Just Because I Haven't Written An Entry....

...that doesn't mean I'm not busy.  I have been practicing everyday for no less than 2-3 hours.    Sometimes my practice will be an early morning one, sometimes it will be late at night or anytime in between.  My sessions are very sporadic and are broken up by things like cleaning the house, shopping etc.You know those necessary little irritations that keep all of us from doing what we really prefer to be doing.  In seven days I will find myself in Troy, OH for my third Gillacamp at Sound City Music.  This will feel a bit like a reunion and unlike my first year at camp I will be joined by fellow guitarists whom I will recognize on sight,  Leibert, John and Camille and of course our teacher Richard Gilewitz.  Jim Holifield, the principal at New Prairie Middle School commented to me in an email message that my guitar skills should be improving by leaps and bounds. It is pretty difficult for me to be objective about such things but I have found one way to do that.  Now last year at this time I had six tunes memorized, Echoing Gilewitz, Freight Train, Study for Margot, Dance, Silent Night and Spanish Two Step.  In the past twelve months I have increased my memorized repertoire to a total of seventeen pieces.  In fact, since this June alone, I have managed to add Prelude 1, Nocturne, Study in Bm, Anji and  Falling Slowly.  Trust me this is a definite improvement because memorization was a real stumbling block for me.  In fact, last year I religiously played 500 repetitions of Freight Train to try and burn it into my brain.  After those 500 repetitions it still was not there.  I admit I was really frustrated with myself.  Is my memory flawless?  Do I have to pull out the music and check up on myself or remind myself of a passage that is on mental mute? Yes to both questions. In fact I am writing this as a break from focusing on Echoing Wilderness.  I realized today that I hadn't played that piece for about two weeks because of new music I have been attempting.  Gillacamp presents its own new challenges.  Loch Lomond/Scotland the Brave, Take a Look At That Baby, Angels We Have Heard On High are on the syllabus.  Fortunately, we campers have been provided the music ahead of time and it is giving me some time to familiarize myself with the pieces.  I am feeling panicked at this point. 

I have only twelve days of summer freedom left before the school year starts.  I admit it will be difficult to put myself back into that daily schedule. I will adjust, but I know I am going to be tired and stressed.   It is almost scary to think that the Ireland adventure is only a month and half away as well.