…my quest to learn

Learning is great. Don’t you get such a feeling of accomplishment learning something new? I guess that’s why I’m finally entering the world of teaching, something I’ve wanted to do since I graduated with my first B.A. over ten years ago. If everything goes as planned in 3 semesters I should be a licensed Spanish, History and Social Science teacher…. and perhaps a novice classical guitarist as well.

Aren’t we always learning something? I have a compulsion for learning things… RANDOM things… my interests are about as random as you can get. Fly-fishing, snowboarding, nordic & alpine skiing, gardening, stained glass artist, yogi/ father of 8 year old twin boys and a 3 month baby boy, full-time student, part-time marketing and public relations director and gymnastics coach, married to a wonderfully patient and beautiful woman AND to learn classical guitar at 33…

Can it be done? Of course… how long will it take? Perhaps a lifetime. This may be my 4th or 5th attempt at learning guitar. My story begins at age 8 (circa 1985) and opening a JCPenny’s starter kit for Christmas. My initial venture lasted no more than 2 weeks. My grandmother’s attempt at tuning my mass-produced gem ended in a snapped neck and… that was that…. A few more rummage sale guitars with best intentions led me no further in becoming a ‘guitarist’. Enter 2006, my last and first true attempt at learning guitar. This 6 week venture was fruitful. I was playing scales and arpeggios and fumbling through music far beyond my level – just for the fun of it. And then life happened… losing one job, changing career paths and schedules left no time for a family, taking care of 5 acres and trying to learn guitar? Didn’t work…. So my guitar sat and collected dust for a year or so, before it became craigslisted and sold within a day or two of posting. Just like that… poof… guitar was no more.

Now enter my 33rd year and a random surfing of craigslist… a recollection of how much I missed playing music and loved learning the guitar… and a great deal on an instrument…. and poof I own a guitar again… and determined to catch up where I left off and continue this “quest”.

I do have some things in my corner. I am a pianist and former symphony horn player. Therefore I can read music, which I cannot fathom attempting to learn in addition to playing an instrument. So I don’t have to worry about reading rhythms, key signatures, time signatures, etc…

My major hurdles would be three energetic, loving, active kids – school work – married life – home duties – work – and LIFE in general. Oh yeah and not being able to find a teacher in my neck of the woods…. anybody know a great classical guitar instructor in Platteville, WI???? Didn’t think so Right now it’s me and some theory books, and “teach yourself” guides….

My goals…. play at least 30 minutes a day. So far so good…. I actually got an hour the other night as the boys (my rebels) listened in a surprisingly quiet manner while I worked arpeggios. Even the baby listened calmly

So as if I have time for anything more, I’m going to attempt to use this blog as my journal through guitar practice & progress and add some splashes of life’s little and sometimes big moments that make life…. LIFE.