On The Fly

In this episode - Gratitude . . . Have you ever experienced a giddy feeling of lightheadedness? I’m not talking about an event that calls for a trip to the hospital but rather a delightful moment that fills you with wonder! Such was the case for me just yesterday during my first visit to Normans Rare Guitar in Tarzana. CA. When I left that day, I experienced an immense feeling of joy. I’ve wanted to upgrade my favorite practice guitar - a Squire Strat - and decided we needed professional advice. If you are shopping for a guitar, watching YouTube videos is fun, but you must get your hands on one and find an instrument that sings to you. One that tickles your ear with a sweet sound and has a remarkable feel in your hands. Today, there are so many variations of acoustic and electric guitars; how can one decide? Admittedly, I was intimidated planning the trip to Los Angeles to pursue my dream guitar. For those unfamiliar with Normans Rare Guitars, I would best describe it as a specialized ...

You CAN teach an ole' dog new tricks. It amazes me that I still hear the platitude, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Really? People continue to use it as excuse for not being able to successfully learn or even attempt a new skill to their satisfaction or expectation. Agreed, learning a new skill is challenging. Let’s be honest, it’s downright hard. Well, I’m here to say that learning a new skill is not a bag of tricks and humans are not dogs. It’s simply a discipline that’s driven by a “want to” passion. It’s been over one year now and I’m having more fun than ever exploring the world of music with my Fender guitar . . . You see, in my experience, to remain young at heart, curious, and active, life is about learning and teaching new skills. The emotional and physical rewards are simply undeniable.  And if I might add practically unexplainable, but let’s try. Almost daily I meet customers at Home Depot who say to me, “No one teaches you how to be retir...

Fender Stratocaster “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” I’m sure you’ve heard that mind-numbing cliche many times. Well, I’m here to say that education is not a bag of tricks and humans are not dogs. Some do resemble their  ole’ dog, anyway . . .  For years I heard that platitude from students who would use it as excuse for not being able to successfully learn a new skill to their satisfaction or expectation. Agreed, learning a new skill is challenging. Let’s be honest, it’s downright hard. We tend to get entrenched in our comfortable ruts. Think back a minute. Remember what it was like to learn to ride a bicycle? It was exhilarating! Well, maybe not at first. Did you have training wheels? I’m sorry. What happened when your Dad removed those training wheels. I’ll bet you fell - over and over again. But with a determination that refused to quit, you learned to ride. It was simply a matter of learning the tricks.    You see, to remain young and ...