September 3, 2014
Practicing my guitar has been very difficult for me lately. After breaking all three sets of my E-strings, I had to improvise by using the next string up, which is a B-string and tuning it to the key of E. Having to do this means that the B-strings is getting stretched much tighter then it's supposed to be, which is in turn causing the string to snap. This is the third and last of my B-strings and just two days ago it also snapped. Now I have no strings left, rendering me unable to practice my guitar until my new order of strings comes in. Due to the strict rules and security measures set in place here at Madison Correctional, getting new guitar strings sent in here is a task in itself. First we have to look up which strings we want to purchase in a magazine through a company called Musicians Friend, and then we have to fill out a form with the order number and information and send it in to the recreation department for approval. Getting an approval for some odd reason takes a long time. This time around it took nearly two months for a response to my request to order new strings. Only after getting an approval can we then place an order. So just last week my order was placed and now I have to wait a couple more weeks for them to get shipped here. After the strings arrive, only God knows how long it will take for the prison to decide when they want to give me my strings. I just hope it doesn't take too much longer, for I feel I'm at a critical point in my guitar playing, just peeking around the learning curve, ready to start jamming. I have to remind myself to stay humble and be thankful for even having the ability to possess, learn and play the guitar while in prison as a ward of the state, which of course I am very humble and thankful for my many blessings in life. I've come a long way in my recovery from addiction, I still have a long way ahead and I will for the rest of my life. I just have a strong, driving force inside of me that wants to continue the path I've set in place each day for myself. Sometimes it's not easy for me when a wrench gets thrown in the mix and I have to get used to the simple fact that in life things occur without notice and we have to learn to adjust. Living as a normal, responsible human being is a strange new way of life for me, but I feel that just like my guitar practice I'm peeking around the learning curve.
