Just Wanted to Share This...

writer_drummer

Junior Member
Hi, everyone! In this post, I'm not going to ask about drum techniques, patterns, timing, or any other related topic. Instead, I'm going to talk about how much drumming has meant to me, after all.

This year has been challenging for me in some ways. The biggest is making the time for the things I love, while trying to figure out where I'm going to go from here professionally and to sell my house and move to a better place.

At the beginning of this year, I felt like I needed to take time off from drum lessons to focus on the house. When I decided on that, someone I have confided in at times told me I would find out in that time "which talent or hobby is the hungriest."

Let's just say during that down time, I played most days of the week. I am at another one of those "lilly pad jobs" at the moment. Therefore, I have a different schedule.

Though I have had some lessons this year, they were not as frequent as they have always been. In the next few weeks, I plan to pick back up on them.

A few weeks ago, I felt like I was working too hard, I didn't have a good work-life balance. What did I miss a lot of? Drumming (as well as other things I love doing). What did I do about it? Adjusted my schedule to where I'd have more time for all of these things. Let's just say the old Julia (that's my name) wouldn't have done that. I'm happy to report that today was the first time I've practiced my drumming in a few weeks. It felt so great. I didn't want it to end. And I will make a point to do this as many afternoons as possible. I feel so much better now that I have done it.

Let me point out that I'm not in a band or a session drummer. I've been learning drums for 3 years now. I love how I have this outlet of playing a musical instrument (in my 40s, no less), not to mention it being drums. I won't let having to sell my house get in the way of improving my timing or techniques or from the lessons I really should have more of now.

Please feel free to reply in any way you'd like to this post....
 
Good luck with your work life balance. It's not an easy thing to manage for most of us. Life has a way of letting you know what is important. Some people listen, and some don't.

The good thing is that the more work and time you put into music, the more you will be rewarded.
 
Work/life balance is not easy while working nights. I have done this for the better part of 20 years. Basically impossible to work in music to any serious ends. Usually I try to practice at least 30 minutes every day before work, and binge practice weekends. Practicing in the AM is great, it is just easier to absorb information.

Good luck with it!
 
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