Keystones

[qazwsxmko]

It would be useful at some point to map out the things that I want to get done and see if there are some keystone pieces of knowledge (or physical tools) that I could use to speed the process up

Comments

[stolen_tea]

I came to the conclusion at one point, and still agree with it, that a "keystone" for myself is a deep experience in something, or put another more easily-taken-incorrectly way, "skill mastery". My thought has been that insights from one area can often be translated into another, and thus attaining a depth of domain expertise in one area would provide useful insights elsewhere. My experience has been that this works quite well, although I've found it requires periodic exposure to new skill areas to be most effective.

Another keystone skill I've decided on for myself is music. I want to learn an instrument that is portable and that I can play without using my mouth (so I can sing). Whistling is just not precise enough for me. :) So I'm thinking guitar or fiddle as the two front-runners. Thoughts?

[qazwsxmko]

I've been wanting to pick guitar back up for a while, so if you do decide on guitar, I could use a practice partner :) Guitar is supposed to be easier, almost everyone has one (so you don't even necessarily have to carry yours around) and transposes pretty easily into other folk instruments (like the banjo or the uke).

Fiddle somehow seems more you, though.

[stolen_tea]

Ooh, hm, tempting. I'd been leaning toward guitar, for commonality and somewhat the transposition. But I really do enjoy the type of improvised melodies and harmonies that are characteristic of the fiddle...