The impossible dream

A funny story related to me, yesterday, about someone singing “Impossible Dream” loudly in the house, reminded me of my extremely ambitious guitar-playing, er, ambitions, at 8 years of age…

At “the tender age of” 8, I learned to play guitar, like so:

-Child roaming through house on Sunday looking for some (preferably alone) activity with which to entertain self
-Child picks up book that teaches everything from grammar to wilderness survival
-Child discovers, at back of book, guitar chords and simple songs to play
-Child picks up somebody’s guitar and learns basic chords from diagrams, then learns 1 highly-basic song
-Child goes on to have prolific guitar-playing-child career
-Until child is no longer a child and it’s not astounding that non-child can play a few basic chords so skillfully :D

Later:

-Child’s quite-skilled-musician father visits
-Upon discovering that (eldest) child has taught self to play guitar, musician father beams with pride, presents gift of guitar and offers to teach a song
-Child’s favorite song: A Mighty Fortress

-Father: “That song has a chord change on every syllable. Try to pick something easier.”
-Child’s next favorite-est song: To Dream the Impossible Dream

-Father: “You’re dreaming. I’ll pick one for you.”
-Song learned ends up being low-level-of-skill-required, with teachings of other rhythm technique

Good times.

Pavarotti, God rest his soul, is singing way too loudly in my ears.

Which reminds me, I need to replace my been-dead-for-a-couple-years-sniff-and-boohoo Philips “DJ headphones” -- they were the swell-est ever…

P.S. If you ever have a soundproof moment, I suggest you attempt this Phantom of the Opera interlude (the very end, specifically), with gusto -- it’s quite exhilarating, really, it is! (I should know: do it all the time. :D ) Starting at 3:30:



Oh! Oh! This is another reeeally fun one to pretend to sing along with -- have a sing-along, just do it!! :D