I am happy to announce to my readers that I am initiating Banjosnob 2.3! You may have noticed that I haven’t posted many blogs lately (at least I hope some of you have noticed!); this is partly because life has simply gotten out of hand this year. Rather than complain about “not having enough time” (actually, not taking enough time), I have decided that this recent over-busy-ness should serve as an opportunity to reboot.
My main motivator as a writer is that I feel incomplete; I don’t see myself as a “learned expert,” espousing on things that I learned “long ago.” I long to be an expert (whatever that is), and have found writing to be quite useful toward that end.
After a lifetime of being too shy and afraid to voice my hare-brained opinions/ideas (so not knowing if they are valid or not), I have finally become brave and/or stupid enough to write about them, post them in a public forum (thank you internet!), and hope that folks take it easy on me! Whether I get feedback of any kind or not, this public airing excites and stimulates learning to a greater degree than any other means I have tried (including College); I highly recommend it.
I have always looked at my life from a growth-era point of view, and I am quite often in transition from one era to another. It is not always clear to me where one begins and another ends, or when two or more eras coincide; the truth is usually only revealed in hindsight (ain’t that the truth?). While I wish to be complete, I realize that completeness is a dead end; I hope to never stop learning and growing! Even when my body fails me, I hope that my mind will continue to evolve.
In some ways, I feel like I have already experienced my peak as a banjoist; last year was quite good to me! While that thought makes me somewhat sad (there is so much more to learn!), I am satisfied with what I accomplished last year. However: I realize that it will be my peak only if I let it be my peak! At this point of my life (age, a young 57), I am still in charge of my own improvement—at least for a little while longer. All I have to do is get back to the hard work that facilitated last year’s growth-era.
Long story short: Look out banjo world, here I come! See you next year!
My wife and my daughters wish I would play a quieter and more sedate instrument, but I love playing the plectrum banjo. I thank you for the inspiration you provide and look forward to your new Banjo 2.3!
This blog entry speaks to me. I’m 56 now and have only been playing again for 9 years after a 22 year hiatus of no music playing at all. I strive to improve but there are so many paths to follow I’m often stuck wondering which to take. I’m presently starting work with the Grimshaw book and have mastered the first two C scale exercises in as many weeks. Seems overly simple, but for someone who has never taken the time to master single string playing, it seems like the perfect place to start, late in life or not. Thanks for your hard work and dedication to helping the rest of us, Ron.