The 'Looking Back' Thread:

Inspector #20

Inspector #20

Ambassador of Tone
Fallen Star
Country flag
I spend about 3 hours (sometimes more) commuting daily, and that gives me a lot of time to think.

Lately, I've taken a hard look at myself and tried to be at peace with the fact that i haven't been more successful. In reality, i haven't done too bad for a high school dropout.

I am trying to transition into a mindset of seeing the glass half full, as opposed to half empty. It can be a struggle at times.

Looking back, i can see where i have set my own personal bar so high that i could not enjoy my accomplishments.

These are just my inner thoughts on the subject, but I've done some remarkably distracting and unproductive things. Like buying 5 new Gibson's in 2 years, in hopes of finding one that didnt require major work to make "right," only to go back to a brand new Schecter, which i had used since 2005, which needed nothing.

I guess I'm a bit hard headed...

Robert 1984.jpg

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I get that..today...Gibson SGJ into Marshall DSL &v30 & 75..its what i know & in the end it works..

sometimes the journey..tho..in my case pretty much..is, i experience guitars & amps & they bring out an original idea,,,i dont have to chase anything..except my heart & what comes out of it..

.its lonely at times cause people tend to go against originals.. if its not on the radio or they haven't heard it. they arnt open for new... guitar players are real hard on original music

I can only comment on what i know & that is 35 years of only being in original bands.

The bar is set high in my case..but its to make better songs as a sum total of the parts..learning drums, mic placement...bass...(guitar, still frustrated on this one, 35 years of bass & 4 strings & no thinking..marry the guitar & the drums & lets go)

today had to sing..i suck.. but made the song..its for me..probably will post it & these days...i dont care...make music..the best to our given abilities & enjoy it... i live for it...treasure it & caught myself..maybe 25 years left to play...every time i walk by the guitars & amps, going to error to the side of playing...just playing..not chasing perfection but chasing the emotion of whats inside..that needs to be expressed..cause if i keep it in..it will kill me

i fully understand...my take..raise the bar !!!!!!!!!!!!! but enjoy the journey more

Looking back?!? ya caught it..now ..leave nothing on the table as you pursue what you need to accomplish
 
Robert Herndon said:
I spend about 3 hours (sometimes more) commuting daily, and that gives me a lot of time to think.

Lately, I've taken a hard look at myself and tried to be at peace with the fact that i haven't been more successful. In reality, i haven't done too bad for a high school dropout.

I am trying to transition into a mindset of seeing the glass half full, as opposed to half empty. It can be a struggle at times.

Looking back, i can see where i have set my own personal bar so high that i could not enjoy my accomplishments.

These are just my inner thoughts on the subject, but I've done some remarkably distracting and unproductive things. Like buying 5 new Gibson's in 2 years, in hopes of finding one that didnt require major work to make "right," only to go back to a brand new Schecter, which i had used since 2005, which needed nothing.

I guess I'm a bit hard headed...

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View attachment 46396
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You know what Robert?
I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes I am sure that nobody or nothing kicks my ass like myself.
Trying to stay positive has become a major daily struggle for me too. I'm not by nature a glass-half-full kind of person.

Some days a little bit of humor goes a long way.



db3.jpeg



And some days it doesn't.
 
When I look back I have no real regrets. I was what they called a "Hoodlum" in my small hometown. I wasn't really that bad, just a typical boy of the time causing a little trouble
here and there. I would never have made it through High School if it wasn't for Vocational Tech where I learned Carpentry.

I never really put that to work because I joined the USAF soon after graduation. There I learned electronics and went on for a nice 26 year career where I was able to travel the world!

I managed to find a great wife and we raised a couple of wonderful girls who have families of their own now.

I look back with fond memories and I'm always surprised at the way I still feel like a kid fooling the adults into believing I'm one of them...

https://imgur.com/SNCvRyc
 
Chubbles said:
Can someone help me come up with some lies in case I go to any of my high school reunions? I need to come up with a whopper.
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Well I was surprised at how many OLD people were at my 40th reunion a few years ago.
So if you still have hair & are mobile without a walker, you should be the hit of the party.

You can always tell people you were in some obscure band, back in the day.
Make up a name similar to an existing obscure band.
They're old as well, they may sort of remember the name which will give credibility to your story.
If you can't dazzle em with brilliance, baffle em with bull:poo:!
 
I certainly know the feeling. I often say that on paper, I am doing great, but apparently I have not gotten the memo. I find myself frequently frustrated with the day's events and deviations from the plans I had laid so carefully. Even if my frustration comes from a desire to always be better, we should still be able to appreciate where we are since life is indeed a journey.

As for the time spent searching, buying, modding, and re-modding guitars...also guilty...but changing (notice how I skipped selling!). I find myself enjoying mods less and my well-playing guitars more. I have thought about just parting out may of them.

I appreciate everyone's honest revelations. It helps to know many of us feel this way on some level, even though I truly wish only happiness for all of you.
 
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I turn 66 next month. I often see some bright shiny new thing that I haven’t done. In the past I would have jumped both feet in only to see it go by the wayside when the next thing comes along. I think that is human nature. It used to bum me out that I had never continued with this or that. Over years and years of this I came to realize that the reason I kept responding to new, shiny things was because the last one wasn’t for me. I had a great experience trying them but in the end they weren’t for me. Does this mean I wasted my time. No, I had a great experience learning something new. Much of that knowledge was useful elsewhere in my life. I still chase the new shiny things but if they don’t work out I look for what I’ve learned, what did I gain from the experience. It took a lot of years to get comfortable with this but once I did there is a lot less anxiety. I have my health, my family, a roof over my head, and a very happy life. If that is not a successful life I don’t know what is.
 
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I'm sure anyone over a certain age will have similar thoughts. Some earlier, or later than others. I know I've had my own, and perspective with have many altering views on the same thought. I've often wondered what I could do different if given the chance, and often I'd say nothing. Maybe practice more would be the only change, but I've done some cool stuff, and none of it would have happened if things were different. My early fvck up years defined me for later. Got my name in the record books racing motorcycles, worked on some amazing cars like the Penske Ferrari GTO and Phil Hill Ferrari TR61, played some fun shows and stages (even though I wish I got to be a bigger seller/act), made stuff for the space station, space shuttle, and other cool stuff, and traveled the world. Don't get me wrong, even though I've done some fun stuff, I've made a ton of mistakes. I've also used every one as a learning tool to make me a better person.

If anything, I really wish I made money making music (or anything else) at an earlier age so I could have bought some of the stuff I've chased during my life. It's really ok though. Instead, now I have the skills to try to make the best copies that I can. I also still try to learn every minute of every day. I also try to learn what I can regarding all spectrums of life, not just my music. I know there's an old wise man on a mountain that keeps calling me to check in on what I'm doing.
 
Looking back. Regrets? Have a couple. One will haunt me till I’m not here anymore. The other just has me disappointed in myself. Would/should I have done some stuff differently. Sure. Didn’t go to college until I was in my 30s. Almost joined the Navy after HS. Got a job instead. As life happens.... not bad decisions. Started dating and 4 years later married Mrs. IbLive. 42 years later, think that turned out pretty good. Raised two boys that turned out pretty good. Four grandkids. Started as a mechanic/truck driver moving behind the parts counter in 1980..... where I’ve been since. Along the way, I got pretty good at my job. Not always the ideal job, but one that has allowed me to be home every night at a decent time. Was there for my boys as they grew up.

Overall, I’ve had a good life to this point. Most nights I climb into bed a contented old man.
 
iblive said:
Looking back. Regrets? Have a couple. One will haunt me till I’m not here anymore. The other just has me disappointed in myself. Would/should I have done some stuff differently. Sure. Didn’t go to college until I was in my 30s. Almost joined the Navy after HS. Got a job instead. As life happens.... not bad decisions. Started dating and 4 years later married Mrs. IbLive. 42 years later, think that turned out pretty good. Raised two boys that turned out pretty good. Four grandkids. Started as a mechanic/truck driver moving behind the parts counter in 1980..... where I’ve been since. Along the way, I got pretty good at my job. Not always the ideal job, but one that has allowed me to be home every night at a decent time. Was there for my boys as they grew up.

Overall, I’ve had a good life to this point. Most nights I climb into bed a contented old man.
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That my good man is quite the a compliment, and one we all try to achieve. Cheers
 
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