My name is Erin and in an effort to not lose sight of what I love to do during my first year of law school, I decided to take on a project: The Guitar Project. Over the year I will document my guitar learning process while building up a repertoire of chill songs to play and sing. The overlying goal: to be confident enough to play and sing in Chicago bars by myself next summer and through the remainder of my time at law school here in Chicago. Wish me luck! I'd love your support and feedback over the year!
I start lessons on Tuesday so no judging my guitar skills please. It’s all part of the project. I’m actually gonna try to blog this semester, so if you’re one of the 3 people who started to read it in August, I hope I won’t let you down again! Hope you like the song.
So Julia Child and that Julie girl would probably think I’m an incompetent blogger and bad guitar player, and they would be right since I didn’t blog once after starting school. But what Julie and Julia probably don’t know is that law school is EFFING HARD! I knew L school would be stressful, but I don’t think I actually understood what my first semester was going to feel like. Someone once analogized it to hitting your head against a door over and over again…I’d say that’s pretty dead on, but then add a million hours of reading while hitting your head against the door, and I think that would be closer…oh and also public speaking in front of the same 90 people every day while reading for a million hours while hitting your head against the door…yep that’s it. I could sing in front of a thousand people and be barely nervous, but public speaking in front of a small class…nuh-uh…panic attack central.
Anyways, I’m gonna take another stab at this blogging thing. I can hopefully squeeze in the guitar practicing and the blogging in place of all the freaking out about school I did over the past 5 months. I also signed up for guitar lessons at the Old Town School of Music once a week so that will help motivate me as well. I kinda wanna vom thinking about all the reading and stress that’s starting again next week, but knowing I’ll have another outlet makes it a little better. Hopefully I get good at this thing and then this blog won’t be a complete embarrassment.
Wish me luck por favor, and see you after my first lesson!
Along with learning guitar, I’d also like to become more knowledgeable about new and interesting music out there rather than just the top 40 which is the majority of what I listen to. I know I know, it’s a little hypocritical to call myself a “music person” if I only listen to Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber…although I’m not gonna pretend I don’t look forward to both of those artists being played at parties and bars…and maybe in my Recently Played playlist. So, I’m going to take advantage of tumblr and reblog some great music I hear on here. A good friend of mine turned me onto this song by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros a while ago, but this remix is awesome! Definitely listen!
Ahhh, I made my first guitar video! It’s kinda awkwardly taped and I am so obviously not a guitar-superstar, but I’m excited that I actually committed to putting my first video up. I love this song. The lyrics are just so dead-on about everything in life. We sang it in my acapella group in college, The Ransom Notes, and my best friend, Shannon, sang it beatifully. Check her out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdqOkon9xM0 She has an unmatchable tone and stage presence. She taught me to own your talent and the things that make you happy and if someone asks you to sing for them, just do it. Cheesy, but true.
So ya, this is my first guitar cover that will be part of my permanent repertoire. There is much room for improvement which is a good thing or else this blog would be totally boring. Does anyone have any advice?
It is exactly one week until I start my first year of law school, and I am taking on a project that will last for the duration of my 1L (I guess that’s what everyone calls the first year). Over this year, I am going to learn guitar while building a repertoire of chill songs that I will eventually be able to play and sing in Chicago bars next summer and for the duration of my time in law school. I know what you’re thinking, “you’re about to have the most stressful year of your life and you’re assigning yourself another year-long project?” Yep…see that’s exactly it, if I’m getting myself into a year of stress and conversations like “oh my godddd, my life is sooo hard, I have soooo much reading and I’m not prepared for my exam next week” then I am going to force myself to do something that relaxes me and something fun that I love to do.
I love music. I grew up thinking it was completely normal to have a music recording studio in your basement and for your dad to pressure you to drop out of middle school to become a famous singer. My dad is also a lawyer and a musician/rockin guitarist (I believe he’s onto his 5th solo album right now). Kinda scary that I’m becoming him, although I don’t really mind as much as I thought I would by saying that. I guess he’s pretty cool and if I’m to “become” anyone as I try to perfect this adulthood thing, I don’t really mind becoming like him so much. Now, if I’m talking to random people on the street all the time and making horrible jokes that make me laugh, then we can all freak out because I will be the complete female version of him.
Anyways, point is I love to sing and it makes me very happy. The artsy fartsy part of me is kicking myself for going to law school, but that’s why my end-end goal is to become a music lawyer and my short-term goal in making this blog is to remain artistic during my year of law school mayhem.
SO please come on this journey with me. I am starting off knowing a few chords, although the transitions between them are a little iffy. I’ve taught myself a couple Colbie Caillat, Ingrid Michaelson, and Taylor Swift songs. I know, the Tay Tay is a little cheesy, but she’s an inspiration to me because she’s a go-getter and so genuinely loves music…and I like her songs and adorable lyrics. Oh, and in my opinion, I rock a pretty good version of “The Heart of The Matter” originally by Don Henley, but closer to the India Arie version. I have yet to master bar chords. Every time I try to play an F, it sounds like a couple guitar being thrown down the stairs, but I have faith that I’ll get it by the end of the year.
If you think this sounds a little too Julie and Julia-esque to be a completely original idea, than you’re right. The movie did motivate me to do this. She was just so stressed and caught up in stupid shit and although she became even more stressed by adding her blog to the rest of her life, she was happy and putting in the time to do what she really wanted to do. And although I may not have the sexy, artsy, and supportive husband on my side I have great friends and family who I know will support me during this crazy year. I hope to have my first video up by the end of the week. I’d love really truly honest feedback because I want to improve and I want to be able to feel comfortable playing in front of people by next summer. I look forward to my year as a tumblr blogger. :)
