A year of living momentously Part II

Sooo...I had thought a few times this past year, that a fitting end to my 50th year would be to play bass in a band. Except the thought scared me to death and I couldn't see how it could happen anyway so it was easy to forget about.

But, at my last lesson, my teacher mentioned the student recital they were having the day after my 50th birthday. Well, CLEARLY the universe was telling me I had to do it. I hate it when it does that :) So I will be playing Queen's Crazy Little Thing about 3 weeks from now with a bunch of 13 year old boys no doubt. Waaaugh!

I got to go see some amazing blues musicians the other night, our local Ruthie Foster and Taj Mahal, who from my standpoint is a towering Blues musician. What would it be like to have played music so long that it's just in your DNA, it just flows out of you like the rest of us breathe? Ruthie had a cousin, Tonya Richards, playing bass for her, what a musical family. And Taj's bass player was amazing. Some good inspiration to go home and practice :)

OK, a student recital isn't a real band. But, it is a taste of making music with other people which I've always thought must be fun fun fun. And, it IS standing up in front of a bunch of people playing a somewhat prominent part on an instrument that is still a bit of a mystery to me. Memories of those piano recitals, yikes! And then there is the fact that we only get to rehearse once or twice beforehand. No worries, right? Yeah, right!

WAIWFA? That's my new mantra. It stands for What Am I Waiting For Anyway? Referring to the fact time isn't infinite, life isn't a dress rehearsal, life is too short. Now, really I have no aspirations be a rock star (good thing hunh?) or do more than have fun with it. But, I don't want to be stuck in old beliefs about what a 50 year old woman should and should not be doing.

When I started my lessons, I was so impressed that at one of my lessons a 72 year old woman was sitting in the lobby waiting for her guitar lesson. She had just started too. Now, THAT is impressive, I love that!

I just feel fortunate and so grateful that I have these choices.

I guess I should start giving some thought to my debut outfit. Hmmm, spiky hair? Leather wristband like Bass Girl in the pic? Animal print? :)