August 20, 2009

Writers Workshop

Time again for Mama Kats writers workshop. Great prompts this week, and I have chosen:

4.) Hi, my name is Michelle and I am a wannabe rockstar. I have always been interested in music, how it's made and how it sounds. When The Hubbster and I first started going out, hmm that would be over 20 years ago, we dabbled with the electric guitar. We both had guitars and amps, and took lessons from this ditzy lady who said she was a guitar teacher, but I'm not sure that was the case. As I am left handed, that kinda threw her.

Next I started playing the drums. We bought a huge, noisy drum kit and I took lessons from a guy, who was amazing and who gave me hope and inspiration. I remember sitting at the practice drum kit, while he sat next to me at his, fascinated by how he did those drum solos, just like the professionals. He was great. My drum playing came in handy at my hens party, when full to my eyelids on malibu and coke, I performed amazing drum solos, missing several important sections of the routine. Actually I missed hitting the drums several times. Funnily enough, no one noticed.

When the children were born, we sold the drum kit, as it was just too damn noisy. Which brings me to my latest adventure. Last year I had the pleasure of seeing Brandi Carlile in concert. You can read about my exploits here. She was so amazing and talented, I immediately wanted to learn guitar, again, properly this time, not from some nutter like before.

I happened to mention this to my father in law, a few days before my birthday last year. As a fellow music buff, who plays several different instruments, he most promptly went to down to his local music store and arranged for me to collect a brand new guitar.


Here is my Martinez acoustic/electric left handed cutaway guitar. I instantly fell in love with it, caressed it, kissed it and vowed to play it everyday. I decided against lessons as the internet has some great guitar how to's for the beginner. I started off well, learning some chords and managing to play a couple of tunes. My fingers formed calluses, and I was well on the way to being a wannabe rockstar.


Oh here I am, pretending to know how to play the guitar whilst thinking "how the hell do I play this thing?"

One day I played a song for The Hubbster, to which he responded with "I have no idea what you are playing". My goal in life was to play a song that he could recognise. It was "Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison, for God's sake!

We moved to our farm, 10 months ago and my black guitar was stored away with the rest of our things. I have only this week brought it out, dusted it off and tuned it up. Which was tough in itself. I am now back to the beginning, relearning chords, toughing up my fingertips, and hoping like hell my guitar playing doesn't sound like a screeching cat. And my goal is still to play something that The Hubbster recognises. And to perform on Australian Idol. *joke*.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Well, I think you are well on your way to being a rock star : ) Dreaming about something is HUGE : ). I love your father in law. How nice is that? Wowza

Claudya Martinez said...

I think that's awesome. When you feel confident I think you should share a clip with your bloggy buddies of you playing.

Erin said...

That's so cool! I played the drums when I was little and an ex tried to teach me guitar by tablature, and my nails were just to naturally long and I didn't want to cut them so I played 2 songs...wipeout and iron man and I called it quits! LOL But keep going...you'll get there!

Foursons said...

Sounds like a good plan to me! Enjoy your new/old hobby!

Anonymous said...

you'll always be a rock star to me!

KatBouska said...

You lasted way longer than I would have lasted. Good for you!!