Oh sure, Art. My pharmacology prof. used to have a saying... "Better Living Through Chemistry". I love that.

I also agree about the "Folk Puddle". Finding that was the biggest blessing of my life. It was a complete change of attitude, and I am forever grateful. Music, to me at least, is supposed to be fun... a gift... something to explain and enhance life. It wasn't supposed to BE life.

Truth be told, I loved the puzzle. Getting a new piece and working the hell out of it, then performing it spot on. There is a real satisfaction there. What I didn't enjoy was the 'blinders-on' attitude that this exhistence was the only one appropriate enough to appreciate music. The real switch came during a brief tour when I visited some friends who lived in the area we were playing and we sat out in the yard playing music (oh no, ze hillbilleeee strikes again!) and I laughed. It was one of those "Holy Shit" moments. I realized that I hadn't had a good laugh about ANYTHING on the entire tour. When we got back home, I informed the maestro from hell that I knew the music by rote, and I wouldn't be at one of the next week's practices because the Giants were in the Series (sunshine, ballgame, and a chance to lean over the dugout and watch Will Clark in tight pants....hullo?...). You'd have thought I kneed Mozart right in his Magic Flute.

Long slow road to hell, my friends. Sure, the professional career was shot to shit, but I can honestly say that I have learned much more about music (and people too) being out of that environment. I haven't totally given it up--we had the Hungarian Youth Orchestra in last week and it was a trip getting to sit in with those kids--but I met it on my own terms. Thanks to the Mudcat masses (especially Rick, JustaPicker and Marion's musical knowledge and questions, and Bert's "I'll learn a song a week if it kills me" diet....) I think I am a more competent and HAPPY musician than I ever was before.