Moving along with chemo. Gained four pounds. I’m up for visitors this weekend if they can stand the 20 lbs lighter hairless me.
I’m going to blog about guitar playing today. First of all, for those who have noticed that I’m pretty much not gigging anymore, be assured that I've been playing an hour or more a day steadily for the last few years. I have arranged a lot of new guitar solos and recorded and posted a lot of videos on YouTube including what I would rate as a nice version of Dylan’s “Duquesne Whistle” which has been viewed over 8000 times and received feedback from youngsters who don’t have a clue about my fingerpicking hot shot identity. I have gone to a couple of open mics under the pseudonym “Don Fulano”, which Spanish speakers will realize means, more or less, Sir What’s His Name. Another alias I was kicking around was "Funky Wagnells", which works only for folks over 30 or more.
As I got sicker in February, I began losing energy and was able to play about only 20 minutes before wanting to head back to bed. When Terry took me to the hospital I didn’t even bring a guitar. However, after a couple of days I felt better and had her bring one down. I was able to put in 15 or 20 minutes a day and was at least not losing my calluses.
The operation obviously threw me for a major loop. It was hard to even sit up for four or five days, but finally I’m playing again, with cooperating abdominal muscles. The calluses are not entirely gone and the counter drugs that are part of the chemo mix are giving me enough energy to play for a few 20 minute stretches a day. I’m now able to think of things I’ll be arranging and playing which is a big boost to my psychological well being. When I’m able to ignore finger tip owwies, I’m playing pretty well.
I’m going to blog about guitar playing today. First of all, for those who have noticed that I’m pretty much not gigging anymore, be assured that I've been playing an hour or more a day steadily for the last few years. I have arranged a lot of new guitar solos and recorded and posted a lot of videos on YouTube including what I would rate as a nice version of Dylan’s “Duquesne Whistle” which has been viewed over 8000 times and received feedback from youngsters who don’t have a clue about my fingerpicking hot shot identity. I have gone to a couple of open mics under the pseudonym “Don Fulano”, which Spanish speakers will realize means, more or less, Sir What’s His Name. Another alias I was kicking around was "Funky Wagnells", which works only for folks over 30 or more.As I got sicker in February, I began losing energy and was able to play about only 20 minutes before wanting to head back to bed. When Terry took me to the hospital I didn’t even bring a guitar. However, after a couple of days I felt better and had her bring one down. I was able to put in 15 or 20 minutes a day and was at least not losing my calluses.
The operation obviously threw me for a major loop. It was hard to even sit up for four or five days, but finally I’m playing again, with cooperating abdominal muscles. The calluses are not entirely gone and the counter drugs that are part of the chemo mix are giving me enough energy to play for a few 20 minute stretches a day. I’m now able to think of things I’ll be arranging and playing which is a big boost to my psychological well being. When I’m able to ignore finger tip owwies, I’m playing pretty well.
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