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Originally uploaded by rustedrobot.

It’s obvious if you’ve read even a week’s worth of material on this site that I’m pretty passioniate about music. A lot of people assume that I also play an instrument and when they ask if I play anythnig, I usually reply “not in front of anyone.” Truth is, I do not really play any instruments. I think about ten years ago I somehow acquired a classical guitar and Angry Johnny showed me a couple of chords (still unsure to this day if he taught me the only chords he knew, but I still love a lot of his music), so I noodled around on that for a few months, but it didn’t hold.

Last week I finally decided it was time to start anew and went out and purchased an Ibanez acoustic guitar. I was also this close (me holding my thumb and forefinger a centimeter apart right now) to also pulling the trigger on a banjo, but I figured, hey, one instrument at a time. It was difficult, though, as a local music store is closing shop and really having quite a sale.

So I bought a couple of books and a guitar-for-beginners type DVD thing and I’ve been learning the right way: chord by painful chord. In fact, I have not even attempted, nor considered, trying to learn a song yet. I just want to get the chords down and get comfortable with moving from chord to chord. As one might expect, it’s harder than you think. And yes, my fingers hurt. Played until my fingers bled, was the summmer of ’69, hey!

The jury is still out on whether or not this will be a passing fad, but it’s probably more healthy than watching TV. I have no visions of grandeur here, either, just a desire to pass some peaceful time now and again and have a smidge of proficiency. That’s all.