I Broked-ed my Gitir

A long time ago, in a galaxy far away, the hubster bought me a guitar. I had illusions of grandeur of becoming the next Jewel. Yes, I was going to master the guitar and write a kick-ass song in the process during my time in Japan. Almost five years later, the only kick-ass thing is the amount of dust that has accumulated on top of the guitar case.

All of that is going to change. A few months ago, hubster received a ukulele from his awesome brother. Let me tell you, that thing is addictive! And, it is fairly easy. The thing I hate about learning a new instrument is that I want to be good, but I want to be good NOW! So, coming off the high of being able to play "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "Leaving on a Jet Plane" on the ukulele, I decide to resurrect the guitar. After all, it is pretty hard for "Leaving on a Jet Plane" to sound mournful or sorrowful on a ukulele.

So out comes the guitar case. Okay, some strings are rusty, but so far so good. I manage to play a few chords and am actually having a good time. I had promised hubster that while he was in Tokyo that I would learn a song and things were going fine and dandy. That is, until the guitar decided to revolt. I went to get it out of its case to find that the D string had committed suicide.

Okay, no problem, I'm a woman of the world. I can get a replacement string. Ha ha, ha ha ha ha ha, Aaaaaaaaaaahahahahahhahaha ::wheezes:: ah ha ha ha haa...

I go to the music shop and find the strings all by myself. Then I was faced with the dilemma: acoustic, classical, folk, electric. Shit. I have no idea. It's a guitar. It has 6 strings. I know I don't plug it in, so electric is out. I open a few packages of folk strings--nope, the high E looks like metal and I know mine is nylon. I must have an acoustic guitar! So happy me takes 2 D strings in varying thickness to the register, pays, and is on my merry way.

I trudge home and watch a video about how to re-string a guitar. Okay, first things first, you have to unwind the peg and pull out the old string. Check. Next, pop out the peg at the bottom so that you can stick the end of the string in the hole and place the peg back on top. Uuuuuuuuuuh, Houston, we have a problem. My guitar doesn't have pegs at the bottom. Now that you mention it, the top looks different too. Why? Because I have a classical guitar, not an acoustic one. No problem, you say. Just go back to the store and get another string. Yeah, it usually wouldn't be a problem. But getting to the store for me here in Japan involves a 20 minute walk followed by a 20 minute train ride just to get into town with another 10 minute walk to get to the store. All of that in 90 degree heat? That plan can kiss my fat white butt.

Hubster makes it back from Tokyo, I sing "Leaving on a Jet Plane" for him on the ukulele, he's amused and then drives me to the mall for my new string. Twenty minutes and a few cuss words later, my guitar string is fixed and I am back to trying to learn while getting beginner's divots in my fingers.

I know that the welts will go away with time and the switching between chords will get easier, but it's hard to wait that long :-( I guess practice really does make perfect...damnit.