Mmm.
I cooked gyoza two nights ago, and it was absoluetly amazing. I don't make them from scratch, though I would love to learn how. It shouldn't be all that hard. I am going to make it a goal to do that next week. My goal for this week is to redo my room, but unfortunately, yet unsurprisingly, it has yet to be done. Egads!!!
Yesterday was amazing. I slept great, woke up feeling energized, I had a cup of Typhoo tea (which isn't on my diet - more on this diet later), some fruit, and surfed the interwebs for a while. Then I got ready for my guitar lesson, and departed! The lesson was great. I worked on some picking exercises, but failed at trying to do a solo (improvisation). I'm still not good at that stuff. So we decided to play a little "music game". It was a follow me game, where he would play a little something, and I had to copy what he did. I surprised myself, and thought I did rather well. I wish we would do that more often. I think it will really help me out with improvisation. We also discussed this website that I stumbled across called chordbook.com! If you are learning to play guitar, DEFINITELY check it out. Anyways, after that we discussed how I had no one to play along with. It's good to have another musician to play with, it really helps people grow musically. I have NO ONE to play with. It'd be different if I were back in Florence. But I am in Little Rock so I have to have an alternative plan. And there is one. There exists a tool - a pedal that serves the purpose of being your new personal playmate. You step on it, play a riff, and it plays the riff back for you, over and over and over again. So that you can play along with it doing something entirely different. It would be a great tool to have. So I am going to save up moneys (*eyes checking account suspiciously*, and buy one. I think they are roughly $150, but Jason, my sensei, is going to post on his blog, a list of pedals that would be good for guitarists like me. ^_^ I CAN'T WAIT TO GET ONE!!!!
Oh yeah! He seemed to think that my goals were really good. My previous-previous lesson (i had to skip a lesson, because I dont think I would have been able to function, if I couldnt even function to play my DS correctly) was sort of a new year's check up lesson. I was to write out a few goals for the entire year. These ended up being my goals:
(I took a picture, because I worked hard on these goals, with black and pink ink. ^^)
HUZZAHHHH! HUZZAHHHHH!!!!!
1. He said that every guitarist and musician, or just performers get nervous when playing. A drummer that he had some contact with (I forgot how), who played with Talking Heads and some other groups or something said that he still got nervous, and got adrenaline rushes before performing. His solution? He did jumping jacks and push ups as a routine before he played. Doing that would wash the adrenaline out of his body, so when he performed he would be more relaxed. But I am not just talking about performing on stage. I have problems performing in front of my teacher. The thought of playing in front of anyone else just plain makes me sick.
2. I don't want to rely on chord books for the rest of my life. I want to create my own chords for my own songs. If I want to play a chord, I don't want to pull out my list of chords. That would suck. I want to take a root and turn it into something more colorful!
3. Jason said that 3 goes along with 8. He's right! I am supposed to be thinking of a situation that is "surprising" to write about and eventually put it to music. I have something in mind, and I will tell about that in a seperate post.
4. I love playing my scales. But just plain playing and practicing scales isn't musical. It's repetitive. I want to utilize my scales and actually make music with them.
5. This is going to be a difficult feat, I fear.
6. I need to build some hand strength for this one. Bar chords hate me, and I kind of hate bar chords myself. I will conquer them one day with lots of practice and dedication.Timing is also important here. I need to use my metronome and focus with timing everytime I play. My tone is already really good, Jason says, but I kill my fingers by making them clear. I press down way to hard, but if I don't they wouldn't sound clear. Eventually my hands will get used to this, and I will be able to nail those bar chords, have a nice reach, and NOT kill my hands at the same time.
7. My social awkwardness is going to kick this goal's arse. I'm doomed here. Unless I get that pedal!!!!!!
8. Usually when I am down in the dumps, I sleep all day. That is definitely not healthy. There are alternatives like exercising, drawing, crafts, ...and guitar! I want to make guitar a part of my daily life. And of course this can lead to some creative writing! Though, I will never ever write angst lyrics. Hellz no. That's not my style. Unless it's something not to be shared. I'm not into passing on my sadness to others.
9. This is wishful thinking. I would love to get some recording experience! I don't plan on trying to get big or anything. Me learning to play guitar is strictly a type of therapy and a hobby for me. Having my own personal pink vinyl record that has my feelings stored in it would be fantastic!!!! And making it would be a wonderful experience. And hey, if someone else likes my work, maybe I will make more, and sell them. Maybe even play a show. But that's unlikely. And I would rather not.
10. ROCK AND ROOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!
P.S. I have a lot more to talk about other than this. But I am craving some Rodney Yee right now, and some yoga. Yesterday I went to fighter's practice, and went to a dinner and movie with the people in the company, as well as met some other new people. All whom were very nice. I'm very overwhelmed by all of this social interaction, I'm very pleased, but for some reason it is making me tired. My lack of social activity has really lamed me. This is worrisome. :( But I have a lot to type about this new group of friends and my adventures with them! I'm even going back to fighter practice TONIGHT! And maybe even tomorrow. I hope these folks don't get tired of me.
Yesterday was amazing. I slept great, woke up feeling energized, I had a cup of Typhoo tea (which isn't on my diet - more on this diet later), some fruit, and surfed the interwebs for a while. Then I got ready for my guitar lesson, and departed! The lesson was great. I worked on some picking exercises, but failed at trying to do a solo (improvisation). I'm still not good at that stuff. So we decided to play a little "music game". It was a follow me game, where he would play a little something, and I had to copy what he did. I surprised myself, and thought I did rather well. I wish we would do that more often. I think it will really help me out with improvisation. We also discussed this website that I stumbled across called chordbook.com! If you are learning to play guitar, DEFINITELY check it out. Anyways, after that we discussed how I had no one to play along with. It's good to have another musician to play with, it really helps people grow musically. I have NO ONE to play with. It'd be different if I were back in Florence. But I am in Little Rock so I have to have an alternative plan. And there is one. There exists a tool - a pedal that serves the purpose of being your new personal playmate. You step on it, play a riff, and it plays the riff back for you, over and over and over again. So that you can play along with it doing something entirely different. It would be a great tool to have. So I am going to save up moneys (*eyes checking account suspiciously*, and buy one. I think they are roughly $150, but Jason, my sensei, is going to post on his blog, a list of pedals that would be good for guitarists like me. ^_^ I CAN'T WAIT TO GET ONE!!!!
Oh yeah! He seemed to think that my goals were really good. My previous-previous lesson (i had to skip a lesson, because I dont think I would have been able to function, if I couldnt even function to play my DS correctly) was sort of a new year's check up lesson. I was to write out a few goals for the entire year. These ended up being my goals:
(I took a picture, because I worked hard on these goals, with black and pink ink. ^^)
HUZZAHHHH! HUZZAHHHHH!!!!!
1. He said that every guitarist and musician, or just performers get nervous when playing. A drummer that he had some contact with (I forgot how), who played with Talking Heads and some other groups or something said that he still got nervous, and got adrenaline rushes before performing. His solution? He did jumping jacks and push ups as a routine before he played. Doing that would wash the adrenaline out of his body, so when he performed he would be more relaxed. But I am not just talking about performing on stage. I have problems performing in front of my teacher. The thought of playing in front of anyone else just plain makes me sick.
2. I don't want to rely on chord books for the rest of my life. I want to create my own chords for my own songs. If I want to play a chord, I don't want to pull out my list of chords. That would suck. I want to take a root and turn it into something more colorful!
3. Jason said that 3 goes along with 8. He's right! I am supposed to be thinking of a situation that is "surprising" to write about and eventually put it to music. I have something in mind, and I will tell about that in a seperate post.
4. I love playing my scales. But just plain playing and practicing scales isn't musical. It's repetitive. I want to utilize my scales and actually make music with them.
5. This is going to be a difficult feat, I fear.
6. I need to build some hand strength for this one. Bar chords hate me, and I kind of hate bar chords myself. I will conquer them one day with lots of practice and dedication.Timing is also important here. I need to use my metronome and focus with timing everytime I play. My tone is already really good, Jason says, but I kill my fingers by making them clear. I press down way to hard, but if I don't they wouldn't sound clear. Eventually my hands will get used to this, and I will be able to nail those bar chords, have a nice reach, and NOT kill my hands at the same time.
7. My social awkwardness is going to kick this goal's arse. I'm doomed here. Unless I get that pedal!!!!!!
8. Usually when I am down in the dumps, I sleep all day. That is definitely not healthy. There are alternatives like exercising, drawing, crafts, ...and guitar! I want to make guitar a part of my daily life. And of course this can lead to some creative writing! Though, I will never ever write angst lyrics. Hellz no. That's not my style. Unless it's something not to be shared. I'm not into passing on my sadness to others.
9. This is wishful thinking. I would love to get some recording experience! I don't plan on trying to get big or anything. Me learning to play guitar is strictly a type of therapy and a hobby for me. Having my own personal pink vinyl record that has my feelings stored in it would be fantastic!!!! And making it would be a wonderful experience. And hey, if someone else likes my work, maybe I will make more, and sell them. Maybe even play a show. But that's unlikely. And I would rather not.
10. ROCK AND ROOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!
P.S. I have a lot more to talk about other than this. But I am craving some Rodney Yee right now, and some yoga. Yesterday I went to fighter's practice, and went to a dinner and movie with the people in the company, as well as met some other new people. All whom were very nice. I'm very overwhelmed by all of this social interaction, I'm very pleased, but for some reason it is making me tired. My lack of social activity has really lamed me. This is worrisome. :( But I have a lot to type about this new group of friends and my adventures with them! I'm even going back to fighter practice TONIGHT! And maybe even tomorrow. I hope these folks don't get tired of me.