Hey Friend,

Okay, maybe "pain" is a bit dramatic, but you'll get the idea...

I got an early start today on trying to wrap up a home improvement project, and it pretty much took over once I got into it. 

We've been operating with a jury-rigged clothes dryer for over a year now, and while some clothes last longer when they're hang-to-dry, other things like towels and sheets really need to go through a dryer cycle. The setup we had in place was extremely time consuming and disruptive, but we did what we had to do...

We finally found someone who could diagnose the dryer exhaust issue and it's now fixed. I just have to re-route the ductwork so the dryer vents in a different place. So that's what I was tasked to do today, and so far it's trumping every other activity (yup, I'm taking a little break right now to write to you)!

I thought I was prepared for the job, but as I got into the dirty work, I found I will need to get more duct parts to make this work. I had a feeling when we bought the parts that I might need extra, but I didn't trust my gut and just buy them. So now I have to stop work and go to get the additional parts. It "pains" me that I have to make yet another run to Home Depot!

Proper preparation is key for every endeavor, and guitar is no different. For example, I got into the habit years ago to always have an extra set of guitar strings on hand in case of breakage. It's rare these days that I break strings, but it happens. And strings go dead over time, and you never know when that impromptu jam session is going to pop up.

There are things you can do every day to prepare for practice sessions or jams. Things like stretching your hands and warming up your fingers by practicing scales. Or staying in good physical shape so you maintain your endurance during a performance.

Do you have a preparation routine you like to follow? Send me your ideas and I'll put together a list for everyone to compare notes. Maybe we'll come up with a good prep plan everyone can benefit from. 

Now it's time for me to get back to my dirty job. 

Peace~

Dave