No drumming for the next week or so...very bummed :(

MaryO

Platinum Member
I just hate it when work gets in the way of my fun! I'm a litigation paralegal which means I'm in the courtroom for all of our trials running the technology. We have a trial starting Thursday and during trial we are working 10-14 hours a day, getting into the courtroom early to set up and working late preparing for the next day's witnesses, etc. I don't mind the work other than it means virtually no drumming (we often work through the weekends as well) until this trial is over. Hopefully this one will be over in 5-7 days.

This does not make MaryO a happy camper...will probably need the stress relief drumming could provide. I'm thankful to have a good job, no doubt, but this is really messing with my priorities....lol.

Oh well...see you guys in about a week :(
 
Mary, can you bring a practice pad and sticks? I've taken up practicing rudiments when being in the restroom for some months now, have read that others do this, too. You know what, this time really sums up to a total which makes a big difference having this time invested or not. I'm so glad I put up a stand & pad & sticks in the restroom and have gotten so used to it that not practicing at those moments seems a complete waste of time.

You could also check some finger tools like the FretMaster by Planet Waves/D'Addario to strengthen your fingers. I always take this thing with me when being on a walk/shopping. Again, that's a lot of time you can spend on beneficial things, in 'multi-tasking mode'.
 
Have some fun with metrics on your thighs ( not measuring your weight. Tap 4's with one hand while playing odd groupings with the other. 7 within 4, 5 within 8 etc. Great fun and you don't need sticks or a pad and you can get a metronome on your phone.

Too easy. :)
 
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Look on the bright side Mary, sometimes a rest from drumming is as good as practice, you'll go back behind the kit and found out that you're actually playing better :)

Good luck with the trial, hopefully it won't be too long...
 
Might sound stupid but I really like to read books like stick control or whatever book you can find re:drumming. Its good for the mind and you can always tap it out if no one is looking. I find that reading this kind of stuff lets my mind plan it out and its always easier to play later.

What kind of case? Sounds fascinating.
 
Mary, just another opinion but to me all the advice provided here is spot on! Sometimes time away is the best practice.
 
Might sound stupid but I really like to read books like stick control or whatever book you can find re:drumming. Its good for the mind and you can always tap it out if no one is looking. I find that reading this kind of stuff lets my mind plan it out and its always easier to play later.

What kind of case? Sounds fascinating.

Most of our cases are pretty interesting as we mostly deal with major medical malpractice and wrongful death cases, however this one is the exception. This time it's a case centering around an insurance company that refused to pay when it should have. While it's a classic case of David vs. Goliath, little man fighting the big bad insurance company...it basically means a lot of boring and confusing testimony about the inner workings of an insurance company. Add that to the fact that I've already listened to the this same testimony several times while listening to the depositions and making video edits of said depositions, this one will be pretty much a snooze fest for me...lol.

And perhaps you're right...some time away will be good for me. As for taking sticks, books or a practice pad with me, it's really not something I can do. Trials tend to be all encompassing and we are either in the courtroom or prepping for the next day.

I'll check in as I can...have a great weekend everyone and Happy Drumming :)
 
As for taking sticks, books or a practice pad with me, it's really not something I can do. Trials tend to be all encompassing and we are either in the courtroom or prepping for the next day.

Yep, the magistrate might be a tad peeved about you tapping on the pad or on your thighs in the courtroom. Having said that, if the presiding judge is like this then everyone might figure a little drumming is pretty harmless :)
 
Most of our cases are pretty interesting as we mostly deal with major medical malpractice and wrongful death cases, however this one is the exception. This time it's a case centering around an insurance company that refused to pay when it should have. While it's a classic case of David vs. Goliath, little man fighting the big bad insurance company...it basically means a lot of boring and confusing testimony about the inner workings of an insurance company. Add that to the fact that I've already listened to the this same testimony several times while listening to the depositions and making video edits of said depositions, this one will be pretty much a snooze fest for me...lol.

And perhaps you're right...some time away will be good for me. As for taking sticks, books or a practice pad with me, it's really not something I can do. Trials tend to be all encompassing and we are either in the courtroom or prepping for the next day.

I'll check in as I can...have a great weekend everyone and Happy Drumming :)

I just finished serving on jury duty for a similar type of case in Supereme Court Civil Part.I'm so used to criminal court cases that this was actually interesting and different.I was thinking about volunteering for jury duty for a while.The pay is crap,but it's something to do.Istill can't understand why some people try so hard to get out of their civic duties.Here's hoping at least one of the participating attorneys is combative with the judge,thats always good fun.:)

Steve B
 
You don't have to make a bunch of noise. One thing I do at times is tap single strokes on my legs with my fingers. Start with the little fingers and one at a time work in to the index finger, and then back out again. You'll be amazed what this will do for you when you get a pair of sticks back in your hand. Also you can work out linear patterns by lightly tapping your hands and your toes inside your shoe. You don't have to bang the shoe down, only move your toes inside the shoe. Nobody knows you're doing this. This is an old trick jazz cats do to count through tricky parts without making it look like they are counting. You don't need to do it at speed, you're just working out the coordination and pattern.
 
You don't have to make a bunch of noise. One thing I do at times is tap single strokes on my legs with my fingers. Start with the little fingers and one at a time work in to the index finger, and then back out again. You'll be amazed what this will do for you when you get a pair of sticks back in your hand. Also you can work out linear patterns by lightly tapping your hands and your toes inside your shoe. You don't have to bang the shoe down, only move your toes inside the shoe. Nobody knows you're doing this. This is an old trick jazz cats do to count through tricky parts without making it look like they are counting. You don't need to do it at speed, you're just working out the coordination and pattern.

Have to be careful about that as well. During trial, I sit at the plaintiff's table right in front of the jury and judge. I will literally be about a foot and a half from the nearest juror. Don't want them to think I'm having a seizure....lol.
 
Look on the bright side Mary, sometimes a rest from drumming is as good as practice, you'll go back behind the kit and found out that you're actually playing better :)

Good luck with the trial, hopefully it won't be too long...

^ this ^

you'll be on fire when you get back behind the kit. make sure tape's rolling. it oughta be real good.
 
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The pay is crap ... I still can't understand why some people try so hard to get out of their civic duties.

A leads to B, Steve.

Plus it can be incredibly tedious, especially when they start playing technicalities. I find court very restrictive - like a straitjacket - you can't talk, you can't joke, you can't just get up for a stretch and you have to concentrate all the time on things that are often very boring.

Another reason - if you leave work to do jury duty, all the work's still there waiting for you when you get back (unless it's a long murder trial, in which case someone else is doing your job). Sole traders, especially, detest jury duty.

Lots of reasons.


Have to be careful about that as well. During trial, I sit at the plaintiff's table right in front of the jury and judge. I will literally be about a foot and a half from the nearest juror. Don't want them to think I'm having a seizure....lol.

I'd like to see you attempt to wiggle your toes in court shoes! Hopefully, everyone around you will be male so that if you're caught out doing something drummy you can discreetly whisper, "It's a women's issue" and buy some peace ...
 
I just finished serving on jury duty for a similar type of case in Supereme Court Civil Part.I'm so used to criminal court cases that this was actually interesting and different.I was thinking about volunteering for jury duty for a while.The pay is crap,but it's something to do.Istill can't understand why some people try so hard to get out of their civic duties.Here's hoping at least one of the participating attorneys is combative with the judge,thats always good fun.:)
Steve B

I served on a criminal (murder) case about 5 years ago and came out with a totally new appreciation of the process. I am looking forward to serving again and would have no troubles doing it more frequently.
 
It is an incredible responsibility and the court system is really amazing. Especially if you get the right judge. Not every day that someones future rests in your hands.
 
Although I think most jurors would be amazed to learn what they DON'T hear in a trial. Very hard for someone like me to be objective becuase I know that for every piece of evidence they hear, there are just as many pieces they don't get to hear. Not saying the system isn't good, but I do tend to get a little jaded.
 
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