February Project // Learn the Banjo



This month's project is really one main accomplishment and a few smaller projects.

I'm going to learn how to play (as well as I can) the banjo. Why the banjo? Well, short answer: because I have one. I rescued it from my parent's house after I decided the banjo was cool. Technically, it's my dad's, but he doesn't know how to play it. (Other unused instruments in my parents' house include a violin and a Chinese flute- Which I have attempted to play to no avail, despite the fact I played flute in high school.)


I've decided that the banjo is the new cool instrument, overtaking the title from the ukulele. That bitch is everywhere these days. And, although I do love a good ukulele song and would love to learn it someday, I also think the banjo is an under appreciated instrument that has been stereotyped as only for one genre; country/bluegrass. Well, this month as I learn to play the banjo I will prove that it's for more than just hillbillies.


As I said, I also have some smaller projects I want to do this month within the theme of music. In general, I will be practicing the guitar and keyboard (another rescue from my parents) more often. Sadly, it's been so long since I played these instruments with any regularity that I will be almost re-learning to play them. I'm hoping with some diligent practicing, it'll all come back to me quickly.

I have some specific goals for each instrument.

 
On the guitar, I'm going to learn the song '89 Volvo which was performed by Mary Lynn Rajskub on an episode of Gilmore girls. I'll have to learn the chords just by watching her play it. The fun part is that, in the episode, she was interrupted by Taylor Dose (Damnit, Taylor!), so we don't get to hear past the second verse. I'm going to enlist the help of my best friend, and fellow Gilmore Girls addict, Addie, to help me write lyrics and melody to finish the song. It's not a serious song, so finishing the lyrics with Addie will be fun.

 
On the piano, I would like to learn a Lady Gaga song. Watching her perform her songs with just a piano always inspires me to get out my keyboard. I don't know if I can do this in just one month, but I would like to be able to play a song completely from memory; a song that I can sing along to. I'm not a great singer, but I have dreams of wowing people by just sitting down at a piano and bursting out in song.

Someday, when I have the money, I'll buy myself a flute and re-learn that as well. Maybe someday I'll even steal my mom's violin and attempt that, too. (Although, I'm sure my neighbors would not appreciate my musical aspirations.)

By the end of the month, hopefully, I will have videos of me playing a song on the banjo (and perhaps singing, if I can learn a cool song), my rendition of '89 Volvo, and maybe even me belting out some Lady Gaga while playing the keyboard. Keep up with me on Twitter and Instagram for progress updates, including any performance videos.

What else am I getting up to this month?

I am tantalizingly close to having my 'Unseen' list of movies read 0. I wrote a bit about this in this post. So, this month, I have about 15 movies to watch that I've had for a while, but haven't watched yet. Okay, my unseen list may never get down to zero because I'm always downloading more movies, but I think I can get it down to only a few at a time.

I'm embarrassed to say that I don't read enough! Last month I finished White Oleander (second reading), but considering I started it months before, that's not a proud accomplishment. So, now the only book left that I haven't finished reading is my 15-in-1 Oz series book. I've been slowly making it through the stories for, I think, a couple years. Because they're children stories, they don't suck you in like a novel that you stay up late reading. Which is why I have to almost force myself to put in the time to read them. But I do enjoy them if I allow myself the time to get into the story. So, I've decided that I'll make it a monthly goal to read at least one Oz story. This month it's The Patchwork Girl of Oz.

P.S. I'm still working on my January project. It'll be posted next week sometime. You can see some sneak peaks if you follow me on Instagram

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