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How I TAC – Laurence K
1.) How many days per week do you play?
I set myself a schedule of 5 days/week (M-F). So far, so good! I really look forward to these sessions. There are days that slip by me, as this is still becoming a habit, but I’m anchoring it to my dinner prep, starting it 30 mins before. So I usually play 20 or so minutes or until my fingers and arm get tired. Often I’ll just play right up to the “bell” and can head off to prepare us our evening meal.
2.) What time of day do you play?
I play just before I prep dinner, or if not after dinner. Going to try some mid-mornings next week as supplemental sessions.
3.) Where do you play?
Because I have to play standing up, I play in the middle bedroom, where there’s a spot to put my laptop. (I had a stroke mid-October and my right arm is still causing me pain when I wrap it around the guitar. So I stand up, slinging the guitar across my body helping to set it lower and putting my strumming/picking arm in a lower, less-stressed position. Coming out of the hospital 10 weeks after my stroke–in time for Thanksgiving–I still had very limited use of my right side)
4.) What was your guitar life like before having a guitar routine & how has implementing a consistent guitar routine helped you? (if possible name 3 ways).
Nada, non-existent, lonely, empty, and sad (a li’l drama there, lol). I’ll echo the first part of Tony P’s description of his life before and short-term after: Before – no progress, no momentum, no consistency as I was in dabble-limbo. Always wishing I could “be” a guitar player.
A few weeks into it and I’m jazzed at the energy here, my confidence and persistence, the bite-sized daily challenges and it’s giving me hope! When I was laying in the hospital bed a few months ago reflecting on where I was in life, I made a commitment to ME to actually learn to play the guitar! And it’s working : )
And because I’m having so much fun, my right arm and hand are being subtly tricked into more exercise, hehe. My outpatient Physical and Occupational Therapists are impressed with my increased dexterity!
My practice time is my time; a quiet focused learning time finally doing something I’ve always wanted to!
Having a routine rewards me towards the end of the day; I can go to sleep knowing that once again, I’m making progress on becoming a guitar player. Heck, I AM a guitar player!
A big plus: my consistency and newfound momentum are kick-starting other areas in my life! Making time for other things that have been the victims of my procrastination feels great!
Mentally it’s not tiring, rather it’s energizing, leaving me feeling peaceful and accomplished.
Tony’s attitude is inspiring! He provides consistent nudge, keeping me testing the boundaries of my comfort zone but that’s where the breakthroughs happen and I keep progressing!
My guitar playing is not an unconscious habit yet, but I’m only a couple of weeks into TAC.
5.) Bonus Question: What is one non-guitar item that is a must have in your guitar routine?
My slippers. Since I’m standing (at this point in my recovery) it’s super important to be comfortable too!
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