I truly feel that the moment I liberated myself from the ideas of ‘doing / learning things for productivity / success’, my relationship with everything changed. Like wdym I can learn typography without becoming a designer, learn to play an instrument without ever performing, and just.. be?

There’s a lot of info about ‘perfecting a craft’ but I’d bet it would help most people to just ‘dabble in a craft’

It’s not too late to learn the piano / guitar! Yes, even if you can’t read music. It’s not too late to learn to read music.

To learn to speak a new language. To learn to knit or sew. To learn to do woodworking. It’s perfectly fine to not do any of these things too. It’s perfectly fine to not want to do anything as well.

But if you have ever been curious about something, especially something different from the things you do for money, you can do anything

There’s a bunch of people who run a ‘mediocre music’ jam night at a bar near my home. The only rules are you’ve got to be mediocre

So far I’ve been afraid to go because I’ve been afraid I won’t be.. mediocre enough

Ahahahaha perfectionism is a helluva drug (and anyone brought up in high achiever societies may find it difficult to break old habits)

For folks in SF, look up Community Music Center. They have good classes in almost everything for adult learners of music. Including people with no experience at all. They also have scholarships for lower income folks. Two campuses, one in Mission & one in Richmond

https://sfcmc.org/

Home - San Francisco Community Music Center

At Community Music Center, we believe in the power of music to connect people, celebrate cultures and transform lives.

San Francisco Community Music Center
@skinnylatte What even is mediocre? I'm in a weird limbo of knowing that professionals would consider my skill fairly poor, whilst when people with no knowledge hear me play they often suggest that I could turn professional. Does that count?

@skinnylatte

Reminds me of one of my favorite albums, Puss 'n Boots. Norah Jones (piano player) decided to learn to play guitar, enlisted a couple of friends, then went onstage live and recorded it.

Of course, she's a stellar song writer too, so that doesn't hurt. But they do a cover of "Down by the River", solo and all (which strikes me as a real ballsy thing to do  )

@skinnylatte I heard of that jam! My brain weasels never allowed me to go with my violin.... thinking how I should’ve brought a clarinet instead hehe
@skinnylatte where is this? I want to go! I have confidence in my own mediocrity
@scott used to be at pianofight. Haven’t found out where they went after. I’ll dm the guy