This is what I told myself after work today.Just five-minutes. I can play for five-minutes.
See, I have an alarm that goes off when I finish work (just before dinner) that tells me to practice the drums, but for the past month or more, I've gotten into a bad habit! When I hear the alarm, I turn it off. It may not seem like a big deal to anyone else, but playing drums is not only my favorite hobby, it's also a lifeline for me, especially as I'm working from home. I've been doing yoga every day, and I thought that was enough to calm my frustrations and concerns that come from living through a pandemic and dealing with, general, adulting tasks. For the most part it has been, and I really am grateful for my yoga practice. But nothing beats beating the drums! I was reminded of that, yet again, as I convinced myself to sit at the set for five-minutes, which turned into playing a favorite song (another five-minutes), and another and another. Almost a half hour went by before I got back up. It felt really good! It seems almost ridiculous that I have to coax myself into practicing or doing something I love, but I decided today that that's how the best hobbies are! They often challenge us, take a bit of effort, but (in the end) are always worth doing. Do you have a hobby that you love but sometimes have to coax yourself into doing? Tell me about it in the comments.
0 Comments
I'm pretty good about shrugging off those negatives. I mean, I know what to do when the dementors attack me in the classroom; my coworkers are supportive, and I have the best students in the classroom and in the tutoring center! So... not a lot of beating myself up there. I probably could be a better writer. I often need to remember why I write or take a step away from criticism I've received, but I'm generally good about being kind to myself. Writing is a process. And writing a book is an even more complicated and longer process. I'm getting there... Drumming in spurts The other day, a friend asked me how long I've been playing the drums. I hesitated because I wasn't sure where to start in sharing my drumming story. Do I say I've been playing since 7th grade? No, that makes it sound like I played all through junior high and high school, which I didn't. Do I say that I started drumming in college? It was only one class. I wouldn't want him to think I got a degree in drumming or even joined the college drum line. I didn't. I ended up saying something like, "Well, I first learned in 7th grade, but didn't get serious about it until I joined Drum Ambition in 2016." But even as I said it, I knew that wasn't the right answer. Yes, Drum Ambition helped me a ton! They provided consistent lessons that I could afford and watch in my own time, but I bought my first set in 2011 and learned some stuff with Drumscore and other great drumming websites before starting online lessons. The truth is, I drum in spurts. Sometimes every day. Other times once a week. Sometimes once a month or twice a year... Who are drummers anyhow? I used to think that having a drum set meant I was a drummer. True enough, it's a great piece of evidence, especially when the neighbors come over, see the set, and ask "who plays the drums?" But what if I haven't played in a long time? Am I still a drummer? What if it just sits there for a month or two while I'm surrounded by piles of essays to be graded--- or I find other excuses not to get behind the set? Am I still a drummer? When my drums are calling, and I roll over and take a nap on the couch, either because I'm sick or don't feel like practicing...am I drummer? When I'm in one of these slumps, I feel like I'm avoiding "eye contact" with my drum set. Like it will give me a long lecture about how long it's been since I've played, and (by the way), you're really behind in your exercises! Hope you still remember them!... A "hobbyist" drummer I used to think that to be a drummer, you had to be in a band or do gigs. True, I'd love to perform more often, but that just hasn't happened for me, yet. Yes, I have played (more like goofed around) with friends that play guitar or other instruments, but I've never been in a band (besides 7th grade!). Am I drummer? Yes! In fact, Simon, my drum teacher, would call me a "hobbyiest" drummer. I had never heard of that! But that's what I am. I play for fun. I've taken some instruction, and I can read music. I have a few favorite tunes that I can play along with. But it's a hobby. It means I do it when I feel like it. My husband's hobby is dirt biking. He used to do it a lot in high school, but only really does it about once a year with his cousin now. Maybe twice a year. When he's asked what his favorite hobby is, he always puts dirt biking on the list. Just because he doesn't do it every weekend doesn't mean he doesn't ride dirt bikes. Could it be true with my drumming? Yes!
Or the fact that I had two students email me to tell me they were sick but still showed up to class anyway and practically cough on me as they asked about their failing grades.
Nope. It has nothing to do with the fact that it's finals week. I'm stressed for my students that I teach. They have presentations and a writing project due this week. I've also been a bit stressed about finishing my NaNoWriMo project (which I didn't), and finishing my creative writing classes. I practiced drums on Tuesday last week, for about ten minutes. That's all I could get in before passing out on the couch, tissues littered around my infested area, and Star Wars playing on the TV. I'd called in sick from work (which I never do!). The two weeks before last, I didn't practice at all. Blame NaNoWrimo. I was frantically character sketching and writing as much as I could for the challenge. Blame finals week. I had to prepare tests, presentation examples and instructions, grade past quizzes and conference with students on their essays. These might be reasons why I didn't practice like I should have--- but they didn't make me sick. It's karma. You don't practice, you get sick. Drumming is good for your health. If you don't drum, you could get sick.
I love where I'm at in my learning. I'm building 4-way coordination right now. But it does take a some effort. Not just physically, but mentally as well. Frankly, it's been a battle to motivate myself to pick up the sticks. I went for two weeks in June not practicing. Not because I wasn't home. Not because I didn't have time, necessarily. But because I didn't feel like it. Saddest and dumbest excuse ever, I know.
This week, I decided to do something about it. With a little encouragement from hubby, who said if I didn't start practicing that I'd lose Drum Ambition lessons, I started sitting at the set. I tell myself that I don't even have to play. I just have to sit at the set for 15-30 minutes. I can't leave until the time is up. I've been doing this all week, and what happens is that I sit there on the throne with my iPad for about 2-3 minutes, and I tweet stuff or whatever. Then, I see my sticks and I pick them up. I twirl them around for a bit, play a bit more on my iPad--- then before I know it, the iPad is down and I'm playing the drums. Sometimes I just goof around for the first five or ten minutes of playing. I don't touch the teaching material. But, hey! I'm playing! Gradually, after a bit of free styling, I move into my exercises, and I find myself playing longer than I ever have. I'll be at it for almost an hour or two some days. Yep. Sometimes you just gotta sit at the set. This is true, I think, in a lot of life situations, but especially true about learning to play an instrument or learning a language. The first step to success is showing up. So, sit at the set if you have to. Just sit there. You'll be amazed how well it works. I found the secret to consistency. At least, it works for me.
I set an alarm on my phone for 5:30pm. I'm always home at this time. My phone is either on my study desk or on the bed. I'm either grading, talking with Hubby, or reading a book when the alarm goes off. I yell, (to Hubby's amusement) "hi drums! I'm coming!" and get to the drum set for practice. Sometimes I feel tired after work, or I'm engrossed in my grading or book, so I allow myself to hit the "snooze," button once or twice, usually yelling, "hi drums! I'll call you back!" as I do. I drum while dinner is cooking. I usually start thinking about dinner around 5 or 5:30pm. Recently, I've started utilizing my drum pad, which means that I can start dinner in the kitchen and set up my drum pad in the adjacent room. I can keep an eye on dinner. I use the timer as not only a way to tell me to check on the food, but as my practice time. I hit the practice pad until the timer goes off. Yesterday, I threw a frozen pizza in the oven. Hubby had something that night, so I was alone. Sometimes that happens. I drummed while the pizza cooked. Then, I cut some slices, put them on a paper towel and sat on the floor with it and my drum pad. I ate and drummed. Call it a dinner date with my drumming! |
I'm what you'd call a "hobbyist" drummer.
Topics |