# Technique, Theory, Playing Tips and Tricks > Theory, Technique, Tips and Tricks >  Reasons to avoid practicing

## JeffD

In my on going attempt to help newbies, and due to the recent success of thread on avoiding jam sessions, I thought I would start a similar thread on all the reasons we avoid practicing. There may be some similar reasons, no problem with overlap. Here, Ill start:

I am too tired.

I need my coffee first. Oh and some 'nilla wafers. Ooo, I didn't know we had any cheesecake.

Look I jam once a week and I rehearse once a week with the band. I don't need to practice.

What, practice scales and arpeggios? What for? I have yet to be asked to play a scale or an arpeggio at a jam or open mic.

The family is watching TV I don't want to disturb them.

I think Ill go out for a walk first.

I am alone too much anyway, I don't need an activity that keeps me home and alone.


So folks, why aren't you practicing?

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## JeffD

I sound terrible, I can't stand it.


I am good enough for what and where I play.


I don't want to work at it, its called_ playing_ the mandolin after all.

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Cecily_Mandoliner

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## MediumMando5722

Practicing is boring, and I'll never be as good as Thile/Monroe/Grisman/Marshall/etc...

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## T.D.Nydn

There are none whatsoever...

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## guidoStow

My fingers hurt...

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## JeffD

> There are none whatsoever...


So... ummmm... why are you not practicing right now?   :Smile: 

- - - Updated - - -

I don't have time to practice, given how much time I spend on Manolin Café.   :Grin:

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Christine Robins

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## MediumMando5722

My strings need changing.

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## JeffD

I don't have any gigs lined up so I don't have anything I need to practice.

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## JeffD

I need to clean up my practice area and organize everything.

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Tony S

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## T.D.Nydn

> So... ummmm... why are you not practicing right now?  
> 
> - - - Updated - - -
> 
> I don't have time to practice, given how much time I spend on Manolin Café.


I actually just finished,,and I'm ready to start again

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## JeffD

> I actually just finished,,and I'm ready to start again


  :Laughing:

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## farmerjones

it's in the case


(this is sort of like jeopardy answers)


What is, "it's in the case" ?

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## JeffD

I don't have the right chair. I need to get a better chair.

I don't have the right music stand.

I don't have the right instrument stand.

The light here is no good.

- - - Updated - - -

The kids are asleep.


The kids are awake.

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Tony S

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## T.D.Nydn

There's a big difference in not being able to do something,and avoiding to do something,to avoid is to keep away from or stopping yourself from doing something,or keeping away from danger or something undesirable,,,and I don't take that attitude toward my practicing,,I may not be able to always practice,,but I certainly don't avoid it..

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## guidoStow

The dog howls when i practice.

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## foldedpath

Can't find the fingernail file.

I just changed the strings and don't want to wear them out before the next session/workshop/gig. 

The strings are worn out and I can't handle re-stringing today.

We're out of (_insert favorite chemical enhancement_) and I'll have to listen to what I sound like sober.

I will never figure out that one totally weird part in a four-part Scottish pipe tune, so why bother trying. Pipers are insane.

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WaxwellHaus

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## Mark Miller

So far no one has mentioned the number one reason not to practice, which I constantly ignore in favor of practicing:  I'm supposed to be working.  Considering that I'm better at my job than I am at the mandolin, I probably ought to work more and practice less.  But it's not as fun, and I'm more than halfway to the finish line, so hell with it, I'm practicing.  Thank God for working at home most says, and for work avoidance songs:  I Ain't Gonna Work Tomorrow; Roll in My Sweet Baby's Arms; etc.

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WaxwellHaus

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## JeffD

I justify working instead of practicing only because work keeps me in mandolins.  :Grin:

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## EdHanrahan

> ... Ooo, I didn't know we had any cheesecake.


Need I say more?

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## sblock

Because I already happen to be playing _right this minute_ in:  a gig, a jam session, a recording session, a lesson, on the street, etc.

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DavidKOS

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## JeffD

Nobody plays in those keys anyway.


There is no money above the [pick a number] fret anyway.


Its almost dinner time.


The NCIS marathon this weekend.


Game of Thrones dude, need we say more.

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## JeffD

What difference could it make. I started too late.


Who am I kidding, Ill never sound as good as Chris Thile.

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## Astro

But funny how easy it is for me to practice when I have paperwork I need to do.

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## JeffD

> But funny how easy it is for me to practice when I have paperwork I need to do.


Yes. I heard from a guitar teacher that March and part of April are big practice times because people are procrastinating doing their tax returns.

- - - Updated - - -

I have to do my taxes.

I have to clean under the bed, look at those dust bunnies.

I  have to vacuum.

I have to mow lawn.

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## Bad Monkey

.

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Tony S

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## Jim Bevan

I don't need to practise now because I'm planning on practising later.

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## DavidKOS

> Because I already happen to be playing _right this minute_ in:  a gig, a jam session, a recording session, a lesson, on the street, etc.


Yup...I'm on the way to or playing a gig!

Best reason to not practice.

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## mandocrucian

The thrill is gone.....> > >

so.... I've* R-U-N-N-O-F-T* with different instrument.

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## Mark Miller

Yeah, my mandolin gets jealous when my banjo or guitar calls.  I tell it I love it best but it gets mad and says my fingers smell funny when I go back to it.

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## JeffD

The fiddle doesn't play second to any other instrument. It demands to be first in line for practice.

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## Kevin Stueve

My wife and dog have both threatened restraining orders if I pick the mandolin up again tonight

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## Bill McCall

Trying to avoid hearing, "Dear, we need a shed in the back yard".

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Kevin Stueve

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## Tom Haywood

I need to read the latest posts on the Mandolin Cafe first.

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## arturo7

I have an old railway clock that ticks rather loud. Sometimes I just don't want to stop the pendulum.

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## JeffD

I can't find my metronome.

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## mee

> Yeah, my mandolin gets jealous when my banjo or guitar calls.  I tell it I love it best but it gets mad and says my fingers smell funny when I go back to it.


 :Laughing:  That's what my mando tells me after I come home from a music store, probably why I haven't bought another mando. 

I don't need excuses not to practice, I have enough reasons that keep me from it

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## Jes Woodland

I'm to busy looking for reasons not to jam.

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## Tobin

Just not enough time!  Too many chores and tasks need to be done around the house instead of "frivolously wasting time" playing my instrument.  I can't handle the guilt trip I'm gonna get if I practice tonight.

Can't practice because I need to clip my fingernails.  And I don't feel like clipping my fingernails.

Lost my BlueChip pick somewhere on that dad-blasted brown rug again!

My tuner battery died.

Practicing would mean a trip upstairs to get my instrument, and my knee/back/(insert body part of choice) is hurting, so I'm not going upstairs.

Spring weather is here, and the wife has opened all the windows in the house for fresh air.  I can't practice if the neighbors are going to hear me playing!

Had too much wine before supper.  Practicing would be wasted in this state.

Need to catch up on The Walking Dead.

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## farmerjones

I'm a servant to an old lady cat. She's doesn't like it when I practice. She follows me around the house complaining until I sit down and make a lap.

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## soliver

My kids are awake and I have to pay attention to them.

My kids are asleep and I don't want to wake them up.

Still working on shaving the cat.

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## Mark Miller

> Lost my BlueChip pick somewhere on that dad-blasted brown rug again!


Oh my Lord how many times has that happened.

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## Jim Bevan

I need to not practise so that all the practising I've been doing has a chance to soak in.

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Mark Wilson, 

WaxwellHaus

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## Mark Wilson

Some absorption time - i like it

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## guidoStow

I know one song. Who needs to learn more?

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## Randi Gormley

My callouses got soft from hand-washing the dishes

My arthritis/carpal tunnel/random medical condition is acting up.

I want to finish this chapter first.

My accompanist is away.

My accompanist is out of tune.

I need to put in a load of laundry.

My arm fell asleep and I'm afraid of waking it up.

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## Bill Slovin

It was unbearable to listen to myself until I discovered that blasting the Chris Thile Bach album in my headphones turned me into a virtuoso.

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## JeffD

I'm reading the complete Harvard Classics.

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## yankees1

When my wife throws a fit when she can't take it anymore !

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## Jess L.

*1.* I played mandolin too much and got monster calluses, and it's still winter and they got dry and now the calluses get *caught* on the strings when I try to do a hammer pull-off combination. I need to file down my calluses. (rummaging through toolbox looking for that file that might still be in there somewhere) 

vs

*2.* I haven't played in a while and my calluses aren't adequate. Need to build them up before I can play a lot. 

 :Grin:

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## Tom Wright



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guidoStow

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## Ausdoerrt

> I know one song. Who needs to learn more?


...and it's Wagon Wheel  :Grin:

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## JeffD

There ain't but two tunes anyway. Wagon Wheel and that other one.

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## lenf12

All playing is practicing. If you're gonna play, you are practicing.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

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Jess L.

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## JeffD

I don't need to practice, I went to a jam this week.

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Cindy

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## edandjudy3946

I'm always practicing in my head. That should be enough.

I just ask for more talent in the monitors please.

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WaxwellHaus

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## JeffD

I don't need to practice. I am already as good as I am ever going to be.

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## JeffD

I don't need to practice. I don't have a gig lined up.

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## Fergus Lester

Missing the point. Practice is an excuse to do something else.

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## Bertram Henze

> Missing the point. Practice is an excuse to do something else.


"Still training, Sir!"  :Cool:

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WaxwellHaus

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## Joel Glassman

I avoid practicing because I'm afraid the sound of all those pentatonics will end up in my playing.

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## JeffD

At my age, what difference could it possibly make?


At my age, I've got plenty of time to practice later.

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ajh

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## JeffD

I can't practice now, I am working on my character.


I don't need to practice, I go to jams.


I am not experienced enough to get a lot out of practice. I have a lot of basics to get under my belt first.


I know what I am doing, I have a lot of experience. Practice wouldn't really do much for me.


I get enough practice playing.


They are all watching Netflix on the big screen, I don't want to disturb them.


The house is quiet, I don't want them to hear me practicing.

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## Denny Gies

I need a cigar and the dog needs walking.

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## Nathan Kellstadt

> I can't practice now, I am working on my character.


Well played, sir.

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## Simon DS

My usual reason for avoiding practising:

I LOVE this tune SOOO much!

-oops another error, and there’s another, 
ok I’ll practise after the C part, 
I love these crooked tunes
Ok really, I’ll practise it after another time all the way through... I wonder if I can get it up to 500 bpm?

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## susank

Here is my main excuse. This is a real problem so maybe I will get some advice.

I think about playing all day.  Can't wait to get home and play after work!!!  Get home, have time, have some energy...still do not practice.  

I don't practice every day because for some reason I am holding myself back.   :Frown:

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## Greg P. Stone

My new perfect mandolin is in the shop for a month. My old imperfect mandolin will be sold when I get the new one back. Perhaps playing on such a different neck will set me back when I change over to the new one...

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## Simon DS

> Here is my main excuse. This is a real problem so maybe I will get some advice.
> 
> I think about playing all day.  Can't wait to get home and play after work!!!  Get home, have time, have some energy...still do not practice.  
> 
> I don't practice every day because for some reason I am holding myself back.


Get an instructor or someone, anyone, guitarist, mailman, whatever, who will arrive at your house for half an hour three days a week and who only gets paid if you work on a pre-agreed schedule. 
That is, you play a certain number of notes with a metronome VERY SLOWLY in say, 15 to 20 minutes, NO stopping. Deep breathing. Like mediation. Good luck.  :Smile:

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## Bob Buckingham

Do you like the idea of playing the mandolin more than actually playing the mandolin?

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## susank

> Get an instructor or someone, anyone, guitarist, mailman, whatever, who will arrive at your house for half an hour three days a week and who only gets paid if you work on a pre-agreed schedule. 
> That is, you play a certain number of notes with a metronome VERY SLOWLY in say, 15 to 20 minutes, NO stopping. Deep breathing. Like mediation. Good luck.



That's a great idea!  I do enjoy practicing once I get started. Being held accountable would might just be the incentive I need.  I do need to relax as well.  I tend to want to learn it all to fast instead of enjoying and letting each thing sink in.  Oh, and how did you know I started taking shallow breaths?  LOL  I do catch myself doing that when I play.  I try to hard instead of letting it flow, or something like that.

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## susank

Funny you should say that because I asked myself the same thing!  I am a beginner.  I don't play guitar. I don't know anyone (personally) who plays.  I think part of it is that I just sometimes feel overwhelmed by what to learn next.  I'm following Mandolessons.  He goes over things slowly enough and I watch the same video as many times as I need to.  Honestly,  I think it's the fear that I will try and fail.  

Wow, that is the most honest thing I've put out into the world in a long time!!  

I love the idea of playing the mandolin like a pro!  
 :Mandosmiley:

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## Bill McCall

Fan:  Maestro Id give my life to play like that

Maestro:  I did

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Bill Findley

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## JeffD

Dragging out this old thread because I recently thought of another reason to avoid practicing:

I with a little tweak I could get my action lower.

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## journeybear

I'm already so good, I don't want to practice anymore. Because then I'll be too good to play with myself. (No, I don't mean it *that* way.)

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## Simon DS

Another reason to stop practicing.
Go to another country, stay in quarantine in a cabin in a wooded garden, spend most of your day pruning and loping tree branches and the rest of the day eating home cooking. 
And in the evenings you eat home cooking.

And you didnt bring a mandolin with you anyway; a decision made under the false premise that a ukulele tuned in fifths would be just fine.

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## Sue Rieter

> Another reason to stop practicing.
> Go to another country, stay in quarantine in a cabin in a wooded garden, spend most of your day pruning and loping tree branches and the rest of the day eating home cooking. 
> And in the evenings you eat home cooking.
> 
> And you didn’t bring a mandolin with you anyway; a decision made under the false premise that a ukulele tuned in fifths would be ‘just fine’.


If you did have a mandolin with you, I would think this environment would be ideal for inspiring your playing/practicing.

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## journeybear

Or ... Spend nearly a month in hospital, prepping for, undergoing, and recovering from open heart surgery, during which time energy levels are a wee bit low - interest, too - for practicing. Oh, the lengths to which some will go to avoid practicing!  :Laughing: 

On the other hand, there's a particular song I wrote a few years back, a sort of Latin-calypso number, which I've been brushing up on. The nurses seem to love it.  :Smile:

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GMorgan

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## John Bertotti

I do not make reasons not to practice but a lot of times it works out that my work just draws me away and I get home late and sleep then leave early.

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## Honey-Boy

I have to practice my other instruments, a different language, workout or spend time with my friends. The worst yet, evening shifts and long working hours make me almost unable to practice.

But the best reason to not practice mandolin (or anything else) is to play video games instead.

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## Charles E.

I'll practish jush after I finish this beer....burp....hic.

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journeybear

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## Dan Adams

I used to practice when we gigged.  Its been a few years since we performed, and consequently, I stopped practicing.  Interesting how quickly you forget tunes, leads, chord patterns.  Im trying to get back to learning new tunes, practicing picking patterns.  But, I have to re-learn everything else.  An interesting cycle.

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## journeybear

It occurred to me while slowly gaining consciousness this morning, before coffee ... Phil Ochs' song "Outside of a Small Circle of Friends" contains a great compendium of excuses. Each verse sets up a situation in which some action is called for in order to do the right thing, yet the narrator's voice presents several excuses or rationalizations for *not* doing anything. It's a clever but caustic assessment of social indifference. Some of these excuses could be applicable:

it looks like it's gonna rain;
much too high;
busy reading;
the heat is much too hot;
it wouldn't interest anybody outside of a small circle of friends

 :Cool:

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## dhergert

I have to think up a suitably snarky reply to this thread.   :Cool: 

Seriously, I jam for about 90 minutes online every day and I actually practice new and old techniques while jamming.  

Practice is allowed to be fun.

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## T.D.Nydn

My neighborhood chipped in and hired me not to …

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Charles E.

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## journeybear

> Practice is allowed to be fun.


Well, yes, and so is this thread. I'm pretty sure JeffD started this thread tongue firmly planted in cheek, and most have followed suit.  :Grin: 

I'll get serious, though, but just for a minute. Of course we all enjoy playing our wee wonderful music makers, and many even enjoy practicing, well aware this helps foster improvement and thus more enjoyment, in what is hopefully an ascending spiral. Even so, sometimes practice can seem a bit of a chore, despite this overarching impetus in the service of improvement. And humor can help keep one grounded while striving onward and upward. What I've found from time to time is not so much that practice *itself* is fun, but the *effects* of practice can be fun. For instance, sometimes the ease or speed of playing something or other may make me smile and I can attribute this to having put in some time to get there. And feeling like I'm getting better, even this far down the road, is fun, indeed. I mean, I've been playing now for some 53 years. I figure, if I keep at it, I might get good ... someday ...  :Whistling:  

We now return you to your previously scheduled programming, already in progress ...

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dhergert

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## Bill McCall

My wife has a banjo, I don’t want to provoke her.

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## soliver

Love this thread.

Still need to shave that cat.

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## robhanesworth

I'm too busy reading forums.

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journeybear

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## oldhawkeye

The dog ate my sheet music.

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## journeybear

> I'm too busy reading forums.


Exactly!  :Laughing:  I would practice some, right now, but first I have to post on a forum or two or ten how I feel about that and wonder what to do about it and read up on how others are dealing with it and search for someone's post that describes my experience in a way I wish I could have expressed it, because it's just the way I feel and think and imagine it to be. In other words, exactly!  :Laughing: 

Though to be fair, to all those hereabouts and passing through, this is indeed a fine, fine community filled with a great many thoughtful, well-meaning, and talented musically-minded folks capable of and willing to offer all manners of assistance in solving whatever problems people encounter along the trail of their travels, trials, and tribulations. Never lose sight of that. But also, feel free to have a good laugh with perhaps a knowing shake of the head when the time is right. Don't take yourself and your troubles too seriously. Bigger problems exist.  :Wink:

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## Jess L.

> why aren't you practicing?


Because there's a finite number of notes in the universe, and once they're all used up, all music would cease forever. 

Thus it would be unconscionable for anyone to willfully contribute to the depletion of universal notes just for their own selfish practice time. 

Things are bad enough already with the sinister note-hoarders  :Disbelief:  who cruelly capture unplayed notes to store away for nefarious future uses. Those of us who care about music don't need to make matters worse by practicing too much and further using up the supply of available notes.

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John Kelly

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## Eric Platt

It rained around here recently. Have to go outside and watch the grass grow. Everyone knows it won't happen if you don't watch.

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## journeybear

> Because there's a finite number of notes in the universe, and once they're all used up, all music would cease forever. 
> 
> Thus it would be unconscionable for anyone to willfully contribute to the depletion of universal notes just for their own selfish practice time. 
> 
> Things are bad enough already with the sinister note-hoarders  who cruelly capture unplayed notes to store away for nefarious future uses. Those of us who care about music don't need to make matters worse by practicing too much and further using up the supply of available notes.


This is an exquisitely elaborate bit of overthought folderol if there ever was one!  :Laughing:

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Jess L.

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## Jess L.

> This is an exquisitely elaborate bit of overthought folderol if there ever was one!


Lol  :Laughing:  although it resulted from neither overthinking nor even regular thinking, as I woke up from one of my frequent old-age naps at my computer and the idea just popped into my head, fully formed, details and all. Two minutes later it was typed up. Seems to be just the way my mind (such as it is) works. I blame it on too much early exposure to sci-fi, as well as actual science - one of my close kinfolk worked in R&D of missile defense systems etc, where 'overthinking' and considering many "what ifs" gives one's project a better chance of avoiding catastrophic failures in areas where there is little margin for error. Seems that some of that overthinking mindset has become ingrained.  :Whistling:  

Anyway,  :Smile:  back to the topic... 

I do currently have an *actual* reason to avoid practicing mandolin - my current mandolin has several tuning pegs that literally require pliers  :Crying:  to turn the blasted things. The factory drilled the tuner post holes noticeably misaligned, and some of the posts bind up throughout most of their rotation. I'll eventually cobble together some sort of crude fix for it (I don't have woodworking tools anymore so I'm not going to get too carried away with refurbishing the silly thing), but meanwhile every time I think about playing it I remember the pliers requirement and usually postpone playing.

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journeybear

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## journeybear

My assessment of your motivation and/or technique may have been a bit off the mark, but my appreciation of the artistic achievement is spot on, IMO. You took a notion and ran with it, incorporating correlated factors into your final presentation. I do this myself, from time to time, when so inspired, so I recognize the effort. Also, as an unreformed former editor, I've retained an eye for noticing a writer's attempts to succeed in realizing potential, putting thoughts into just the right words. Flights of fancy such as this are enjoyable in and of themselves, especially when they result from a dry wit, expressed with tongue in cheek. Perhaps such witticisms are too subtle for their own good, and fly over the head of most readers. I enjoyed this, though, and since people rarely if ever receive adequate praise, thought I'd mention it.  :Mandosmiley:

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Jess L.

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## Jess L.

Thanks Journeybear!  :Mandosmiley:   :Smile:

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## JeffD

I don't practice as much since video games. No I don't play them but i like to watch them. 


Got to keep up with the repairs around this house, and there always seems to be something that needs repair. I don't know how folks get any practicing in at all.


I am avoiding practicing because I have too much homework to do, which I am avoiding by watching you tubes.


I ordered dinner from Grubhub so I would have more time to avoiding practicing.

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## JeffD

I can't practice till after my girlfriend texts me, because it will interrupt the flow. So I am waiting for her to text me. Been a while now.

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## journeybear

> I ordered dinner from Grubhub so I would have more time to avoiding practicing.


I thought Grubhub was designed to *free up* time by eliminating food prep and cooking time.  :Confused: 

But what do I know. Never gone there ...

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## JeffD

> I thought Grubhub was designed to *free up* time by eliminating food prep and cooking time. 
> ...


I can see how folks would think that.

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journeybear

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## Brent Hutto

I am hard-wired for oppositional behavior whenever faced with the word "practice". Like when I was 8 years old and my mother (bless her) would tell me, "I'd better hear you practicing that piano for the next 45 minutes or else!". Which of course I would try any possible excuses or distractions to avoid doing

So it's important that I never practice now that I'm allegedly grown up. No need to cause myself mental anguish.

What I do instead is I'll go "play", eight bars of a tune at 3/4 speed with a metronome for 20 minutes. Or do closed position scale patterns on the higher frets for a few minutes at a time. Not "practice" though, that's miserable. Just playing something until I can play it better. 

My wife used to refer to that as "practicing" until I explained the proper terminology. So now she calls it "messing around with that tune until it sounds right" which is pretty good compromise lingo, I think.

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EdHanrahan, 

journeybear, 

mandolia

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## maxr

Tennis elbow - but hang on, it's gone away...

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## JeffD

I don't need to practice. I just spent a half hour noodling.

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## JeffD

Look, I am willing to accept limited significant forward progress in order to binge watch all of Grace and Frankie.

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## JeffD

How can you think of mandolin practice when there are so many incorrect postings on Facebook.

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## lowtone2

My band mates are mediocre players so I don't want to play too well and make them feel bad.

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Reywas

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## JeffD

Look at this place. I have got to clean up / straighten up. Who can practice in this chaos. No wonder I have not been motivated in so long.

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Reywas

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## tmsweeney

Mandolin went through the dang washing machine again, I keep telling my wife to check the pockets, sheesh!

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## tmsweeney

You know I was thinking about this more in the sense of "why do we play".
Someone (who I have since kept my distance from) once asked  me- "why do you play music, nothing will ever come of it", which to me is a very ignorant perspective.
I play music first and foremost -because I like to. I could spend years ( and I have) learning a tune, only to perform it to myself  and to my own liking. That's not to say I don't play music in public or with others, I do, but that is not the primary reason I practice. 
I practice because practicing is playing and I like to play.

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journeybear

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## journeybear

> I practice because practicing is playing and I like to play.


I think this sums it up pretty well. It helps remove the stigma associated with the term in the mind that fosters an attitude which equates "practice" with "work." 

That said, I don't practice because it leads my mind into endless thought problems and mind games which bring me down a rabbit hole where my sense of purpose and self-esteem and the very existence of the point of living are called into question, facing insurmountable doubt: How have I let myself waste so much time and money and effort on something that will never amount to more than a few moments' enjoyment now and then? Yeah, who needs that? I'm good with my skill level. 

OK, I'm kidding - mostly - I think,  :Confused:  but I can sure see how someone could feel that way.

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## Simon DS

Here’s an excuse that always works:
-I can’t possibly practice right now. It’s 3:30 in the morning.

(Never mind where. It’s 3:30 in the morning… somewhere)

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## John Bertotti

I had a legitimate reason today. About midnight last night I got up and on my way, through the house, I stepped on something in a doorway so I bet over to pick it up. Reaching down my fingernail hit the door jamb. Well, it hurt. So, I think I will skip practice today. Yep got a splinter so big under my nail it literally went past the nail and into the finger. I have a picture if anyone needs proof. No blood so no need to worry. But the finger is a bit sore.

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## journeybear

Oh, now! It's only one finger. Don't let that stop you! Tough it out! Push through the pain!  :Mad: 

Or not. Take a break. Tomorrow is another day. These are reasons to *avoid* practicing, after all.  :Whistling:

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John Bertotti

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## John Bertotti



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journeybear

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## journeybear

Yeah, OK.  :Disbelief:  That's a valid reason.  Ouch!  :Crying: 

Wait - is that your fretting hand or picking hand?  :Confused: 

Never mind. Take off as long as you want. Heal up fast and well. And ... Yikes!  :Disbelief:

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John Bertotti

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## John Bertotti

Fretting hand and today you would never know it happened. No pain at all, maybe just a bit numb in a spot or two on the nail but the fingertip feels fine, and looking at it if you didn't know the stake to kill Dracula was shoved under it you couldn't tell. I don't think I have ever had an injury heal in less than two days. Weird. But I'm not complaining. I'll practice several times today to make up for it!

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journeybear

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## Sue Rieter

> 


Ouch! That sliver must've just snuck in between the layers. Lucky you!
Just keep an eye out for secondary infection.

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John Bertotti

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## John Bertotti

I gave it a good witch hazel soak but it was a rude awakening at midnight when I was half asleep. Weirdest splinter I ever got a bit of pain but I have stunned a toe worse and today you would never know it happened! But it was a good reason to miss one day. I have no excuse for today other than, well I’ll think of something.

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## JeffD

I am not going to practice because I am only going to hurt myself in some other activity, woodworking, motorcycle, something, and not be able to play, making practicing now irrelevant and a waste of time.

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John Bertotti, 

journeybear, 

Simon DS

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## John Bertotti

Hahaha I'm stealing that one when the time arrives!

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T.D.Nydn

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## journeybear

JeffD, I think you've hit upon the universally acceptable reason/excuse. Your future self will surely thank your present self for being so considerate, looking out for its welfare.  :Wink:

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## Sue Rieter

I got a bad paper cut on my left pinkie.

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John Bertotti

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## John Bertotti

The worst! Ive had paper cuts that hurt worse than any splinter or larger injury! I suggest a week off and a pain killer of your choice. Mine is a couple inuprophen and a hard cider. But you may find after that you can practice!

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## journeybear

I just don't wanna!!!  :Crying:   :Crying:   :Crying:

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## Louise NM

I practiced last month.

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## journeybear

I'm too busy noodling to practice.  :Mandosmiley:

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## JeffD

I don't practice because of the commitment. I hate commitment.

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## FredK

I find it quite interesting, and humorous, that a thread about not practicing has gone this far. Even more, that I follow this thread and have read every post. Now I don't feel all alone.  :Grin:

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Mark Gunter

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## lowtone2

I know the thread is intended to be something to giggle about, but I love practicing. It's so hard to find time to do it, but I would play 8 hours every day if I could. More!

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## Simon DS

Me too, I love practising. 
The problem I have is that I practice tunes in order to record them for the Song a Week Social group on the Forum here on MandolinCafe. And I can play them reasonably well, I mean Im happy enough with them. 

And then theyre ready to record...
but I _can not_ record them!  :Laughing:

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lowtone2

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## JeffD

I don't have time to practice now that I am becoming a Wordle Master. And sharing my victories with friends and family.

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## JeffD

I can't practice now, I am too busy recording my progress in this really cool practice journal I made. Not much progress, but a cool journal.

I am too busy telling people how much I practice.

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## JeffD

I am just not motivated to practice, what with Covid and this endless quarantine. I mean, who is even ever going to hear how good I might get?


With all these COVID restrictions being lifted I am far too busy going out the diner and the movies to stay at home and practice.

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## JeffD

Leave me alone, I am designing the perfect practice regimen.

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## JeffD

I don't know how to get motivated to practice. I am reading some great motivational books.

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## Simon DS

I was actually in the earthquake of 1989, in Palo Alto California. I was playing guitar at the time, and I didn't practice for the whole afternoon. Yep, an earthquake will do that.

Then in the evening about 10 of us camped out in the garden and we played a LOT of music, with very bad technique. We drank some alcohol, didn't sleep all night, and some of my friends needed weed - the earthquake had cut their supply line from Santa Cruz. One of them had just sold their entire stash for X3 to a computer guy.

Paranoia at breakfast: ‘who caused this earthquake anyway? Was he really a computer guy? Have all weed plants been destroyed by the earthquake? No, we don’t know they’re safe! …bad earthquake. …Will you STOP playing that guitar?!’

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S1lverf0x

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## J.C. Bryant

I have to watch praticing too much!  I just get so good I can hardly stand it! :Laughing:

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## JeffD

I can't practice because its too hard to decide what to work on. Too much to chose from. Do I work on third position, do I work on alto clef, do I work on arpeggios, do I work on string transitions, rhythm, strumming, picking slip jigs, tremolo, Foure's Pavane? They say work on what you are not good at. Well that sure doesn't narrow it down much.

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Nbayrfr, 

Simon DS

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## JeffD

I just heard Avi Avital playing, and what more can be done on the mandolin? What is the point of practicing anymore?

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## Simon DS

Hey JeffD you’re doing great!
I always think to myself, ‘one day I going to be able to afford a whole bunch of lessons and _then_ I’ll know what I’m doing wrong!’  :Smile:

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## azb

I nearly cut the tip of my left index finger off today. That might put an end to practice for a few days... or at least until I can get the bleeding under control. 

Does anyone know the number for 911?

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## journeybear

> Does anyone know the number for 911?


Call information at 411. They should have it.

If we don't hear from you again, we'll know what happened.  :Frown:

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azb

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## John Soper

My wife is napping - can't interfere with that!  I'll practice when she awakens.  Unless she wants me to do the chores I put off so I wouldn't wake her up.

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## JeffD

I don't know what kind of music I want to play. No point in practicing if I have no direction.

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## JeffD

How can I practice if I sound so bad.


I don't need to practice I sound so good.

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## JeffD

The only time I have to practice is Thursday nights. And that is the night I am supposed to go to the gym. Yea I am too busy not going to the gym to practice.

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## Simon DS

I heard these forty years ago, it does make you realise that self-confidence is important:

-I know myself better than you! If I practice people will know how bad I am.
-Why would I just pick up the instrument? Im not even good enough to practice!
-Dont you tell me, come on, you can do it, how dare you!

And the 1970s, most heart breaking: 
-Im unemployed, how can I practice when Im unemployed?!

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## John Kelly

A few years back our band was entertaining at a local venue and we decided to play a set of three tunes we had put together which all had connections with our local county, Argyllshire, here in Scotland.  We announced the set and told the audience that this was the first outing for the set and that we had been practising several times during the week.  When we had finished and were waiting for the rapturous applause to die down (?) a man in the front row asked us, "When you said you had been practising all week, were you all in the same room?"  Is this a good enough reason to abandon practice?  :Laughing:  :Mandosmiley:

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Nbayrfr

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## JeffD

I can't practice yet as I am still working on my oak and copper foot rest.

I can't practice yet as I am not really happy with the instrument stand I built.

I can't practice yet as I am working on finishing my teak pedal board.

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## JeffD

I will practice in a bit, after I finish perusing the Women With Mandolins thread.

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Simon DS

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## JeffD

> And the 1970’s, most heart breaking: 
> -I’m unemployed, how can I practice when I’m unemployed?!


Actually Simoon, I don't kid around about being unemployed.  :Smile:  I have been there and been through times of being barely employed. Climbing out of scratchy times is very hard, physically and mentally, and I could allow as getting a job and keeping a job are among the few things one should put ahead of practicing.

After all, it is a paying job that keeps us in mandolins. Oh yea, groceries too, but mandolins!

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## Mark Gunter

> I find it quite interesting, and humorous, that a thread about not practicing has gone this far. Even more, that I follow this thread and have read every post. Now I don't feel all alone.


Me too, find it quite interesting, and humorous, that a thread about not practicing has gone this far. Which is to say, I find that so much more interesting than the topic itself, lol. Unlike you though, Fred, I have not followed it and read every post  :Frown: 

But the long life of it made me click into the last page of it today, just to say, Go JeffD! Lol

And since my practicing and playing really is curtailed right now, a one-word, non-humorous answer:

Tendinitis 

Ouch. After a mighty long period of stagnation, I played a few gigs recently and each time Ive finished with some painful tennis elbow on the fretting arm.

Back to my near-non-practice now, carry on.

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## banjoboy

They say practice makes perfect. But then they also say nobody's perfect. So I don't practice.

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lowtone2

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## Slack_Key

because I have been too busy trying to figure out how a mandolin works instead of trying to figure out how to work a mandolin.

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## JeffD

"Practice just doesn't speak to me right now."

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## Rbmcneil

My wife said "Your not playing that in the house mister"

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## Eric Platt

Well, a new one for me to add - trigger finger. It hit during practice this past Saturday. Stopped playing and was able to ease the finger back out to a "normal" position.

For me, it's doubly tough as my job involves a lot of keyboarding and have had tendonitis/carpal tunnel issues in the past.

Have practiced for about 15 to 20 minutes the last couple days and no recurrence. Am going to a group practice tonight and fingers crossed it makes it through without problem.

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Simon DS

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## Sue Rieter

Wow, hope this is not an ongoing problem for you, Eric.

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Eric Platt

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## JeffD

I am not practicing today because keep the discipline to practice once a week, Thursday evenings. And it is not Thursday.


This Thursday I have pack for that trip so, damn, there goes the whole week.

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## jaycat

I didn't practice this morning because I had to change my strings. By the time I got done with that it was lunch time. After lunch I always have a nap. I'll practice after I wake up. Unless I go to the beach.

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## Simon DS

> Well, a new one for me to add - trigger finger. It hit during practice this past Saturday. Stopped playing and was able to ease the finger back out to a "normal" position.
> 
> For me, it's doubly tough as my job involves a lot of keyboarding and have had tendonitis/carpal tunnel issues in the past...


Thanks Eric, now I feel bad for you, as well as feeling bad for me!
Why cant I have a good reason for not practicing?

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## Simon DS

It’s over a 100F here in France with a hot, 30 mph Sahara wind. 
Everything that can’t move is on fire. 
'Climate Change, climate change apocalypse!' is what the media has decided to talk about.

Worse though is that this still isn’t a good enough excuse to stop practicing.

Good news is that NASA is talking about a one million mile streaming energy plasma of dangerously charged, magnetised ion particles that’s shortly going to slam into planet Earth at extraordinary velocities. And the media say that lots of things will stop working.

Huh, I’m just checking the list of things that will no longer be useable and my mandolin is not on the list.

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## John Soper

Digging 2 ft deep postholes in Carolina clay by hand over a weekend and setting the posts in concrete.  It took 3 days before I could uncurl my fingers.  And yeah, 85 lb bags of concrete are a lot heavier than they were 30 years ago!

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GMorgan, 

lowtone2

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## JeffD

I can't practice today because I am supposed to be resurfacing the driveway, (which umm... I am also not doing).

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## journeybear

Not doing something because you're *supposed* to be doing something else is one of the all-time classic excuses in all disciplines. And I use the term "discipline" lightly.  :Wink:

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## Mark Gunter

> Not doing something because you're *supposed* to be doing something else is one of the all-time classic excuses in all disciplines. And I use the term "discipline" lightly.


Yes well put.

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## Tim Logan

Mandolin and building radio control boats. Addicted to both.These hobbies don't support one another time wise LOL.

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## John Kelly

Surely reading very long threads about how to avoid practising is the most valid reason?  I am doing it now when I could be playing instead!  :Mandosmiley:

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bigskygirl, 

farmerjones, 

journeybear, 

tmsweeney

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## journeybear

There is much good to be said about that! One can derive much amusement and perhaps even wisdom from reading long threads of a light nature, which naturally include a wide variety of insights with their many input sources, as well as a generally positive attitude. It's good fun and can also be enlightening, and those are two main goals of this whole playing-an-instrument endeavor, yes? It's a sort of practicing with the eyes and mind, if not the fingers, all part of a holistic approach.  :Wink:

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## bigskygirl

Agree JB, I think “practicing” encompasses a vast spectrum…listening, watching, thinking, etc.  I play golf and many times as I’m walking the course I’m either listening - if by myself - or humming the tune thinking about how it’s played, variations, etc.

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journeybear

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## Simon DS

I sometimes think about a different tune while I’m actually practicing thinking about practicing another tune while I’m making a cup of hot chocolate, thinking about why I’m not practicing, and how much more thought will be required to consider picking up the mandolin with the eventual objective of maybe ruminating the idea of some practice, in general, as a concept.
And sometimes I don’t even think about it at all.

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## JeffD

I don't need to practice today, with my instrument that is. I am practicing with my mind, working on arpeggios, while I fix the garbage disposal. And the NCIS marathon on the television.

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Simon DS, 

Tim Logan

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## farmerjones

I never practice, I just play. Lotsa times when I play by myself I'll goof around with changing keys, or voicing.  :Mandosmiley:

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## Mark Gunter

Who needs a reason, anyway? Lol

Don’t bother me, I’m waiting for the last minute.

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## Dave Hicks

I am avoiding over-preparation.

D.H.

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## JeffD

I can't practice, its way too hot today.
I can't practice, its way too cold today.
I can't practice, there is weather out there.

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## John MacPhee

Can't be bothered.

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## Bill McCall

I have to catch up on Mandolins and Beer podcasts :Smile:

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