Why trying is good

Holy frig. Like, holy frig. So last week, I started trying to learn a song. I am lame and don't know chords (other than, like, the five-to-ten most generic ones), and aside from the mainstream, strummy sort of songs you play on an acoustic (which tend to consist of maybe ten generic chords total), the handful of other songs I've ever learned were all from tabs. Unfortunately, tabs are virtually impossible to find for most Brazilian music, and I can never make sense of any chords I can find. :| So that left learning this song by ear (and by the handful of fingerings you can see in the video, hehe). Which seemed like it'd be... really, really freaking hard... when I listened to it, but I really, really wanted to learn it, so I tried. And after working at it a little bit more each day since this past Sunday, today I finally finished! :D!

Some parts aren't quite right, and I still can't play it very well, but man! The first time I played it through from start to finish, after I reached the last note I could not stop grinning. I can't believe I actually did it! I listen to the original song, and I'm like, "Whaaaat, I learned that *by ear*?? Whaaaaaaat??" I'm so happy!! Seriously, forget grades or awards or scholarships -- I don't think I've *ever* felt this kind of sense of accomplishment. I feel like a little kid who just made their first-ever Play-Doh man. :D (One arm is falling off.)

Thinking back, there have been a couple of other times I set about learning something that I thought I was crazy to try, given my pitiful skill level (they include the third song I ever learned, and this one). But I did learn them (yay tabs!), and, bit by bit, they were much less impossible than they seemed at first. And then this! So my Important Lesson of the Day is: trying to do things you think you're crazy for attempting is The Best! :D Either you keep trying until you eventually succeed (and you get to be super happy about it!), or you learn a whole bunch through your effortful attempts and at least you know tried your best. :]

So yay! Lack of tabs can't stop me now! :D! There are so many songs I want to learn now... Although, man, it's *insanely* hard to pick out the notes for chords when all of the strings are sounded at once. D: But... I guess it'll get easier as I gain familiarity with the different chords.

Now to apply my Important Lesson to life in general... :o! I want more of this awesome feeling!