The Peace Out Explanation

Left: Photo of Iowa earth post my weekend trip to Iowa City





I went to Iowa City over the weekend to catch up and slow down at the same time. Ever since the culmination of my latter educational years, I've felt a bit of a mess. Internships, deadend retail jobs, family happiness on repeat, etc. has been a bit draining. So, I headed back to what had been my homeland for real growth and change, and it was a joy.

The best part of Iowa City is you never really know who will be there, when, and for what. I know things will change even more in the next year, because then I really won't know anyone anymore because we'll all have moved on, but it will still be the same. The thing is, once you accept that a place is fluid, that people are interchangeable, and visiting is always the correct antidote, it's fine. Iowa City can stand on its own in my mind. This morning before my favorite shop opened, a good friend of mine (Sarah) and I grabbed a warm beverage and chatted up one another about what this town has meant to us, how we are or were ready to move on from it, and how we're going to embrace everything it gives us. College towns do that. They have this warm, cozy up next to it feel, just as much as they have a cyclical, "get outta here and see the world" vibe. And we love it.

The only down beat is that the weather is cyclical too, and to really enjoy Iowa you have to remember and accept that it might snow at the end of March two weeks before Easter. It's a cruel weather world out there, regardless of which Midwestern town you've stumbled upon.

Banjo Pickin' Time

So, the latest tune I'm learning on the banjo is hence forth named, Banjo Pickin' Time. Recently I've picked up this instrument namely because I've always wanted to learn a string instrument, and the banjo in particular because everyone plays the guitar. I've had three lessons and really, things are going well with it. Up next is She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain and the Banjo Boogie.

I started seriously wanting to play in the fall last year while in San Francisco. My housemate had a banjo and taught me a few chords. Nothing too serious, and definitely informal as far as actual lessons. It's been great having my own instrument and having lessons. Though, I should add, lesson are not cheap. It's sort of a bummer, but I figure knowing an instrument is always worth it. Growing up I took piano for years and have sung since basically day one. I had some formal voice training, so music's no biggie, but string instruments are so different. I know the piano is string, but hand-held string instruments are so unique. For a while in junior high I played the trumpet, well, it was the cornet, but that's about the same thing, just a wee bit smaller. There were only three buttons on the trumpet, but a ton of chords could be made. I guess I just like the challenge of learning something knew while having that familiarity of a classroom environment to go with it.

If I can figure it out, I think I'll throw up some of these little diddies I've learned — if you're interested?