I was rubbing my thumb over my fingertips as I did some on-line reading (yes, it’s impossible for me to be still) and I was struck for a moment because I couldn’t feel with the tips of my left fingers.
I had to think a moment before realizing, Oh, they’re from all my guitar playing lately.
In the past I’ve only noticed calluses as they’ve (messily) gone away, so it was fun to notice my playing is having some effect.
For almost two weeks now I’ve been playing my guitar every day. I have no structure to my blips of practice, and so I’m probably advancing slower than I could, but its “clicking” better than ever before and I enjoy practicing like never before.
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I find it interesting that I dove back into guitar a week after I had storytelling off my plate (and I was thankful to be able to focus on writing as my single “creative” endeavor), but one of the benefits of having nothing set in stone is that I can follow my inclinations and see what happens.
Guitar has been a nice balance to my writing as a physical, musical act to balance the stillness and (relative) silence of the novel. It’s also been nice to take into the room where the kids play or pack to the park so I can get some time while still being available to my children.
Have I said lately how much I love my job?
Tell me anything else I could be doing that marries so perfectly my responsibilities and my inclinations.
Just caught up on your last four posts. I love reading your writing posts and being able to think on things–loved the feminism quote. I 100 percent agree.
And I love that you play guitar. Music is so. . .(You fill in the blank here and I’ll probably agree.)
So will the calluses go down? Or will they only go away if you stop practicing?
On my hands (and my dad’s, if my childhood memories serve me correctly) the calluses aren’t something that particularly build up, if by that you are visualizing something like a hard blister on the finger tip.
The hardness goes more into the finger than piles on top. Except for the tips looking slightly shiny on the left (the print being less defined), the fingers of both hands still look the same.
In the past when I’ve stopped practicing the calluses gradually work to the surface (in the normal sloughing-cycle of skin) and then work their way off in a clump.
I will half-notice and pick at the edge, and then be surprised at this wad of skin stuck together until I remember (and sometimes mourn :P ) the passing of my latest playing phase.