Woodshedding

   The snow pelts the outside world and I am one of the few blessed enough not forced to brave the bitter cold right away.  The white-branched trees and grey sky are the perfect backdrop to talk about Woodshedding.
   Woodshedding is sometimes defined simply as "practice", but a more accurate definition would involve the "locking away" of a musician for the purposes of growing his or her skills in solitude and without distraction.

   One Summer in Sacramento, after I had been playing drums for a few years I asked my mom and brother, both of whom had learned guitar earlier in life, to show me some chords.  Mom showed me the shapes of G, E minor, C, and D chords on the fretboard.  My brother showed me how to read tabs, a simplified guitar music, and with these tools I effectively locked myself into the room of where our internet lived, not leaving save for food, bathroom and sleep.

   Sadly, it didn't last the whole Summer but the experience of working hard alone - patiently, calmly, grabbing every small gain - and to walk out of that room with a completely new set of cemented skills I won't soon forget.  Nor will I forget the joy of showing off my new skills.  These were skills I had worked for; These were skills for the first time worth sacrificing for, and I realized the payoff is only proportional to the sacrifice.

   I imagine that for most, finding something worth sacrificing for would be the hardest part.  Though I also have a feeling that a good number of people know deep down what is worth sacrificing for but lack the self-esteem to try it out, even just once.  I would call on people everywhere to give themselves a chance to do one creative thing "they've always wanted to do", just once.  For a gold star.  Take a beginner's dance class.  Try your hand at watercolor, writing, singing, just for the experience of trying.  You might find something worth woodshedding.

   For more info on info, check out eHow.com, just in case you were curious about how to do or learn ANYTHING.