothes and I'm just now getting around to using it - so you know that's the most common fate for home gyms and other workout equipment. I like the home gym in that it's easy to use and I don't have to leave my house to work out. Once I add 15 minutes of drive time on either end of my workout, it's no longer a 20-minute workout but rather an hour.
I'm not sure I feel any different today than I did last week, other than satisfied that I've held the schedule and done what I decided to do. Now to continue to next week!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Christmas wishes
Greetings!
Many of these children would likely never receive new clothes, and your provision gave them the ability to enjoy Christmas along with other, more fortunate children who have parents to provide these necessities of life for them.
This past year has been very hard for everyone in Kenya. There is a widespread drought that continues to this day, and many Africans are suffering from starvation because they are unable to raise enough food on their subsistence farms. Often, orphans are being cared for by relatives or other guardians who will treat these children very harshly. Many of the orphans will be worked to the point of exhaustion and because there is not enough food to go around, will be fed last if at all. Many of these children walk miles in their bare feet to attend the Love of Christ school where they are loved, fed and cared for beyond anything they would experience in their homes.
I'm writing you again this year to ask you to please consider these children. Fredrick Mulei is our dear friend who runs the school and orphanage, and he has taken in another 11 children with no hope for a future before Fredrick's care and education. He is now caring for 51 children, most of whom are mistreated and abused by their guardians to the point that Fredrick is looking to raise money enough to build a boarding school to house them permanently. If you are interested in helping with this or sponsoring a child, please contact Sandra or me and we would be happy to tell you about how we go about providing for a couple of these little ones.
I'd like to ask each of you to search your hearts and consider sharing a small portion of our "want" to aid in providing what these little ones truly "need." Like last year, I know that our economy has taken a down turn and we all have had to make concessions and give things up as our own budgets are stretched. We would not ask you to take from what you need to provide for another, but perhaps several of us have $17.50 to provide clothing for these children again this year. $17.50 USD will provide a new shirt and pants for a little boy or a new dress (and maybe even a hat) for a little girl. You can see for yourselves the joy it brought these kids last year in their smiles. The other need that Fredrick has shared with us for the children is that most of them have no shoes. A quality pair of leather shoes costs $18.00 USD, and we would intend to provide them for as many as we're able should we raise more than what's needed for the Christmas clothes.
I want to begin this letter with the warmest and most heart-felt expression of thanks. Last year, through your generous gifts we were able to outfit 40 children with new clothing. The girls received Christmas dresses, while the boys were given shirts and pants. The cost of these clothing sets was $17.50 USD each, and as you look at the photos of those kids, you will see that returned in joy a thousand times over.
Many of these children would likely never receive new clothes, and your provision gave them the ability to enjoy Christmas along with other, more fortunate children who have parents to provide these necessities of life for them.
This past year has been very hard for everyone in Kenya. There is a widespread drought that continues to this day, and many Africans are suffering from starvation because they are unable to raise enough food on their subsistence farms. Often, orphans are being cared for by relatives or other guardians who will treat these children very harshly. Many of the orphans will be worked to the point of exhaustion and because there is not enough food to go around, will be fed last if at all. Many of these children walk miles in their bare feet to attend the Love of Christ school where they are loved, fed and cared for beyond anything they would experience in their homes.
I'm writing you again this year to ask you to please consider these children. Fredrick Mulei is our dear friend who runs the school and orphanage, and he has taken in another 11 children with no hope for a future before Fredrick's care and education. He is now caring for 51 children, most of whom are mistreated and abused by their guardians to the point that Fredrick is looking to raise money enough to build a boarding school to house them permanently. If you are interested in helping with this or sponsoring a child, please contact Sandra or me and we would be happy to tell you about how we go about providing for a couple of these little ones.
I'd like to ask each of you to search your hearts and consider sharing a small portion of our "want" to aid in providing what these little ones truly "need." Like last year, I know that our economy has taken a down turn and we all have had to make concessions and give things up as our own budgets are stretched. We would not ask you to take from what you need to provide for another, but perhaps several of us have $17.50 to provide clothing for these children again this year. $17.50 USD will provide a new shirt and pants for a little boy or a new dress (and maybe even a hat) for a little girl. You can see for yourselves the joy it brought these kids last year in their smiles. The other need that Fredrick has shared with us for the children is that most of them have no shoes. A quality pair of leather shoes costs $18.00 USD, and we would intend to provide them for as many as we're able should we raise more than what's needed for the Christmas clothes.
Warmest regards in Christ Jesus,
--Greg & Sandra
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Day 2 working out
I have now successfully gotten my tired, achy backside out of bed early to workout twice this week. While overwhelmed with a deep sense of satisfaction that I've actually kept to my word for a change and am doing as I said I would be doing, I must admit that this is not fun yet. I am tired and working out always seems a little boring to me. But for the better good I plan to continue and see how this goes.
One thing I'm a little nervous about is that I have a bit of a shoulder injury that may require attention. There's a deep pain inside my right shoulder that has been nagging me for about a month now. I'm not pushing through major pain, and if it hurts I'm backing off. I'm afraid I may have a cartilage problem in there, and shoulder surgery does not sound like fun - perhaps even less fun than working out!
I'll keep moving forward.
One thing I'm a little nervous about is that I have a bit of a shoulder injury that may require attention. There's a deep pain inside my right shoulder that has been nagging me for about a month now. I'm not pushing through major pain, and if it hurts I'm backing off. I'm afraid I may have a cartilage problem in there, and shoulder surgery does not sound like fun - perhaps even less fun than working out!
I'll keep moving forward.
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