Where am I . . . ?

Once again, I am struggling to keep up with my life.  I'm grateful that July is nearly here, because other than one 9-day stretch, I don't have too much to do.  That stretch will be a doozy, however  :-D

My big excitement in July will be Bagpipe School.  I can't help but think of it as Bagpipe Camp, though, because I actually went to Bagpipe Camp once when I was a beginning piper.

Who starts piping as a 40-year-old?  Me.  I shared my story here last year, so I won't repeat it now, but since I started studying with Ian again in May via Skype, I am more focused and have more desire to play and play well, than ever before.

I'm not kidding.  I'm even playing the exercises better than I did 10 years ago when I was last in SoCal.  What's more, I LIKE playing them.  I am well and truly a musical dork  :-D

I have been reading a book for work called The Outliers.  In it, it talks about 10,000 hours of practice to master pretty much anything, and I think about all the time I wasted in the last 6 years not playing . . . I know that everything happens in our lives for a reason, and I rarely have regrets about anything - but I really wish I had been playing all that time.  I would have logged that 10,000 by now and more.

Still - you never know, had I been playing all this time, I might not be finding the joy that I'm finding now that I have purpose again where music is concerned.

Joy and purpose - a recurring theme in my life.  Thanks, Mom  :-)

And here I am, thinking about competing next year.  Ian seems to think that if I keep practicing the way have been, that I will be able to compete next year.  This, of course, means that my ass will be covered in plaid . . . I am heartened however, by my most recent trip to the Highland Games a few weeks ago - mine will NOT be the largest plaid ass in view, that's for sure.

And as I look back at my post from last year at this time, I see that I was thinking about Bagpipe Camp even then . . . and then, last weekend I talked with a piping and knitting friend, and she really encouraged me to see if I could find a way to work it out.  Permission from my boss and my work to get time without pay, flights,  money, was there even space left in class?  I didn't really think it could work - and yet,  I couldn't stop thinking about it.  So, Monday morning, I figured I had nothing to lose, so I ran it up the flagpole . . . and then stood back and watched as every single detail fell into place this week so that I can go.  I sent it out to the Universe, and the Universe sent it back to me.  In spades.

Because of where I'm at right now in my playing - nothing could be better than a week of all bagpipes all the time.  I'm not kidding.

I remember very clearly my week studying with the late Lindsay Kirkwood.  He really had an impact on me, and my playing took a quantum leap in that focused period of time at Bagpipe Camp.  I'm reasonably sure it will do that again with a week with Ian and Colin.  Will I be the oldest one there?  Quite possibly.  Do I care?  Hell no.

And so, rather than wait, I fired up the actual pipes.  I've been working consistently on my practice chanter - but now that I'm going to have to keep up in class and with other pipers, I have got to build enough stamina to be able to do so.  It's going to be a challenging few weeks here, Chez A

So, please excuse me, I have to go practice (i.e., I cannot wait any longer)  ;-)

I'm so excited!!!!

Comments

Michelle said…
And I'm excited FOR you!!!
A :-) said…
Thank you :-) I'm just as excited for you and Lance to compete again :-)
Kitty Bo said…
This is wonderful news. Instead of a marching band, my high school had bag pipers. As one muscician to another,I hope you have a wonderful time. Practicing your instrument is a joy and not just the "finished" piece (although we're never truly finished with a piece, are we?)
A :-) said…
Thanks Kitty Bo!! I'm pretty excited about playing again :-)

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