Moving back to the original point while keeping a finger on the pulse of this musical interlude (Mixed Metephor? Cliche? I dunno...) When do we move from being a student to being an expert? Yes, I know even experts have a lot to learn and I hope I will never stop learning until the day I die, but I would say my status in some things has gone above the standard alumni. Someone mentioned they studied pop music. I would say the same. I enjoy and learn from all types of music at popular level. I do find, however, that 'further education' in some is beyond me. Let me give some examples.

I enjoy 'pop' jazz. Acker Bilk, Kenny Barber, Georgie Fame and many others, but when I go a bit deeper I find it is not for me. Nothing wrong with the music. I know it is me. Likewise with Opera. Beyond The Toreador song and Nessun Dorma I start to flounder. Lots of other stuff like Rap and Goth Rock have similar learning curves for me. But sit me down with Folk Rock (Think Steeleye, Runrig, Tull etc.) and I would be there for hours. Most standard folk does the same for me but I will readily admit I don't understand some of the more subtle Irish folk nuances.

So, I am, and ever will be, a perpetual student of the subjects I love but, as this mortal coil is limited (another cliche?) I will specialise. Do other people do the same I wonder?