Yipes! It's Been A While...Let's Catch Up!

So, what's been going on in your life lately?

Mine has been busy and full of mundane activities as I have been getting through these changeable winter months. I hope yours has been busy and happy. 

Recently, my guitar stand broke. Here it is, in pieces, on the music room floor. It amazes me how such a simple tool assisted and supported me in so many sessions over the years. I did some calculating and found that, since my Dad gave me the stand on Christmas Day, 1988 (yep, I am THAT old!), it has been with me through 24 years of sessions, travels, has moved over 3000 miles around the country, and has been to camp, to practicum sessions, to my internship, and to all of my professional jobs. When it broke, I felt like some of my history shattered as well.

Nonetheless, I have to have a guitar stand, so I asked my Dad if he would get me one for my birthday gift. He agreed and my new stand arrived several days later. (I figured that he did such a good job finding the first one that he could find me one that would last another 24 years of heavy-duty use! I think he found a winner!!)

Here is the new one! It feels a bit lighter than my old one, but it functions exactly the same way! Now, one thing that is definitely an improvement over the last one is the neck leash. My guitars have a tendency to leap off the stands at the most inopportune times (usually when no one is around them, and quite out of the blue). This tendency to fall off the stand and break their necks has led to the demise of at least 4 of my guitars in the past 24 years. Isn't it amazing that the stand lasted so much longer than any of my instruments? My new stand has made my life a bit easier in that it fits my instrument storage space and provides me with a tool that can help me keep my guitars more safe from my own haphazard use.

It is amazing how a simple change can help make a difference in how you approach your life, both personal and professional. Now, I'm not saying that a new guitar stand will fix everything that is going wrong in my life, but it has fixed some things. I guess the trick is to find a little thing that will fix one of the major challenges that you face on a day-to-day basis. For me, right now, a new guitar stand helped me eliminate a challenge. (Thanks again, Dad!)

Off to face the challenge of organization, AGAIN! This time, it's my clothes closets. I am trying to be ruthless in what I am donating this time around. Sweaters from college (that I can still fit somehow) that I haven't worn in a couple of years are going to Planet Aid. I love the memories that are associated, but I really need to clear out! Ruthless!! That's me (we'll see how much I decide to keep just because...). Another simple change that is going to lead to better things (and more space for more stuff - ugh!).

I hope there are some simple changes that you can make that will make your life easier. Have a great week!