The Finish Line
by Linda Ratcliff
Don't be so focused on the finish line that you fail to enjoy the journey. - David Weekly
The Finish Line
I started a new diet about two months ago. And so far, all I have lost is 2 months and 8 pounds. Now you may want to pat me on the back and say, "Way to go! You didn't put it on in a day, and if you take it off slowly - it will stay off. But that's discouraging for me. I want to git'er done. I want to reach the finish line, and I want to reach it TODAY.
That's not going to happen but I have grit, and I plan to watch what I eat until the day I reach my finish line. But then what happens? Can I go back to eating the way I used to? Can I put aside everything I learned about good eating habits and just go back to "normal"?
The truth is ... I will never actually reach the finish line with regard to watching my weight, because this is a life commitment. The magic number can't be the only goal for me. I have to resolve to maintain that weight. I will need to eat right from now on (for the most part). AAAARRRGH!!!
Now let's apply this to your music.
Is there a finish line for your dulcimer playing?
I say, "NO, you will never reach the finish line with your music."
Don't be so focused on the finish line that you fail to enjoy the journey. - David Weekly
The Finish Line
I started a new diet about two months ago. And so far, all I have lost is 2 months and 8 pounds. Now you may want to pat me on the back and say, "Way to go! You didn't put it on in a day, and if you take it off slowly - it will stay off. But that's discouraging for me. I want to git'er done. I want to reach the finish line, and I want to reach it TODAY.
That's not going to happen but I have grit, and I plan to watch what I eat until the day I reach my finish line. But then what happens? Can I go back to eating the way I used to? Can I put aside everything I learned about good eating habits and just go back to "normal"?
The truth is ... I will never actually reach the finish line with regard to watching my weight, because this is a life commitment. The magic number can't be the only goal for me. I have to resolve to maintain that weight. I will need to eat right from now on (for the most part). AAAARRRGH!!!
Now let's apply this to your music.
Can you make a play list of songs you want to be able to play for others or with others at jams, and then stop there?
Is there a finish line for your dulcimer playing?
I say, "NO, you will never reach the finish line with your music."
If you know your playlist, learn some new tunes.
Review old tunes.
Make up a new arrangement for a tune you already know and add it as one more verse.
There will ALWAYS be something else to do, something new to practice on your dulcimer.
If you have any questions, always feel free to ask Steve or myself.Happy dulcimering,
Linda
Subscribe to DulcimerCrossing.com to get access to all of the lessons, from the convenience of your own computer or tablet in the comfort of your own home at the time of your choosing!
Subscribe to DulcimerCrossing.com to get access to all of the lessons, from the convenience of your own computer or tablet in the comfort of your own home at the time of your choosing!
Categories
- News (10)
- Events (4)
- News (6)
- Events (4)
- subscriber news (236)
- mountain dulcimer (123)
- hammered dulcimer (126)
- uncategorized (6)
- lessons (190)
- mountain dulcimer (199)
- hammered dulcimer (155)
- history (22)
- music theory (40)
- octave (1)
- plagal cadence (1)
- dulci-bro (73)
- fingerpicking (3)
- fingerstyle mountain dulcimer (4)
- nina zanetti (4)
- aeolian (2)
- dorian (4)
- ionian (3)
- lydian (1)
- mixolydian (3)
- modes (2)
- traditional (2)
- tuning (4)
- music education (2)
- NSME (1)
- standards (1)
- drone (3)
- folk alliance (1)
- jonah brody (1)
- koto (1)
- chromatic mountain dulcimer (8)
- sam lee (1)
- scottish folk song (1)
- linda ratcliff (5)
- practice (27)
- chromatic mountain dulcimer (66)
- dulcimercrossing.com (2)
- erin rogers (7)
- building (8)
- black mountain (1)
- jerry read smith (1)
- Joshua Messick (1)
- song of the wood (1)
- don pedi (5)
- fiddle whamdiddle (9)
- miss mcleod (2)
- steve eulberg (30)
- vi wickam (9)
- buying (1)
- choosing (1)
- purchasing (1)
- orphan girl (1)
- copyright (1)
- amplification (2)
- contact pickup (1)
- eulberg (4)
- microphone (2)
- pickup (2)
- berkeley (1)
- colorado (2)
- festivals (4)
- kentucky (1)
- scholarship (1)
- western carolina (1)
- noter (2)
- clubfooted jib (1)
- dgd (2)
- dgd tuning (1)
- special event (31)
- david massengill (2)
- reverse ionian (1)
- chuck boody (1)
- concertina (1)
- deedee tibbits (1)
- dulcimer (7)
- evart (1)
- evart funfest (1)
- linda foley (1)
- michigan (1)
- original dulcimer players club (1)
- fingerstyle (11)
- gebhard woods (1)
- technique (1)
- harmonics (1)
- dan delancey (2)
- june apple (1)
- linda thomas (3)
- modal (1)
- expression (1)
- playing expressively (1)
- dulcimer pledge (1)
- christmas (2)
- nativity (1)
- DAC (2)
- minor more (1)
- mississippi sawyer (1)
- holiday (5)
- joy to the world (1)
- jingle bells (1)
- reverse ionion (1)
- hand independence (1)
- hand separation (1)
- lullabye of muffe (1)
- tina gugeler (1)
- absolute beginner mountain dulcimer (1)
- beginner (2)
- mountain (3)
- string-side up (1)
- absolute beginner hammered dulcimer (1)
- blog (2)
- dulcimercrossing. (1)
- topics (1)
- blues (4)
- resonator (4)
- dulcimer orchestra (2)
- kitty puss (1)
- mike clemmer (1)
- noter style (2)
- jam survival (7)
- butch ross (3)
- looping (1)
- intro (4)
- neal hellman (4)
- erin mae lewis (9)
- rehearsal (3)
- italian (1)
- lauda (1)
- irish (1)
- slipjig (1)
- rhythm (2)
- robert force (2)
- tuner (1)
- exercises (1)
- scales (1)
- devotions (3)
- hark advent (1)
- the glad sound! (1)
- chords (3)
- chromatic (4)
- erin (1)
- theory (7)
- advent (5)
- preparation (4)
- stir up (1)
- appalachia (4)
- hillbilly (1)
- mountains (1)
- traditional music (1)
- dampers (1)
- hearts of the dulcimer (3)
- patricia delich (2)
- wayne jiang (2)
- appalachian (1)
- John Jacob Niles (1)
- Live Events (28)
- Premium Level Membership (2)
- habits from the muse (1)
- progress (6)
- support (2)
- Anna Muckova (1)
- cimbalom (1)
- CWA (1)
- Czech Republic (1)
- Magdalena Muckova (1)
- nonsuch (1)
- Slovak Republic (1)
- podcast (1)
- aubrey atwater (2)
- jean ritchie (2)
- log-in (1)
- update (1)
- lucky (1)
- performance (9)
- preparing (1)
- study (1)
- dulcimers (1)
- wendy songe (2)
- bluegrass (2)
- growth (1)
- resolutions (2)
- risks (1)
- capo (1)
- snark (1)
- fiddle (61)
- criticism (2)
- judy klinkhammer (1)
- miles davis (2)
- wrong note (1)
- live and let live (1)
- style (1)
- barlow knife (1)
- old school old-time (2)
- marie kirby (1)
- bass mountain dulcimer (1)
- elaine conger (1)
- larry conger (1)
- practice smarter (7)
- musical journey (1)
- piano (1)
- calm (1)
- dog (1)
- su la li (1)
- bluebird cafe (1)
- inspiration (3)
- new input (2)
- trust (1)
- practice space (2)
- quite (1)
- how to practice (8)
- you are what you practice (1)
- workshop (5)
- rich chords (2)
- kaitlin pabo-eulberg (1)
- hooked on dulcimers (1)
- humor (1)
- blue water thinking (1)
- creativity (2)
- environment (2)
- original tunes (1)
- 1+ fret (1)
- chopin (1)
- classical (1)
- assessment (1)
- skill levels (1)
- waltz (1)
- caledonian club (1)
- ensemble (1)
- group (1)
- dulci-tune (1)
- tuning game (1)
- love (2)
- workout (1)
- learning (8)
- teacher (6)
- self-taught (1)
- how long (1)
- jam sessions (6)
- learn to play (1)
- strategies (2)
- fariña (1)
- mimi (1)
- pete seeger (2)
- rainbow quest (2)
- goals (1)
- planning (1)
- backing tracks (6)
- matthew dickerson (2)
- concert (1)
- erin mae (2)
- guitar (5)
- deborah hamouris (3)
- dj (2)
- freight and salvage (1)
- classic (1)
- licks (1)
- rock (1)
- berkeley dulcimer orchestra (1)
- premiere (1)
- banjo (1)
- frank proffitt (1)
- frank warner (1)
- tom dooley (1)
- baker (1)
- binding (1)
- blue lion (1)
- bob (1)
- gluing (1)
- janita (1)
- live (1)
- tips (1)
- spouse (1)
- amplified (1)
- DI box (1)
- digital interface (1)
- sound reinforcement (1)
- 2nd Set Concert (2)
- contest (1)
- flash mountain dulcimer brigade (2)
- JimJim & the FatBoys (1)
- Pecan Grove (1)
- walnut valley festival (2)
- winfield (1)
- wvfest (1)
- thinking (1)
- case (1)
- cross-legged (1)
- grip (1)
- safe dulcimer (1)
- sit (1)
- slip (1)
- stand (1)
- stool (1)
- strap (1)
- learn (3)
- mistakes (1)
- successes (2)
- herbie hancock (1)
- improvising (1)
- jazz (2)
- lois hornbostel (2)
- wrong chord (1)
- atlantic (1)
- barbara allen (1)
- frank profitt (1)
- scots-irish (1)
- chord wizard (1)
- diatonic (2)
- equi-distant (3)
- tom strothers (1)
- tool (2)
- busker (1)
- tsimbaly (1)
- ukraine (1)
- ukrainian (1)
- calendar (1)
- schedule (1)
- baritone (1)
- concert window (3)
- katie moritz (1)
- faq (1)
- frequently asked questions (1)
- logged in (1)
- navigation (1)
- old time (1)
- patreon (1)
- shape-note (1)
- special (1)
- carrell (1)
- geoff reeve-black (1)
- malvern (1)
- presnell (1)
- articulations (1)
- chicken reel (1)
- conger (1)
- soldier's joy (1)
- basic level membership (1)
- caring for your instrument (1)
- winter weather (1)
- god rest ye (1)
- rhythmic displacement (1)
- builder (1)
- tam kearney (1)
- toronto (1)
- don neuhauser (1)
- slide (1)
- ashley ernst (1)
- dan and angie landrum (1)
- dpn (1)
- dulcimer players news (1)
- dulcimersessions.com (1)
- maddie macneil (1)
- arkansas traveler (1)
- Mark Alan Wade (2)
- 3d playing (1)
- playing across the strings (2)
- chord symbols (1)
- understanding chords (3)
- dulcimer club (1)
- class (1)
- habits (1)
- skills (1)
- jimmy driftwood (1)
- failures (1)
- hours (1)
- youtube (1)
- arranging (1)
- bill robinson (1)
- cold winter night (1)
- karen mueller (3)
- jig (1)
- DAd tuning (1)
- hyfrydol (1)
- hymn (1)
- 2020 (1)
- premium (1)
- gounod (1)
- hitchcock (1)
- dan evans (1)
- spotted pony (2)
- steveeulberg (1)
- nylon-string (1)
- stephens lutherie (1)
- musical devotions (1)
- award (1)
- fernando sor (1)
- hammered (1)
- understanding (1)
- lent (1)
- leap forward (1)
- power of music (2)
- sharing (1)
- persistence (5)
- Practice (4)
- routine (1)
- tour (1)
- new website (1)
- arrranging (1)
- celtic (1)
- single jig (1)
- mountain dulcimer (3)
- busking (1)
- audio (1)
- playback (1)
- protection (1)
- adaptations (1)
- dulcimer acquisition syndrome (1)
- dulcimer acquisition disease (1)
- contests (1)
- lessons (1)
- identify (1)
- apps (1)
- motivation (1)
- hands (1)
- In Memoriam (1)
- guitar (1)
- archive (1)
- concerts (1)
- mountain dulcimer (2)
- hammered dulcimer (1)
- lessons (1)
- workshops (1)
- self-assessment (1)
- learn (1)
- greek (1)
- mindset (2)
- accountability (2)
- encouragement (1)
- prodding (1)
3 comments
Leave a comment
Please log in or register to post a comment