Six String Samurai

Haven't been online for quite a while (since Tuesday, Oct. 24th) because my internet security has expired. Currently, I have no firewall or any kind of online protection. So I have to write this at work -where it can get dangerous if some people find out. Anyways, I really didn't miss going online. Not that much, at least. I picked up a lot of hours at the hospital this week so I have to work. Besides, I have my books and guitar to keep me busy anyways.

Speaking of books and guitar, I've been reading The Book of Five Rings and I'm surprised at how Samurai philosophy can improve your guitar playing -or life, in general. This line probably got me and motivated me to push forward:

"If one thinks one can wield a long sword rapidly like a folding fan or a shorter sword, he is mistaking the way of the long sword and the long sword becomes difficult to handle. This is called the "short sword cut". One cannot cut a man with this style of using the long sword." -On The Way of the Long Sword, The Book of Waters, The Book of Five Rings.

There's no short cuts in playing a guitar, or anything else for that matter. The only way to play guitar is to play the guitar like it is. I was like that before, using the "short sword cut", when I started playing. In the end, I only made it harder for myself because I picked up a lot of bad habits. Even now, following John Petrucci's instructional video, I'm starting to skip some exercises because I don't think they were that important. Well, I guess I'll just have to start doing them even if it's hard.