Gee-tar

A couple of weeks ago I left you all with a parting shot to try something you have always wanted to. And it really would not be fair to offer you that invitation without jumping in and accepting it myself so I did. I signed up for guitar lessons.

I have wanted to know how to play a guitar since I was a kid and at any time in my life I could have told you with whom I wanted to play. At 12 it was Guns N’ Roses. At 16 it was Alice In Chains. At 21 it was Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker and it would still be them if they hadn’t died. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not mad at them. I understand that these things happen. It just means I have had to find a new idol.

My first class was this morning and it was very basic. 3 chords and a song – D, G, A7 and “Bucket’s of Tears” by Bob Dylan. They don’t mess around at the Old Town School of Folk Music. They do it right. And when the lesson is over, there is a chance to apply everything you just learned with folks who are learning the same instrument, but who are all at varying degrees of skill. So there I was, me and my three chords, trying to keep up with people who were playing as if their lives depended on it – and I was completely welcome and encouraged to participate fully the entire time.

I almost cannot describe how much fun I am having with this. I have been playing these damn chords all day, the fingertips of my left hand are killing me and my neighbors probably suspect I’ve gone loony thinking I’m Bob Dylan. I don’t care. This is so much fun; I can’t stand it and cannot believe I waited until the age of 30 to do this.

Anybody wanna hear a D chord?