Come On In, Everybody! Bricky & Nikki got up early this morning to get the special brew they created especially for this 1st round of Bricky & Nikki's Coffee House going & ready to greet you as you come in the door! Created with our guitar~focused question in mind, grab your cup of Jimi Java and come and sit by the fire because Bricky & Nikki are getting ready to answer your questions! Oh! Hi, Irene! I love your coat! Come in from the cold and let's see what Bricky & Nikki have to say to you today! You're our 1st question ever in Bricky & Nikki's Coffee House!:
From IRENE CLAYTON:
TOO OLD ACCORDING TO FRIENDS
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As a young at heart 71 yr. old, I would like to know how to age in reverse. Am I too old to go to music festivals? It is strange being the oldest one there, apart from Bob of course. My friends think I am mad. I don't believe in dressing or acting age appropriately. If I ever appear at a gig wearing a twin set, tweed skirt, & with a white curly perm, then it's time to stop. 😂
NIKKI:
Greetings, Irene! I want to start off by saying you definitely are NOT too old to be doing these things! I turned 51 on November 26th & someone I know had the nerve to tell me that I'm too old to go to concerts and that I'm also too old to go on rides at amusement parks (other than, of course, the merry~go~round). When it comes to doing the things you love to do, so long as you are still enjoying those things & are still able to do them, do them! We're only given one lifetime. Why should we spend it doing the things others tell us to do or not to do? I saw a recent interview with Keith Richards where he was asked when he plans to stop playing music and he replied, "I'm not going to stop until I absolutely have to." I thought that was the best answer. There seems to be a mentality out there of "once I'm in my 40's/50's, I'm going to do the things society expects of me and I'm going to lose all my flare." Never mind that nonsense. You do YOU because, if anything, the naysayers probably envy your youthfulness & bright spirit!
BRICKY:
Hi, Irene,
I agree with everything Nikki said but I would like to add 70 is the new 50. When we get older it's vitally important to stay active and RELEVANT! Maybe one day you'll say "That's enough" but until that day keep doin' The Rat and enjoy life.
And finally, you need to get new glasses as you've obviously missed all the other 70+ people at these festivals. Don't allow your brain to close down. Be open to new things to learn or do. I recently got a language app on my phone and I'm finally learning Italian!
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☮️ HOW DO YOU LIKE THE JIMI JAVA, ELI?! It was made JUST for YOU! So are these thoughtful answers from Bricky & Nikki! ☮️:
GUITAR LESSONS QUESTION
Dear Bricky & Nikki,
I started taking guitar instruction last year at the age of 62. I'm struggling mightily with chord changes. My fingers want to move sequentially instead of together. Any advice for this old bloke before I quit altogether.
Best Regards,
Former Councillor Eli
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NIKKI:
Hello, Eli! My first thought when I read this was "don't give up your lessons and don't pressure yourself". I recently picked up the bass again after it spent over 20 long lonesome years n the corner of my bedroom. I was a student at Berklee College of music at the time (the bootcamp of music colleges) when I was diagnosed with very severe tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome, I was no longer able to continue playing for the number of hours I needed to in order to keep up with the demands of being a full time student at a music school. I put my bass down out of disappointment and frustration, and now, years later, I wish I had continued to play it, even if only for 30-45 minutes each day and even if solely for my own enjoyment. In reteaching myself everything now, I am finding that it takes a little longer for my lessons to stick than it did when I originally taught myself at fifteen years of age, but I am going to stick with it. I think my taking longer to master things again is more due to the fact that I have an unusually stressful job that drains me of my mental energy. Also, unlike when I was in school, I no longer need to play for several hours everyday and I no longer have deadlines to meet. I do it because I enjoy it and as I remaster techniques and theory, it feels great! I think the problem that you're having will ease up in time. Just take it slow, and you'll be so happy that you didn't put your guitar down for good.
BRICKY:
Hi, Eli,
NO!!!!! Don't give up. There's a couple of things you may need to check. You can do this with your guitar teacher or in a guitar shop. The "action" on your guitar may be a little high. This can be reset. Check the gauge of your strings and make sure you have nice light gauge strings. These are much easier to play.
Don't try to learn difficult stuff. Let's face it, you're never gonna compete with Keith Richards or Jimi Hendrix. Make sure your instructor is teaching you what you want to learn and not just some standard things he teaches to all his students. There are loads of fab songs that are easy to learn. It's not about difficult chords or crazy solos with 100 notes a second. It's about feeling comfortable with what you play and feelin' the groove.
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HELLO, SUSS! YOU DIDN'T GET RID OF ENOUGH BOXES ON BOXING DAY?! HERE ARE YOUR ANSWERS!
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LOSING THINGS
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Dear Bricky & Nikki,
Please can you help me. As I get older I don't seem to be able to find things so easily. Whereas everything used to be in a couple of familiar boxes, I find increasingly that things are being put in so many different places that I can never find what was there in front of me just recently and everything is so fragmented I keep losing track. Is this my problem? I feel like I'm the only one suffering from this sometimes. What do you advise?
NIKKI:
Cheers, Suss! I can absolutely relate. You are not alone in feeling this way. I frequently have the issue of walking into a room to get something and then having no idea of why I am standing in that room. I'll also go into my purse to get something, rummage away, and realize that I don't even know what I am looking for. Personlly, I attribute my problem to fatigue, stress, and feeling preoccupied. It's also possible that now that you feel that you're struggling with losing things, that you start to feel a bit anxious when looking for things , and that alone, might cloud your mind and make you forget. Additionally, sometimes our minds just wander and we can get distracted.....in a good way!
BRICKY:
Hi, Suss,
Welcome to the world of 50+. Again Nikki's advice is excellent. Preoccupation and definitely stress and anxiety will contribute to short term memory problems. So stay cool, be patient, and exercise your brain. It's the same as the body. The more exercise it gets, the better it performs.
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🪵🔥🪵☕ WHAT AN INCREDIBLY NICE TIME THAT WAS BY THE FIRE! I feel so much wiser and I know you do, too! Thank you so much, Bricky & Nikki! There's no question, you're everyone's favorite Rock 'n' Roll Agony Aunts! And thank you to all of you gathered here! Keep Enjoying Your Jimi Java, go to lots of Rats concerts, break out your guitar, and don't forget what you came here for in the 1st place: To be happy, peaceful, creative, and to have a great time!
Love,
The Coffee House Gang 🤍 ☕☕☕🤍
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Thanks Bricky & Nikki for your kind and thoughful responses. Still taking guitar instruction. Hoping one day to become proficient enough to play the solo from "When The Night Comes." Love you guys,
Having fun is the key to staying youthful! Learning how to do new things is as well. We'll all still be on here when we're 100 years old!
Fantastic! Thanks to all for the questions and answers. Happy new year from JE in Chicago.
Thanks for thr kind comments. I do also believe in lifelong Learning. I am a Public Engagemwnt volunteer at the Zoo, I am part of a Theatre Study class, as I adore the Theatre and also Film. I am also a Genealogist and do research for others with Scottish ancestry. I exercise at the gym and walk miles regularly. I love books and HAVE to read every day. I enjoy the Edinburgh Book Festival and the Fringe. I go to talks at the National Museum of Scotland and The Royal Scottish Geographic Society. I fit the Music in around all that. Photography is another hobby. And gardening.
Love it ❤️ What brilliant advice all round! I've kinda come to similar conclusions myself about the age thingy.....I'm 58 and still doing the Rat and rockin' at loads of live gigs. And also in the last couple years I've taken up playing the keyboards again.....I'm never gonna be on stage or play with a band, but really, who cares?!? I'm having fun 😁 😂 😀 🤪 So thanks Bricky and Nikki for confirming all this, as I can relate to these questions and answers too 🐀🐀🐀🐀