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Joined:
August 2011
Posts: 187
Location: Florence,SC | Well, I finally made it. Today (December 26, 2011) I reached the age of 60. Still happily married, still in good health, and still working at what I like to do. Just wish I could play guitar better... without natural talent, practicing can only take you so far! :( |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Congratulations... I am just a few years behind you.
And like the man said (Nick B),
Playing a guitar is like petting a puppy, you don't have to be any good at it to enjoy it
So just keep plinking along. |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 4535
Location: Flahdaw | Congratulations all the way around (well, except for the guitar playing part) Maybe by age 70 you'll have that covered too. |
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Joined:
September 2005
Posts: 3619
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | With arthritis beginning to affect the fingers, it makes me wonder how long I will be able to enjoy playing. My only regret is not being able to have lessons as a child, as we were poor as dirt. I hope any of you who have children or grandchildren showing an interest in playing, that you'll spring for a decent Ovation guitar and lessons. |
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Joined:
December 2009
Posts: 686
Location: Route 66, just east of the Cadillac Ranch | Happy birthday Puppetman! The older I get the more seriously I take my music and I think there are lots of folks like that.
Originally posted by Puppetman:
... without natural talent... Don't let the lack of natural talent slow you down, it's sure as heck not stopping the rest of us. |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 1249
Location: Texas | Puppet, it is the sum of the parts and it sounds as if you have been blessed. Just continue to enjoy..there is always that need to "play better" regardless of the age. Happy Birthday.
You know...lessons cannot hurt, but I think it is the desire + time(time and more time) and being around others that play that makes the difference. Being around friends that are better helps...which are like lessons, but more fun! |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I'm not a believer in this "natural talent" thing, especially when it's used as an excuse. The only "natural talent" I believe in is the desire to work to develop that skill that people will later refer to as natural talent.
Whenever I hear that someone has a "gift" or was "born" or "blessed" with talent, I find that it was acquired through hours and years of work.
If you have the desire when you're 60 and have the time you didn't have when you were younger (and still have some physical ability), now is the time to acquire that natural talent. |
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Joined:
August 2011
Posts: 187
Location: Florence,SC | bvince, sounds like you and I had the same upbringing. And I couldn't agree more with your advice to parents. I was self-taught (no formal lessons) using books, records, and the occasional guitar player I encountered (I grew up in a very small town). I'm better now than I was then. Hope to say the same thing on my 61st birthday. |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Welcome to the club. |
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Joined:
November 2011
Posts: 741
Location: Fort Worth, TX | Ya should've tried being retired at age 58 like I currently am. Had a hard time adjusting at first until I developed a new concept of time. Time is what I have in abundance now and I basically don't pay any attention to it anymore. Got my Stefan Grossman dvd's for Christmas, now I can begin a serious pursuit of fingerstyle as my retirement activity. Congrats on another early retirement. |
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Joined:
November 2011
Posts: 741
Location: Fort Worth, TX | Oops... where did I get the idea you retired? My coffee needs to kick in. Seriously, where did that come from? Must be developing some dementia to go with all this time on my hands!!! |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4832
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Mark has it right; Isaac Stern was once confronted by a middle age lady after a concert. She gushed "Oh, I'd give my life to play like you!"
"Lady", said Stern acidly, "That I did!" |
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It Finally Happened!