Day 8 - Sharing an Activity
Today I am challenged with living today like it’s my last day by embracing my passions and sharing an activity I love with the public. I don’t have many interests that I keep secret, but ever since I was a youngster, I’ve wanted to be in a band and play music for others.
From fifth grade (elementary) through tenth grade I played percussion instruments. In high school, a friend of mine was teaching herself how to play bass guitar and she taught me how to play the song, Iron Man, on bass. In college, my spouse bought me an acoustic guitar as an anniversary gift, and I taught myself how to play.
After imagining myself as a drummer in middle school, then guitarist in high school and college, I fell in love with the ukulele in my mid-late twenties. I later learned to play the banjolele, which is a banjo-ukulele hybrid. I used to bring my ukes with me when I visited a few of my more musically adept friends but that habit has fallen by the wayside.
I should mention that I’ve only ever played string instruments for recreation, but I played percussion instruments often and I was very good at many of them, mallet instruments in particular.
As a teenager, I used to pretend I was a member of The Offspring…and I’m not gonna lie, my heart skipped a few beats when they ousted the drummer in 2021 or 2022. My fantasy of being The Offspring’s drummer, which had been dormant for nearly two decades, sprung to life for a few minutes, before I remembered that I am no longer a skilled drummer.
Several years ago, while my spouse was at work and my kiddo and I were enjoying dinner with my folks, our home experienced a break-in. All my instruments were taken during the robbery. I bought myself a new ukulele last year for my fortieth birthday and it’s been in the box for the past nine months. I suppose it’s time to get practicing!
To bring my music to life for today’s challenge, I’m going to need to either find a public location to practice my ukulele or put some of that mediocre music playing on social media. I’m glad that I don’t get embarrassed easily.
Wish me luck!
My lovely ukulele - I’ve got to play it more often!
