Well I suppose I knew this all along but after spending a couple days at the FretMentor workshop with Jim Hurst it is apparent that what I call practice is actually just playin'. Through all the discussions It was clear that there really is a difference. I actually was able to take quit a bit away from the weekend and hope to put all of it to good use. Discipline is an important key that has been missing from the chain. I'm really looking forward to the next level...after all the practice of course.

I heard the guitar class was awesome!!

Yeah, same here. I want to do it, the main thing is making myself float back to earth and actually pay attention to where I want to go with my playing. I took a fair amount away from the workshop. I realized after going to an all suzuki workshop, where most of the kids there want to be in an orchestra one day, that I need to focus more on my goals, and think about the things that I want to play and what I want to do with it one day; whether I want to play just for fun, play in contests, teach my friends, or earn a quick buck on the weekends. And the workshop gave me little more of an idea of what the true blue fiddling community is like; 180 degrees from the classical community (or about 50% of it anyway).

All in all, an awesome expirience!(sp?) Good food, good company, good ideas, and most of all, good music!!! ~J

I always thought a fiddle player was just a cool violinst minus all the uptight culture. In the guitar world, it would be like comparing Andres Seqovia to John Mayer. In the bow instrument world, compare Suzuki to Charlie Daniels, and you get the idea. Daniels, as i'm sure you know, is a very accomplished guitar and fiddle player.