This has been a challenging year for my musical goals. While on the one hand I've learned several new tunes this year and was able to attend a couple festivals, but I've fallen well short of my playing time goals and have gone long stretches without playing any music at all. After a hiatus of almost six weeks between October and November, I've made the effort to recommit myself to banjo and fiddle.
Like I mentioned in a previous post, I decided to train for a long-distance trail race at the end of July, something I hadn't done in over a decade. That took up a lot of my free time earlier in the year, and I've just had a hard time finding consistency in my practice time for banjo and fiddle.
In some ways, I feel a sense of guilt for not playing as much as I think I should. Maybe that's a good thing, as that emotion always seems to eventually motivate me to get back to work. However, I've also made peace with the fact that I'll probably never be as good of a musician as I want to be. That sounds mopey as hell, but I can't deny that I have a competitive spirit and oftentimes feel jealous of how well others play.
However, one lesson I can take from long-distance running is that if you just stick with it, sometimes you'll outlast your competition. Was that too morbid? The point is never quitting. I always think back to the quote from Dwight Diller that it takes 10 years just to start learning the fiddle. I'm still just starting. And if I just keep moving forward, then maybe one day I'll get there.
For the rest of the year, I have a goal of playing every day. I once managed to string 500 days in a row, so this modest streak should be attainable. However, I'm going to need to redouble my efforts and be mindful about making time for music in my life amid the craziness of the holiday season. One day at a time.
As always, thank you for following along with my journey. I hope to report back with positive news before the year is out.
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