My musical journey

Last night (Valentine's day), the power was off in our area. I decided that we would eat in town. Went Japanese, unfortunately, bacause the quality is just not the same as in Japan. The sashimi was nice, though. Went home, and I was nearly at home, when I decided that there was no way I was going to music practice. Started texting a message as well, that I was quitting. But as I was about to send it, my whole being shouted in protest. And unfortunately, that is something I have experienced before as well.

So I did not send the message. Instead, I asked my wife to help me, packed all my gear, and I arrived only ten minutes late. And I had a wonderful evening. So many people enquired about my long absence. I think it has been three months since I last attended. And my team leader said it's time to get me on stage.

Wht is any of this important to you as a reader? Because as easy as it was to say: "Stuff it, I am not going", it was to say: "Stuff it, I am going".

We will never be tempted above our ability. We may still fail, because our fallen nature means that we will make mistakes. But it is satisfying to get it right every now and then. Indeed.

I mentioned something about music. I play bass guitar. A Yamaha TRB6P. One of the best boutique bass guitars ever manufactured. Sadly Yamaha has brought out an updated version, and the colour is all wrong, it now has a bolt-on neck, and I could list a few more. But the original one is magnificent. This was the last instrument I ever purchased, back in 1993. Twelve years old by now, still in immaculate condition, and I changed strings last year for the first time.

Sounds strange to keep the originals that long, but they lasted, and the rich sound was lost immediately after I changed strings. And it was quite a journey to trace the original factory-fitted strings.

Before that I had a Hohner ST Scorpion electric guitar (mine was black), a Korg M1, which I later replaced with a Korg O1Wfd. I still have that, and of course the bass. My daughter loves the synth, and we can make quite a bit of noise together on a good day.