Thursday, June 11, 2009

Music Out, Writing In

Marginally over 48 weeks to go. A rainy day discouraging me from walking (this will be a heavy walking week even if today is a rest day. I have been doing some serious thinking, resulting in a drastic decision.

As I mentioned a few posts ago, I am in a quandary over whether to put in the effort required to write a book about VBW. I know how difficult it will be to find a publisher who is interested. I know I will have to write at least half the book before I even try to find a publisher, and I know that the effort may be futile. So many good books are written but never reach public view.

And yet my inclination is to put in the effort. To give it a go. Especially after all the wonderful messages of support I have had recently from readers of this blog and all the AngloInfo websites on which I have described VBW. A lot of people out there are interested in this. Many more than I would have ever thought.

That leads me to the next problem. The amount of time I am putting into walking at the moment, added to all the other time-consuming activities in my life, does not leave me with enough hours in the day to devote to the book-writing task.

Something will have to go. Long-time denizens of my blog will know that, since the age of 60, I have become a guitarist. I have even reached the level of playing in a band, on stage. But my lessons, including the necessary travelling, take up one afternoon a week, and practice consumes at least one hour of every day.

I love it, but progress, or even maintenance of the standard I have reached, take far more effort and time than they would in a younger person. And how many years of improvement do I have left (how I wish I had learnt to play when I was young!). Sadly, I have decided to ditch the music for over a year - until after VBW, when I hope my tutor, Santiago Cozar, will have me back.

2 comments:

Septimus said...

Vic.
Sounds a bit drastic to me and something that you may regret.
Why not pick up your guitar for just ten minutes a day?
Come to think of it why don@t I do the same?
Septimus.

Vic Heaney said...

Dear Septimus

I will be doing that.

It's the lessons I am ditching, and the consequent need to intensively practice something new and be ready to stand up and be counted at the next lesson.

I have just sent you an e-mail which may require you to practice a bit yourself.

Vic