Happy Anniversary Shane, Glad to have shared the journey with you and look forward to the next six months and the Blues deep dive !
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@roger_holland @TheMadman_tobyjenner
Well, look at that!
Here’s 2 of those ‘exceptional human beings’ I was talkin about! 
Cheers, Shane
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Congratulations on the 4 year anniversary. Boy have you progressed year on year on, i’s been a pleasure and an inspiration to follow your journey.
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Shane @sclay
Congrats on the 4th anniversary, as Toby often says this is a marathon so you can probably still see the start line.
I am really not into blues but I have watched a lot of your videos and it is easy to see your connection with the blues, enjoy BLIM.
Michael
Bravo, Shane, happy to celebrate 4 years with you. I remember you joining and my how you have progressed in these 4 years . . . . an inspiration.
Look forward to more blues from you as you BLIM-on
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You’ve sure accomplished a lot in your 4 years here, Shane, and become an important part of the community ethos of being encouraging and helpful. Here’s to the next 4 years 
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Realised I hadn’t put an entry in here since my 4 year ‘anniversary’ in June, so time for an update; even if just for my own reference.
Well, the last 6 months has seen BLIM (Blues Immersion Course) being a primary focus; most enjoyable and rewarding; bit sad it will formally end this month; but, I’m already looking forward to my ‘customised BLIM revision and consolidation course’ during next year.
Outside of formal BLIM, well its been pretty much all Blues as well, all year. Blues is really my focus on guitar. I’m continuing on with Keith Wyatt’s great Blues Rhythm and Blues Solo coursebooks, as well as Ross Campbell’s coursebook on chord based Blues soloing. Making good progress here.
On the technical side, I’m continuing with Chris Brooks’ 2 coursebooks on Hand Synchronisation, and Alternate Picking. These have been game changers for me, although progress can sometimes feel slow in some areas.
On the song front, I’ve been deep diving into Peter Green for some time now. He stands alone in my opinion, for pure Blues feel and emotion. Songs like The Stumble, Jumping at Shadows are at the forefront at the moment, as I try to both learn, and master, the numerous elements of these masterpieces.
I’m also working on a lot of Blues etudes in recent months, (many in the above coursebooks) that bring together the knowledge and techniques I’ve been learning. These are both great for laser focus, as well as great measuring sticks for my development; as they reveal exactly where I need further improvement and refinement, as well as where I’ve made good progress.
The above daily regime over the last 15 or so months has really provided a lot of structure, and has formed the core of my daily practice. And I’m now very conscious about being musical in all my practice items. It has really kept me on a consistent pathway.
Still much to do. Feel I’ve barely scratched the surface of the surface of the Blues. As luck would have it, I’ll be ‘finishing’ three of the Blues coursebooks by the end of this year, after about 15 months, so it ties in well with the end of BLIM. I’ll be able to start revision/ consolidation on all 4 straight up next year.
For those who may not know, I was gifted the BLIM course by a wonderful member of this community, anonymously.
And if you’re reading this friend, I wanted to let you know what an absolute joy it has been, and what a difference it has made; far exceeding even the very generous monetary gift you gave me. So a very heartfelt thank you again my friend. I hope that when I am back on my feet financially, I can give this gift to another aspiring Blues player.
To the community, thanks as always for your guidance, assistance, encouragement, and general friendship. I have to give a special shoutout to @Richard_close2u for his continuing brilliant and illuminating presentations on many topics; they have both educated and fascinated me enormously. Have a great Xmas everyone.
Cheers, Shane
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Great update, Shane. You’ve clearly put in the miles over that last 15 months. Yes, BLIM was very much an enjoyable and rewarding experience. It’s going to be a great musical 12 months focusing on consolidating everything we learned. All the best for Christmas and New Year.
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Wondrful to read, Shane, you are an inspiration . . . maybe I should say inspirational.
Should you ever need a break from Peter Green, perhaps Rory Gallagher may provide some good material?
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Shane, a great update. You are an inspiration to me, since you have made a path that I can hope to follow in a few years. You are also an inspiration as an active member of the community and I always careful to read any of your insightful comments. Best wishes for the New Year.
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Good read Shane and another very productive year on the Blues front.
BLIM C1 maybe finished with regard to the monthly content feeds but I can see it continuing with a very long consolidation period, for which you seem well prepared. And absolutely agree with you on PG, some much feel and emotion, his touch was sublime.
Have a great 2025.
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G’day, mate!
I know the blues has been the focus of your year and you seem to be mining a rich seam at the moment, but my ‘Shane highlight’ of '24 is undoubtedly the tasty guitar you gifted me on my drinking song 
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Oh Brian, you make a man blush.
Much appreciated mate. You’ve delivered some tremendous highlights yourself this mate.
Cheers, Shane
5 Year Anniversary.
Well this month, June, is 5 years since joining Justin Guitar; seems a lifetime ago in some ways; much, much shorter in other ways.
I’m enormously pleased with where I’m at after 5 years, and am forever grateful to have found such wonderful teachers, friends and fellow travelers.
I’ve developed a pretty focused path now, after having built what I feel is a solid foundation.
The Blues is my ‘thing’, in all its myriad of forms and colours; so much fun to learn and play, yet so much more to discover and experience.
A special mention to @Richard_close2u
for 5 years of unparalleled wisdom, straight talk, and superb guidance; you have set off so many lightbulbs for me over this time I’ve lost count long ago; and you’ve had a massive impact on where I’ve landed on my 5th anniversary.
And I have to mention @DavidP, @roger_holland, @brianlarsen, @stitch , @TheMadman_tobyjenner, @sairfingers, and many others for all your encouragement, help and support from the day I walked in; and not just with the guitar itself, but all the related life stuff that goes into practising, playing, and producing music on this wonderful instrument.
If there’s one single bit of advice I would give, after 5 years experience?
“Go deep, not wide”.
Now, onto year 6………
Cheers, Shane
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Hearty congratulations, Shane. I’m so glad to hear you feel ‘enormously pleased’, so many look to what lies ahead and miss that sense of satisfaction for all that has been achieved.
Watching and listening to you play the blues always chases away in blues I may be feeling.
I appreciate the mention and can but say you have been equalling encouraging, helpful and supportive of me.
Sage advice.
Cheers
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Congratulations Shane, what a 5 years! You grew into really fantastic player - recently a fellow BLIMer, not active here, referred to you in a conversation as “that really great player, you know, one-day medley guy”. 
I look forward to seeing how you evolve further from here.
Your dedication, progress, wise comments, advice and support helped many people. You have had a major impact to my playing and I am very grateful for that!
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Thank you for the kind words David. Hope all is well my friend.
Cheers, Shane
Well Boris, thank you for your very nice words.
I think its the great ethos that thrives in this community that has been a great benefit to all, as we help each other along.
Cheers, Shane
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Congrats on your 5th anniversary Shane.
You certainly crammed a lot in and made great progress, with focused and dedicated practice. No short cuts, no quick wins just hard graft and dedication. And you’ve had that in spades !
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Hi Shane. It’s been my pleasure to watch you turn into a Bluesman.
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