Sunday, February 04, 2007

It's all coming back to me now

I’ve been trying all week to write more about our trip to Canada. Mostly, we met with family and friends and every day was special. I found it difficult write about all these moments spent with loved ones and keeping it relatively concise. There is also the “you had to be there” issue to be considered. What I might do instead, are “Flashbacks” – something that I have seen on other blogs. Otherwise, it will get too long and complicated to read – believe me; even I got confused. How’s that?

On another noteliterally! – I hereby thank my good blog friends (or *bliends) Christina from Just call me Mausi and Sal from The Virtual Tapas Bar for their posts (here and here) about their new - and less new- Ukuleles. The posts reminded me that I still had a dusty black case stowed away somewhere in the guestroom: My Ovation guitar.

I have not played for over 10+ years. I was never particularly good at it, mainly because I never really took real classes. My boyfriend at that time had a band and the guitar simply fascinated me, so he taught me the basics. I also played the flute in our high-school band, but it’s just not the same. The guitar is a very “social” instrument. You can sing along and you can chat with friends while gently caressing the strings. Try that with a flute! So, that’s how I was introduced to the guitar.

Back to a few days ago. My fingers itched to wrap themselves around the wooden shaft and feel the vibrations of strings (LOL. Sounds very sensual, doesn't it?). Ahem.... Anyhow. I took my guitar out of its dusty case and tuned it first. I soon found out that I had not only lost the dexterousness I used to have in my fingers, but the nails on my left hand were too long and kept touching strings that were not supposed to be involved in the chord, making a horrible “ziiiing” sound (not very sensual!). My nails are nothing close to a French manicure, but I finally had a reasonable length on all fingers. So I had to cut them back. The first hours of practise were painful and I had deep, negative imprint of the strings in my fingers for about an hour after I had stopped. Later, the numbness in the fingertips appeared, followed by the ever so typical callouses. But, I’m getting back there. My memory of songs and chords is slowly coming back to me now. Yep, I'm joining the club, guys! I’m addicted again. I wonder for how long.

*A special thank to Shelli for introducing me to this new word.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Sounds like we are all getting back into something. For me that is swimming again. Yup I've entered my first Canadian masters swim meet and might even go to provencials...

christina said...

Whooo! Expatapalooza jam session coming right up! CDs, t-shirts, autograph cards - the whole deal. Or maybe not. :-) But good for you for picking up the ol' guitar again.

CanadianSwiss said...

ET: That's great news! Congratulations!

Christina: All we need now, is to pick out a tune that all can play and start practising. :)

Shelli: I'm sure we can find an instrument for you. Then we'd really have an international band.

I thought bliends was already in there. LOL.

Ginnie Hart said...

I love Shelli's new word! We all need to start using it. :)

Believe it or not, I have a yuke from back in the late '60s! I let Nicholas play with it now. Hmmm. Don't know if I have the gumption to start it up again becauase it would be like starting all over from scratch. Seriously. I really can't remember that far back!!!

But bravo to you and all the others picking it up. I expect to hear the common song you pick out played on YouTube or somewhere soon. :)

CanadianSwiss said...

Ginnie: Playing an instrument is like riding a bike. The ride might be wobbly in the beginning, but you'll see that after a while, it does all come back. And who knows, maybe Nicholas will want to join our "bliends band", too :)

Anonymous said...

I have a "dusty" one too... in the corner of my bedroom :) Sometimes I play a few songs, but I get frustrated not being able to play everything I would like! Need some classes too ;)

CanadianSwiss said...

Shandara:I know how you feel. Finger tips hurt, adding to the frustration ;) I was just playing some Gaston Mandeville; remember him?

Shammickite said...

That reminds me.... I think there's an acoustic guitar packed away in a box in the storage room... maybe missing a string or two, perhaps I'll check. Not that I ever learned to play it, perhaps I should donate it to No1Son to decorate the walls of his basement.