Hi Nicole. Catching up on your LL this morning. Ouch. Hope that arm is improving. Sounds like you’re practicing hard despite everything.
Great update.
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Thanks… I’m happy with my decision. Let’s see how it goes. The real learning starts here. There are so many new things to learn … I have no rush whatsoever. It will take the time that it will take.
@sairfingers Gordon, thanks. Yes, I have been very, very lucky. The arm hurts after playing just like now, but how much worse it would have been with a broken arm, ruptured tendon or so… All good. Especially since I yearned so much for playing when I tried to be sensible and didn’t play. It’s just another sign that I’m finally on the right track 
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For the first time I’m really making use of the practice assistant on the website. I set up my routine on Thursday, watched the module 8 videos again and searched songs I could play with the stuck 3 & 4 chords - amazing how much time that took. Practicing itself was still rather unstructured on Thursday… this changed yesterday.
Since I have no idea how disciplined I will be in the future, practicing different things with a stop watch, here is proof that I at least tried in the last days.
Module 8 is fun. My pinky is hurting more than my arm. I love the sound of the Rock G, hold personal grudges against the four finger Em7, I’m amazed that I haven’t been giving up on at least trying to mute strings when playing the scale ( at the speed of a sloth). Most of all, I’m very surprised that practicing the “Wish you were here”-riff is not a hopeless endeavour… seems that there are very, very small sparks of hopes.
Left arm feels strange, but hey, what is a bit of pain. That will pass 
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Yeah, I’m not fond of that one, either. I am fond of the Practice Assistant, though. I find myself trying to best the time I got the previous day. I’m actually managing about an hour a day now, and I know when I see only 30-minute days, it’s usually because nothing was going right. 
My pinkie took forever to stop hurting, hopefully you will be painless sooner rather than later.
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Quite many days have passed since my last LL-update. Have I progressed a lot since then? No, I haven’t. I’m still in module 8 and besides that I’m trying to get better at easy riffs and melodies.
For various reasons I am under a lot of stress at work. I haven’t even had time to keep up with this lovely community. I’m that worn out and almost over my limits of strength and energy. I have a feeling the next work week will be yet another dimension of demanding and tiring. Consequently, there will be so much to catch up on, when I hopefully have time to relax during the upcoming Easter days. I’m quite curious to see what I have missed.
Last year in September, I have been under a similar amount and quality of stress at work. Back then I stopped playing the guitar. That is not happening now. I have not given up playing. Not for a moment. That’s good news I guess.
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Nicole
Sometimes life just gets in the way and yes things have to take priority over playing and learning. Just think of the space you were in around Christmas, that guitar was not at the fore front of your mind and quite rightly. Life has a tendency to balance itself out. So take so take a long deep breathe during these lean times, abundance and playing pleasure will return when the time is right.
Hope your old man is doing well and behaving himself but like I said back then, look after your own well being.
Take care.
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Hmm… Yes, you are correct, this is nothing compared to the time around Christmas. It perhaps it is just that, maybe I should start taking deep breaths and try to take less stress from work. It’s just work after all.
That man? He is doing fine. The big scare was outruled. It’s not that. It’s like a win in the lottery.
Funny though how work life has a way of making me forget what is really important.
Thanks for helping me put things into perspective, Toby
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Hey Nicole, nice to read your log entry and good to read, that it’s “only” a stressful period that keeps you away from the forum! Happy to read, that your husband is doing well! I wish, your work issues get a bit less stressful and you find some retreat with your guitars, even, if it’s not moving on. Sometimes it’s more important to keep it up and to relax and by the way, lots of skills sink in in these periods and help us in the future.
Lass dich nicht zu sehr stressen! 
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Woke up this morning to a quite beautiful scenery. I mean, who needs “real” spring, when they can have snow and purple skies instead?
Now for a quick guitar practicing session (silently not to disturb the neighbours) and then off to work it is.
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What a beautiful dawn.
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Well… What can I say…
Turns out @TheMadman_tobyjenner must be some kind of prophet.
I had had no intentions to take a break from playing guitar, absolutely none. Even when I made the last post here, I was convinced it wouldn’t happen. But yes it did. The continued stress at work had killed my mojo. And guitar… bit by bit, I only paid attention to my flaws anymore. I could only see anymore what I was doing badly. And I did not need that, not that as well in addition to the unpleasant situation at work.
So it happened, gradually playing grew less and less. Until it stopped entirely.
Not playing guitar means, I don’t have business in this forum either, I told myself. And that became a vicious circle that made the situation even worse. I really started to miss many people from here very soon. But logging back in and again admitting that I did hardly practice anymore… I was just too embarassed and ashamed.
Before today I logged in here two times exactly. Once to renew my subscription to the Tabs and before that to tell @MacOneill that I would write soon. I am so sorry, so very sorry, Mac, I know that I have not been a good friend.
Came the time around midsummer and my husband and I visited beautiful Päijänne, Finland’s second largest lake. For some reason - I can’t explain why - the sight below made me think of Toby, the forum and how much I missed playing guitar and sharing the learning adventure.
Since that moment I have been thinking and thinking how I can get back. Simply logging back in and continuing according to the same pattern as before, couldn’t be the solution. Too big the risk that the stress etc. at work would again lead to me seeing only what I’m doing wrong that I will never get better.
Thus it dawned on me that if I really want to get better, I need a guitar teacher in addition. Yesterday, after almost three weeks I did it. I have enrolled in the local music school. So far for three trial one on one lessons only. I have no idea what it will be or when these lessons will start. And I am seriously nervous and afraid.
As far as I know, there are no approved Justin Guitar teachers in Finland. And I have considered long and hard whether weblessons with e.g. Lieven or Richard would be the right choice for me. Unfortunately, I came to the conclusion that - for the moment at least - the answer has to be no.
An important reason is that according to their website, the music school has a band. And that would be a dream. A long term dream maybe. Being part of a band. Working on songs and music together with other people. And if there is no such band after all or if it’s way too advanced for my level, someone at the music school could know if other older beginners at drums, bass, piano, guitar etc. would be interested in playing together… If it’s one thing I know, it is that playing together with other people would prevent me from quitting playing guitar again, from letting work kill my spark. That I know for sure.
This became a huge wall of text…
To all the friends I found here: I have no words to express how much I missed you. Neither can I apologize enough for simply disappearing without a trace.
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dont worry 
I knew you d come back when you’d feel that the time is right
I really hope you ll stay with us
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Missed you too Nicole, so good to see you back. The mojo may be loitering under the surface right now but you are taking the right steps to give it air and let it breath, Just take baby steps and ease back into the saddle. Even if the 121s don’t work out, your appetite has been rekindle so keep playing, find the joy again and use that as a spring board for the future.
Its good to know that in your mind I’m just a pile of old rocks. Now your back inside, lock the door so you can’t get out so easily. Playing or not you will always be a member of the Community and sometimes just hanging with the kids can be enough to stoke the fires once more.
Take care and do not be a stranger,
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maybe with some shackles …
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I’m glad to see you are back on here, Nicole!
I already wondered where you might be, what was keeping you away and missed you. It’s actually sad to read how your work took that much of a toll on you that you stopped doing something you thoroughly enjoy. 
I sincerely wish for you that the stress at work reduces significantly soon as I know all to well from own experience that it can turn a whole life upside down when this situation doesn’t change. Take good care of yourself! 
As for the decision to take 1:1-guitar-lessons and enroll in the local music school: Congrats on that! 
That’s a good thing and the vision of joining the school’s band sounds amazing. Or even find other folks to jam with - and chances are high for that to happen - is a great outlook. At least you will meat a lot of like-minded people and probably, there won’t be anything to be afraid of. Some positive nervousness is good though.
Finally, IMHO, whenever you feel you need a break from playing again (hopefully not), you don’t have to exclude yourself from here. You still are allowed to hang around and lots of folks here (myself included) are happy to have you around no matter how much you are playing. Also, we might help you pick the guitar up again, if you ask us to do so.
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Hi Nicole,
Every now and then I looked at the statistics to see if you had looked again here on the forum and had gotten some rest from your work… the guess was simple that that was the problem unfortunately… a pity to read that work controlled your life this heavy and I wish you all the peace in your mind and body for the future for the healthiest possible balance between life and work…
It is a good and important step that you have taken by registering at the music school put your best smile and enjoy the interaction with people who also love learning and teaching music, together with the knowledge that can be found here, it can only be a win situation regardless of what you learn there in terms of music playing ,
And hopefully you won’t impose any rules on yourself anymore, such as not being able to post if you don’t play the guitar…
Greetings from Holland
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Ha I see, I need to explain this. I love being at the sea or at large lakes such as the Päijänne. It was a beautiful day. Then I saw the stack of little rocks. Somebody had clearly stacked them there. And somehow I was then in the moment and simply happy. That brought something to mind that you had written to me once. Thus the association …
Thank you, Deborah
Thank you, Lisa. You are right, it’s sad… I have to try not to take so much stress about certain things at work. I really have to.
I hope I will benefit from one on one lessons, even when I know it will be difficult for me. I can already picture myself sitting there with a tomatored head feeling insecure. But then… such one on one setting will be good for correcting small things I hope. And… Given that it’s one on one, I can surely persuade the teacher to help me progressing in Justin’s grade 2.
Hmm… With my luck, it will be a band of teenagers playing pop or pensioners playing Finnish Schlager 
But yes, I realized that I really need people to play together with. Not in a course setting… but in a band setting or for jamming if you will. I have no idea whether this will be a way to find such people. Still it’s sure that I will never find anyone if I don’t even try. So nothing to lose really.
Uuh… Thank you. Not visiting the forum anymore was my way of “punishing” myself. Not getting anywhere at work but having to deal with the same stress over and over again. Not getting anywhere at guitar. I don’t know, I felt like an imposter… How could I comment or give feedback to people if I more it less had been giving up on the idea of wanting to get better at guitar myself?
Thank you Hmm… There is a risk that I might have to take your up on your offer at some point. But for now… Let’s see if and how my plan of combining Justin Guitar with music school will work out
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Ach… Rogier, hitting the nail on the head as always. You do have a gift there
Thank you
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Oh no no no, I was pulling your leg, it was immediately obvious and all very Zen. 
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Just that, yes
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