Of piano lessons and script writing…

[bitsnbytes13]

About 13 years ago (has it been that long already?) I started to
wonder at retirement about what would remain from the job I had.
Nothing really, was my answer. I wanted something of value (to me)
that would last beyond my so called “productive years”. I had always
wanted to be able to hit the keys a bit.

And so, not before long I started piano lessons for what was to be a 9
year journey. You know the drill: 1 hour lesson/week and 1 hour
practice 5 days/week with 1 day of rest from Sept. until June, with a
summer break. Alas, in the last years it became clear that my
proficiency was clearly lacking and so I ended the marathon as it was
much work and not too much play (no pun intended).

You’d think what a waste. Well, not really. Of all the stuff I studied over
that time, I kept 5 favorite pieces that I have learned by heart and that
to this day I still play almost daily for my own enjoyment.

It was near the end of that adventure that I bought a new Outback
(similar to a Trillium 13’). After 18 years of tent camping, the little egg
felt/still feels like ultra-luxurious camping!

Being somewhat of a sci-fi fan explains my next foray into the what-if.
One of the series that I followed I found lacking the story that I would
never see. After much day dreaming, I decided to take the plunge and
see if I could do it. Got a good screenplay writing program and went at
it.

Words kept flowing and not before long I had a 95 page story (script
format) with an open ending . I left it at that for a while. The series in
question was ended in a most unsatisfactory way IMHO. So, continuing
in my delusion I decided to write a conclusion. 93 pages later I had and
ending to not one but the 2 series (1 franchise + original).

Then again, I left it at that. Or so I thought. Writing stories is fine, but
what one really wants is the story to be at least read by others.
Knowing that chances of production were zero, I put the stories out
there on the net on a site that specializes in script publishing.

Sorry, it’s not the end yet! The producers of the 2 series decided to
spin-off a third franchise. The premise was promising but the series
was cancelled after 2 years, just when it was beginning to get really
interesting. You guessed right, I decided to write for it a conclusion.

Although not intended that way initially, the stories interlink each other
and can be considered a loose trilogy as one major character is
present through all the stories.

One might wonder why do all this for so little return?
The answer might be in the email I sent to my co-workers just before I
left the office for the last time (at my retirement a few years ago), of
which here is an excerpt:
+++++
Retirement is all about one's "should have done" list.
About when all is said and done, that one doesn't have any.
That success matters not. That one's best effort does.

Some have asked what will I do? Where will I go?

By the time you read this I'll already be there. Elsewhere...

Wishing you a wondrous journey,

farewell
-----
And so it was. So were the egg trips on Prince Edward Island, Cape
Cod (Nickerson SP), the east coast til Key West + Everglades, Las
Vegas+GC north and south+Hovenweep+Mesa Verde. This fall on to
Sanibel Island and a return to Fort DeSoto!

See ya, out there…!

[Sally P]

Piano lessons. Yes. After hating them as a child, I started again in my late 40s. Loved it, got to the point of being able to play some Beethoven but not Brahms. Then the arthritic hands made it difficult and I stopped. Now I have new thumbs and started playing again, though not near the level as before. But with the camper and travels one cannot really practice. So I am about, at 70, to start learning something I've always wanted to do - to play the violin! This I can carry with me.

The good thing about aging is one can do what one wants and not worry about what anyone else thinks - (or how their ear may suffer.)

[carlkeigley]

to the Forum.

I took piano lessons for about six months as a kid.
Folks decided it cost too much. But I continued and
taught myself. Wife hates classical, but I love it.
My normal style takes after Floyd Cramer for those
who know country.

And yes, the fiddle is an instrument you can take with you.
Same with the mandolin. Tuned the same and a good way
to learn violin.

This year we had an auction and I sold all my instruments.
Yamaha electric grand, several guitars, banjo, fiddle, mandolin,
bass guitar and several amps. I did hang on to one flat top
acoustic guitar for when I get the itch. Can carry it with me too.

[Byron Kinnaman]

I have played around with musical instruments for a lot years. But nothing ever clicked for me. I would run into brick walls and didn't have the fortitude to work through them. Two years ago I took up the Mountain Dulcimer. It travels well, attracts attention, and fairly easy to play a tune or two. I also found that 70+ I have the fortitude to press on when a wall seems to be in the way.
There's a thread in the Hobbies forum on this site about Mountain Dulcimers. Read through it. I think I need to go put a video there if I haven't.